So it Begins

Toad. Seriously that name sums it all up. He's as coordinated as an elephant in a tutu. He runs smack dab into you with the impact of a dump truck in a tornado. He marks. He thinks life is hilarious. He thinks he's a nine week old puppy. He's sensitive. He's trying. Trying my patience, trying to learn, trying to figure out how to live in a house.

A week after Toad came, I had to say good bye to Buffer. The week after that I caught the plague and was not able to train for the next few. I was getting pretty depressed about the emptiness  Buffer had left behind. The silence.

I had worked with Toad on "sit" with fair success.  When bullies truly "get it" you know it. There is a spark, a speed, an intensity that says they are all in. Bullies don't know how to live any other way, they are an all or nothing dog. That wasn't there. Toad came kind of knowing "sit" and absolutely knowing "gentle". It's his automatic off button, that stop on a dime, consistent, absolute reaction. So I knew he was capable of that "get it".

Five weeks after the passing of Buffer, something shifted between Toad and I. I needed something to bring me back from the certain depression I was slumping into. He needed contact. English Bull Terriers are an incredibly special breed. They have a way of changing your perspective. In his own way, on his own time, he drew me in. He has no manners. I have to watch him, He needs to learn words. He insists I  touch him, he needs positive reinforcement. I have to interact with him. He is much more sensitive then other bullies I've met.

He makes me stay engaged. He makes me be in the here and now. He lifts me out of the dark. Whether it's because he's running me over, or insisting on a hug. He may be looking to counter surf or somewhere to cock his leg. He makes me be present. He makes me be accountable, if he gets something off the counter, it's my fault. He needs training, he needs to learn that I am trying to communicate with him. He needs to learn words. So many words. Words like love and down and wait.

I use many tools when I train, depending on the dog. The clicker is my go-to. I think training should be fun and interactive and engaging. I do not believe you can break a bully and "make" them do stuff with any lasting results. Showing them that they get rewards for presenting a behavior stays with them forever. Telling/showing this breed what you want them to do rather then focusing on what you don't want them to do will make all the difference in the world. Over using a correction will frustrate you and them both.

For example when Buffer was in obedience class, one of the expectations was for him to sit at my side while the other pups paraded by one by one. If he moved, I was to correct him. Seems reasonable, except this super well behaved pup started getting frustrated and acting out. He started anticipating the next pup and barking while breaking his sit position. I removed us from the situation and did some simple sits/downs/stays... all perfectly on cue. We went back to the line up, waiting our turn and instead of correcting, I rewarded, good boy's/ that's it's. He got hands on rewards too. It took two pups going by us before he "got it" and was sitting and ignoring the going on. You cannot train in a vacuum and you cannot leave this breed to figure it out on their own. Reinforcing what I wanted him to do rather then leaving him to guess what I wanted worked perfectly.

Toad is the same way. Tell him what you want him to do. Teach him. We started to "load the clicker" this week. Basically I want him to anticipate that noise, to look forward to it... to start to try to figure out what makes it "click". It's a simple exercise, I click the clicker and give him treats/his breakfast. Click/treat/repeat. After 3 sessions he is getting happy to see the clicker. Which is the exact response I want. I ask for a sit/reinforce it by stepping into his space and as soon as his butt hits the floor, click and treat (by putting a few kibble on the floor in front of him, making him stand up to eat). When he's done I repeat.... by they 20th time his butt is hitting the floor so fast, I don't have to step in  and he's so happy to do it. He "gets it".

The Mechanics of Sit; With food, slowly starting at the dogs nose move the food up and back, making the dog look up and back... which pushed their butt to the floor as they follow the food. As soon as the butt hits, click/treat.

I will be proofing his "sit" in the rest of the house, outside, new situations, in the car and at random times. I will be asking for a "sit" when I need to get something out of the fridge (currently it resembles a wrestling match) Same for putting something in the garbage... or or or. I will be using both verbal and hand signals. He will be on high rewards, meaning 100% of the time I ask for a sit, he will get kibble/rewarded. It will stay fun and rewarding for him to do.

Once he is performing this simple command quickly and consistently everywhere I ask I will lower the food reward and up the hands on rewards/verbal rewards. He will get tapered off the kibble rewards over time. Remember he is working for his meal so for as long as I hand feed him or before giving him his wobbler he will perform a simple task.