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​Transformational Journey to a Happier and Healthier Dog

I use quotes around the word “untrainable” because I don’t believe that any dog is actually untrainable. There are many people that do think or wonder if that might be true of some dogs; usually older dogs, highly anxious dogs, or small dogs that are burdened by this label. As soon as a person develops the notion that a dog is beyond hope, or beyond help, that dog truly is at a distinct disadvantage because helping dogs with behavioral issues depends largely on whether or not a guardian or caregiver believes that change is possible. The “untrainable” dog featured in this story is named Frodo, and meets all criteria for what society might deem “beyond help.” And yet, Frodo continues to make progress in his behavioral journey on a daily basis. This became possible because someone believed that he was more than the sum of his problems. My mom took him into her care when he needed her the most, she saw the good in him, even when others couldn’t.

Frodo is an 11 year old, 12 lb terrier mix who came into our home 2.5 years ago. Name a behavioral issue, chances are, he has it: sensitivity to sounds, separation anxiety, territorial behavior with people, reactive behavior with dogs. Integrating a dog like Frodo into a house with kids and two other dogs was – to say the least – a challenge. You might be wondering why we would choose to bring a senior dog, with this type of behavioral profile, into our lives.  To better understand how and why Frodo ended up with us, you first need to know a little about where he came from.

Raising a Puppy in the Big City

Frodo was originally named Wayne. He was raised in New York City. His original owner was a woman that suffered from schizophrenia and substance abuse. By the time Wayne was three years old his owner’s mental and physical condition was such that she needed to be admitted to a residential care facility. At the time that she was admitted, Wayne went to live with the woman’s brother. Unfortunately, the adoption was short lived. Wayne was territorial of his new apartment. The woman’s brother did not know how to manage or work with this type of behavior, so less than one week after losing his first home, Wayne was thrown out of his second. He was relinquished to a Queen’s shelter. My mom had been following Wayne’s story through a friend of a friend. My mom was ready to adopt this little terrier the moment she learned that he had ended up in the shelter, despite the fact that she had never met him. When no one returned her calls she became concerned that he could be euthanized before she had the chance to adopt, so on December 17th she got in her car, drove to the shelter, and adopted a matted, anxious, little terrier. It was her birthday. Saving this little dog from near certain euthanasia was her birthday present to herself. She re-named him Frodo.

Behavioral Issues Galore

My mom always had a knack for choosing dogs from the shelter that were very easy going, and fit into her life without much drama. Frodo was the exception. Frodo alert barked with any and all activity occurring outside the house, he had accidents throughout the house no matter how often he was let outside, he would dash out doorways and he did not take kindly to visitors. Despite all of these challenges, she still loved him, and was always quick to point out all of his virtues. This was always a quality I admired about my mom when it came to loving the animals in her care.

Building a Plane In-Flight (or Training without a Base)

“Building a plane in-flight” is what I call it when people try to address behavioral issues without a foundation. My mom was a busy lady. She was an auditor for a German bank in Manhattan, she ran her own business in Long Island, she took care of my aging grandparents, and she had health issues all her own to contend with. Training was not a top priority for her. Like many people, she wanted training solutions without having to set aside actual time to train. This never works out. I knew that without a foundation any training recommendations were unlikely to help, but she had limited time, so I did my best to give her some one off tips.

“If you are trying to build your plane in flight, you should expect that you might not reach your destination.”

If you are trying to build your plane in flight, you should expect that you might not reach your destination. Such was the case with my mom’s attempts to address Frodo’s behavioral issues. She rotated through different strategies but it was hard to find strategies that effectively managed his separation anxiety, his territorial tendencies with unfamiliar people and his potty accidents without the necessary bedrock in place first. It was a bumpy road. She did her best and took these frustrations in stride. She never once questioned her decision to take him in and care for him to the best of her abilities.

“Life and Death are one Thread, Viewed from Different Sides”

My mom’s health continued to deteriorate. In June of 2016 I was 9 months pregnant. My mom had planned to fly from New York to California so that she could be present for the birth of my son. Unfortunately, she was too sick to fly. In fact, she was admitted to a hospital on the evening of June 11th. That night we would both be lying in hospital beds on either side of the country. I went into labor around 1130pm and at 7:58am on June 12th my son, Peyton, was born. My mom saw Peyton through photos and on video calls. By the magic of technology she was able to be present as we drove to his first doctor’s check up, but she never did meet him in person. On July 7th she was put into an induced coma, and on July 23rd she passed away.

I flew back to New York with my 5 week old son. My husband, Brian, and my 7 year old step son, Ami, would be meeting me in New York in a few days to attend my mom’s funeral. As I waited to board the plane my mind went back to conversations my mom and I had years before. She had always told me that she wanted me to take care of her animals in the event that something happened to her. My husband and I were just adjusting to life with a newborn, and now we might be inviting at least one more new family member to the house when we returned to California in August. To learn more about Frodo’s journey, stay tuned for Part 2.

Have you ever cared for a dog that was riddled with anxiety? Tell me more about your experiences in the comment section below.

