THE FAMILY DOG HELPLINE
Bakers Acres Dog Blog
The Traffic Light Principle
As you pull up to the traffic light, it switches from green to yellow.
What do you do?
Keep going and hope you make it through the intersection before it turns red, taking a chance that you won’t hit someone or someone else won’t hit you?
Or do you stop and wait for the light to turn back to green?
As you pull up to the traffic light, it switches from green to yellow.
What do you do?
Keep going and hope you make it through the intersection before it turns red, taking a chance that you won’t hit someone or someone else won’t hit you?
Or do you stop and wait for the light to turn back to green?
As long as the light is green, you know you can keep going with little to no consequences other than getting to where you want to go within the timeframe you planned. But when the light changes from green to yellow, now you must make a choice. If you stop, you might be late. If you speed through, you might get pulled over if you’re caught or you might cause a fatal accident. It is in that moment of choice that true teaching happens.
Training your dog is like a traffic light
Green light means “you’re doing great, keep doing what you’re doing.” This is the positive side of dog training, the 90% when we reward our dogs for good behavior, usually in the form of treats, toys, affection, and “good boy”.
Yellow light means “caution, you might want to stop and think about what you are doing.” This is the negative side of dog training, the 9% when we teach our dogs to think before they act and give them constructive, informative, and corrective feedback to change their behavior before they do something they or we will regret.
Red light means “STOP NOW or you will face the consequences.” This is the non-negotiable side of dog training, the 1% when we must stop bad behavior that will harm our dogs or others.
When your dog pulls up to the traffic light and it switches from green to yellow or yellow to red, keep this mantra in mind: “Be as fair as you can be, but as firm as you need to be.”
Will my dog listen without the e-collar?
Hey Sara, do you know if there’s a way to have a dog not be e-collar savvy? My dogs do behave better when they know their e-collars are on, but is there ever a time when they don’t need it anymore or is there a way to get them to listen without it?
QUESTION
Hi Sara! I hope you’re having a beautiful day today. I have a question that I’d like to hear your perspective.
Do you know if there’s a way to have a dog not be e-collar savvy? My dogs do behave better when they know their e-collars are on, but is there ever a time when they don’t need it anymore or is there a way to get them to listen without it?
ANSWER
Hey […]! Let me see if I understand your question.
Can a dog eventually be reliable and trustworthy without the e-collar on? Or, can you ever prevent dogs from becoming e-collar savvy?
The answer to the first question is yes. Humans have been teaching dogs for eons without e-collars. However, for the best results you should start early during the imprinting stage, and it typically takes 10 times as long and even then there is always a slight 1% chance your dog will decide it's worth it to give you the middle finger.
The answer to the second question is “maybe”, but most likely “no”. Take our own behavior for example. Why do we drive 5-20 mph over the speed limit when we all know it's against the law, but drive 5-10 mph under the speed limit when there's a highway patrolman in sight?
Just let that sink in. And I'll leave the decision to use or keep using the ecollar up to you.
Rules & Boundaries = Respect & Freedom
Dogs thrive on structure and boundaries. When rules are absent, dominant dogs naturally become the leader and take over while submissive dogs become anxious and overwhelmed with the responsibility of leadership...
Dogs thrive on structure and boundaries. When rules are absent, dominant dogs naturally become the leader and take over while submissive dogs become anxious and overwhelmed with the responsibility of leadership. Both scenarios create annoying and many times destructive behaviors. What many dog owners perceive as stubbornness or hyperactivity is really dominance and/or anxiety overblown! Establishing rules, boundaries and limitations in the home and in public will resolve or prevent these bad behaviors.
Puppy Playdates for Aggressive or Fearful Dogs
Don't take your aggressive or fearful dog to the dog park! Just don't!
I WANT TO MY DOG TO HAVE DOGGY FRIENDS, BUT...
If your dog shows aggression or fear around other dogs, STOP. Re-evaluate the goal. Are you wanting your dog to stop going after every dog? Or is your dog selective? If he's selective then he just needs a few, close, trusted friends that bring out the best in him. Set up playdates with some friends or neighbors with dogs of similar age, temperaments, and play styles. Avoid dog parks at all cost!!!
Your dog doesn't need to be friends with everyone. Now this doesn't mean that you allow your dog to be antisocial in a social setting. What it does mean is that you advocate for them and show them that they don't have to be in that type of a social setting in the first place.