Taking responsibility for the pack
When I arrived in Singapore, exactly one year ago, I had a dog trainer come to 'certify' Leo the Doberman. Since Doberman are a 'schedule 2' breed, when you import one into the country you must undergo training with a professional trainer who will then ascertain whether you are able to control the dog and / or that the dog is controllable. Frankly, I think it's a brilliant idea. A lot of these dogs (Doberman, Rottweiler, etc) have a terrible reputation so if that systems helps improve what people think of them I think it's great. Plus, it was a chance to see how well (or poorly) trained Leo really was.
The first thing the trainer asked me to do is read Jan Fennell's 'The Dog Listener'. I'm ashamed to say I didn't do it. The training went on nonetheless. As it turns out Leo was certified without any difficulties but I had a bigger problem I needed help with. I had just moved into our ground floor apartment and the three dogs barked wildly at anyone who walked past the terrace. Since we're opposite a swimming pool, there's a lot of people who walk by and it got so bad - and I became so embarrassed - that I eventually just closed the glass door that gave onto the terrace and closed the curtains. I cursed myself for choosing a ground floor apartment.
The trainer explained that the dogs, especially since I have three of them, function as a pack. Within a pack there is always, there has to be, one (or usually even two) leaders. In my house, like in so many other houses, the dogs had taken on the responsibility of protecting the pack. The result was that they felt their job was to keep all potential threats away, which meant barking at every person who walked by.
Every time they barked I became angry. If they didn't stop I shouted on them (and yes, probably threw a few cushions at them). We were driving ourselves, and the neighbours, crazy.
The trainer explained that since the dogs thought they were doing their jobs, I should instead thank them for warning me that someone was there. I also needed to show them that I was in charge and that once they had warned me they could go relax and let me do the rest of the job. This seemed to go against everything I thought I knew about dogs. If I thank them when they bark, won't I be reinforcing their behavior? This all seemed very weird but since what I was currently doing clearly wasn't working I thought I might as well try it.
This is when I realized that when you train a dog, the biggest challenge is in fact to train yourself. It is imperative that you be CONSISTENT and that you remain CALM. I don't know about you, but these are two characteristics that certainly don't describe me.
Anyways, I kind of applied these principles, did regularly loose my temper but tried to make an effort. The result is that one year down the line I can leave the terrace glass door wide open. Don't get me wrong, they still bark, but not every time someone walks by and only once or twice. When I tell them I got the message they stop. It could be better, however, they could not bark at all. They still think they have to protect me to some extent.
My trip to the beach last Sunday made me realize that my laziness about properly training my dogs was a loss for all of us. I couldn't let them off leash because I knew they wouldn't come back. The result is that they did not enjoy as much as they could have. And I would have loved to let them off leash. I was very envious to see others do so with their dogs. But I couldn't take the risk.
But it's time for a change.
I bought Jan Fennell's book and started reading it.
The first thing the trainer asked me to do is read Jan Fennell's 'The Dog Listener'. I'm ashamed to say I didn't do it. The training went on nonetheless. As it turns out Leo was certified without any difficulties but I had a bigger problem I needed help with. I had just moved into our ground floor apartment and the three dogs barked wildly at anyone who walked past the terrace. Since we're opposite a swimming pool, there's a lot of people who walk by and it got so bad - and I became so embarrassed - that I eventually just closed the glass door that gave onto the terrace and closed the curtains. I cursed myself for choosing a ground floor apartment.
The trainer explained that the dogs, especially since I have three of them, function as a pack. Within a pack there is always, there has to be, one (or usually even two) leaders. In my house, like in so many other houses, the dogs had taken on the responsibility of protecting the pack. The result was that they felt their job was to keep all potential threats away, which meant barking at every person who walked by.
Every time they barked I became angry. If they didn't stop I shouted on them (and yes, probably threw a few cushions at them). We were driving ourselves, and the neighbours, crazy.
The trainer explained that since the dogs thought they were doing their jobs, I should instead thank them for warning me that someone was there. I also needed to show them that I was in charge and that once they had warned me they could go relax and let me do the rest of the job. This seemed to go against everything I thought I knew about dogs. If I thank them when they bark, won't I be reinforcing their behavior? This all seemed very weird but since what I was currently doing clearly wasn't working I thought I might as well try it.
This is when I realized that when you train a dog, the biggest challenge is in fact to train yourself. It is imperative that you be CONSISTENT and that you remain CALM. I don't know about you, but these are two characteristics that certainly don't describe me.
Anyways, I kind of applied these principles, did regularly loose my temper but tried to make an effort. The result is that one year down the line I can leave the terrace glass door wide open. Don't get me wrong, they still bark, but not every time someone walks by and only once or twice. When I tell them I got the message they stop. It could be better, however, they could not bark at all. They still think they have to protect me to some extent.
My trip to the beach last Sunday made me realize that my laziness about properly training my dogs was a loss for all of us. I couldn't let them off leash because I knew they wouldn't come back. The result is that they did not enjoy as much as they could have. And I would have loved to let them off leash. I was very envious to see others do so with their dogs. But I couldn't take the risk.
But it's time for a change.
I bought Jan Fennell's book and started reading it.
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