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Adopting Frodo

My mom and I always had a special bond in our mutual love of living and caring for animals. Just like my mom and I had talked about years before, in the event of her passing, she requested that I take care of her animals. At the time of her death she had two dogs and two cats. I knew that taking all four was not realistic since my husband, Brian, and I had our hands full with a 5 week old newborn, Peyton, my 7 year old step-son, Ami, and two dogs, Fritz and Beatrix. After talking it over with my siblings we decided that my older brother, Christopher, would take the two cats, and my younger sister Michelle, would take my mom’s older, easy going shih tzu, Benji. Since I work with dogs that have behavioral challenges for a living, it seemed logical that I would take Frodo.

Booking our return trip to California presented some challenges. I was not able to get on the same plane as Brian and Ami, which meant that we would fly back to California the same day but on separate flights. Flying with Peyton and Frodo was just as challenging as I imagined. Frodo did not like the idea of being confined to a room, so it was no surprise that being confined to a small bag was not his cup of tea either. I spent the 6 hour flight from New York to California leaning forward, one arm used to comfort the 12 lb dog at my feet and the other arm wrapped around my newborn son. Dividing my efforts in this way was helpful to no one. Frodo cried, clawed and chewed at the carrier until his gums were bleeding. I bounced and nursed and sung to my son, but he too, was just as inconsolable. The only reprieve I got was when I was able to unzip the bag and let Frodo bring his head out. Unfortunately, these respites were short lived. The stewardess had zero tolerance for this blatant disregard for airline policies. Smoke billowed from her eyes each time she saw the unzipped bag. I wanted to tell her my story, about my mom and why this poor frantic dog had ended up on this flight with me and my newborn son. I imagined that if she heard this story, her expression would soften, and that she would understand and turn a blind eye. Unfortunately, I have no idea if this would have been true or not, every time I even thought about my mom, and the idea of relating this story, my throat closed and I couldn’t speak. This left me with no other option but to close him back inside his carrier whenever I felt her glaring over me.

Integrating an Anxious Dog into a Home with Kids

When I arrived back to the bright blue skies of San Diego I had about an hour wait before Brian and Ami’s plane landed. I was eager to get back home to the comforts of home, and begin the process of integrating Frodo into our family. Trainers frequently refer to the first few weeks that a dog is in a new house as the “honeymoon period.” Less desirable behaviors don’t always present in the first few weeks that a dog is in a new environment. I tried to use this time wisely, to set the stage  for new, desirable habits and to minimize his tendency to fall back on old habits. I created a training plan and wrote out, in sequence, everything that I hoped to accomplish with him in training. My first priority was establishing a “base” in training which would help him become calm and confident in his new surroundings. Base Training Method got its name from the concept that in order to help dogs work through the most challenging behavioral issues, we first need to develop a rock solid base. With a strong base we can establish a healthy form of two way communication, and provide more enrichment opportunities suited to each dog’s individual needs and abilities.

I realized how important it was to be realistic in my expectations. I knew that change was possible, but it wasn’t going to happen overnight. I also realized that it would take some time to truly understand the full scope of his anxieties. The first time we saw any concerning behavior with Frodo was after about three weeks of him being in the house. Frodo began to compulsively follow me when ever I got up and moved around the house and became distressed and cried or paced if he couldn’t be right by my side. The only time this was not an issue was if one of the kids left the door ajar. In this case, he dashed out the doorway, and appeared oblivious to my calls. Anxiety is an interesting paradox in this way. A lot of times an anxious individual has no clear understanding or path to the things they want and no clear escape from the things they don’t want. He started to alert to the smallest sounds outside. Sometimes sounds outside prompted him to turn around and lift his leg to mark furniture. He barked a lot, sometimes he barked at nothing. Other times he barked at us, which happened most commonly at dinner time. If there was one positive, it was that we could rest safely knowing that Frodo would not allow a strange person to enter the house without letting us, and the rest of the neighborhood, know all about it.

The Start of Frodo’s Behavioral Journey

I already loved this dog for who he was, but also for the fact that him being a part of our lives allowed for a continued connection with my mom. Ami would frequently point out the importance of caring for “Mama Bear’s dog.” This was a nickname my mom had garnered over the years within our family as well as with close friends. I also was interested in Frodo’s behavior on a professional level. This dog was shrouded in anxiety. Every sound, every movement, every interaction, every change to his environment triggered some level of stress. The behavior scientist in me wanted to know what the prognosis was for an eight year old dog, that had such deep rooted anxiety.

“Taking a line from the movie The Martian I wanted to ‘science the s*** out of this.’”

Taking a line from the movie The Martian I wanted to “science the s*** out of this.” I implemented every bit of advice that I would give to a client that had a dog with a similar behavioral profile. I expected this to be a long term project. Younger dogs (1-3 years of age) that exhibited serious signs of stress, anxiety and reactive responses usually showed significant progress in 3-6 months of working through a well structured, and consistently implemented, behavioral training plan. Given the intensity of Frodo’s behavioral issues, and that Frodo was a nearly 8 years old dog that had a longer history of rehearsing undesirable behaviors (especially barking excessively at outside noises and territorial behavior with guests), I expected that it would be a solid 1-1.5 years before I started to see the most meaningful change. I was excited to begin the journey, and see where it would take us.

Management, Management and More Management

In the meantime I worked to create management strategies that would help to minimize the amount that Frodo was practicing undesired behavior. It was important that these strategies minimized the frequency with which these behaviors were practiced, and that they also alleviated the corresponding anxiety. I kept Frodo tethered to me if ever there was even the smallest concern that Frodo could react to a person inside the house. This allowed me to intercept reactive behavior and help Frodo de-escalate when those situations came up. We also gated off the kitchen, for those times that tethering was just not a practical solution. Although the gated kitchen was a less than ideal management solution because being behind a gate triggered Frodo’s anxiety – another issue that needed to be addressed in his training plan.

