Positive Reinforcement Dog Training with Vita Bone treats

Dogs work hard for us during training, don't they deserve a reward?  Treats are like a big fat paycheck for doing their best during training sessions!



Phoebe's licking her lips in anticipation of delicious Vita Bone treats!

Vita Bone® Dog Biscuits and Chewy sticks are made with natural ingredients, so they're “Deliciously Balanced”, striking the perfect balance between great taste and nutrition.  My dogs absolutely love them!

We first found out about Vita Bone dog treats at the amazing BlogPaws  Conference in Nashville in 2015.  We had so much fun meeting the Vita Bone guy at the conference.  At first Phoebe was perplexed by this giant "dog biscuit", but after tasting her first Vita Bone biscuit she was hooked!




At first, Phoebe was a bit dazed & confused by this giant dog biscuit!

Both my dogs love Vita Bone Biscuits and Chewy sticks.  I use them as treat rewards during training and as a fun treat just to show them how much I love and appreciate them!

Vita Bone biscuits are both delicious and nutritious.  They're made with natural ingredients and contain:

** Natural Whole Grains, and 23 essential vitamins & minerals for IMMUNE SYSTEM SUPPORT

** Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids for HEALTHY SKIN and a BEAUTIFUL, SHINY COAT

** Glucosamine from natural sources like chicken & salmon oil to promote JOINT HEALTH

** A crunchy texture that promotes CLEAN TEETH & FRESH BREATH

I'm being compensated by Vita Bone to help spread the word about Vita Bone dog biscuits and Chewy sticks, but Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them only shares information we feel is beneficial to our readers.  Our product reviews are based on our own experiences with the product.

Vita Bone dog biscuits Come in Small, Medium, & Large sizes and Wheat, Chicken, Vegetables, Cheese, Beef and Liver flavors.



Vita Bone biscuits come in Small, Medium, & Large sizes and 6 delicious flavors!

I use yummy Vita Bone biscuits while practicing our training with Icy & Phoebe.



Icy and Phoebe SIT/STAY, anticipating delicious Vita Bone biscuits!



Icy and Phoebe in a DOWN/STAY awaiting their Vita Bone reward!

Reward Time!  They've earned their Vita Bone biscuits!

Boy was that Delish!  Wonder if we could score some more Vita Bone biscuits!

At the end of our training sessions, I like to give my dogs what I call a "Jackpot Treat".  They've worked hard and given me their all.  A Jackpot Treat should be something that's not only delicious but something they can really savor.

A tasty chew stick is the perfect Jackpot Treat.  Vita Bone Chewy sticks are just the thing to end our training sessions on a super positive note! 



Tasty Vita Bone Chewy sticks are easy to break apart for training sessions or a great snack!

Vita Bone Chewy sticks are made with real beef, chicken, pork, and lamb.  They come in beef, chicken, lamb and bacon flavors. YUM!! 

Give Vita Bone Biscuits and Chewy sticks a try, I know your dog will love them as much as mine do!  Click here for **Valuable Coupons**


Check out Vita Bone's series of positive, reward based Training Videos!  You'll find great advice & tips from expert trainers, including Certified Animal Behavior Consultant Steve Dale!

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ABOUT VITA BONE:

Vita Bone, a family owned company, has been dedicated to providing delicious and nutritious dog treats for over 40 years!  They are a company that knows how important it is to give back to the community and that pets have the power to change lives! That’s why they support PET PARTNERS, a non-profit organization dedicated to training and providing therapy animals to people in need. 

Therapy animals bring smiles, affection and comfort to people in hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, disaster areas, and more.  Pet Partners teams help veterans with PTSD, seniors living with Alzheimer’s, students with literacy challenges, patients in recovery, people with intellectual disabilities and more.

 

Their support of Pet Partners is especially near and dear to my heart because my Siberian Husky Icy and I are a Pet Partners Therapy Dog team!  You can read about the volunteer work we do through Pet Partners in the Therapy Dogs tab on my blog’s Home page.  Thanks to Vita Bone for supporting Pet Partners!

