Sit Mofo Sit

Expert Dog Training That's Fun For You and Your Best Friend

Fear

Talk to Your Dog Like a Drag Queen

Ok, right now you might be saying, “Huh, what does talking like a drag queen have to do with dog training?” Well.

Tone and attitude are super important in dog communication.

What you say doesn't matter as much as how you say it.

Rosco's family gave him up after 5 years of living together. He bounced from shelters to foster homes until he was finally adopted by my current clients.

His new family felt bad about his previous situation. They handled him with kid gloves, coddling him and speaking in baby talk.

As humans, we want to comfort the ones we love when they seem afraid. But rather than comfort, the baby talk from the client was inadvertently praising the fear and causing uncertainty.

Rosco was super confused. He met any request, like sit, with one of two responses. The first was a flop on his back and show of belly (submissive gesture.) The other was a growl and show of teeth.

The new family was madly in love with Rosco and dedicated to doing whatever it took to make him a good fit. The harder they tried to make him feel welcome, the more they coddled and baby-talked. And Rosco, feeling that timid and pitying energy, stayed in his shell.

In our first lesson together he was fearful and did not want to walk with me. I said “hey girl, hey” to him in my best drag queen voice.

The tone of a “drag queen voice” is clear, friendly, confident, and fun. It projects positive energy. It communicates a productive message. “Let's do the thing! This is safe for you!”

Tone matters. What you say doesn't matter as much as how you say it.

The entire family belly laughed and relaxed. Rosco felt the change of energy, relaxed, and immediately started walking by my side. It was a real aha moment for the dog and the family.

When things start getting too sad or serious, it doesn't work for anyone.

To me, drag queens are the epitome of not taking yourself too seriously. If you aren't familiar, here is a little banter from Trixie and Katya.

If your dog is hurt or frightened, “hey girl, hey” makes the situation less tense. It signals to your dog that you are in control, you are calm, and are going to take care of them.

If your dog is being plain old defiant, “hey girl, hey” lightens the mood for both of you. But, in true drag queen fashion let them know that they are absolutely going to do what you ask. Remember, you are more patient than the dog is stubborn.

Maybe drag queens aren't your thing, and if so thanks so much for reading this far. The same concept applies, though.

Draw your influence from the things that make you feel lighthearted and happy.

Your energy affects not only your dog but the world around you. Have some fun!

There are no “bad” dogs, just mofos with problems. Problems generally have solutions, and I’ve encountered them all. ( Check out my easy, 30-minute Potty Training workshop.)

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Filed Under: Aggression, Fear, Great Dog

Get Your Dog Used to Seeing People with Face Masks

I absolutely love your emails! This last week, I’ve received the same concern several times over and in fact, had personal experiences with this new situation myself.

Help, my dog hates the face mask!

Regardless of your stance on the face mask debate, we all must agree that in 2020 the mask is a part of everyday life.

Face masks are weird.

Dogs rely heavily on scent to navigate the world, but much of how they interact with us is based on facial cues.

Your mask experience probably felt a little awkward in the beginning. This, while you had the backstory. You knew to expect to see the mask, why people were wearing them, the variations of styles, the slightly muffled speech.

Your dog didn’t get the memo.

So Fido sees a person with half of their face covered and it is different, weird, and maybe even scary. Each dog is different. Some may feel just slightly concerned, some may outright panic.

It’s important to watch their body language. Reactions may include growling, lowering head, backing away, or trying to escape.

Twice, I have almost been bitten by dogs I’ve was working with. One of my clients had a guest suffer a bite.

Phritz Says Hell No to the Mask

A few months ago, I went to the post office with all my dogs in the car. I put on my mask to go in and my feral dog immediately growled, his hackles went up and he started backing away from me. At that moment all I could do was laugh and say hey Phritz it’s just me, and then I had to run my errand.

After the post office, we went to our favorite park. I wore my mask, played with him, threw the ball, and got him to do some sits and downs for treats. Later that day, and for the following week, I wore my mask in the house several times a day.