​Making Deposits into the “Trust Account”

Surprisingly, and thankfully, Frodo did great with Peyton. I set up stations next to my nursing chair, near the couch, and in the nursery – places that I knew I would be spending a lot of time with a newborn baby. A station included either a training mat or dog bed depending on what made the most sense for that space, as well as, a jar of dried treats that I knew Frodo liked. Any time I was sitting with Peyton I made a point of tossing Frodo a few treats for targeting his station, he could be standing, sitting or lying down, just so long as he wasn’t trying to climb into my lap or paw at my legs, which was common if sounds or activity triggered his anxiety. I also made a point to hand feed meals whenever possible, which meant sitting down with him for breakfast and dinner and to deliver small handfuls of food. Hand feeding can be a great way to connect with a dog that experiences chronic stress or that struggles to develop trusting relationships with people. These types of informal sessions helped to accomplish the first and most important phase of his training plan: helping him to feel calm and comfortable with me, with his environment and with his routine. Although it didn’t happen often at the beginning, there were moments between all of the barking, panting and pawing where Frodo actually settled. And as time passed this became more and more common. I think that this type of passive reinforcement of desirable behavior really added up over the months. Looking back I see this time as an important investment into my relationship with Frodo as well as Frodo’s future relationship with Peyton. As Susan Friedman, a renowned behavior analyst would say, I was making deposits into a “trust account.” It was these small, but deliberate efforts that really added up over time.

Two Way Communication, Taking the Next Step

At the beginning more formal training sessions proved to be difficult for a few different reasons. 1. Newborns consume a lot of your time. 2. If I did find time to literally sit down to do “formal training” ALL Frodo wanted to do was anxiously climb into my lap and paw at me incessantly. Initially he had little to no interest in eating food in this type of training set up, this was likely due to the fact that he was chronically stressed and being on his level seemed to generate an even higher level of anxiety. If your dog is not “food motivated” check out this blog for tips and considerations.

Sitting with Frodo generated a nervous response. His social interactions with me were compulsive, he pawed at me or tried to crawl into my lap for comfort. Once he was eating food from me when placed on the ground, it took a few weeks to teach him to take food from my hand, and another few weeks before he was capable of consistently taking food from me with any level of focus, even when we trained in relatively low stress situations. I moved at his pace. We had already established a base layer in training, one that promoted a sense of safety, security and trust. The goal was to create building blocks that would set the stage for a healthy form of two way communication. In my opinion, this is what good behavioral training is really all about. As we moved through September there were some encouraging moments where it felt that Frodo was making real headway. Unfortunately, working through anxiety or other stress related issues is rarely a linear process. In October, we were scheduled for a trip to visit family, which meant that Frodo had to stay with pet sitters, I knew this was bound to come with its fair share of drama. To find out what happened, stay tuned for Part III.

To what lengths have you gone to help your nervous dog feel more comfortable with routine stress? Are there any behavioral struggles that have ever left you feeling lost and frustrated? I would love to hear your stories, share in the comments section below.

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Travel Plans and Pet Sitting for an Anxious Dog

Frodo was starting to make some progress with his foundations in behavior training when we were due to fly to Cleveland for a week to visit with my husband’s family. We use a company called Doggie Joggie for pet sitting, I’ve always been impressed with how well they’ve cared for Beatrix and Fritz. I was even more impressed with the manner in which they persisted through a tough week with our new little family member, Frodo.

Sam and Lisa are the owners of Doggie Joggie, they’re also family friends. They came over a week or so before we were due to travel so that we could set up a friendly meeting with them and Frodo. Just like I would recommend to clients, I cut training food up in advance and met Sam and Lisa in front of the house with Frodo on harness and leash.

Frodo was not barking or lunging but he also wasn’t taking food, which was a red flag that he was not as comfortable having visitors as he might have seemed on the surface. Our dog’s ability to engage or respond to well established training exercises is one of the most helpful ways of determining their level of comfort, or conversely, their level of stress or anxiety. In this way we can view basic training as a means of two way communication, versus seeing a slow or reluctant response as a form of “disobedience.”

We went for a short walk up and down our street, before returning to the house to talk about the do’s and don’ts of taking care of our anxious terrier. Doorways had always been a major “hot spot” for Frodo’s most concerning behavior so we talked about ways to promote calm, relaxed behavior when walking in or out of the house.

I have to believe that it was hard for Sam and Lisa to understand the significance of the training and management protocol I was outlining, since there weren’t any incidents of barking or lunging during their visit. Soon they would have a better understanding of Frodo’s guarding tendencies.

Territorial Aggression in Dogs, and What to Do About It

The following week we boarded our flight and when we landed in Cleveland I saw an email from Sam outlining the initial challenges. It turned out that Frodo was a formidable security system in our absence.

I half expected that they would ask me to find another place for Frodo to stay while we were away, but to my surprise, they were ready to brainstorm for a better solution when walking into the house. Sam set up dog pen by the front door. It worked brilliantly. The second barrier seemed to give them the time and space they needed to calm Frodo down before walking inside. Here are the top 10 tips that I offer to clients that have dogs that exhibit aggressive or reactive behavior.