Dog Training Shouldn't End With Puppyhood

FEBRUARY IS DOG TRAINING EDUCATION MONTH!

Most people know that training a puppy is important, but not everyone realizes that training doesn't end just because your dog is all grown up.  Dog training should continue throughout a dog's life. 

BEYOND Sit/Down/Stay

You diligently attended Puppy Class, teaching your new puppy the basic obedience commands like Sit, Down, and Stay.  You've potty trained her.  She knows how to give her paw.  You've socialized her so she doesn't freak out when people come over.  Great, Now what?  Are you done? 

When it comes to your dog learning new things you should never be "done".  There are so many useful things to teach your dog that will make life better and more enjoyable for both of you.   

>  Dogs love to learn new things and be challenged. 
>  Training is both mentally and physically stimulating for a dog
>  Training is FUN for dogs!  It's like a game for them
>  Dogs can forget, re-enforcing training regularly is important
>  Training is a great way to prevent or stop negative behaviors

I continually train my dogs, we have so much fun training together!  It keeps them mentally stimulated and challenged and prevents negative behaviors from cropping up. 

Beyond basic obedience and tricks training, here are some common issues dogs have that can be curtailed or prevented through training:

A Solid Emergency Recall can save your dog's life one day
How the Leave It command can restore harmony in your home
6 ways to prevent your dog's Inappropriate Chewing
How to prevent your dog from Door Dashing
STOP your dog's leash pulling
How to prevent your dog from jumping on people

I started Icy, my Siberian Husky, in puppy class at the age of 16 weeks.  I continued on through intermediate and advanced obedience training, then introductory rally obedience and agility training.  She ultimately got AKC CGC (American Kennel club Canine Good Citizen) certified and went on to become a certified Pet Partners Therapy Dog.  However, I still work on training with her and I always will. 

I enrolled Icy in a Tricks training class too!  Tricks training class is a blast, there's always something new to learn.  Icy too two Tricks training classes.  My next big goal for her will be a Nose Work class!

Phoebe took an Advanced Obedience training class.  She was always a fast learner and was pretty well trained, but another thing I like about the classes is that they provide a level of socialization for the dogs as well as a great bonding opportunity for dogs and their owners.

Phoebe was very attached to me and I liked giving her opportunities to meet other dogs in a safe environment.  It helps with impulse control and focus as well.  There are other dogs in the room, getting treats and doing training activities all around each other.  Maintaining focus on me and not getting distracted by the other dogs in the room is in itself helpful training. 

My goal is for Phoebe to become a Therapy Dog as well, just like her sister.  Wish Phoebe luck!  I'll be blogging about her progress on that goal over the next few months.

I train both on my own and in formal classes.  I enjoy the classes because I get to meet other dog parents and hang out with my favorite trainers.  I've learned so much from my dogs' trainers over the years and have made some good friends!
Now is a great time to enroll in a new dog training class, find some YouTube training videos, get a new puzzle toy or a book on how to train dogs.  Have fun together and make training an ongoing part of your dog's life! 

Only positive training methods should be used!  Never yell, hit, or punish your dog in any way during training.  It's cruel and will only teach your dog to fear you and hate training sessions!

What are your thoughts on lifelong training for dogs?   What type of training are you doing with your dog now?  Leave us a comment, we love to hear your thoughts!

How To Get Your Dog To Finally STOP Pulling On Leash

As the mother of a Siberian Husky, a breed that was meant to PULL, I know a thing or two about dogs pulling on leash!  Dogs practically dragging their owners down the block during walks is one of the most challenging behaviors. 

If there's tight tension on the leash and your dog is way out in front of you, you're not walking your dog, your dog is walking you!

Sadly, many owners stop walking their dogs altogether because they don't want to deal with being dragged down the block on walks.  I can relate, I went through a very challenging time getting Icy to finally stop pulling me halfway across the county during our walks!  Now I can honestly say that walking Icy is the joyful experience I always hoped it would be!  It took time and a lot of persistence, but it really paid off.  Here's how I got her to finally stop pulling on leash.

