Getting What You Want By Spotting What You Like

By Karen Pryor, Clicker Training authority and author of several books on animal training

Can you name three bad things your dog does that you'd love to see disappear? Maybe you don't even have to think. He or she barks too much, jumps on visitors, doesn't come back when called, pees on the carpet, scratches the door, gets into the wastebaskets - or whatever.

Do you wish the problem behavior would stop? Sure. Can you stop it? Maybe some big professional dog trainer could, but you haven't. So, like most of us, you may figure you've got two choices: live with the behavior, or get rid of the dog.

Here's another idea: forget about the problems. Start watching the dog. Is the dog lying quietly beside you while you watch TV? GOOD! Drop a friendly pat on the dog's head from time to time. That's the reward that the dog is earning from the behavior of "Lying quietly next to My Person."

Did the dog whine or whimper at the door, suggesting it needs to go out? Yay! Jump up to let it out, or take it out, even if it's not convenient, the first few times that happens. Set up the communication- "You ask, I answer" -before you start deciding if the dog really "needs" to go or not. The dog can learn to "hold it" a lot better if it has a chance to find out that you can be trusted to respond, whether or not it's an emergency.

And for jumping up, that's easy. Fold your arms while the dog is jumping, and then, when it gives up and sits, greet it and give it a treat. Now, ask guests to fold their arms until the dog sits. Then they can pet it. If the dog leaps to lick their faces when they reach down, they have to stand up and fold their arms again. Let the dog train the company! Finally they'll all learn!

Is this work? A little, but the dog is doing most of it. Does it take time? Not for you or the dog: once he's got it, he's got it. (Guests take longer.) Is it fun? Much more fun than scoldings and leash corrections. Want some real-life examples of "Watch the dog" training? Explore the allpositive website, www.clickertraining.com.