Trimming those Nails

I am a huge fan of using the dremel to shorten dogs nails. The toenail never gets pinched, and "if" you get to the quick, it is a tiny, little blood spot, similar to a pin prick. My dogs have all been relaxed about the dremel and most have fallen asleep.

All the puppies that come to me are introduced to the dremel, the older dogs are not always, it depends on them. With puppies you can easily take control (and most of the time they are really young when they come and basically unaware). With adults there's the noise and the vibration and the willingness that you need to work through.

First lets talk about the equipment.  I use a pink sanding stone on my dremel. I've used the same stone for probably close to two decades. It's shortened thousands of nails. I use a cordless dremel because I like the ability to walk a fussy puppy around. With my established dogs, the plug in variety works just as well. Treats, initially I use high value treats, whatever the dog really likes, Toad thinks hot dogs are amazing, so that's what he gets.

The important thing is to keep sweeping the nail, we are sanding not grinding! I typically do 5 sweeps then move to the next nail and repeat until they are all shortened. In 15 minutes a week Bosun (my other dog) has his nails done and they are short enough that there is no clicking as he walks.

Toad... my sweet Toad.... has long nails, which is no surprise. I did give each one a quick clip with the trimmers just to keep some of my sanity.... clicking toenails are a pet peeve. As I start to introduce him to the dremel, I thought I'd better drag you along for the process. This beginning stage takes as long as it takes. There is no shortcut and no rushing. If it takes 6 months then it will be worth it in the end... rushing it and having a dog who runs when you start the dremel is not the goal, Calm, relaxed, easy nail trims are.

So here's the sessions we've done. They are short, about 5 minutes, and happy with lots of verbal praise and tonnes of treats. They are sometimes broken up into 2-3 mini sessions, watch your dog, boredom or flight are not the responses you are looking for! It's noteworthy that Toad will run away when I turn the dremel on high, the speed necessary for sanding. He's never had it near him, to my knowledge. So I have no idea how long this will take us! Another point I'd like to make is that while Toad is sleeping near me, I play with his feet which will also help desensitize him to the process.

Day One; I cut a hot dog into 52 pieces. Present the dremel in the off position. Initially reward for a look/sniff or any interaction. One piece of hot dog per interaction x 20. Up the expectation to a touch for the next 20 pieces. You can help then at first, and make it more difficult at the end.  The last 12 pieces I turned the dremel on and lowered the expectation back to "any interaction" Put it all away... lots of "good boys" and hands on praise. AT NO POINT should your dog get scared or panic. If he/she does, back up, hold the dremel further away, go back to the first step and stay there until their confidence builds. Do not rush this.



Day Two; 130-ish treats. I cut the hot dog the same and added kibble, microwaved it all for about 15 seconds (the hot dog fat mixes with the kibble). I start with a refresher of 10 times interaction with dremel off. then move to 40 times with the dremel on. Next I move the dremel near his foot (off again) and reward 40 interactions. Last 40 I simply touch the sanding stone to a toenail, say "good boy" and treat. This is all a happy, fun, easy tone. No frustration. If Toad at any point starts to back off or show discomfort, I back up a step, it indicates I moved too fast.

Day Three: About the same treats as yesterday. Started with 40 or so touches in the off position, Turned the dremel on (no touching) for 15 or so. Touched a single nail. Toad reacted strongly. next 50 with dremel off, When they react strongly, it's important to back up to the last place they were confident. In this case... being touched with the dremel in the off position. I backed up on more step, increasing the "wins" for him, and finished with the touching in the off position. Second session of the day, started with dremel off, touching nails without any resistance! Turned it on (to high) he still didn't like but didn't go as far. Back to off, then onto "low" I used the butt end of it on his foot, so it he could feel the vibration. Breaking it into a smaller step. He's 100% comfortable with the vibration on the top of his foot. Turned it off, finished up the treats and call it a day.