Your dog should be close to your side with a loose leash, not way out in front pulling you along with tension on the leash

First off,  begin training your dog to walk nicely on leash separately from potty walks.  If you try to train while also getting your dog to do his business, it usually doesn't work very well.  Set aside the extra training and walking time to focus solely on teaching your dog not to pull on leash.

PSYCHE YOUR DOG OUT

Curtailing leash pulling starts before you even reach for the leash or say the words "Wanna go for a walk"?  If your dog is in an excited state jumping up & down, spinning, or lunging toward the door as soon as he knows a walk is forthcoming, you'll have a tough time getting him to calm down once you're out the door.  His excitement will escalate and result in him walking you!

Quietly reach for your dog's leash & harness.  When your dog starts getting excited simply stand still without talking to or touching him. If he jumps up on you, turn your back on him. Wait a few minutes. Your dog should eventually sit down, which is a dog's default behavior when they don't know what else to do. Don't put the leash or harness on until your dog is calm.  If he hasn't sat down, put him in a sit and put the leash & harness on.  If he starts jumping around all excited again, firmly say "Ah, Ah!" and put the leash & harness away.  You may need to repeat the exercise several times before he learns that excited behavior means no walk, but a calm sit gets you to put the leash on.  If needed, put his leash on and let him walk around the house with it on in order to reduce excitement associated with the leash.  Don't give treats during this time, save the treats to reward later for walking without pulling.  Calm behavior is a very important first step.

Once the leash & harness are on, make your dog sit and wait at the door before you open it.  Go out the door first, then invite your dog to go through behind you.  If he's crowding you at the door, step in front of him and give the Sit/Wait command so he knows you own the entryway, the door, and ultimately the walk.  Don't get into a tugging match if he's resisting you at the door, simply close the door and wait until he acquiesces.  Walk away and try again later if needed.

USE THE RIGHT TOOLS

Like anything else worth doing, you need the right tools to get it done.  There are several effective tools that will help with your training.

A Head Halter is a type of collar that wraps around the dog's muzzle.  It gives you more control over his head; if you control the dog's head and nose you can better control where he goes.

You can find head halters at PetSmart and other pet supply stores.  Martha Stewart, Great Choice and other companies make head halters.

We used a head halter when Icy was a puppy, and later switched to a No Pull Harness. This is not the same as most of the harnesses you see hanging on the racks at the pet store.  You specifically need a no pull harness.  It typically has a ring in the front at the dog's chest, not on the top at the dog's back.  This type of harness has straps just behind the front legs that create pressure if the dog pulls, discouraging pulling.  Bring your dog to a pet supply store and ask them to help you find a no pull harness.  They should be able to help you select the right size and adjust the harness on your dog for you.  A regular harness can actually encourage pulling!

There are a few different kinds of no pull harnesses.  We use the one pictured here, by Easy Walk.  It made a huge difference on our walks.

Another helpful tool is to have your dog wear a doggie Backpack on walks.  Bring your dog to a pet supply store and ask them to help you choose one, and find the right size for him.  They can also help you determine how much weight your dog can safely carry in the backpack; usually no more than 10% of the dog's body weight.  We've used hand weights in the pack, but some people use canned food such as tuna or pet food as weights.

LET'S GO FOR A WALK!

Now that your dog is calm and you've got the right tools, you're ready to go for a walk!

It might be helpful to start the training in the yard where there are fewer distractions.  Once you've got it down in the yard, then hit the streets.  Remember to start with your dog in a calm state, make sure you go out first and that he waits at the door for you to escort him out.  Once you cross the doorway, stay in front of him.  When he tries to lunge ahead of you, STOP.  Stand still until he stops pulling or sits down.  Call him back to your side.  You'll do this many times, be patient and don't give up!  Know that the first day you may not even make it out of the driveway.  That's ok, it's the training and behavior, not the walk itself that's important.

