Training Archives - Oh My Dog!

Teach Your Dog to Come When Called

09•22•19

A few weeks ago, I posted an Instagram Story of us working with Cooper in the backyard. We were doing recall training–that is, working on getting him to come when called–and making a super fun game of it. It’s one of his most favorite games, actually, so he’s gotten good at it over the years.

That story elicited a ton of DMs asking how we taught him the game, what we did to teach Coop his recall, and so on. So, I decided to pull my tips together in one past in case it helps anyone else who’s trying to teach your dog recall OR who’s struggling to troubleshoot a problem with your dog’s recall.

Teach Your Dog to Come When Called: It's so important for your dog's safety to know how to come reliably. Here are some easy steps to take to teach your dog, plus some troubleshooting ideas in case your dog struggles with recall.

OhMyDogBlog.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

How to Train Your Dog to Come

OK, let’s get super basic here: Teaching your dog to come when called is the most important thing he or she needs to learn for safety. If you’ve tried to teach recall and it didn’t stick, or if your dog knew it once and now doesn’t, or if you’re starting this out for the very first time, the process is the same.

First, pick a cue. Now, if you’re in the “didn’t stick” or “now doesn’t” camp, you need a word other than what you used previously. That word–probably “come”–is now dead to you. Pick something new. I’m a big, big fan of a specific whistle, but it doesn’t matter. Start by choosing your cue. For the sake of this post, I’m going to use “come,” but it can be anything short.

Next, watch your language! Don’t use that cue word for anything other than recall and never for anything negative. So, let’s say your dog is playing in the backyard and it’s time for his bath. Don’t call “Cooper, come!” and then drag him into the tub. From the moment you decide to train your dog to come, the recall word you chose can only be used for good things.

Third, set the bar really low. Start training recall in a distraction-free zone. Take your dog out to go to the bathroom first, then go somewhere quiet and comfortable like your living room. Get a friend or family member to help, and sit a few feet away from each other. Call your dog to come to you, dole out a valuable treat (this is NOT the time for dry, crunchy cookies, y’all), then have your friend do the same. Give lots of love and praise while you practice. With the bar still set low, move the game somewhere slightly more distracting–say, the backyard. Practice, practice, practice.

Don’t forget that distance is a degree of variability you need to practice, too. If you and your buddy stand 10 feet apart in the backyard, standing 15 feet apart is a nice, slight raise of that training bar.

Here’s something that works well to raise the bar ever so slightly: Once your dog masters the cue in the living room and the backyard, keep practicing with your friend as you increase the difficulty AND simultaneously you start working with your dog one-on-one back in the quiet/comfy spot. Let’s say you and your friend are working 10 feet apart in the backyard. That’s awesome! The next day, your friend isn’t available. So, you head into the living room with your treats and periodically call your dog to come and reward. Consider those activities two distinct parts of the training–your dog needs to reliably come to you when it’s you alone, but that’s much more difficult to manage in the early stages. So, work on both! But, again, keep the bar really super low so that you set your dog up to win.

Now, eventually your home and your backyard will become too easy, and you’ll have to raise the bar again to, say, your front yard. Unless your front yard is fenced in, you NEED to put your dog on a long line. (This is the one we use.) You are in training here, so it’s NOT the time to test your dog’s reliability.

Finally, keep at it. Training your dog to come when called is nothing like training your dog to sit in the sense that you need to work on recall all the time to reinforce it and to proof it, while a behavior like “sit” is naturally well integrated into your day and the stakes are low. Recall training should be ongoing. The cue should always stay positive, and you should practice every chance you get so that when you do find yourself needing it, your dog’s already an ace.

A Quick Aside About Training Treats

Get the good ones.

Seriously, this isn’t biscuit time. This is freeze-dried liver time. This is squeeze cheese time. This is shredded chicken, turkey bacon, warmed-up hot dog time. Whatever is your dog’s go-to, can’t-resist, must-have treat, recall training is the time to use it. You don’t want your dog to think, “Eh, why bother? She just has that crappy dry cookie, and here I can eat rabbit poop,” or whatever it is. You know your dog’s preferences and tolerances, so pick the tippy-top of what he or she likes the best.

Make Recall FUN!

