Tag: training

Impressions from Kathy Sdao’s Animal Training Workshop, and a little Pavlovian background

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When I started reading Kathy Sdao’s book – which is as much, if not more her personal journey through life as it is a book for dog trainers -, my first impression had nothing to do with training animals: I thought that, should I ever choose to believe in some transcendental entity, I’d like this entity to be like Kathy’s god. That god actually sounded like a god I could live with. A god that loved his creatures unconditionally and provided for them not because they were being good or despite their badness, but because they were, period. A god that was okay with Kathy’s referring to humans as just one animal species among other animal species and agreed with her that plenty in life was free. Even though I had set out to read a dog training book, Plenty in Life is Free turned out to be a book I enjoyed for all kinds of reasons – style, stickiness and anecdotes about curly hair girls.

Having seen Kathy’s videos on youtube as well, I was looking forward to her seminar in Austria. I would probably have missed it if Christine Schragl hadn’t pointed it out to me on the BAT yahoo list – thank you, Christine!

It turned out to be the best seminar I’ve been to in a long time. It inspired a number of articles I’m planning to write and provided new training insights for me. It gave me an idea for my own classes, too: I got Kathy’s permission to borrow her pineapple idea when honoring someone’s amusing contribution to class discussions. A pineapple? Yes, a pineapple. You’ll have to attend one of Kathy’s seminars to find out what it reinforces.

Anyways, here’s a couple impressions from the seminar, as well as a little Pavlovian background I read up on: *)

Cue discrimination test

One of the practical exercises we did was a cue discrimination test. We used different body postures, closed our eyes, changed the distance between dog and handler, used a word that rhymed with the cue, exchanged the cue’s vowel etc. to find out whether our dogs still understood their cues and to ask ourselves whether we wanted them to understand: did we want our dog to down, even if we said “clown”?

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Bulldog Lilo plays the cue discrimination game: she knows a hand signal that means lift her paw. But can she also do it when her handler kneels on a chair rather than standing in front of Lilo?

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After all that hard work, Lilo’s mum needs a break! 

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The Chihuahua plays Cue Discrimination – does she understand a down when her mum doesn’t cue her with her hole body, but only her hand?

Working with dog-reactive dogs: classical counter-conditioning, example 1

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Client: adult Rhodesian Ridgeback, dog-reactive (and generally nervous)
Decoy: “bomb-proof” curly coated retriever with an experienced handler
Suggested approach: management; classical counter-conditioning and desensitization

Conditioned stimulus (CS): strange dog
Conditioned response (CR): aggression

decoy dog (CS) —-> aggression (CR)

Unconditioned stimulus (US) to be added: tug toy
Unconditioned response (UR) to US: joy

tug toy (US) —-> joy (UR)

Combining the two:

decoy dog (CS) + tug toy (US) —-> joy (UR)

(Note that the US must appear after the dog has noticed the CS!)

decoy dog (CS) —-> joy (new CR)

This dog-reactive Ridgeback is used to scanning the environment for other dogs that appear unexpectedly – a stressful life. In this set up, Christine appears with the decoy, her Curly Coated Retriever, from a distance below the Ridgeback’s threshold. At the Ridgeback’s choice point (the moment she spots the retriever), her mum waits for the Ridgeback to notice the other dog, then rewards with a tug toy.

This is so the Ridgeback’s emotion triggered by the CS will eventually change from aggression (CR: “Shit, scary dog!”) to joy (new CR: “Yeah, tug time!”). The sight of a dog becomes a classically conditioned stimulus (equal to the bell in Pavlov’s experiment) meaning tug time is coming.

In a set up like this, it is important that the US (in this case the tug toy) comes after the dog has noticed her trigger (Pavlov would call this delayed or trace conditioning). If the unconditioned stimulus happens simultaneously as or before the dog notices her trigger, the conditioning will not work! If the Ridgeback’s mum had noticed the Retriever first and immediately (i.e. before her dog had seen him) pulled out the tug toy, mum would at best have distracted her dog and at worst have poisoned the toy (i.e. made the toy unattractive/scary).

Combining classical counter-conditioning with desensitization

The most effective way to help the Ridgeback is to combine classical counter-conditioning with desensitization. Her training plan for the next weeks should not only include set ups like the one we did this weekend, but also elements of desensitization. That is to say, the intensity of the stimulus will be gradually increased by means of, for example:

– decreasing the distance from the suddenly appearing decoy
– increasing the duration of the decoy’s appearance
– chainging the decoy’s walking direction and speed
– practicing set ups in challenging environments.

It’s important to only increase one criterion at a time and never put the Ridgeback over threshold. When deciding whether the Ridgeback is ready for us to raise criteria, we’re not looking for the absence of anxiety, but for the presence of joy upon perceiving the decoy dog (CS).

Contingency speeds up the training process

The power of contingency tends to be underrated. However, experiments show that contingency affects Pavlovian learning on two levels: on the level of the CS (trigger, strange dog) and on the level of the US (reward, tug toy).

The level of the unconditioned stimulus (reward, tug toy):

during the training period, this special tug toy should always and only happen after the Ridgeback has seen a dog.

The level of the conditioned stimulus (trigger, strange dog):

strange dogs should only appear in the Ridgeback’s environment when they will be followed by the tug toy.

Management

It will take a while for the sight of a dog to be generalized to all kinds of locations, dogs and trigger intensities and become an alternatively conditioned stimulus meaning tug time. Therefore, for the next 6 weeks, the Ridgeback’s mum will also manage her dog’s environment and avoid walks where she’ll unexpectedly encounter strange dogs at close distances. At the same time, she will practice set ups until she has created a reliable happy emotional response (new CR) to the sight of strange dogs (CS). 

It is important a reactive dog’s environment be well managed while she learns: we want to build an alternative neural pathway that leads to happy reaction. We do this by means of the set ups. However, at the same time, we have to prevent the old neural pathway that leads to an upset and reactive dog from being used – by means of management. Once the new neural pathway is strong, the Ridgeback will be able to encounter other dogs on walks without getting upset.

Why is it important that the Ridgeback isn’t surprised by strange dogs that take her over threshold outside of training sessions? 

In the context of explaining what to do and what not to do when training a dog how to stay home alone, Jean Donaldson (The Culture Clash) uses a jungle metaphor that can also help us visualize what goes on in a dog-reactive dog: imagine the canine brain like a jungle. Our set ups are the machete by means of which we build the pathway that leads to joy (CS: “Yeah, tug time!”). In order for this newly created path to be attractive for the neurones to travel, we have to make the old path (leading to aggression; CS: “Shit, scary dog!”) less attractive. Only if this old path ceases to be taken by the neurones will it start to be overgrown by jungle plants. Therefore, we might have to use a road block (i.e. management) to prevent access to the old path until the new path is well established and the old one naturally made inaccessible by banana plants and fern.

Or, in more scientific terms and in the words of Robert A. Rescorla: “when the likelihood of a US is the same in the presence and absence of the CS […], there is little evidence of conditioning at all. […] [C]onditioning depends not on the contiguity between the CS and the US but rather on the information that the CS provides about the US.” 

When (not) to use classical counter-conditioning with clients

Note that classical counter-conditioning will not build interaction skills. Rather, it helps the dog relax even when there’s other dogs to be met: eventually, seeing a dog in the distance will be a sign that it’s tug time. However, this is not to get her used to interacting with other dogs, but to peacefully coexisting with them/passing them on walks. Should a client wish to further her dog’s interaction skills, we wouldn’t use classical counter-conditioning but a different approach, or a different approach in addition to classical counter-conditioning.

Working with dog-reactive dogs: classical counter-conditioning, example 2

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The young German Wirehaired Pointer, Ellie, is scared of other dogs. Kathy explains the set up to her handler: the decoy, Border Collie Kodiak, will be walked past her at a distance below Ellie’s threshold. At Ellie’s choice point (the moment she spots the decoy), Ellie will be fed. This is to teach her that the sight of a strange dog means food is coming, hence changing her emotional reaction, like in the set up with the Ridgeback.

Client: young German wirehaired pointer, dog-reactive (mild fear to unfamiliar dogs)

Decoy: Border Collie Kodiak with an experienced handler (first set up); two Cocker Spaniels with an experienced handler (second set up)

Suggested approach: classical counter-conditioning and desensitization

Conditioned stimulus (CS): strange dog
Conditioned response (CR): fear

decoy dog (CS) —-> fear (CR)

Unconditioned stimulus (US) to be added: food
Unconditioned response (UR) to US: joy

food (US) —-> joy (UR)

Combining the two:

decoy dog (CS) + food (US) —-> joy (UR)

(Note that the US must appear after the dog has noticed the CS!)

decoy dog (CS) —-> joy (new CR)

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Ellie does very well, first with Kodiak walking past her, then Kodiak walking faster past her, then directly at her, and later with two cocker spaniels walking past her. The new CR is already setting in: Ellie spots the decoys and looks expectantly at her handler: bring on the treats!

