Is Your Dog Insensitive When You Visit Different RV Parks?

Is Your Dog Insensitive When You Visit Different RV Parks? I wrote in my first book, “Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer!” (available exclusively at DogProblems.com) about the Three Keys to Successful Behavior Modification:  Timing, Consistency and Motivation. Last week I covered Consistency, the second key. The third key is: Motivation. Motivation as it relates to dog training means that: Whatever you do with your dog (either praising him for desired behavior or correcting him for unwanted behavior) it is done with meaning. Have you ever had somebody attempt to compliment you for a job well done… but their compliment was offered in a lethargic tone, with no enthusiasm and no expression? Did their compliment make you feel good? Of course not. With my approach to dog training, a compliment (praise) that lacks any real meaning is what we refer to as: not motivational. It’s the same with a correction: The example I used in my book is the story of the police officer who gives you a ticket for speeding in the fast lane… but the ticket is only for $1. For most people, this isn’t motivational enough to get them to stop speeding. For the police officer’s ticket to be motivational for you– he needs to write you a ticket that is going to be just motivational enough to get you to adjust your behavior. Does Your Dog Drive An RV? If your dog could drive an RV, would he drive a 2.5 million dollar Prevost? Or would... Read more

Why Consistency Matters, Especially When RVing With Your Dog

Pretty much everybody is familiar with the concept of consistency as it relates to dog training. But frequently, dog owners don’t keep it clear in their own head. Consistency means that your dog perceives the same outcome to a behavior– every time he does that behavior– until you’ve burned it into his brain as a conditioned response.  And this is especially important to the RVer who travels with their dog as the very nature of RVing means we’re constantly exposing our dog to new and exciting environments. And that’s why consistency matters. Example: While you’re getting ready to leave the RV with your dog , your dog gets excited and jumps up on you. And so you use one of my techniques to correct this behavior. Later in the day, you’re talking with another RVer about the benefits of a Class C vs. a Travel Trailer, while your dog is running around your picnic table. But you’re so engrossed in your conversation that you don’t realize your dog has now come over to you, jumped up with his front paws on your pants… and now you’re scratching behind his ears.  (All the while still engrossed in your conversation). Unfortunately, your dog will never extinguish this unwanted behavior, because he’s not receiving clear communication from you. One time, he’s getting corrected for jumping up. Another time, he’s getting his ears scratched for jumping up. Your dog can’t tell the difference!... Read more

RVing and Training Your Dog? Here’s Why Timing Is Important

I wrote in my first book, “Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer!” (available exclusively at DogProblems.com) about the Three Keys to Successful Behavior Modification: Timing, Consistency and Motivation.  These are three concepts that are especially important to the RVer who travels with their dog, because we’re consistently putting our dogs in new and tempting situations where it’s important to be a good ambassador to the general public, as both an RVer and a dog  owner. Understanding how these Three Keys work together is probably the single most important concept you must learn, if you wish to get inside your dog’s head and understand how the dog’s mind works. Even if your technique is not perfect, you can use the Three Keys to analyze and figure out how to fix pretty much any dog behavior problem… especially important if you travel with your dog. Timing The first key is Timing: Timing is your dog’s ability to associate either a positive or a negative outcome with any behavior. (Or, as the result of any behavior).  Since dogs have a very limited use of logic and reason, they are unable to associate cause and effect beyond what happens in the immediate present. That is, whatever happens as a result of their behavior (good or bad) must happen pretty much instantly. For example: If your dog smells the pan fried steak you’re cooking and jumps up and puts his front paws on the hot stove: your dog’s association... Read more

Here’s What Every RV Owner With A Dog Should Know: How To Teach Your Dog To “Potty” On Command

When you’re setting up your RV, does your dog embarrass you by “pottying” in places he shouldn’t? It’s funny, but it’s also embarrassing. Without an “Elimination Command” your dog is left to guess where and when you want him to “potty”. Here’s how to teach your dog to eliminate on command: The trick is to start associating your command word (we use: “Get Busy”) with the behavior your dog is already doing. What you’re going to need to do is: Set up a strict feeding and watering schedule. If you’re not currently traveling, then take your dog out to your backyard on leash, to the same spot and – right after a meal, walk him back and forth and keep repeating the command, “Get buys, Get busy, Get busy” until he eliminates. Praise him lavishly, as soon as he finishes his potty break. Your goal is to start building an association to the command. To start linking the command phrase, “Get busy” with the act of eliminating. After a couple dozen times, your dog will begin to develop a conditioned response when he hears you begin to repeat the “Get busy” command. We’re able to take our dogs pretty much anywhere, and within a couple of minutes of giving the command, our dogs will potty– knowing exactly where WE want them to do it. This command is simple to teach and from the dog’s perspective, it’s just an extension of housebreaking. Here’s a short video I made that demonstrates how it’s... Read more

Every RV Owner With A Dog Should Know These Two Commands

If you travel with your dog, knowing how to teach these two commands will make your life 1,000 times easier.   Here’s how to give your dog the “bread and butter” education that every dog owner with an RV needs to know: The Come Command: Imagine being able to take your dog off leash, anywhere you go… and know that your dog will come back to you– every time you call! How can you achieve such reliablity?  Well, aside from the fact that I spent almost an hour explaining the details of this technique in my dvd (available at Amazon.com) called, “How You Can Get Your Dog To Come, Every Time You Call!” – the real secret is this: Keep a training collar and a long line on your dog, everywhere you go.  As in: Every type of place you might want to eventually take your dog “off leash” – instead, let him drag a long line behind him.  It’s a mind-trick for the dog.  See, your dog has limited logic and reason.  So, if you do it right your dog won’t know the difference between a 30 foot line he’s dragging and a one foot line.  If you’re consistent about making him come, every time you call him … he’ll get conditioned to come immediately.  Now that you have a way to make your dog come, he’ll eventually realize it’s easier to come the first time you call, then to get a correction for not coming… and then get made to come, anyway. The Down Command: Being able to put your dog into a down-stay... Read more

Here’s What To Do If Your Dog Is Too Territorial Of Your RV

Alice wrote to me about her 2 year-old mixed-breed dog named, “Bruno” and wanted to know how to fix incessant barking problems, while still letting her be territorial if unknown people approach her RV. “We have a 2 year-old mutt, rescued from the animal shelter when he was 4 months-old. He now weighs 48 lbs., he’s strong as an ox and he runs fast as greased lightning. The shelter told us he is part Collie, but that is about all I know,” wrote Alice. Read more  Read More →

How To Teach Your Dog Boundaries Inside Your RV

The technique for training this behavior is really cool. It’s the same approach we use to teach dogs to stay out of the street, or to not run out the door of your RV (which I’ve covered in more detail in my DVD: “Boundary, Perimeter and Property Training In No Time At All!” — which you can view online in our “video vault” at our dog training site, Dogproblems.com once you gain access– or available for purchase at Amazon.com. You can use this technique to teach your dog to: Stay off the sofa, stay off your bed, stay off the driver’s seat, not run out the door of your RV… pretty much any area that can be easily distinguished by the dog. First, your dog should be wearing a training collar and a tab (1 foot leash) any time you’re with your dog, in a situation where you may need to correct unwanted behavior– until your dog is 100%. And until then, your dog should be confined to an area where he cannot walk or jump on “the hot zone” without getting corrected. So, if you need to — get a dog crate or use a leash as a tie down. To start with, throw something (like a toy) on the hot zone, that will tempt your dog to walk on it. As soon as he puts his first paw on the hot zone, say, “No!” and tug the leash (loose-tight-loose) in the direction that is away from the hot zone. [If you feel like you're giving meaningless corrections, please upgrade to a "pinch collar". They're safe and humane... Read more