LUNGING

by Ruth Kellogg

John and Jill are typical new Malamute owners. Their first dog, a male crossbred, is a very easy going fellow who sailed through the local kennel club's obedience, classes with high marks. They found they really enjoyed the activity but were frustrated as they could not enter their dog in CKC obedience trials. So they found a purebred puppy - a female Alaskan Malamute - to add to their family. Missy is a very loving bitch in the home and plays well with their first dog. Now Missy is a year old and is going to classes. But their is a problem. John and Jill do not recognize this dog on the end of their leash. She pulls and lunges at the other dogs. Her interest is not to play as her body language and grumbles clearly show! Pleasure walks are still enjoyable until another dog is met arid Missy lunges and pulls to get to the other dog.

While this is a fictitious scenario, it is also a far too common one. What can be done?

The first thing to address is Missy's hormonal state. Some "cycling" or unspayed bitches are extremely pack-orientated and show aggressive and dominant behaviors to other dogs. This is not the same scenario as two cycling bitches in a kennel situation who "hate" each other. When either of these two bitches go out in public, their manners with other dogs are acceptable and polite. Their aggression/dominant behavior is reserved for their "hate-mate" at home. Some people may disagree with me, but I would strongly recommend that Missy be spayed. This will mellow her pack orientation to where it can become manageable. I do not believe that Missy should be bred because of this behavior - strong pack orientation is a genetic trait. I do practice what I preach as I have and will continue to spay such bitches. An example that any "faithful readers" would know was my "acting star", Selena. While her pack orientation was not excessive, she was spayed before she was ever bred. (If challenged, Selena did fight!) I successfully worked around her pack orientation whenever we were with a group of dogs. Selena was able to be worked off lead in obedience, agility and acting.

I find the right piece of teaching equipment or collar/halter to use with each dog. The dog�s personality must always be assessed. Northern dogs have the innate desire to pull when they feel anything around their neck. For this reason, plus the easy and low-stress way of teaching and modifying behavior using dog halters, I recommend at least a brief time in a halter. For a gentle individual, the Gentle Leader/Promise or my Inharmon's Gentle Leader halters are successful. Once the dog has progressed in its education, then the lead may be attached to a buckle or sled dog collar. For an out of control and/or dominant dog, I recommend Roger Mugford's Halti. This halter tightens around the dog's muzzle while the others do not. The quietly dominating effect of the muzzle being closed by the Halti controls, disciplines, and reminds the dog that the handler is dominant. When such a dog is working well with a Halti, then the halter can be changed to a gentler action one to finally working with a buckle or sled dog collar.

Do notice the absence of recommendation of any type of slip/choke collar or prong collar. I do not see any need for them in a training program when there are gentler and more humane methods. Yes, I do use chokers on my dogs - at obedience trials and in the conformation ring. But they all receive their schooling with halters and buckle or sled dog collars. I compare the use of the choke collars in dog training with teaching a young horse to go under saddle with a curb bit (which is very severe). Horses are taught their basics with gentler aids such as halters, hackamores or snaffle bits before they Ùgraduate– to curb bits.

Now John and Jill have Missy accustomed to wearing the Halti. They first put it on her when they were in their house and made a big fuss about how wonderful she looked and gave her lots of treats. Then they went to their yard and attached the leash to the Halti and all of them became used to walking with it. John and Jill have found a trainer who is familiar with correct halter handling. They have even read the only book that teaches correct halter handling, "Educating the Happy Dog", and now have an understanding about how the halter works.

But this won't be enough.

Missy also has to learn to focus her attention on her handler on cue. She must learn "Watch Me". Her handlers must also have a way of immediately reinforcing any desired behavior Missy offers. This can be easily done through the behavior modification tool, clicker training. This is described beautifully in Karen Pryor's book, "Don't Shoot the Dog! Missy's handlers can either get a clicker or "click" verbally (like you would to a horse). I, personally, use the verbal click as it is always available for me and my "click" is very well developed after years of training horses!