Ellie is a foster dog. In order to make it easier to rehome her, her foster mum will work on her on a similar training program as the Ridgeback’s mum, with the only difference that Ellie’s reward is food.

Lunch break means play time!

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Sunday night

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Gudrun and Kathy draw the winners from the chocolate game, and everyone – including the fake Doberman that was used to work with the Chihuahua – poses one last time for the group picture …

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… and something for the office wall.

Thanks to everyone who was involved in a pawesome weekend that went by way too fast!

*) Should you notice mistakes involving behaviorological terminology, misunderstandings or ambiguities in my explanation, please point them out to me! Phoebe Flausch and I love our science, but we’re still learning and always appreciate feedback and constructive criticism.

Dog-dog play and off-leash manners (for Tony and his dad)

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Phoebe, Nayeli and I spent yesterday afternoon at our favorite park in Vienna: the Prater. This is a huge public park with, among other things, forest, meadows, ponds, and Vienna’s biggest official off-leash area for dogs (generally, dogs have to either wear a leash or a muzzle in public spaces in Vienna; getting caught ignoring this law can be quite expensive).  The off-leash/no muzzle area isn’t your typical “dog park”. It’s unfenced and spacious enough to actually take walks there. 

I like the Prater because it’s just around the corner from my house, it’s beautiful and makes me feel like I’m in the middle of nature rather than the city. Due to its size, it’s not too crowded, and due to the fact that it’s unfenced, the people walking there dogs there tend to be owners who keep an eye on their dogs. Furthermore, since dogs are allowed off leash, you get less joggers, bikers and children than in other parks in the city – less potential triggers.

I don’t like the typical dog park and avoid it, because there you get lots of dogs forced to share a small enclosed space, whether they want to or not, and often a subculture of owners subscribing to the “Oh, just let the dogs do their own thing, don’t you dare intervene!” philosophy. Visiting dog parks like this is stressful for both me and whatever bomb-proof dog I’m taking. However, I like visiting the Prater’s off-leash area and the big unfenced off-leash area on the Donauinsel every now and then (only with a dog who is comfortable being around other dogs, of course), because these big and unfenced spaces seems to have a different vibe.

However, the other day, I was reminded that there’s always the chance of frustrating encounters there, too. At some point, a border collie came flying our way, no handler in sight. Without stopping, he lunged at Phoebe, repeatedly tipped her over, chased her down when she tried to get away and pinned her to the ground with his body rather than choosing the fully grown golden retriever as a playmate.

Nayeli usually protects Phoebe from all-too wild play encounters by means of splitting the dogs up with her body and directing calming signals towards the strange dog. This is one of the reasons I’m comfortable taking a puppy places where I frequently meet strange off-leash dogs: Nayeli, while generally much more interested in people than dogs, is very versed when it comes to calming signals, and she looks out for Phoebe. She discriminates between appropriate playmates Phoebe has fun with and dogs she wants to protect her young friend from. 

In this case, however, Nayeli was busy sniffing around elsewhere. Phoebe looked to me for help, showed calming signals that the border ignored, then growled and tried to get away, which didn’t work. Since the border collie’s dad approached in the distance, I didn’t body block the border as I would have done otherwise, but called out to his dad and asked him to please call back his dog, since his play was getting a little too rough for my puppy. 

This guy belonged to the “let-them-fight-it-out-among-themselves” subculture. “They’ll fight it out among themselves,” he shouted back and added, laughing with an air of superiority, “as a dog owner, you should know that yourself! Dogs have to play!”

“I’d really ask you to please call back your dog. My puppy is uncomfortable with your dog playing rough,” I explained patiently. “I agree it’s nice for dogs to play and socialize, but ideally with dogs who match their temperament or strength.”

He continued to shout at me as a response to my friendly request, finally called his dog with the words, “Come, Tony, the bimbo doesn’t want you to play with her dogs, leave the bimbo alone!” I ignored him; he kept calling his dog, but to no avail. As I was getting ready to step in myself, Tony finally decided to take off himself. He continued to ignore his owner’s recall, ran the other way and disappeared in the distance to do his own thing. 

About half an hour later, Tony showed up again (handler nowhere in sight). He seemed to have spent his energy by now and was just hanging out there, taking turns sniffing the ground and looking around alertly. He didn’t seem calm because he was relaxed, but because he was exhausted. After a while, I also saw his owner again, who continued insulting me as he passed even though I hadn’t said a word. “Oh, come, Tony, quick, there’s the bimbo who doesn’t want her dogs to play. In an off-leash area! Hahaha!”

So here’s my take on dog play (in off-leash areas and elsewhere): 

Respect your fellow dogs and respect your fellow humans

If I take my dogs for a walk in an area where it’s likely I’ll encounter other dogs, off-leash or on-leash, I always try to make sure my dogs don’t bother other dogs or other owners. If either dog or owner seem uncomfortable, I’ll call back my dogs. This is basic manners, and I expect the same from other dog owners.

If I encounter a dog on leash, or a dog who seems to be training with his mum or dad, I won’t let my dog run up to them to say hello in an off-leash area any more than I would let them do this anywhere else. Rather, I’ll keep my distance. Just because it’s permitted to have your dog off leash doesn’t mean you have to have him off leash all the time, and just because she’s off leash certainly doesn’t mean you should ignore her whereabouts. If she doesn’t have a reliable recall (like Tony), she shouldn’t be off-leash in the first place: a dog without a reliable recall can get into all kinds of trouble involving cars, strange dogs etc., and a leash is a matter of keeping her safe.

If I encounter someone walking their dog on a leash, no matter whether I’m in an off-leash area or not, I assume there is a reason for this, and I keep my dog at a distance. If I run into a training session on a public place, whether in an off-leash area or not, I’ll keep my dogs at a distance as well in order not to distract the working dog and handler. And I think that’s great: I love seeing dogs work and have fun despite the distractions in an area like the Prater – such as the young couple with two border collies who I’ve watched practicing cool two-dog tricks involving a park bench, a frisbee, freestyle moves and human as well as canine jumps, while all around them, all kinds of dogs are running, owners are shouting, squirrels are jumping etc.

If my dogs really want to greet an on-leash or training dog in an off-leash area, I’ll do the same I would do in an on-leash area: ask their owners if it’s okay for my dog to say hello. If they say yes, then we’ll let them greet each other and I might turn greeting the strange dog into a Premack reward; if they say no, I respect that decision. This is basic manners as well, and I expect other owners to show me the same kind of respect.

What does healthy play look like?

For me, healthy play means that all the dogs involved enjoy themselves. The moment one of the playing dogs experiences distress, is scared or seems to bully the others rather than match his strength to the other one’s strength, it’s not play. Ideally, if you let your dog play with a strange dog, you watch your dog’s and the other dog’s body language and call them back before a problem develops.

In my experience, the dogs who best play together are familiar dogs. Also, usually, two (strange) dogs play better together than three or a group. If three or more dogs are playing, make sure they don’t gang up on one of them.

Healthy dog play may consist of chase (with or without role-changes), mouth-wrestling or rolling around with a lot of physical contact (this third variety especially occurs between puppies). Even what looks like “rough” play to us may be okay – as long as it’s obvious that all the dogs involved are enjoying the game as a social ritual rather than engage in a serious quarrel. Boxers, for example, seem to have a tendency to enjoy rough play with each other. Different dogs play differently, depending on their breed-specific motor patterns, their experience, and their personality.

Play is only healthy as long as all the dogs involved are relaxed and enjoy themselves. Examples of body language and behaviors indicating this include:

– tail and ears are in a “happy” position.

– The play partners take breaks every once in a while and show calming signals (sniffing, licking their mouths, turning away from each other, or briefly lying down) before resuming the chase or mouth-wrestling session. Each play mate respects the other one’s calming signals and responds to them.

– They don’t get play-high, deaf to their surroundings and tunnel-vision (1), but can hear you and respond to your recall.

Dogs can even learn to match their play-style to the size and strength of their play-partner. For example, Nayeli plays differently (much more gentle) with Phoebe than she plays with other retrievers, and Phoebe used to play differently (more gentle) with 17-year old Snoopy than with younger dogs – even though she’s only a puppy herself. 

To me, it seems that there are different games a dog can play with other dogs. There are multilingual players, i.e. dogs who play well with dogs of all kinds of ages, strengths, sizes and levels of outgoingness, and monolingual players, i.e. dogs who apply one play-style for every play partner. While the breed-specific motor pattern influences play behavior and is innate, play multilingualism is an acquired skill. However, I assume that an aptitude to learning different games/play styles may be innate.

What is especially important for us in the context of healthy play is that a monolingual player is probably not a good play partner for a strange dog whose play style is very different from his own. (Very often, this will be a dog with a significantly different breed-specific motor pattern. This makes it easy for you to judge a potential play partner coming your way from a distance.)