Day Four; A quick session today. All treats (same hot dogs and kibble pieces) distributed in one session... a small handful scattered near me on the floor. As Toad ate them, I started with the butt end of dremel (on low) touching his foot. By the end with minimal wait times (for him to acclimatize) I ended with touching 3 nails numerous times (with the sanding stone). So we have touching on low! Big step forward!

Day Five and Six: Day five was a rest day meaning day six was a reminder day. We back tracked, started from where I knew he was confident and moved forward to touching on low. He is still taking a step back when possible (treats run out) and trying to avoid this, so I know we need to stay on this step. I did add a "down" to the routine, it's a new command for him and he doesn't stay in it long. But ultimately this will be the position I want!

Day Seven to Eleven; Repeat, remember I started with a dog that ran when he heard the dremel turn on.  During this time I did two things, First I changed the doling of the kibble to AFTER I touched a nail with the turned on dremel and second, I changed the speed to "high". Timing of the kibble changes it from being a lure to occupy his mind to a reward for a behavior. The speed is the one/noise/vibration he will be needing for actual sanding.

Top Nail is shaping up Day 13

Day Twelve; Stepped it up, I was confident that Toad was no longer afraid, but needed to break through a barrier. Peanut Butter in this case is what I used. I smeared gob of peanut butter on the cupboard, while he was licking I could pick up a back foot and quickly sand a toe nail, a single pass then rest. Repeat until the cupboard was clean and gave him the spoon to lick (reward after the behavior).

Day Thirteen: Big gob of peanut butter in the kong (remember Toad still doesn't have down/wait learned) put the kong under my foot, so he had to stay close and was able to work on his feet for about 10 minutes! My hope is he becomes desensitized to the process (there was zero resistance from him) and once I can get him into a "down/wait/have your kong" I can move him out of the kitchen. He is at day one at any other area in the house, indicating this is not a "generalized" knowledge for him. That can be worked out later.

So here we are... Day Fourteen: I am now able to sand for about ten minutes at a time (while he licks peanut butter out of a kong). The nails are certainly starting to shape up, he's showing no stress and with repetition he will need less and less motivation to endure it.

There you have it... each day had 1-3 sessions each about 10 minutes long, and I now have a dog that will willingly get nails sanded. I'll continue to work with him daily, getting all the nails to this point. After that its just maintenance!

I highly recommend the dremel, it is easy, it's pain free and when you introduce it slowly, zero stress for you or them!

Brought to you by the Letter C

I'm usually a fairly organized person. I thrive on lists and plans. I love the comfort of knowing where I'm heading and that I'm not wasting time. I don't like skipping steps or being redundant. It works well with being self employed. Or cleaning, or meals. or training dogs. Normal dogs. Not bull terrier dogs.

I spent a reasonable amount of time mapping out Toad's work schedule. What I would teach first, what I could use as foundation teaching and what would be built from there. It was a thing of beauty, complete with a timeline and a certain degree of accountability. It was going well, the "sit" was right on target, I'd even added a "shake" to it because it was going so smoothly. I was feeling in control.

The thing with bullies is this; control is a mirage. You have a better chance of nailing jello to a tree then you do of predicting a bully's mind. They are a thinking kind of dog. They are always looking for something fun to do. Fun for them, catch up for you.

Until today, Toad had been challenged. He'd spent a lot of time in his room. He found the intro to the clicker and the "sit" stimulating enough that he didn't feel the need to strike out on his own. He's been trying to settle Cocoa down (a poodle x chihuahua mix that is here for training and adoption). He's been looked after mentally and physically.

Bully's have conversations with you. Full conversations. They are hands down the most expressive breed I've ever met. Toad in his puppy way, decided he'd like to investigate my coffee.

Toad; What doing? What got?
Me;  I have coffee. You can't have coffee
Toad: I like coffee
Me; You've never had coffee (I hope)
Toad: You have coffee, I want coffee
Me ... removing Toad's face from my coffee mug
Toad; I drink coffee, see? You were wrong, I did have coffee.

