Sit Mofo Sit

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

Great Dog

My Dog Eats Everything on the Walk!

Last summer we did a lot of camping. At one particular park, we found random chicken bones all over the place during our daily walks. I have no idea where they came from but it was so gross.

But of course, the dogs found these bones to be quite a delicacy. Our walks were continuously being interrupted as the dogs sniffed out these random treats.

How could I stop my dog from picking up every bone, garbage, or stick found on the walk?

My dog Phritz was young and to be honest, had not spent a lot of time on a leash. He was found feral and abandoned in the woods. He was my wild child and chicken bones from heaven were the greatest gift he could ever ask for.

I had no choice but to teach him to heel. The heel walk is traditionally done with the dog at your left and the dog's head in line with your leg.

This is my advice to all of my clients whose dogs eat random stuff while they are out on a walk. Heel is the answer.

I have four dogs, so the two big dogs heel on the left and the two little dogs heel on the right. In a heel walk sniffing is not allowed. If the dog is not sniffing then they are not finding random snacks.

They are all walking at my pace, without a death grip on any of the leashes, and most importantly they are not eating random stuff on our walk.

Lots of my clients want to use the words “leave it” or “drop it.” Those commands are awesome, but it's vital to teach the dog what those commands mean.

Why Heel?

  • I find that when walking it is easier to teach your dog to heel than leave it and drop it.
  • Heel walking is a much more pleasant experience than having your dog wander from side to side or loop around your legs.
  • The heel walk requires your dog to use their brain. It becomes both a mental and physical activity.
  • When the dogs come home from a nice long heel walk they are usually exhausted. A tired dog is a good dog.

I provide a step by step process on how to train your dog to heel (and drop it / leave it too) in my Basic Training Course.

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, Great Dog, Obedience

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

Winning the Lottery

Whether you got your dog from a breeder, SPCA, dog rescue, or if they just randomly showed up on your front porch you both benefit from the relationship.

I’d like to flip the script on the term “rescue” dog.

Lots of my clients have rescue dogs. Sometimes you learn the dog's history and other times you don’t. Some situations were absolutely horrifying.

It is totally in our human nature to feel bad for the dog. The stories I could tell you. I have seen some truly awful things – not just in rescue situations but with breeders as well.

Dogs definitely have residual behaviors from past experience. Left alone for hours, not socialized, not potty trained, or worse.

The good news is dogs pretty much live in the moment. This is where we’ve got to change our mindset as owners! These dogs are to be loved, not pitied. They need to experience the world, not stay sheltered.

We must treat our dogs as if they won the lottery – as if they are the luckiest dogs in the whole world. Because they are.

The bad behaviors can be managed. You can teach your dog anything you set your mind to.

Don’t “feel bad” for your dog, coddle them, or give up on them!

Consider your dogs past experience, but know that today is a new day. It will take time, but all you need to do is train. A top reason dogs are returned to the breeder or shelter is lack of training. Dogs do not speak English. It is our job to teach them.

  • Non-Stop Barking. Dogs who like to bark need to be given time that is appropriate for barking. I teach my barking dogs to speak. When we are in the backyard, field, or the beach I encourage them to speak. When we are home and they are barking at the 500th squirrel, I let them bark for a moment and then tell them quiet. Training them to understand what speak and quiet means will keep both of you happy.

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  • Eliminating Indoors.
    Until I know for sure a new dog in my house knows what #pottyoutside means I assume they haven’t learned. I do not like cleaning up pee and poop. If you aren’t expecting it, it’s all the more frustrating. I put them on a leash and watch them like a hawk. If I can’t watch them I put them in a crate. That’s a 2 sentence explanation – if you’d like more I have a Free Potty Training Workshop online.)

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  • Crate Aversion: The crate is your best friend in training. But what if your dog hates the crate or has never been in one? The most vital thing is to make the crate a safe, positive place. Start by providing meals in the crate. Teach them to do a down-stay in the crate with lots of yummy treats. Give the crate a cool name and get an excited voice and animated body when it’s time for your dog to go in.

Dogs are the absolute best. They are capable of so many amazing things. They offer us comfort, unconditional love, they can be trained to tell you when you were sick, they can be trained to offer stability, they can be trained to detect dangerous things, they make us laugh, and they fill our hearts with joy.

You can fix bad dog behaviors. It just takes time, patience, and a whole lot of repetition.

Remember, you and your dog BOTH won the lottery when you found each other.

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, #PottyOutside, Great Dog

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