Now let’s look at behaviors and body signals that show you it’s high time to end a play session. Ideally, you should have anticipated them and stopped the game before you see any of the following:

– tugged tail

– shaking off invisible water

– running away and trying to hide behind people

– one dog trying to get away, but at the same time afraid of turning his back on the other dog

– one dog using his strength to overpower the other rather than controlling his strength to match his play partner’s strength

– any calming or break-off signals that show you one of the dogs has had enough and would rather end the game.

Don’t let your dog go over threshold when playing, i.e. if a dog can play for two minutes before getting play-high, tunnel-vision, deaf to his owner and tuning out everything around him (1), don’t let him play any longer than two minutes. 

Do dogs have to play with other dogs in order to be happy?

No. If your dog enjoys playing with his dog friends and can do so in a healthy way, go for it. If he doesn’t enjoy playing with other dogs, don’t force him to meet other dogs up close: you’ll take a lot of stress off your dog and yourself.

Think about people: some people love to socialize with other people. Others prefer the company of their dog to the company of other people. Still others have a few close friends they enjoy seeing every once in a while, but avoid big parties and new people.
Dogs are like that, too. Some dogs simply don’t like other dogs. And that’s completely okay. Just make sure they aren’t forced to meet another dog and put over threshold. Some dogs don’t care about other dogs and ignore them. (These dogs tend to be most uncomplicated to live with.) Others enjoy playing with other dogs. Only the last kind should be introduced to other dogs. 

Who should I bring to the typical dog park (small fenced area, lots of dogs and owners, no hiding places)? 

In my opinion – no one, if it can be avoided. In my experience, these places are stressful even for bombproof dogs. This is especially true if they are frequented by owners who subscribe to the subculture of “letting the dogs do their own thing” rather than supervising.

Try going to a dog park without your dog, watch or maybe even videotape the dogs’ interactions, and pay attention to behaviors and body language before deciding to bring your dog there. If you look at dog parks “from the outside” or from behind a camera lens, you’ll see more than when you’re in the middle of it. Observe the dogs’ and their owners’ behavior, judge the dogs’ level of stress and their play behavior (healthy/unhealthy?). This will help you decide whether this particular dog park is a place you and your dog will enjoy or not.

Who should I bring to off-leash areas frequented by lots of dogs and their people?

Only non-reactive dogs with reliable recalls who enjoy or ignore the company of other dogs. If you’re bringing a reactive, fearful or irritable dog to these areas, you’re setting him up for failure because you can’t control the other dogs in the park who might approach her.

Who should I not bring to off-leash areas frequented by lots of dogs and their people?

Fearful, reactive, irritable dogs, very young puppies and new rescue dogs. You can’t control the other off-leash dogs (and their owners) at an off-leash area, and they might traumatize your puppy or reinforce your dog’s reactivity. In the best case scenario, the walk will simply not be fun for your dog.

Shouldn’t I bring my puppy to dog parks and off-leash areas with lots of dogs in order to socialize him? 

People tend to think they’re doing their puppy a favor if they take him to the dog park the day after he arrived at his new home. While well-intended, the opposite is the case. Your puppy may already be overwhelmed by moving into a new home filled with new smells, new sounds and new people. It’s the first time he’s away from his mother and littermates, and he hasn’t had a chance to bond with you! 

He doesn’t know yet that you’ll protect him, no matter what. If you take him to a place frequented by off-leash dogs and dog-loving people, he’ll feel stuck in the middle of strange sounds and smells, strange people reaching down to pet that fluffy puppy and strange dogs who approach him to sniff. This is not the first experience you want your new puppy to have at his new home!

One new stimulus at a time

Yes, socializing is an important part of growing up. But take your time. Let your puppy settle in and give him a chance to bond with you for the first few days. Only then should you introduce him to friends, other dogs and new environments – one new stimulus at a time. 

Get to know your puppy’s personality and let him set the pace. If he needs a lot of time, give him a lot of time. If he adopts quickly to new situations, great. Still, keep in mind he is a puppy with a short attention span, puppy needs and puppy fears. Never work over threshold and don’t forget to grant him lots of breaks at a place he feels save and can relax.


When introducing your puppy to other dogs, make use of well-supervised puppy play groups (who separate between size and temperament) or use your friends’ puppies or your dog’s littermates, if they get along well. Don’t take your new puppy to the dog park or highly frequented off-leash areas and expect him to cope! You may turn him into a fearful, reactive or aggressive dog if you expose him to that kind of environment too early.

Also, if your puppy is fearful, don’t force him to socialize with other puppies. Don’t flood him. Rather, choose a friend’s calm dog who your puppy will eventually learn to be comfortable with, or let him watch the puppy playgroup from a safe distance without any pressure to participate, and relax with him, play mat games, puppy parallel games, or give him a massage. Only if and when he decides he is ready to move closer to the action will you move closer.

The same holds true for a new rescue dog: take your time to get to know your canine companion first, work on foundation behaviors, a reliable recall and on building mutual trust and a good relationship before introducing your dog to (familiar) dogs and people and new environments – one new stimulus at a time. 

Only when you know your dog well and have equipped him with whatever coping skills he may need in a highly-frequented off-leash area should you take him there – and the same holds true for any other new place, be it the shopping mall, a restaurant or a friend’s house.

How frequently should I go to highly frequented off-leash areas?

Every once in a while, if both you and your dog enjoy going there, but not all the time (not for every single walk). Keep in mind the question, “Whose walk is this?” The answer should be, “My dog’s walk, of course!” Ask your dog where she most enjoys her walks. In my experience, most dogs find a walk with lots of unpredictable dog encounters stressful rather than fun. Even bombproof dogs might prefer a walk in a quiet area where they can concentrate on you and all the interesting smells on the ground, where they can play fetch and tug with you every once in a while and don’t have to stay alert in order to not be surprised by unpredictable strange dogs flying at them.

Yes, play dates for dogs can be a lot of fun. But they are most fun with familiar dogs; so if you can, make a play date with your friends and their dogs – people who share your training philosophies and have dogs you trust – rather than strange dogs at the dog park.

What am I supposed to do if I already have a fearful or reactive dog, a dog who gets “high” on play and doesn’t respond to recalls, or a dog like “Tony”? Am I not supposed to go to dog parks and highly frequented off-leash areas so he gets used to them?

If you ask me: no, right now, it’s not a good idea to visit places where you are likely to meet other dogs. Ideally, you’ll manage your dog’s environment in a way that protects him from practicing the reactive behavior (lunging/barking/jumping/attacking …), and take your daily walks in an area where he won’t encounter his triggers. That is to say, if he is dog-reactive, don’t go places where he’ll meet other dogs.

The problem with simply exposing a dog like that to a high dose of his trigger (an approach psychologists call flooding) is that rather than “getting used to it,” his problems may actually escalate. Flooding also implies that you deliberately put your dog in a situation where he’s uncomfortable and push him over his threshold. This is not fair to your dog, since there are less stressful alternatives to alter his behavior. Personally, I’m opposed to flooding, since there are effective and safe alternatives. Flooding probably works for some people and animals, but not for me: I once tried it on myself to overcome a mild case of claustrophobia and actually made it worse.

But let’s take another look at our example dog, the border collie Tony. If he was my dog, I wouldn’t take him to the Prater park for several reasons: I wouldn’t want him to practice not responding to my recall, I wouldn’t want him to practice pinning smaller dogs to the ground with his body, and I wouldn’t want him to offend other owners or traumatize other dogs. Furthermore, I wouldn’t want him to work himself up that way and experience the kind of stress Tony must have felt (even though his dad didn’t notice). 

What I would do with a dog like Tony, on the other hand:

1. Build trust between dog and owner – I would want to create a dog who can confidently turn to his owner for direction if he is overwhelmed.

2. Work on relaxation (reinforce calm behavior, Dr. Karen Overall’s Relaxation Protocol, play Give Me a Break and Take a Breath, relaxing massages etc.). First in quiet environments (house, garden etc., only later with distractions present). The goal is to teach him how it feels to relax. I don’t know Tony, but from our brief encounters yesterday, he seemed completely over threshold at first, and exhausted from all the stress, noticing stuff, and having to deal with the environment on his own, without directions from his dad, during our second encounter. 

3. Work on a reliable recall (in an environment where he can succeed every time I call him: first in the house, then in the garden etc.). Only after having a reliable recall in many different places would I add triggers such as people walking, cars, dogs etc.; one new stimulus at a time, and starting at a safe distance.

6. I’d look for a border collie-appropriate energy outlet. I’d try to focus his energy rather than letting him zoom around an unfenced area by himself while unable to control him: even though the Prater park is huge, it’s surrounded by busy streets, and there’s no fence protecting Tony from jumping into a passing car. I’d find a healthy way to engage Tony’s legs as well as his brain. Rather than independently patrolling the city’s parks, he’d get a job – agility, herding, flyball, disc dogging, freestyle, some combination of regular exercise and trick training, obedience, nose work … There are countless possibilities, and one of them would certainly be enjoyable for both Tony and his dad.