Behavior Modification Strategies, Upping Our Game

The next phone call came the following afternoon. Lisa had spent time relaxing with Frodo in the backyard. She recalled how he actually seemed to be warming up to her and described behaviors that I had become familiar with: crawling into her lap and pawing at her hand wanting “to be pet.” This type of nervous “social” behavior is always a red flag to me. A socially nervous dog might solicit interaction when a person is sitting or standing still, but become reactive again the moment that the person moves or makes a loud noise. Sometimes the petting can exacerbate the subsequent reaction. In this case, Frodo was triggered the moment Lisa walked back into the house.

When I spoke to Lisa over the phone, she was open and curious about how this could be helped with training protocol. We discussed keeping a harness and drag leash on Frodo. I was greatful for the time I had put into his foundation training because it was going to pay off in spades to help me, help Frodo work through this situation despite the fact that I was on the other side of the country. Lisa placed training mats on either side of the back sliding door, along with a jar of dry dog treats. Since doorways leading into and out of the house were “hot spots” for reactive behavior, I had her pause and deliver 3 treats before and after walking through these emotionally charged thresholds. This was protocol that I had implemented in similar situations with my clients’ dogs with great success.

Preemptively engaging the dog, and offering high value food can help to reframe a challenging situation, lower stress, and thereby stop reactive or aggressive behavior before it starts. Sam and Lisa reported that by the end of the week Frodo was allowing them to enter the house, and walk through doorways without any further incidents. They continued with the protocol throughout the week, for good measure, but by the end of the week Frodo seemed comfortable with them regardless of time, location or context.

Breaking it Down, Building it Up

I came back from Cleveland feeling pretty optimistic, and excited to continue training. Frodo seemed to be all on board. He was even practicing training on his own time. For example, laying on the mat when he heard the neighbors outside instead of barking at the window. This was huge progress. You could tell his level of confidence was slowly and steadily growing. Unfortunately, not everyone in the house was feeling so rosey.

Stress can stew beneath the surface and then boil over when you least expect it. Having a newborn and working on Frodo’s reactivity took all my focus, so much so that I disregarded the fact that there was clearly tension between Frodo and my Lab/Basset Hound mix, Fritz.

Frodo would bark, charge and nip at Fritz whenever Fritz played, scratched his back or ran around outside. Because Fritz was fairly tolerant of this, and because my mental bandwidth was already at capacity, I didn’t do very much to manage these incidents. In fact, I was quietly hoping that this tension would resolve on its own. By the end of November the underlying tension rose to the surface. Fritz was no longer tolerating Frodo and it took very little for tense moments to boil over into a fight.

Life with Frodo was becoming easier in some ways, and more stressful in others. I continued to focus on our next step in training and came up with a strong management plan to prevent altercations. If you have issues with fighting between dogs living in the same house, you might want to check out this blog.

Stay tuned for Part 4 of Frodo’s story where I talk about the use of medication in behavior modification and how we are assessing its efficacy. I also want to know if YOU have a dog that others might have felt was “untrainable” – beyond hope, or beyond help. Share your stories in the comment section below.

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About Medication

I trained as much as possible, and used management strategies that I knew would help keep everyone’s stress levels down. If I wanted to train I had to take advantage of early mornings when my then 6 month old son was still sleeping. The holiday season was a turbulent time. I took a trip to visit my sister in New Orleans around Thanksgiving, we had friends and family visiting throughout the month of December and January and towards the end of January my husband went away on a business trip. I was feeling more than a little overwhelmed.

Raising a newborn on top of dealing with Frodo’s anxiety was taking its toll. I was seeing slow and steady progress with Frodo’s day to day training, and seeing some promising carry over into real world situations, but I did wonder if medication could compliment the training. The idea being that medication could alleviate his day to day stress levels and help accelerate training. On January 28th, Frodo’s 9th birthday, we were at the vet’s office to talk about medication. The vet gave us a prescription for fluoxetine, also known as Prozac.

Frodo on Medication

A day or two after Frodo was started on the medication my husband and I were surprised to see that Frodo was lying in the office, seemingly oblivious to the sound of a jackhammer down the street. This was noteworthy because Frodo is extremely anxious with sounds, especially with the sound of power tools. The construction continued for 3-4 weeks, and his behavior in relation to the noise of the construction evolved over this time, but I’ll get back to that later.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The good: he was less reactive during the day.  The bad: he became indifferent about eating his meals. And he became very difficult to engage in training. The ugly: he started to wake up screaming and scratching frantically at his face in the middle of the night. This happened every night, sometimes multiple times in the same night. So we went back to the vet.

The vet gave us a prescription of tramadol to be given each night before bed to help with any potential pain, although the exam did not reveal any clear reason for why he would be in any type of pain. Initially, the tramadol seemed to help a little, but after a few weeks the wake ups were back to the same level of intensity and frequency. At this point it was hard to tell if he was experiencing panic or pain. Maybe it was both? On some nights it was so intense that he involuntarily defecated. We went back to the vet.

The vet examined his teeth, and felt that he could benefit from a dental cleaning and potentially some extractions. We made some adjustments to the dosage of medication and we scheduled dental cleaning and extractions for the beginning of April. After the dental cleaning and extractions Frodo became a little more animated, which made me feel that his teeth had been bothering him, but the nighttime episodes persisted.