I made it a very lighthearted experience for him. Now the mask is no big deal.

If you’re anything like me and you love to take your dog all the places, masks on strangers really are a new part of everyday life.

( An unexpected benefit to me wearing my mask in the house is that I also trained myself. When I first started wearing them I was very nervous, anxious, and I had a hard time breathing. Now I’m up to three hours with few problems!)

facemask on pink background with words dont panic

Obedience Makes Everything Better

Integrating obedience commands is one of the best ways to acclimate your dog to new situations. The series of steps below use the sit command.

  1. Be cool. Take your time. Act natural and stay positive during the introduction and training process. If at any time your dog seems uncomfortable or nervous, back off.

  2. Introduction. Show your dog the mask. Let them sniff and explore it. They will figure out it isn’t a threat. Reward with a treat so they begin to associate the mask with a positive experience.

  3. Introduction on your face. After your dog is comfortable with the actual item, put your mask on. Be calm and speak in a normal but upbeat tone. Give them some treats or feed a meal.

  4. Walk indoors. Unmasked, leash your dog. Then, let your dog see you put the mask on. Walk to each room of your home. Have the dog do a sit in each room.

  5. Go outside. Walk around your yard or a small area your dog is very accustomed to. Take 10 minutes and do 6-12 sits.

  6. Enter the house solo wearing your mask. Now you are greeting them WITH the mask on. If your dog is still nervous be sure to have some super delicious treats to offer. Stay lighthearted, so if YOU feel nervous, wiggle your body! It sounds goofy, but the wiggling communicates a sense of play to your dog. (It also releases your stress – seriously.)

  7. Add others. Put your dog on a leash and ask your friends or neighbors to come to the front yard wearing a mask. Make sure they are equipped with super delicious treats and the wiggle secret. My favorite thing to lighten the mood is a salsa dance party. Once everyone is comfortable have your assistant tell the dog to sit for a treat. Do between 6-12 repetitions.

  8. Explore the Neighborhood. Take your dog for a longer walk wearing the mask. Do a sit at every other driveway or landmark of your choice.

  9. Go to all the places. Take your dog to a public place where people will be masked. I always make sure I have extra special treats for this. (Leftover chicken, hotdogs, pizza crust, or cheese.)

Stay patient and take your time! This is not a one day process. You may have to repeat a step a few times until you can see your dog relax. Remember, they didn’t get the COVID memo.

I sure hope this helps! Please let me know if you get stuck at a step or have any questions!

There are no “bad” dogs, just mofos with problems. Problems generally have solutions, and I’ve encountered them all. ( Check out my easy, 30-minute Potty Training workshop.)

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Filed Under: #doggoals, Fear

My Perfect Dog is Misbehaving!

Hey Mofo Friends!

Have you had the perfect dog up until today, but now have to ask yourself…

Why is my dog acting aggressively, using the house as a toilet, or destroying things?

My client had this exact problem. We had trained her lab Maggie together and she was a fantastic puppy. She learned potty training quickly and her obedience commands were on point. She was a kind, loving, and obedient dog.

My services were no longer needed and the client and I parted ways.

Then several months later I received a panicked text. Maggie was pooping and peeing all over the house. She was chewing up everything she could get her little teeth on. My services were again needed.

How had this perfect dog morphed into a nightmare?

Making a diagnosis was simple. The client had recently moved from a single-family home with a fenced-in yard to an upper floor condo.

In order to get outside to potty, Maggie had to get into the elevator. She became fearful, clenching all sphincters, and once outside would wander around too tense to poop.

Then, bowels unrelieved, Maggie had to brave the elevator back upstairs, reinforcing that same fear and clenching – until she was back safely in the condo, whereupon she could finally relax (emotionally and physically) and find somewhere sneaky to let it all “out of her system.”

Maggie didn't like to break the rules and potty in the house. She was an obedient, well-trained dog. Her disobedience was situational, but that terrible fear of the elevator had built up some serious anxiety. Maggie expressed her stress by chewing up things that didn't belong to her, destroying some of the owner's expensive property in the process.