4. Teach Tony strategies to influence his environment. This will make him feel safe, since the environment ceases to be a scary place where unpredictable things happen, and becomes a place governed by reliable rules instead.

I would look at why other dogs trigger Tony to go over threshold and what he wants to achieve by his reaction. Does he want to play or is he scared that if he doesn’t act first, the other dog will? I would integrate his functional reward into my training of a replacement behavior.

5. If I wanted a dog like Tony to have (close) contact with other dogs, I’d work on a safe way to greet other dogs. That is to say, always staying below threshold, I would teach Tony to notice a strange dog at a decreasing distance, then turn away. The goal is to establish a ritual Tony could fall back on whenever there was an encounter with another dog.

Only if Tony were comfortable doing this and really wanted to play rather than being happy to get away from the other dog would I, if I, for some reason, needed or wanted him to be able to play with other dogs, work on safe play. After having established reliable foundation behaviors, a solid recall, replacement behaviors and a way to relax, I’d introduce play with a familiar dog, reward for appropriate play, keep sessions extremely short in the beginning and reward interruptions and the use and respecting of calming signals. I’d frequently take play breaks and ask Tony to calm down/take a breath before sending him off to play again. 

Is it my fault if I have a fearful, reactive, irritable dog like Tony?

No. There are many different factors that can contribute to reactivity, fearfulness, irritability etc. You may have contributed to them or you may not have contributed to them – it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you are willing to work on managing your dog’s environment and training together so your relationship will improve in the future. This way, both you and your dog will have more fun together and find it easier to trust each other and relax around each other.

Is it my dog’s fault?

No. Even though I haven’t met your dog, I can guarantee you it’s not “her fault”. She might be behaving the way she does because her behavior has worked for her in the past: let’s assume Tony would rather have gotten away from other dogs than be forced to interact with them. His dad didn’t protect him but believed Tony had to “fight it out for himself”. Tony might have made the experience that most other dogs he encounters in off-leash areas or dog parks want to greet him, but either retreat or are held back by their owners once he flies at them or tries to pin them to the ground with his body. This environmental reaction might inadvertently have reinforced his flying at the other dog, since he got the functional reward he was looking for: being let alone by the other dogs!

I believe it’s important for us as dog handlers to realize it’s never “our dog’s fault.” If we have a positive, empathic and encouraging attitude towards our dogs and their potential for improvement, the training will progress faster, and both we and our canine companions will have more fun along the way.

If it’s not my fault and not my dog’s fault … why does he behave the way he behaves?

Factors contributing to a dog’s arousal threshold include:

– genetic disposition: a dog’s autonomic nervous system can be sympathetically dominated or parasympathetically dominated. If the autonomic nervous system – the part of the nervous system that operates mostly sub-consciously and regulates visceral functions – is sympathetically dominated, the dog is prone to emotional reactivity and stress. If her autonomic nervous system is parasympathetically dominated, she’ll be calmer and more adaptable. This disposition is inherited from the parents and cannot be changed.

– the mother’s stress level: the mother’s body chemistry differs depending on her circumstances and environment before whelping – this also influences the puppies.

– sufficient time spent with mother and siblings after birth (or lack thereof)

– experiences during the important socialization period or lack of socialization during this crucial period (a very important time is roughly between 4 and 14 weeks)

-good and bad experiences/traumas later in life 

No matter who your dog is: if you’re committed to helping him change a problem behavior, if you’re ready to put some work into it yourself, and if you’re willing to seek professional advice if you’re in way over your head, your relationship can only improve. Also: just as you and I, a dog is never too old to learn. He’s already being the best possible dog he can be at this point, just as you’re already being his best possible mum/dad you can be at this point.

But let’s get back to what I was actually going to say: be protective of your dog, no matter whether on- or off-leash. Stick up for her when she gets in trouble. She’ll thank you for it. And it’s your responsibility towards her, just as it is your responsibility to stick up for your child, your friends, or your family.

Last but not least, Tony’s dad is probably never going to read this, but if he did, I’d like to thank him for the inspiration. 

(1) This is not “stubbornness,” but there is a level of excitement that causes the amygdala to stimulate the release of hormones and neurotransmitters that make it chemically impossible for your dog to hear yet alone listen to you.

Canine stress-reduction, building block #1: exercise

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I’m writing today’s post with a foster dog in mind. A dog that hasn’t experienced much love or trust in his life, and who’s moving into a foster home to prepare him for family life and adoption. 

Friends of mine just welcomed their second foster mix, Ema, into their homes, after their first one found his family for life. I might start working with a rescue organization myself in October – we’ll see; I’ll keep you posted. In any case, here’s the first article in a series about different building blocks a canine stress-reduction program might contain. Check back over the next weeks for other stress-reduction building blocks such as rest periods, nutrition, mental stimulation etc.

Not only people, but stressed, anxious or depressed dogs profit from exercise as well: there is a physiological reason to include long, slow and continuous workouts in canine stress reduction programs when it comes to dealing with anxiety, stress, fear or irritability. Especially long walks in quiet environments (hiking in the middle of nature …) have a positive effect, since they stimulate the release of serotonin, norepinephrine and β-endorphines. Let’s look at them more closely.

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter: a chemical substance that transmits information from one part of the nervous system to another. Serotonine influences an animal’s mood, pain perception (including the subjective pain an individual feels during emotional reactions), irritability threshold and sleep-wake cycle. In a word: a sufficient level of serotonin is crucial for mental well-being.

To give you an example: a study by Reisner et. al. found a correlation between a low irritability threshold and a lower-than-average serotonin and dopamin metabolites. Further studies showed that dogs who give a warning before biting and dogs who only bite gently have an average level of serotonin, while dogs who tend to bite without warning or harder tend to have a lower serotonin level. This is especially interesting because it shows that training your dog’s bite inhibition as a puppy is not the only factor influencing his future behavior: his brain chemistry will also have a say in his reaction. 

However, let’s take a quick look at a human example for the importance of serotonin as well. A chronic low level of serotonine causes depression. If your brain chemestry is not in balance, trying to cheer yourself up and seeing a psychotherapist might not be enough: while it will certainly be helpful, it won’t necessarily fix your serotonine levels. This is why antidepressants of the SSRI-type are designed to effect precisely the (extra-cellular) level of serotonin by means of inhibiting their re-uptake. SSRIs are frequently prescribed for depression, anxiety disorders and certain personality disorders. While the drugs won’t free you from the need to face your problems/fears/anxieties and work through them, they will help you get into a state of mind where you are able to face your fears and work through them in the first place.

Anxiety, phobias, fears etc. in dogs have been successfully treated with Prozac and similar drugs as well. The extra-cellular serotonine level is one of the places they affect. However, it should go without saying that drugs shouldn’t be the first choice when it comes to canine behavior modification. Drugs should only be used if they are necessary to help a dog (or human) to get to a place where they are able to respond to behavior modification training in the first place, but not as an “easy way out”. Furthermore, of course, drugs don’t solve the original problem, and working at learning how to cope with the environment or stressful situations in healthy ways will still be necessary. 

While I’m not a fan of always residing to chemical solutions, I firmly believe in the usefulness of conventional Western medicine for the treatment of depression or anxiety. So far, I’ve never had to medically treat these conditions in my dogs, but I have been helped by them myself. 

Norepinephrine (NE): among other things, norepinephrine (= noradrenalin) works as a neurotransmitter and hormon. It regulates your dog’s energy management. A high NE level may cause reactivity, impulsivity and irritability. A low NE level, on the other hand, causes the body to reduce its  energy use, resulting in lethargy and depression. The body can only tolerate a low NE production for a certain time before it shuts down completely: the resulting fatigue messes with the sleep-wake cycle, the ability to think rationally, it causes hyper-sensitivity to pain, and it reduces the ability to feel joy and respond to reinforcers.

Common causes for the decrease of NE production are cronic stress (shelter dogs are at risk!), traumata and learned helplessness. 

Endorphines are a dog’s natural painkiller. Furthermore, they stimulate the area in the brain where joy is experienced. Similar to humans who feel happy and relaxed after jogging (“runner’s high”), these chemical substances causes a feel-good effect in our dogs as well.

Why should a stressed or traumatized dog rather practice long, slow and continuous workouts than short and fast ones?

Short and fast, explosion-like workouts may influence the body in the same way that disstress does: it inhibits the production of NE rather than stimulating it. In extreme cases, this may even result in learned helplessness. (1) Long, slow and continuous workouts such as hikes, on the other hand, activates the NE production and increases the levels of serotonin and NE stored in the amygdala.

Does that mean agility, flyball, fetching and tugging are bad for my dog?