When your dog walks properly next to you, praise and treat him.  Don't treat if he's lunging ahead.  The goal is to get him to stay by your side and focus on you.   Treat every few steps at first to get & keep his focus on you.  When he lunges ahead, say "Ah, Ah!" firmly and STOP. Your goal is to teach him that he goes nowhere if he's pulling.  The more he walks nicely by your side the further he gets to walk and the more treats & fun he has.

Another way to gain his focus, in addition to stopping, is to change direction quickly and often.  As you're walking down the street, as soon as you see tension start on the leash immediately turn and walk in the opposite direction.  Your dog will need to focus on you in order to keep up with your changes in direction!

Everyone in the household who walks the dog should follow this process.  If everyone isn't consistent it will be much harder to change the behavior.



Walking together is a pleasure when your dog isn't dragging you halfway across the county!

 

Leave us a comment and tell us how your dog walks on leash.  Have you had to overcome any leash walking challenges?

HOW THE LEAVE IT COMMAND CAN RESTORE HARMONY IN YOUR HOME

Sometimes I listen to people describe life with pets in their household and it sounds like pure chaos!  They go to great lengths to keep the dog away from the cat, the toddler, the hamster, the guests, and who knows what else.   They live life skillfully orchestrating mealtime, walks, and family time like it's a stealth mission.

Does this sounds like your household, or the home of someone you know?  Want to get back some sanity?  Well, let me introduce you to the all powerful LEAVE IT command. 

The Leave It! command restored harmony in our home and enabled Icy and Maggie to co-exist peacefully

CATS ARE IRRESISTIBLE

When we first got Icy she was about 14 weeks old.  She was your typical rambunctious puppy, getting into everything and curious about everything and everyone.  The everyone included Maggie, our senior Calico cat.  Maggie was 14 years old at the time and the only pet in our home, when this bull-in-a-china-shop puppy came barreling into her peaceful life.  Needless to say, Maggie was NOT amused.

Icy was enthralled with Maggie from the moment she laid eyes on her.  All she wanted was to play with the little furry toy that  moved all by itself!  She wouldn't leave poor Maggie alone.  Icy was getting bigger by the day and things quickly spiraled out of control.  They couldn't be in the same room without Icy desperately trying to chase after Maggie and Maggie skittering away from her like a bat out of hell. 

CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG?

All we wanted was for Icy and Maggie to co-exist peacefully.  We wanted to watch TV in the family room together without Icy bothering Maggie.  Was that too much to ask?  

Our PetSmart trainer, Ricky, introduced us to the Leave It command and it changed our lives!  It took time and effort, but we finally got to the point where Icy would leave Maggie alone.  The first time we all sat in the living room together watching TV, with Maggie on the couch and Icy laying peacefully on the floor beneath her was a joyous moment indeed.  From then on we all lived happily & peacefully together.  What a relief!

My sweet girl Maggie, relaxing on the couch

The Leave It command can be useful in getting your dog to leave another pet alone, such as a cat or hamster, leave your children alone, and not lunge at guests when they enter your home.   It's useful when food drops on the floor, if your dog spies something unsavory in the street, or if they spot an animal in the yard or another dog on a walk.

When Icy was a puppy, she spotted an apple core in the street on a walk and quickly grabbed it.  She began to choke and my husband, quick thinker that he is, reached in and pried it out of her mouth.  Now we use the Leave It command whenever she sticks her nose where it shouldn't be during our walks.  We use it when walking by other dogs as well to ensure she ignores the other dog.

HOW TO TEACH A DOG THE LEAVE IT COMMAND:

>  Start with treats.  Keep your dog, preferably on leash, about 4 feet away and drop a treat on the floor.

> As the treat falls to the floor, firmly say "LEAVE IT" !

> When your dog lunges for the treat say "AH, AH!!" and cover the treat with your hand. Your dog will likely try to get it out of your hand but firmly say AH, AH! (or NO! if you prefer) and don't let him get the treat.

> When he finally stops trying to get the treat, mark that behavior with a YES! or Click if you use a clicker for training.   
  
