ASK A DOG TRAINER...
We love our pets dearly. But sometimes we get frustrated when our dog (or cat) is exhibiting a behavior we simply don’t understand. Leon Panoo, Pawmetto Lifeline’s Canine Enrichment and Training Manager is here to answer your behavioral questions! QUESTION: What is the best way to crate train a dog? LEON PANOO: Treats are key. Motivating the dog to go to the back of the crate with treats or high value food items. Patience is key. Once the dog goes into the crate, working on closing the gate slowly while rewarding them. Once they are comfortable with the door closed, gradually work on walking away in small intervals until you build up to settling in the crate. The crate must be a safe zone. It should never be a form of punishment. It is their sanctuary within their home. QUESTION: How do I stop my dog from jumping on people? LEON PANOO: If you find your dog is a jumper on people, it is a 2-part action that needs to be addressed. Utilizing the word off from both the handler and the
Adoptable dog Beau catches a frisbee.
person being jumped on. The person who is being jumped on should turn sideways or turn around completely to disengage from the behavior. Praise and attention should only be given when the dog is providing the appropriate behavioral response. Patience and repetition are key to success in any training. Dogs do not inherently understand proximity to space and rely on us to ensure they have appropriate manners when greeting new people. QUESTION: How do I stop my dog from barking inappropriately? LEON PANOO: Barking can be caused by many reasons, but we mostly see it when they are startled, excited, or over stimulated. The most important way to begin with training to stop barking is to choose a word or phrase that you want to be recognized as the signal to stop
Leon Panoo and Bernard
barking. When the barking behavior takes place, give the chosen word or phrase command and then give treats when the barking stops. This behavior is one of the hardest to correct and repetition is key. Rewarding smaller moments of silence will lead to the desired effect. QUESTION: My dog guards his food and toys. Can I correct this behavior? LEON PANOO: Resource guarding is a common behavior with dogs. Respecting boundaries and recognizing body language is key to understanding and managing this type of behavior. Resource guarding is due to a level of insecurity that needs to be addressed. A professional trainer would be ideal to address a dog’s guarding behavior to provide the appropriate training plan for the best possible outcome as each situation is different.
TRICKED YA! TEACH YOUR DOG TO CATCH A FRISBEE
Pawmetto Lifeline’s Animal Care staff members love to teach our dogs new tricks. It’s fun enrichment for both dogs and humans! Here’s how to teach your own dog to catch that silly flying disc! 1. Introduce your pup to the frisbee. Let them chew on it, hold it, chase it and offer plenty of enthusiastic praise. Reward with treats when they complete a task. 2. Gently toss the frisbee a few feet away. Praise and reward when they retrieve it and bring it to you. Reinforce several times until you feel confident they’ve got the concept. 3. Start throwing the frisbee further distances. Try to keep it close to the ground so they can catch it easily at first. 4. Praise, praise, praise! Make sure to praise and reward each time they catch and return the frisbee to you. 5. Continue reinforcing these steps. Throw the frisbee further and higher every other time you toss it, giving excessive praise when they start jumping to catch it in the air.
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