Of course not! Fast-paced dog sports can be A LOT of fun for both dogs and their people, as everyone who has ever participated or even only watched a dog-human team participating in them knows. As I said in the beginning, I wrote this article with a troubled dog in mind – or with a very sensitive one, if you want. And even for a dog like this, fast-paced dog sports may be a lot of fun. He may only need a little more time and gentle, understanding introduction (CU training) until he can enjoy them. 

(1) This was explored in a study with dogs on a treadmill. Cf. Steven Lindsey, Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior.

Neuropsychological foundations of CU training

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CU works wonders to not only ease the life of overnoticers, overreactive or anxious dogs, it also provides a foundation for every single working or family dog out there. CU trainers stress that attention is a skill that can and should be taught separate from other tasks. Attention, focus and the ability to calm herself down are key skills that help a dog navigate her life – be it as a performance dog, a family pet or a dog adjusting to life in a big and busy city, to mention but a few.Anyone who has tried CU on their dog will agree that It works. But why does it work? Knowing about the underlying neuropsychological procedures will help you understand why CU training is so effective and enable you to design your very own tailor-made CU exercises for your dog rather than just following “recipes” developed by others. Furthermore, I hope that this article will show that CU is not just a fuzzy hit-and-miss training philosophy that will work for some dogs but not for others. Rather, it gives you and your dog a toolbox to influence your dog’s neuropsychological wiring, so to speak, in ways that make it easier for her to cope with the environment. And last but not least, it may help you to better understand your dog.
Neuropsychological implications of the threshold
CU devotees know to always work below threshold, that is to say to lower criteria to a point where we can be sure our dog will succeed, and to avoid causing over-arousal. For example, when working with a dog-reactive dog, we’ll keep our distance to other dogs. Rather than “flooding” him with the company of another dog, we’ll stay at a distance where he’s not worried. Depending on the individual, that may be the length of a soccer field, across the street, ten meters or two meters. For a dog suffering from separation anxiety, this means we wouldn’t leave her alone any longer than she’s comfortable being alone. Depending on the individual, that might mean 30 seconds, 2 minutes, 10 minutes or two hours. 
The threshold is the point where a dog overreacts – e.g. the distance where where the dog-reactive dog starts lunging, jumping into the leash and barking, or the time after which a dog suffering from separation anxiety starts getting worried and working herself up.
We can look at the threshold as the frontier separating “thinking brain” from “instinct brain”, or as the line separating cognition from emotion. Below threshold, the actions are controlled by reflection and conscious decisions. Over threshold, the emotions take over and reactions are automatic rather than deliberate. Whether an action is based on cognition or emotion depends on whether it is dominated by the cerebral cortex or an area of the limbic system called the amygdala. Both cerebral cortex and limbic system deal with environmental stimuli and work together when causing the release of hormones and neurotransmitters that generate a response. However, they are inversely proportional: the more active the cerebral cortex, the less active is the limbic system, and vice versa. Depending on which area dominates the reaction, we either get a predominantly cognitive response (limbic system is dominant) or an emotional response (amygdala is dominant). That is to say, when we work below threshold, the cerebral cortex dominates behavior and we get a deliberate response; when working over threshold, the amygdala is dominant and we get an overreactive response.
These are important points to consider in dog training. Working below threshold, a dog will be able to take in and process information, learn new things and pay attention. Because his actions are dictated by the cerebral cortex, he’s in a receptive state of mind; an ideal training condition and, moreover, a state of mind that lets your dog relax and be comfortable.
On the other hand, a dog who’s over threshold is subject to behavior triggered by the amygdala. His responses to environmental stimuli will be emotional, indeliberate and unreflected. In this state of mind, it is neurologically impossible for a dog to think clearly, to process information “objectively” and to take in new tasks. A disobedient dog over threshold isn’t stubborn; rather, his brain and hence behavior are dominated by the amygdala, while the cognitive cerebral cortex is blocked. Rather than getting mad at her for failing to listen to your cues in a distracting environment, you should ask yourself how you can change the environment/lower criteria in order to enable your dog to get back in a cerebral cortex state of mind and succeed.
Acute stress causes high activity in the amygdala. The dog’s body prepares for fight/flight/freeze/flirt, and training, attention or obedience become neurologically impossible. This is why the common practice among dog trainers to ask a dog to perform among all kinds of conditions in all kinds of situations from the beginning is counterproductive and doesn’t tend to work. Effective training starts well below threshold and only gently and slowly raises criteria. With mutual trust and practice, the threshold recedes. You may then raise criteria at the same speed the threshold withdraws, but never cross it.
2. Why targeting lets your dog stay in “thinking brain”
What do you do if your dog is reactive in a situation you can’t or don’t want to avoid? How do you get her threshold to recede without flooding (1) her with stressful experiences?
Leslie McDevitt suggests targeting in order to get your dog to focus and make it easier for him to stay in his “thinking brain” in a distracting or stressful environment. In this context, targeting means turning environmental stimuli into cues. This could be tactile targets such as getting out of the car and (A) targeting the door to the training facility, then (2) targeting the dog’s crate, and then (4) targeting her mat etc. With the help of intermediate targets, a seemingly long and distracting path is broken down into little steps that are easier for the dog (or human) to take.
The targets could also be visual, such as using scary things as a cue to play the “Look at That” game and earn treats.
Indeed, by means of targeting strategies, overreactive dogs are more likely to stay calm. Neuropsychologically speaking, why is that?
If a dog’s attention and focus are held by a well-known game, the cerebral cortex dominates his response. As mentioned above, cerebral cortex and limbic system are inversely proportional, and the activity of the limbic system is kept low when your dog operates from his “thinking brain”. Keeping the cerebral cortex going in stressful situations helps your dog to cope with them rather than going over threshold. Targeting games are a very effective way to accomplish this: the distracting environment itself provides the cues for the cerebral-cortex dominated behavior, and the more you practice, the more you accelerate calm default behavior. 
An example: Phoebe knows hand-targeting. If we’re about to cross a busy street, she sometimes gets excited and wants to chase cars: for her, the cars are a trigger causing action in the amygdala. One strategy I use for dealing with this is that I ask her to target my hand with her mouth while we’re waiting for the pedestrian light to turn green: touch my hand on the floor, in the air, next to you, behind you. Phoebe likes the touch game, and it keeps her focused on me rather than the traffic. Also, the more often I play the touch game with her in this situation, the more she’ll get used to not lunging towards the cars. While focusing on my hand, she peripherally takes in the traffic without getting emotionally glued to it, and while this experience is repeated every time we play the touch game near a busy street, she gets desensitized to the traffic trigger. Nota bene: in behavioral therapy, desensitizing only works as long as you stay below threshold!
(1) Check back soon for an article about why flooding is not an ideal way to deal with reactivity or anxiety in dogs.

Punishment – and why it doesn’t work

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I am dedicated to positive training methods, no matter whether I’m working with human or canine students. Since I’m doing both these things on a regular basis, I sometimes encounter disbelief or opposition:

“But you can’t teach students without scolding them!”

“Your dog won’t learn if you don’t tell her what she’s doing wrong!”

Rather than getting annoyed, I try to remind myself that we live in a society where punishment has traditionally been the default method for solving a problem. Not only do old habits die hard: this is particularly true for punishment, because punishment is highly reinforcing for the punisher – even though it rarely works!

Let’s take a look at why punishment doesn’t tend to work, so that next time our training philosophy is being questioned, we can make the case for positive reinforcement!

1. Punishment tends to occur with a delay. 

Animals connect punishment to whatever it is they are focused on the instant the punishment occurs. If, say, you punish your dog for peeing in the house while you were gone, she may connect the punishment with any number of actions – but not with the peeing on the rug, which happened an hour earlier. Instead, your dog might connect it with his happy greeting when you walked through the door, with the particular position he was standing in when you scolded him etc. 

If you call your dog and he doesn’t react, then punish him when he finally gets to you with a delay, you are effectively punishing his arrival, not his late response. Being afraid of your reaction, he might take even longer to respond to a recall next time.

As for people: while we may be mentally capable of making the connection between punishment and cause, we don’t necessarily make it on the psychological level that matters for punishment to work. After all, behavior it isn’t all that rational: 

The punishment for somoking is lung cancer – smokers know that, but yet they keep smoking because the consequences seem far away and unsure.

The punishment for heavy drinking is an uncomfortable hangover – yet we keep partying, since the next morning is too far away to matter.

2. Punishment may only works in the punisher’s presence.

If you punish your dog or cat for jumping on the coffee table and stealing a bite of your sandwich, they may learn to avoid stealing sandwiches while you are present, but keep stealing them whenever you leave the room.

If you punish your child for running, jumping and singing in the living room, she may learn to avoid these behaviors when you are around, but keep engaging in them whenever only your spouse/the babysitter/etc. are around.

3. Punishment teaches avoidance, sneakiness and resentment rather than alternative behavior.

Punishment may simply teach a subject to do the desired behavior without getting caught. This applies, for example, to the dog stealing sandwiches. 

