The Post With No Name Pt. 3

Chapter Three: A Walk on the Instinctual Side & the Fulfillment Formulas

You've read a lot of talk on how important it is to satisfy your dog's instincts. Now it's time to walk the walk. Up first: the definitions of the fulfillment formulas.

The Fulfillment Formulas

Dog rehabilitator/people trainer & dog psychologist Cesar Millan was the very first to create & introduce the Basic Fulfillment Formula. Whatever you personally think about the man & his methods, it is well known that many minor behavioral issues & many severe behavioral issues have gone away on their own or been eased by following the Basic Fulfillment Formula. So, what is the Basic Fulfillment Formula?

• Exercise
• Discipline
• & Affection...

. . . but in that order! That means that in the morning, after the good-morning greeting & before feeding, ball chasing, or copious petting, your dog gets her morning walk. Next is discipline. I mentioned briefly how dogs define discipline, but I know it was not a satisfactory definition. Dogs define discipline as (& I quote Cesar here) “clearly defined & consistently enforced rules, boundaries, & limitations. Discipline also means consistency with given jobs & duties”. Discipline can also be defined as waiting games. For example, you can enforce discipline & structure into a simple game of fetch by giving the dog a command to perform before the ball is thrown, then making the dog wait until released to run after the ball. Discipline is enforced with the proper feeding routine. You can also teach your dog to stay in their crate until a release command is given. As you can see, discipline, as a dog craves, is not harsh at all. And last is affection. Affection is important, too. Affection makes a great reward for following commands or tricks. Affection is also given in playtime & food/treats, as well as through your tone of voice. Affection is even given through your own energy. When you're happy or pleased with something your dog's done, your dog picks up on that positive vibe & that in itself is a reward, or affection. Affection is like the sticky glue that binds pack members together. There is the first fulfillment formula in a nutshell. I've added two more essential fulfillment formulas that are not my own creation, but something Cesar has mentioned in his books that I've bound into fulfillment formulas. There's the Second Fulfillment Formula (for lack of a better title). That's the triangle of animal-dog-breed. This is the order in a which a dog's instincts must be satisfied: the instincts that come from the animal, such as migration & working for everything, satisfied in migrating (exercise), being walked before feeding, & being given commands or tricks to perform before being given anything positive, then there are the instincts coming from the dog, such as using the nose (scent games satisfying the dog instincts will be discussed later on in this chapter). Then there are the instincts coming from the breed side of the dog. Those are satisfied by giving the dog jobs to perform or games to play that mimic what they were bred to do. Suggestions will be given later on in this chapter. At last, we come to the third & final fulfillment formula. I call it the Dog Owner's Fulfillment Formula, because it targets three necessary ingredients in a dog-human relationship. They are trust, respect, & love. Those ingredients can be traced back to the Basic Fulfillment Formula. Trust is built mainly through exercise, but also through affection. Respect is gained through discipline & discipline-related exercises, & also through satisfying your dog's other instincts. Love is built & forged through affection & instinctual satisfaction. By following the fulfillment formulas, you satisfy the cravings in your dog as an animal, & form a deeper, stronger connection, & create a much more sane, stable-minded, & happy dog.

Exercise: An in-Depth Look at Alternate Ways to Exercise Your Dog

Besides the walk, there are many other ways to exercise your dog in a manner that builds that strong bond between you & your furry friend.

Backpacking is an excellent way to start. Purchase a backpack at a pet store or online. There are many different sizes & qualities, so be sure to measure your dog well to ensure a good fit. Before beginning backpacking, consult your vet to make sure there are no physical issues with your dog that will prevent her from carrying or bearing weight safely, & to determine how much weight she will be able to carry & for how long. Some packs come with their own weights, while others will not. If your pack doesn't come with weights, use stones, bricks, or canned goods, or whatever your dog can carry for you. Weigh it down no more than twenty percent of her body weight, as a safety precaution. Backpacking is also an excellent breed-fulfilling exercise for working-type dogs, because backpacking gives a dog a job to do.

Rollerblading is perhaps the most intense form of exercise out there. There are two ways to Rollerblade.

