ABC Practical Guide to Dog Training - lmzd.lt

209 Pages·2005·7.5 MB·English

A B C
Practical Guide to Dog Training
S T E V E N A P P E L B A U M
To my loving hound dog Buford. Thank you forreaffirming
the importance of patience andloving-kindness. Also, for
proving thatunconditional love does exist.
This book is printed on acid-free paper. ∞
Copyright ©2004 by Wiley Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved
Howell Book House
Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Appelbaum, Steven.
ABC practical guide to dog training / Steven Appelbaum.
p. cm.
ISBN 0-7645-6722-5 (alk. paper)
1. Dogs—Training. I. Title.
SF431.A66 2004
636.7'0887—dc22
2003015628
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
C
ONTENTS
PREFACE v
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS vii
ABOUTTHEAUTHOR viii
CHAPTER 1 A DOG STORY 1
CHAPTER 2 IFYOU HAVEA DOG, YOUAREATRAINER 11
CHAPTER 3 HOWYOUR DOG LEARNS: A BASIC PRIMERTHAT
MAKES SENSE, WITHOUTA LOT OF JARGONAND
PSYCHOBABBLE 25
CHAPTER 4 YOUR DOGASA FAMILY MEMBER 55
CHAPTER 5 SIMPLE, EFFECTIVEWAYSTOADDRESS BASIC PROBLEMS,
PART 1 73
CHAPTER 6 SIMPLE, EFFECTIVEWAYSTOADDRESS BASIC PROBLEMS,
PART 2 101
CHAPTER 7 OFF-LEASH OBEDIENCE 119
CHAPTER 8 FINDINGATRAINERWHO’S RIGHT FORYOUAND
YOUR DOG 159
CHAPTER 9 HAVE FUN: RESOURCES FORYOUANDYOUR DOG 179
INDEX 197
iii

P
REFACE
As any visit to a book store or pet supply store will confirm, there are
dozens of books about dog training. With the proliferation of titles, the
question “Why another book on dog training?” needs to be asked.
The answer—or rather, answers—to that question are varied. First,
many dog training books are written by trainers who are looking to cre-
ate name recognition for themselves. Others are looking to impress col-
leagues, especially if these trainers want to pursue seminar or speaking
careers. Then there are those who are tired of training and hope to make
a living as writers. While there is nothing inherently wrong with any of
these motives, I think they miss what I believe must be the primary
motive for anyone who is writing a serious book on training: that any
such book must first and foremost be written for dog owners who are
looking for answers about how to properly train their pets.
In my experience, dog owners are looking for answers that are
humane and that work. This book is dedicated to them. I didn’t write
ABC Practical Guide to Dog Training to win points with other train-
ers, nor did I write it to build my business. Instead, I wrote it because
I am very passionate about certain things.
Shelter and rescue organizations throughout North America will
confirm the fact that at least 60 percent of all dogs in shelters are there
because of untreated behavior problems. They will also confirm, as
will many veterinarians, that millions of dogs are killed in shelters
every year. This makes untreated behavior problems the largest pre-
ventable cause of death of pet dogs in North America. That’s an
appalling statistic. As a trainer, it seems logical to me that a training
message based on methods that work needs to be shared with the pub-
lic, and what better way than a book?
This book is not for everyone. While the methods I have described
are strongly focused on using rewards, I make no bones about the fact
that correction sometimes has a place in the training process.
v
Preface
It used to be that dog training was almost always based on compul-
sion. This means the dog learned to listen primarily to avoid some sort
of correction or punishment. The problem with these techniques is that
the physical punishment was sometimes emotionally and physically
damaging to the dog. Anyone who took a training class 25 or more
years ago will remember just how rough training classes could be.
We have made tremendous and exciting advances in the last decade
or so. Over time, a new attitude and understanding were embraced by
trainers. Instead of teaching the dog to avoid punishment based on what
she shouldn’t do, trainers focused on strongly rewarding appropriate
behavior. Correction was administered only after the dog had clearly
learned a desired response and decided at that point to disobey. These
methods are far more positive and are extremely effective. Today, greater
numbers of trainers have a stronger understanding about the scientific
principles of how dogs learn than ever before. Additionally, modern
methods based on the proper use of rewards can be incredibly effective.
But now, some trainers believe any physical correction is cruel and
unnecessary. Rather than debate that point with them, I decided to
write this book and share tried, true and tested techniques that work.
This, more than anything, is what will keep dogs out of shelters and
strengthen the bond between owners and their pets.
ABC Practical Guide to Dog Training is very user-friendly. It
focuses on what you, a dog owner, can do starting the very first day
you bring your dog home. The book explains what commonly used
behavioral terms really mean, explains “pack theory” in a way that
makes sense, delves into ways you can humanely and effectively
address behavior problems such as jumping, nipping, chewing, house
soiling, digging, barking and much more. The book also teaches you
how to train your dog off leash, and where and how you can find the
best dog trainers. It ends with an Internet guide to numerous sites
devoted to all things doggy, including sites about canine behavior, pet
supplies, locating trainers, dog parks, boarding kennels, pet-friendly
locations of every conceivable type, schools for dog trainers, veteri-
narians, dog books and magazines, and more. There’s even a dog law
site and resource guide for those readers who, after reading this book,
are so inspired that they wish to become trainers themselves.
vi
A
CKNOWLEDGMENTS
The Monks of New Skete said it best when they said, “No one ever
learns in a vacuum.” In truth, all good teachers learn as they instruct.
That being said, I start off by thanking all of my students, both two-
legged and four-legged. Thank you for putting up with my imperfec-
tions and being open enough to learn and teach. Special thanks to an
amazing trainer and human being, Debbie Kendrick—we have
watched each other grow for 15 years. Without her I wouldn’t be here.
Kristyne Bennett, without whom I would never have been able to write
this book. The entire staff at ABTA, including but not limited to Sandy
Novotny, Sarah Drain and Candace Kendrick. Marc Appelbaum, even
though I don’t always say it, you make me proud. The entire staff of
Animal Behavior College, a truly amazing group. William Campbell,
whose training philosophy changed my direction. Richard Wolters,
whose training philosophy started me on the path. Pet business people:
Bill Lechtner, Randy Boyd, Mike Woodard, Stu Wolman, Paul Jolly,
Kathi Hoffman-Weiner, Michael Steinberg, Joel Silverman and numer-
ous others whom I have had the pleasure to know and work with over
the years. Ian Dunbar, Karen Pryor, Pamela Reid, Martin and Pat
Deeley, William Koehler, Job Michael Evans and dozens of others
from across the ideological spectrum, some of whom I know, some of
whom I’ve read and all of whom I’ve learned from. Mom, Dad,
Richard, Beth, Sybil, Lyn, Diane, Taffy Stern and Karen and Kristi
Lewis, all of whom have loved me through everything.
vii
A A
BOUT THE UTHOR
Steven Appelbaum is the President and CEO of Animal Behavior and
Training Associates, Inc., the largest independent dog training com-
pany in North America. ABTA offers dog training classes in 47 states
and five Canadian provinces. It employs more than 500 trainers. In
2002, ABTA had well over 25,000 students in its training programs.
Appelbaum is also the President and Interim Director of Animal
Behavior College, Inc. (ABC). This highly innovative school for pro-
fessional dog trainers has students in all 50 states and Canada. With
graduating class totals of more than 400 in 2002, ABC is helping to
train the next generation of dog trainers. Steve also does consulting for
pet product vendors and manufacturers, and has had several articles
published in Off Lead magazine. He is currently on the Board of
Directors of the International Association of Canine Professionals. He
lives in Los Angeles with Buford, whom he considers to be the world’s
cutest Basset Hound. This is his first book.
viii
1
CHAPTER
A D S
OG TORY
I am a professional dog trainer and have been one since 1980. I started
my business by drawing a flyer (I always fancied myself a bit of an
artist), making copies and posting them on bulletin boards in local
markets around the San Fernando Valley in North Los Angeles. The
first month in business I got 10 customers using this technique, and
from that day forward I worked as a full-time trainer. Looking back, I
cringe at what I thought I knew and, with the perspective of time, what
I didn’t know.
Like most of you reading this book, I’ve always had a deep, pas-
sionate love of animals in general and dogs in particular. This was true
at a very young age. One of my earliest memories is walking down the
street and having a large German Shepherd Dog come running up to
me. The dog, whose face was just about even with mine (I was six at
the time), sniffed me, and I happily let him while I scratched his side.
Thirty-seven years later, I can still see his leg going thump, thump,
thump on the sidewalk as I scratched a nice, sensitive spot on his body.
He then proceeded to lick my face. I have always loved doggie kisses
and I was just out there enough, even then, that I probably licked him
back.
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