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You should NEVER use the recall word ("COME", or whatever word you choose) to call your dog to discipline him, correct him, tell him what a bad dog he is, or for any negative reason. Bad deeds MUST be caught IN THE ACT in order to correct. If you still need your dog by you for a negative reason, give him a firm SIT command and go get him.
For example:
Imagine this, you see your dog "Major" outside digging up your newly planted daisies. You first quietly say "Major, Come here". Major, doesn’t respond. You then yell "MAJOR - COME HERE!". Major still doesn’t come, so you go over and grab him by the collar and yell "I told you to Come Here!" and give him a smack.
Major being a smart dog, makes a mental note "Come Here" means "You’re in trouble and about to get punished".
Next time when he is outside, and you want him to come inside for dinner you go out and say to him "Come here", he responds by running away. "Dumb dog" you think and go and grab him and drag him inside so he’ll eat his food. Then you say sternly "How come you don’t ever COME when I call you?!" Major makes another mental note (Hmmm: seems to me my memory of "COME HERE" is still accurate – don’t want to respond to that – after all, "COME HERE" means I am in BIG TROUBLE!)
Remember, dogs know ONLY "dog language" when they come to live with us. WE must teach them our language. In the above examples, Major did not learn OUR translation for the word "COME". He learned "COME" meant "angry owner – I’m in trouble now. Better scram out of here!" We want Major to learn that "COME" means "Get your buns to me in the fastest way possible – NO EXCEPTIONS!"Major needs to understand that COME means GOOD stuff – ALWAYS!SitStayFetch.net
Kind regards,
Daniel StevensClick here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets.
SitStayFetch: Consultation
Hi Daniel,
We have a challenge for you; I hope you can help us.
We have a one year old border collie named Zippy. She is very active and we do a lot of play and exercise with her. Our problem is that every time we are in the kitchen opening the silverware drawer or any drawer that makes noises, she goes crazy. She runs around in circles, bolts to our living room and then makes more circles! If we do any kind of paperwork, tearing paper or tearing out checks she does the same thing. When she does this we can't get her attention at all, she just goes berserk! She is such a good dog, she knows all kinds of tricks and is good on commands except for this one problem.
I hope you can help us on this.
Please answer.
Carol
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SitStayFetch Reply:
Hi Carol,
Thank you for your email.
First of all, I recommend that you desensitize Zippy to the things which make her go berserk.
You can do this by having her in the kitchen with you (unleashed) and spending a minimum of 10 minutes a day opening the drawer and closing it. Do this quietly to begin with, but as the days go by do it progressively louder, until you are really clattering that cutlery! You will have to completely ignore her reaction and act as if she is not there, act calm, because if you give her any attention you will probably just exaggerate her excitement and ruin the objective of the exercise.After you have done the silverware trick as above, spend 10 minutes ripping paper in a casual and neutral manner. Do not even look at her if/when she reacts to the paper tearing. In fact, initially, it might pay to continue the paper ripping until she calms down if it is possible. Then make sure you reward her for any positive behavior, to reinforce what you want from her.In psychology they refer to this treatment as “Flooding”. It is the same concept as making a person face their fears, or neutralizing an exciting task by having to do it all the time. Consistency is the key with this training. After a while you can move on and have someone make her sit on a short lead while you continue the desensitizing process using the cutlery and paper ripping as described previously. Again reward her for any positive change in behavior, she may not change her behavior instantly, but if there is a slight change, stop what you are doing and reward her, even if it is just a “Good Dog!”If it is possible, make a tape recording of the noises which she reacts to. Play them to her quietly and as often as possible when you know she can not hurt herself. If she is really noisy, it might be a good idea to inform and warn your neighbors about what you are doing.That should do the trick, just keep persevering and you'll get there!Best of luck, SitStayFetch.net Daniel Stevens---------------------------------------------------------------Carol's Reply: Hello Daniel,Thank you so much for the suggestion. We have started doing what you suggested and it does seem like it is going to work. Like you said, be consistent. I will let you know later on how we are doing. Again, thank you.Carol
SitStayFetch: Consultation
Hi Daniel,
I have a four year old labrador who loves to bury food. Every time I give him a biscuit he runs out into the yard, digs a hole in the corner of the garden and buries it. He never seems to go back for the buried biscuits but comes back to me and cries for more. My wife and I have uncovered literally hundreds of decaying biscuits when we dig the garden. Its such a terrible waste as well as being a little yucky. We are almost at our wits end. How do we stop this behavior and what leads him to do it anyway?