It also applies to teenagers: when I was a teenager, my mother caught me smoking. She scolded me and took away my pocket money. I didn’t stop smoking, I just learned to do it secretly. 

4. Punishment may get linked to you.

When I trained Snoopy, my rescue dachshund, I hadn’t learned about positive training techniques yet. Snoopy was a sensitive dog, and he reacted to my scolding by means of becoming afraid of me. Luckily, I understood his message and changed my methods.

I resented my parents (and to some degree, I still resent them) for being very strict, raising their vocie, and sometimes a hand (I was raised with scolding and an occasional slap, what Austrians call “a g’sunde Watsch’n”).

5. Punishment may be over-generalized.

A friend was left unattended by his parents when he was little, feeling that she had been left behind – a horrible emotion to inspire in a child. Decades later, she still suffers from separation anxiety.

Turid Rugaas (1) mentions a case of a dog that was supposed to heel during obedience class, but, being thirsty, tried to get to the water bowl. The trainer jumped in and corrected the dog, just as he was about to reach the bowl. Not only did the dog connect the punishment with the water bowl instead of the heeling lapses, he didn’t dare to drink for several days.

(1) In: Turid Rugaas: My Dog Pulls. What do I do?

How-to: Wie man einem Hund beibringt, seinen Maulkorb zu lieben.

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Hinweis: In meinen Tipps gehe ich besonders auf sensible Hunde ein. Das heißt, bei mir wird kein Hund überfordert – weder physisch noch psychisch. Wie schnell von einem Übungsschritt zum nächsten übgergegangen werden kann, hängt vom individuellen Hund ab. Manche Hunde können innerhalb weniger Tage zum Maulkorb-Profi graduieren, andere brauchen mehrere Wochen oder länger. Beides ist okay: Es gibt keine Patentrezepte für die Hundeerziehung. Jeder Hund ist anders, und um ihm das schönstmögliche Leben zu ermöglichen, wollen wir ihn als Individuum kennenlernen und auf seine individuellen Bedürfnisse eingehen.
 
Wichtig für diese Übung: Bevor wir mit dem Maulkorb-Training beginnen, sollte Ihr Welpe (oder erwachsener Hund) Sie kennen und Ihnen vertrauen.
 

Frau Phoebe Flausch liebt ihren Maulkorb. Maulkorb bedeutet nämlich, dass es was ganz besonders Leckeres gibt. Und außerdem stört der Maulkorb nicht sehr; es handelt sich um einen in der Größe und für lange Pudelschnauzen passenden und zudem sehr leichten Windhund-Maulkorb. Und so soll das Tragen von Maulkörben sein: problemlos und stressfrei für den Hund und seinen Menschen.

Warum ist das Gewöhnen an einen Maulkorb wichtig?
In Wien gilt auf öffentlichen Plätzen Maulkorb- oder Leinenpflicht. In öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln gilt Maulkorb- und Leinenpflicht. Für hundeführerscheinpflichtige Hunde gilt bis zum Ablegen des Hundeführerscheins im öffentlichen Raum in Wien überall Maulkorb- und Leinenpflicht. Um einem Hund in Wien (und vielen anderen Städten) die größtmögliche Freiheit zu schenken, sollte er daher mit dem Tragen seines Maulkorbs vertraut sein.
Hier ein Spiel, mit dessen Hilfe auch Sie zu einem vierbeinigen Maulkorb-Fan kommen und dabei täglich nur wenige Minuten Übungszeit investieren müssen.
1. Die eigene Einstellung:
(I) Maulkörb-Übungen sind keine lästige Pflicht, sondern ein Spiel mit Spaß-Faktor!
(II) Ein Hund mit Maulkorb ist nicht arm; er ist einfach stadtfein herausgeputzt – darum wähle ich neonfarbene Maulkörbe. Der Maulkorb für den Hund, die Farbe ist für mich und für alle Passanten, die sich vor Hunden fürchten: Vor einem großen Vierbeiner in leuchtend pinkem Schnauzen-Dress fürchtet mensch sich weniger als vor demselben Hund im schwarzen Maulkorb.
2. Wählen Sie den passenden Maulkorb für die Schnauze Ihres Hundes! Ein passender Maulkorb ist leicht, scheuert nicht an der Schnauze und lässt dem Hund Freiheit zum Hecheln und Trinken. Im Zoofachhandel kann man den Maulkorb mit dem eigenen Hund anprobieren; Online-Versandhändler wie sofahund.at (der Maulkorb-Dealer unserer Wahl) haben eine große Auswahl, kennen sich aus und beraten gern zur Wahl des richtigen Maulkorbs für die Schnauze Ihres Hundes.
3. Ein paar Tage, nachdem Ihr Welpe oder erwachsener Hund bei Ihnen eingezogen ist, sollten Sie bereits mit dem Maulkorb-Spiel beginnen. Packen Sie den neuen Maulkorb in der gewohnten Umgebung Ihres Hundes (z.B. Wohnzimmer) aus, bewundern Sie ihn von allen Seiten und spielen Sie Hard-to-Get, bis das Interesse Ihres Welpen (oder erwachsenen Hundes) geweckt ist. Lassen Sie ihn den Korb von allen Seiten beschnuppern und verstecken Sie ihn dann wieder hinterm Rücken.
4. Schmieren Sie ein wenig Hunde-Leberpastete, Hunde-Lachscreme (gibt’s beides im Zoofachhandel in Tuben), Erdnussbutter, Joghurt o.Ä. vorne unten in den Maulkorb. Halten Sie den Maulkorb und lassen Sie Ihren Hund seine Schnauze hineinstecken, um die Leckereien herauszuschlecken. Freuen Sie sich über Ihren mutigen, schönen, tapferen, tollen Vierbeiner und loben Sie ihn überschwänglich! Wichtig: Dabei wird der Maulkorb nicht zugemacht! Die Riemen bleiben offen! Sobald ihr Hund den Korb ausgeschleckt hat und die Schnauze herauszieht, loben Sie ihn ausführlich und verstecken den Maulkorb wieder, während Ihr Hund damit noch weiter spielen möchte.
5. Dasselbe Spiel nochmal am nächsten Tag, ebenfalls im Wohnzimmer.
6. Ebenso am übernächsten Tag. Wiederholen Sie die Übung, bis Ihr Hund allein beim Anblick des Maulkorbes Vorfreude verspürt, und hören Sie immer auf, während er noch weiterarbeiten möchte. Wir bleiben zu diesem Zeitpunkt immer in der gewohnten Umgebung, etwa im Wohnzimmer.
7. Ist die Freude beim Anblick des Maulkorbs bereits groß, erhöhen wir erstmals den Schwierigkeitsgrad des Spiels: Nun lassen wir den Vierbeiner seinen Kopf in den Korb stecken und füttern dabei mit der Lachscreme- oder Leberpasteten-Tube von außen durch den Maulkorb. Dabei sind wir immer noch im Wohnzimmer. So wird einerseits die Zeit, die der Hund die Schnauze im Maulkorb hält, von einigen Sekunden auf einige Sekunden mehr erhöht, und es ergeben sich nach jedem Schlecken kurze Intervalle, in denen der Hund die Leberpasteten-Tube durch den Korb zwar riecht, aber mit dem Schlecken warten muss, bis Sie wieder mehr herausgedrückt haben. Während der Hund noch Lust auf mehr hat, verstecken wir Maulkorb und Leberpaste wieder, loben und spielen ausführlich mit unserem schönen, mutigen, allerbesten, im Schnauzen-Dress ganz wunderbar aussehenden Vierbeiner und erzählen ihm in vielen Worten, wie toll er die Übung gemeistert hat!
8. Auch diesen Schritt wiederholen Sie am nächsten Tag, bis der Hund große Freude, Selbstsicherheit und Selbstverständlichkeit dabei zeigt.
9. Erneut erhöhen wir den Schwierigkeitsgrad des Spiels: Immer noch befinden wir uns im Wohnzimmer. Diesmal legen wir erstmals zusätzlich den Riemen über den Nacken des Hundes, ohne ihn aber zu schließen. Ihr Hund spürt, dass sich in seinem Nacken etwas tut, und lernt, dass es sich nicht um eine Bedrohung handelt.
Manchen Welpen oder Hunden, die Sie aus schlechten Bedingungen übernommen haben, sind Berührungen im Nacken (oder am Rücken) unangenehm, weil sie nicht sehen, was dort vor sich geht. Respektieren Sie die Sensibilität Ihres Hundes. Seien Sie geduldig. Ihr Hund bestimmt, wie schnell sie die Kriterien erhöhen. Arbeiten Sie immer “sub-threashold”, d.h. unterhalb der Reizschwelle: gehen Sie nur so weit, wie Ihrem Hund angenehm ist. Zieht sich Ihr Hund zurück oder wirkt verkrampft, sind Sie zu schnell vorgegangen! Entschuldigen Sie sich. Machen Sie das Spiel leichter, bevor sie die Kriterien wieder ganz langsam erhöhen.
Haben Sie einen berührungssensiblen Hund, arbeiten Sie erst – ganz unabhängig vom Maulkorb-Spiel! – am Berühren am ganzen Körper. Massagen helfen, das Vertrauen und die Bindung zu stärken. Erst, wenn Ihr Welpe oder Hund sich gern berühren lässt, ist es an der Zeit, den Maulkorb-Riemen (ohne ihn zu schließen) über den Nacken des Hundes zu legen.
10. Auch diesen Schritt im Wohnzimmer wiederholen, solange er nötig ist. Dabei viel loben und durch den Maulkorb füttern: Sie haben den schönsten, tollsten, klügsten Hund der Welt! Das sollten Sie ihm bei dieser Gelegenheit wortreich und mit großem Stolz versichern.
11. Genießt der Hund diesen Teil des Spiels in vollen Zügen und komplett entspannt, berühren Sie ihn dabei am Nacken, kraulen den Nacken etc. Schließlich werden Sie bald den Maulkorbriemen schließen, was mehr Berührungen am Nacken miteinschließt. Wichtig dabei: Wir sind immer noch im Wohnzimmer, und immer noch dauert die Übung höchstens eine Minute!
12. Nun sind wir bereit, den Riemen locker zu schließen und wieder zu öffnen, bevor wir die Übung beenden und ausführlich loben und spielen.
13. Funktioniert auch das problemlos und entspannt, unterbrechen wir die Fütterung kurz, gehen in ein anderes, ebenfalls vertrautes Zimmer (z.B. Schlafzimmer) und rufen unseren treuen Freund zu uns. Dort loben wir überschwänglich und setzen die Fütterung fort, bevor wir ausführlich loben und spielen.
14. Ebenfalls wiederholen; dabei nach und nach in verschiedene Zimmer und schließlich durch die ganze Wohnung gehen. Halten Sie die Intervalle, in denen Ihr Hund Ihnen folgt, ohne durch Leckereien abgelenkt zu sein, kurz, damit er nicht auf die Idee kommt, den Maulkorb abstreifen zu wollen. Auch diese Übungseinheiten finden noch ausschließlich in der Wohnung statt und sollte zwei, drei Minuten nicht überschreiten.
15. Funktioniert das problemlos, gehen Sie in den Garten und füttern und loben dort, bevor Sie den Maulkorb wieder unter großem Lob abnehmen.
16. Auch das wird wiederholt. Dann sind Sie bereit für einen Spaziergang mit Maulkorb! Wählen Sie einen dem Hund vertrauten Spazierweg, auf dem die Wahrscheinlichkeit, anderen Hunden zu begegnen, eher gering ist. Nach Möglichkeit wählen Sie eine Strecke, auf der der Hund gefahrlos ohne Leine laufen kann. Leinenführigkeit sollten Sie, wenn möglich, separat vom Maulkorbspiel üben!
Die erste Minute des Spaziergangs gehen Sie mit Maulkorb, dann wird der Hund davon befreit. Wichtig: Beim Aufsetzen des Maulkorbs erst Leberpaste on den Korb schmieren, sodass der Hund seinen Kopf freiwillig hineinsteckt und Sie den Nackenriemen nur noch schließen müssen. Zwischendurch immer wieder belohnen. Nach dem Abnehmen nochmals den Hund den Kopf in den Korb stecken und etwas schlecken, danach wieder herausziehen lassen. Der Spaziergang selbst funktioniert als Jackpot-Belohnung für den stolzen Maulkorbträger.
17. Wiederholen Sie dieses Spiel am Anfang jedes Spaziergangs. Erhöhen Sie die Zeit, die Ihr Hund den Maulkorb trägt, langsam auf drei, vier, fünf Minuten.
18. Kombinieren Sie erstmals Maulkorb und Leine (falls Sie den Spaziergang bisher nur mit Maulkorb geübt und die Leinenführigkeit separat, also ohne Maulkorb, trainiert haben – diese Taktik empfehle ich). Sollten Sie hingegen immer Mit Maulkorb UND Leine trainiert haben, lassen Sie (wenn möglich) jetzt erstmals (in vertrauter und hundesicherer Umgebung) die Leine weg, den Maulkorb aber nicht.
19. Nachdem Sie die Zeit erhöht haben, erhöhen Sie den Schwierigkeitsgrad des Spiels erneut: Erlauben Sie Ihrem Hund, mit Maulkorb einem anderen ruhigen Hund zu begegnen. Dann loben, Maulkorb abnehmen.
20. Es ist Zeit für die erste U-Bahn-Fahrt mit Maulkorb! Ich empfehle, das U-Bahn-Fahren erst separat, ohne Maulkorb, zu üben, bis Ihr Hund ein entspannter U-Bahn-Profi ist. Ja, hier besteht die Gefahr, Strafe zu zahlen. Ich halte es trotzdem so: Besonders für sensible Hunde ist es wichtig, immer nur einen Schweirigkeitsgrad gleichzeitig zu steigern: entweder das Maulkorbtragen ODER das U-Bahn-Fahren üben. Funktioniert beides problemlos, können wir die Übungen kombinieren.
21. Gratulation: Ihr Hund ist zum Maulkorb-Profi graduiert!
Das Schlecken der Leberpastete sollte beim Aufsetzen und Abnehmen des Maulkorbs immer beibehalten werden. Schließlich hat’s Ihr Vierbeiner verdient, der schönste und beste und klügste Maulkorbprofi überhaupt! So ist garantiert, dass der Maulkorb positiv konnotiert bleibt.