What I shared on Instagram is a game we call “Recall Relay.” John stands at one end of the yard, and I stand at the other. We both have a pile of treats, and we just call Coop back and forth. He loves it because he loves treats, he loves running, and he loves playing with us. It’s a win all around!

We modify the game outside and inside, too, by adding in a hike-and-seek component. I’ll duck behind a shrub or behind the sofa and call Coop to come. He LOVES seeking us out, and finding us is almost as much of a reward to him as the actual treat we dole out.

Sometimes I’ll see him out in the yard doing nothing special, and I’ll grab a treat from his jar and call him to come–just for the fun of it and just for the reinforcement.

When can I stop using treats? And other troubleshooting tips…

“Ugh, my dog will only come because he knows I have treats.”

So?

I mean, truly, I only do my work because I know I’ll get paid. I’m not going to submit a bunch of copy to a client who might or might not compensate me… There’s nothing wrong with a rewards system, especially for a behavior as important as come.

“My dog was so good at this, and now he ignores me.”

OK, so you’ve poisoned the cue. What that means is you’ve used “come” one too many times without payment or followed by something unpleasant or maybe it wasn’t as good as you thought it was to begin with. The reason doesn’t actually matter, and the fix is (sorta) simple: Pick a new cue and start over. It’s far easier to train it as if it were a new behavior with a new cue word or whistle than it is to troubleshoot what went wrong with your old cue.

“He will come when called at home, but at the park… nada.”

You moved the bar too high too fast. Your dog needs to go back to recall boot camp with some purposeful retraining.

Also, know that a recall will never, ever be 100 percent. Let’s say you DO have it down pat at the park. Then, one day, there’s a deer standing in the middle of the field, and your dog has never seen a deer before, and your dog decides he reallllllllllyyyyy needs to chase that animal… or, let’s say a stray cat darts across the street directly in front of you, and there’s nothing your dog loves more than chasing a stray cat… or, the ice cream truck hits a pothole and the whole giant tub of ice cream bounces out the back and splats on the sidewalk… or, whatever your dog finds truly irresistible. You can practice and proof and make it a game, and your dog might still ignore you in the face of something too good to be true.

It’s another topic for another post, but it’s one of the many reasons I strongly advocate for keeping your dog on leash at all times unless you’re in a fenced-in yard or dog park. Recall, imo, is an emergencies-only cue, but the training is a fun, all-the-time thing.

Teaching Your Dog to Come When Called Is Worth the Effort

You might be thinking that this sounds like a lot of effort. You might be thinking that this sounds like it takes an enormous amount of time.

You’re right. It is a lot of effort, and it does take a lot of time.

But it’s so worth it.

Twice in Cooper’s life, unforeseen circumstances resulted in him getting loose. The first time, our gate broke–unbeknownst to us–and the second time was immediately after we moved to Louisiana. We took the dogs outside with no clue that Coop could just waltz right under the elevated house from the fenced-in front yard to the un-fenced-in front yard.

In both cases, thank goodness, he came when I called.

We practice. We make it fun. And, when we need it, it works.

So, there you have it: My tips for how to teach your dog to come when called. Have you taught your dog a recall? How does he or she do? Have you encountered a need to use it? How do you proof the behavior? Please share in the comments so we can all learn from each other!

Dogs and Babies: Can everybody get along?

08•19•19

I read a lot of dog training forums and belong to a bunch of training Facebook groups. Generally, they’re full of amazing, helpful people who love dogs and who love helping dogs live better lives. Occasionally–as with anything on the internet–the conversations devolve into bickering or negativity, but dog people are usually pretty cool with one another.

Recently, a pet-and-child parent posted a question: What’s a good cue I can teach my dog to stop licking my kid’s sticky, disgusting face? I rephrased it a bit for brevity, but the gist is that kids are yucky and dogs love licking yucky things. How can we work with the dog on this?

There were dozens of replies by the time I saw the post, and the first thing I realized while scrolling was… no one helped her. Not one person. Instead? They all judged her.

Your dog should never be close enough to your child for a face lick.

You need to manage your dog better.

Small children can’t learn how to behave, so you’re putting your dog in harm’s way.

They need to be separated.

Deep breath. OK. I have a lot to say about this and a ton of resources to share, so stick with me because I hope this post can be helpful to any parent who’s struggling to figure out how to let their children and dogs interact and grow together–safely.

