Coming When Called (Recall), Part 2

In Part 1 you established your recall cue and laid a strong foundation with your amazing parties. Here are the next steps.

 

Adding challenges

Now that your dog has a strong, positive response to the cue, and is immediately whipping his head around and following you, you’re going to start calling him away from distractions.

  1. Make a list of situations that are low, medium, high, and EXTRA HIGH level distractions. An example list might be:

    1. Low: Just walking around the backyard, playing on his own with a toy, walking down the sidewalk with no one around.

    2. Medium: Playing tug with a family member, sniffing out fallen kibble under the couch, watching another dog across the street.

    3. High: Sniffing a gopher hole, greeting a favorite guest who’s just arrived, greeting a new dog.

    4. EXTRA HIGH: In the middle of playing with a favorite doggy friend, eating cat poop, chasing a rabbit.

  2. Practice calling your dog to come around low level distractions. Make sure to follow the rules of recall!

  3. Once you’ve practiced around a variety of low level distractions, consider your list of medium distractions. Consider the question: “Would I be willing to bet $20 that my dog will recall from this medium level distraction?” If the answer is yes, go for it! If not, avoid using your sacred recall word, and keep building up that history of successful recalls.

  4. Repeat step 3 as you progress to high and then EXTRA HIGH level distractions. Don’t worry if it’s taking your dog awhile to become reliable in those more challenging situations. Just keep building up that successful history.

 

How to avoid undoing your training

It is so, so important that you avoid calling your dog to come if:

  • you’re doubtful that he will actually do it,

  • you don’t have a high value reward for him when he does come, or

  • maybe you do, but then you need to follow it up with something unpleasant.

Your dog will quickly lose reliability if you don’t follow the rules of recall - because he’s learning that the cue is not important, or worse, it predicts something bad.

If you need to do something unpleasant (such as giving your dog a bath or locking him up before you leave the house), you should go and get your dog, instead. Clip a leash on to lead him to the bathtub, kennel, etc. If he is already in a habit of avoiding your reach, then leave a leash on your dog’s harness and collar (only when supervised), and pick up that “drag leash” when you need to lead him.

Keep this in mind when you are calling your dog to come into the house from the yard, or to leave the park. If your dog doesn’t want to leave, you call him, he comes, and then you take away his fun… you’ve just punished him for coming to you! So practice calling him toward the door/car, giving him a BIG reward, and then letting him go back to have more fun. Do this way more often than you actually take him away.

If your dog is not yet trained to come when off leash, he shouldn’t be fully off leash - however this is where long lines are a lifesaver. They allow you to give your dog enough freedom to exercise and play, without losing control. Retractable leashes are also an option, however they should be used with caution as they can be dangerous. (It is difficult to pull your dog back to you when he is on a retractable leash, and the cord getting wrapped around limbs can cause burns and cuts. Dogs should not be allowed to play while one is attached to a retractable leash.)

 

What if he doesn't come?

At some point, despite your best intentions, you will call your dog, and he will ignore you. Here's what to do:

  1. Get closer to your dog, and try to get his attention by bending down, talking to him, or gently tapping him on the back/side.

  2. If you think he will be successful, call him again when you are closer. Back up and have him follow you away from the distraction. Reward him when he follows - even though it wasn’t ideal, in the end, he did the behavior and you want to keep the positive association strong.

  3. If you can't get his attention, but you need him to move, gently but firmly use his collar, harness, or leash to move him away from the distraction.

  4. Don't punish your dog, or he will learn to avoid your approach.

  5. If possible, recreate the situation to give him another chance to be successful. Reward greatly if he is!

  6. If you have multiple failures in similar situations, that means that you need to back up in your training and better prepare your dog. Go back to easier levels of distractions. For example, if you were calling when your dog was in the middle of playing with another dog, practice calling while play is winding down or they’re on break. Or if you were calling when your dog was getting petting from a guest, have your guest stop petting as soon as you call so the choice is easier for your dog.

 

This video from Emily Larlham/KikoPup talks more about developing a reliable recall via positive reinforcement, and gives some extra tips.

 

Do I have to use treats forever?

No, but you should continue to reward your dog with something that he values, most of the time. That doesn’t have to be a treat - it can be play, a chase game, sincere and enthusiastic praise, or a rubdown or other petting that your dog really likes. (If your dog says “meh” about petting, then it doesn’t count!)

There will be times that you really don’t have anything your dog values. If you’re rewarding your dog 90% of the time, that history of reinforcement will carry you through, and he’ll still come when you call the next time after that. But if your rate of reward drops too low, your dog may very well decide that it’s no longer worth it. (Would you continue going to work Monday through Friday if you only got paid sometimes?)

 

Can all dogs be safe off leash when hiking or in public?

In a word: no.

If your dog is aggressive toward other dogs or people, they should not be off leash even if there’s only a small chance that another person or dog will appear. The fallout is too dangerous.

