Training is Key – even for the little guys

Some people are reluctant to use food during training, for whatever reason.  When you train your dog, the dog is doing the correct behavior to either: 1) get something he wants; or 2) avoid something he doesn’t want.  Personally, I’d rather have my dog work to get a reward, than to avoid a punishment.  I also don’t get my feelings hurt if my dog wants a tangible reward for her work.  After all, I expect a paycheck for my work, not just a pat on the back.  There are many rewards (technically called reinforcers) that you can use while training your dog.  Food is generally the reinforcer of choice for many reasons:

• Food is considered a “primary” reinforcer; meaning, it is essential for survival.  While some dogs may be pickier than others, all dogs are food-motivated.  If they weren’t, they’d be dead.  While we usually think of using “treats” to train dogs, any food will do – as long as they are willing to work for it.  If you are giving away good food for free, he has no incentive to work for it.  Save the yummy stuff for teaching and rewarding good behavior.

• Food is easy to use.  It’s portable.  It can be consumed quickly (compared to say, a quick game of tug as a reinforcer).  It can be delivered in numerous manners (thrown, tossed, hand-delivered, etc).  You can use it over and over again.  Food, in general, never gets old.

• Food can be used as a lure.  It’s very difficult to get most dogs to follow a toy or an empty hand; however, by using food, you can lure a dog to sit, down, come, or any number of behaviors.

• Assuming your dog will normally take treats, a refusal of food can clue you in to a potential problem.  If you are training in a new scenario and the dog won’t eat, he’s probably too stressed or distracted to learn in that environment and you should go somewhere less stressful/distracting.  Obviously, you would work your way back up to this level of excitement when your dog was ready.

• You can use food to teach your dog to like other things (like praise, toys, petting, etc).  Since we do not always have food available, we should teach our dog to like other things that can then be used as reinforcers.  For instance, if my dog doesn’t love petting (i.e. she’s not willing to work for it), then I can teach her to work for it by petting her and then giving her a treat.  She will come to love petting because it predicts food.  Then, if I’m out somewhere and I don’t have food, I can reward my dog with petting.  To keep the “conditioning” strong, I should continue to pair petting with food every now and then.

• Who doesn’t like giving their dog a treat? While I’m clearly in favor of using food as a reward/reinforcer, I don’t think it should be the only reinforcer used.  Variety is the spice of life!  Come up with a list of things your dog is willing to work for and then use them all.  That’s one of the many benefits of positive reinforcement – there are more reinforcers available than punishers.

Breed Spotlight: French Bulldog

French Bulldog

Size: Small
Weight: up to 28 pounds

History:
The French Bulldog was originally developed in England as a miniature version of the English Bulldog. These small bulldogs were adopted by the Nottingham lace workers who went to France and took their dogs with them. Streetwalkers in France greatly admired the imports and this led to the name French Bulldog. When the breed was eventually brought back to England for exhibition, the English made a big uproar about the name French Bulldog, since the Bulldog was originally an English breed and because the Bulldog was a traditional symbol of English culture. The French Bulldog is a pleasant, easy-care companion.

Description:
A sturdy little bulldog with large, erect, rounded bat ears and a flat muzzle. The square flat head is not as massive as the English Bulldog’s. The forehead is rounded. Height doesn’t matter as long as the dog is well balanced. The height at the withers should be approximately the same as the length from withers to tail set. The dog should be pear- shaped, with the shoulders wider than the tail area. There are two weight classes of French Bulldog, 19-22 lbs. and 22-28 lbs. The short, soft, easy-care coat comes in brindle, fawn, white and combinations of brindle or fawn with white. The skin is soft and fairly loose, making the dog very pleasant to pet. The prominent round eyes are dark colored and the bite is undershot. The tail is either straight or cork-screw.

Notes:
Particularly good for the elderly. Clean, quiet and companionable. Sensitive to temperature extremes. Overheating this dog may cause heatstroke; prefers cooler climates for this reason. Prone to eye and respiratory problems. If too overweight, the French Bulldog may have trouble breathing. May wheeze, snore and be gassy. This breed cannot swim because of his physique, so be very careful around swimming pools. 

Personality:
Very sweet, playful and affectionate. Bright and easygoing. Curious and alert. Devoted; often bonds strongly to a single person. Needs lots of companionship and will not thrive without it. Fairly willful, but can be trained if the owner is patient. Can be a bit snappish if irritable or uncomfortable. Frenchies generally don’t like other dogs, as they are possessive of their owners.

Behavior:
Children: Best with older, considerate children.
Friendliness: Reserved with strangers.
Independence: Needs people a lot.
Dominance: Low.
Other Pets: Good with other pets if raised with them from puppyhood.
Combativeness: Friendly with other dogs.

Grooming and Physical Needs:
Grooming: Very little grooming needed.
Coat: Short coat.
Shedding: Average shedder.
Exercise: Very little exercise needed.
Indoors: Moderately active indoors.
Apartments: Good for apartment living.
Outdoor Space: Does all right without a yard.
Climate: Prefers cool climates.
Longevity: Average (10 to 12 years).