Rollerblading with Medium-large-/Large-/Giant-sized Dogs:

If you are making your own show-style lead, you will want to use a real show lead or a Dog Whisperer Training Lead or something like that for this exercise, because there will be much tension in the lead & that tension will cause the collar part to tighten too much, making the dog choke. If you can't get a proper lead, then get your dog a good, durable harness. (Not the no-pull type, of course!) When Rollerblading, you take the position of your dog, staying beside or slightly behind your dog, keeping tension on the lead according to your dog's speed: more when she's trotting or running, little or none when she's beside you. The high intensity of this workout means you only need to Rollerblade for about an hour to really drain your dog's energy. Like backpacking, Rollerblading allows you to cut the exercise session short by about half, meaning a thirty-minute Rollerblading session would roughly be the equivalent of about a one-hour walk. Rollerblading is also a great breed-fulfilling exercise for dogs bred to pull heavy loads, such as most pit bull-type dogs, Rottweilers, Huskies, & Malamutes, & is also a good workout for frustrated, hyper dogs that have had little or no exercise in the past, due to its high intensity.

Rollerblading with Small-sized Dogs:

Due to the intensity of Rollerblading, a small-breed dog is not suitable to Rollerblade in the manner of the “big boys”. Instead, your dog takes & remains in the heel position, matching her speed with yours. You will not need to use a harness for a small-breed dog, because she will not be pulling, but I suppose you could if you absolutely wanted to.

Biking is another good substitute for the walk. Your dog remains in the heel position, like on a walk, matching her speed with yours as you ride a bike. The movement of the bike may cause a dog to want to give chase, so desensitize your dog to bikes first. Start with your own bike. Stand between your dog & the bike, & say to yourself “This is my bike.” Block your dog if she should get too close to the bike or tries to jump on it. Smelling is permissible. Once your dog is comfortable around stationary bikes, move on to moving bikes. Have a friend ride a bike back & forth in front of your dog, giving a light leash tug if your dog attempts to give chase.

These are just the beginning of a long list of suggestions. There are many ways to creatively exercise your dog.

Discipline: Creating Fair Rules, Boundaries, & Limitations, & Enforcing Them in a Fair Manner

If your dog has no rules, boundaries, or limitations, it's time to create some. First, picture the way you want your dog to behave both inside the house & out. Do you have cats? Perhaps create a boundary by setting up a room or a specific section of your home just for the cats, where they can go get some peace & quiet & get away from the dog for a little while. Do you want your dog to stay off the furniture or off some piece of furniture in particular? If rules are clearly & consistently enforced, a dog can learn that she's allowed on one piece of furniture, but not another. Consult family members on their idea of how they want the dog to behave. Make a list & jot down each rule, boundary, & limitation as it comes to mind. Make sticky notes reminding family members of the new rules. For example, on the back door, you can put up a note that says: “Spot & Rover are not to be allowed into the house or the yard unless they are sitting quietly in a calm-submissive state.” Or above the area where you store your dog's food you can put up another note that reads: “Fifi will not be fed until she she is sitting or laying down & is in a calm, quiet state.” Set your dog up for success, not failure, by making the laws of the land very clear to her, & making sure they are consistently enforced in a calm, assertive, unemotional manner. The no-jumping-on-guests rule can be enforced by politely reminding guests to ignore your dog unless she is sitting quietly. If your dog is having problems staying off guests, put her on a leash & give a leash correction if she attempts to jump on anyone. Do not pull back on the leash, that will signal to her brain to move forward, which is not what you want her to do; pull to the side instead.

I've shown you how to create & enforce boundaries in “Rules of Alpha-dom”.

A good limitation to enforce is to teach your dog that only a set number of barks is expected when the doorbell rings or when someone knocks on the door. Teaching this exercise will require a good deal of patience, but it will make for a more peaceful household. Now, when the doorbell rings, your dog won't charge the door, barking like a manic dervish, knocking over anything in her way. You will need a fair amount of repetition & patience when first teaching & enforcing the new rules of the kingdom, but your dog will be far more secure & happy once they're in place, knowing what is now expected of her & how you, the esteemed, loved, trusted pack leader, expect her to behave.

Discipline: the Three Best Ways to Correct & Redirect Your Dog's Behavior

Like it or not, there will come times in your dog's life when they will need a little correction. Like it or not, there are instances when a behavior must be stopped before it escalates & gets worse. Those moments require that a correction be given. There are three ways you can correct a dog.

First, there is touch. Remember, touch, not hit! Place your hand on the side of your dog's neck or on the hindquarters, curling your finger into a claw shape. Keep your hand in place until the dog stops her behavior & relaxes. The curled hand mimics the bite of a mother dog, & most dogs respond to it in a primal way.

