Dog Training

Kinkajou : Training your dog.

I have heard a number of people argue that they do not need to train their dog. I believe you can live with a dog who does not have a lot of training, but there are some basic minimum requirements.

Erasmus: "Come"

Your dog needs to come to you when you call, go outside when you tell them to and come back in when you call them back in. Most dogs will naturally do this. However , not being able to control where your dog goes in this basic way makes your life very difficult. At times you will need to physically go to the dog and force them by your physical presence to comply with your orders.

This command is absolutely critical. It is also one of the most basic to teach, no matter how pathetically Commanding or Unmotivated you (the human) may be. It is almost instinctual for your dog to head out when you open the door and to come back to you when you call. But it is a learned behaviour.

There are however times when your dog may sit on the lawn ignoring you. This begins not to become very funny as you get older, your knees and joints beginning to degenerate and you start losing your own mobility as well.

Dog with Homeless Man need to know "Come"
Doggie Friend with homeless man.

Kinkajou : Toileting

Erasmus: Unless you wish to spend your life cleaning up doggie do, you need to give your dog the expectation that they will poo and pee outside the house.

This can be difficult for people living in units with very little access to the outdoors – especially private secure areas outdoors. In these circumstance, you need to teach your dog that there are certain areas in which they can poo and pee.

I would recommend restricting your dogs to a specific part of the house at night if they are indoor dogs to limit the areas in which they have accidents. They will also be much less likely to pee and poo inside the house, and more likely to “ hang on” if you restrict their options. This means less work and misery for you. This means more enjoyment time for you.

Dog Pooing Pooing as nature intended.

I’ve mentioned before one friend took their new puppy outside for a walk every 2 hours fastidiously in the first few weeks the puppy was at home. There were almost no accidents inside the house. So dogs given the opportunity to pee and poo outside the house, will often do so.

Part of the secret of maintaining continence for your dogs when they are inside the house, is simply to make sure that they can have a toilet break every few hours outside. A simple rule of thumb is if you need to go to the toilet – maybe they do as well. So the first thing to do when you need a break yourself, is to send the dogs outside – then look after yourself and then you can bring them back inside with minimal disruption to your own time and schedules.

Dog Peeing on Lawn Peeing on a lawn.

Kinkajou : Doggy things

Erasmus: Dogs have specific behaviours which are instinctual and may not be able to be trained out. Terriers like to dig. Many dogs like to dig small hollows on the ground to lie in –? For coolness –? As a behavioural method of being able to hide and watch. Many dogs like to bury bones. Dogs like to chew.

A better way of managing these issues is not to go “head-to-head” with your dog. Give them bones or chewing treats to chew very regularly and then give them the opportunity to go somewhere to chew them. Give them toys to play with. Dogs in general love toys. New toys are important as well as dogs become bored in much the same way that people do with old familiar things. I remember a friend’s small SchiTzu who became extremely excited to the point of salivating whenever a toy squeaked. Squeaky toys can really be some dogs’ things.

Treats are an exceptionally important way of motivating your dog to do what you want. Especially in the puppy phase of dog’s life, carrying a treat bag at your waist can give you the opportunity to reward desired behaviours.

Kinkajou : Sit –No- Drop- Stop

Erasmus: These are the next batch of commands that really are the icing on the cake in helping you to live with your dog. I think just about every dog is capable of learning to sit.

Drop is an important command when your dog may have something in its mouth which could be dangerous to its health. Trying to just pull something out of a dog’s mouth especially where it may be food like may trigger attack reflexes in some dogs. Many dogs will let you pull things out of their mouths. However some dogs absolutely will not.

Stop is an important command if you are walking a dog. You need to have a method of having your dog “stop” walking if you come to a road and there may be danger nearby, usually in the form of a passing vehicle. Some people insist on teaching the dog to sit every time they tell them to stop. Personally I’m quite happy if they just “stop”. A treat serves extremely well to pull the dog’s attention back from crossing the road and back to you – in effect to “stop”.

Dog Training Doggie resistance

Kinkajou : Punishment and Reward

Erasmus: In this world is becoming increasingly unacceptable for dog owners to punish their dog. However, an angry voice can indeed be punishment enough for a dog. This type of “punishment” communicates much more quickly than a reward-based learning scheme to the dog.

However remember, “punishment” is not about hurting a dog. It is only about providing them with instruction to do what you require. If you do bad things to your dog, you will be the one punished in the long run.

One person I know used to be very violent to his wife. On one occasion, his family German Shepherd clamped their mouth on his arm to prevent him from violently hitting his wife. The dog held on very tightly – but I thought with considerable self restraint. The teeth armament of a dog is awesome. A proper bite will come close to severing your arm and crushing all the muscles, nerves and blood vessels in your arm. Even in such a difficult situation, the dog attempted not to hurt the violent owner too much. There is no animal that a human being would trust with that many teeth close to them, than a dog.

So treat your doggie friend well and they will treat you well. It is okay to reward your animals. It is also okay to communicate dissatisfaction as well. But it is not okay to ever hurt your dog.

Kinkajou : Overall

Erasmus: So the above commands and concepts I think are an absolute minimum to allow humans and dogs to live together. Everyone trains a dog whether they know it or not. A little bit of effort can reap good rewards for both dog and human.

Dogs have a lot to offer.

I had a friend who is an alcoholic who cared for himself very very poorly. However in acquiring a German Shepherd, he was forced to undertake a regular routine and this guaranteed his own regular self-care. In caring for his dog he came to care for himself and changed his own life considerably, drinking less and functioning much better.

Goo : Having a dog that changes your life focus. It’s not all about you. You always have company. You are never alone. You always have someone to do something with – in some way. Even if you are divorced or have cancer or have a mental health breakdown, you always have a trustworthy companion.

Having a dog socializes the human and changes their personality. People become much more “sociable” and much more willing to engage and work with others. The simple task of getting along with a dog, helps them to get along with their own and other people’s bad habits.

Puppy Relaxing on Lap

Dog owners like to talk to each other – but perhaps best through dog social groups. When out walking, most dogs become much more protective and territorial so human owners are forced to keep a distance from other dogs and their owners. Sort of helps you meet people – but not as much as you would like. Having said this, if you meet someone who is dog friendly – I think you’re likely to find they are very accommodating to people as well.

What sort of person do you think – is not able to live with or not able to tolerate a dog?

Erasmus: Erasmus:

Goo :

Commandant :

Beethoven and Frobisher:

Dr AXxxxx :

Kinkajou :

Dr Xxxxx: