2019DoNoHarmTrainingManual LindaMichaels

DO NO HARM
TM
Force-free Dog Training and Behavior Manual
LINDA MICHAELS, M.A. PSYCHOLOGY

“One of the Top Ten Dog Trainers in the U.S.” - Top Ten magazine
©Linda Michaels, Do No Harm Dog TrainingTM and Behavior Manual !2
Notes from the Author
Welcome Dog Lovers!
Thank you for joining me on a mission to improve the well-being and happiness of our dogs,
through educating pet parents and providing other pet professionals with teaching tools they can
easily explain to their clients and followers.
The Do No Harm™ Dog Training and Behavior Manual was initially designed as my own
personal guide for teaching basic manners classes, and has evolved into a reference manual for
my private behavior consultations. It was created to be a practical guide for either or both
training formats. It is also an e-book for pet parents who want to get an inside look at dog
training and behavior, and for those who seek force-free techniques and solutions for specific
problems.
Trainers who teach classes may want to rearrange the subject material, teaching a Basic Training
skill in each class, for example. Private trainers can pick and choose which subjects to cover in
order to most effectively help a particular client.
This manual now includes many of my published articles and also introduces the Hierarchy of
Dog Needs™ as a training tool for animal lovers. It is my hope it fulfills your needs and sheds
light on some of the mysteries of dog behavior.
My academic background in experimental psychology, graduate training in behavioral

neurobiology, hands-on experience training dogs and wolfdogs, compassion for animals and
passion for moving our field forward in the face of difficult obstacles, inspired me to believe that
I could, and should create a wellness and training guide embedded with an ethical code. As an
ardent animal lover and responsible professional, I felt compelled to create the Do No Harm™
Training and Behavior Manual and The Hierarchy of Dog Needs™ guide.
Do No Harm is fast becoming the gold standard of care throughout the dog training field. Pet
parents and professionals are now applying behavior modification methods that are most likely
to Do No Harm, physically or psychologically. The time has come to chart a new course and
make responsible dog training methods the standard of training for the “heartbeats at our feet”!
Disclaimer
Linda Michaels, M.A. makes every effort to provide information on dog health, care, and treatment that is authoritative, reliable and
practical. This manual is not intended, however, to replace diagnosis or treatment from a veterinarian or other qualified dog professional.
Linda Michaels, M.A. does not assume any legal responsibility. Readers should always consult qualified behavior and healthcare providers
for specific diagnosis and treatment.
Linda Michaels, M.A., Del Mar Dog Training cannot guarantee any individual dog’s ability to learn and/or understand training cues or
signals or to desensitize to feared or aggression triggers, or compliance on the part of the reader. Linda Michaels will be held harmless from
all liability and damages for any claim, loss, or injury which may occur or may be alleged to have occurred to any person, animals, or
property arising from or related to the suggestions in this manual.
Private behavioral consultations are recommended for dogs with separation anxiety, fear and aggression problems, or other serious issues.

About Linda Michaels, M.A. Psychology
Linda Michaels, creator of the Hierarchy of Dog Needs, was recently rated one of the top ten dog trainers in the
United States, by Top Ten Magazine. Linda holds a master’s degree in Experimental Psychology (With Honors) and
conducted laboratory research in behavioral neurobiology, earning the University Scholar Award from the
Psychology Department of San Diego State University. Linda’s unique combination of scientific training and hands-
on experience with dogs and wolfdogs creates a bridge between the worlds of research, dog trainers and pet parents
as demonstrated in her presentation at the 2015 Pet Professional Guild (PPG) inaugural summit: Understanding
Research: Making the case for force-free training.
Linda worked with some of the most difficult behavior cases at the progressive San Diego Humane Society and
SPCA for five years while teaching classes there. She was the head trainer and behavior consultant at a private pet
store before becoming a private behavior consultant. She was the first professional Behavior Advisor for the
WolfEducationProject.org in Julian, CA. Training aggressive dogs and wolfdogs convinced Linda that using harsh
methods and collar devices is counter-productive to treating aggressive and potentially dangerous animals and
because these devises and harsh methods are often a cause, not a cure of aggression. Linda became an outspoken
animal welfare advocate opposing dominance-based dog training methods and aversive collar devices that are too
often ineffective, unsafe, and inhumane.
The development of the Hierarchy of Dog Needs™ (HDN) -- A wellness and force-free behavior modification guide
-- is one of Linda’s most significant contributions to animal welfare and training. The HDN closes the door on the
perceived need and advisability of using punitive or aversive methods to train our dogs, offering a clear, easy-to-use,
force-free alternative to some of the most popular teaching paradigms now available. The HDN is in use
internationally by veterinary behaviorists, veterinarians, dog trainers (including working-dog and police-dog
trainers), groomers, shelters, rescues, animal welfare advocates, and pet parents. The Hierarchy of Dog Needs™
guide is also available in French.
As a speaker, certified veterinary assistant and the flagship Southern California Victoria Stilwell-licensed behavior
consultant, Linda was published in the BARKS from the Guild (PPG) international trade magazine, and has
authored numerous articles and behavior columns that are included in the Do No Harm™ Dog Training and
Behavior Manual. She appeared as a featured expert on Huffington Post Live, Wolf Dog Radio, and as a special
guest on the PPG World Services program. She was also a member of the Advisory Board for the Art for Barks
charity, in Rancho Santa Fe, CA, and founder of the Positive Pet Professionals of San Diego.
Linda is a certified fear, aggression, and reactivity consultant, who focuses on both the behavioral and psychological
aspects of dog behavior that often mirror human psychological conditions, such as fear, separation/attachment
disorders, and aggression. She also teaches clients about animal wellness and understanding what makes dogs thrive.
Her private practice primarily serves clients from the La Jolla to the Beverly Hills areas of Southern California.
A Top Ten U.S. Dog Trainer ~ Top Ten Magazine

Creator of the Hierarchy of Dog Needs
www.DoNoHarmDogTraining.com

Contents
Chapter 1 Before You Get a Dog and Begin Training
How to Find a Dog That Fits Your Lifestyle .................................................................................................................6
How to Find a Good Dog Trainer ................................................................................................................................ 10
Training Supplies .........................................................................................................................................................11
Chapter 2 Do No HarmTM Standards and Practices

Laying the Groundwork for Do No Harm™ Force-free Training ...............................................................................14
Hierarchy of Dog Needs® Guide and How to Use It .................................................................................................. 19
Grazing Games ............................................................................................................................................................ 25
Housetraining ...............................................................................................................................................................26
Socialization ................................................................................................................................................................ 30
Vaccinations and Socialization .................................................................................................................................... 32
Dog Park and Dog Beach ............................................................................................................................................34
Dog Body Language .................................................................................................................................................... 36
Separation Anxiety Prevention ...................................................................................................................................38
Resource Guarding Prevention ...................................................................................................................................39
Clicker Training Foundations ...................................................................................................................................... 41
Chapter 3 Good Manners and Impulse Control

Greeting You and Visitors ............................................................................................................................................ 44
At the Veterinarian and Groomer .................................................................................................................................45
Chew This, Not That.................................................................................................................................................... 47
Puppy No Bite! Mouthing ...........................................................................................................................................48
No Jump .......................................................................................................................................................................50
Settle Down .................................................................................................................................................................52
Chapter 4 Basic Training

Name Response: Come Basics .................................................................................................................................... 56
“Come” Long Distance................................................................................................................................................ 57
Sit ................................................................................................................................................................................ 58
Down ...........................................................................................................................................................................59
Wait/Stay...................................................................................................................................................................... 61
Leash-Walking Equipment .......................................................................................................................................... 62
Leash-Walking Skills ...................................................................................................................................................63
Treat Dependence Prevention: Five Techniques.......................................................................................................... 66
Chapter 5 When Things Go Wrong

Barking, Barking, Barking ...........................................................................................................................................69
Fear and Socialization .................................................................................................................................................71
Separation Anxiety Therapy ........................................................................................................................................ 73
Recognizing the Need for Help ...................................................................................................................................75
Dog/Dog and Human Aggression Basics .................................................................................................................... 76
Dog-Dog Aggression Therapy .....................................................................................................................................77
Realistic Expectations
Desensitization and Counter-conditioning Techniques
Human Aggression Therapy ........................................................................................................................................ 82
References, Resources and Supplies ................................................................................................87

Copyright © 2018 Linda Michaels. All rights reserved. Do not sell, license, modify, reproduce, publish, adapt, edit or create derivative works.
Sharing online, use by parties other than the buyer, or sale of this training manual is prohibited.

Chapter 1
Before You Get a Dog and Begin Training
How to Find a Dog That Fits Your Lifestyle

Before You Fall in Love
A new dog romping around the house provides constant entertainment and unconditional love,
but be prepared to train, exercise, and care for that puppy or rescue dog for a lifetime. When you
make the decision to bring a dog into your family, it’s a serious responsibility that requires
forethought and commitment. Once you fall in love, it’s often too late to turn back. Plan carefully
and choose wisely. Here’s how.
Choose a dog that fits your lifestyle and family.
All puppies are adorable so make a list of

• Must have traits
• Flexible traits
• Won’t have traits
Stick to your list. All breeds can be either wonderful or problematic with children, depending on
whether or not the dog and the children have been trained to interact appropriately with each
other. Children under six years of age are particularly challenging to safely introduce to a dog for
parents who may already have their hands full.
In order to provide a proper “forever home”, choose a dog or puppy that fits your family, home,
and lifestyle as well as possible.
Consider a dog’s:
• Age
• Size

• Activity level
• Breed
• Average longevity
• Predisposition to medical problems
• Hair length/shedding and grooming maintenance needs
Learn how to care for the new dog before you bring one home. You
wouldn’t bring a human baby home and then figure out how to care for
it. DogStarDaily.com has an informative free resource you can
download to help you prepare your family and home for a new dog,
Before You Get Your Puppy, by puppy guru, Ian Dunbar, DVM, Ph.D.
Adopting a dog or puppy. Shelters and rescue groups are great sources to find your forever
companion - and what a great feeling you will have when you save a life! Adoptable dogs are
already neutered/spayed and have up-to-date vaccinations and microchips. Although puppies are
extremely and impossibly cute, a house-trained adult dog may make an easier transition into your
home life.
Local and breed-specific adoption agencies, shelters, and rescue groups have thousands of good
dogs of every breed, size, age, and description who are looking for forever homes. Check out
Petfinder or the Best Friends Animal Society. Research the rescue or shelter and try to find a
rescue group or facility that has met not only your dog’s biological needs, but is aware of her
emotional, social, and cognitive needs, a rescue who supports “Do No HarmTM”/force-free
training methods. Rescues and shelters who already use the Hierarchy of Dog Needs guide help
insure your dog has been treated well in their care.
Adopting during the holiday season is especially popular. For example, the Helen Woodward
Animal Center holiday adoption drive partners with nearly 3,500 animal organizations
worldwide to find homes for orphaned pets.
If you choose not to adopt: How to identify a good breeder and a healthy puppy
Avoid supporting online puppy mills that typically ship a puppy to you. You want to verify the
breeding protocols so you will receive a healthy puppy.
Here are some questions you should ask your prospective breeders.
• May I visit the place where your puppies are bred?

• What can you tell me about the health of your dogs’ ancestors?
• Who bred each parent and how can I get in touch with them?
• What did the grandparents die of, and how old were they? Just like people, the best
predictors of puppy health are the longevity of parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.

• What sort of temperament and personalities do the
parent dogs have? Temperament is genetic and
personality is the result of how that temperament is
modified by socialization and the dog’s environment.
• What kind of socialization do you give your puppies?
• What do you feed them?
• Do you vaccinate them before they leave for their
new homes?
See Kerosote, 2014, for a brilliant account of the factors impacting dog longevity.
The best breeders raise your puppy indoors around a variety of people, including strangers and
children outside of the immediate family. They also introduce the puppy to dogs outside of the
litter and home-dogs, so your puppy is both people and dog-friendly.
Visit the mother dog and inspect the entire kennel grounds to insure that the facility meets your
standards of kind treatment and cleanliness. The adult dogs should not be fearful or aggressive.
Be prepared to wait for a puppy. Good breeders won’t release a puppy under seven weeks old
and they breed a limited number of litters per year. If possible, visit your puppy regularly from
weeks 4-8 to nurture the human-animal bond.
By the time your puppy is seven weeks old, they should have been
• Handled every day
• Met dozens of people, including calm children
• Heard all sorts of noises on a low to medium level
• Met numerous vaccinated friendly dogs of all ages and breeds
• Had remedial housetraining, chew-toy training, and prevention of separation anxiety training.
A good breeder:
• Provides medical records of tests performed. That’s what we call “papers”. If the breeder
has not posted their dogs’ health certifications on their websites, ask if these tests had
been done, and if they have not, remove these dogs and this breeder from your list
immediately. If you don’t, you could be setting yourself up for a painful emotional
experience and huge financial risk with the puppy.
• Provides health guarantees
• Provides several generations of pedigree lineage
• Encourages you to check their veterinary and other references.
For a breeder referral, you may contact a breeder who lists on the Puppy Culture Breeder Map,
although there is no Puppy Culture certification process and these breeders are self-selected.
You may want to visit the AKC Future Dog Owner pages as well.

How to select a puppy from a litter. Choose a puppy that all members of your family like, and
a puppy that likes everyone in the family. Choose a puppy that is huggable if that is important to
you, however, most dogs do not like to be hugged; it is a human desire. Contrary to popular
myth, the most easily-trained pick of the litter is often the middle puppy rather than the largest,
smallest, most, or least active puppy. Choose a puppy who can hold their own ground without
pushing the other puppies around. Observe the puppies interacting with each other and with their
mother for at least two hours in order to evaluate current behavior, elimination habits, and chew
habits already being practiced.
Preparing your home for your puppy. The first week at home will be the most important week
in your puppy or new dog’s life. Proficient housetraining, chew-toy training, and separation
anxiety prevention training should begin at once. See these articles for more information: The 10
Do’s and Don’ts of Successful Housetraining and Chew This Not That.
Your dog is likely to be a “character”…but that’s truly part of their charm! Most importantly,
choose a dog or puppy breed that will be a good fit for the primary caretaker and your family.
Choose a dog that is the right size for you. If you love lap dogs, a large or giant breed may be too
big to sit on your lap, although Great Danes have figured out how to do it! Choose a dog whose
activity level matches your family’s activity level. If you are a couch potato, a herding breed may
not want to lay around the house with you. Choose a dog whose personality and genetic traits
match your family. If you’re looking for an easy-going house pet who is a social butterfly, dogs
bred to guard may not suit you. Whatever dog you choose, remember that you’re making a life-
long promise to not only care for your dog and meet their needs, but to train them using Do No
HarmTM methods.

How to Find a Good Dog Trainer
With the overwhelming variety of dog training collars and methods advertised, it is often
frustrating for pet parents to find the best trainer. Please remember this: The safest, as well as the
most effective methods are based on force-free/pain-free/fear-free scientific principles. The
consequences of using other methods not only include a high risk of psychological and medical
injury, but they are entirely unnecessary. Renowned veterinary behaviorist and editor of
the Journal of Veterinary Behavior, Dr. Karen Overall (DVM, PhD), provides an outline in her
article aptly titled, “Good trainers: How to identify one” (Overall, K., et al., 2006).
This easy-to-use reference guide was developed for pet parents, dog trainers, veterinarians,
shelters, rescues, groomers, and other pet-related professionals. Pet parents can trust the trainer
they are considering is a good one, if that trainer adheres to the following guidelines:
“Good Training Tools: Safe and effective.

a) Small bite-sized treats
b) Leashes
c) Flat collars
d) Harnesses
e) Praise
f) Toys
Tools to Avoid: Cause anxiety, fear and may cause aggression.

a) Shock collars/ electric collars / e-collars/ static collar
b) Prong collars
c) “Correction” collars
d) Choke collars, choke chains
[e] Citronella collars (Editor insert)

Problematic Tools:
a) Flexi-lead
[b] Crates (overuse) (Editor insert)
What is positive training?

a) Based on a reward structure that encourages the dog to want to work more with you
b) Only reward based, there is no punishment or “correction”
c) Having the dog pay attention to something that is coupled with the reward [best standards
of training techniques include capturing, luring, and shaping.]
What about punishment?

a) Punishment increases anxiety and fear
b) Punishment ruins relationships
c) Punishment inhibits desired learning
d) Punishment does not tell the pet what to do
e) Punishment makes animals more reactive so it increases aggression and arousal. Any
animal that was already aggressive will become worse when punished.
f) Punishment increases the risk of physical and psychological injury. Dogs manhandled
with choke chains and prong collars often have laryngeal, esophageal, thyroidal, and
tracheal damage. Recurrent laryngeal nerve damage or paralysis may be detected by a
change in bark.
One good place to find a pre-vetted trainer who follows these guidelines is the Pet Professional
Guild trainer search page.
Supplies You Will Need for Training
Leash-Walking Equipment – Leash and Harness
Safety, comfort, and stress reduction are the most important criteria when selecting equipment
used for training.
We suggest:
• Leash: Four or six-foot leash. A short leash such as the Zero Shock is recommended for
dogs that are difficult to walk. (See Supplies)
• Harness: A front-clip harness is recommended for all dogs and puppies, including those
dogs that have developed a habit of pulling on the leash. A harness that attaches to the
leash at the breast plate is preferable, such as: the TRUE LOVE (Chai Amazon, See
Supplies), although some trainers prefer the back clip. There are benefits and drawbacks
to each. Small dogs that don’t pull may prefer a step-in harness.

The use of equipment that causes stress or pain, such as choke, prong, or electronic shock collars,
is strongly discouraged. These devices are at odds with the positive relationship pet parents want
to develop with their dogs, and may cause aggression and worsen behavior (Overall, 2006).
Additionally, medical research shows that stress to the neck causes injuries that include spinal
cervical injury, burst capillaries in the eyeballs, foreleg nerve damage, impairs breathing, and
damage that affects the function of the esophagus, and trachea. A regular flat collar is
recommended to hold ID tags but not to attach the leash.
Treats and Treat Bag
• Treats such as Ziwi-Peaks® dog food Venison and Fish (See Supplies), organic and nitrite-
free hot dogs, string cheese, or a homemade mixture of favorite treats cut to pea size
• Treat bag that attaches to you, to keep your hands free for training
Note: Be sure to inform your trainer right away if your dog has any food allergies.
Remember to relax and have fun with your dog!
Relaxing Tools
• Mat or throw rug for “Settle Down”

• Chew toys and food dispensers such as bully sticks, Durable Nylabone®, Kong®, Kong®
wobbler, P.L.A.Y® food delivery toy, sweet potato treats, plush squeaky toy, etc. (See
Supplies)

Chapter 2
Do No HarmTM Standards and Practices
Congratulations on your good judgment in deciding to be a positive pet parent and someone your
dog can trust! Dogs are an unparalleled gift to humankind and to each one of us personally. It’s
our job to love them, to care for them, and to teach them. Your decision will enhance your
relationship with your canine companion and best friend. Most people want to have a trusting,
loving, fun relationship with their new puppy or rescue dog. Here’s how to do it.
In order to communicate effectively with your dog, it’s important to build a foundation of good
management, benevolent leadership, and dog-friendly training. Let’s start with some basic
principles.

!
Laying the Groundwork for Force-free Do No HarmTM Training
Force-free Training Fundamentals
Training is a two-sided coin.
1. Behaviors that are rewarded will be repeated.
• Reward the behaviors you would like to see repeated. Rewards may be treats, affection, real-
life rewards, toys, or anything your dog likes or wants.
• Look for opportunities to say “Yes”. Pay close attention to your dog’s behaviors, and actively
identify and reward the behaviors she/he already does that you find desirable. Consistently
reinforced by you, these behaviors will be repeated and become routine automatic responses,
eventually becoming habits.
When your dog repeats a behavior, your dog is telling you that the behavior has benefited him/
her in the past to get what s/he wants.
What your dog wants is:

• Food
• Toys and chew items
• Attention
• Play
• Petting
• A walk
Figure out the relative value of each reward, so you can use it judiciously. The more challenging
the behaviors, the higher the reward required with your training plan.
2. Behaviors that are not rewarded will decrease in frequency and may disappear.

• Don’t inadvertently reward the behaviors you dislike.
• Use these non-aversive techniques for undesirable behavior:

a) Prevent or manage undesirable or dangerous behavior
b) Ignore undesirable behavior
c) Teach an alternate behavior to the undesirable behavior
In this manual, we will teach your dog the behaviors you want, such as “Sit” and “Come”, and
we will make these behaviors the behaviors that your dog will repeat in order to get the things
she/he wants.
Force-free Training: Choose any or all methods from the Hierarchy of Dog Needs.
• Management. To increase, redirect, decrease or eliminate behavior: Rearrange

environment. Remove or distance triggers. ex. baby gates, dog-friendly fencing, puppy-
proofing
• Antecedent Modification. To increase, decrease, or eliminate behavior: Change events

(triggers) that happen before the behavior
• Positive Reinforcement. To increase behavior: Rewards for desired behavior. ex.

capture, lure, shape
• Differential Reinforcement. To redirect, decrease or increase behavior: Reward for

preferred incompatible, alternate, other, or change in the rate of behavior
• Classical and Counter-Conditioning. To change emotion: Create new associations
• Desensitization. To decrease emotional response: Develop a systematic graduated

exposure therapy plan
Benevolent Leadership
Please be kind and patient with your dog. True leadership does not dominate, force, intimidate,
or employ other aversive techniques that cause fear or stress and damage your relationship with
your dog. Effective leadership confidently and calmly teaches your dog how to live happily with
people. All relationships thrive on trust, mutual respect, and good communication.
You already have all of the resources your dog wants. All you need to do is learn how to
manipulate the rewards in order to get the behavior that you want! There is never a need for
aversive methods.
Management
The benefits of good management are under-rated. Managing a situation rather than trying to

change your dog’s behavior is sometimes the easiest answer to a behavior problem for both you
and your dog. An example of using management is removing precious objects that your dog
might mistake for chew toys. Removing tempting food from the kitchen counter is another
example of using management. Use management to prevent problems and undesirable habits
from developing in the first place. You could spend 10 years trying to teach your dog to stay in
the yard and not chase the wildlife he sees in the canyon beyond your property. It would take a
great deal of effort and time…and it wouldn’t be reliable. If the right rabbit crossed his path, he
would be gone. Or, alternately, you could build a fence to solve the problem with management.
Let’s do what’s easiest for both you and your dog!
Containment Management
Containment as a management technique may help prevent frustration and it can speed up
learning. For example, until your dog has learned good household manners, teach your dog to
accept restrictions, such as crating at night for housetraining. Use a baby gate or an exercise pen
to cordon off a room in your home until more space in your home is earned (see Housetraining).
Always provide your dog with things to do, such as chewing or a Doggie Disneyland® setup.
After all, we all need things to do.
How Dogs Communicate

Dogs communicate with us primarily through:
1. Actions
2. Body language (See Body Language section)
3. Vocalizations
Consistency in Communication
Apply dog rules consistently. Dogs love routines. Make sure that all household members and
guests apply the rules consistently as well.
Have all members of your household, visitors, and employees agree upon and reinforce the
behaviors you want, and stop reinforcing the behaviors you don’t want. Consistency accelerates
the learning process for your dog. If you or others who interact with your dog send your dog
“mixed messages”, your dog cannot learn what is expected or wanted. Don’t ignore an unwanted
behavior one day and inadvertently reward it on another day. That’s not fair to your dog! Being
consistent and clear is being nice to your dog. Positive does not mean permissive. However, you
never need to hurt your dog physically or psychologically intimidate your dog in order to train
your dog. That is simply untrue. Do No HarmTM Training is not only safer and more humane, it’s
more effective than aversive training.
Using Food as a Reward

If you’ve ever taken a Psychology 101 course, you remember that food is a primary reinforcer.
Dogs love food and we all need food to survive. Food is a powerful training tool; so don’t let
anyone tell you it’s a bad idea to use food! Positive reinforcement training is an effective
training method, in part, because you hand-feed treats. Using food judiciously to both motivate

and reward is a method that quickly teaches new behaviors. Don’t worry; food rewards are
decreased after a behavior is well-learned.
Use a graduated treat system, starting with lower value treats when possible for manners/obedience
training, and switch to high value treats when required for difficult emotional issues.
Laying the groundwork for training includes meeting your dog’s physical and psychological
needs as outlined in the Hierarchy of Dog NeedsTM guide. Some of these needs are:
Nutrition
Nutrition affects the behavior of your dog. Improper diet causes behavioral as well as medical
problems in dogs just as it does in humans. You want your dog to thrive, so provide your dog with
high-quality dog food. Read the ingredients on labels, and choose a food with a specifically named
meat as the first ingredient. Avoid by-products, fillers, artificial preservatives, and artificial colors.
Poor quality food invites allergies and illness. At this time, my best brand recommendation is
ZiwiPeak, Orijen, Taste of the Wild, Wellness, and Merrick (human grade ingredients).
Exercise
Provide regular physical and mental exercise appropriate for your dog’s age and breed. Proper
exercise not only keeps your dog fit, it also decreases stress. Most dogs need to run. Use a lure/
chase toy, play upstairs fetch, or practice agility Hula HurdlesTM if your dog needs more exercise
than you do or if you have limited space.
Here is a list of biological needs from the Hierarchy of Dog NeedsTM that should be met.
• Proper nutrition
• Fresh water
• Sufficient exercise, air, sleep
• Indoor shelter
• Safety
• Temperature control
• Gentle grooming
• Gentle veterinary care
Enrichment
Provide enrichment for your dog with ongoing training, games, toys, and jobs for your dog in
order to improve the quality of life and to enhance your relationship. Meet your dog’s social
needs with regular walks, outings, and activities. Consider participating in dog sports to provide
novelty and to increase your dog’s confidence.

Environmental Enrichment
By April Bove-Rothwell
The overall goal of enrichment is to increase the behavioral repertoire of an animal. Enrichment
goes far beyond just encouraging natural behaviors; it has the power to modify behavior when
carefully planned and executed. Specific goals may include increasing natural behaviors like
food foraging in order to increase activity. Observing and evaluating your dog’s response to
enrichment is crucial to assess if it is meeting the goals of a behavior modification program.
Environmental enrichment is an effective behavior modification tool that is often overlooked.

Providing a stimulating environment enhances the physical and psychological well-being of an
animal by allowing them to express the range of behaviors typical of their species.
Environmental enrichment may significantly alleviate boredom or stress, as well as prevent or
modify maladaptive behaviors caused by boredom, stress, or fear. It both passes time and
expends energy. Enrichment allows dogs to express natural behaviors appropriately with games
and enrichment devices instead of the undesirable behaviors, such as incessant barking or
chewing inappropriate items.
Environmental enrichment can be categorized by each of the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste,
and touch. An enrichment program should aim to utilize all of the senses in various combinations.
Food is a very popular method of enrichment. Presenting food in a variety of feeders, locations and
times throughout the day is very enriching. A dog’s diet can be easily presented in a variety of ways
(whole, chopped, frozen, blended), hidden in different locations, or scattered to promote foraging.
Tactile enrichment provides dogs with different surfaces or substrates with which to interact. Puzzle
feeders are a tactile enrichment that increase foraging time and enhance problem-solving behaviors.
Changing the locations and times dogs spend in different areas of the home adds variety to a
dog’s day. Exploring areas where other dogs have been allows dogs to smell objects used by
others. They may also benefit from increased visual access to other dogs, but need to be able to
retreat if desired.
Enrichment works because it influences behavior, even when we are not present. In-home
environments may become predictable and boring, especially when there are behavior problems
that make it difficult to bring the dog outside. A variety of enrichment items should be provided
and can include interactive food-based toys like stuffed Kongs®, sand boxes with hidden toys for
digging, games like hide and seek (with you or their toys), nose work with items like scented
boxes, and tug toys to encourage play behavior. Enrichment gives dogs choice, which tends to
increase overall welfare and the likelihood of thriving.
Enrichment, along with positive training, helps dogs cope with the unnatural human world we
thrust upon them and increases their physical and mental well-being, so they can live happy lives.
Adapted from BARKS from the Guild (2016) “Living In A Human World” by April Bove-Rothwell.

The Hierarchy of Dog Needs® Guide and How to Use It
Download the Hierarchy of Dog Needs® Guide.
Welcome to the new era in dog training.
Marking the emergence of the force-free age in the field of dog training, The Hierarchy of Dog
Needs™ is a naturally logical and progressive paradigm whose time has come. The Hierarchy of
Dog Needs is a wholistic system of care that takes a clear, ethical stand on dog needs and dog
training devices and methods. It is supported by scientific evidence and makes no apologies for
embracing protective ethics concerning our beloved dogs.
The hierarchy infographic was designed to be a stand-alone piece covering as much critical
territory in as little space as possible. It is simply a guide to animal wellness and Do No HarmTM
force-free training. It addresses as many primary needs and force-free training methods as
possible, although of course, no infographic can convey all things to all pet professionals.
The Hierarchy of Dog Needs infographic and handbook are teaching tools for industry
professionals as well as guides for pet parents. Anyone who interacts with or studies dogs, or any
animal for that matter, can use it successfully. It is a straightforward, force-free alternative to

some of the most popular teaching paradigms now available. The Hierarchy of Dog Needs is
internationally in use by veterinary behaviorists, veterinarians, dog trainers (including working-
dog and police-dog trainers), groomers, shelters, rescues, animal welfare advocates, as well as
pet parents. It is being translated into French, Spanish, Italian, Norwegian, and Portuguese for
our international friends and partners. Add the necessary professional attributes of competency,
accountability, and transparency in advertising, and voila, we pet professionals can deliver the
proper care and training to our dogs that they so deserve.
Understanding behavior using quadrants is a way of categorizing response frequency, however,

attempting to put every behavior response into a quadrant is not always helpful or necessarily the
best approach to understanding behavior modification and training needs. The Hierarchy of Dog
Needs infographic is not offered as a treatise on Learning Theory or the Skinnerian Quadrants,
for those familiar with academics, but as a guide to dog care and training. An example given by
scientific advisor Dr. Luis Suoto (personal communication, 2015) aptly points out, “The main
message and the paramount goal of The Hierarchy of Dog Needs is clear. By introducing further
nuances and provisos, even after writing an exhaustive (and exhausting to read) set of rules, we
would still, unavoidably, be simplifying reality anyway.”
The handbook elaborates on each need and each training method. It is fully referenced, to help
force-free practitioners defend their ethical stance on animal welfare and provides citations for
readers to ensure scientific-based methods. It also gives examples of each training method for
some of the most common behavioral problems and the most difficult ones, such as
housetraining, excessive barking, jumping, fear/aggression, and more. Training situations can be
managed by using the force-free protocols listed in The Hierarchy of Dog Needs. Happy Dog =
Happy Pet Parent.
The joys, challenges, and responsibilities of pet parenting; love and care, fit well with The
Hierarchy of Dog Needs model and the relationships we hope to enhance. There is an
increasingly strong dog-human bond in our society and for this reason it is fitting that this new
dog-needs paradigm was developed. Finding a term that fully expresses the bonded and joyful
relationship we have with our pets has been a challenging task. The Hierarchy of Dog Needs has
adopted the term “pet parent”. Many dog owners now consider their dogs to be members of the
family, not property, and we encourage this sentiment. Deng (2014) notes, “Companion animals
play an important role in our lives and are now considered to be and treated as family members
in a majority of households in the United States”.
Of primary importance, and not to be discounted, is the value of an enhanced relationship the pet
parent nurtures with their dog – which is after all, what most pet parents are seeking. We nurture
and develop social skills and confidence in our dogs by meeting all of our dog’s real needs. We
set the stage for optimal well-being by using force-free training, instead of instilling fear and
potentiating aggression.
Do No Harm is fast becoming the gold standard of care throughout the dog training field. Pet
parents and professionals are now applying behavior modification methods that are most likely

to Do No Harm, physically or psychologically. The time has come to chart a new course and
make responsible dog training method materials available to all.
For the Pet Professional: How and Why to Use the Hierarchy of Dog Needs (HDN)
Use The Hierarchy of Dog Needs to open doors to conversations with other pet professionals and
with clients. The Hierarchy of Dog Needs encourages your clients to invest in a total program of
care and training because it illustrates how comprehensive needs and force-free training methods
are connected.
Working up the pyramid, The Hierarchy of Dog Needs can help the pet professional to identify
unmet needs, undermet needs, behavior problems, as well as areas of interest to the client.
Working down the list of training methods on the left side of the pyramid, you can outline to
the client how you will be addressing these issues. These methods may be used in any order.
Assessing Dog and Client Needs and Developing a Training Plan using The Hierarchy of
Dog Needs
The Hierarchy of Dog Needs can help to identify the primary, secondary and other problems
affecting the dog and help guide the path of training. It can help you assess both dog and client
needs and create a comprehensive training plan. The checklist at the bottom of the page helps to
keep care and training on track for private or class client handouts. You can add your pet
professional signature and logo in the left corner to clearly identify the service you provide.
By design, the Hierarchy encourages force-free professionals to refer to and support other force-
free professionals for the well-being of the whole dog.
The Hierarchy of Dog NeedsTM was designed for pet professionals such as:
• Integrative, progressive and holistic veterinarians

• Veterinary technicians and assistants
• Force-free dog trainers
• Manners trainers
• Agility trainers
• Service dog trainers
• Working Dog trainers
• Therapy Dog trainers
• Canine Good Citizen® trainers and evaluators
• Gentle groomers
• Rescues group directors and representatives
• Foster pet parents
• Responsible breeders
• Animal shelter management and employees

• Dog daycare operators
• Meetup organizers
• Pet supply store owners
• Pet food manufacturers and distributors
• Dog walkers
• Pet sitters
• Pet photographers
• Pet professional website designers
• T-touch practitioners
• Pet therapists
• Pet chiropractic and acupressure specialists
• Force-free-friendly media: TV, radio, webinars, authors, bloggers, social media,
podcasts
• And more
Here are some ideas of how you can use The Hierarchy of Dog Needs:
1. Examples for Veterinarians
• Veterinarians are encouraged to share the Hierarchy of Dog Needs with colleagues,
patients, trainers, and in speaking engagements. As the primary contact professionals,
veterinarians are in a position to make the greatest impact on the physical and
psychological well-being of the dogs under their loving care.
2. Examples for Private and Class Dog Training
• Many clients want recommendations on Nutrition and Exercise.
• A conversation on Emotional Needs and Trust often reveals fearful or aggressive

behavior a qualified trainer may want to address.
• When discussing Social Needs/Attachment I often discover a separation/attachment

issue or disorder with pet parents, or with other family dogs.
• The “Do No Harm” Management and Learning section can be a nice segue to discuss
previous training, while laying a foundation for force-free training.
• Outline a teaching manual for private or class training, or lectures/demonstrations (in

training packets, not packets for sale.)
• Create a poster of The Hierarchy of Dog Needs: Post The Hierarchy of Dog Needs on
your classroom wall. You may have a print company create a poster for you…but
remember you are not allowed to sell the poster.
• The Hierarchy of Dog Needs can also be used as a handout or included in training
packets by trainers for classes.