Auch Borderwelpe Hadley hat eine ausgesprochen positive erste Begegnung mit einem Maulkorb:

Belohnungen – mehr als nur Futter! (Für Merlin.)

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Heute Früh sind Phoebe und ich auf der Grafenwiese im Prater Merlin und seinen Menschen begegnet. Merlin ist ein griechischer Straßenhund, zweieinhalb Jahre alt und erst seit einem halben Jahr bei seinen Menschen. Er sieht aus wie ein Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever (als Kind, als ich Stunden vor der Hunde-Enzyklopädie verbracht hab und bald alle Rassen und auswendig kannte, bin ich immer bei diesem kanadischen Toller hängengeblieben und hab sein rotblondes Fell mit den weißen Abzeichen und den lustigen Namen bewundert). Ich hab mich ein bisschen mit Merlins Menschen unterhalten, über Merlin und Phoebe. Merlin hat in dem halben Jahr, das er bei ihnen wohnt, Riesenfortschritte gemacht. Ein Problem ist allerdings das Kommen: obwohl er nicht abhaut und in der Nähe seiner Menschen bleibt, kommt er beim Spazierengehen nicht gern auf Zuruf zu ihnen. Und Leckerlis interessieren Merlin nicht, wenn die drei draußen unterwegs sind.

Es gibt natürlich viele Arten, einen verlässlichen Rückruf zu trainieren, und ebensoviele Gründe, aus denen ein Hund sich damit schwer tut. Aber dazu in anderen Beiträgen. Heute soll es um eine konkrete Idee für Merlin und andere wie ihn gehen, deren Menschen ein bisschen ratlos sind, weil sie ihren vierbeinigen Freund belohnen wollen, aber nicht wissen, wie, wenn er in bestimmten Situationen die übrlichen Leckerlis verweigert. 

Belohnen können wir auf verschiedenste Art und Weise. Futter und verbales Lob sind die gängigsten Belohnungen – aber es gibt noch VIEL mehr!

1. Hochwertigere Leckerlis:

In Situationen, in denen es für einen Hund schwieriger ist, aufmerksam zu sein, ist er vielleicht nicht bereit, für seine üblichen Trockenfutter-Stückchen oder Belohnungshappen aus dem Zoofachhandel zu “arbeiten”. Viele Hunde sind uns da gar nicht so unähnlich: Stellen Sie sich vor, sie machen für eine relativ geringe Bezahlung relativ leichte Arbeit. Obwohl die Bezahlung nicht die beste ist, sind sie bereit, dafür zu arbeiten: Schließlich ist ihre Arbeit stressfrei und gemütlich. Wenn ihr Chef nun aber das Arbeitsvolumen oder den Stressfaktor steigert, erreichen Sie irgendwann den Punkt, an dem sie entweder eine Gehaltserhöhung verlangen oder den Job wechseln: Für die bisherige geringe Bezahlung sind Sie nicht bereit, sich übermäßig anzustrengen.

Genauso geht es unseren Hunden. Zuhause, in gewohnter Umgebung, ist das Training einfach und unser Partner mit der kalten Schnauze arbeitet bereitwillig und gern für gewöhnliches Trockenfutter.

Außerhalb der gewohnten Umgebung hingegen ist der Stress größer; es gibt unzählige Gerüche, Geräusche, fremde Menschen und Hunde. Da ist es Zeit für eine Gehaltserhöhung!

