Using the Right Energy

When my husband taught me how to negotiate technical mountain bike trails, he noticed I was looking at the obstacles directly in front of my tire.

“If you focus where you don’t want to go—that rock in the middle of the trail--WHAM! That’s where you’re going to point your tire. You’re also going to be spending all your energy thinking, ‘Don’t hit the rock, don’t hit the rock.’ Look up. Look down the trail where you want to go. Where your gaze goes, your bike will follow.”

Let’s apply those sage words to dog training.

Your dog is going crazy. He’s lunging on his leash at another dog, he's constantly pulling on his leash at everything, barking his head off at the window, or he's at the door being an over-enthusiastic greeter.

ACK!

We’ve all been there. Looking directly at the source of the problem: the dog. We try to figure out how to fix the problem, how to fix him! "No! No! Stop Fido! Stop!" So frustrating.

I’m suggesting dog owners stop looking at the “rock on the trail.” Stop being so focused on the problem of what’s going wrong, instead of where you want to go.

What this looks like in action:

• Literally stop looking at your dog. Shift your gaze up. Look at the sky. Look at your surroundings.
• Breathe. Nice deep breaths.
• Say to yourself, “What a pretty sky. What a nice tree.” Because if we just look up in this moment of stress we’ll still have that “dog conversation” in our head, “My dog's so annoying. Ugh! I'm going to pull my hair out. How can I get him to do what I want? He’s embarrassing me…” So the goal is to interrupt your thoughts and just replace them with ANYTHING, even if they’re boring and bland. They don’t have to be Zen thoughts. Goofy thoughts are welcome.
• Now you are your own energy again.Separate from whatever your dog is doing.
• Before you look back at your dog, feel this energy. Stay slow and calm.  
• Think about what you want your dog to do, not what your dog is doing. You’re not going to tell your dog, “No!” Because that’s not telling your dog what you want him to do. What command does your dog know that you can use at this moment? Sit? Come here? Go to your bed? Whatever very simple command, you're going to say it as upbeat and positive as you can. No judgment.
• Look back at your dog and stay with your energy. Say what you want him to do in that upbeat, happy voice and when he does what you ask, praise him big time. "Good boy!!!"

Remember: Tell your dog where you want to go down that trail, so you don't trip up by focusing on that rock right in front of you.

Help! My Dog is Digging Up My Yard!

There are several reasons leading a dog to becoming a back yard excavator. Sometimes it’s their breed: Northern breeds are avid diggers, instincts telling them to dig to get away from the heat. Or terriers digging to get those varmints. Suburban varmints are rabbits, squirrels, moles—oh my!

Sometimes dogs have an unfulfilled life, are bored and give themselves the job of landscaper or escape artist. Yes, you have a “nice back yard,” however that’s not enough for dogs. They need to be walked daily, sometimes long walks—check out the correct distance for your dog’s breed and age. Dogs need to be mentally stimulated by taking them out into the world. Maybe you can start a dog training class or visit the local dog park, or better yet—all of the above! 

HOLES HOLES EVERYWHERE!

 

Once your yard has holes, don't repair the holes with your dog around. If your dog started digging after watching you gardening…that might be part of the problem. Your dog is part monkey: Monkey see…

Refill the holes with dirt and cover the patched holes with wet straw or hay. There’s something about the smell that tends to keep dogs away. You might have to reapply the straw/hay if it blows away.

Create a special place for your dog to dig. Instead of a sandbox, a "dig box." This boundary lets your dog know that this area has the seal of approval for all his digging needs. You can start the new digging habit in the digging box by burying a bully stick, treat-filled Kong or other treats that get your dog motivated to dig. Once he starts—praise the behavior. 

If your dog continues to dig where he shouldn’t, don’t give him attention by punishing him—it hasn’t worked and he’s enjoyed the attention he’s gotten from you, even though it’s negative attention. When he’s digging in the wrong place—merely call him over to the digging box in an excited, happy voice and get him to dig there instead. He will be rewarded time and time again with your attention whenever he’s digging in the right place. Also, if you “catch” him digging in the digging box, make sure to praise him and give him lots of attention. 

Dig?

My Dog Eats Too Fast!

I've heard this time and time again, and I've got one of these gluttonous hounds in my house. I've tried every trick in the book:

• Putting a giant rock in the middle of her bowl, that way it takes her 30 seconds to scarf down her food instead of 10 seconds. 
• Adding water--at least it'll be easier on her digestive track. 
• Making her work for each morsel of food by turning meals into training sessions. Realistically, with three dogs to feed, I don't have time to do this twice a day.
• Putting food into a Kong or Smart Toy. I don't have this option since I have multiple dogs. Otherwise this is a great idea. The kibble would be dispensed slowly and the dog is psychologically challenged: working for his food. LOVE IT!

But then--SHAZAM! I found something that works:

• Put the usual amount of kibble in your dog's bowl
• Cover the bottom the bowl with a little bit of water
• If you mix the kibble with wet food, fantastic! Don't add water, merely mix in the wet food
• Put the bowl in the freezer
• When feeding time arrives, I just take it out and voila!

Instead of inhaling her food, my reigned in canine had to work to lick and pry her food from the bottom of her dish and then more licking, licking...it was like a kibble-sicle. For once my Shih Tzu finished his food LONG before she was licking the frozen bits from the corners of her dish.

Other freezing tips:
When using peanut butter or Kong filling, fill the toy or hollow bone and then freeze the toy/bone. That filling doesn't last long, however when it's frozen it lasts longer for those car rides or for anxious dogs left at home.