Training pre medication had been slow but steady, training post medication hit a plateau. It felt as though the medication had created murky waters. I thought back to when he was lying there with the sound of the jack hammer blasting away in the background.

Was he really as calm as he appeared with the noise of the jackhammer, or was there a disconnect between his internal response and his outward behavior? There is a wide held belief that medication helps by restoring a “chemical balance.” The reality is that there is very little research to support this. In fact, there’s more research to suggest that psychiatric drugs “work” by creating an “emotional flattening.” Here’s an article on the subject that’s worth reading: How do psychiatric drugs work?

I read extensively about these concepts during my time working in human mental health. Personal accounts from my clients supported this notion that medication was simply minimizing emotional responsiveness, not specifically targeting their anxiety, depression or other psychiatric disorders.

While Frodo’s reactivity was muted, and you might say that’s a good thing, it was nearly impossible to train with him if and when he did react. We made zero progress with the acquisition of concrete skills. He also began to develop anxiety associated with my office and our backyard. The most concerning part of it all was that my ability to connect and communicate with Frodo did not feel as strong as it had felt before. By mid-May I made the decision to take him off meds.

There may be some cases in which medication can help someone get through an especially traumatic period. It’s possible that “emotional flattening” can be helpful in some circumstances. But more and more I question the use of medication long term. I personally did not feel that there was any benefit to keeping Frodo on the fluoxetine, and I had little interest in experimenting with other medications. If anything I felt confident that I could make more progress with training once Frodo was off medication, and I was excited to get back to that path. As I weaned Frodo off the fluoxetine he began to exhibit some interesting behavioral changes. To learn more about how Frodo’s behavior changed after medication, be sure to stay tuned for Part 5.

Have you ever used medication to help a dog experiencing anxiety? What were your personal observations? Write in the comments below, I’d love to hear about your experiences.
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Behavioral Observations

As Frodo was weaned off the medication, he started to exhibit some interesting behavioral changes. On medication, he didn’t exhibit any interest in playing with toys. He had little interest in food. If he reacted to a noise or to movement it was significantly less intense than it had been. I would argue that he still seemed stressed he just exhibited a behavioral response that was on the lower end of the arousal spectrum. Off medication he exhibited clusters of behavior that I would consider to be on the higher end of the arousal spectrum.

Frodo started to play with gusto. He became intensely interested in chasing tennis balls. He even started to play with Beatrix, sorta. His play style was edgy, and in some cases seemed just a tad over the top. He began chewing on the kids toys like it was his job. And he started resource guarding his chewies. It made sense. Previously he just didn’t seem to care about anything, almost like he was depressed.

Now he cared about toys and chewies … maybe a little too much. It was almost like he had mentally checked out when he was on the medication, and now he was making up for lost time. There were adjustments to be made in his training plan, but I have to say that in many ways I actually enjoyed this zestier version of Frodo. It took a month or two for things to even out again to the point that he seemed able to think through his renewed zest for life.

Engagement in Training

Frodo was more actively engaged in every day events and surroundings and was also more actively engaged in training. We were back on track. He started getting a better night’s sleep and the speed at which he acquired new skills accelerated, which also meant he was making considerably more progress with his behavioral goals.

For example, it was becoming easier to have people enter the house, and it was taking less time for him to settle and get comfortable when guests came over. I still trained in these circumstances but the training sessions were becoming more fruitful. I was not longer having to stemming the tide of reactivity, I now had an engaged student in front of me, eagerly awaiting my next cue. If he did go over-threshold it became easier to work through his reaction and his ability to rebound was impressive in its own right.

In 2018 we welcomed a baby girl into our family, Annelise Violet Rose was born on March 27, 2018. When you live in a house with three kids and three dogs, it’s hard – if not impossible – to manage everything all the time. Tired kids are loud, unpredictable, and prone to hitting, pushing and pulling. We do our best, but there are times where the dogs are subjected to the brutality of the babies, and surprisingly, Frodo takes it in stride. I can only think that building that “trust account” (see Part 2: “Making Deposits in the Trust Account”) in their early months, pre-crawling, made all the difference.

How is Frodo doing today?

Frodo still has his “off days” now and again. Days when triggers stack, one on top of the other, and he struggles. He might be more sensitive to outside noises, or show other more passive signs of anxiety. Management and training protocol is still a necessary part of living with him. I regularly assess his needs and map out training plans in the same way I would for one of my client’s dogs. This helps me stay focused and objective about his behavior. It also helps me to troubleshoot whenever we hit a turbulent patch; like a couple of weeks ago when he decided that bicycles were a clear and present danger.

I have to keep myself in check, too. Taking him on a hike or for a trip to a park might be a great form of enrichment for the average dog, but not for Frodo. I try to provide enrichment opportunities that are better suited to his individual needs, usually things that happen in the comfort of his own home environment. It’s enough to take pleasure in the small but significant milestones. Like when Frodo curls up next to Ami’s side when watching a movie. Or how he and Peyton have their own mini training sessions that they both equally enjoy.

We have guests visiting and staying with us on a regular basis and it’s remarkable to see his ability to develop new relationships gets stronger all the time.  He may still alert to sounds outside, but he can think through these situations and de-escalate in a way that he was not able to before. He and Fritz can co-exist peacefully 99% of the time. He’s happy to go for walks, play a game, or engage in training.