Was ist nun ein hochwertigeres Leckerli? Das bestimmt ganz allein ihr Hund, denn Geschmäcker sind bekanntlich verschieden. Grundsätzlich ist ein hochwertiges Leckerli alles, was besser schmeckt als die gewöhnliche, gewohnte Belohnung. Schnipseln Sie die Leckerbissen in möglichst kleine Stücke; ein weiterer Tipp: nehmen Sie eine Mischung davon mit auf den Spaziergang und überraschen Sie ihren Hund! Nicht zu wissen, welche Belohnung als nächstes kommt, stärkt die Motivation!

Was sind die Top-10-Belohnungen Ihres Hundes? Da heißt es kreativ sein und ausprobieren! 

Hier ein paar von Phoebes Lieblingssnacks, zur Anregung: getrocknetes Lamm, getrocknetes Huhn (Loy’s verkauft in Wien z.B. hochwertige Trockenfleisch-Belohnungshäppchen ohne künstliche Zusatzstoffe), Trockenfisch (Vorsicht: riecht stark!), Gouda, Feta, Banane, Nektarine, Kürbis (roh), Leberpastete für Hunde, Lachscreme für Hunde (gibt’s beides im Zoofachhandel in der Tube).

2. Spielzeug:

Für Hunde, die gern spielen, gibt es unzählige Belohnungsmöglichkeiten: Ein Ballspiel, ein Zieh-Spielzeug für eine Runde “Tug of War”, eine Frisbee, ein Stöckchen, ein Ast mit Blättern, ein Tuch, das hund zerfetzen darf …

3. Der Lieblingscue (z.B. “Spin!”): 

Dieser Cue! Ein Hund, der sich gern im Kreis dreht, weil das Spaß macht und Lob und Lachen erntet, wird in manchen Situationen diese Aufforderung zum Drehen einem Leckerli vorziehen.

Fero, unser Cesky Fousek, der leider im Alter von 15 Jahren verstorben ist, würde hier ganz eindeutig sagen, wenn ich ihn fragen würde: “Bring!” Er apportiert nämlich für sein Leben gern. Und Nayeli, die würde ihm da sofort beipflichten. 

4. Rauf-mit-Mir!

Viele Welpen lieben es, mit ihrem Menschen zu spielen, indem sie in seine Arme springen, auf ihn klettern etc. Das darf hund im Alltag eher selten – und gerade darum wird es zu einer tollen Belohnung! Legen Sie sich auf den Boden und lachen Sie gemeinsam mit Ihrem Hund!

5. Die Umgebung

Wenn Sie einen Hund haben, der die Umgebung auf einem Spaziergang spannender findet als Sie, ist Ihnen vielleicht einmal gesagt worden, Sie hätten eine schlechte Beziehung zu Ihrem Hund. Die gute Nachricht: Das stimmt nicht. Sie haben schlicht und einfach einen neugierigen Hund – und das ist gut so! Neugierige Hunde erlauben uns, die Umgebung als Belohnung einzusetzen. Das hat Vorteile: erstens ist die Umgebung immer vorhanden, ohne dass wir sie einstecken müssten, und zweitens lässt sich gerade durch Umgebungs-Belohnungen ein starker Verstärker aufbauen. 

Wie das gehen soll? Ganz einfach. Ich will es euch an einem Beispiel mit Phoebe erklären und euch zeigen, wie wir uns dabei ein psychologisches Prinzip zunutze machen: das Premack-Prinzip. Das Premack-Prinzip besagt, dass unwahrscheinlichere Verhaltensweisen durch wahrscheinlichere verstärkt werden. Klingt kompliziert, ist es aber nicht.

Phoebe liebt es, Tauben zu jagen. Wenn wir über den Praterstern spazieren, weiß sie gar nicht, welchem der vielen Vögel sie zuerst hinterherlaufen soll, weil es dort so viele gibt. 

Das kommt mir sehr gelegen, da wir gerade an Phoebes Fokus auf die Person am anderen Ende der Leine arbeiten. Ich wünsche mir, dass Phoebe sich regelmäßig nach mir umschaut, und in Situationen, in denen sie nicht weiß, was sie machen soll, auch erst einmal mich konsultiert. Daher verstärke ich dieses Verhalten immer, wenn sie es von sich aus anbietet. Zusätzlich möchte ich auch, dass sie auf den Cue “Watch me!” zu mir schaut. Das funktioniert in ruhigen Gegenden schon ganz gut; ich will aber, dass es überall funktioniert. Auch (und gerade!), wenn die Tauben-Versuchung lockt. Es kann schließlich vorkommen, dass Phoebe ohne Leine einen Vogel auf der anderen Straßenseite sieht, während ein Auto kommt. In diesem Fall möchte ich, dass sie nicht blindlings losstürmt, sondern mir auf “Watch me!” ihre Aufmerksamkeit schenkt. Fokussiert sie erst einmal auf mich statt die Taube, hat nicht mehr der Tauben-Jagd-Instinkt, sondern der Verstand die Führung, und Phoebe kann, je nach Cue, zu mir kommen, sich setzen oder hinlegen. So verhindere ich einen Unfall.

Um das zu üben, trainiere ich jedes Mal, wenn wir (natürlich an der lockeren Leine) über den Praterstern spazieren. Wenn wir auf eine Taube zusteuern, würde Phoebe sich nicht für ein Leckerchen interessieren, egal, wie gut es ihr anderswo schmeckt. BEVOR wir die Taubennähe erreichen, andem der Instinkt ganz die Überhand gewinnt, fordere ich sie auf: “Watch me!” Sobald sie mich ansieht, clicke ich und verstärke nicht etwa mit einem Leckerli, sondern mit “Get it!” (Meinen Cue, etwas zu jagen, ganz gleich ob einen Ball oder eine Taube.) Phoebe darf nun ein paar Meter hinter der hochfliegenden Taube herlaufen; dann verliert sie sowieso das Interesse, da der Abstand wieder zu groß geworden ist. Ich laufe mit – weil ich am anderen Ende der Leine hänge.

Meine Belohnung in diesem Fall war also nicht ein Leckerli, sondern eine Kombination aus “Lieblingscue” und Umgebung. 

Mir ihre Aufmerksamkeit zu schenken bedeutet für Phoebe somit nicht, dass sie eine spannende Aktivität aufgeben muss, sondern es bedeutet, dass sie einer spannenden Aktivität nachgehen darf: dem Tauben-Jagen. 

Das Premack-Prinzip führt nun dazu, dass das wahrscheinlichere Verhalten (Tauben jagen) das davor kommende unwahrscheinlichere (Fokus auf den Menschen am anderen Ende der Leine) verstärkt: Die Fokus-Übung wird positiv konnotiert, da Phoebe sie mit dem Taubenjagen in Verbindung bringt. Je öfter ich “Watch me!” auf diese Art verstärke, desto lieber wird sie diesen Cue ausführen. 

Nicht jeder Hund jagt Tauben. Genauso vielfältig wie die Umgebung sind die Belohnungsmöglichkeiten, die sie bietet. Fragen Sie Ihren Hund, womit Sie ihn in einer bestimmten Situation am besten belohnen können! 

Ein paar Vorschläge, die bei Phoebe gut ankommen: 

einen Menschen begrüßen, an einer interessanten Stelle schnüffeln, einen am Boden liegenden Plastikbecher aufheben, mit einem Hund spielen, Tauben jagen etc.

Und Snoopy möchte aus seinem Repertoire beisteuern: von der Leine gelassen werden; ein Maisfeld erkunden dürfen.

Nayeli würde an  dieser Stelle einwenden, dass die beste Umwelt-Belohnung sei, ins Wasser zu dürfen. 

Und Bruno und Luna, die Dackel- bzw. Beagle-Mischlinge meiner Großmutter, würden einwenden: Wasser? Langweilig. Mäuse jagen und Löcher graben, DAS ist die beste Umweltbelohnung.

– Es kommt also ganz auf den Hund an. Fragen Sie Ihren!

6. Ruhe und Rückzug.

Für manche Hunde – oft Hunde mit Vorgeschichte, zum Beispiel Hunde aus dem Tierheim – ist die stärkste Belohnung in manchen Situationen die Möglichkeit, sich zurückzuziehen oder in Ruhe gelassen zu werden, nicht mehr arbeiten zu müssen. Für diese Hunde kann Ruhe und Rückzugsmöglichkeit als Verstärkung benutzt werden. So wird dank Premack nach und nach auch das, was davor kommt (Interaktion mit Menschen oder Umwelt) positiv konnotiert.

Achtung: Niemals sollte ein Hund gegen seinen Willen gezwungen werden, mit der Umwelt zu interagieren oder seinen Rückzug zu verlassen!

Der Kreativität sind also keine Grenzen gesetzt, wenn es ums Belohnen geht. Ganz sicher fallen Ihnen und Ihrem bellenden Gefährten noch mehr Verstärkungsmöglichkeiten ein. Das Training kann beginnen!