This was no way for Maggie or her pet-parent to live! It was clear that Maggie was scared to death of the elevator, but taking the stairs a billion times a day was not an option. What to do?

Once the problem was identified, it was actually an easy fix. I coached the client long-distance and the client did it herself in 2 days.

🐾 Step one was to get some super special tasty treats and break them into tiny bits. Rotisserie chicken, hot dogs, pieces of bacon – whatever floated Maggie’s boat. The key is that the food was delicious and special to the dog.

🐾 Then, I had the client take Maggie into the elevator. Once they were in, she praised Maggie and gave her a little treat.

🐾 When the elevator door closed, Maggie was again praised and given a treat.

🐾 Up one floor, praise and treat. Then down 2 floors, praise and treat. Down another floor, praise and treat. You get the idea. Short sessions (7-10 minutes) with random ups and downs.

🐾 When Maggie exited the elevator, yet another praise and treat.

🐾 I instructed my client to do this in multiple sessions, several times a day, staying positive, praising every session and rewarding Maggie with her treats.

And that's it. The praise and the treats eliminated Maggie's anxiety with the elevator in TWO DAYS. Maggie continued riding every day like a champ (No special treats needed)!

So if you have a perfect dog who all of a sudden isn't acting very perfect, ask yourself one simple thing:

WHAT IS DIFFERENT IN YOUR LIFE?

The dog is the same dog. Somehow their environment has changed. Identifying the difference is half the battle. Your dog wants to be a good dog!

Everything is awesome. Now go walk your mofo 🙂
~Lisa

There are no “bad” dogs, just mofos with problems. Problems generally have solutions, and I’ve encountered them all. For more practical and professional help on mofo issues from A to Z check out my Basic Training course.

I'm always happy to help. Visit the Sit Mofo Sit Facebook page to check out more stories and solutions for your best friend.

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Filed Under: #doggoals, Destruction, Fear, Great Dog, Training

Help! My Dog is Biting my Guests!

Hey Mofo Friends!

Have you had to ask yourself:

Why is my dog is afraid of my friends?

or,

Why is my dog aggressive toward my friends?

A good support system is important for everyone, and a support system needs friends!

To tackle the issue of “unfriendly” dogs, I'll share the super simple solution that I used with a mofo named Skylar.

After the loss of a beloved dog, my clients were looking to adopt another dog. They were an older couple and weren't really interested in doing potty training and all the things that come with a puppy. So they searched for an older dog to bring home. They found Skylar from a Korean dog rescue organization.

Up until then, Skylar had lived a rough life out on the streets and at some point had lost an eye. As far as anyone could tell she hadn't experienced the love and comfort of a home and caregivers. My clients brought her home and she adapted famously to the couple, their home, and suburban life in general.

As is to be expected, Skylar was still nervous and scared when people approached her, particularly on her blind side. This issue became a full-blown crisis when guests visited the house.

Skylar’s new family had an “open-door policy.” Friends and neighbors came and went freely without knocking, and Skylar was just so damn cute that everyone wanted to pet her as soon as they saw her. These guests often immediately approached Skylar, and Skylar would snap and bite at them. NOT COOL.

That's the backstory. Here is the 3-step solution:

🐾 First, we set up a bed in a place where Skylar could see both doors, as well as the full periphery around her.

🐾 Then, we instructed visitors to knock before entering. This way, Skylar could hear the knock, and we had the opportunity to give her the new command (see next step). The knock allowed Skylar time to get to her bed without sacrificing the family’s “open door policy” – just adding that knock.

🐾 We gave Skylar “go to bed” as her new command (it's often called “go place” in old school dog training). Each time there was a knock at the door, Skylar was given the command and went to her bed. From the safety of her bed, Skylar could see everyone entering and felt more secure. Once the guest was inside, Skylar was given the release command and could approach the guest on HER terms.