For example, trainers may include the information provided in the Gentle Grooming
section to help the client’s dog learn to tolerate and even enjoy grooming with the right
gentle grooming professional. Grooming should be gentle in order to avoid creating
anxiety, fear, and possibly aggression.
• Develop a Lesson Guide Using The Hierarchy of Dog Needs:
1. Upon arriving at the home or to your first class, hand the client a copy of the
hierarchy and begin assessing needs and discussing methods, making notes on
your master copy.
2. Address needs and each topic that you feel competent and comfortable teaching.
3. Then discuss the methods you’ll be using from the force-free training methods
chart on the left side of the handout.
4. Basic manners skills may be taught as part of the Force-free training sections
when explaining behavior modification methods. Capturing, luring, and shaping
can be done in the context of teaching: name response, sit, down, and stay.
5. Problem behavior can be addressed in the Differential Reinforcement, Counter-

conditioning, and Desensitization methods sections.
6. Refer back to The Hierarchy of Dog Needs as you progress through your lessons
to reinforce these methods in your client’s mind. We want our clients to refer to
force-free methods to solve problems that arise and stay on the force-free track
when you’re not there to guide them.
• Increase Your Bottom Line:
Ask the client to review the Hierarchy infographic and to make notes about problem
areas that are important to them, to help you uncover training topics that can be put
on the list of “Things To Do” with that client. Increase the number of sessions that
may be required to adequately address the underlying motivations for problem
behavior and the various contexts where it may be occurring.
3. Examples for Rescues and Shelters
• Adopted Dogs: A copy of the Hierarchy of Dog Needs infographic can go into the take-
home packet with each newly adopted dog and puppy.
• Kennels: Posting a laminated copy of the Hierarchy infographic on the gate to each and
every kennel, to remind everyone who enters what to do and how to do it force-free can

help make your kennel truly dog-friendly.
• Staff and Foster Pet Parents: A copy of the Hierarchy of Dog Needs infographic can be
inserted in the guidance packets for each foster parent and used to educate staff.
4. Examples for Responsible Breeders
• Provide a copy of The Hierarchy of Dog Needs infographic in the educational and
guidance packets of each new pet parent.
5. Examples for Speakers and Presentations in All Animal-related Professions
• The Hierarchy of Dog Needs may be used in speaker presentations as a guide to

explaining either very specific issues referenced in the hierarchy itself, or the training
methods, or both. For example, a brachycephalic bully breed rescue group may choose to
focus on the need for air.
• Lecture/Demonstration Guide: The Hierarchy of Dog Needs may be used as a lecture and
demonstration guide along with Force-free training methods in classes, for example in
discussions on Trust, Choice, and Social Needs. It can also be posted on the wall for an
easy reference graphic.
6. Examples for Groomers
• Groomers can point to grooming as a Biological Need, in addition to grooming’s well-

known cosmetic function. The Hierarchy can highlight the importance of proper and
gentle grooming. Grooming is also a health issue. Proper hygiene, removal of fur nests
that may serve as havens for bacteria, and proper nail clipping are necessary so that long
nails do not impede the walking gait or the structural functions of the spine.
7. Examples for Pet Bloggers
• The topics in the Hierarchy make great blog material. Please send your Hierarchy of Dog
Needs related blogs to LindaPositively@gmail.com and they may be shared on the
Hierarchy website or Facebook page.
Your photos using the Hierarchy of Dog Needs in any professional capacity are welcome,
especially if they feature cute animals!
Using the Hierarchy of Dog Needs in products sold for profit is prohibited.

Grazing GamesTM
The easiest, scientifically endorsed methods to train and socialize your dog involve food. If we
couldn’t go to the grocery store and bring home bags of groceries, we would be asking, “Who’s got
the food? What can I do for the people who have the food?” Use your dog’s ration of food calories
to train basic skills and to help your dog overcome socialization difficulties. Food can be used as a
reward, to enhance emotional connections, and to dispel fear. It can effectively focus, redirect,
distract, and calm a hyperactive, fearful, or noise-phobic dog, and safely treat all types of
aggression. Dogs are born scavengers. Setting up grazing opportunities gives your dog a dog-job
that he enjoys and that keeps him out of trouble. Here are some of my favorite Grazing GamesTM:
Scatter breakfast and/or dinner. There’s no need to feed from a bowl. That’s something humans,
not dogs, like to do. Your dog will find every last piece of premium-quality kibble you’ve thrown
out on the patio, walkway, or lawn while you read the newspaper and have your coffee.
Use food to change emotions. Desensitize a fear of the car, location, noise, person, or other dog
by scattering high-value food, paired with a low-intensity version of the feared stimulus.
Greeting protocol/redirect doorbell barking. Upon hearing the doorbell, redirect your dog
from running to the front door and barking, to running to the back door and out into the yard
where you routinely scatter treats all over the patio, walkways, or lawn. While your dog is busy,
go answer the door. Let your dog inside when calm.
Separation anxiety/housetraining. Pet parents often mistake a separation anxiety issue for a
housetraining problem. If you suspect your dog may be afraid to go outside without you, scatter
kibble for grazing in the yard but avoid the dog’s elimination area.

Housetraining accidents. Scatter treats over thoroughly cleaned urination and defection areas.
Dogs don’t like to eliminate where they eat.
Marking. Scatter treats on thoroughly-cleaned, previously marked areas to help eliminate

marking. Dogs don’t like to eat where they’ve eliminated and vice versa. Also scatter treats on
any new or novel items brought into the home to prevent marking.
Crate training. Scatter food over the floor of the crate to diffuse fearfulness.
Environmental enhancement. Grazing makes any environment feel safer and more interesting.
Animal behavior icons from Skinner to Pavlov, and progressive zoos worldwide, manage very
large and potentially dangerous animals by using the power of food judiciously and wisely. Your
dog is easy to train by comparison!
Originally published in the UT San Diego by Linda Michaels.
The Top Dos and Don’ts for Successful Housetraining
If you’re reading this before you get your puppy—good for you! If possible, have everything
ready before your puppy comes home. To help you and your puppy start off on the right paw
from day one, I highly recommend the renowned puppy primer by Dr. Ian Dunbar, Before and
After You Get Your Puppy. If you have a new puppy or an older dog who was never reliably
housetrained, or who has regressed back to making mistakes, it is time to institute or revisit
housetraining protocols. Housetrain your dog using a plan that your dog can understand.
From day one, the key words are containment, both short-term and long-term, and reward
opportunities. Confinement in a crate for night-time and in a small area during the day with an
indoor sod tray or puppy pad is necessary until your pup earns more space in your house. Ample
opportunities for elimination with food rewards will have your dog looking forward to getting on

the leash to go to the chosen spot in your yard to eliminate in order to get a yummy treat.
Here’s how to set your puppy up for success:
1. Do crate your puppy in your bedroom at night with enough room for him to stretch out
comfortably. When puppy cries, get up and take him to his elimination spot—either a puppy
pad near the door, or outside.
Don’t allow your puppy to eliminate in his crate.
2. Do limit your dog’s access to the house unless he has

recently eliminated. During the day, contain your dog
using an X-pen with a sod tray or puppy pad inside
when you are housetraining. An extra bedroom, or the
kitchen, with a baby gate will also do nicely. Over time,
if your puppy is error-free, enlarge your dog’s space. If
your dog has an accident, decrease space but please be
judicious and expect occasional errors at the start. If
your dog pees in his bed area, elevate the bed in the X-
pen. Dogs don’t like to eliminate where they sleep!
Don’t allow your dog to roam around your home until she earns more space in the house—
one room at a time. You may order FreshPatch.com to have a container of sod delivered
weekly to your home. Puppy pads are useful mainly for urination training, although some
small dogs who live in condos have learned to defecate on puppy pads as well. Your dog may
need to be trained to eliminate on sod if you have used puppy pads, although dogs naturally
prefer a soil substrate for elimination.
3. Do give your puppy a yummy treat then praise exuberantly every time they complete
elimination in a proper location. Use a high-value food reward. You want these events and
this experience to make an indelible positive impression on your dog’s memory. This is so
worth celebrating!
Don’t ignore the successes.
4. Do remember that your puppy won’t have full bladder control until 16-20 weeks of age.
Do forgive mistakes.
Don’t be impatient.
5. Do provide elimination opportunities at least once per hour for puppies, once every 2-3 hours
for adult dogs and:
• Immediately upon rising in the morning
• ½ hour after your dog eats or drinks

• As soon as you walk into the house — get your dog, walk
directly outside with your dog on-leash for a potty break
before greeting your dog.
• After playing with your dog
• After exercising or walking your dog
• Before bed
•Whenever your think your dog looks worried, is casting
about, goes to hide or you think he or she might eliminate.
Don’t think because your puppy can “hold it” through the
night that she can do the same during the day.
6. Do use a non-punishing interrupt sound, such as the clap of

your hands, if your puppy makes a mistake while you are
watching. Completely ignore the mistake itself, but turn it into a correct response by bringing
the puppy or new adult dog to the correct elimination area. Then as soon as your dog
completes elimination in the correct place, reward her. This is the number one housetraining
trick and the basis of force-free training — rewarding for the right behavior, not punishing
for a wrong behavior. If your puppy makes a mistake while you are not watching, just clean it
up and don’t allow your puppy out of your sight or without an available “toilet” again!
Don’t yell or stick your dog’s nose into a mess. Punishing or sticking your dog’s nose in a
mistake won’t teach him where to eliminate. Your dog will “learn” not to eliminate while you
are watching and may hide somewhere to eliminate, such as behind the couch.
7. Do take your dog out on a leash. Determine where in the yard your dog prefers to eliminate.
It can help if your dog chooses her own favorite spot. Use the same spot EACH TIME.
• Use a cue such as “Go Potty” or one that you prefer as a “trigger” for elimination.
• Allow no more than the length of a 6-foot leash for your puppy or grown dog to decide
on a spot while you stand stationary. You may pace just a few short feet in one direction
and then the other.
• Allow just 5 minutes of elimination opportunity, using your watch or phone. If your
puppy or new dog does not eliminate, go back inside — puppy’s opportunity window is
over for right now. After 1 hour, try again for 5 minutes.
• While your puppy is eliminating and relaxing the elimination muscles, let her know that
she is on the right track by speaking a verbal cue in a calm voice. I use, “Good, good,
good”, then reward.
• If your dog will not eliminate in your yard for some reason, try having another dog
eliminate in your yard so your dog is likely to mark it.
• Get a puppy pad scented with a scent trigger and place it where you would like your dog
to eliminate.
Don’t let your dog go out to eliminate alone. He may become distracted and find something

fun to do outside, then come back and eliminate in the house!
8. Do feed on a routine schedule so you can track your dog’s elimination needs. Not only
should you feed your dog on a routine schedule, but you need to remove all uneaten food
after approximately 15 minutes. Take note of your dog’s eating and elimination schedule.
Note: Dogs should have water available to them at all times.
Don’t allow your puppy to feed freely all day from her food bowl.
9. Do clean up soiling thoroughly. If you don’t remove your dog’s scent completely from a floor
or carpet, your puppy will identify that spot as a toilet. We strive to set our puppy up for
success from day one at home. However, if a mistake does occur, you must clean up
thoroughly. Your dog can smell his scent long after we can!
• Hard surfaces – Use a live enzymatic cleaner such as Anti-Icky Poo® (See Supplies).
Scent and stain removers alone won’t help with housetraining. Test for possible floor
damage first.
• Carpet, rugs, and upholstery – It may be very difficult to remove scent from carpeting,
however, a live enzyme pet odor remover is recommended. Urine may leak through
carpeting into the carpet pad and into a wood floor underneath if it was not recently
vinyl sealed. If this happens in your house, housetraining may be significantly slowed
or seemingly unachievable…and it’s not the dog’s fault!
After the solution dries, place scattered food or a food bowl on the soiled area.
Do use a urine blacklight to locate every area in your home where your pet or another pet
may have eliminated. Use a live enzymatic cleaner to eliminate the urine.
Don’t use household cleaners! They may contain ammonia and may actually trigger your dog
to eliminate in your home!
Note: Don’t let your pup watch you cleaning up a mistake. She may associate the waving of
paper towels with playing and associate playing with indoor urination!
10. Do speed housetraining by devoting at least a long weekend to

housetraining protocols.
Don’t slow housetraining by being inconsistent. Your puppy will

have trouble if you are haphazard about the rules.
If your puppy is making frequent “mistakes” after 3 weeks of training

and she is at least 12-20 weeks old — it’s not the puppy’s fault!
Somehow you are not communicating to your dog in a language she
can easily and clearly understand. Chances are:
• Your technique is not quite right
• Your family members are not being consistent.

Remember — supervise your partially house-trained puppy at all times! Your dog’s location
options are: in the crate, on a leash attached to you, in the x-pen or bathroom with an appropriate
elimination spot available within a few feet from you, or outside with you. Every time you miss a
signal telling you that elimination is on its way, such as sniffing or circling, you are extending the
time it’s going to take to house-train!
If you continue to have problems or suspect a medical condition, please visit your veterinarian to
rule out any possible medical cause such as a urinary tract infection.
IF SAFE, the most practical and kindest thing that you can do to help insure reliable house-
training is to install a doggie door that leads to a secure area where your puppy or new dog can
eliminate at will once fully housetrained. Your dog will thank you.
Above all, be patient with your puppy or dog. He has a lot to learn about the new rules of living
in a house but he will learn quickly if you use the right techniques and if you are CONSISTENT
as pointed to in the apex of the Hierarchy of Dog NeedsTM.
Originally published in the Del Mar Village Voice by Linda Michaels.
Socialization
The most important thing your dog will ever learn
Dogs are social creatures, just as we are. Today pet parents know it’s important to socialize their
dogs, but they don’t necessarily know how to safely and effectively socialize their dog. Socialize
early, slowly, and carefully. Start carefully supervised ongoing socialization as early as possible.
It’s absolutely necessary in order to avoid problems such as fearfulness and/or aggression later in
your dog’s life. Socialization training opportunities in public should be practiced frequently and
regularly throughout your dog’s life. Socialize! Socialize! Socialize!
Please expose your puppy or dog to 100 new things in her first 100 days starting on Day One if

you want a happy, confident adolescent and adult dog that’s easy to live with. A puppy’s critical
socialization period is between 4 and 12 weeks old, however, now is a good time to help your
dog of any age learn to accept the whole world gracefully without fear or reactivity.
Daily handling, massage, and petting will benefit both you and your dog. It will strengthen the
bond between you, and keep your dog from becoming sensitive to touch. Nevertheless, let your
dog decide when she wants to be touched and for how long.
Your dog’s exposure to the world needs to include:
• People: All kinds of people especially your veterinarian, men, children, and strangers.
People wearing hats, sunglasses, using canes, wheelchairs, deep-voiced, and any type of
person your dog may encounter later in life.
• Other Dogs: All kinds as long as they are nice. All breeds, all sizes, all colors, all ages,
both sexes, fixed and unfixed, if friendly. Your puppy or dog needs to learn how to
respect the boundaries set by other dogs and how to draw her own boundaries as early in
life as possible. If possible, arrange play groups with dogs you know are dog-friendly and
vaccinated.
• Moving Objects and Loud Noises: Skateboards, joggers, bicycles. Loud trucks,
motorcycles, thunder, and fireworks. Cats, rabbits, and lizards.
• Situations: Riding in the car, shopping in malls, shopping in pet stores, settling in coffee
shops, riding in an elevator, and anything else you expect your dog may encounter during
a lifetime.
Confidently comfort your puppy or dog or increase distance from the feared object if she appears
frightened. By introducing new things slowly and confidently, you can avoid frightening your
pup and encourage calm acceptance. An easy way to remember the technique is to think of
introducing new or potentially frightening things in baby steps.

Vaccinations & Socialization Go Together
Pet parents are now aware of the necessity of providing dog/dog socialization opportunities for
their puppies. Nevertheless, when and how to do it is still misunderstood. This is largely because
many veterinarians, breeders, and pet store owners advise new pet parents to avoid socializing
their new puppy with other dogs until the age of four to six months in order to avoid exposure to
illnesses that vaccines protect against.
Veterinary experts in animal behavior, however, caution that the risk of developing behavioral
problems—especially aggression—outweighs the risk of developing disease in otherwise healthy
puppies. As early as 2004, renowned veterinarian, RK Anderson, published an open letter to his
veterinary colleagues titled Puppy Vaccination and Early Socialization Should Go Together.
Dr. Lynn Honeckman, DVM, (personal communication) tells us, “There is a very small window
of opportunity during which it is our job to teach our puppies that the world is a safe place.” So,
exactly how do you plan for the “lifetime of happiness” approach to puppy-raising?
When Should You Socialize Your Puppy?

Dr. Ian Dunbar is a veterinarian, an Animal Behavior PhD, and a pioneer in puppy training who
tells us that safe socialization during the first few weeks at home is of “extreme urgency.”
Indeed, Dunbar has launched the Puppy Raising Initiative explaining socialization imperatives
for puppies in the short “critical period” of social development—between four and twelve weeks
of age. “Puppies must be safely socialized to people; otherwise, during adolescence they will
likely become wary and fearful and may be aggressive towards people.” A propensity toward
aggression with stranger-dogs is equally likely without careful, proper socialization during
the critical period.
How to Socialize AND Protect Your Puppy

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior Position Statement on Puppy Socialization
advises that socialization in the first three months of life, before puppies are fully vaccinated,
should be the standard of care. Dr. Lee Harris (personal communication), a San Diego
veterinarian who studies canine behavior, wisely counsels, “Some common sense needs to be

exerted about providing well-chosen socialization.” The Pet Professional Guild offers a terrific
one-page guide with a checklist on one side and a “how-to” on the other side.
The organization Operation Socialization: Just Add Puppy offers easy to follow socialization
safety guidelines when socializing your puppy. The Society of Animal Behavior provides
guidance in a puppy socialization position statement. It states that, “Puppies need socialization
with other dogs, but those dogs must be well vaccinated and healthy.” Socializing with litter-
mates or in-house dogs is not sufficient.
What Happens to Dogs Who Are Not Socialized Early?

After the 4-to-12-week critical period window closes, the friendly socializing puppy that was
open to accepting the wide and wonderful world enters into a fear-acquiring developmental
period. So…unless you and your dog plan to live in the woods and need to protect yourselves
from marauders and wild dogs, preparing your dog to live peaceably and happily in a people and
dog-filled environment makes sense!
Failure to properly socialize early often results in aggression that is resistant to treatment,
dogfights, embarrassing and stressful barking/lunging walks, heartache, and pet abandonment.
Education is the Key

Dr. Karen Overall, Veterinarian, Diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Behavior
(ACVB) PhD, CAAB, explains, “Worldwide, it’s exceptional that veterinary specialists in
behavior are on faculty at veterinary schools, and yet the single biggest killer of pet dogs is
behavior problems. People need to realize that vets don’t know that much about problematic
behavior, or maybe even normal behavior. The single biggest reason people relinquish animals to
a shelter is a behavioral problem.”
Work closely with your veterinarian to keep your puppy current on her vaccinations or titer
testing but be proactive about your puppy’s socialization requirements. Discuss the current
scientific literature and work out a medically safe early socialization plan with your vet and a
private trainer or puppy class instructor, or ask your positive reinforcement behavioral consultant
for a veterinary referral.

