My dog is great at home but gets super excited and will not look at me when we are out on a walk and he will not eat treats. What can I do to be able to train him out in the real world?
My Reply:
First, this is not an unusual problem. It occurs in different degrees in quite a few dogs that we work with.
What he practices he will get better at, including inappropriate behavior like ignoring you. Practice impulse control at EVERY opportunity, doggie zen, sit, wait, stay, etc.
Be patient. Work progressively in baby steps with all of your training. Reinforce each step. Don't ask for too much all at once (we call that being "greedy")
- When he can master attention at one level, at least four out of five times, then you can move up one step.
- If he fails at one of these steps 2 out of five times, keep the level the same.
- If he fails at these steps 3 out of five times take it down one step.
Adrenalin increases arousal as one of its functions. When a dog is aroused, all of the blood flows into the extremities away from the internal organs readying the body for fight or flight. When there is no circulation near the stomach, and the dog has bigger fish to fry (fight or flight) their brain is, in the words of one of my clients, "hijacked". You can train dogs to control this whole cycle of excitement, arousal, etc., with impulse control (self-control) by practicing it for each and everything they want. It is not unlike teaching a human impulse control.
If you give him reinforcement and he doesn't take the food it tells you he is over his threshold and it is not a learning moment for him. The goal is to teach him how to be under his threshold. If food does not work find or train another reinforcer and continue to work on taking food without taking it and spitting it out. If he is over his threshold at any time, go back to the last point where he is under his threshold or end the training session.
Work in short three to five-minute sessions, then take a break for five to ten minutes. If he regresses, go back to this training plan. They don't stay trained without practicing good habits every day.
You will need to be fairly disciplined to follow through. You may need to modify your routine for awhile to reach your long term goal. This may take a week, it may take 2 months depending on how well you stick to the level of the criteria and how often you practice. It's actually very easy, but a little time consuming.
Can he be calm and pay attention when:
You pick up his leash?
You give him any cues of your ultimate departure like picking up keys, putting on shoes, getting your coat, etc. Split this down and work on each one separately to get a 4 out of 5 success.
You'll start training near the door with the door closed?
Put your hand on the door knob without opening it or turning it?
Put your hand on the door knob and turn it/rattle it a little?
Put your hand on the door knob turn it and open it a crack?
Put your hand on the door knob turn it and open it an inch?
Put your hand on the door knob turn it and open it two inches?
Etc., until the door is wide open.
When you walk to the threshold of the door?
When you go just over the threshold?
When you walk one step from the threshold?
Etc, with each step until you can take a walk around your house, in the woods, etc.
Your assignment is to come up with the rest of the steps for your area.
I did this recently with a foster dog who went off the charts whenever we tried to go for a walk. My requirement was that he give me his eye contact and attention. He would get really aroused going outside on walks, bark, pull, go off the charts with excitement. My goal was to walk around the block without barking and pulling and lots of eye contact check-ins. I practiced 2 to 3 days a week and it took me about a week to get out the door. When he barked or pulled we went directly and quickly home and he got some alone time without attention. In about two months we had great walking skills, were able to go around the block without barking at cats, squirrels, runners, skateboards or normal urban things.
If he is unable to control himself after this, email me then and we will set up a private lesson.