If your dog has a high prey drive, they may not reach off leash reliability in nature - though here are links to training through this issue.

If you have a scenthound or similar dog who is highly motivated to follow scents and tracks, they too may not be reliable off leash.

All these dogs can still get exercise and decompression walks thanks to a long line (and possibly a muzzle).

If your dog is just an impulsive adolescent, keep training and give him time to mature! It’s common for dogs in the 6 - 24 month range to struggle with recall.

 
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Coming When Called (Recall), Part 1

“Recall” is the fancy word that trainers use to mean “coming when called.” I’ll be using that term because it’s short and sweet! Here is how to start the foundation training.

 

Rules of Recall

Before you even start training your dog to come, you must understand and be ready to follow these rules.!

  • Your recall word is a sacred word. You should only use it when you are consciously doing recall training.

    • If your dog has already learned to ignore the word “come,” start over with teaching a brand new word. Some examples are: “pronto,” “hurry,” “rush,” “ándale.”

  • Use high value rewards - special treats like fresh meat, string cheese, a peanut-butter filled Kong, a new squeaky tennis ball, a game of chase, or anything else your dog will do back flips for.

    • Patting your dog on the head or giving him a dry biscuit won’t cut it!

    • During the initial training, don’t call your dog if you don’t have a high value reward.

  • Don't call your dog, and then do something he doesn't like, such as giving him a bath, trimming his nails, or putting him away because you're leaving the house.

    • If you’re in that situation, go to your dog and get him, rather than ruining your recall word.

  • Only call your dog when you think he'll successfully come (during the training phase). If you're just starting, don't call him when he's in the middle of sniffing a gopher hole or playing with his best doggy friend.

    • You’ll build on a history of success as you raise the difficulty level one step at a time. Don’t be in a rush to call him away from big distractions.

  • Do mostly “surprise reps,” when your dog doesn't know that you have the high value reward on hand.

 

Teaching the recall

Once you’ve agreed to follow the Rules of Recall, you’ll start actually training your dog. The most important part is laying the foundation. You want to create a strong, positive response to the recall word - so strong that it's automatic for your dog to turn back to you. In short, you are teaching your dog that every time he hears “Fido, come!” he’s about to get a PARTY!!

  1. Prep your high value reward. Do this when your dog isn't watching, OR, if he’s already noticed, just wait until he's forgotten about it.

  2. Start off close to your dog.

  3. Call your dog using your sacred word. Call nice and loud, as if he were far away!

  4. Immediately after you call, start the PARTY!! Talk to your dog in an excited voice as you back up away from him, encouraging him to keep following you. Feed 3 amazing treats in a row, or play tug, or toss a toy behind you after you back up. (This helps imprint your dog on the idea of coming to you after he hears the cue.)

    • Do not repeat the recall cue (eg “come”) as you are talking to your dog - he’s already come to the party!

  5. Repeat the steps above until you see that your dog gets excited and runs over when he hears the recall cue.

 

Below is a video that shows the foundation stage - calling your dog, then enthusiastically rewarding with treats, play, or tug. Notice how each time, I first call my dog, then I bring out the reward and talk to him (without repeating “come”). I’m also backing up every single time, to draw him in close.

 

Extra recall games

Play these games to add extra fun to coming when called, especially during the early stages.

  • Chase Me: Many dogs love to run after their owners. Call your dog, and when he looks at you, take off!

  • Round Robin: Have family members stand in a circle outside, and take turns calling him. The dog has to pay attention to who actually called him, rather than going to the next person he sees.

  • Hide and Seek: Hide from your dog around a corner, or behind the couch or a tree. Make a big fuss when he finds you! (If he’s looking but he’s struggling, you can talk to him to make it easier.)

  • Restrained Recalls: Have a friend hold onto your dog, walk away, and then tease him with happy talk and “game on” body language. Then give the official "come” cue, and your friend will release your dog to run to you excitedly!

 
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Sudden Hyper Behavior During Walks

Do you ever walk your young dog and have them suddenly start jumping or spinning or running in circles, grabbing and tugging on the leash, or even biting you or your clothes? Here is how to handle this frustrating and scary behavior.

 

Why does my dog do this awful behavior?

The most common reasons are:

  • Frustration: Your dog wants to get somewhere else, but the leash is holding him back, and he’s not able to contain his feelings about it. This may also happen when you are heading home, and your dog doesn’t want to.

  • Boredom: If you are moving too slowly or (gasp!) standing still, your dog may be looking for more entertainment.

  • Overstimulation: There’s a lot going on and your dog is mentally/emotionally overwhelmed, and not able to cope.

  • OMG Grass!: I have seen that many dogs living without backyards or in yards without grass will get very excited when reaching patches of grass during walks. They may flop down, roll around, try to zoom, or even direct their excitement at the leash or owner.

Your dog may also experience a combination of these that really put him over the top.

 

Prevention for the short term

Knowing why your dog does this behavior will help you figure out how to deal with it - both immediately and for the long term. The first order of business is to prevent your dog from rehearsing this behavior, as much as possible. For example, if your dog always gets rowdy when you’re standing and chatting with neighbors, then temporarily avoid doing so or distract your dog while you’re talking. If he gets overstimulated, keep your walks shorter or avoid busy areas. If he’s reacting to the leash pulling him in another direction from where he wants to go, work on calling him to follow and use the leash techniques below. For dogs that get frustrated that the walk is ending, you will have more success walking them in a loop than out and back on the same street - that way they have more new smells to explore and keep them happy.

Make sure that you’re using equipment that gives you good control over your dog, especially if they are large enough that they could pull you down or hurt you. A harness on which the leash clips in front of the dog’s chest will allow you to turn him away from distractions more easily than when the leash is clipped on their back. However a harness with a handle on the back gives you a place to hold your dog when he’s wriggling around. A head halter will give you the most control over your dog’s movement, especially if he is jumping or biting. A chain link leash will discourage tugging on the leash, at least somewhat. Some people have success using a double-ended leash or two separate leashes, so if their dog grabs onto one, they can hold the other.

 

Oh crap, he’s doing it right now

Yeah, you won’t be able to prevent the sudden hyper behavior 100%. You have a few options to try:

  • Use the equipment you have on your dog to get a hold of them and stop the behavior. For example, hold onto the handle on the back of your dog’s harness with one hand and his collar or leash with the other. If he’s wearing a head halter, slid your hand up the leash so that you have hold of his head.

  • Step on the leash, then adjust your stance and the length of the leash so that your dog is tethered to your foot on a short leash. Now he can’t jump on you and bite you.

  • Alternatively, shorten the leash and hold your arm locked straight out from your side, so he can’t reach you or the leash.

  • If you’re near a traffic sign, mailbox, light pole, etc, then put the leash around the pole and adjust the length so that your dog is tethered to it and can’t reach you.

  • If your dog has a strong response to cues like “sit” or “down,” use that.

  • Have treats (maybe even high value treats) with you on walks. Scatter them around your dog’s feet to distract him. If you can get him to sit or down first, that will be better, so you’re rewarding that calmer behavior. However even if your dog can’t do that, you can still use the treats to interrupt the behavior.

    • Won’t that reward the sudden hyper behavior? Yes, and if all you ever did was pull out treats when your dog gets rowdy, you’d quickly have a problem. However you’re smarter than that, and you’re going to work on prevention and implement the long term training strategies below, so that your dog learns to be calmer overall and walk nicely on leash. This is only a short term strategy to interrupt the behavior when you really need it.

  • The treat scatter is a great strategy to get your dog to calm down after using one of the tethering options, as well. As soon as you see his energy wane, drop several treats near his feet to get him mind off the frustration/boredom/overstimulation that initially caused the behavior, and back to a calmer mindset.

  • It’s common for dogs to get hyper again as soon as you start walking - so preemptively place a “breadcrumb trail” of treats on the ground as you start moving forward. As you see your dog continuing to calm down, you can slow down how frequently you place the treats on the ground, and he'll transition back to sniffing and walking normally.

 

Training your dog for the long term

There are several training techniques that can help your dog to learn calm leash walking. Which ones are best depends again on why your dog does the sudden hyper behavior. Try out and combine different techniques to see what “clicks” for both you and your dog.

  • Frustration:

    • Rewarding polite walking: Bring treats on your walks and reward your dog frequently for walking next to you, instead of pulling. This will be easier if you practice heeling in low distraction locations, like in your house or backyard, before trying it on walks.

    • Rewarding attention: You can call your dog’s name and then reward him for checking in, or use the Engage-Disengage Game, to increase the amount of time he spends calmly connecting with you rather than trying to get to other things in the environment.

    • Exercise: Giving your dog physical exercise before going for a leash walk will greatly decrease his excitement and frustration. Try playing in the backyard first, or go somewhere that it’s safe to let your dog run off leash and blow off steam before practicing leash walking.

  • Boredom:

    • Practice settling: You want your dog to learn how to settle calmly while on leash and stopped, separately from the walks. Here is a great video on this topic.

    • Breaks to play: If your dog enjoys playing tug, bring a favorite toy and give him breaks to play and get his energy out. You could even bring a small flirt pole.

    • Exercise: As above, exercising before the walk will allow your dog to more easily adjust to a slow walking pace or even stopping and waiting for a while.

  • Overstimulation:

    • Pattern games: Short, predictable routines, such as the 1 2 3 game, lower arousal and excitability. Implement this at the first sign of increasing arousal, before your dog loses it. He will start to learn to modulate arousal on his own by practicing getting just a little excited, then calming down.

    • Scatters: Bring treats and implement scatters at the first sign of increasing arousal, as above.

    • Circle walking and leash pressure cues: See above.

  • OMG Grass!:

    • Give your dog exposure to grass in a structured way, guiding them to choose appropriate activities. Examples are:

 

Keep practicing

Don’t get discouraged if your dog is getting better, walking nicely, but then catches you off guard with another bout of jumping and biting. It’s normal for problematic behaviors to pop back up every once in a while, even as the dog is making progress overall. Make sure that you are bringing together appropriate equipment, prevention, reacting quickly and confidently in the moment, and training for long term success.

 
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Leave It, Part 2

In Leave It, Part 1, your dog learned to reliably turn away and look at you when you held food out to your side. It’s now time to expand his understanding of the cue “leave it.”

Remember that no matter what, the exercise will always follow this pattern:

  1. The dog notices a “forbidden” item or distraction.

  2. You say “leave it.”

  3. You wait for your dog to look away from the distraction and give you eye contact. (Block his access to the distraction if needed.)

  4. Say “yes!” or click to mark that correct behavior.

  5. Reward your dog.

 

Adding variables

You’re now going to make this training game look different, a little bit at a time, so that your dog will be able to recognize the cue “leave it” in various contexts.

  • Instead of holding the hand with treats straight out from your side, hold it a foot lower in the air. If your dog is successful, progressively lower it closer and closer to the dog.

  • Place the treats (or other tempting item) on a raised surface, such as a coffee table, counter top, or chair. Keep your hand close to the treats. If the dog tries to eat them, cover them with your hand, and wait for him to remember to give you eye contact instead.

    • Tip: The higher the raised surface, the easier it is for the dog to ignore. Start with taller counter tops, then progress to couch cushions and coffee tables.

  • Place the treats (or other tempting item) on the floor. Keep your hand close or be ready to block with your foot. (Just be careful not to kick your dog!)

    • Tip: You can reward by picking up the treat/item and handing it to your dog, or by giving him a different treat from your hand. Do NOT tell your dog to “get it” and help himself to the treat - that will make it more difficult to teach him to continue to ignore the item.

  • Practice with a variety of treats and food in your hand, including “people food.” If you want your dog to be able to ignore trash and “people food” on the ground, you need to practice that ahead of time! You can reward your dog by giving him the same food that he’s turning away from, or give him something else from your other hand.

    • Tip: Make sure the reward is as good as, or better than, the distraction. If you're using hot dogs as your distraction, don't try to reward your dog with a dry biscuit treat.

  • Practice with small objects in your hand, including both dog toys and items you don't actually want your dog to get at. Reward with treats or by tossing the dog toy.

 

Troubleshooting

  • If your dog can't turn away from the distraction in your hand, raise the hand up again until he is successful a few times, then retry the harder step.

  • If your dog tries to get at the treats in your hand, keep it tightly closed. Either wait him out (licking, nibbling, pawing will not be successful!) or raise your hand up again.

  • Do NOT repeat the cue “leave it.” Repeating it while your dog continues to ignore the cue will teach him that it's meaningless noise. Instead, make the training easier for him, so he can practice the correct response.

  • If you make a mistake and your dog does eat the treat, just go back to an earlier step, get more successes, then retry the harder step.

  • If you make a mistake and your dog grabs a forbidden item, stay calm and trade him with the “drop it” cue. Do not make a big deal out of it, or the dog might get excited and run away with the item, or guard it.

 

Adding difficulty and reliability

After all that, you're in the final stages of teaching your dog to reliably respond to the cue “leave it,” no matter what the distraction is or where you are!

  • Ask your dog to continue leaving the distraction: Start as usual, and reward your dog for giving eye contact after you cue “leave it.” Then wait, and see if he either a) continues to look at you instead of the distraction, or b) glances at the distraction but then looks at you again. Reward either choice.

    • If instead he tries to help himself, repeat the cue “leave it” or block him.

    • After a few reps of this, remove the distraction, OR remove your dog from the area, OR give your dog something else to do while you continue to monitor so he doesn’t help himself to the “forbidden” item.

  • Do “surprise reps”: Place the treats (or object) out on a raised surface or the floor, wait for your dog to happen upon them, cue “leave it,” and reward when he gives eye contact.

    • Tip: Make sure you set the the treats out in such a way that you will be able to cover them with a hand or foot if needed. You don't want your dog to hear “leave it” right as he dives in and eats the forbidden food.

  • Drop a treat/item: Deliberately drop a treat in front of your dog. Again, be ready to block if needed. Pick up the treat/item after your dog turns away, so he doesn’t snatch it up afterwards.

  • Drop multiple treats/items: Leave the treats/items on the floor and continue dropping more in front of your dog, repeating “leave it” if needed for each dropped item.

  • Walk past treats/items on the ground: Previously, your dog was standing still during most of these exercises. Now he needs to turn away and look at you as you are both walking by the distraction. Give a wider berth at first, then get closer as your dog is successful, until he can walk right over top of the distraction.

  • Plant distractions in front of your house: At first, you can use objects that your dog is unlikely to pick up, or put food into little plastic containers. This way, if the distraction is too great, he still won't be able to eat it and ruin the training.

  • Practice as needed when on walks: At first, be ready to block your dog using a hand or foot if needed. Start with less interesting distractions, like sticks and pebbles, and work up to being able to turn away from a chicken bone on the ground.

 
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Engage-Disengage Game

This is a fantastic technique that I often use to teach a dog to notice something stressful or exciting (the “trigger”), then voluntary turn away. Some example situations in which I might use the Engage-Disengage Game are:

  • Barking and/or lunging toward other dogs when on leash.

  • Barking at activity outside the fence or window.

  • Wanting to chase other animals, like squirrels and cats.

  • Wanting to chase bicycles.

  • Having a hard time passing people without jumping.

 

Why is this useful?

This game provides the dog with a specific alternative behavior that they can perform instead of lunging, barking, and so on.

For anxious dogs, it gives them a greater sense of control over the situation and thus helps reframe it into a fun game.

It also gives the owner more insight into how their dog is feeling about the trigger (did the dog disengage promptly, or after a delay? Are the dog’s movements fluid and controlled, or fast and frantic? Is the dog even able to disengage on his own without help?).

 

How to train it

I often begin training with straight desensitization and counter conditioning exercises, but then progress to using the Engage-Disengage Game. There are two stages to this:

Stage 1:

  1. Wait for your dog to notice the trigger. (Avoid pointing at it or telling the dog to look - that makes him look more at you!)

  2. Mark (with a clicker or “yes!”) as soon as he looks at the trigger (engages).

  3. Hand him the treat so that his head turns back toward you to eat it.

  4. Repeat this stage until the dog is quickly looking back at you when you click/“yes”.

Stage 2:

  1. Let the dog look at the trigger for a few seconds and wait.

  2. Mark and reward as soon as the dog looks away (disengages) from the trigger.

  3. If your dog does not disengage within 5 seconds, go back to stage 1.

Here is a lovely graphic from Alice Tong that explains the Engage-Disengage Game in detail.

If you prefer learning via video, here is one from Charleston Animal Society explaining how to teach this exercise, and here is another one from Bravo Dog Training & Behaviour.

Note that all of this training should be done with your dog below threshold - meaning he is able to notice the trigger without lunging, jumping, barking, whining, etc. Otherwise, he is rehearsing the behaviors we don’t want him to do, and he’s not in the right state of mind for learning calm behavior.

 
 
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Leave It, Part 1

“Leave It” is a useful cue that means “leave that thing alone and turn back to me.” Use this to tell your dog not to go after an item you've dropped on the ground, trash on the sidewalk, the cookies on the coffee table, etc. I teach this cue with an emphasis on having the dog give eye contact after turning away from the distraction - I don’t want the dog to just stand there staring at the forbidden item.

These instructions refer to using a reward marker (like the word “yes” or clicking a clicker), which you can read about here and here. In short, this is useful because it tells your dog EXACTLY what he did that has earned him the treat - in this case, that’s looking up at your face.

 

Foundation training

First goal is getting eye contact from your dog.

  1. Hold some treats in your hand, behind your back, so they are out of sight.

  2. Stand or sit in front of your dog and look at his face. Do NOT cue your dog to sit or stay.

  3. Wait for your dog to look up at your face, too. If he hasn't done so after a few seconds, make a “kissy noise” or similar sound to get his attention.

  4. As soon as your dog makes eye contact with you, say “yes!” or click.

  5. Bring out your treat hand and reward.

  6. Repeat until your dog is quick to make eye contact after each treat, without any help.

 

Adding distractions

Next step is getting the eye contact behavior in the obvious presence of tempting food, which will be both the distraction and reward.

  1. Hold some treats in your hand, straight out from your side.

  2. Wait for your dog to look away from your hand and make eye contact. If he hasn't done so after a few seconds, make a “kissy noise” or similar sound to get his attention.

  3. As soon as your dog makes eye contact, say “yes!” or click.

  4. Reward from the hand with treats in it.

  5. Repeat until your dog is quick to make eye contact after each time you hold your hand out to the side, without any help.

Your dog can now give you eye contact even though there is food around!

 

Adding the cue

Time to teach your dog that “leave it” means “turn away from that and look at me.”

  1. Hold some treats in your hand, straight out from your side.

  2. As soon as your dog looks at the treats, say “leave it!” (Use a happy tone of voice; many dogs will avoid making eye contact if you sound upset or intimidating.)

  3. Wait for your dog to look away from the treats and make eye contact. Do NOT repeat the words “leave it” or give other help.