Dogs and Babies: Can everyone get along? Sure, it takes some safety strategies--and some common sense--but there's no reason your dog and your kiddos can't be best buds! Read on for how to make it happen!

TL; DR Version

We’ll get into detail, and I’ll share our first-hand experience, but in case you’re in a hurry:

Know and respect your dog’s personality. If you know he hates, say, loud noises, honor that by providing a safe space when your little one is crying.
Teach your kid safe dog manners. This is HUGE and can start really, really young.
Use common sense. It should go without saying, but as the adult, you need to use your head. Don’t let your toddler waddle around holding a peanut butter sandwich and expect your dog not to snatch it… along with your kiddo’s pudgy fingers.

Also, do note I’m focusing on little ones, like under three or four. There’s a whole lot more to be said about big kids, a lot of which I covered in this dog bite prevention post.

Set Your Dog Up for Success Around Kids

You need to keep your dog from landing in a spot where he or she feels compelled to bite. End of story. Whatever that is varies by dog. Some dogs can stay super chill and laid back around groups of kids. My mom’s dog, Otto, is like that. Emmett was like that. However, in both cases, they’d happily snatch food from an unsuspecting child–nailing a finger accidentally in the process–so they needed to be separated from those situations.

But what about the rest of the dogs, the majority of pups who have firmer lines drawn? You need to put their safety above their momentary happiness.

I’ll use my lovey as an example: Cooper hates unpredictability in all things. Kids live on unpredictability. Flailing, screeching, dive-bombing, running, tripping… all these typical child behaviors send him into a fit. So, when we have kids around who we know behave like that, Coop hangs out in my office for the visit. No, he’s not happy, but he’s much happier than he would be among loud, boisterous kids, AND he’s safe. There won’t be any incidents that force him into an uncomfortable situation.

And, to be totally honest, most kiddos who behave like that around him are kids who don’t have a dog at home or whose parents aren’t super dog savvy. It’s my job to keep him and our guests safe, and safety trumps happiness.

Same thing when we’re out walking: If a kid wants to pet him, I simply tell them no. Sure, we get some weird looks, but I don’t care. His safety–and the kid’s–is more important.

Watch your dog. If your dog shows any sign of stress around a kiddo, and that kiddo isn’t able to regulate his or her behavior, then remove your dog. Baby gates work great. For littles, stick ’em in a playpen. Use another room if necessary.

If kids are going to be around at all, whether it’s the new baby you just brought home from the hospital or your nieces and nephews in town for a long weekend, figure out what will keep your dog safe and do that.

Teach Your Kid How to Behave Around Dogs

This one got me a little fired up: Small children can’t learn how to behave, so you’re putting your dog in harm’s way.

Um. Yeah.

Nope.

Small children most certainly can learn how to behave. As early as eight months old, they develop an understanding of cause and effect–if I do this, then this happens–and empathy starts to kick in around 18 months.

Perhaps more importantly for this discussion, babies learn social cues–like how to behave around a dog–from what they observe. If you model safe, caring behavior with your pets, your kids will learn that. If you raise your voice to yell at your dog or drag your dog by the collar, your kid will think that’s OK.

The second a baby can reach out for your pup, it’s time to start teaching what is and is not OK. For instance, if she reaches out to grab a handful of fur, stop her hand and explain why that’s not acceptable. No, she won’t fully understand what you’re saying, but she’ll start acquiring information on how to behave around dogs.

According to one of the dog trainers in that thread, she alleged that children can’t cognitively understand that they can hurt a dog until they’re four.

All the cognitive science clearly shows otherwise, and we’ve seen it first-hand with Violet.

She’s two, and she’s a keen observer of human emotion.

“Mama, you frustrated?” “Aunt Lizzy, you sad?” “I. SO. ANGWY.”

She understands fully when a friend on the playground gets hurt–whether accidentally or by her hand–and will identify the upset and try to figure out how to help her friend feel better. Same with the animals here. I stepped on Ripley’s toe when I was feeding her dinner the other night, and she yowled.

Violet asked, “Is Ripley sad?” I explained that I hurt Ripley’s toe by accident.

“Give her a hug, mama.”

Kids get it… IF they’re taught.