> Reward the behavior of not trying to get the treat by giving him a treat.  Ideally, you should treat with another treat from your hand rather than give up the one you dropped on the floor.

> Keep repeating this, dropping the treat closer to the dog as he progresses by leaving the treat alone.

> Keep practicing until your dog gets it and doesn't lunge for the treat you drop on the floor closer and closer to him.  

> Practice by dropping treats on the floor in a line and walking your dog past them, while he's on leash so you can keep control.

Give the Leave It command as you start the walk, say it again if needed.  Reward him for not trying to grab the treats on the floor with a treat from your hand at the end of the line of treats.  

If you need to pull him away to keep him from lunging for the treats on the floor that is NOT success.  Don't reward him for that, just keep trying until he learns to leave the treats alone and not try to grab them.

> Ultimately, you should be able to place a treat on his paw while he's sitting or lying down and he won't try to grab it when you give the Leave It command.  Be sure to give the command really early, right before you place the treat on his paw or as you place it on his paw.  

Be prepared to grab the treat away the first couple of times until he learns not to try to get the treat until you let him know he can take the treat.  Give him the OK or Take It command to let him know that now he can reach for the treat on his paw and savor his success!

> Once he gets it reliably, progress to training Leave It with other objects like toys you walk him passed on leash, and a toy you toss in front of him.

There are many reasons to teach your dog to Leave It  We use this command constantly.  This is what makes Leave It one of my favorite and most important obedience commands. It could actually save your dog's life when your dog tries to get at something that's dangerous to him.

Have you used the Leave It command?  Tell us how it's helped your dog.  If you haven't taught it to your dog yet, could the Leave It! command help you restore some peace in your home?  Leave us a comment, we always want to know what you think!

DOG TRAINING TIP: An Emergency Recall Can Save Your Dog's Life

How many times a day do you call your dog?  "Here, Phoebe!"  "Phoebe, come!"  You call them when it's mealtime, you call them to go for a walk or get in the car, you call them back to you when they're off leash, you call them to stop tip toeing through your flowers or to come sit with you on the couch.  "Phoebe come back here, get away from those flowers!"

After awhile your everyday dog training Recall command may lose it's sense of urgency.  In an urgent scenario, your typical "Come" training command for dogs may not be strong enough.  Let's say an irresistible squirrel is perched on your front lawn, taunting your poor dog.  As you open the door to retrieve the mail, your dog door dashes and lays chase!  The offending squirrel then dashes across the street with your precious pooch in hot pursuit, just as a car is careening down your street!  You call him to you frantically, but your dog has tuned you and your boring "Come!" command out.  It's a disaster in the making.

For situations like that, it's critical to have an Emergency Recall Command in addition to your everyday Come! recall command.  The difference is that teaching your dog an Emergency Recall Command in addition to your regular Come When Called command makes the emergency recall command one that is reserved for more extreme situations like a speeding car or a vicious dog approaching.  My Emergency Recall Command for Icy and Phoebe is  "DANGER, DANGER!!".  Whatever my dogs are doing, wherever they happen to be, they stop and immediately come running.  Why?  Because they know that along with those two magical words comes delicious.... BACON!  It is the only time my dogs ever get bacon or bacon flavored anything.   That makes bacon their most highly valued treat.   They come running because they never know when they might ever get that delicious bacon again.

Icy is enthralled with whatever lurks behind the garage.  Don't ask me why, personally I think it's kind of gross back there.  She is always reluctant to come out, and sometimes I need to call her a couple of times before she'll emerge.  It's a great opportunity to practice our Emergency Recall training.  In the video above, you can see how she responds to my Emergency Recall.

I never use the Emergency Recall unless I'm reinforcing that particular dog training command, and of course if there's an urgent situation.  Thankfully, I only had one urgent situation, when Icy got loose as I dropped her off for boarding.  In a nano-second, she ran and was barreling towards the door to the parking lot!  I quickly yelled our Emergency Recall Command, "DANGER, DANGER!!", stopping Icy in her tracks, sending her running back toward me. I breathed a huge sigh of relief and nearly bit off the head of the poor employee for letting her slip out of his grasp.