Dog Park and Dog Beach
Who can resist getting your dog and family outdoors to catch the surf, soak up some rays, and
exercise together? Dog parks and dog beaches can be wonderful places to exercise and play with
your dog, however, they come with some built-in caveats as well. Make the right decisions at the
right time for your dog. Here’s how to stay safe, play safe, and learn practical skills for
successful dog beach and dog park adventures.
Safety Tips
• Do not bring food or treats into a dog park or dog beach area.
• Look for parks with separate large dog and small dog areas. Small dogs may accidentally
be injured by large, boisterous dogs during play. For beginners, and to avoid crowds, find
a nice quiet area away from the entrance area of greatest activity if possible. Some very
progressive private parks have four separate areas; one for small active dogs, one for
small quiet dogs, one for large active dogs, and one for large quiet dogs.
• Don’t overwhelm your dog. If your dog is a socializing beginner, go at quiet times of day
to allow your dog to acclimate to the new environment and to feel safe there.
• Then, arrive first so you dog can greet one stranger dog at a time.
• Move away from the entry gate as soon as possible. That’s where all the other dogs rush
to meet newcomers at a dog park.
• Start games with one dog, then two, then four, etc., and monitor how your dog is doing
with each increasing level of intensity.

• Forgo dog parks or beaches when temperatures are extreme with heat, cold, or ice.
Exercise early in the morning or later in the evening, especially during summer.
• Provide small amounts of fresh water in order to avoid bloat/gastric torsion associated
with exercise and gulping water. Offer fresh water that is cool, not ice cold.
• Offer frequent breaks with shady rest. Your dog won’t know when to stop when they are
aroused.
• Evaporation has a cooling effect. Pour some cool, not cold, fresh water down your dog’s
back and/or rub a bit on the stomach.
• Educate yourself on the symptoms of heatstroke, especially if you have a senior dog or a
dog with a short upper respiratory tract, such as a Pug, Boston Terrier, Pekingese, etc.
The first signs are increased panting and gums/tongue which are dry, sticky and
discolored (bright pink, reddish or purple). If your dog begins to vomit, become unsteady,
or pass bloody diarrhea, take your dog to the veterinary emergency hospital immediately.
• Dogs should not wear gear, collars, or harnesses that are unsafe for group play.
• Use baby sunscreen on noses, thin-skinned and light-coated dogs, and upright ears – all
those pink spots.
• Young children should not be allowed to run or play in dog parks. Children playing with
their own dog in a high-intensity environment may be at risk. Other dogs may join in and
dogs can be unpredictable. Don’t bring babies, toddlers, or young grade schools kids into
a busy dog park. Nancy Kerns, Chief Editor of the Whole Dog Journal, tells us, “A small
child who gets knocked down and starts to scream is like a magnet to some dogs. It gives
me shivers.” Children, the elderly, young puppies, senior dogs, and small dogs mixed in
with a group of big rowdy dogs may be at risk of being hurt even quite accidentally.
Supervise older children at all times.
• Most dog parks have signage with instructions.

Attorney Kenneth M. Phillips, owner and author of
dogbitelaw.com, warns pet parents about possible
legal problems that include: inappropriate dogs
visiting dog parks resulting in dog fights and bites/
injuries, canine business-owners who bring in as
many as 6 -10 dogs to a park at one time, and pet
parents not cleaning up after their pet resulting in
possible disease transmission. Understand that when
you enter, you enter at you and your dog’s own risk.

You waive your rights and assume all risks if your dog is injured or hurt.
• Watch the dogs. Pat Miller, Behavioral Editor for the Whole Dog Journal, tells us that at
least half of the problems seen at the dog parks stem from inappropriate human behavior.
It’s the pet parent’s responsibility to observe and monitor their dog’s interactions at all
times. Talking distractedly on a cell phone or with other pet parents isn’t fair to your dog
or to the other dogs who are playing.
• Train a reliable recall for better dog park off-leash reliability.
Dogs are, after all, cognitively comparative to 2-year old children their entire lives. They simply
can’t be trusted to make good decisions by our standards on any regular basis. Plus, they play by
their own rules. It’s up to us to learn to keep them safe, protect them, and to provide great
exercise and fun!
What is My Dog Saying at the Dog Park? by Carol Byrnes is available online for pet parents and
trainers who want to learn more.
Body Language
Ever get the feeling that your dog is talking to you? You’re right. If you’ve longed to know
what’s going on in your dog’s head, and to communicate interactively, here’s a surefire way to
connect. Learn to read what your dog is saying to you and learn to speak to your dog in a
language your dog can understand — body language.
Your dog talks to you in three straightforward ways: via behavior, with body language and by
vocalizing. Hone your observational skills to decode your dog’s messages. Then respond with

clear hand signals in order to communicate most effectively. Body language is the bridge to
communicating with your dog.
Listening/Observing
Start with listening. Your dog’s body language broadcasts clear giveaways to their feelings.
Don’t ignore it. An example given by Dr. Lynn Honeckman (personal communication, 2015),
veterinary behavior expert explains, “We can learn to read the body language of dogs displaying
happiness, curiosity, anxiety, fear and hostility. Even learning the basics of interpreting a dog
displaying ‘approachable’ versus ‘stay away’ body language can be of the greatest benefit.”
Here’s what to look for.
Tails
A relaxed flag-waving tail often means “I love you” but a raised twitching tail or a tail held
horizontal to the ground may be an aggressive display. Fearful dogs often display a low tail or
tail tucked between the legs. There’s some difficulty reading the “tail language” of a dog with a
stubby tail and that puts both you and other dogs trying to read your dog’s body language at a
disadvantage. For more details on tail carriage, please see this PPG article.
Ears
Floppy ears generally indicate calm, but erect ears means “I’m on alert” and your dog is deciding
how to react. Flattened ears may be your dog telling the world she is afraid. Behaviors on-leash,
such as hiding behind you, freezing, or trying to go the opposite direction lets you know
something is wrong. Change the situation so she can relax.
Body Posture
Body posture is another emotion indicator. Forward leaning with a stiff body are warnings to
back off. If your dog freezes over the food bowl or fixates on another dog, a bite may follow.
Vocalizations
Vocalizations such as whining, growling and barking are your dog’s way of telling you she is
uncomfortable. Whines often mean, “I’m scared, help me” or “I want something” whereas a
growl is a warning. Barks have a lot of different meanings, depending on the context.
Listen for Doggie Disorders

Following you from room to room, escape attempts, housetraining regression, or destructive
behavior are some classic symptoms of separation/attachment problems. Your dog is not a happy
camper. Fears may be treated with very slow acclimation and exposure to the troubling stimulus.
Use baby-step socialization desensitization for confidence building. Dogs with human aggression
or serious dog/dog aggression problems need professional help.
Talk Back with Rewards

When your dog does something “all by herself” that you’d like to see more of, such as sitting or
making eye-contact on leash, “capture” it by immediately providing a treat. Behaviors that are

rewarded are repeated, so reward what you like regularly and frequently and you’ll get more and
more of what you want. Use “luring” with a treat to get a jump-start on a new behavior. You may
want to use a clicker to “mark” a behavior before you reward.
Developing a good relationship with your dog is two-way street. Stay positive. Don’t correct…
redirect. Punishment and old school dominance training methods produce anxiety and may cause
aggression, making a troubling behavior even worse. Learning to look at the world from your
dog’s point of view will help you understand and respond appropriately to dog talk so you can
both be happy!
What is My Dog Saying? by Carol Byrnes is available online for pet parents and trainers who
want to learn more.
Preventing Separation Anxiety
Separation Anxiety (SA) Disorder can be both a devastating condition for your dog and a heart-
wrenching experience for you. When left alone, these dogs may experience what is akin to a
panic attack in humans. The good news is that SA is largely a result of over-attachment to pet
parents. So it can, for the most part, be avoided by learning to be a pro-active pet parent and
taking steps to encourage your dog to be secure and independent.
Puppies, new rescue dogs, dogs that live with pet parents who work from home, and dogs whose
pet parents are retired are particularly susceptible to developing separation related issues and are
at risk of becoming over-attached to you.
• Start early in your dog’s life with separation anxiety prevention.

• Make your arrivals and departures from home boring. Often, the best part of coming home
is the greeting you get from your dog. However, in order to prevent separation anxiety, it’s a
good idea to save the effusive greetings until after your dog has calmed down. Your dog is
thrilled that you are home: Don’t add kindling to an already burning fire.
• Practice leaving your puppy or dog home alone, or behind a closed door in a “doggie
Disneyland®” enclosure you’ve created for just this purpose, on a regular basis. Both you
and your dog will benefit greatly from this practice and avoiding separation anxiety
disorder.
• Your dog should be left alone at least 3 times each day from 15 minutes to an hour.
See the When Things Go Wrong section for separation anxiety therapy protocols.
Preventing Resource Guarding (RG)
We all guard resources, that’s why humans live in houses and lock the doors. We don’t let others
take our belongings. Resource guarding is genetically adaptive to survival and much more
pronounced in dogs than in humans. Your dog doesn’t have the cognitive ability to process
complex thought. When you give your dog a bone, he won’t understand that you may need to
remove it, perhaps for his own good. Your dog cannot understand that you bought the bone and
you gave it to him. Once you give him the bone, he considers it his property. See Dog Property
Laws, below.
Most dogs are natural resource guarders (RG), so start early to teach your dog that the hand
always delivers food, but never takes away food. Dogs may guard food, toys, balls, people, beds,
locations, crates, shoes, or miscellaneous items. For dogs who already guard valued items, please

contact a force-free behavioral consultant professional for help.
Here are some tips to prevent resource guarding from developing.

Trade Up
One of the standard resource guarding best practices is to learn to “trade up” with your dog. This
means to trade your dog something of higher value than the value of what your dog has in her
possession. You must be certain that the value of the new food or toy is of higher value to your
dog than what they are guarding, not just higher value to you.
For example, trade your dog a piece of hot dog, for a tennis ball you don’t want them to have.
Alternatively, trade your dog a different tennis ball for a tennis ball you want them to drop.
Drop/Walk Away
Practice tossing treats away from your dog and away from the item in possession, so that your
dog is walking in the opposite direction while you retrieve an item of value to your dog. You can
teach your dog a cue to, “Leave It”, “Walk Away” or “Drop” by giving the cue and then tossing
treats away from your dog repeatedly in practice sessions.
Hand-feeding
A great side-effect of force-free training is that it pairs your hand with receiving yummy food.
(Not thinking your hand is yummy food!)
Food Bowls
• For puppies or dogs who do not already guard bowls: Sit on the couch with your dog on
one side and her bowl full of food on the other side. Hand feed your puppy or dog, piece
by piece, from the bowl.
You may enjoy combining hand-feeding during TV commercials with basic manners
training such as treat and reward for Sit, Down, Wait/Release!
• Start with an empty food bowl. Walk by and drop one piece of food into the bowl as you
pass to begin the process. This is how your dog will come to trust people coming near
your dog’s food bowl. Then, put some food in the bowl, and as your dog is eating, walk
by and drop a higher value bit of food into your dog’s bowl. For example, if your dog is
eating kibble, walk by and drop a piece of chicken into the bowl. We want to make your
approach something your dog finds not only non-threatening, but very positive.
Slowly and carefully pair your hand reaching toward the food bowl to deliver food, and never let
your dog associate your hand with taking away of a valuable item or food bowl.
Dog Property Laws ~ Anonymous

Dog property “laws” are quite different than human property laws. If you haven’t seen these,
take heed! They are funny, but uncannily true.

1. If I like it, it’s mine.
2. If you have something and put it down, that makes it mine.
3. If it’s in my mouth, it’s mine – please don’t forget that.
4. If I can take it from you, it’s mine.
5. If it looks remotely like mine, it’s mine.
6. If I saw it first…or last, it’s mine.
7. If I had it a while ago, it’s mine.
8. If I chew something up, all the pieces are mine.
9. If I don’t want it, it’s yours…unless,
10. I want it back, then it’s mine!
Clicker Training Foundations
The clicking sound of the clicker is an audio marker that a reward has been earned. The click
means “That’s right, a treat is coming”. You click at the same instant a desired behavior is
performed. It’s similar to taking a snapshot for your dog of the behavior you want upon the
completion of the desired behavior. The clicker serves as a bridge between your dog’s behavior
and the reward.
The sequence of events is always:
1. Get the behavior you want: Use luring, capturing, or shaping to get your dog to perform
the desired behavior.

2. Click: Mark the correct completed behavior with a click. You may substitute a word,
such as “Good” or a click of your tongue as a marker if you don’t want to use a clicker or
if your dog is fearful of the clicker sound.
3. Reward: Reinforce your dog immediately with a small, yummy treat.
Learn the Clicker Rules
• Think of click/treat as one word. If you click you must give a reward. Your click is your
promise to your dog that a reward is coming.
• One click = one reward. For completion of a shaped behavior, or after learning a behavior
that is difficult for your dog, a “throw down” (multiple treats) may be provided.
• Please do not allow anyone who is not clicker trained to use your clicker.
• If you have any questions about how to use the clicker correctly and effectively, please do
not hesitate to ask a force-free professional.

Chapter 3
Good Manners
If your dog is having difficulty learning a behavior, most likely:
• Your technique needs improvement. Your dog doesn’t understand what you want because
he can’t read your signals.
• You’re going too fast. Training is all about baby steps and consistency. One of the most
common setbacks in training is pushing ahead before your dog is ready to move forward.
• Your treats are not of high enough value to your dog. Increase the appetitive value of the
food reward.
Reward desirable behaviors in some way consistently to let your dog know he’s doing well.
Practice each manners/obedience behavior 3-4 times a day for 3-5 minutes each session.
Practicing before meals will get the quickest results!

Greetings
Greetings may well determine the course of the relationships between you and your dog and your
guests and your dog. Protect your guests and your dog by insuring that greetings go well. Your
dog will thank you for not allowing him to rush to the door where he may be uncomfortable and
doesn’t really know how to behave. Dogs aren’t famous for making reliably good decisions. Your
dog should not be asked to make a decision about which of your friends feels safe. That’s your
responsibility!
• Greeting you and family members. Delay greetings to calm. Delay your greetings until
your dog is calm. Don’t escalate the adrenaline spike your dog experiences the minute
you arrive home adding logs to his fire. Walk into your home and go about your routine.
No talking, no touching. Later, greet with calm affection, rather than exuberant
excitement. Many dogs stop jumping when this technique alone is consistently
employed...but it can be the hardest one for pet parents to implement!
• Greeting guests. Contain to calm. Start with managing your dog’s environment in order
to get things under control. Give your dog time and space to calm down before attempting
greeting. If your dog jumps on guests, growls or shows any stress or aggression with
guests, confine your dog to keep your guests safe until you can bring him out on leash
and allow calm greetings to unfold naturally. Don’t give your dog the opportunity to jump
on or bark at your incoming guests.
Confine your dog to an ex-pen, the patio, a guest room, or your kitchen with a retractable
gate. Allow your dog to calm down in a safe space, and accept the guest in your home.
Later, have guests toss high-value treats to your dog to speed and secure the process of
acclimation and create a bond between your dog and strangers entering your home.

!
At the Veterinarian and Groomer
Provide your dog with regular, quality veterinary and grooming care. Choosing a compassionate
veterinarian and a gentle groomer (such as a Fear-freeTM clinic) are two of the most important
decisions you will make for your dog, aside from choosing a force-free trainer. Search for
professionals who will take the time to bond with your dog, who use treats liberally, and who
practice gentle handling and restraint. This is a big order but it is worth the search.
• Visit the clinic or groomer BEFORE taking your dog in for a first exam, vaccinations, or
grooming.
• Try to arrange appointments during the quietest hours for the facility
• Both you, your vet, and your groomer should provide high-value treats liberally
throughout a visit
• Bring your dog’s favorite familiar objects and toys with you to help your dog feel less fearful
• IF you can remain calm during procedures, try to stay with your dog during procedures.
If you cannot temper your emotions, your presence will do more harm than good. If you
can contain your emotions, it will help your dog feel more secure.
• Allow your dog to SHOW you s/he is ready. Don’t force.
• Consider in-home/mobile providers
At home, reward intermittently with treats throughout the exercises below to help your dog
overcome the fear of handling and high places that are often found at vets and groomers, and
also to reward calmness.
1. Practice placing your dog onto a safe, raised, table-like surface. Use a rubber mat, such as
a yoga mat, for good grip. Secure your pet to avoid falls.
2. Examine the entire body with your hands, checking for any tumor growth.
3. Examine your dog’s paws between each toe. This will help your dog to acclimate to foot

examinations for foreign objects, foxtails, and pad exams. Regular nail trimming is a
must for proper bone growth and stability. Nail trimming is NOT just cosmetic.
4. Examine your dog’s ears. Lift the earflap and take a good look inside while your dog sits
quietly. Head shaking may mean your dog has an ear infection. If your dog rubs his head
against objects, he may be trying to scratch itchy, infected ears.
5. Examine your dog’s mouth. Lift the lips and examine teeth and inside the mouth. This will
not only aid in veterinary exams but will help desensitize your pup to people touching your
dog’s mouth. Foul breath very likely means your dog has decayed and painful teeth.
6. Examine the stomach area with your dog on his back, tummy-rub fashion — NOT an
alpha roll but as if looking for fleas. Palpate the stomach area.
7. Massage the sacral joint where the spine meets the tail, and lift the tail to desensitize your
dog to the anal exam. Dragging the butt across the floor means anal glad impaction or
worms, requiring a visit to your trusted veterinarian...or perhaps it just means your dog
needs a baby wipe!
8. Practice squeezing your dog’s skin between two fingers to simulate injections. You may
use a retracted pen to simulate the pressure of an injection. Treat generously and calmly
praise immediately.
9. Acclimate your dog to soap, dryers, and warm baths at home before going to the groomer.
NOTE:
• All dogs should be crate-trained at an early age in case of an emergency, injury, or the need to
travel contained. See this video.
• All dogs should be muzzle trained. See this video.

