Excited Doggie = New Training

Caleb is doing much better on our walks when we encounter the Schnauzers. I've discovered it's not the dogs themselves, it's the barking that amps him up, and these Schnauzers can BARK. Yesterday we walked all the way around the block with the Schnauzers (and a pair of usually loud beagles) in front of us, but this time everyone was nice, quiet, and uninterested and Caleb didn't react or bark at all. He actually looked like he wanted to go say hi, but we stayed clear. This morning when the little boy Schnauzer got started, though, hysterics! Thankfully I've learned how to control his reaction: disrupt his focus and then once he has his attention back onto me, hot dog pieces fall from the sky. Teaching Caleb not to react to obnoxious barking dogs is going to be a long process, but worth it. I refuse to be an oblivious dog owner who makes excuses for the way their dog behaves (*ahem* Schnauzer Lady), instead I'm going to modify it.

We're in the process of getting private lessons with a lady recommended to me through Downtown Dogs. Our first lesson is scheduled for Friday, April 3rd. It may seem like overkill, since he has no signs of aggression and gets along wonderfully with all kinds of people and dogs off leash, but I want him obedient in all situations, and really this only popped up in the last month or two, so the sooner I kill it the easier it will be on all of us. If he's going to be my go everywhere doggie, then it's worth the money to know my dog will be well behaved in a variety of situations. On top of all of that, it will help me to be a better dog trainer!

I'm really into Jean Donaldson's books and training methods, I even bought her dog training DVD. She explains how a dog learns, and is all about positive reinforcement and behavior modification, as opposed to hierarchy theory and intimidation techniques. I'm going to do my best to summarize her main points (forgive me, Ms. Donaldson, if I muck it up): You can either teach a dog what you want him to do and reward him for doing it or you can train a dog what NOT to do through punishment, and offer relief from punishment when the dog doesn't do that forbidden thing. Donaldson focuses on how to teach your dog what you want him to do. This doesn't mean you don't correct, but you do so without choke chains, hitting, intimidation, etc.

I thought I'd try the easy walk harness, not because Caleb pulls much, but because lately he's been darting ahead after whatever tickles his fancy (robins, ducks, leaves, other dogs he wants to say hello to), and I'd like to nip that in the bud quickly. The harness lasted for half of one walk last night. He saw a little girl dog he wanted to say hello to, ran ahead, got all tangled in it, got mad and started barking like a fool and then his stubby little legs just fell right out of the harness. We'll be taking that back tonight. Jean Donaldson advocates the gentle leader, which is a head harness that looks exactly like what you put on a horse, and it basically uses the same principle, where the head goes, the body follows. I'll wait to hear what Kathy the trainer says about that before attempting any other sort of harness device.

If that weren't enough excitement, we're going to start our level 2 obedience in April. It's going to be a busy month...I will have a well behaved dog, or an exhausted one.