A sound correction works with mild misbehaviors. A finger snap immediately followed by a firm, quick “Hey!” or “No!” will suffice.

The third & final form of correction is ignoring, particularly if the behavior is very mild or is meant to get attention. Simply wait you dog out, then when they give up on whatever they were doing, mark that behavior with petting. Finally, once the behavior has stopped, redirect it with a positive behavior. For example, if your dog is digging in your garden, a verbal correction will stop the behavior, but bringing her to her digging pit will redirect it. The redirection of behaviors makes for a well-behaved pet because she will now know both what you don't want & what you do want.

Discipline: the Difference Between “Discipline” & “Punishment” in the World of Dogs

A hot topic issue. Many people look at “discipline” as “punishment”. Dogs don't. That's why firm but fair & consistent corrections will not scare your dog into a fearful form of submission. However, punishment will make your dog afraid of you. Dog trainer Cheri Lucas wrote an excellent article on the subject, & I'll quote a little bit of it here:

“For most of us, an average day begins with a series of rituals.

We dress appropriately for our job. We show up at work promptly at the same time every day. We stop at traffic lights on the way to work. Does abiding by these rules and boundaries feel like punishment to us? Of course not. We are simply practicing the discipline expected of all of us who choose to live in a functional society. . . a society without chaos.” (Cheri Lucas, "Punishment or Discipline?""

A functional society. . . perhaps a dog pack? Cheri Lucas goes on to say,

“In their natural world, dogs or wolves live in a highly disciplined and structured society. The packs’ very survival depends on maintaining order, and order doesn’t happen without discipline. But often we feel that implementing discipline is a form of punishment to a dog. Nothing could be further from the truth! The reality is that dogs thrive on rules, boundaries, and other forms of discipline. Without discipline, a dog feels lost and confused about his role in the pack. Keep in mind that your dog doesn’t care what position he has in the pack, as long as the pack runs smoothly. Regardless of how smart you may feel your dog is, he or she is not equipped to manage a human household! If we truly love our dogs, then we want to fulfill them in every way. Just as we can’t survive on love alone, neither can our dogs. It’s actually a disservice to withhold discipline from our dogs! Make sure you offer your dog the complete package when you bring him into your world. Along with exercise, food, shelter, and affection, offer him a healthy dose of rules, boundaries, and discipline. Don’t think of discipline as punishment, but just one more gift you give your best friend to keep him happy and balanced.”

Dogs thrive in an orderly, structured environment. That means you give your dog both leadership & discipline. It's for his own good, & he will not hate you for you for it. In fact, he'll love you for it!

Affection: Breed-specific Games & Activities for You & Your Dog

Fulfilling your dog's breed-related instincts is a great way to build & forge a strong bond between you & your dog. Games & activities are listed by general breed group (i.e., sporting dogs), then by specific breed group (i.e., retrievers).

The Sporting Group:

Pointers: Take a scented object your dog likes, such as a scented toy, bully stick, or compressed rawhide stick. Introduce the object by name, if possible. Make a game of hiding the object somewhere in the yard or home, preferably while the dog isn't watching. Choose a hiding place that the dog can reach relatively easily. Cue the dog with “Find [object name]!”, then have your dog track the object down & point to it. At the pointing phase, praise with “Good find!” & toss the object to start a play session, or hide the object again. You can also play the classic hide-&-seek game, where someone whose scent is familiar to the dog runs & hides, calling the dog's name or giving the “come” command. The dog tracks the person by scent & points to their location. A toy is tossed or the hidden person comes out & showers the dog with affection. Try making the path to the hidden object or person gradually more difficult by building a homemade obstacle course the dog must go through or by choosing a really difficult hiding spot. It's imperative that you build up difficulty gradually to prevent your dog from getting frustrated & giving up.

Retrievers: You can play the same games listed above, but instead of having the dog point to the object, have her bring it back to you. Fetching is great too, but is even more effective when combined with water, as most retrievers are water dogs. With retrievers, you can also do a directed retrieve, where three or more identical objects are placed in front of the dog, & the handler uses a hand signal to point out the object the dog is to retrieve. Tips on teaching this exercise can be found online or in certain training books, such as 101 Dog Tricks by Kyra Sundance.

The Hound Group:

Scent Hounds: The hide-&-seek game is, of course, the first game that comes to my mind. Scent games, like the ones listed for the sporting dogs, are excellent too. Also, you can make a game of hiding the dog's food in a difficult spot to find, the meal being the reward.