!
Chew This, Not That
Most dogs and all puppies crave to chew. Chewing is a natural canine behavior that has many
benefits for you and your dog. Quality chew toys such as Kongs®, bully sticks, or durable
Nylabones® provide appropriate activity and decrease stress (See Supplies). Chew toys ought to
be 100% indestructible or 100% digestible.
Dogs need “occupational therapy,” says Dr. Ian Dunbar, DVM, Animal Behaviorist and puppy
guru. If you don’t give your dog something to do, your dog will find something to do…which
you may not like! Although dogs are genetically hard-wired to chew, some dogs like to chew
more than others. You can help encourage your dog to be a happy, busy, life-long chewer who
enjoys chewing appropriate items rather than chewing on your valuables. Habits develop early
and quickly, so start your training your dog on the first day home regardless of your dog’s age.
The Joy of Chewing

Chewing is a canine activity that functions to relieve stress and teething pain. Favorite chew-toys
can act as pacifiers. It is also a great outlet for pent-up energy. Lucky for you, your dog can
exhaust herself chewing on a great bone. Chewing also helps distract your dog from engaging in
unwanted activities.
Chew-toy Management and Training Tips
a. Puppy-proof your home. Remove access to valuable items.
b. Design a Dog Zone using an exercise pen and crate, or baby-gated area for your dog so
you can run errands and sleep. See the Housetraining section for a photo example of the
setup.
c. Supervise and redirect your puppy to her own chew toys if she gets off track. Reinforce/
praise her for playing with her own chew toys.
d. Provide a “Doggie Toy Box” and rotate three of four favorite chew items every other day.

e. Use Bitter Apple® Gel, a non-toxic taste aversive, for items that cannot be protected from
chewing by management.
What to Chew
Safe chews should be as close to 100% digestible or 100% indestructible as you can find.
Provide chew-toys stuffed with high-value foods. You may feed all food from chew-toys, until
your dog is chew-toy trained. Long-lasting chewables include: bully stix, marrow bones, and
soup bones. Newly popular on the chewing scene are the adorable PlanetDog.com tuff chewies
(some with mint flavor for fresher breath), caviar buffalo jerky, duck, and pork air-dried strips.
Choose Made in the USA labels for higher quality control standards.
Puppy No Bite! Mouthing
We want to teach your puppy that when teeth touch human skin, the whole world stops.
1. Decrease the intensity of your play.
2. Decrease the duration of your play.
3. Follow these steps if your puppy or dog is mouthy:
a) Mark the tooth-touches to human skin with a sound, such as “Aw”, in a disappointed
tone, not an angry tone of voice. An angry “No” may excite your dog further. We are
seeking to lower arousal.
b) At the same time, remove all attention and reinforcement. Retract hands, turn both body
and face away, lean away, no eye contact. “Everything fun” stops when teeth touch skin.

For example, if your dog is on your lap, place your dog on the floor.
c) Freeze, then wait 3 seconds before interacting with your dog again.
d) Check to be sure that the sound you make (“aw”), paired with the removal of attention,
stops the biting behavior.
4. Counter Conditioning. Teach a behavior that is incompatible with biting, such as licking. This
allows your puppy or dog to use her mouth in an appropriate way. Your puppy can’t do two
things at the same time! Teach “Kiss Kiss”.
a) Place a treat in your fisted hand, with the treat held in the crook of your index finger.
b) Offer your hand to your dog. When he licks your fist, open it so he can retrieve the treat/
reward.
c) Get additional licks, incrementally before you release the treat.
d) Say the words, “Kiss Kiss” as your dog licks your fist.
e) If your dog is mouthy, offer him your fist to encourage the newly-learned alternate
behavior of licking as opposed to puppy biting. Reward.
5. Use your dog’s chew toys to redirect the biting behavior. Positively reinforce her for chewing
on appropriate items.
6. Give a time-out for 3 minutes or until your dog calms down if necessary. Begin calm play
again as if nothing happened.
7. Use this technique for puppies or dogs that continue to be mouthy during everyday play:
a) Tether your dog to a doorknob, and stand just near enough so you can reach your puppy’s
head but your puppy cannot reach you.
b) Follow #1 above, but get up and walk away the instant your dog’s teeth touch your skin.
8. User Bitter Apple® if absolutely necessary on clothing. Bitter Apple® is not recommended for
hands because we want to maintain positive associations with people’s hands for a lifetime.
Hands pet dogs and should be welcome. Hands are good, they deliver treats!

No Jump
Does your dog jump on you as if she’s in training for the Olympics and you are the trampoline?
Squirting squirt guns and shaking cans of marbles are no fun for you or your dog, and they don’t
produce lasting results. Reprimands have little effect and may backfire or cause aggression. For
pet parents who prefer positive-only training, stepping on toes, kneeing the chest, electric shock,
or yanking a chain are simply not acceptable options. What’s a pet parent to do?
Whether your dog has been jumping up on you for years, or you have a new puppy in training,
try these dog-friendly techniques to help Sparky keep his Four on the Floor.
• Contain to calm. Start with managing your dog’s environment in order to give your dog
the time and space to calm down before you attempt any greeting.
If you and your guests get pounced on, confine your dog until you can bring him out on
leash and allow calm greetings to unfold naturally. Confine your dog to an exercise pen,
the patio, a guest room, or your kitchen with a retractable gate. If your dog growls at
guests or shows any stress or aggression with guests, confine your dog to keep your
guests safe. In addition, your dog should not be asked to make a decision about which of
your friends feels safe. That’s your responsibility. Allow your dog to calm down in a safe
space, and accept the guest in your home. Have guests toss high-value treats to your dog
to speed and secure the process of acclimation.
• Ignore to calm. Delay greetings until your dog is calm. Stop escalating the adrenaline
spike your dog experiences the minute you arrive home. Walk into your home and go
about your routine as if your dog were not there. No talking, no touching. Later, greet
with calm affection, rather than exuberant excitement. Many dogs stop jumping when this
technique alone is consistently employed...but it can be the hardest one for pet parents to
implement!

• Give affection for behavior you want to reinforce, and withdraw affection for
behavior you don’t want to reinforce. Pet, praise, and treat for “Four on the Floor.”
Withdraw touch, words, and eye contact for jumping. When Sparky jumps up on you,
fold your arms and turn away from him. No talking, no touching. Walk away. The instant
Sparky has Four on the Floor, pet him, tell him he’s a “Good Sparky,” and give him a
yummy treat. If he jumps up, stop petting and stand up straight. These repetitions will
lead to a “light bulb moment” for Sparky. If you are patient, he will figure it out. From his
point of view, jumping up hits your “go away” button, whereas sitting hits your “pet”
button! If you touch Sparky, or make excited sounds when he jumps up on you, you are
teaching him that jumping is fun. If you occasionally greet him with affection when he
jumps on you, but you occasionally get upset when he jumps on you, you are sending him
mixed messages. Help Sparky understand you by sending him a clear message and
consistent feedback on every jump.
• Give your dog something to do besides jumping on you. If Sparky is about to leap into
your arms uninvited, ask him to “Sit!” Pet, praise, and treat him immediately. Your dog
can’t sit and jump at the same time. Alternatively, you can teach him to burn off his
energy and jump up to touch the hand of your outstretched arm, or run to the dog-cookie
jar! If your dog comes rushing at you from a distance and you would like to teach an
alternate behavior to jumping that will allow your dog to expend some energy, teach your
dog to target your hand, held palm down at the height of your dog’s head and a few
inches away from your body. Pet your dog when s/he reaches your hand as long as your
dog does not jump on you. Wiggles are allowed!
• Time-outs. Lastly, if your dog jumps up on you or your guests, just remove him.
Effective time-outs rely on your instant reaction. Time-outs provide a consequence for
jumping: Sparky thinks, “The fun and interaction stop when I jump.” Time-outs also
allow your dog time to calm down so you can try again. However, pre-empting jumping
with the other techniques is far better! If you practice consistently over time, the payoff is
well worth the time you spent teaching Sparky how to remain calm and receive affection,
rather than inadvertently reinforcing jumping as you might be doing now.

Settle Down
Another way to get your dog to perform a behavior is to “capture” and reward the behavior when
your dog performs the behavior naturally, without being asked.
The following exercise demonstrates how to capture the “Settle Down” behavior:
Teach your dog to relax on a rug when you’re not interacting with him. The goal is for relaxing
to become an automatic behavior when you sit down. It’s also called a default behavior.
1. Sit with your dog on leash. Allow just enough leash (approx. 4 ft.) for your dog to sit and
lie down.
2. Ignore your dog completely by not looking at, touching, or talking to him. If your dog
pesters you, barks, or tries to get in your lap, cross your arms and turn your body away.
3. Wait for your dog to sit of his own accord.
4. Reward your dog with a treat immediately.
5. Wait for your dog to lie down. When your dog lies down simply drop a few treats
between his paws.
6. Continue to provide rewards intermittently as long as your dog remains in the down
position.
Learning is accelerated if your dog does not observe you giving the treats. Sneak treats between
your dog’s feet when she’s not looking!
After the behavior is well-learned you may add a cue, such as pointing and saying “Go to bed” in
a kind tone.
Practice capturing and rewarding “Settle Down” on your rug 5 times per day.

Chapter 4
Basic Training and Impulse Control
Training Techniques
Reinforcing behaviors that you find desirable will help your dog develop habits that will create a
better fit with our human lifestyle. Good behaviors that are frequently repeated tend to become
habits. When your dog doesn’t know what to do, your dog will be more likely to choose the
behaviors that you’ve rewarded in the past.
There are three easy ways to train your dog: capturing, luring, and shaping. The amount of time
you spend training and the number of trials to criterion will largely depend on the technique(s)
you use.
Capture/Reward Training
Capturing a behavior occurs when you recognize and mark a spontaneously performed behavior,
with a high-value treat, that is, a behavior that your dog already performs naturally without any
input from you is a capture. Behavior capture may be used to train all basic manners behaviors
as well as quirky behaviors that may otherwise be difficult to train, such as a tilt of the head.
Capturing may be time-consuming because you need to wait until your dog performs the
behavior you like without any direction from you.

For example, if you would like your feisty dog to lie down more often:
• When you notice that your dog has lied down for any reason, click-treat, or say “Good”
and treat immediately.
• You may label the behavior by saying the word, “down” as your dog begins to lie down.
This sequence may be done for almost any behavior you like.
If you want to capture a down more quickly, limit the space your dog has to find alternate
behavior options such as in a low-distraction environment. For example, take your dog into a
small room, such as a bathroom, hop on Facebook or read a book and just wait until your dog
lies down. When your dog begins to lie down, say “Down”, as your dog completes the down,
immediately toss the reward just far enough away so your dog has to stand up to eat it. Your dog
will get faster and faster at offering a down once s/he realized how to play the training game with
you. Dogs quickly learn to love training the Do No HarmTM way.
Food Lure/Reward Training

Lure/reward training is one the fastest and least complicated training techniques to teach both
basic manners and behavior modification.
“For behavior modification and temperament training, food/lure reward training should be
mandatory. There is extreme urgency to prevent and resolve behavior problems. Simple behavior
problems such as housesoiling, destructive chewing, and excessive barking, kill dogs. Similarly,
biting, fighting, and fearful dogs are hardly happy, or safe to be around, and so there is simply no
time to mess around with time-consuming techniques. We must resolve the dogs’ problems,
relieve their chronic, yet acute, stress levels, and improve their quality of life using the most
time-efficient methods available” (Dunbar, 2007).
Typically, the best choice for both the lure and reward is food. Interactive toys may be used as an
alternate lure/reward.
A complete sequence is:

• Lure
• Response paired with the verbal Cue/Request
• Reward with the lure
• Once learned, the verbal Cue/Request may precede the lure because the dog will begin to
anticipate the hand signal once the verbal cue is heard.
After 6 repetitions the food lure is not longer necessary and the dog will respond to the hand-
luring movement (hand signal). Food lures should not be used for more than half a dozen trials,
however, if your dog is having trouble with learning a skill or with performing it reliably, an
alternating lure/no lure sequence may be used to get behavior back on track.

An unbiased, well-referenced article that examines the benefits and drawbacks to both lure and
free-shaped training, Are ‘Free-Shaped’ Dogs Better Problem Solvers (LeBlanc, 2015) may be
found here.
Shaping In Training
Shaping is a powerful and practical training tool. Shaping is a training tool that can teach new
forms of behaviors using older forms of behavior.
Shaping is a process of teaching a new behavior by first reinforcing behaviors that resemble the
desired behavior, systematically moving baby-step by baby-step toward the goal behavior. A dog
is rewarded for “successive approximations” of the end-goal behavior and often given a jackpot
of rewards when the end-goal behavior is achieved. A sample of using shaping to train is
provided in the section that teaches down in this manual.
In another illustration, if you would like to teach your dog to lie down on a new rug but your dog
won’t go near the new rug, you could use shaping by rewarding your dog for walking in the
direction of the rug, stepping one foot on the rug, then four feet on the rug, sitting on the rug and
then a jackpot when your dog lies down on the rug!
Here are the steps to shape a behavior:

1. Identify the desired behavior you want to teach
2. Identify a response that can easily be used to begin the shaping sequence
3. Reward the response
4. Incrementally require closer approximations to the end-goal behavior, reinforcing each
step until the goal is reached
Establish each step firmly with repetitions before moving on to the next approximation. If your
dog gets lost during a step, immediately go back to previous easier step.
Adding Verbal Cues After a Behavior is Learned and before the Hand Signal
After your dog has learned a behavior and responds to hand signals reliably, you may teach your
dog the verbal cue, such as Sit or Down, by saying the word first, followed immediately by the
hand signal. Your dog wants to find the shortest distance between A (your cue) and B (getting the
treat). You dog will quickly figure out that whenever he hears a sound such as Sit it is always
followed by the matching hand signal, so he will learn to Sit to the word sound alone.
Dogs can separate meaning and intonation. However, BOTH the word meaning that is already
recognized, AND the intonation are strongly associated with the auditory reward center.

!
Name Response/ Come Basics
Dogs perform best on the reward system. Always reward for “coming”. Each time your dog “Comes”
to you, reward her with a yummy treat. You may substitute some meal calories for training calories,
using food to help your dog learn quickly. You can transition to affection or a “Good Girl, Go Play”
later. Practice regularly and frequently: Get the whole family on the same training page.
Make recall fun and rewarding, one baby-step at a time.
Name Response Game
1. Make a game of this exercise by having everyone in the family call your dog one at a
time in a Round Robin circle.
2. Progress to hiding, then calling your dog’s name, and let your dog find you! Watch the
glee on your dog’s face as he learns to respond and comes running to you!
Practice “Name Response” at least 10 times per day.
Come
Start with easy “Comes”. Start inside your home and progress slowly, week by week, to more
difficult environments. From just 3 feet away, use a big hand signal, saying, “Come” as your dog
runs toward you. Reward.
1. Call your dog’s name from a short distance.

2. Click or “Good”/Treat when your dog turns her head toward you. The point at which your
dog makes the decision to come toward you is a prime point at which a click marker or
verbal marker teaches that turning to you when called will earn a reward.
3. Treat again as soon as your dog reaches you.
4. Add “Sit” to the routine as your dog is ready to link “Sit” to Name Response and Come.
This often happens automatically if you have taught a solid Sit.

Increase distance, vary distractions, and vary locations step by baby-step. Later, work outdoors in
an enclosed area or with a 50-foot leash until recall is reliable. Always reward your dog when he
comes back to you without being called.
“Come” and reward in four 3-minute sessions per day. Regular routines and predictable
outcomes speed training and reliability. Once learned, use recall throughout the day to cement it.
Don’t bounce back and forth between a sugary-sweet, sing-songy, “Come Blinky” and a
frustrated, commanding, “Blinky, Come!”
Never punish for “coming”: Don’t clip nails, medicate, leave the dog park, or scold your dog for
being slow to “Come”. First, reward for coming, wait a minute and then do what your dog
dislikes. Otherwise, your dog will learn that “Come” means something unhappy happens when
she comes to you and she’ll run the other way when you call her. Recall multiple times
throughout session so recall doesn’t always mean leaving the park.
Remember to have realistic expectations for your dog. Some breeds seem to naturally wander
farther from you than others. If you train your dog to “Come” to the sound of “Blinky, Come”
followed by a whistle for dinner, your dog’s ears will perk up when she hears those words in
other contexts, too! It’s easy.
“Come”/Long Distance
Learning “Come” outdoors is the hardest trick of all for your dog to practice consistently. Having
a long distance outdoor “Come” is very important, so practice often to keep your dog responding
quickly and correctly to your call.
Practice “Come” first indoors, then in your yard. Use this technique for “Come” inside your

house from the yard and “Come” at the dog park. Add distance and distractions incrementally
building (baby-stepping) to more challenging locations and situations.
1. Call your dog’s name.
2. Squat down to your dog’s eye level so he can see you when he looks up.
3. Give your dog the “Come” arms wide open signal using a big, up-down sweeping gesture
that your dog can see from a distance. I prefer the arms-wide-open signal that looks as if
you’re flagging a racecar for a pit stop or bringing in an airplane. You want your dog to
be able to easily recognize the signal from afar.
4. Reinforce and keep your dog on track by saying “Good, Good, Good” while your dog is
in the process of coming to you.
5. Click/Treat or “Good”/Treat enthusiastically and liberally every time your dog “Comes”
whenever you are able to do so. Once well-learned, you can use the verbal signal “Go
Play” as a reward as well.
6. Later add the voice signal, “Come” as your dog is coming toward you. After your dog has
learned to come to your arms-wide-open arm signal alone add the word “Come” while
your dog is in the act of coming to you. You are pairing the behavior (coming to you)
with the word “Come”. This is how your dog will learn the meaning of the word.
Practice the backyard to indoors “Come” or long distance outdoor “Come” at least 5 times a day.
You can walk directly to the refrigerator to get a little piece of string cheese and make this part of
your routine!
A truly reliable recall with lots of distractions in the environment may take some time and is best
taught with a behavioral consultation field trip.
Sit
Capture sit and provide a reward. Reward sitting whenever your dog
sits as a normal part of her activities. Use food as a lure AND a reward.
Luring gets the behavior in gear and teaches your dog to follow a hand
signal. Hand signals are easier for your dog to understand than words
because dogs are masters at reading body language.
Remove the food-lure as soon possible and transition to food as a

reward as soon as you can get a “Sit” reliably. If you don’t remove the

food-lure early enough, your dog may not actually learn the behavior but will just follow the
treat with her nose and only sit when you have a treat near her nose. This can be easily avoided.
1. Start with your dog facing you on-leash in a quiet location with a minimum of
distractions.
2. Show your dog a small, yummy treat at his nose level, and slowly raise it above and then
behind your dog’s head.
3. As your dog’s eyes follow the path of the treat, your dog’s rear will move towards the
floor.
4. Mark the sit with the word “Good” as your dog’s rear touches the floor, and reward with
the treat.
5. As soon as your dog sits when following the food lure, remove the food lure from your
hand, and use the hand signal for Sit without luring your dog with the treat.
6. Morph and shape your hand signal until it looks like the traditional hand signal for sit, by
bending your arm at the elbow from your side up to your shoulder, palm facing outward,
so you can, in time, give the sit hand signal from a standing position.
7. Click/Treat or “Good”/Treat.
8. Release your dog by saying “OK” or another release one word of your choice such as
“Free”.
9. Practice rewarding “Sit” at least 3 times per day with the hand signal and whenever you
can, capture it.
10. When your dog sits reliably with the hand signal, you may teach the word “Sit” by saying
“Sit!” then immediately giving the sit hand signal.
Shaping “Down”
“Shaping” a Behavior. A behavior can be taught in baby steps by marking or clicking for
successive approximations of the end behavior you would like to see. In other words, take small,
incremental steps toward the goal behavior. Shaping is a good opportunity to use the clicker
effectively. Click/Treat or “Good”/Treat for each approximation that is closer to the goal
behavior (down in this case) than the last try.