While I’m talking about little kids in this post, read more about dog bite prevention for bigger kids here: Safety first for kids and pets

Should you separate your dog and your baby?

This was the big topic under discussion in the thread I mentioned. The gist was that most people felt that dogs should never be close enough to lick a small child’s face to begin with, they should always be separated, and she was an irresponsible mother for allowing this to happen in the first place.

If you know your dog and set your dog up for success, and if you start teaching your child how to behave around dogs from the earliest age, you’re off to a great start. That said, there is a LOT of nuance to the “separate them” argument worth addressing.

For one thing, obviously, never leave your baby alone with another animal if you’re not right there. That is plain-and-simple common sense.

For another, don’t let your kid wander around with food in the same space as your dog. Also common sense.

Never have your kid sit on your dog (I mean, come on, people) or pull up on your dog or ride your dog like a pony or any other numskull behaviors you’ve likely seen on social media.

I mean, duh. Right?

OK, so all those common sense caveats aside: Should you separate your dog and your baby?

Well. It depends.

For one thing, with a highly sensitive dog like Cooper, if I’d kept him totally separate from Violet for four years, he would’ve leaped to some conclusions: OK, Lady won’t let me near the little pink monkey, so that little pink monkey must be dangerous, AND she’s keeping Lady away from me, so I hates it.

And it’s more than simply getting them used to each other’s presence. Cooper needed to learn not to lick her. Violet needed to learn not to pull up on him. I hoped they’d grow up to be good friends by learning how to be calm and respectful around each other. I know Coop inside out and always err on the side of safety, and I’ve trained Violet since the beginning how to be respectful of other animals. Is she perfect? Of course not. She’s two.

{{Funny enough, as an aside: She’s two. She throws tantrums. When one is brewing, both cats and Coop seem to have identified triggers even faster than I do and skedaddle to wait out the storm–lucky ducks–even before she starts screaming.}}

They like to be together. They like to play together. In fact, they prefer to be together–and with me–at almost all times, so it’s out of necessity that I teach them both how to behave around each other.

Life happens. You all live together in the same house. There’s no way I could keep them on separate sides of gates or playpens until she turned four years old, and setting parents up to think that’s the case… it’s simply unreasonable.

Dogs and babies CAN be great friends!

Use your head. Take appropriate steps you need to keep everyone safe. Invest in some food puzzles for those times when you do need to separate your dog. (We use a regular Kong, a Squirrel Dude, a Tux, and puzzle feeders, but holy moly I think we need this epic snuffle mat.)

Ultimately, find ways for them to interact in a safe, positive way together because there is no greater joy than watching your baby and dog grow up together!

Running With Dogs: How to start trail running with your dog

03•28•19

Last year I shared Running With a Dog That Pulls and included a ton of other running tips I’ve picked up along this slowwwww journey of ours.

This weekend, I’ll run my longest distance yet–a 10k–with sights set toward a half marathon in the fall. That, btw, is my uppermost limit. I’m never going to train for anything longer than that, but once I finish the half, I need a new goal.

Here’s my confession: I still don’t like running. I haven’t liked it since I started the C25k trainer app several years ago, and adding miles hasn’t added any love. It’s a slog. I’ve never experienced a “runner’s high.” Instead, I’m usually experiencing something I’ve coined “runner’s relief” when it’s over!

However, I’m committed to it partly because I want to be stronger, partly because I want to feel like I can do it, and partly because it’s Cooper’s greatest joy in all the universe. I can’t rob him of that just because it’s hard, ya know?

So, I’ve decided on trail running. (The photo below is clearly not us! I don’t know how to get a scenic shot of us trail running without, like, bringing a photographer running with us. HA! Plus, there’s nothing so mountainous in central Indiana!)

Running With Dogs: How to start trail running with your dog

I love hiking. I love being outside in the woods, breathing fresh air, enjoying nature. I love the feeling of tired legs after navigating rough terrain, and I love the look on Cooper’s face at the end… that happy, mouth-open pant that means he just had fun. Welp. Why not combine the two!?

You guys know me… as soon as I decided on that idea, I dug into the research. I compiled a lot of useful tips and info, so I want to share that with you in case you’re interested in starting a trail running habit with your dog!