  4. As soon as your dog makes eye contact, say “yes!” or click.

  5. Reward from the hand with treats in it.

  6. Repeat until your dog is quick to make eye contact after each time you say “leave it!”

  7. If your dog is not making eye contact within a few seconds of you saying “leave it,” go back to the “foundation training” and “adding distractions” sections.

Demo of Hayley learning the cue “leave it”

Your dog now has a basic understanding of turning away from a distraction and giving you eye contact when you say “leave it.” Congrats! However he only does it in this one specific context: you standing/sitting right in front of him, looking at his face, and holding the treat distraction out to your side.

In Part 2, we’ll switch things up, so that your dog can respond reliably in all kind of situations.

 
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Specialty Dog Gear

This is a collection of links to various specialty dog gear you may find useful.

 

Leashes

Super-Grip Leash (has rubber threads sewn in for a secure grip anywhere along the length of the leash)

Chain Link Leash (discourages chewing on leash)

Double Ended Leash (for connecting your leash to both a collar and harness, both the back and front clips on a harness, head halter and collar, etc)

Traffic Lead (for when you just want a short leash on your dog, eg in crowded areas or walking from your car to the park and back)

Quick Draw Leash (short leash that your dog can wear around his neck, to have on hand in case of emergency or as a traffic lead)

Roamer Bungee Dog Leash (comfortable waist leash with bungee for hands-free walking)

More Hands Free/Waist Leashes

 

Leash Management

Safety Strap (for connecting head halter or prong collar to back up collar)

Leash Extender (for when your leash is juuust a bit too short, or for your dog to wear so it’s easier to clip and unclip his regular leash)

Magic Latch magnetic leash connector (allows you to easily clip a leash to a collar with one hand)

Heavy-Duty Frog Clip (secure leash clip that can be opened and closed with one hand)

 

Long Lines

Custom Biothane Long Lines (other widths are available as separate products in their store)

Custom Biothane Drag Lines (no handle on end) (other widths are available as separate products in their store)

Leash Caddy (for carrying a long line on your belt or hanging it up for storage)

 

Collars

Martingales (also called “limited slip” or “greyhound” collars; prevent backing out of the collar) (this company makes gorgeous ones!)

Custom Martingales (very many fun designs)

Plain Martingales

Keep Safe Breakaway Collar (will come off dog’s neck if tugged, eg if dog gets stuck on something, or another dog’s teeth get caught during play)

 
 

Crates

PetSafe Happy Ride Collapsible Cat & Dog Travel Crate (car crate for small to medium sized dogs, which only takes up one rear seat; great for dogs that need less visibility out the window)

RuffLand Performance Kennels (strong crates with a great reputation for car safety)

Sleepypod (crash tested carrier for pets up to 15 lbs)

 

Wearables

OutFox Field Guard (to keep foxtails from going into a dog’s ears, eyes, nose, and mouth; also prevents scavenging)

Ear Pro for Dogs (to decrease noises)

No Flap Ear Wrap (to protect injured ears while they heal)

Rex Specs Goggles (to protect eyes)

ThunderShirt (snug fit provides calming pressure for some dogs)

Calming Cap/ThunderCap (to limit visibility, eg, for reactive dog in car)

Suitical Recovery Suit for Dogs (body suit that discourages chewing on surgery sites, hot spots, etc, as an alternative to a cone)

Vet Worthy Protective Cone Dog Collar (clear plastic cone/e-collar, less stressful for dogs than traditional opaque ones)

Comfy Cone E-Collar (soft e-collar)

KONG Cloud Collar (inflatable “doughnut” alternative to cone)

Calm Paws Basic Inflatable Dog Collar (inflatable “doughnut” alternative to cone)

 

Defensive Items

Spray Shield – Citronella Spray (strongly scented spray can, used to deter oncoming dogs)

RedStick break stick (used to release hold of a dog on an object or other animal in an emergency situation)

Pig Sorting Panel (used to create a physical barrier in front of an aggressive dog in an emergency situation)

 

Looking for muzzles? See here.
Looking for harnesses? Article to come.
Looking for head halters? Article to come.

 
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Genetics of Dog Coat Colors

Resources for those who are interested in this topic:

Dog Coat Colour Genetics by Jess Chappell (beginner-friendly yet comprehensive website)

Dog Coat Colors by Stefanie Henneböhl (another beginner-friendly yet comprehensive website, with excellent photo examples)

Canine coat pigmentation genetics: a review, published 09 November 2021, with corrections published 05 May 2022, by L. Brancalion, B. Haase, C. M. Wade in Animal Genetics (thorough, science-y overview of the current understanding as of early 2022)

Dog colour patterns explained by modular promoters of ancient canid origin, published 12 August 2021, by Danika L. Bannasch et al, in Nature Ecology & Evolution (research into ASIP that updates our understanding of the A locus)

  • VP1-HCP1: Dominant Yellow (“clear sable”)

  • VP2-HCP1: Shaded Yellow (“shaded shable”)

  • VP1-HCP2: ? (presumably a lighter or saddle agouti?)