Training your dog to respond to an Emergency Recall Command is just like teaching any other command.  Find one thing you can use as a super high value reward that you will only use for Emergency Recall. A treat, a toy, whatever will seriously float your dog's boat. 

An emergency recall is one of my dogs most valuable obedience commands.

Your command can be anything at all.  Just make it a unique word or phrase you won't use for anything else, and one your dog isn't likely to hear from other people.  It should be short, one or two words.  Say your Emergency Recall Command and immediately reward your dog with the high value reward you've chosen.  Do this a number of times until your dog gets it.  Continue practicing in various places where there are distractions.  Once it's solid, continue to reinforce the training with your dog every now and then to ensure he remembers it.  Don't practice too often, keep it special and unique.

Does your dog have an Emergency Recall Command? What do you think about having an Emergency Recall Command, separate from your daily Come command?  Leave us a comment, we always want to hear your thoughts!

How To Stop Your Dog From JUMPING UP on people!!

My girl Icy is a Siberian Husky, so I know plenty about dogs jumping up on people!  It's a common trait of Huskies to jump up on people.  I'm not sure why, but like many breeds it's a known fact that Huskies have a habit of jumping up.  It's a friendly gesture, all in fun, but it can be really annoying and even frightening to many people.  It took a long time for me to train that bad habit out of Icy.  Even now, I have to be vigilant to prevent her from lapsing. 

But I like to jump up on you!  It gets me closer to your face where I can smooch you.

To begin training your dog not to jump up on everyone in the free world, follow these steps:

• As soon as your dog starts to jump up on you, pull your arms in and Turn Around, turning your back on your dog.  If he runs around to face you again, repeat the process; pull your arms in and turn away from him.

• If you're sitting down and your dog jumps on you, quickly stand up and turn your back on him.  If he runs around to face you again, pull your arms in and turn away from him. 

• Ideally, your dog will stop jumping on you and sit down.  Sitting down is usually a dog's default position when they don't know what else they're supposed to do.

• If your dog is super tenacious and continues to jump up even after you continually turn your back on him, then try walking away from him.  If he follows you and tries to jump up, turn your back on him and walk away again.  In some cases, you may even need to leave the room and close the door behind you to get the message across that jumping up will result in your dog being ignored. 

• Don't try to push your dog away from you or yell at him to get off you.  The act of pushing your dog and him pushing back is a form of play to your dog.  It's actually fun for him and will probably encourage even more jumping up!  Instead of pushing your dog away or pushing him off you, simply turn your back on him.  If you yell at him you've given him attention, and although it's negative attention it's still attention from you, which is what he wants.

Once your dog realizes that he won't get any attention if he jumps on you, the jumping will cease to be rewarding for him.  In the eyes of a dog, one of the worst things is to be ignored!  Even yelling at a dog is a form of attention, and to your dog it's better than being ignored.

Another method to prevent jumping is to step on your dogs leash so that he cannot jump up.  If he tries to jump up while you're stepping on his leash it won't be very effective or pleasant for him.  This is a good method to use when you're out and about and your dog is meeting new people.  Make him sit first so he's calm, and wait to greet the person.  Step on his leash as he greets the person to ensure he can't jump up on them. 

I learned this helpful technique to curtail jumping up from my friend Jenna at Love Is Being Owned By A Husky:

When your dogs jumps up, walk towards him as if you're walking right into him. If you're coming towards him he will instinctively get all four paws back on the floor so he can get out of your way!

I tried this method and it's pretty effective!

Phoebe mid-jump!

The most important element of success in stopping your dog from jumping up is for everyone in the household, including guests, to consistently follow this process.  If one member of the family allows the dog to continually jump up on them, it will confuse your dog.  He may not comprehend that he can only jump up on one person, not everyone else.  Consistency and a little patience will bring success.

Hopefully these tips will encourage your dog to keep All Four On The Floor!