Tip: Training your small dog on a raised surface may be more comfortable for you.
“Sit”
a) Ask your dog to “Sit”.
b) Shape a hand signal in the form of a letter “L”. Lure your dog forward, and lure her to
reach one foot forward while her rear remains on the floor – Click/Treat.
c) Lure her to move the other foot forward – Click/Treat.
d) Continue luring into a crouching position – Click/Treat.
e) When the belly touches the ground – Click/Jackpot (multiple treats).
f) Remove the treat lure at the very earliest possible trial.
g) After the behavior is well-learned you may add the verbal cue “Down” before giving the
hand signal.
The most common problem for dogs learning “Down” is the butt raise. During training, if the
rear comes up, pull the treat back. Start again from Step 1.
You will want to gradually stand up while teaching Down and use the Down hand signal, which
is the reverse of the Sit signal: your arm coming down with the palm down in a sweeping motion
in front of your body.
Teach the verbal cue “Down”.
Down “Relax”
Your dog is not truly relaxed in the standard “Down” position and may tend to spring up, thus…
Observe your dog at rest and train your dog to relax on your dog’s favored resting hip. Be
consistent with cueing and reinforcing to that hip sphinx.
1. Ask your dog to “Down” using the verbal and/or hand signal.
2. Take a treat and lure your dog’s head back and over to the side of the hip she’s most
comfortable lying on. You may need to shape, that is, baby step the movement bit by bit
before your dog lies on her hip.
3. Click at the instant your dog throws her hip out.
4. Repeat again and again.
5. Remove the treat lure at the very earliest possible trial.

!
Wait/Stay
“Wait/Stay” is one of the most useful tricks your dog will ever learn. Wait means do nothing. It’s
easiest to teach your dog to do nothing in the Down position where she will typically be more
relaxed, as opposed to sitting or standing, which should be added later. We want each and every
attempt at “Wait” to be successful.
Ask your pet to:
1. “Sit”, then “Down”.
2. Give the “Wait” hand signal: Make a starburst movement with your palm toward your
dog's face. Say the word “Wait” at the same instant. Your dog is already doing the
behavior.
3. Increase Duration first, then Distance, Distractions, and Disappearing. The 3 D’s plus
one.
a. Always repeat the signal when you increase the level of difficulty of the “Wait”.
b. If you think she is about to get up, you may give your dog the “Wait” hand and verbal
signal intermittently.
4. Watch your dog as you move away (Distance). She will know that you are watching and
be less likely to get up.
5. Always come back to your dog rather than calling your dog to “Come” to you. At this
stage in training, if you call your dog to you, she will be anticipating your call rather than
relaxing into the “Wait”. Later, you may call your dog to you, perhaps one out of three
times after the behavior is well-learned.
6. Always release your dog by giving the verbal cue, “OK” or the release cue of your choice
used consistently with release from all “tricks”.

7. After “Wait” is well learned, you may graduate to “Wait” in the sitting and standing
positions.
Practice 10 times a day once learned. Practice at door, gates, and curbs on walks before crossing
the street.
“Stay”
Most trainers don’t perceive Stay to be a different behavior than Wait. When it is differentiated, it
most often means a difference in duration. Wait may be defined as a few seconds or a short
period of stillness, whereas Stay may mean a longer period of perhaps a few minutes. A puppy
may have to mature a bit in order to learn a long Stay. For the most part, it’s often better and
safer to leash your dog than to require a long Stay. There are very few situations where it would
be the behavior of choice. We’re not interested in showing off or dominating our dogs, but we
are teaching behavior for practical purposes.
However, you may use a bully stick or other favorite chew item to practice long waits or a long
stay.
Leash-Walking
Leash-Walking Equipment
Safety, comfort, and stress reduction are the most important criteria when selecting equipment
used for training.

We suggest:
• Leash: Four or six-foot leash. A short leash is recommended for dogs that are difficult to
walk, who pull hard, or who bark and lunge on leash. Try the Zero Shock leash. (See
Supplies)
• Harness: A front-clip harness is recommended for all dogs and puppies, including those
dogs that have developed a habit of pulling on the leash. A harness that attaches to the
leash at the torso (not the back) is preferable, such as the TRUE LOVE (Chai Amazon,
See Supplies). Small dogs that don’t pull may prefer a step-in harness.
The use of equipment that causes stress or pain, such as choke, prong, or electronic shock collars, is
strongly discouraged. These devices are at odds with the positive relationship pet parents want to
develop with their dogs, and may cause aggression and worsen behavior. Additionally, medical
research shows that stress to the neck causes injuries that include spinal cervical injury, burst
capillaries in the eyeballs, foreleg nerve damage, and damage that affects the function of the
esophagus, trachea, and impairs breathing. A regular flat collar is recommended to hold ID tags but
not to attach the leash.
The easiest way to achieve successful leash-walking is to start down the right path.
Most right-handed pet parents walk their dogs on their left side, leaving their right hand free to
open doors, greet others, etc. The pros walk the dog on left side. However, choose whichever
side you are most comfortable with, just be consistent. Choose a side to walk your dog that
everyone in your family agrees upon.
A four-foot or six-foot leash is recommended, but a shorter leash may be safer during training for
dogs who pull hard, or who bark and lunge on leash.
Wear your treat bag or carry a pocket full of high-value treats such as cheese bits or hot dogs
while teaching leash-walking. You want your dog to develop a habit of focusing and connecting
with you while on leash.
The Two Basic Principles of Successful Leadership Leash-Walking
1. No pulling. Do not go where your dog pulls you! Instead, when your dog pulls, STOP
walking. Change direction so your dog is behind you again. Your consistency in not

following pulling is very important. If you allow your dog to pull you, you are
inadvertently reinforcing pulling: you’re teaching your dog that pulling is how to get to
where he wants to go! He then thinks (anthropomorphically) that people are very heavy
so he needs to pull hard like a sled dog.
At the instant you feel pressure from your dog on the leash, stop. Make a 180-degree turn
and begin walking. When your dog catches up to you Click/Treat when she is the correct
location.
2. Maintain a connection between you and your dog while out on walks. Dogs often become
environmentally fixated when there is so much to see, hear, and smell. Actively maintain
your bond while out on walks. You’re taking a walk together.
To improve loose-leash walking skills, you may want to practice training off-leash indoors to
teach your dog to stay close to you.
“Let’s Go”
Walking from a stopped position. Use the term “Let’s Go” to cue your dog that something
different is going to happen on the walk. “Let’s Go” means “I am leaving and you are coming
with me”! “Let’s Go” has an effect akin to a green light before walking from a stopped position.
It also has the effect of a turn signal before making a change in direction.
If you use this phrase often, your dog will learn what it means when he is sniffing, about to cross
the street with you, leaving another dog, and making turns. It’s so exciting to find that you and
your dog can work as a team with you as the benevolent leader.
Practice, “Let’s Go” whenever you move from a stopped position on walks.
Making eye contact when you ask AND eye contact without being asked, are the most highly
desirable behaviors your dog can do while leash-walking. Reward your dog generously in some
way both for looking at you automatically without being asked and for looking at you when you
use name response.
Name Response on Leash

You may use name response when you need to get your dog’s
attention immediately for any reason while leash-walking.
Call your dog’s name while they are leash. Teach your dog to look at
you for further instruction as a check-in behavior while on walks and
to redirect fixation on other dogs, distractions, or stressors. Use the
clicker for this exercise, “Good”/Treat, or just a treat.

1. Call your dog’s name.
2. The instant your dog makes eye contact with you, mark it with a Click/Treat or just a
treat.
Automatic Eye Contact

Start marking and rewarding whenever your dog makes eye contact while walking on leash
without you calling his name. Reward your dog when he offers you eye contact without asking
while on walks. You can Click/Treat or just Treat him.
Hand Targeting for “Touch” (Heel)

The purpose of hand-targeting for leash-walking is to provide your hand as a guide for your dog
to follow. The goal of this exercise is to get your dog to follow your open hand and to touch it
with his nose while you are both in a leash-walking position. The presentation of your hand is
both the hand signal and the target to be touched.
1. Begin by practicing off-leash at home with no distractions.

2. Stand in standard leash-walking position with your dog on your left side a little bit behind
you.
3. Hold your left hand down at your side (if you are right-handed).
4. Click/Treat or “Good”/Treat any movement by your dog toward your hand. The goal for
your dog is to touch your palm with her nose. It may start with just a glance at your hand.
You may wiggle your hand until your dog touches the palm of your hand with her nose or
rub your hand with a little food to lure your dog to touch the palm of your hand.
5. Add the word “Touch” as your dog touches the palm of your hand with her nose.
6. Take one step forward, say “Touch”, and reinforce at the instant your dog touches the
palm of your hand with his nose.
NOTE: Hand targeting can be useful to teach many other behaviors. Show the palm of your hand
to your dog with your hand in front of you. Then, add distance, change direction, change hands,
and add distractions. Other uses are:
• Speed up or slow down while leash-walking

• Come to my hand
• Stand in back of me
• Get off or on the couch
• Ring the bells to ask to go outside by placing your target hand behind the bells
• Many interesting complex, agility and service dog behaviors using a target stick
Slow Walking
The goal is that your dog learns to walk slowly and calmly. Walking at the slow pace of a human
often must be taught. It is not natural for a dog to walk slowly. If it were up to your dog, he
would be zig-zaggin’ and circlin’ all over the place. Most dogs find picking up speed to be very
easy. It’s the slow part that is hard for them…so the slower the better to start. Don’t let your dog

rush you. You should be the leader in terms of speed, direction, “sniff-sniff” breaks, and
stopping.
Tricks!
Continue adding to your dog’s repertoire of new behaviors. She’ll most likely love performing
tricks for you. Learning new tricks is a great way for you to have fun with your dog and
strengthen your bond to each other. She’ll be both physically and mentally challenged each time
you learn new tricks. Perhaps you like the way she cocks his head or the way she wiggles.
Capture spontaneous behaviors with treats or a Click/Treat. Teach Ring Around the Rosy --
weaving through legs and “Sit Pretty”!
Treat Dependence Prevention – Five Techniques
Experiencing ease and harmony in everyday life with your dog is the end goal of basic manners
training. One of the more common concerns about training with treats is that the dog continues
to require treats to learn and perform, but it does not need to be a problem. Smart, competent
trainers are experts in preventing treat dependence.
As soon as your dog has learned a behavior, remove the treat lure. Substitute rewards gradually,
use real-life reinforcement, Link behaviors together, and give random rewards of affection or
praise as part of your dog’s daily routines as described below to prevent treat dependence.
1. Remove the Treat Lure
As soon as your dog can perform a behavior by “following the treat” with her nose, remove the
treat from your hand. Now, ask for the behavior first, then reward. This is the step where many
pet parents make mistakes and falter, and then say that their dog will only perform for treats.

2. Substitutions for Food
Continue to reward with food regularly but intermittently throughout your dog’s life. Replace
treats as soon as possible, but gradually, substituting other rewards such as affection, massage, a
toy, or an exuberant “Good” for desirable behavior.
3. Use Real-Life Rewards aka Reinforcement
The best way to prevent treat dependence is to identify and make use of one of the most powerful
rewards: real-life reinforcement. Here are some ideas to practice each day.
• Eating. “Sit/Wait…OK” before meals. The real-life reward is eating breakfast and dinner.
• Going for a Walk. “Stand/ Wait…OK” while putting on your dog’s harness and leash.
The real-life reward is going for a walk.
• Going Outside. “Sit/Wait…OK” at each doorway. The real-life reward is going out the
door.
• Going for a Ride in the Car. “Sit/Wait…OK” before your dog gets into the car. The
real-life reward is going for a ride.
• Getting Out of the Car. “Wait/OK” before your dog gets out of the car. The real-life
reward is getting out of the car.
• Crossing the Street. “Sit, Wait…OK” at the curb on a walk. The real-life reward is to
cross the street and continue walking.
• Running and Playing. Call name or “Come” all around the house. The real-life reward
may be “OK, Go Play”, exuberant praise, or petting.
Make a list of the things your dog finds rewarding. We can learn to modify behavior easily
because we already possess all of the resources, including the following real-life rewards.
What My Dog Really Likes That I Can Use as a Real-life or Alternate Reward to Food
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
4. Linking
Link two or more behaviors together in a sequence, then reward. Agility competitions link a
series of behaviors together and often provide a tug on a favorite toy at the end of the course as
the reward.

Here are some examples of linking:
• Playing Fetch. “Find It, Come, Drop It, Sit”. Offer a treat or real-life reward such as
quickly throwing the ball again.
• Eating. “Sit, Down, Wait…OK”. Offer the real-life reward of breakfast.
5. Random Rewards
When your dog is learning a new behavior, reward him every time after a desirable response.
Continue to treat after each correct response until your dog can perform the behavior
consistently. A behavior needs to be well-learned in order to become a reliable response.
Reliability generally means a desirable success rate such as responding to 8 out of 10 requests,
but no more. Our dogs aren’t robots.
As soon as the behavior is well learned, begin treating randomly, that is, intermittently in a
random fashion. Random reinforcement is the most powerful type of reinforcement schedule.
Your dog will continue to offer the behaviors you want as long as you continue to provide
sufficient intermittent rewards.
Example of a sequence of instituting random rewards:

• Sit – Treat
• Sit – Treat
• Sit – Praise
• Sit – Treat
• Sit - Pet
Always substitute praise, such as “Good!” or real-life reinforcement when there are no treats.
Increase the difficulty as long as your dog continues to perform for you and is happy. For
example, you may build on this schedule until your dog gets a food reward one out of five times
on average.

Chapter 5
When Things Go Wrong
Barking, Barking, Barking
Does your dog bark while running in circles, bay at the moon, bark at bugs, or scare your visitors
out of their boots?
Dogs bark:
• To repel intruders (alarm barking)
• For attention
• During play
• As an outlet for energy
• In separation anxiety distress
• To demand something from you
Barking is as natural a vocalization for dogs as speaking is for humans. Basic barking is normal,
but incessant barking may indicate an unhappy dog that has developed a behavior problem. Here
are some non-aversive training tips to help bring peace and quiet to your home.
First, identify why your dog is barking. Then address each trigger separately.

Either
• Remove the trigger
• Modify the trigger
• Teach your dog to do something other than bark when triggered
• Decrease your dog’s sensitivity to the trigger in order to decrease the frequency and
intensity of barking.
Teach your dog from the start that barking is not rewarded. If you have a multiple-dog household
there is often an “instigator barker”, so train each dog separately starting with the instigator.
Remember this important learning principle: Behaviors that are rewarded increase in frequency,
so reward your dog with attention, affection, or treats only when she is calm.
Alarm Barking
Desensitize your dog so that the doorbell no longer warns “scary
stranger is here” but proclaims “cookie-friend is here”. Have
visitors carry treats and/or mount a treat bag on your doorknob
that reads, “Please feed the animal”.
If you’re home, interrupt and redirect your dog to another

location. For example, call your dog and ask for a quiet “sit” in
front of the refrigerator, give a treat for a “down/stay” in the dog
bed, or easiest of all, throw treats out in to the backyard where
your dog will focus his energy on grazing rather than barking.
Alternatively, put your dog in a quiet location until she calms herself down. Again, calm
behavior gets the attention and treats, whereas barking doesn’t.
For recurring outdoor noises near your home, try an audio blocker such as background TV
(happy channels only) or stereo (calming music only) and desensitize your dog by pairing treats
with the trigger sound. If dogs passing by or squirrels out in the yard cause barking, rearrange
and manage your dog’s location so there’s a visual blocker rather than a “guard station” where
your dog stalks, sits, or lies in wait. Provide your dog with novel stimuli to replace guarding
activities and give him plenty of exercise to relieve pent-up energy.
Demand Barking
Never give in to: “I want treat, I want you, I want outside” barking. If you provide the desired
item or any reinforcement, you’re teaching your dog to repeat the behavior over and over again.
Reward for quiet and well-mannered behavior, but turn away or walk away in response to
demand barking.
What Not to Do
The use of citronella collars, electric bark collars, spray bottles, shouting, or shaking cans of

marbles near delicate ear structures have unsuspected and undesirable side-effects. The use of
these items is punishment. Punishment may incite your dog to aggress, become fearful, damage your
relationship, and nurture a negative association/relationship with whatever or whoever your dog is
barking at. We want your dog to calm down, not totter on the brink of aggression or shut down.
Never punish your dog for barking because next time she may forego the bark and just bite.
Your dog is smart and will learn what you “teach” her. Learning how to communicate in a
language your dog can understand is the key to the wonderful relationship you’ve always
dreamed of having with your dog.
Fear and Socialization
If you’re wondering why your dog is not more playful with you, with other people, or with dogs
and what you can do, do not be dismayed. Most dogs can learn to be more playful and
affectionate. Sometimes we even have to train a water-shy Labrador to swim and socialize. Try
to be realistic about your expectations for your dog and remember that Lassie was, in reality, a
group of actor-dogs raised by an animal trainer. Chances are, you have a real dog.
Sociability in dogs is believed to be driven by three things:

• Genetics
• Early developmental experience
• Triggering details of an event
Fear is adaptive to survival and thus, easily acquired and difficult to dislodge as it is deep-seated in
the brain. Many frightened dogs will run away or hide if possible. Others have an active defense
reflex and will go after what scares them. If this is your dog, please seek professional help.