Dog training is as much about teaching people as it is about teaching dogs. As this story illustrates, the solution for most mofo problems requires a little training for the dog and a little training for the dog’s family.

It took several training sessions, but within about 3 days Skylar learned and followed the command – leaving everyone happy.

Everything is awesome. Now go walk your mofo 🙂
~Lisa

There are no “bad” dogs, just mofos with problems. Problems generally have solutions, and I’ve encountered them all. For step-by-step instructions on training the Go Place command as well as everything you need to know about training your dog, check out my Basic Training course.

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Filed Under: #doggoals, Aggression, Fear, Training

Making Rain Fun!

Hey Mofo Friends!

“Help! My dog will not poop outside in the rain!”

“My dog is scared to death of thunderstorms! What can I do?”

I cannot begin to tell you how many times clients have come to me with these issues. If you find yourself dealing with these concerns, you need to first ask yourself a question.

Do I have a truly terrified dog here or do I have a pampered princess who does not like to get their feet wet?

* If you said pampered princess: *

  • Put your dog on a leash and take them outside while it's raining. Go for a walk together!

    Yep, you’ll get wet, too. Unlike your mofo, however, you’ve probably experienced rain before, are aware that the precipitation can actually be fun, and understand that the state of being (even very thoroughly) soaked tends to be a temporary one. (Unless you happen to be a wicked witch, and in that case just leave poor Toto alone and focus on training your horde flying monkeys, m’kay?)

    Start on a day with a light drizzle. Get your leash, bring some wonderful dog treats, and head outside. Be prepared for some resistance here. Instead of forcing your dog along, I suggest keeping some tension in the leash and encouraging them to walk with you.

    If your dog isn’t paying attention to you, just stop walking. Use “smoochie” noises. Bait them with food. You have to be more patient than your dog is stubborn.

    Once they start taking a few steps, show your enthusiasm! Seeing the animation in your posture and tone, and hearing you say “YEAH!” and “GOOD DOG!” is a great way to help keep them motivated. Celebrate each small achievement and don’t get frustrated if your dog is slow to learn.

    Make these exercises short, fun, and sweet (especially if you are dealing with an older dog). Always end on a positive note.

* If you said terrified dog: *

  • Handling a dog who is downright panic-stricken by thunder and lightning is more difficult, but patience and adaptability here can work wonders. Take the following 2 examples:

    JACK – To see my 10-year-old mofo Jack, a brilliant swimmer who loves the water, you’d never guess that he suffered from fear of rain or of storms. Jack actually started out as a “pampered princess” type and did NOT like to go outside to potty in the rain. I used the above exercise as often as I could, and by the time Jack was 2 years old he no longer even needed to be put on a leash to go out in the rain.

    Then, when Jack was 8 (about 2 years ago) we had a REALLY bad storm. A large tree branch fell on the house. It was crazy loud – even I was startled – but it scared Jack so much that he literally shit himself. He’s been terrified by the sound of thunder ever since.

    I should note that there is a wonderful medicine that your vet can prescribe to help, but in order for it to work you have to get it into your dog’s system an HOUR before the storm. If you can predict storms consistently and ahead of time you need to be making a fortune with that skill. Sadly, that is not among my superpowers. So I did a TON of work trying to help Jack overcome his fears. And in the end I discovered that putting him in his crate worked best for him. In fact, storms are only time Jack actually likes his crate.

    You might have heard about weighted blankets that some people use to calm and comfort them during distress or anxiety – well, the mofo equivalent of that is a tight shirt. Jack wears a lot of t-shirts anyway, and now I make sure I always have something on hand that fits tightly in case he needs it. If a tight shirt helps your dog you may want to invest in a thunder shirt. These are a brilliant, easy fix if they work for your dog. They last forever and wash up great.

    While tight shirts and crate-use were the formula Jack needed, my mofo Phritz was a very different story.

    PHRITZ– We found Phritz in the woods after a few days of epic storms. He was very young (about 6 weeks old), very sick, and had been alone outside during the storms. The first time Phritz heard thunder he got scared and began freaking out. Luckily, the thunder was far away and there was only some light rain – a perfect opportunity to get him outside. I grabbed some chicken and walked him around my front yard.

