Guapo is a 2 year old Pitbull joining OffLeash SoCal's Two-Week Board and Train Program to address his manners and excitability with people. Guapo is a strong young dog and despite being friendly he is knocking people over and sometimes nipping when he is stimulated enough. The goal for Guapo will be building a rock solid foundation of obedience to return to whenever he is becoming overstimulated. Eventually his practice of good behavior will replace his bad habits but we must first create the behaviors and motivate him to follow through with them instead of whatever is distracting him being more desirable and tempting him to misbehave. Stay tuned for his two week transformation!
The first day with Guapo is about diagnosing and understanding what makes him do the things that he does so that I can formulate the best training plan for him. His primary goal will be balancing the level of excitement he experiences before acting out and breaking his obedience. We want him to become more comfortable relaxing and not constantly seeking the rewards of affection and engagement with his handlers all on his own. Ultimately Guapo is a very motivated young dog and his determination could prove to be a strong ally if we can convince him that performing his new behaviors is desirable and fun. The focus of his initial training will be to retrain whatever previous e collar experience he has and using various techniques and tools I will show him that leash pressure is better to follow than to ignore and pull through and then pair that understanding of the leash with the e collar so we are better able to direct him throughout his environment.
Remember that habits are easy to form and hard to break so if we can replace the bad with a better habit we can use his natural tendencies in our favor. There are many common and easy to make mistakes that we as owners and handlers will end up suffering the consequences of so don't feel overwhelmed or guilty that he is out of hand, applaud yourself for seeking help and remember to be patient when he does come home because whatever progress he makes in training will only last with consistent effort. If we can accomplish our goals Guapo won't require a massive amount of daily maintenance but I can say for certain that due to his naturally extreme qualities any misbehavior will return without consistent enforcement of his new normal and rewards in the proper context for following his rules.
Guapo and I worked on establishing a baseline understanding of leash pressure and its relationship to the e collar. He needs to grasp the link between the physical guidance and directional information of a leash and the stimulation he feels from the e collar in order to have a rock solid understanding of his obedience behaviors. As he becomes fluent in the language of pressure and stimulation we will also add more and tougher distractions to increase the strength of his self control. Guapo is a very motivated young dog and he enjoys learning new things but keeping in mind his tendency to become overexcited I am rewarding him primarily with my voice alone to keep his energy level lower while still being satisfying for him. Guapo has some frustration when being put into the crate as described by his owners and will nip at the door/my hands when I close the crate. I have taken some time allowing him to attempt getting his way by simply maintaining my own grip on the door and holding it closed so he doesnt "win" by being rude and he is already more calm than initially. That being said with his intense nature any and all solutions require maintenance and consistency. It is a simple enough endeavor to give him the training wheels but riding the bike so to speak is still up to his owners and with the new balance and understanding about what we want him to do their experience training and handling Guapo will be more pleasant and enjoyable. Any skills Guapo is sent home with should be practiced every day. Forming a routine and keeping it simple go a long way to having a nicely behaved, well trained dog. A routine doesn't need to be high intensity exercise every time and it doesn't require a massive investment of time but what it does require is some forethought and a strategy of tiring out Guapo mentally rather than physically. Do obedience and ask for a few perfect repetitions of all of his various behaviors over the course of a 15 minute walk twice a day and you will be doing a good job. Dogs benefit from higher quality training with less frequency than frequent but poorly executed training...so if the dog does everything perfectly the first time celebrate their success and give them a lot of love with "break" as they win this obedience game you play together. Good luck!
Guapo and I spent more time locking in his obedience behaviors today. It is one thing for him to perform a behavior for a second and another thing for him to maintain and continue to hold a behavior despite his own impulses or potential distractions. Guapo has an impulsive nature that needs to be controlled and channeled into appropriate motivation for behaving. We have to convince him that his energy is best expressed in the activities we choose and when we choose them. His over-enthusiasm is actually a great benefit for this portion of the work. We have to be careful not to encourage the poor behavior that stems from his excitement but the flip side of that is Guapo does not need a lot to feel rewarded. Using our voice to encourage him and remind him to stay sitting/down/remain in place and marking that good position with "good" help him to contextualize the stimulation from the e collar and any other leash pressure we are using to show him what is inappropriate. The concept is to make the world clear for Guapo and the boundaries he must live by. We do this by making the wrong answers "difficult" and the right answers "easy". Difficult can be as simple as ignoring undesirable noise or efforts to get attention all the way up to things like e collar stimulation and leash pressure to reinforce an impulse in the moment (stopping lunging/biting/jumping etc). We make the desired reward or outcome so difficult to attain the dog will choose the easy option we have offered which generally means following rules and maintaining obedience. For example the dog wants to run out the open door. We close the door every time the dog gets up from a sit and we open the door whenever they sit again. In a dogs mind the clearest way through the door is sitting still and waiting. The tricky part of this is dogs can be persistent and keep trying what has worked in the past. In the case of problem behaviors they are especially persistent and tough to eradicate because the dog has rewarded themselves so many times prior. The solution remains the same in any case: we must be consistent and always have the same answers for their actions! The rules must remain the same and be continually reinforced or the dog will have opportunities to reward themselves for behavior which has to this point resulted in problems hence the need for training in the first place. The routine of obedience and control has to be Guapo's new lifestyle or it is very easy for him to slip into those old habits. That being said we can make bad habits into good habits which are just as self preserving if we are diligent in our training. Good luck!
Today Guapo and I worked on his over-enthusiasm around people and his obsession with jumping on and lunging at strangers. The best way to control Guapo's energy is by occupying his mind with a task. By showing him that the easiest way to access a reward is cooperation, we are able to help the dog understand when he has acted inappropriately in that moment. The goal of e collar training is actually to pair the stimulation of the collar with the command itself so the dog knows that it isn't a "punishment" but rather a form of communication. Having done the groundwork already and shown the dog how to access a reward when given that same command, we can bridge the two together and make the experience of stimulation tie directly with obeying a command they find desirable. In the video posted in today's Pupdate you will see a few instances of e collar reinforcement where the dog simply readjusts himself and remembers his manners. Remember that training is about building a shared language of mutual respect and understanding. So long as we make our questions clear the dog has a fair opportunity to figure it out.
Today Guapo and I worked on our obedience in a shopping mall. The most impressive thing Guapo accomplished today was maintaining his self control and not leaping on or lunging up at anyone. The primary cure for most behavior problems is a stronger grasp of obedience for a number of reasons but the most significant is it gives us as handlers a reliable and consistent way to communicate our desires to the dog. By making communication clear and consistent the dog has the ability to predict our approval and will be motivated to seek our approval rather than avoid our disappointment. When we are shaping unhealthy or unwanted behaviors into more desirable alternatives we have to keep in mind that even though we do reinforce our commands with leash pressure and e collar stimulation we are never seeking to punish a dog. To be a hot stove means the dog has an opportunity to figure an answer out for itself. We seek to be only ever a reinforcing self learning experience for the dog. The association they make to us will be that of being able to make negativity disappear. For a dog like Guapo who reacts strongly to things he likes as well as dislikes it is important to keep your reward modest and not over-enthusiastic often as well as keeping your frustration or upsets to the side so that the dog can learn the concepts of right and wrong behavior without them being colored or influenced by avoidance of your displeasure. Keep calm and keep trying! Slow and steady really does win the race. We want 1 percent improvement every time you take him out and the practice of being more neutral around Guapo will help him control his bladder more reliably when interacting with him. Even peeing from happiness and excitement can be frustrating so remember he isn't being rude on purpose when he does that and it's best to avoid it by taking him out often and not getting him excited in the home.
Today Guapo and I continued to work on developing his self control and patience. When working on obedience at home experiment with increasing the distance at which you can be from Guapo while he maintains a position as well aa the duration that he holds. Aim for one percent better every time you work on improving and the dog will likely surprise you with his improvements. We work on door manners every day when we go through a doorway but today I began asking for longer and while I was farther away. Reward Guapo with a soothing and calm tone. He benefits from rewards being gentle and low energy to help maintain his calm and careful focus. With dogs like Guapo who are so eager to please and work and want to interact with their handler, less is usally more. Holding Guapo accountable with the e collar in a consistent manner and slowly eliminating the leash from the equation are my main focus currently. His reactivity is controlled enough at this point to give him more responsibility and see how he handles himself. We of course guide him in this experience but primarily I want Guapo to be self policing which means giving him the freedom to make mistakes-- especially now that he is showing me a more fluent understanding of e collar stimulation and a cooperative attitude.
Guapo was able to begin practicing his off leash obedience today. His control is evolving daily and I think he is on a good track. As of now he understands the obedience and also the reinforcement from an e collar but he either learned to tune it out to an extent before starting training with me or more likely he has a natural high threshold for stimulation. In either case he has a pattern of trying to ignore the stimulation until it cannot possibly be ignored anymore and then overreacting instead of following through with his obedience. I am holding him accountable and not allowing for any drama or theatrics but keep in mind when he goes home he most certainly will try to get away with things he has in the past. The trick is just being persistent and following through with 1 percent more reinforcement than whatever level of resistance he is offering. We want merely to get through to the dog in their resistant state but not to frustrate them further. Sometimes this means they can make a big fuss but we just ask for our behavior again and hold them accountable until they comply. Making it clear and consistent tells the dog where the lines are. The dog will figure out that their behavior and not their complaining makes their situation more appealing very quickly. This is how we can continue to interrupt Guapo's bad habits going forward.
Today Guapo and I continued to work on off leash skills. We were working with other trainers and their dogs and generally speaking Guapo did well. He was a little rough around the edges but that is to be expected when graduating from the additional help of a leash to having the freedom to make more mistakes off leash. There was unfortunately an incident of reactivity toward another dog we have to discuss. While working on his obedience Guapo reacted to another dog and charged him. He lunged while trying to bite and I intervened with a high level of e collar stimulation as well as my own body language--stepping towards Guapo using my personal space to pressure him away. Guapo reacted this time but up until now hasn't shown me any dog aggression. This incident is likely the result of dominance or social hierarchy rather than true aggression. Regardless spotting the signs and triggers that lead to these reactions can be tricky even for professionals. The other dog wasn't harmed and neither was Guapo. He was able to successfully follow his obedience and walk back to my car and be put away to decompress in a crate. We must be aware going forward that Guapo has this capacity and a willingness to act on his feelings. That being said the training is there as a guideline to help keep ahead of any potential outbursts but in the moment that they happen we must remember to follow the same protocol. Raising the level of stimulation until we get a reaction and the dog discontinues the behavior and then asking the dog for a new behavior we can reward and reinforce positively.
Today Guapo and I continued to work on off leash skills. We were working with other trainers and their dogs and generally speaking Guapo did well. He was a little rough around the edges but that is to be expected when graduating from the additional help of a leash to having the freedom to make more mistakes off leash. There was unfortunately an incident of reactivity toward another dog we have to discuss. While working on his obedience Guapo reacted to another dog and charged him. He lunged while trying to bite and I intervened with a high level of e collar stimulation as well as my own body language--stepping towards Guapo using my personal space to pressure him away. Guapo reacted this time but up until now hasn't shown me any dog aggression. This incident is likely the result of dominance or social hierarchy rather than true aggression. Regardless spotting the signs and triggers that lead to these reactions can be tricky even for professionals. The other dog wasn't harmed and neither was Guapo. He was able to successfully follow his obedience and walk back to my car and be put away to decompress in a crate. We must be aware going forward that Guapo has this capacity and a willingness to act on his feelings. That being said the training is there as a guideline to help keep ahead of any potential outbursts but in the moment that they happen we must remember to follow the same protocol. Raising the level of stimulation until we get a reaction and the dog discontinues the behavior and then asking the dog for a new behavior we can reward and reinforce positively.
Guapo and I worked on making his "place" command more solid around distractions. Lawn mowers and leaf blowers and other gardening equipment that make a lot of noise. It's important to continue practicing around new and different experiences consistently to give Guapo a chance to take the new information in and process. We want to be there to help him understand his boundaries beyond the scope of just reactivity to other dogs or people--Guapo needs to be able to see or hear or smell etc something new without having to stop his obedience and investigate further. We want him to develop this sense of confidence by engaging in focused behaviors around new distractions. The more he is able to make a connection that his patience results in a rewarding experience with his handler the more he will prefer paying attention to breaking away and making his own fun. Guapo thrives when his behavior is part of a game that he can win and it is up to us to make the rules clear about what is allowed and what is expected but most importantly how he can get his rewards. The role we play as handler involves keeping an eye out for potential distractions or hazards, helping the dog navigate or ignore them depending on the situation and then rewarding the dog for success. If they are less motivated by the reward we offer than the one they want to give themselves (breaking rules and other unhealthy behavior) then we need to hold them accountable and also make ourselves more rewarding. Guapo will need supervision and consistency going forward but with the right routine and practice he will continue to grow in his potential.
Today Guapo and I went to a hardware store to work on his reactivity and general obedience around new distractions. He did well considering the incident from the other day. When Guapo goes home I would like for him to continue getting responsible practice around other dogs and people. One incident is enough to be aware and make smart decisions but it doesn't mean we have to keep the dog out away or be afraid of exposing him to challenging situations that may distract him. If proper precautions are taken around potential hazards as you can see in the video, Guapo still has plenty of opportunities to be enriched and coexist around other dogs without reactivity. Also Guapo did come with a habit of excited peeing. While I cannot rule out his ever having that problem again I can say that while spending time with me I have only had it happen twice. I have managed his excitement by not interacting with him inside the house with excitement and simply taking him in and out of the crate with a calm demeanor, only showing him a lot of energy when we are working outside. That being said I'm not suggesting to totally ignore him, but when you do interact it needs to be calm and low energy. If he does get too excited just ignore him until he calms down and don't ever give affection when he is that energetic. We are rewarding his mind state and we want to reward calm and relaxed.
Today Guapo and I spent some dedicated time working on obedience around the house. Holding an extended place/sit/down is a practical way to use the training every day. We can have the dog wait for us to release them for affection and interaction while we work on whatever needs to be done. This is a good thing to practice for when company comes over. Expect the dog to want to revert to his old ways when he goes home. He will need to be held accountable for leaving the position consistently without new people or friends over before practicing around others, but I would encourage practice around company as he becomes reliable without people over. Guapo needs to know that these behaviors are rewarding but are not optional. I would encourage putting a leash on him just to drag as an extra bit of help when practicing around people. You don't want the dog to ever "win" by misbehaving so keep in mind the tools can be used again to help the handler gain enough confidence to start subtracting them as necessary. He will listen without a leash on for me but I want to encourage baby steps at least until everyone who is expected to handle or train with Guapo is on the same page and confident. He needs a strong sense of leadership and that doesn't mean to be unfair to him. He responds well to praise but he needs to recieve reinforcement in the right timing and with consistency so that he cannot continue to rehearse any self rewarding but ultimately unhealthy behaviors. Remember we are here to guide and help Guapo be a better citizen and that means teaching him he is responsible for his own actions. Practicing the obedience for practical reasons is what it's all about! Good luck.
Today Guapo and I went to Santa Monica Pier and filmed his Final video. He did well! For Guapo going forward consistent practice will be the most important element of his good behavior. He doesn't need to be exposed to massive crowds and distractions at this level every day but when we add distractions do have a progressive mindset of a little bitnmore challenge being added as you increase in confidence. A dog like Guapo with so much energy and excitement needs to see the picture of obedience many times over before the natural inclination to react dissipates for the dog. While he understands the concepts and knows what is expected of him it will take continued effort at home to cement his abilities fully. Be proud of how far he has come but also be patient with him when he struggles. The training techniques we will practice together at Turnover will be your way of working through these hiccups and finding common ground as a team.
Today I spent some time letting Guapo play and trying to help him really understand the difference between "good" and "break". We want the dog to remain in position when we say good and when we release them with break we want it to be an exciting game before they go off to do their own thing. The connection in their mind being this jackpot comes from my good obedience and then also as a result of behaving I was released to go relax and have fun. While the dog is still expected to have manners in the house they aren't always at work so try to find the balance between using play and affection as rewards in obedience and encouraging quiet relaxation in the home. Of course it will take consistent enforcement of the new rules to show Guapo how to relax inside so until he is trustworthy around guests and etc I encourage him to be "at work" around his triggers. I have been working on the Ring Doorbell sound and will post in depth about that tomorrow. Good luck!
Today Guapo and I worked on conditioning him not to respond to the ring doorbell sound. This concept is very notably the foundation of modern dog training. When Ivan Pavlov did his experiments with dog behavior he noticed that dogs would salivate after the bell was rung for meal times. The association of the sound of the bell and the immediate reward of the food makes a connection in a dog's mind that leads them to involuntarily anticipate the food. They experience physiological changes like producing bile or salivating in response to the bell ringing even without food after the connection has been made. The relationship with Guapo is that he has an expectation of interaction or a lot of commotion at the door/after the doorbell is rung. The way to change this is by giving the dog something else to do and holding him accountable. The answer ultimately is with Guapo having to police himself but the path that leads there is supervision and proper intervention. Practice by putting him into a place and playing the triggering sounds on a speaker. When and if he breaks his behavior make a command to place and reinforce the command with stimulation. There is no one step process in dog training but Guapo does know the language of being held accountable now and should be expected to control himself. If he doesn't we must make the decision to do so undesirable in the future as well as guide him to the proper position so we can praise him again and balance his emotional state and motivation to work for us.
Comments