Genetics
Choosing your dog or puppy carefully will help to cut down on the “surprises” that come with
haphazard breeding. See How to Find a Dog that Fits Your Lifestyle.
Early Development and Early Exposure
A dog’s fear of strangers may be inherited, but some studies
show that the experiences in early development and
socialization can trump the effect of genes. Neglectful or
aggressive mothering, and relationships between siblings can
affect your dog’s psychological development. The critical
period of social imprinting occurs within the 3-12 week
socialization window. The ideal age to transition a puppy into
a forever home is 7-9 weeks. Breeders have a lot of influence
not only in genetics, but in the early development of your
dog. Encourage early chew-toy training, task training, and
housetraining.
What happens or doesn’t happen during the critical period of socialization will dramatically
affect your adolescent and adult dog. Expose your puppy or rescue dog to 100 new things in the
first 100 days, and enrich the environment with gradual, gentle exposure to new people, places,
things, other friendly dogs, and moving objects. Take your dog with you every other time you go
out and make sure that your dog’s socialization is a series of positive experiences. Dogs often
behave one way with their family and household pets, and behave differently with strangers.
You can watch some amazing early puppy training videos at Puppy Prodigies on YouTube. To set
your dog and your family up for success, check out a free resource, Before You Get Your Puppy
by “puppy guru”, Dr. Ian Dunbar, available at http://www.dogstardaily.com/.
Event Triggering
Negative associations from the past or unfamiliar stimuli can be triggers that generalize from one
specific trigger to wider and wider categories of events. Some fears can produce a state of hyper-
arousal and chronic stress in your dog.
Whatever the source of your dog’s fears, the treatment is the same — desensitization and positive
associations using slow, incremental exposure. Over-exposure to a feared stimuli, aka flooding,
often further traumatizes a dog.
Treatment
Insure the safety of all dogs and people, and remember that every good treatment plan begins
with management. Food can be the initial bridge to change your dog’s response from one of fear
to one of positive experience.
First, avoid getting the old response in order to make room for the new response. Create new
positive associations by linking a mild version of the fear with something your dog adores. Work

to get the right amount of exposure and stimulation, balanced with a sense of security and safety.
Your best guide is body language. Learn to read your dog’s body language, so you can recognize
fear: mouth clamped shut, ears pinned back, tail between the legs, attempting to hide, running
away, growling if trapped, or air snaps.
For more help see, The Cautious Canine: How to help dogs conquer their fears, by Patricia
McConnell, PhD.
Separation Anxiety Therapy
Dogs are social creatures and can over-attach to a pet parent or canine housemate and become
habituated to continual contact. When left alone, these dogs may experience what is akin to a
panic attack in humans.
A well-structured change in routine may break the cycle of anxiety if practiced carefully and
consistently.
• Make your arrivals home boring. Deliver your greeting after your dog has calmed
down.
• Practice frequent separations. Start small and build confidence slowly and
incrementally. Begin frequent, short, separations indoors while you’re at home with your
dog in Doggie Disneyland®.
Start with pass-bys, walking into and out of your dog’s view again and again without
paying any attention to her.
Say “I’ll Be Back.” Turn you back, then immediately turn to face your dog again, saying
in a calm voice, “I’m Back”. Practice in 4 three-minute sessions per day. Increase

Distance, Duration and Distraction slowly and separately from each other. Later, practice
this technique in different locations.
Keep your dog on the other side of a closed door inside the home for short periods each
day, starting with the bathroom.
• Stimulate your dog. Leave home alone only favorite chew items and long-lasting food
toys within a “dog zone”. Provide a view of the great outdoors. Your dog could be
suffering from a condition that is often mistaken for separation anxiety – boredom! See
Housetraining for illustrations of Doggie Disneyland® dog zones.
• Sleep alone. If your dog is suffering from separation anxiety and you sleep with your dog
in your bed — stop. Snuggle together in bed if you like but when it’s time to sleep, have
your dog sleep in her own bed.
• Practice Wait. Practice “sit/wait” and “down/wait” while you leave the room for just a
moment.
• Provide a comfort item. Leave your dog with a worn article of your clothing, such as a
sweaty T-shirt.
• Desensitize triggers. Turn triggers, such as putting on your coat, picking up a purse or
briefcase, and jangling keys, into neutral events for your dog by preparing to leave
but don’t leave the house. In time, the triggers will lose their power to generate fear. For
example, pick up your keys and go sit down and watch TV.
• Don’t punish. Punishment won’t help, but it will make an already anxiety-stricken dog
even more insecure.
If you continue to have troubles or if your dog has more than one of the following symptoms
seek professional help from a force-free behavioral consultant: sweating or wet coat, drooling,
pacing, self-mutilation, trembling, incessant barking or crying, elimination in the house even
though otherwise housetrained, chewing or scratching at windows, doors or plaster boards,
attempts at escape to find you, frantic greeting although you were gone for just a short while, or
persistent following.

Recognizing the Need for Help
Behavior and Body Language
Desensitization is an effective behavioral treatment that decreases your dog’s over-reaction to

things your dog currently finds disturbing. The goal of desensitization is for your dog to
maintain a level of calm acceptance in the face of people, other dogs, moving objects or
situations that now upset him.
Aggression
In the aggressive dog, desensitization and Counter-conditioning decrease aggression and increase
acceptance of people, other dogs, moving objects and novel situations. Does your dog have any
of the symptoms listed below?
• Aggressive Behavior: Lunges at other dogs, bites, fights on leash or off leash, or lunges at
people.
• Body Language: Raised hackles, tail flared or held straight out or high, stillness, stiff
body, head down, hard stare, raised lip, show of teeth.
• Vocalizations: Barking, whining, growling.
• Refusal to take treats when reacting.
Fear
In the fearful dog, desensitization and counter-conditioning decrease fear and increase
confidence. Does your dog have any of the symptoms listed below?
• Fearful Behavior: Attempting to run away, hide, displays of appeasement behaviors such
as excessive licking, crouching, crawling, or rolling over to expose the tummy area.
• Body Language: Ears down, tail between legs, crouching, body stiffness, rear of body
pulled back from stimuli, can see the whites of the eyes.
• Vocalizations: Crying or panting more than usual (although not thirsty).
• Refusal to take treats when fearful.

Noise Phobia
In the noise-sensitive dog, desensitization and counter-conditioning decreases reactivity to
sounds that may result in chronic stress and increase tolerance to noise. Symptoms are similar to
those of fearful dogs, above, with hypersensitivity to sound.
Hyperactivity/Over-enthusiasm
In the hyperactive dog, desensitization and counter-conditioning decreases hyperactivity and
increases calmness and attentiveness. Does your dog have any of the symptoms listed below?
• Hyperactive Behavior: Jumping up, pulling, pacing on leash, lack of focus.

• Body Language: Hyper-alert, nervous, fidgety.
• Vocalizations: Barking, whining, or excessive panting.
• Refusal to take treats when excited.
Dog/Dog and Human Aggression Basics
Management of Triggers at Home, and at the Veterinarian and Groomer

Be sure your dog is getting sufficient exercise, proper nutrition, social interaction, mental
stimulation and novelty on a daily basis. Refer to the Hierarchy of Dog NeedsTM pyramid.
• Remove guarding stations at windows, doorways, fencing, etc.

• Remove the opportunity for fence fighting with neighbor dogs in your yard.
• Assess your dog’s experience at the veterinarian and groomer as likely contributing
factors to reactivity. Get in-home care, or be the first appointment of the day and bring
treats. (See At the Veterinarian and Groomer.)
• Use HIGH value treats. Stop feeding from a bowl and feed half of your dog’s daily
calorie ration ONLY for training.

Basic Manner/Obedience Skills. Practice Incompatible and Alternative Behaviors
• Name Response
• Automatic eye-contact
• Let’s Go
Dog-dog Aggression Therapy

Realistic Expectations
Dog/dog Aggression: There’s nothing pet parents like more than socializing with their dogs.
They often want everyone to like their dog and they want their dog to like everyone… including
other dogs. Pet parents may feel it’s a reflection on them personally if their dog is not friendly to
other dogs. It’s not. Before you head off to the local dog park or dog beach there are two
important questions to ask yourself: “Is it safe?” and “Is my dog really having fun?”
Your dog speaks to you through body language–ear and tail carriage, stance, behavior and
vocalizations. Perhaps your dog is telling you she is experiencing an overload of stress when
confronted with other dogs. If so, avoid any potentially dangerous situations while you begin a
science-based behavior modification program.
Displays of aggression between members of the same species are common in animals. Conflicts
over resources such as food, territory, mating privileges, and access to others, are well-supported
in animal behavior literature. Still, we often expect our dogs to “play-nice” with “stranger dogs”
in group situations and out on neighborhood strolls. Rules of appropriate behavior in dog society
are quite different than human manners. You may need to reexamine your expectations and goals
for your dog. Realistically, if your dog exhibits generalized dog/dog aggression, it’s unlikely
he’ll turn into a social butterfly.
Genetics, early socialization or the lack of exposure during the critical period of social
development, and traumatic experiences, shape how your dog interacts with other dogs. Use the

force-free methods outlined in the Hierarchy of Dog
Needs Wellness and Behavior Modification Guide to help
prevent problems as well as to address already existing
behavior problems.
Dog/dog aggression can be a dangerous problem for you,
your dog, other dogs, and anyone who tries to break up a
dog fight. If your dog has an aggression issue of any kind,
be sure you’ve had a recent wellness check from your
veterinarian to rule out any underlying organic or medical
causes that may be affecting behavior or causing pain.
A realistic goal for you and your dog may be taking your dog for a pleasant walk in the
neighborhood without any barking and lunging incidents. If your dog shows signs of anxiety
with “stranger dogs”, it’s all right to skip the group activities, and play at home instead. I
recommend a chase lure toy, upstairs fetch, and placing a hula hoop in a doorway for indoor
hurdles. Supervised play-dates with doggie friends may be another alternative. Stay safe and
have fun with your dog!
Take it slow and think of Ricochet, who was trained to become a service dog from the moment
she was born, but who could not complete the training because of a penchant for chasing birds.
Ricochet found a new job: surfing, which has made her a beloved surfdog-fundraiser with a viral
video on YouTube.
Desensitization and Counter-conditioning Techniques
Identify Triggers. Please list your dog’s triggers and reactions below. Examples of triggers are:
other dogs, strangers, men, skateboards, motorcycles, laundry room, or children.

Trigger Behaviors Body Language Vocalization
1.
2.
3.
4.
The desensitization process occurs when your dog is exposed to a fear or hyperactive-evoking
object or situation at an intensity that does not produce a response. We want to move as close to
the object as possible as long as your dog does not over-react. We then want to decrease the
distance and intensity between your dog and the person, other dog, moving object or situation in
tiny baby steps, as long as your dog continues to remain calm.
The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior advises, “Training should be based on
positive reinforcement with frequent rewards, praise, petting, play and/or treats. Positive and
consistent training is associated with fewer behavioral problems and greater obedience than
methods that involve punishment and/or encourage human dominance” (2008).
Successful desensitization depends upon your faithful practice of two fundamental principles:
Rule 1. Always stay below your dog’s threshold of reaction. This means your dog does not have
the observable reactions listed in the chart.
Rule 2. The level of intensity to the trigger is increased gradually in very small increments, and
only if and when your dog does not have the reactions listed in the chart.
Two Types of Changes Will Occur With Desensitization and Counterconditioning
1. Emotional Change: Classical Counter-conditioning = CER (Conditioned Emotional Response)

2. Behavioral Change: Operant Counter-conditioning = Response Substitution
Your dog’s ability to acclimate gracefully to new or troubling stimuli will be facilitated by the
positive, loving relationship you already have with your dog. If your dog does not trust you,
dispelling fears and calming over-reactivity may not be possible.
If your dog has bitten another dog or been in a number of dog fights, engage a force-free
certified behavioral consultant aggression expert to help you work toward changing your dog’s
underlying drives and motivation. A complete intake evaluation should be given in order to

develop a plan of treatment based on your dog’s history. It’s a complex problem and each case
requires an individual approach in order to assess:
• On-leash aggression
• Off-leash aggression
• Territorial aggression
• Fear-based aggression
• Fence-barrier aggression
• Resource guarding aggression
• Bite hierarchies
• Ameliorating and exacerbating factors
• Context
The amount of time it takes to see improvement varies depending on the:

• Severity of the reactivity
• Your dog’s responsiveness to training
• The amount of time you devote to practicing behavior modification protocols
Behavior modification techniques that include systematic Desensitization and Counter-
conditioning (D&CC) will help you and your dog learn to exercise and socialize safely. Avoid
harsh methods or collars that cause pain as they increase fear and anxiety and may cause
aggression (Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 2006).
Walks. Working “below threshold” of reactivity

Walks need to be completely stress free starting now. No more happy walking, then barking and
lunging, then happy walking again.
Most of the time you’ll keep moving during a walk. Sometimes, it’s best to stop and just relax on
the walk. Breathe deeply and don’t let your nervousness “run down the leash” to your dog. Your
dog will sense anxiety in a tight leash and in your voice.
Try these techniques:
1. Spider Walks. Let your dog know what to expect on walks in the immediate area
surrounding your house first. Don’t take long walks! Start with walking up to your corner
and back home, then up to the other corner and back home. It may take 3 weeks to slowly
graduate to “around the block” or down 2 blocks depending on how well your dog can
handle this and how skilled you become at implementing the techniques. DON’T rush it.

2. Increase the distance from the troubling stimulus and your dog. Make a U-turn if
necessary, and then walk in the opposite direction from the other dog.
3. Getting Attention. Use name response, and “Let’s Go” to do U-turns or for other
redirection.
4. Reward Automatic Eye-contact. Reward with clicks/treats or with treats alone. Maintain
a bond with your dog. Talk or sing to your dog in a relaxed and confident manner.
5. Following Walking. Use another dog walking in your neighborhood as a likely trigger,
but used to keep your dog under threshold. Cross the street if necessary and walk behind a
friendly dog at a distance. Shorten the distance as long as your dog stays under his
threshold of reactivity. Provide food rewards.
6. Parallel Walking. Now cross the street and slowly and incrementally draw nearer to the
dog across the street until you are walking parallel with the friendly dog. Provide food
rewards.
7. Use approach/retreat, approach/retreat or a zig-zag approach to add periods of “relief” for

your dog.
8. Blocking. Keep your dog below threshold and avoid over-stimulation.
• If safe, use your body as a physical and visual block to your dog’s view of the trigger
• Use cars, shrubs, or a neighbor’s driveway area, to visually block your dog’s view of
the trigger.
• Create physical barriers such as a baby-gate.
• Create visual barriers such as a towel draped over the baby-gate.
• Create audio barriers to block sound using soothing music, or your voice.
9. Use “Open Bar/Closed Bar” technique. Click/Treat or “Good” the instant a trigger occurs.
Make positive associations between your dog and the trigger by hand feeding high value
treats when the trigger occurs. The goal is to make a very strong impression on your dog that
good things happen when that trigger appears. You may say the word “Good” at the instant
the stimulus appears, and then follow with the treat.
10. Use “throw downs” of treats as in Grazing Games.

Play
Play between dogs should be a two-way street.
• Dogs should take turns chasing each other where neither dog is a bully or a target, so play
goes back and forth.
• You should not hear a puppy squeal during play.
• Adult dogs ought to be willing to get down to the puppy’s level, so the puppy can have
fun too.
• Make sure puppies and dogs have escape areas.
• With puppies, adult dogs should be willing to “let the puppy win” now and again, and
always back off if the puppy squeals.
Human Aggression Therapy
Human aggression is one of the most serious behavior problems a dog can develop. Aggression toward
humans is often a deal-breaker for pet parents, even for dogs that are otherwise perfectly delightful.
There are many different types of human aggression: territorial, in-home with family members,
in-home with visitors, on walks, plus resource guarding of food, bed, people, territory, or other
objects. They are all context-specific, which means if you change the situation or location, then
the aggression may decrease or disappear.
If aggression is repetitive, or if there have been any bites, then your dog needs the attention of a
dog behavior professional trained in force-free aggression therapy. A complete background,
history and incidence report is recommended for dogs who have bitten people, examining each
bite to understand the circumstances that surround it, to understand the triggers as well as
understanding the exacerbating and ameliorating features of the bites. Please contact your force-
free aggression specialist or your veterinary behaviorist for individualized and customized
treatment plans. See the PPG dog trainer search.