Sight Hounds: Running, biking, or Rollerblading can aid in fulfilling the need to run. Running is the number-one exercise for fulfilling sight hounds, but chasing objects is the number-two exercise. You can use a dog run (a wire cable attached between two trees, used for tying up dogs) to build your own lure course track, & attach your dog's favorite toy to it, then send him off!

The Working Group:

Working-breed dogs were bred to do a specific job. For dogs bred to pull heavy loads, you can buy a good-quality, durable harness for your dog, & attach weights or a cart or wagon behind to have your dog pull. Note that if you're using a wagon or a cart, the dog will be nervous about the noise the cart makes, so a little positive reinforcement (NOT when the dog is afraid, of course!) will be needed. Backpacking is also a job. A positive-based training method, such as clicker training, is great for draining the enormous amounts of mental energy working breeds have.

Powerful-breed Working Dogs: The powerful-breed dogs such as Rottweilers, Dobermans, German shepherds & the like that were bred for protection work excel at the Germany-originating sport of Schutzhund. Schutzhund, originally a breed test for evaluating the work ethic & protection ability of German shepherds, has evolved into a popular sport, testing the dogs in the areas of obedience, tracking, & protection work. Contrary to popular belief, Schutzhund will not cause a dog to become an out-of-control human-aggressive monster, but is meant to help redirect that natural protectiveness into a healthy outlet, strengthening the owner-dog bond & reinforcing the human's position as pack leader. You can join a Schutzhund club in your area, if there is one, or turn training into a game by teaching your dog obedience & protection exercises. However, protection work demands that a dog be thoroughly socialized to prevent a dog from eventually becoming human-aggressive. Proceed with caution.

The Herding Group

Due to their speed & natural agility, herding dogs make great disc dogs. Also because of the challenging nature of herding, it's important to make the game a psychological challenge. Make your dog hold a sit or down or ask for a different command or trick between each throw. Herders also are great at agility. You can build your own obstacles to make a course with stuff from home. Bring up a search engine on the computer & search “homemade dog agility equipment”. Flyball is something else herders are great at. But the very best breed-fulfilling exercise out there is to take your dog to a sheepherding class, if there's one near you. Herding breeds have a high mental & physical exercise need, which means that they can very quickly develop behavioral issues that stem from boredom or frustration. Keep this in mind!The Terrier Group

Terriers are earth-loving dogs, which means they like to dig. Instead of letting them dig up your prized rose garden, why not make them their own “sand box” to play in? All you need are some bricks, stones, or wooden planks & some sand & dirt. If you use wooden planks, you can nail them together into a square-shaped frame. Select the area for the dig pit. Take a shovel & dig a small hole where the dig pit will be. If you do not wish to dig a hole, you can stab the shovel into the ground to loosen up the dirt a little. Place the wooden frame down or line the edge of the dig pit with large stones or bricks. Fill it with sand & dirt. You can get a nice big bag of sand at most home-improvement stores or warehouses. Bring your dog to the new pit. Show her her favorite toy or a small handful of her favorite treats & let her watch as you bury them. Step back & let your dog enjoy her new “sand box”! Terriers also excel at the same activities as herding dogs do, due to their high energy & athleticism. Pit bull-type terriers love to pull weights around. Try using a harness to hook them up to an object they can pull around, like you'd do with a working-breed dog. For the small-breed terriers, use boxes & furniture legs to build “tunnels for your dog to run through & hide or hang out in. Periodically hide treats or toys in the tunnels for your dog to find. Terriers also tend to have higher energy levels, & need a lot of primal exercise, as much as you can give them.

The Toy Group:

Although some may disagree with me, toy breed dogs were bred for little more than to serve as companions to humans. They will most likely enjoy any of the above listed activities.

The Non-sporting Group:

The breeds in the non-sporting group were not really bred for any specific purpose. Therefore, almost any canine activity will do well for them. An excellent book to pick up is 101 Ways to Do More With Your Dog by Kyra Sundance. It lists all the canine activities available out there, as well as recommended breeds for each activity. Also, all of the canine activities listed here have classes available that you can take with your dog. Agility classes & trials for herders & terriers (or any dog, really), sheepherding or herders, Schutzhund classes & trials for working dogs, earthdog trials for terriers, lure coursing for sight hounds, hunting trials for scent hounds, the list could go on & on! Just do some research & see if there are classes in your area that you'd like to take.

