Edie MacKenzie

Edie MacKenzie is a published author, traveler, dog lover, and tortoise enthusiast. Passionate about what she does, her books provide peopel a firm grounding in the dog breed and their unique characteristics with a nice touch of humor.

Inside The Mind Of A Dalmatian

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Although a Dalmatian loves to ride in the car to just about anywhere, they’re not back-seat dogs in any other sense of the word.  Their inner world contains wonders around every corner and no dangers that are quicker, tougher or smarter than they are.  A Dalmatian is not a “porch dog” that sits and looks at a guest or visitor until some unknown cue prompts it to get up and investigate or greet.  They are instantly curious about nearly everything and won’t hesitate to go see what’s up.

The Dalmatian breed standard calls for poise and alertness, and a stable, outgoing, and dignified temperament.  You should understand that this translates into a dog that does not go wagging up to any stranger and lick them up one side and down the other.  This means that when a Dalmatian meets strangers, he usually prefers to go up to them at his own pace, investigating fairly thoroughly before becoming the wagging, silly bouncing friend.

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Dog Training Tips To Get Your Dog To Obey!

If you’d love to discover EXACTLY how to get your dog to stop urinating on your carpet and actually ring a bell when he needs to potty. . .

Train puppies to NEVER chew on furniture or expensive rugs – even when you aren’t there to supervise. . .

Learn simple techniques for getting any dog to stop barking at strangers or from begging you to let him back inside –

Plus a TON more step-by-step dog obedience strategies THOUSANDS of regular people are already using, check out –

The Hands Off Dog Training Method

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Many people are so taken with the dog’s looks and bright expression that they forget introductions and manners.  They’ll rush up to the dog, arms and hands extended, bending down, with body language that says to the dog, “I want to grab you and pet you and touch you.” The Dalmatian understands the body language to say “I want to grab you and hold you in one place and prevent you from moving around me and checking me out while I check you out.”

Throughout early history, the Dalmatian was bred to take control of the streets and make judgments on whether things were safe or not for the horses and masters.  You can’t make judgments while you’re being held in one spot and examined.  This isn’t to say that the Dalmatian’s instincts should dictate your routines, or that he can’t be trained to be appropriately sociable; however, they are more likely to meet someone by going through the steps of investigation and judgment before acting like a wagging fool.

What if they don’t like someone after investigation?  Sometimes this happens, and most of the time it’s for reasons the owners can’t comprehend.  When this occurs, it’s rarely an aggressive scene.  The Dalmatian’s reaction is more likely to be one of avoidance, perhaps a quiet grumble or groaning and a move to the next room, from which he can keep an eye on things until the stranger leaves.  Your first impression as an owner is to feel like scolding your dog for unsociable behavior the judgment of a Dalmatian has always turned out to have an element of soundness.

Proper Clicker Training Means Using Perfect Timing

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With clicker training, timing is everything. You must capture the exact moment your dog is doing something right. Also start thinking in terms of stage-by-stage training.

Let’s say I want to use clicker training to teach my dog to make a left circle. I sit with my dog and click when my dog takes one step to the left.

That’s stage one. Then I hold out my click for two steps, then three,  then a full circle.

Training this way definitely takes longer than pulling my dog in a circle, but once my dog figures out the sequence, he’s doing a circle with far more zest and enthusiasm than if I tugged him around and around.

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The second secret of clicker training: Don’t attach a spoken command to behavior until your dog has figured out what is making the clicker work.

To explain, think of the behavior Sit. Each time your dog sits, click and reward.

After your dog is sitting, quickly start saying “Good, Sit” when feeding your dog his reward. Next say it simultaneous to the time your dog is sitting.

Next say “Sit” before a reward is offered and click good behavior. Yes! Soon you’ll be able to say “Sit” away from clicker training exercises, and your dog will be spot on.

Here’s an easy one, teaching your dog to lick your hand on cue. Spread a dab of peanut butter on your hand; offer it to your dog.

Click the second your dog licks you, then quickly offer his favorite reward. Timing is everything with clicker training, as your dog will know the sound soon after you introduce him to it.

Click the very moment your dog does what you want. Keep your clicker and treats with you and click each time your dog offers a kiss.

Once it becomes apparent that your dog has got the message, add the cue word “Kisses.”

No clicks go unrewarded. If you click, you must reward. One click, one reward. Treats should be small and easy to swallow so that your dog can wolf them down and not fill up.

Don’t treat your dog when he’s not having lessons or getting a reward won’t seem as exciting.

You can use the clicker to reinforce each step of your dog’s trick progression. Here are just a few more examples of how to reinforce everyday behaviors – basic stuff your dog probably already knows but exercises to help you understand how the clicker works.

House-training: When your dog eliminates in the right area, click and reward. After your dog associates the sequence, say “Get Busy!” When he’s eliminating, click the instant he finishes, treat, and praise.

Jumping: When your dog jumps on you, look away. Click, treat, and pet your dog once all four paws are on the ground. “Four on the Floor” can be commanded once the sequence is understood.

Chewing: Anytime your dog is chewing an appropriate object, click, treat, and praise warmly. Put the words “Bone” or “Toy” on the behavior once the clicker training sequence is understood.

Settle Down Little Pup!

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A dog is not like a television or a video game – you can’t just pull the plug or temporarily remove the batteries from a rambunctious puppy. Instead, you must teach him to settle down and shush. Right from the outset, make frequent quiet moments part of the puppy’s daily routine. Following a proper confinement schedule will help your puppy train himself to settle down. Additionally, encourage your puppy to settle down beside you for longer and longer periods. For example, when you’re watching television have your pup lie down on-leash or in his crate, but release him for short play-training breaks during the commercials.

When playing with your pup, have him settle down for frequent short interludes every fifteen seconds. Initially have the pup lie still for a few seconds before letting him play again. After fifteen seconds, interrupt the play session once more with a three-second settle-down. Then try for four seconds, then five, eight, ten, and so on. Although it’s difficult at first, being sent back and forth between “Settle Down” and “Let’s Play”, the puppy soon learns to settle down quickly and happily. Your puppy will learn that being asked to settle down is not the end of the world, nor is it necessarily the end of the play session, but instead that Settle Down signals a short time out and reward break before he is allowed to resume playing.

If you teach your puppy to be calm and controlled when told, you will have years of fun and excitement ahead. Once your puppy has learned to settle down and shush on cue, there is so much more your dog can enjoy with you. Your well-trained dog is likely to be invited for many walks, trips in the car, picnics, visits to the pub, or to Grandma’s, and even on incredible journeys to stay in ritzy dog-friendly hotels. On the other hand, if you let your dog play indiscriminately as a puppy, he will no doubt “want to play indiscriminately as an adult. Your dog will be hyperactive and uncontrollable because you have unintentionally taught him to act that way. If your pup has not been taught to settle down by the time he reaches adolescence, he will be unfit to be taken places. Your pup will begin a lifetime of confinement and isolation at home while the rest of the family go out to have a good time. That folks, is not fair!

Until you have trained your puppy to enjoy spending much of his day at home alone, you might recruit a puppy sitter. Just a few houses down the street, there may live an elderly person, for example, who would just love to live with a dog. He or she might be willing to come over during the daytime and sit and enjoy your TV or the contents of your fridge, maintain your puppy’s confinement schedule, regularly reward him for using his doggy toilet periodically play with the pup, and teach him household rules.

Common Puppy Behavior Problems – Barking & Digging

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Barking is completely normal for any dog but it should be considered a problem if it becomes excessive. Most dogs will bark at strangers passing by, and this is to be expected. However, you need to teach your puppy that although some barking is OK, too much barking is not.

Allow your puppy to bark two or three times when someone rings the doorbell, approaches your house or walks past your yard. Don’t let your puppy bark frantically until the person eventually leaves the area.

A Simple Anti-Barking Routine

To train your puppy not to bark excessively, be consistent and plan ahead. Ask a friend to come to your home and ring the doorbell. When the bell rings, your puppy probably will run toward the door and bark.

Take hold of your puppy’s collar at that moment, and say his name and then the cue “be quiet.” When he listens to you and ceases his barking, praise him heartily. After several practice sessions, your puppy should start to catch on.

Once your puppy has learned to respond reliably to the quiet cue while inside your house, you can begin the training session outdoors in your yard. Ask friends and neighbors to help you with the training by walking past your property or doing whatever else it is that sets your puppy off on a barking spree.

Remember, too, that bored dogs will bark more than those who are getting enough stimulation. If your puppy is barking like crazy at everyone who passes the house, he may need more exercise and stimulation. That way he won’t feel compelled to come up with his own distractions.

Digging

The instinct to dig is strong in most dogs and often starts in puppyhood. If your puppy is starting to dig up the yard, you need to intervene before your garden begins to look like a mine field.

The best way to control your puppy’s urge to dig is to give him a spot in the yard where he can dig to his heart’s content. This might be a place where you’ve already seen him digging if you don’t really mind that he digs there. Or, you may want to entice him to dig in an area that is out of the way and not visible from most parts of your yard.

If you catch him digging in a place that is not allowed, correct him by saying “NO DIG!” and take him to his allowed spot. If he digs in this designated digging area, praise him to let him know he’s got the right idea.

Even though he has his own digging spot, you may find that your puppy still likes to dig in places he shouldn’t. Protect these areas with temporary fencing (like chicken wire) until your puppy gets in the habit of digging only in his designated spot. Eventually, you should be able to take down the fencing and give him the run of the yard.

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