Yours,
Larry.
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SitStayFetch Reply:
Dear Larry,
Burying food is not that unusual at all. In fact, it is in your dog's nature to bury items such as bones for later consumption. Its been long recognized as a form of hoarding or food storage that is inherited from the wolves. Because your dog has a readily available supply of food from you, there is no need to dig up the food stored in reserve. And so it rots.Other than restricting the amount of biscuits that you are feeding him, the easiest solution to your problem is to restrict access to the yard until after he has eaten the biscuit. Alternatively you could try burying chicken wire under the surface of the dirt so your dog can't dig. Take a look at my book SitStayFetch and go to the section entitled Dog 202: Common Dog Problems Solved.I hope this helps!SitStayFetch.net Kind regards, Daniel Stevens and the SitStayFetch TeamClick here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets.
"The SitStayFetch books have been a tremendous help to me in gaining more control over my two dogs Neo & Molly especially as they were rather defiant at times.
Both dogs are very loving, fun and loyal but I've had to get a dog behaviorist out in the past as Molly's a rescue dog, has a nervous disposition and a habit of going bonkers through fear by barking, growling and trying to nip/bite. I think she was abused before I got her as she is extremely scared of children and doesn't particularly like strangers and other dogs. She loves the family and those she knows but it was/is really worrying so the fear biting section has been great for tips on dealing with that.
They know now who's the alpha and don't try nearly as much nonsense as they used to. Obviously I'm not expecting them to change overnight, I realize I have to be rigorous in the re-training but so far they're coming along great!
I really wish I'd heard/got the SitStayFetch books years ago, in my opinion no dog owner should be without a copy. They're brilliant, very easy to understand/follow and the results are amazing! Please find attached my photo of myself and the dogs."
-- Kirsty Halleran (UK)SitStayFetch.net
Kind regards,
Daniel Stevens and the SitStayFetch Team
Click here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets.
"Bello is the first dog I have had, so there was much I didn't know about dogs. Bello is a very smart and friendly dog, but as he started growing up (he is 18 months old now), he developed this quite idiosyncratic characteristic of taking matters into his own paws, so to speak. More specifically, he barks at and tries to scare other male dogs or some strangers he considers dangerous, although he's told not to.
On one such occasion, I almost lost hold of the leash, and he seemed to be close to attacking a male poodle. That's when I decided to look for help. I searched the web for books about dogs, and Sitstayfetch caught my eye. I'm very happy I purchased and read it. I realized that the problem lay with me. I knew nothing about the importance of conveying to him that I was the alpha dog.
For example, I was completely unaware that I had to go through doorways first; instead, I always let him go first. This is but one of the useful tips I got from Sitstayfetch, and they have all helped me greatly in the past two months to establish a better and healthier relationship with Bello. I only wish I had gotten the book when Bello came to live with me 16 months ago."
-- Antonino GulliSitStayFetch.net
Kind regards,
Daniel Stevens and the SitStayFetch Team
Click here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets
"Hello Daniel, I adopted a Springer spaniel from ESRA (English Springer Spaniel Rescue) in January of this year. JD (which stands for Just Dog) had a few issues but was mostly a "good boy" I was told. We brought him home only to find out he needed a lot of attention and discipline.
JD was very nervous. He had been a stray when found, and he lived in his foster home for several months. I was told that JD did not like his new 'foster dad', especially when he wore white t-shirts or when he took off his belt. He also was aggressive toward other dogs, and sometimes other men. However, he was fine with kids, his foster mom and me. I must mention that he is an extremely handsome guy (as you can see from his picture!).