    My neighbors thought I was crazy to be out in the rain, but I didn’t want the next 18 years of Phritz’s life to be tormented by storms. So every time Phritz took a few steps without hesitation, he was rewarded with some chicken. This food-reward method helped him progress quickly. It wasn’t long before we were running around the yard in the rain having a salsa dance party.

    Several rain sessions later, I added some sit commands. Please note that this training was not a one-shot deal. We went out in a number of storms before he was completely comfortable. And it worked. Even now, Phritz gets ready to have a storm party whenever it rains.

Additional Help

There are plenty of supplements on the market to try. Ask your vet for recommendations. If one does not work try something else. Don’t give up.

Take note of your body language. Do you hate the rain? Storms? Thunder? Even if you don’t mind bad weather but you are anxious because you know your dog is going to freak out, your dog will still pick up on your energy.

Saying “It’s okay” in a soothing voice might seem like the obvious thing to do, but all that does is praise the fear. Your dog does not speak English. If you think your dog is afraid the best thing you can do is stop talking. Sit down, take some deep breaths and relax. Listen to your favorite music. Watch your favorite show. Hell, drink a really good bourbon. Show your dog there is nothing to be afraid of rather than tell them.

Exercise is crucial. You’ve likely heard the saying, “Train the body and the mind will follow.” Well, it’s true for dogs too, so go spend some time with your best friend, rain or shine. Take them swimming. Play tug and fetch. Don’t forget the all-important walk. Both of you will feel better.

Everything is awesome. Now go walk your mofo 🙂
~Lisa

There are no “bad” dogs, just mofos with problems. Problems generally have solutions, and I’ve encountered them all. For more practical and professional help on mofo issues from A to Z check out my Basic Training course.


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Filed Under: #doggoals, Fear

Fireworks Terrify My Dog!

Hey Mofo Friends!

What can I do about my dogs fear of fireworks?

The 4th of July is coming and we have so much to be grateful for and celebrate! Sadly, our dogs don't understand what all that noise is about. It's scary!

The ASPCA does a campaign every year reminding folks July 4th is the top day of the year for lost and runaway pets.

Don't lose your best friend. Here are my top tips to get your dog safely through the 4th. Use these tips along with good common sense. Be proactive. It is your job to keep your dog safe.

  1. Make sure your dog is exhausted!
    A tired dog is a calm dog. On the days you expect lots of evening noise go on a walk together. Play fetch or tug. Do some mental games and exercises. Practice your obedience commands.

  2. Use the buddy system!
    Go outside with your dog on potty breaks. Supervising outdoors greatly reduces the chance of them bolting through a loose fence post or escaping some other way. Walk them on a leash if you think them running away is even a remote possibility.

  3. Get (or make) a compression shirt.
    Like weighted blankets for humans and swaddling for babies, compression shirts (also known as thundershirts) can relieve anxiety in some dogs. They are available in all pet-serving retail outlets. We also have DIY from an old tshirt directions here.

  4. Account for noises from crowds and fireworks!
    If you leave your dog alone, put them in a crate. Play some awesome music, loud enough to drown out the outside noises. Recognize that when you come home they might still be freaked out.

  5. Have a backup plan!
    If they do get loose make sure they can get back home. Confirm they have a collar with an easy-to-read name and phone number. Consider getting your dog a microchip.


I know you love your dog or you would be watching dancing cat videos instead of reading this. Look at the fireworks from your dog's perspective and be mindful.

Happy 4th everyone! I hope you have a wonderful day full of love, kindness, and gratitude. Stay safe!

Everything is awesome. Now go walk your mofo 🙂
~Lisa

There are no “bad” dogs, just mofos with problems. Problems generally have solutions, and I’ve encountered them all. For more practical and professional help on mofo issues from A to Z check out my Basic Training course.

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Filed Under: Fear, Safety