Today, like any other day, I made my coffee and set it down beside the sofa. I went to make sure the water dish was full and turned my back. Upon my return, Toads face was full into my mug. That first coffee of the day, it's kind of sacred. It's ritualistic. It was ruined. And in that exact moment I realized that all the skill and exquisite timing I'd woven through the training plan was a farce. Any semblance of control was a mythical creature, and had just vanished.

Our training would need to be much less regimented  and much more loosey goosey. It would clearly more likely resemble Sesame Street. Brought to you and I by what ever whim this bully desires in that particular moment. Today, today it is the letter "C". For coffee and for coffee table.

We spent the next 15 minutes, waging a battle of the wits with each other. Toad doesn't know "back up" or "off" or "no" or "leave it". So there I am, smack dab inside a training moment, 6:30 am, no coffee and determined to leave the victor. Praising any looking away from the mug, or eye contact, or backing up.... a quick "uh-uh" for forward movement or too much interest.... we made it through.

Toad gave up on having the coffee. A short lived thrill of victory ran through my veins.... as he exited via the coffee table, taking my laptop to the floor with him as he went.

That's the thing with bullies.... you're never really sure you've won any round. You're almost always left wondering "did he just friggin do that on purpose?" Yes, the answer is yes he most absolutely did. Because they "C"an

Will Work for Food

Toad has not had to work for anything, so nothing matters to him. Kibble just magically appears, most likely he was free fed prior to coming here. (meaning his food was down all day long).

Food is the most reasonable place to start prove your value to a dog, any dog. In the wild, alpha dogs ate first. In the wild, dogs have to use all their senses to scavenge or hunt their next meal. That takes a lot of effort and time. We bring them into our homes and just freely give them food. Dogs that are of the "thinking" variety are missing a huge opportunity to wear off some of the mental energy. People with problem dogs are putting themselves at the bottom of the ladder of importance.

Mental stimulation is a good thing for dogs, it helps tire them and gives them purpose. If your dog is bored (destructive) or bossy, working for their meals with help change that. It's not the complete answer, but it is a perfect and easy place to start.

The kong wobbler is a really easy way to make them work for their meals. You simply unscrew the bottom, fill the top with their kibble, close it up. There is a weighted bottom and hole on the side that allows kibble to randomly fall out. The dog pushes, throws, chews, paws at the toy in an effort to earn their meal. It's as easy as that. I will add that this toy is hard plastic and noisy. Bully's can be aggressive chewers, but other then some teeth scratches, this one has held up really well.... hundreds of meals!

There are countless ways for dogs to earn their meals. Simply scattering it around the house or out on a deck or in the grass for dogs that are especially nose driven. Or filling muffin tins with some of their food and topping each cup with a tennis ball so they have to take the tennis ball off to get the food. Cutting a hole in the side of a pop bottle that allows food to dispense as they manipulate the bottle. Hiding it under used yogurt containers, so they have to flip the containers off the food. There are so many ways to have the earn their meals. You can buy puzzle toys, or fill a kong. Simple or elaborate, pricey or cheap.... start looking around the house at what you have. Some dogs, at first may resist... but after a few sessions, they will love it! Don't miss this easy and usually twice a day opportunity to work your dog, tire them out and let them have fun! 

Another way that Toad earns a meal is with a simple cardboard box, some rags and some crumpled paper. Layer the paper/rags with handfuls of kibble until the box is filled. Toad has to use his nose and root around to get his food. He will empty the box or dig or dump it. He will chase the over turned box around the floor. He stays focused and driven to get his food, both are awesome skills that I want to develop, currently, his attention span is about 2 minutes. He's ready for some calm teaching after his meal (when he gets the other half via the clicker training). He's less needing of attention and easier to watch. 

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.