My boyfriend was nervous and wanted me to send JD back to his foster home. Of course, being a Springer lover, I fell in love with JD as soon as I saw him, so I did not want to give up so fast. Someone had told me about your book, SitStayFetch so I decided to look for it online. When I realize I could download it, I opted for this. I began reading and finding good ideas on what I could do immediately to try to correct some of JD's bad behaviors. One thing I did immediately was to stop allowing JD to sleep next to my bed at night. He thought he was to be the leader of the pack and would sometimes climb up in the bed with me.
I had to show him that he was not, so I put up a nice-sized crate for him in the dining room and he started sleeping in there. He actually liked going in his crate, it gave him a sense of security that he sorely needed.
Another thing I did with JD was to begin walking him with a gentle leader several times a day. I trained him to walk by my side, to sit and to walk when I began walking. He needed a firm and consistent mom and I guess I was the one! We still take daily walks and I make him work for every treat he gets from me or the kids. He has become a wonderful pet over the past 7 months but it has not been easy.
JD is now a trusted family member, a wonderful watch dog, and a playful happy guy. He has made a complete 180, and I owe it to your expertise and to the help of a trainer I hired in March. She works on many of the same principles that you/your book does, mainly using strong and persistent techniques to break bad habits. Showing the dog that he is not the boss, is key.
Thank you for your e-newsletters, too. I really enjoy these. Sometimes the problems are similar to mine and JD's, sometimes not. Your answers are always clear and intelligent. I believe you are helping many people and their dogs to become compatible friends-the way it should be!"
-- Rita Randolfi (Vero Beach, Florida)SitStayFetch.net
Kind regards,
Daniel Stevens and the SitStayFetch Team
Click here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets.
"My husband and I have a very spoilt 3 year old Border Collie/ Retriever. At about 18 months old, he developed a severe case of fear based aggression towards his own territory, other dogs, strangers, anybody that comes to close to me, even people he knows, he even growled and lunged at the local vet, whom Casper knows. He has growled and lunged at a teenager walking too close to me.
He seems to have a comfort zone around him, anybody coming closer than that look out. He has earned himself quite a reputation around town for being a vicious dog, which is unfortunate, as at home he is a very placid, big softie that we can do anything with.
He has made a real spectacle of himself in the past, when out on a lead with me, in the car etc. which is sad, as that is all most people see of him, a dog that looks threatening and menacing, which he does. It is not very nice to have to say, when out walking with your dog, when people want to come up and talk to you and the dog to have to say keep your distance, don't come near the dog. By this time Casper is usually growling and they don't come close anyway, which is a shame as Casper does look very cuddly and pattable. Having never owned a dog, we thought all you had to do was to love them to bits, and spoil them, and that was it.
Sitstayfetch taught me that this is not so, there is a lot more to it. He failed miserably at Dog Training School, by this time we were getting desperate, when I ran across Sitstayfetch on the internet. Sitstayfetch has been invaluable in helping us gain control of Casper, by showing him that we are the boss, and he doesn't have to feel threatened, or feel he has to protect us, as he obviously lacks the confidence to do so. That is our job. We realize we have never been the pack leaders, and that we haven't done him any favors by giving in to him and spoiling him, treating him like a baby etc. By applying the principles outlined in Sitstayfetch to Casper, he has improved out of sight, he still has a way to go, but now we can see light at the end of the tunnel. Even from the feedback from around town, people have seen the improvement in him, and wonder how we have accomplished this.
I have recommended Sitstayfetch to several people, as they can see the improvement in Casper, even the dog school had to admit that he had improved since he was there, they gave him up as a lost cause, even suggesting putting him down. I am very grateful to sitstayfetch. Casper is getting to be a pleasure to take out for a walk, not the nightmare he used to be, I used to dread taking him out.
Thanks to Sitstayfetch, I am gaining my confidence with him, and this in turn makes him feel better. Thank you Sitstayfetch."
-- Margaret Angus and Casper (New Zealand)SitStayFetch.net
Kind regards,
Daniel Stevens and the SitStayFetch Team
Click here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets.