  • VP2-HCP2: Agouti (“agouti”)

  • VP1-HCP3 or HCP5: ? (presumably black saddle?)

  • VP1-HCP4: Black Saddle (“saddle tan,” associated with 0-1 copies of RALY)

  • VP2-HCP3 or HCP4 or HCP5: Black Back (“black and tan,” associated with 2 copies of RALY)

True Colors: Commercially-acquired morphological genotypes reveal hidden allele variation among dog breeds, informing both trait ancestry and breed potential, published 28 October 2019, by Dayna L. Dreger et al, in PLOS ONE (reveals frequency of coat genes in many dog breeds)

Allele Frequencies in True Colors study, Dreger 2019 (excel spreadsheet summarizing the data from the study above, for quick reference)

Coat Color and Genetics (a friendly Facebook group where people can post pictures of dogs or other animals and get information on what the underlying coat genetics are)

 
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Fence Fighting

Fence fighting is a common term for the phenomenon of dogs hearing or seeing each other through a fence, pen, or gate, and aggressively lunging and barking. It is a form of “barrier frustration,” which can also occur when dogs are on leash, in a car, or looking out a window. The underlying reason may be that the dogs are anxious about each other, or very excited, or a combination of both, but are restricted by the barrier between them and so act out in a frustrated, even aggressive manner.

There are several reasons that this behavior is problematic for us humans:

  • The resulting noise can irritate neighbors, especially if it’s happening frequently or during “quiet hours.”

  • It can be just as annoying for the owners of the dogs in question.

  • It often goes hand-in-hand with leash reactivity (barking and lunging while on leash).

  • It encourages over-aroused greetings toward other dogs even when off leash.

  • It can scare passing dogs, especially puppies, and cause them to become leash reactive or anxious during walks.

  • It can be dangerous to interrupt your dog when he is really going at it - some dogs will redirect and bite someone pulling them away from the fence.

The plan below will teach your dog how to be calm and ignore other dogs (or humans) behind a fence, gate, or pen. It can also be adapted for dogs who are reactive behind windows or in the car.

 

Management

The first step of any training plan is management - arranging things to prevent your dog from rehearsing the unwanted behavior when you’re not ready for training. Use the following strategies as applicable to your situation.

  • Don’t let your dog into the backyard without supervision. (This may require locking the dog door.)

  • If the fence fighting it happening with a specific neighbor dog, talk to your neighbor about a way to keep the dogs from being outside at the same time. For example, your dog can be out during even hours (eg 8:00 - 8:59 am, 10:00-10:59 am, and so on) and their dog is out during odd hours (eg 9:00-9:59 am, 11:00-11:59 am, etc). Or you could text each other, or use some sort of flagging system to let the other neighbor know that one of the dogs is out.

  • Set up an “airlock” or “no man’s land” in front of the problematic area of the fence, so that your dog can’t get all the way up to the fence. This extra space will greatly decrease the intensity of your dog’s fence fighting, which will make training easier.

  • Take your dog into the yard only on leash, so that he can’t get to the fence.

  • Set up an alternate yard for your dog. For example, you can take your dog to the front yard instead, keeping him on leash, on a longer tether, or making a temporary fence using exercise pens.

 

Training Exercises

With management in place to prevent fence fighting most of the time, you can now set aside time to do training exercises when it’s convenient for you. You’ll need to have high value treats or toys to reward your dog.

  • Start with simple counter-conditioning: every time that you hear the other dog moving around behind the fence, or see them through it, you immediately hand your dog a treat or play with a toy.

    • Make sure that your dog FIRST notices the other dog, and THEN you hand him a treat or play. The trigger comes to PREDICT the good stuff.

    • If your dog immediately starts to bark or lunge, you need to change the situation to help him be calmer. The most reliable way to do this is to move farther away from the fence.

    • If your dog eats the treat but then starts to get worked up (staring, freezing, hackles up, whining, huffing, pacing), you should move farther away, but also consider scattering the treats on the ground instead of just handing him one. Scatters are calming and help take a dog’s mind off the trigger.

    • Keep your sessions short and practice throughout the day.

  • When your dog is expecting the treat every time he sees/hears the other dog - he looks at you with happy anticipation - switch to using the Engage-Disengage Game: let your dog notice the other dog (“engage”), wait, and reward your dog when he looks away (“disengage”).

 

Transitioning to normal life

Start encouraging your dog to do other activities while in the yard, such as sniffing around, chewing, sunbathing, and playing on their own. You can encourage sniffing by scattering kibble/treats, or by setting out items with new smells (eg, leaves or dirt from a park or a friend’s yard, fur or feathers from other animals). For chews, see the recommendations in this article on enrichment. Bring out a new toy (or one your dog hasn’t seem in a while) and let him go to town.