Mutually Beneficial Training

As good as I feel that I have been able to help Frodo with his challenges, it’s also worth noting the way in which he helps me with mine. These last few years have presented the most challenging transitional period of my life. Learning how to become a mom, in the wake of losing my own, has left me with many sleepless nights. Training with Frodo has allowed me to maintain a very real connection to my mother. It also gives me the opportunity to slow down and become in tune with the present moment.

“Training feels a lot like meditation when you do it right.”

Training feels a lot like meditation when you do it right. Every time you take the time to train with your dog you are getting insights into their needs and their unique perspective on the world around them, and there is something exquisitely therapeutic about that process.

What Did His Training Look Like?

If you’re interested in learning how to implement this type of training with a dog that is experiencing similar behavioral issues, I offer many self-study courses and LIVE virtual classrooms that will show you step-by-step what to do.

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https://youtu.be/omMsumPPSPc

The idea that a dog has been “fully trained” always raises an eyebrow for me. Training (in my opinion) is more like having a healthy diet, or working out routinely. Saying your dog is “trained” is like throwing your sneakers in the trash bin and saying “I’m exercised.” There’s no definitive end to training, it is a daily process that nourishes your dog’s need to solve problems and be presented with new challenges. 

Common Misperceptions

There are so many wrong perceptions of training. Many people think that training is simply about teaching dogs to respond to words like “sit” or “down” or “leave-it”, but it’s so much more. Other people think that it means sending a dog to a four week boot camp, where dogs learn to submit to human authority. That’s definitely not it. Some think training is about creating a robot – programming the “perfect dog” that will never dig where they shouldn’t dig, bark when they shouldn’t bark, jump when they shouldn’t jump, and chew where they shouldn’t chew. But that’s not right either. (Though I think they might sell one of those at Sharper Image.)

Authentic Training

Authentic training is about acknowledging the fact that every dog (just like every human) has their own set of challenges. Some dogs become fearful of loud noises and others become anxious when they’re left alone. Other dogs become hyper-territorial of their space or their valued resources.

Training is Teaching

Training is just another word for teaching. It is about improving communication, it is about strengthening your bond. Mostly, it’s about helping your dog to become happier and healthier and better adjusted to the world around them so that they can get out and do more.

How are you helping your dog unleash their full potential? Let me know if you found this helpful. Please be sure to subscribe for more videos on Youtube and leave a comment on this blog page.

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Life is easier when your dog knows and responds to a potty cue. It’s good for:

• House training

• Cold mornings

• Rainy days

• Road trips

Two Reasons Why This is Can Be a Challenge to Train

#1: The Distracted Dog

Your dog is distracted by sensory information: sights, sounds and smells; and consequently forgets to go potty.

#2: The Shy Dog

Your dog prefers to go potty in privacy. If a dog received verbal or physical reprimands when he or she went potty in the house, your dog could have unintentionally learned that it is safer to go potty when people are not present. In some cases, a dog can go out for a two hour walk and “hold it” until you return to the house –  and subsequently sneak away to eliminate in a concealed area of the house.

This article is written specifically for the “distracted dog.” The “shy dog” is a little bit more complex. If you feel that your dog falls into this shy dog category you should contact a certified professional dog trainer to learn how to re-establish trust in order to show your dog that it is “ok” to urinate or defecate in your presence. If you have a “distracted dog” – read on.

The Training Process

The training process usually takes the average dog 7-10 days if you are consistent in training protocol. Inconsistency will prolong training process. You will need a leash, high value treats — I recommend using Natural Balance rolls. This is a high quality food, that is moist and meaty, and loved by most dogs, a timer (optional) and a training pouch. Avoid using crinkly plastic bags to hold treats, they can be a big distraction. It is helpful to know your dog’s potty habits. For example, knowing that your dog always has to go pee and poo immediately after feeding will help you to effectively schedule your outings and set expectations/criteria. Block access to a doggy door and prevent your dog from spending any unsupervised time outside during this 1-2 week period of time. This will also hinder the process. 

Step 1: Reinforce the Behavior

Take your dog outside on leash armed with a treat pouch filled with high value rewards. Walk up to your designated potty spot and wait for 2 minutes. Set a timer if you have it. During these 2 minutes, say nothing. Don’t talk, walk or do anything that might distract your dog. If your dog pees, wait until he or she has completely finished and then within 1 second of completion say in a calm tone,”good dog” and deliver 3 treats. Make sure you deliver them one after the other. If you are too enthusiastic in your praise your dog might forget that he or she still has go #2! Avoid this mistake.

After you have delivered the third treat, your dog might remain staring at you for more treats. Ignore this behavior by staring at the sky and crossing your arms. If your dog goes poo, wait until completion and then in calm manner say, “good dog” and deliver 3 more treats. If your dog neither pees nor poos by the end of these 2 minutes you should walk back inside and bring your dog to a potty free zone. This would be any area that your dog will likely want to keep “clean”. A crate or gated kitchen is ideal for puppies or adult dogs struggling with house training. Once you’ve waited for 20 minutes, repeat the process. If your dog pees and does not poo, you can make a judgement call. If you feel that your dog has to “go,” but was too distracted, bring your dog back to the potty free zone and try again in 20 minutes. If you feel it’s “safe” to give your dog free roam – go for it. If you’re wrong, change your training protocol accordingly.