How to start trail running with your dog

First thing’s first: Unless you’re in an off-leash-specific area, never let your dog off leash to run on the trails. It’s disrespectful to other people and dogs in the park, and it’s disrespectful to the wildlife. Trails are cut for a reason. Stay on them and keep your dog on leash. And, obviously (it’s obvious, right? I mean, it should be…) pick up after your dog. Yes, that might mean running miles with a poop bag, but that’s just part of the deal.

With that foundation, here are three tips to get you started running trails with your dog:

Avoid injury. Just like you wouldn’t run a marathon your first day out, you don’t want to clock tons of miles in the beginning of trail running. It’s so much harder than running on pavement or on a track. Your ankles and knees need time, plus you’re using some subtly different muscle groups when you’re trying to stay balanced on terrain than a flat stretch. When this idea first popped into my head, I made a point to jog little stretches of trail on my hikes with Coop. Train like you would for any other race. In fact, it might be smart to start an app or program like C25k on trails even if you’ve already achieved that distance on pavement. It’s good for you and it’s good for your dog to take it slowly. No injuries!
Avoid overheating. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. That goes for you and for your dog. Dehydration can be sneaky, especially if you’re in the shade or at an elevation that feels cool. You’re still sweating a ton, and you and your dog are working really hard. Take water breaks and avoid overheating. And always bring water, even if you’re going a short distance. You just never know, and it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Set limits. It’s your responsibility to make sure your dog doesn’t overdo it. I mean, for you too, of course, but your dog won’t necessarily tell you if he’s sore, tired, or in pain. Caution is the name of the game. This rule also helps ease you into trail running! Start small and slowly build up your miles. Right now, Coop and I run intervals: We run for four minutes and walk for one. We started with less total time, around 30 minutes, and are building up our duration. Today’s run, for instance, was 55 minutes with those intervals. It helps build strength and duration while implementing a set limit–which is good for both you and your dog!

Otherwise, the best way to start is to just start! Hit a trail closest to you and give it a whirl! You won’t get anywhere unless you take those first few steps, ya know?

Trail running gear for your dog… and for you, too!

There’s an entire industry dedicated to gear, but I’m a firm believe in simplifying. You need good shoes. You need a way to hydrate. Your dog needs a collar and harness. Depending on terrain, your dog might also need boots. Beyond that, it’s your choice. You can suit up in all kinds of technical fabrics and carry bits and pieces of gear. I wear a thick pair of running tights from Athleta (thick because I often get sliced by brambles and thorns), layered tops depending on the weather, and a hat. That’s it! Here are a handful of other things to consider:

Water belt: You want to be as hands-free as possible. You’re already holding the leash, and at least for me, I like to have a totally free hand to help with balance. A water belt lets you carry your water, plus a lot fit your phone and a roll of poop bags. This one comes highly recommended, and John uses this one.

Shoes: I live in central Indiana. We have very little rugged terrain. Plus, I’m not conditioned for super steep or rocky stuff yet, so I honestly just wear plain old running shoes. These are my current ones, and I love them. If I were to get super technical with trail running, I’d probably look into this brand because it’s so renowned for trail shoes. Maybe someday. Regardless, I’m a firm believer in just being where you are in the process, so there’s no need to spend a ton on shoes unless you want or need to.

Harness: I absolutely do not recommend running with just a collar + leash because it puts too much pressure on your pup’s neck. Cooper wears this one most often, which we selected for visibility. You can’t miss him in that thing. However, it doesn’t quite adjust to a perfect fit on him because he has unique proportions. I’m in the process of looking for another option that’s at least equally visible. The other one we use is this one if I need him to carry some of his own stuff, like pickup bags or a water dish.

Bug spray: Both Coop and I seem to be tick magnets. He’s on a preventative, but I also spray us both down with a bug spray before we hit the trails (except in winter months). And to be completely honest? I just spray myself with the spray I buy for Coop and the cats, which is Easy Defense from Only Natural Pet.

Sunscreen: I advocate for sunscreen 365 days a year for any activity, but it’s especially important to have a good one when you’re sweating. I love the Sun Bum brand in both the lotion and the spray. For your dog, consider a product like nose protection.

Paw butter: For a post-run treatment, a paw butter helps soothe rough spots. We currently use this one, although we did get a free sample of it about a year ago so don’t have other brands to compare it to… although it has lasted a whole year, so there’s that!