Affection: Dog-fulfilling Games to Play

Dogs primarily use their noses when exploring objects in their environment (or the environment itself), so it makes sense to give them something to do that will engage their nose. When playing, remember to encourage your dog to use his nose, not his eyes.

The “Find the Treats” Game

You hide treats in the house or yard & your dog finds & eats them. This game is a great way to fulfill the dog in your pet & also provides mental stimulation.

1. Take some smelly treats, such as regular dog treats or dog-pleasing human food such as cheese or real meat, cut up into small chunks.

2. Place each treat in its own hiding spot. Make sure the treat's location isn't glaringly obvious, but don't make it too difficult, dogs can give up quite easily.

3. Take your dog to the area where the treats are hidden & let him find them using his nose. Try not to help him, but if he seems to be having trouble, give him some encouragement & just a little bit of direction.

The “Find the Supper” Game

You hide your dog's meal &, upon a command, he runs to find his meal, using primarily his nose.

1. Show your dog his filled food bowl, then have someone remove him from the room.

2. Hide the dog's food, then call him back in. Encourage him to find his food. Give him a little direction if he seems to be having trouble.

Alternate Way to Play: Build a homemade obstacle course using boxes, barriers, & the like. Rub the food all along the course, but hide the food in the most hard-to-reach or difficult place of all.

The “Towel Treat” Game

You hide several treats under a small washcloth or towel. Your dog finds the treats & figures out how to get the treats from underneath the towel.

1. Place a small handful of treats or kibble under a towel or washcloth. Let your dog smell the cloth & figure out the best way to reach the goodies.

Alternate Way to Play: Do the same step as above, but use a box instead, or rub a treat on several boxes, but hide the treat under just one box.

These are once again just the beginning of a long list of ideas. Look up “mentally stimulating games for your dog” on the Internet & see what comes up.

Going From Endless Buffet to Twice-a-Day: Getting Your Dog Off a Free-feeding Program & Onto a Twice-a-Day Feeding Schedule

It's time to pick up the bowl! Start the program in the morning. After the morning walk, use the feeding guidelines on your dog's kibble bag or can & scoop out the morning ration. Follow the feeding routine discussed in “Rules of Alpha-dom” & set a timer for ten minutes. When the timer goes off, pick up the bowl, put any uneaten food back in the bag or in a sealed, airtight container, & wait until the evening walk to feed your dog again. Treats do not count as feeding, but don't give them too close to dinnertime, so as not to stave off hunger.

If the dog is eating when you come in, set the timer for five minutes, then repeat the above steps. For dinner, repeat the same steps. If the dog doesn't eat, then he doesn't eat. It will not take him long to understand the buffet is now closed & that he'd better eat when food is placed in front of him. It's that simple.

The Instincts of the Dog & Fulfilling Them

There are deep-seated needs in the dog, needs that are animal- & dog-related more than they are breed-related. These are often the least-fulfilled needs in a dog, & thus perhaps the most important.

The Instinct of Working For Everything. The simplest to fulfill, yet often the most overlooked. Simply walk your dog first thing in the morning, before feeding, then again in the evening before feeding, that's symbolic of the hunt & satisfies the need to work for food. Have your dog perform simple commands or tricks before receiving anything positive or getting to do something she wants to do.

The Instinct for Leadership & Direction. The strongest instinct in a dog. If a dog does not feel that a strong-minded, calm-assertive leader is not in charge, then by the dictation of instinct, he will take that role himself, because a dog pack will not survive without a leader. The denial of this instinct is why there are so many unstable, stressed-out dogs in the world.

The Instinct of Migration. The walk. The most important ingredient in your relationship with your dog. A dog has to be walked every day; only the most dire of weather or emergencies should prevent it. No dog of any breed, size, or age should be kept cooped up all day & night. Every dog possesses the instinct to get out & roam with her pack.

The Instinct of Pack. Dogs are, by no stretch of the imagination, solitary creatures. A dog living in a feral pack is never alone; the pack is always together. That said, even a calm, mellow, submissive, balanced dog can develop separation anxiety. The treatment & prevention of separation anxiety will be discussed in chapter four.

The instinctual cravings dogs possess are very rarely fulfilled; thus, that is why there are so many unstable dogs out there. Don't let your dog down.

An in-depth look at the fulfillment formulas & the instincts of the dog has come to a close. You have completed level two of dog psychology, & you can almost call yourself a dog psychologist. However, you must complete level three to fully earn that title. Level three will be achieved after completion of the next chapter, "Issues: Treating & Preventing".