The idea behind the clicker is that it can give an instant reinforcement when the desired behavior is offered. It is much faster than "good dog" or whatever and so is much more effective. It should be paired with a treat as a reward that the dog will look forward to. Just a click isn't enough in the beginning to encourage the dog to want to do the behaviors! Remember, these are mercenary Malamutes! ("What's in it for me!") Once the dog has associated the click with the treat, then if the handler is a little slower in getting the treat out, the dog will still understand that the treat is paired with the click that came with the behavior. (Yes, Malamutes can and do reason!) In time, the dog will work for the clicks on a constant reinforcement schedule with treats that are on a variable schedule .

After John and Jill have read Pryor's book, gotten a clicker and supply of treats, it is time to start teaching Missy to focus on them with the "Watch Me" cue. I do emphasize that this work be done in a familiar environment at first such as inside the house. The distractions should be kept to a minimum to enable the dog to concentrate. Remember, Missy has never had to concentrate to this level before! The goal of the "Watch Me" cue is to have the dog establish eye contact (and thus attention) with the handler on cue. Most Malamutes aren't the type of dog to sit and state adoringly into their owner's eyes, so don't expect that! The majority of Mals will give a quick glance at first. This is keeping with their primitive nature. With work, the quick glances will lengthen. With Missy sitting in front of the handler, the command "Watch me" is given. The handler may gently tap her nose and move his finger to his eye and repeat "Watch me." The instant that eye contact is made (and it will be quick), click the clicker, and then give her a treat and praise. It should only take a very few repetitions for Missy to realize that "Watch me" = click = treat = praise from her handler. Then the length of time that the handler wants her to pay attention can be gradually lengthened.

At this point, Missy is familiar with the halter, her handlers know that if they raise the lead up (with the nose and head following), Missy will sit, and they have also got a solid "Watch me" with Missy. She doesn't have a "stay' command - but at this point, that's not necessary. Now it is time to find another owner with a dog Missy doesn't know to work with.

The first step is for Missy sitting beside the handler in a heel position with the handler keeping the lead short. With a short lead, it allows the handler to easily, quickly, and effectively tilt Missy's nose up which will reinforce her to keep her butt planted on the ground. The other owner is waiting quietly with the other dog a few feet away - far enough away that Missy won't be inclined to do her lunging behavior. Missy's handler does a "Watch Me" to remind Missy to focus on him. The other handler slowly approaches Missy but in such a way that if they were to pass, the handlers would be passing each other with the dogs on the other side. Missy's handler reinforces the "Watch Me" and sit as necessary. The first time, only have the strange dog approach into Missy's "lunging space" and stop with the dog at a heel. Missy's owner reinforces "Watch Me" with click and treats as needed. The strange dog retreats and Missy is praised quietly but thoroughly on her lady-like behavior. This same procedure is repeated until the strange dog and handler can pass by Missy and her handler on the "handler side" and then on the "dog side". At any time that Missy reverts to the lunging or unwanted behavior, go back a few steps to where she had success.

Once Missy is sitting quietly while the strange dog passes consistently, it is time to have her start moving. If at any time she reverts back to the unwanted lunging behavior, immediately go back to kindergarten and have her sit and do a "Watch me".

With consistent handling/teaching, the unwanted behavior will be extinguished as Missy has learned a new, desired, and certainly more profitable behavior in its place. This is not a "quick fix". The unwanted behavior is a very strong drive in the dog so the handlers must be prepared to teach and reinforce the desired behavior over a long period of time. (This time period will vary with each dog.) But the concentrated effort will be worth it. Pleasure walks will become pleasurable again, obedience classes and possibly trials will become fun instead of frustrating, and the relationship between the dog and handler will be improved immensely. Handlers must take the leadership role. By teaching the pack-orientated dog that their lunging at any other dog is not desired, the handlers can reinforce their leadership role at the same time. This can only translate into a more well-rounded and respectful relationship between the dog and handler.

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