Step 2: Put the Established Behavior on Cue

Usually, I will spend 3-5 days creating a reinforcement history for a desired behavior. I only add a “cue” once the behavior is at least 90% predictable. In this case, I would only add the cue if I was 90% certain that my dog will potty when I walk them up to the designated potty area. If my dog is still getting distracted, I will extend Step 1 as needed, or modify my training strategy. Modifying my training strategy might entail increasing the value of my reinforcement. For example, playing a game of fetch to get the dog’s digestive system stirring or re-scheduling potty trips outside to better match the dog’s potty patterns. If the behavior is predictable — add the cue! Walk up to the space and then just as you see your dog going through the “pre-potty motions”, you should give the cue, “go potty” (or whatever you want your cue to be). Say it ONE TIME.

Now wait. Once your dog potties you will again say, “good dog” and provide three high value rewards. For best results deliver the cue approximately 1 second before your dog begins to potty. This requires skill on the trainer’s part. You need to be able to predict when your dog is about to “go.” Continue to pair the cue with the behavior for another 3-5 days. Note: Establishing the cue simply implies that you are pairing English words with a predictable behavior in order to teach the dog what the words “go potty” actually means. It’s like teaching a second language.

Common Mistakes

#1: Using the verbal cue too soon

Saying “go potty” over and over again to a dog that is sniffing for rabbits will not teach your dog to potty on cue. This can effectively teach your dog to believe that “go potty” means “find those rabbits.” Dogs learn by association. Create a solid reinforcement history first, and then pair the cue with a predictable/well established behavior. 

#2: Important to supervise

People stand inside the house and let the dog go potty unsupervised. If they provide reinforcement it is only after the dog has returned inside. This teaches your dog that coming into the house is a highly desirable behavior. This can teach dogs to walk outside and walk back inside in order to receive a reward. Have you ever seen a dog that walks out and walks right back in? Most dogs were unintentionally trained to offer this behavior. Reinforcement for potty-ing has to come within 1 – 1.5 seconds of elimination. Otherwise, your dog will not understand what he or she is being reinforced for.

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Keep it simple. English is a foreign language to your dog. Here are a five rules to help bridge the communication gap.

Rule #1: Over Use of Verbal Cues

We try to use verbal cues a lot when our dogs are in emotionally charged situations (like when they are barking, jumping). This is not effective because your dog might be too worked up to think and connect with you effectively in that scenario. The short-term solution is to use body language or create more space in order to promote calmer behavior. For example, stepping in between your dog and a trigger, kneeling down and getting on their level can be helpful in calming a dog down. The long-term solution is to engage your dog in training that helps to condition calm responses. Use positive reinforcement methods and create conditions that act like stepping stones to your final goal.

nother common mistake with verbal cues is that we will use one word to mean two different behaviors. Don’t confuse your dog by using one word to mean two different behaviors. If “down” means put your belly to the ground, you should use another word, like “off,” to mean jump off the couch. If you say “down” when your dog is on the couch, you are basically telling him to “get comfortable.” If you want your dog to sit, say “sit.” It’s confusing for a dog to hear the words “sit-down” – which taken literally should mean sit first, then proceed to down position.

Rule #2: Focus on Body Language and Movement

Using verbal cues when your dog is under a high level of stress or arousal will long-term diminish the significance of your verbal cues. For example, if your dog begins barking at the neighbor’s dog it is more effective to “body block” and lead him in the opposite direction, than it is to shout “quiet” or “no bark.” If anything, your dog is likely to interpret loud, repetitive commands as you joining in with the barking.

Rule #3: Bonding with Your Dog

Make sure that you find activities that you and your dog can do together that you both enjoy. This could be positive reinforcement training, playing tug or fetch or taking a hike. Schedule this time in with your dog just like you would schedule a phone call or work meeting. It’s that important.

Rule #4: Generalize cues

If dad trained the dog to sit, lie down, stay, come, leave-it, high five, spin in a circle and play dead on the carpet in the family room, that’s a great start. Now the dogs needs help learning how to generalize all of these behaviors to:

1. Other family members

1. Different surfaces

1. Other environments

1. A large variety of distractions

Rule #5: It’s a two way street

We spend a lot of time trying to teach our dogs to listen to our every command, but we fail to take the time to listen to their attempts to communicate with us. Become an expert in your dog’s body language. Respect your dogs attempt to communicate. Know when to remove your dog from an environment that may be causing undue stress, anxiety or frustration

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Many people experience the worry or frustration of behavioral issues that begin to spin out of control. They may have read articles or watched training videos, but nothing worked so they google local training and find a facility that accepts dogs with serious behavioral issues and guarantees results. They think:

“A one month board and train is $4,000. It’s expensive, but I’m desperate and I’ll do anything, so long as it works. And oh look, they offer loans AND payment plans.”

Here are five reasons why people should think twice before they move forward with that decision to board and train their dog.

5 Major Dangers of “Quick Fix” Guarantees

#1 Know Your Trainer

Most board and train facilities are all about the bottom line. It’s a business. The bigger the training business the less likely you will have a knowledgeable trainer working your dog. Most of these kennels will hire “trainers” that are doing a lot of “on the job learning.” Are you really going to spend all that money so that someone else can get a hands on learning experience? That smooth talker that made all those big promises and sold you that 4,000 dollar training package, you remember that guy? He may never train your dog. 