Safety Precautions

Once you’re ready to go, there are a few other things you need to think about:

Weather: Dress for the conditions where you live, obviously, but I suggest layers. It’s easier to take a jacket off and tie it around your waist than it is to freeze because it’s cooler under the tree canopy than you prepared for. Stash some dry clothes in your car–along with a towel–to deal with mud or water. And if it’s too hot, don’t run. It’s not worth it for you or for your dog.

Animals: Most of the time, you can avoid wild animals by staying on cut trails. You’ll make plenty of noise together to keep most animals at bay. Don’t go off trail, and don’t let your dog off leash.

Dehydration and exhaustion: Stay hydrated. Bring something to munch on for you and your dog if you’re going a long distance. Wear sunscreen and appropriate layers. Set–and follow–limits for you and your dog.

Know before you go: I recommend starting your training on trails you know, but if you’re exploring somewhere new, check an online map first. Read reviews or blog posts of the trails. Get a sense of what you’re getting into before you go so you can dress and pack your supplies accordingly.

Trail running with your dog is FUN!

If you’re prepared and willing to work into it, trail running with your dog is super fun! It’s far more interesting to breathe fresh air and look at trees than it is to breathe exhaust and look at rows of houses. And it’s a different kind of challenge than just running on pavement.

Have you ever tried trail running with your pup? I tried to cover all the 101-level stuff I could think of here, but if I left you with any questions, please leave them in the comments! Or, if you have experience running trails with your pup, what would you add to this list? Have I missed anything important or do you have any extra tips? I’d love to learn in the comments!

How to teach your dog to say your prayers: Trick or Treat Giveaway Blog Hop

10•18•18

Welcome to the 2018 Trick or Treat Giveaway Hop!

What’s that? you might be wondering.

Well, a whole bunch of pet bloggers got together to teach their dogs tricks AND give away a ton of awesome pet prizes to YOU! All this, btw, is thanks to the pet-blogger-herding efforts of Jodi from Kol’s Notes and Jessica from Beagles and Bargains. Without them, there’s no way I’d have this all together for you today! So, read on to learn about our trick, to see the results, and to enter to win some seriously amazing prizes! (No joke, you guys. They’re SERIOUSLY amazing!)

This post is sponsored by the brands listed in the prizes below!

Trick or Treat Hop 2018

So, here we are! Learning tricks and having fun!

The trick we picked?

Say your prayers!

This turned out to be super fun because John and I worked together on it, something we hadn’t done in a long time. And, it was a good reminder to us about the point of trick training: FUN! More on that in a minute…

A couple weeks ago, I shared an Instagram Story when I found myself with a few minutes of free time, a clicker, and some treats. I figured: Why not? Let’s see if I can get Coop to reliably put his paws up on the couch.

He got it right away, but then I realized that I needed to back up a step. Instead of him walking over and jumping his front legs up to the couch, I needed him to sit first so that he looked, you know, prayerful.

How to Teach Your Dog to Say Your Prayers _ OhMyDogBlog.com

How to teach your dog to say your prayers:

Pick a spot to start. The side of a bed would be cute. Our bed is too high to be comfortable for him, so I went with the couch. Bonus: My couch has a little ottoman that served as a block for him as we progressed. This wasn’t planned, but it worked. More on that in a sec.
Lure your dog to the couch (or bed) so that he’s facing it but right up close against it. When your dog sits (the next step), he automatically shifts back a smidge, so you need him to be super close.
Ask for a sit. You ultimately need your pupper to be sitting super close and facing the couch or bed. He might feel awkward sitting in that spot (Coop definitely did), so it might take a few tries beyond a simple “sit” cue to keep him from backing up away from the couch.
Paws up. Thankfully, Cooper already has a solid “paw” cue, so it took a couple reps of me having my hand on the couch before he got it.
HERE WE PAUSE FOR AN ASIDE: We worked on the sit + paws up for WAY longer than the initial paws up (from a stand). We did get him to do it and sustain it, but… it dawned on me and John that he was uncomfortable in that position. I’ve written about his oddly-splayed back hips before, and this was a time they came into play. He didn’t feel comfy sitting and putting his paws up. And that’s OK! No, his final trick isn’t a “by the books” say your prayers, but circling back to the main point: Trick training is for fun! That’s it! Just fun! And if your dog’s not having fun? You make a change. So, at this point, we swapped from sit + paws up to stand + paws up. You figure out what’s best for you and your dog at this point because, again. FUN.
Chin down. Here’s where things get cute. Your dog carefully places his chin between his paws to look prayerful. This took longer than 1-5 altogether. Why? We have worked for years and years and years and YEARS to get Cooper to look into our eyes. It’s standard reactive-dog training. But, when you hit on something where you need him to actively look away? It flies in the face of what he knows. That’s where the ottoman came in handy. He wanted to physically turn his body toward us, to see us, but he was restricted by that block. Ultimately, we used our well-conditioned touch stick to lure his chin down. If you don’t already have a touch stick that your dog is conditioned to, if he knows how to target anything (your hand, a sticky note) do that. Otherwise, you’ll probably have to lure with a treat in hand. Enclose the treat in your fist. Hold it to your dog’s nose, then slowwwwwwly move it back until his chin hits the couch, then click + treat.

No joke: Steps 1-5 took us about 7 minutes. Step 6? Two 10-minute sessions.

This isn’t a hard trick, but it is super cute.

That said, so many people asked us if we could please teach Violet to say her prayers alongside Cooper. Wouldn’t it be so cute?

Sure would!

She was a hard no.

Training a dog? Super fun and rewarding! Not hard but oftentimes challenging!

Training a toddler? Um. Yeah.

What tricks are you working on with your dogs these days? Any fun challenges or lessons learned? Any good tips up your sleeve to go with those tricks? We’d love to hear them in the comments!

Now for the big giveaway!! You guys. Seriously. Check out these AWESOME prizes and scroll allllllll the way to the bottom to enter to win! Then, visit the other blogs to

GRAND PRIZE:

Petco Gift Card

$350 Gift Card to Petco

**PAID FOR BY ALL PARTICIPATING BLOGGERS**
This giveaway is NOT affiliated with Petco.

SECOND PRIZE:

KONG Assortment

Assorted KONG Dog Toys
$150 VALUE – SPONSORED BY KONG

THIRD PRIZE:

Wellness Pet Food Halloween

$100 in Wellness Pet Food Dog Treats
$100 VALUE – SPONSORED BY WELLNESS PET FOOD

FOURTH PRIZE:

Petcurean Spike Dog Treats

2 Bags of Each Spike Dog Treat Recipe
(8 Bags Total)
$98 VALUE – SPONSORED BY PETCUREAN

FIFTH PRIZE:

Only Natural Pet Dog Treats

All Meat Bites, Jerky Bites, Chicken Chips,
Jerky Strips, All Meat Crispies, and Jerky Wraps
(1 Bag Each)
$78 VALUE – SPONSORED BY ONLY NATURAL PET

SIXTH PRIZE:

DOGTV Prize Pack

6 Month Subscription to DOGTV Online
I and Love and You Fresh All Rover Dental Chews
$66 VALUE – SPONSORED BY DOGTV

SEVENTH PRIZE:

Caru Pet Food Soft n' Tasty Baked Bites

Four Flavors of Soft n’ Tasty Baked Bites,
One Grass Fed Beef Bone Broth,
and One Free Range Chicken Bone Broth
$60 VALUE – SPONSORED BY CARU PET FOOD

EIGHTH PRIZE:

Treatibles Pumpkin Chews

1 Small Bag of 1mg Pumpkin Chews
and 1 Large Bag of 4mg Pumpkin Chews
$56 VALUE – SPONSORED BY TREATIBLES

NINTH PRIZE:

Noah's Bark Dog Treats

Cha Cha Chicken, Bodacious Beef, and Peanutty Perfection
(24 oz Bags – 3 Total)
$56 VALUE – SPONSORED BY NOAH’S BARK DOG TREATS

TENTH PRIZE:

West Paw Dog Toys

Qwizl Treat Toy and Rowdies Toy
$56 VALUE – SPONSORED BY WEST PAW

ELEVENTH PRIZE:

PLAY Mutt Hatter Plush Toy Collection

Mutt Hatter Plush Toy Collection
$48 VALUE – SPONSORED BY P.L.A.Y.