A common myth is that dogs with aggression problems are in need of harsh training methods
and collar devices. Nothing could be further from the truth. Academically credentialed experts in
animal behavior believe dominance training and aversive collar devices are not a cure, but a
cause of aggression. These dogs are at risk for further deterioration from the use of dominance
methods. Aggressive dogs have lost trust in humans and trust needs to be carefully and
methodically reestablished, when possible.
You need to:

• Stop doing the things that are making your dog worse
• Start doing the things that will make your dog better
Use the Hierarchy of Dog Needs guide to identify where your dog may have experienced unmet
needs on the pyramid. For example, if the needs for security, trusting humans, benevolent
leadership, or play are under-met, address these needs using the force-free methods listed in the
Hierarchy of Dog Needs guide.
Ensure your dog is getting sufficient exercise, proper nutrition, social interaction, mental
stimulation, and novelty on a daily basis. If these basics are not met, stress increases. Stress is the
underlying cause of aggression.
After you know your dog’s needs are met, eliminating guarding stations in your home and in
your yard will help prevent aggression from developing and transferring to other situations
involving strangers. All dogs will naturally guard the home. That’s who they are, but some breeds
are more predisposed to do so than other breeds. However, removing guarding stations at
windows, doorways, and fencing may go a long way to ameliorating your dog’s practice of
aggressing against people. Guarding stations are often overlooked as a cause of human
aggression.
Assess your dog’s experience at the veterinarian and groomer as possible contributing factors
to aggression. Get in-home care, or be the first appointment of the day. Bring treats.
Act Now. There really is no such thing as a “nip”. An air snap is considered a bite, albeit low on
the hierarchy of the bite scale, but it’s a bite display of warning. If you see displays of aggression
in your dog, don’t wait to address the problem. Aggression is not something that your dog will
outgrow. The longer you wait, the more difficult (or perhaps impossible) it will become to
“untrain” aggression. Once the momentum for aggression has begun, aggression is likely to
snowball…but it may dissipate if addressed properly.
Management and Avoidance. Safety first is always the most important rule when it comes to
aggression. Management is the first step in any therapy program. However, management can
always fail, so it is not enough. Avoidance can be a good management tool, but it will not treat

the underlying drives and motivations of aggression or lead to any long-term or permanent
change.
Prevention. The best way to prevent aggression is to practice a program of frequent and regular
socialization from a young age, especially during the critical period of socialization, four to
twelve weeks of age. In addition, prevent traumatic experiences by carefully managing
socialization.
Practice proper Greeting protocols. Greetings may determine the course of the relationships
between your guests and your dog. Protect your guests and your dog by ensuring that first-time
greetings go well. Your dog will thank you for not allowing him to rush to the door where he
may be uncomfortable and doesn’t really know how to behave. Dogs aren’t famous for making
reliably good decisions. Your dog should not be asked to make a decision about which of your
friends feels safe. That’s your responsibility!
Allow your dog to acclimate to visitors for a while and calm down before greeting, rather than
allowing your dog to rush to the door. This alone will help your dog as well as your visitors.
You must protect your guests by not allowing your dog access to them, unless and until:
1. He appears entirely comfortable with them (See Body Language section) and
2. You have advised your guests about how to interact with him.
Provide your dog with high-value treats such as cheese or hot dogs, which you will initially feed
to him in his secure space when guests arrive. Later, if safe and practical, have your guests toss
him treats.
Don’ts for your family, friends, and guests

1. Don’t allow anyone to behave threateningly or dominantly with your dog if your dog is
aggressive. This will heighten rather than decrease arousal, and is a cause, not a cure, for
aggression.
2. Do not approach an aggressive dog. If a dog is growling, barking, or lunging toward you,
the dog is telling you to go away. Your goal should be to stay safe. Allow the dog to calm
down. Later, if safe, I may allow a calm dog to approach me on leash.
3. Do not run away, yelp, or make sudden body movements. Back away slowly and calmly
if you feel threatened. The Be a Tree program has special suggestions for children.
4. Do not stare or make sustained eye contact with an aggressive dog. A direct stare is
perceived as a challenge and a threat to dogs.
5. Do not pet over the head of the dog, as is common in our culture. A body leaning over a
dog and an arm reaching over the head can be an invitation to bite. Alternatively, if safe, I
offer a fist under the dog’s nose and allow a dog to sniff my hand. Then, if safe, I pet the
dog under the chin or on the breastplate with gentle strokes.
6. Don’t give a big smile! Dogs may interpret a “show of teeth” as a threat.

Proper Equipment. Be sure to use only dog-friendly leash-walking equipment as detailed in the
Supplies section with links at the end of the manual. Another option is to muzzle train your dog
if your dog continues to pose any threat to humans.
Here are some behavioral signs that can alert you that trouble may be coming:
• Lunging
• Growling, snarling, barking, whining, tongue flicks
• Show of teeth, lips puckered forward in the shape of a “C”
• Stillness/freezing, rigid body
• Stalking
• Hard stare, fixation, whale eye
• Raised hackles (hair)
• Head low, standing tall
• Ears pricked forward, or ears flat back
• Tail stiff, held high, held still or vibrating, or fast wagging
• Attempts to escape, move away, walk away, look away
There are no guarantees with behavior; however, working with a competent force-free trainer to
manage or mitigate aggression can be your first step. A professional treatment package should
include these elements:
• Greeting templates and safety: Aggressive dogs should be secured away from visitors to
the home. You MUST protect your guests by not allowing your dog access to them until
you can work with an aggression behavior specialist.
• Analyzing the background/history and incident reports
• Discussing bite scales, examining severity and bite style based upon wound pathology,
frequency of incidents and bite/release factors.
• Explaining the cause of aggression: genetic, improper or insufficient socialization during
the critical period, or traumatic experiences from the dog’s perspective.
(See the Fear and Socialization section). Other common causes include a failure to meet
your dog’s real needs, or using training methods other than those put forth in the
Hierarchy of Dog Needs such as using shock, prong, or choke collars.
• Understanding liability. Each state, and most counties, have their own liability laws and
regulations for dangerous and vicious dogs. For example, California has a “strict
liability” statute. The statute states that a dog’s owner can be held liable for injuries
caused by a dog bite “regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner’s
knowledge of such viciousness”.
• Learning to read dog body language and understanding vocalizations.
• Learning to use desensitization and counter-conditioning techniques to help create both
emotional and behavior substitution learning for your dog.

If you’ve tried several force-free dog behavior professionals and followed the steps they
suggested consistently, but are not seeing results, then re-homing your dog may be a
possibility if it can be done safely and responsibly. However, be aware that most shelters and
rescues won’t take a dog with a bite history. A personal friend or trainer who understands
your dog’s history may be an option, but may be hard to find. In the most severe cases where
continued danger to humans persists, as a last resort, euthanasia is available at home by many
mobile veterinarians. In my own experience, dogs with human aggression are more likely to
have successful outcomes than dogs with dog-dog aggression, because once we get all the
people on the same page with force-free training, then the dog can better predict human
behavior and we can better predict the dog’s behavior.
THE END

References, Resources, and Supplies
Be very careful about where you seek behavior advice…your dog is depending on you to get it right.
References
American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. (2014). AVSAB position statement on puppy
socialization. Retrieved from https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/
Puppy_Socialization_Position_Statement_Download_-_10-3-14.pdf
Anderson, R.K. (2004). Puppy vaccination and early socialization should go together. Retrieved
from http://www.diamondsintheruff.com/rkanderson
Best Friends Animal Society. (2017). Save them all. Retrieved from http://bestfriends.org/
Bove-Rothwell, A. Living in a human world. (2016, July). BARKS from the Guild. Retrieved
from https://issuu.com/petprofessionalguild/docs/bftg_july_2016_opt
Bradshaw, J. (2011). Dog sense. New York, NY: Basic.
Burch, M.R., & Bailey, J.S. (1999). How dogs learn. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Byrnes, C. (2011). What is My Dog Saying? and What is My Dog Saying at the Dog Park?
Chance, P. (2014). Learning and behavior (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Collins, S. (2007). Tail talk: Understanding the secret language of dogs. San Francisco, CA:
Chronicle Books.

Coren, S. (2015). Dog training using behavior capture: The easiest way to train dogs and
puppies. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/201511/dog-
training-using-behavior-capture
Deng, P., & Swanson, K.S. (2014). Companion animal symposium: Future aspects and
perceptions of companion animal nutrition and sustainability. Journal of Animal Science.
93 (3), 823-834. doi:10.2527/jas.2014-8520
Dunbar, I. (2007). BEFORE you get your puppy. Retrieved from

http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/you-get-your-puppy
Dunbar, I. (2007). AFTER you get your puppy. Retrieved from

http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/after-you-get-your-puppy
Dunbar, I. (2016). The Bite Scale. Retrieved from

http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/bite-scale
Dunbar, I. (2007). Lure reward training. Retrieved from http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/

lure-reward-training
Haffenden, J. (2015). Crate Training 101 [Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=OPheiar_6k0
Horowitz, D.F., Ciribassi, J., & Dale, S. (Eds.). (2014). Decoding your dog. New York, NY:
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Kerasote, T. (2014). Pukka’s promise: The quest for longer-lived dogs. New York: First Mariner
Books.
Kerns, N. (2012).Whole Dog Journal. Retrieved from http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/
Knueven, D. (2008). The holistic health guide: Natural care for the whole dog. Neptune, NJ:
TFH.
Le Blanc, C. (2015). Are ‘free-shaped’ dogs better problem solvers? Retrieved from http://
ppgworldservices.com/2015/03/16/are-free-shaped-dogs-better-problem-solvers/
McConnell, P. (1998). The cautious canine: How to help dogs conquer their fears (2nd ed.).
Black Earth, WI: McConnell Publishing.

McConnell, P. (2003). Feisty Fido: Help for the leash-aggressive dog. Black Earth, WI:
McConnell.
Michaels, L. (2017). Hierarchy of Dog Needs. Retrieved from

http://www.dogpsychologistoncall.com/hierarchy-of-dog-needs-tm/
Michaels, L. J. (2013). Puppy socialization and vaccinations belong together. Pet Professional
Guild. BARKS from the Guild.
Michaels, L. J. (2017). Ten Do’s and don’ts of successful housetraining. Del Mar Village Voice.
Michaels, L. J. (2017). UT pet school: Grazing games. Retrieved from

http://www.dogpsychologistoncall.com/ut-pet-school-grazing-game-can-change-behavior/
Michaels, L. J. (Director). (2015). Understanding Research: Making the Case for Force-Free
Training. [DVD]. Eagle, Idaho: Tawzer Dog.
Michaels, L. J. (in press). Hierarchy of Dog Needs handbook (coming soon).
Miller, P. (2004). Positive perspectives: Love your dog. Train your dog. Wenatchee, WA:
Dogwise.
Miller, P. (2010). Do over dogs: Give your dog a second chance for a first class life. Wenatchee,
WA: Dogwise.
Miller, P. (2017). Beware of the dog: Positive solutions for aggressive behavior in dogs.
Wenatchee, WA: Dogwise.
Miller, P. (2012). Whole Dog Journal. Retrieved from http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/
Operation Socialization. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.operationsocialization.com/
Overall, K., Brammeier, S., Brennan, J., Brown, S., Bryant, D., Calnon, D., . . . Seksel,K. (2006).
Good trainers: How to identify one. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 1 (1), 47-52. doi:10.1016/
j.jveb.2006.05.001
Overall, K. (2013). Manual of clinical behavioral medicine for dog and cats. Cambridge, MA:
Elsevier Health Sciences.
Patel, C. (2010). Teaching a Dog to Wear a Muzzle (Muzzle Training) [Video]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FABgZTFvHo

Pelar, C. (2012). Living with kids and dogs…without losing your mind: A parent’s guide to
controlling the chaos (2nd ed.). Springfield, VA: Dream Dog Productions.
The Pet Professional Guild. (2016). Find your professional trainer, behavior consultant, or pet
care provider. Retrieved from http://www.petprofessionalguild.com/Zip-Code-Search
The Pet Professional Guild. (2012). Your puppy socialization checklist. Retrieved from
http://www.petprofessionalguild.com/Resources/Documents/PPG-Client-Puppy-Socialization-
Download.pdf
Personne, Camille (2015). Be Safe – Dog Bite Safety and Education. Pet Professional Guild.
Retrieved from https://petprofessionalguild.com/Resources/Documents/Advocacy%20Handouts/
Handout%202%20Myth%20of%20Tail%20Waggin.pdf
Phillips, K. M. DogBiteLaw.com
Petfinder. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.petfinder.com/
Puppy Culture. (n.d.). Map of Breeders
Puppy Prodigies. (n.d.). Home [YouTube Channel]. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/user/PuppyProdigies
Ray, M., & Harding, J. (2005). Dog tricks: Fun and games for your clever canine. San Diego,
CA: Thunder Bay Press.
Ronchette, V. (2007). Positive training for show dogs: Building a relationship for success.
Wenatchee, WA: Direct Book Service.
Surf Dog Ricochet. (2009, November 17). Surfing dog teaches disabled kids to surf! [Video file].
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGODurRfVv4
Wilde, N. (2011). Don’t leave me! Step-by-step help for your dog’s separation anxiety. Santa
Clarita, CA: Phantom.
Yin, S. (Director). (2014). Handling, Moving and Restraining Dogs in Stressful Environments,
Part 1. [DVD]. Davis, CA: CattleDog Publishing.
Yin, S. (Director). (2014). Handling Moving and Restraining Small and Medium-sized Dogs with
Skill and Ease, Part 2 .[DVD]. Davis, CA: CattleDog Publishing.
Yin, S. (2011). How to greet a dog (free e-booklet). Retrieved from

http://info.drsophiayin.com/how-to-greet-a-dog-ebook

Resources
Do No Harm Dog Training Facebook Group

Join this group to discuss the material in this book and ask questions.
Journals
Journal of Veterinary Behavior.
Editor: Dr. Karen Overall. Discounted subscriptions for Pet Professional Guild members
The Whole Dog Journal: Monthly guide to natural dog care and training
Behavior Editor: Pat Miller. Archive of articles available online for subscribers. $25 year
Websites
Linda Michaels, M.A., Psychology: Dog PsychologistOnCall.com resources
Archive of No Shock, No Prong, No Choke and other memes, articles, blogs and hand-outs for
“Do No Harm” trainers and pet parents
HierarchyOfDogNeeds.com
An easy to understand and use wellness and force-free behavior modification guide tailored for
use by all dog professionals and dog lovers
The Pet Professional Guild

Archive of online articles, blogs and hand-outs for Force-free trainers and pet parents. Growing
exponentially
Puppy Culture
Map of breeders who identify as subscribing to Puppy Culture norms
Puppy Prodigies (video page)

Puppy development week-by-week
Tawzer Books
Buy, rent or subscribe to hundreds of +R training videos.
The Be a Tree program
Muzzle Train Your Dog by Chirag Patel
Videos
Understanding Research: Making the Case for Force-Free Dog Training
PPG Summit presentation by Linda Michaels, M.A.
How to Train Your Wolfdog, Wolfdog Radio Interview Slideshow with Linda Michaels, M.A.

Supplies
Ziwi-Peaks
Best Front Range No-Pull Dog Harness
EzyDog Zero Shock Leash
Fresh Patch
Anti-icky Poo
Bully Sticks (free-range)
Durable Nylabone

2019DoNoHarmTrainingManual LindaMichaels

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

2019DoNoHarmTrainingManual LindaMichaels

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

DO NO HARM

Force-free Dog Training and Behavior Manual

LINDA MICHAELS, M.A. PSYCHOLOGY

Welcome Dog Lovers!

My academic background in experimental psychology, graduate training in behavioral

©Linda Michaels, Do No Harm Dog TrainingTM and Behavior Manual !3

A Top Ten U.S. Dog Trainer ~ Top Ten Magazine

©Linda Michaels, Do No Harm Dog TrainingTM and Behavior Manual !4

Chapter 2 Do No HarmTM Standards and Practices

Chapter 3 Good Manners and Impulse Control

Chapter 4 Basic Training

Chapter 5 When Things Go Wrong

References, Resources and Supplies ................................................................................................87

©Linda Michaels, Do No Harm Dog TrainingTM and Behavior Manual !5

How to Find a Dog That Fits Your Lifestyle

Choose a dog that fits your lifestyle and family.

All puppies are adorable so make a list of

©Linda Michaels, Do No Harm Dog TrainingTM and Behavior Manual !6

• May I visit the place where your puppies are bred?

©Linda Michaels, Do No Harm Dog TrainingTM and Behavior Manual !7

©Linda Michaels, Do No Harm Dog TrainingTM and Behavior Manual !8

©Linda Michaels, Do No Harm Dog TrainingTM and Behavior Manual !9

“Good Training Tools: Safe and effective.

Tools to Avoid: Cause anxiety, fear and may cause aggression.

©Linda Michaels, Do No Harm Dog TrainingTM and Behavior Manual !10

What is positive training?

What about punishment?

Supplies You Will Need for Training

Leash-Walking Equipment – Leash and Harness

©Linda Michaels, Do No Harm Dog TrainingTM and Behavior Manual !11

Treats and Treat Bag

Remember to relax and have fun with your dog!

• Mat or throw rug for “Settle Down”

©Linda Michaels, Do No Harm Dog TrainingTM and Behavior Manual !12

©Linda Michaels, Do No Harm Dog TrainingTM and Behavior Manual !13

Laying the Groundwork for Force-free Do No HarmTM Training

Force-free Training Fundamentals

Training is a two-sided coin.

1. Behaviors that are rewarded will be repeated.

What your dog wants is:

©Linda Michaels, Do No Harm Dog TrainingTM and Behavior Manual !14

• Use these non-aversive techniques for undesirable behavior:

• Management. To increase, redirect, decrease or eliminate behavior: Rearrange

• Antecedent Modification. To increase, decrease, or eliminate behavior: Change events

• Positive Reinforcement. To increase behavior: Rewards for desired behavior. ex.

• Differential Reinforcement. To redirect, decrease or increase behavior: Reward for

• Classical and Counter-Conditioning. To change emotion: Create new associations

• Desensitization. To decrease emotional response: Develop a systematic graduated

©Linda Michaels, Do No Harm Dog TrainingTM and Behavior Manual !15

How Dogs Communicate

Using Food as a Reward

©Linda Michaels, Do No Harm Dog TrainingTM and Behavior Manual !16

©Linda Michaels, Do No Harm Dog TrainingTM and Behavior Manual !17

Environmental enrichment is an effective behavior modification tool that is often overlooked.

©Linda Michaels, Do No Harm Dog TrainingTM and Behavior Manual !18

Download the Hierarchy of Dog Needs® Guide.

Welcome to the new era in dog training.

©Linda Michaels, Do No Harm Dog TrainingTM and Behavior Manual !19

Understanding behavior using quadrants is a way of categorizing response frequency, however,

©Linda Michaels, Do No Harm Dog TrainingTM and Behavior Manual !20

• Integrative, progressive and holistic veterinarians

©Linda Michaels, Do No Harm Dog TrainingTM and Behavior Manual !21

1. Examples for Veterinarians