#2 Understand Their Methods

Your dog is aggressive, so they need a corrections based training approach. Right? Wrong. Many corrections based trainers knowingly (or unknowingly) suppress aggressive behavior. Which looks fabulous in the short-term and can create dire consequences in the long-term. It’s like putting a top on a boiling pot of water, you can only hold that steam in for so long before it blows. Many of the bigger training facilities use choke chains, throw chains, prong collars, and electronic shock collars to create quick fix solutions. Have you ever heard someone say “The dog bit without warning!” The dog was most likely corrected for giving warning signs. Corrections based training “solutions” will manifest into more serious behavioral issues before you’ve finished paying off your payment plan. 

#3 The Kennel Experience

The insurmountable stress of being confined to a kennel for 2 -4 weeks is not going to bode well for any dog’s mental or emotional well being. You’re looking for training because your dog is aggressive? fearful? anxious? Living in a kennel for any length of time will not work in favor of your dog’s behavioral training plan. End of story.

#4 The Training Environment

Will the training transfer? You may have asked about this on the phone, and you were probably pacified by the answer. But this is a REAL concern. Even if the dog learns to behave beautifully at the training facility. Who cares? Is the dog still going to go wild and bark when someone rings the bell in your home? Probably. Is your dog still going to switch into beast mode when you pass the neighbor dog’s fence line? Probably. Is your dog still going to mark his territory on the rug. Yeah, probably! These are behaviors that are conditioned into your dog’s repertoire and won’t change until you learn how to get to the root of the problem. 

#5 You and Your Dog Are a Team

Real changes will only occur when you realize that you and your dog are a team. Don’t send your dog off to “boot camp,” call in someone that will coach you through the training process. When choosing a trainer, choose wisely. Your dog is depending on you. Start by looking for people that are Certified Professional Dog Trainers. Look to see if they have a blog or Facebook page that will give you a better indication of their approach to training and behavior modification. If you see references to systematic desensitization and counter-conditioning, that’s a good start. If they are casually throwing around words like “alpha” or “dominance”- they probably learned most of what they know from dog training television … and you should keep searching.

The small print

Be skeptical if you are considering one of these “deluxe resorts” with “intensive behavioral training” – too many dogs pay the price because owners are lured in by promises that are too good to be true. There are honest, skilled, positive reinforcement trainers that are offering board and trains, that are both transparent in their approach to training and realistic when setting expectations. These trainers probably aren’t paying the big bucks for massive advertising campaigns, so do your research well.

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A person with dominance issues in dog training is easily identified. It’s the type of person that believes that a dog needs to learn how to submit to the “pack leader.” They might refer to themselves as being “alpha,” or ask you obnoxious questions like, “who’s alpha in your house?”

Here are some tips for how to make it through these conversations without losing your cool, and simultaneously generating a healthy, open dialogue.

Step 1: Listen to them

This sounds unreasonable, but our initial impulse is to attempt to correct what we perceive to be a dangerous mindset. Instead, take the time to better understand where they’re coming from by generating some easy conversation about your mutual love of dogs.

If a dog exhibits behavioral issues, a person with dominance issues will likely advise that you:

1. Roll the dog on his side

1. Stare hard into his eyes

1. Grab him by the scruff

1. Poke him with your hand or heel

1. Use a swift correction on a slip collar, prong collar or remote electronic training collar. 

Step 2: Look for common ground or close approximations

Once you’ve listened to them you might find that there are some areas that you can agree on. Maybe the person enjoys hiking or camping with their dog, is impressed by working dogs that have been trained to a high level in scent detection or agility training or they owned a cattle dog once that loved to play fetch for hours on end. If you can relate to any of these things, chime in and start the conversation on common ground.

Step 3: Find their motivation

Learn more about what makes them so passionate about dogs. Be genuine and ask questions. What motivated them to get a dog? Why did they choose that specific breed? What activities do they enjoy most in living with a dog? These activities are usually reinforcing to both the dog and to the person, so it can become a good talking point and will facilitate step four.

Step 4: Model exemplary training

People need to see it work, to believe it.

If you are a dog trainer:

Direct them to videos that you’ve created that demonstrates the power of positive reinforcement, or call in the artillery. Direct the person to a trainer that might “speak” to their specific training motivators.

If they like working dogs:

Direct them to top notch positive reinforcement (R+) trainers that have reached high levels of training with their Malinois, German Shepherd, Border Collie, Kelpie or sight hound.

If they are invested in helping and supporting the rescue community:

Connect them to a skilled Positive Reinforcement (R+) trainer that focuses on behavior modification. If its sport work they like, know the trainers that excel in their respective arenas. 

Step 5: It’s a process

You won’t change anyone’s mindset in a single conversation, it could take years before a person is fully able to comprehend the limitless power of engaging a dog’s mind and how it compares to the pitfalls of suppressing unwanted behavior. Don’t dole out unwanted advice, or take a superior tone. We’re all living and learning and there was probably a time that you shared a similar mindset on the importance of being “pack leader.” Be respectful.

Pro Tip

If the conversation goes south and you begin to feel frustrated – bow out of the conversation gracefully. There’s no such thing as “winning an argument.”

“A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still. You can’t win an argument. You can’t because if you lose it, you lose it; and if you win it, you lose it. Why? Well, suppose you triumph over the other man and shoot his argument full of holes and prove that he is non compos mentis. Then what? You will feel fine. But what about him? You have made him feel inferior. You have hurt his pride. He will resent your triumph.” – Dale Carnegie

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