PLUS follow ALL bloggers on
Facebook & Instagram for a chance to win
one of 13 SPECIAL SOCIAL MEDIA PRIZES!

A new giveaway will be posted each day on either
Facebook or Instagram and will run for 24 hours.
Each giveaway will be posted on the co-hosts’
social media pages along with a select group of bloggers.
You can enter on each participating blog’s account for MORE entries!
You have to enter each day for a chance to win that day’s prize.

Co-Hosts:
Beagles & Bargains – Facebook | Instagram
Kol’s Notes – Facebook | Instagram

Plus follow us too!
OhMyDogBlog.com – Facebook | Instagram

WHERE TO ENTER:

Kol’s Notes	Fidose of Reality	Oh My Dog Blog
Beagles & Bargains	It’s Dog or Nothing	Tenacious Little Terrier
A Dog Walks into a Bar	Maggie Loves Orbit	The Broke Dog
Boogie the Pug	McSquare Doodles	The Chesnut Mutts
ChiPets	My GBGV Life	Wag ‘n Woof Pets
Dog Mom Days	My Rescued Life	Wear Wag Repeat

Visit each blog for more chances to win!

Follow #TrickorTreatDogs!

This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. Sometimes it takes a minute to load. Or, if you’re reading this via email or in a feed reader, you might have to click the link below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so, so much to Jodi and Jessica for organizing this entire thing! We are so grateful to you both!!!

A collar is not a steering wheel

09•04•18

May I please vent for a moment?

There are few things that bother me more than when I see someone using their dog’s collar to steer, drag, pull, or otherwise force their dog into going or doing something.

I’m not talking about an emergency situation where, like, a bicyclist isn’t paying attention and is about to slam into your dog so you snatch his collar to yank him out of harm’s way. Or other similar scenarios. There are causes and reasons for everything. I get that.

What I’m talking about is when you see someone using a dog’s collar to “drive” their pup when the dog clearly doesn’t want to or doesn’t understand.

It makes me nuts.

A collar is not a steering wheel

Imagine if you’re at a super fun house party with your friend, and you decide to go out onto the patio. The door is open. You’re super pumped to get outside and get some fresh air. You start walking toward the door. Just as your foot is about to hit the threshold of the door, your friend grabs you by your shirt and yanks you backwards, away from the door and into another room.

What the…? You’d likely be shocked at your friend’s behavior!

That would be such a violation of physical space and boundaries that of course your friend would never do that to you.

Yet, people do this to their friends, their dogs, all the time!

I see it everywhere: the guy loading his pup into the car at Lowe’s, the lady dragging her dog outside even though he’s having the time of his life greeting their house guests, the neighbor pulling his dog inside even though he’s having the time of his life barking at everyone walking by, etc. etc. etc. I’m sure you can think of a million other examples, too.

I’ve been guilty of it, too. Just recently, in fact, a glass broke in our kitchen, and I said to Cooper, “Outside!” But he totally wanted to know-slash-taste what had spilled everywhere (pickles), so I grabbed hold of his collar and pushed him out the door. Honestly? Had I asked him again while focusing ON HIM instead of the mess, he probably would’ve just gone out. There wasn’t broken glass there at his feet, so it’s not like it was a truly emergency situation, so it was totally my bad.

(I don’t know if you guys apologize to your dogs when you err, but I totally fess up. I was like, “Cooper, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” He forgave me. 🙂 )

Anyway, every time I see it (or mess up and grab Coop’s collar), I cringe.

It’s such an overstepping of boundaries. I would HATE IT, absolutely loathe it, if anyone physically moved me where I didn’t want to go.

So, yeah, while this is a vent, I think the call to action is to think about whether or not you do this. Most of the time–barring those honest-to-goodness emergency situations–it can be completely avoided with better communication. Maybe it’s a call to focus on more training/listening if you find yourself doing this often or find yourself having to do this often because your dog doesn’t pay attention or understand you.

Ultimately, I think we’re all trying to do what’s best, and we are all trying our best in each moment.

No judgement here, just something to think about.

Have you ever used your dog’s collar as a steering wheel? Or are you more self-aware than I am? 😉

Do you think this is a problem behavior? Or do you find this one to be NBD?