You can reward your dog for choosing to settle on his own:

You should continue to take training treats or toys outside for an extended period of time, so that you can still reward your dog for calmly noticing activity outside the fence. Over time, you can give treats/toys less frequently, but taper the rewards instead of stopping cold turkey.

Don’t leave your dog in the yard unsupervised until you see that he is truly reliable at reacting calmly, even when the rewards are infrequent.

 

When mistakes happen

In an ideal situation, your dog never rehearses barking or lunging toward the fence again. He is prevented from doing it using management in between training sessions, you’re practicing the training exercises successfully, and he quickly learns to calmly ignore the other dog and do his own thing. Realistically, there are going to be “oopsies.”

When your does end up charging the fence and barking:

  • Interrupt him and move him away from the fence as quickly as possible, using the least amount of force you can.

    • Start by calling your dog, and wait no more than 2 seconds to see if he responds.

      • If he does come to you, reward him for stopping barking! Then quickly bring him into the house to calm down.

    • If he doesn’t come within 2 seconds, move closer to your dog so that you can more easily get his attention. (The closer you are to his head, the more likely he is to actually notice you. Just don’t stick your face too close to his teeth!) You can tap his butt or side to get his attention, and call again, waiting no more than 2 seconds to see if he responds.

      • If he does turn back to you, reward him for stopping barking! Then quickly bring him into the house to calm down.

    • Use a body block: If safe to do so, get between him and the fence, and block his access, like a basketball or soccer player blocking a pass. Then move toward him so he has to move away from the fence. Shift left or right as needed to keep him from going around you. Herd him back toward the house to calm down.

    • If the body block is unsuccessful, you may need to put your hands on your dog to turn him around and move him away. Be careful. Some dogs will be so worked up from fence fighting that they will whip around and bite anyone that grabs them.

      • If your dog has previously snapped or bitten at you when restrained or interrupted, he should have a leash dragging from his collar or harness any time he is in the yard. This allows you to safely pick up the leash and guide him away from the fence.

        • If you forgot to attach the leash or it is bunched up too close to your dog, use a physical object, such as an elevated cot bed, to herd him back from the fence. Note that the object should not be used in a way that scares your dog or adds to the stress of the situation. Stay calm and matter of fact, just blocking and herding him back.

      • If you’re not worried about your dog biting you, you can take him by the collar or harness and guide him to turn around and return to the house. This should not be done roughly or in a scary or stressful way. Be calm but insistent that your dog leaves the fence.

If you reward your dog for stopping barking and returning to you, won’t he learn to purposefully bark and then come? The answer is no, if you also implement the management and training exercises above. Your dog should be getting rewarded for not barking at the other dog much, much more often than you have an “oopsie” and need to call him away.

 
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Canine Obesity

A Banfield study out in 2020 showed that 51% of the dogs seen at their vet clinics were overweight, while a 2021 survey by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention found that only 39% of pet owners recognized their own dogs as overweight. What explains this discrepancy? Many dog owners don’t know how to assess the body conditions of their dogs. They may feed the amount suggested on the bag of dog food, without realizing that their individual dog needs fewer calories. Overweight show dogs may normalize an overweight profile. And veterinarians don’t always discuss the matter during the dog’s annual visit, especially if there are other issues with the dog’s health.

Why does it matter if your dog is overweight? It increases the risk of:

  • many types of cancer, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, and hypertension

  • osteoarthritis and a faster degeneration of affected joints

  • urinary bladder stones

  • anesthetic complications as they are less heat tolerant

  • increased inflammation, which means increased pain

And overweight dogs may die up to 2 years younger than dogs at a healthy weight!

 

Body Score Charts

These charts are a guide to assessing your dog’s weight. I’m including several so that you can learn to spot the similarities across different types of dogs.

Dr Sophia Yin

APOP

WSAVA

AAHA

Cambridge BOAS Research Group (Pug specific)

 

How to help your dog lose weight

The general guideline is that your dog can safely lose 3-5% of his body weight per month, but you should consult with your veterinarian for specific guidance. Here are some common ways to induce weight loss:

  • Feed less kibble. Feeding smaller meals, more frequently may help your dog adjust and not get so hungry (and pushy for more).

  • Reduce snacks. When you do give them, use healthy, low calorie snacks like fruits and vegetables.

  • Add moist food or water to help your dog feel full. (Make sure to compensate with extra trips outside to potty.)

  • Make training treats very small and healthy. You can use your dog’s kibble or an alternative form of complete food as a treat. (See more info on choosing healthy, effective treats here.)

  • Increase exercise - but do it gradually, if your dog is out of shape.

  • Increase enrichment, so that your dog has other things to entertain him and mealtimes aren’t the highlight of his day.

 
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