Hand Signals

Hand signals are a great way to train a puppy.  Dogs communicate primarily through body language, and giving a hand signal in conjunction with a verbal command makes your instructions clearer.  It also ensures that you have the puppy’s attention before giving a command, as the pup has to be looking at you in order to see the signal.  Here are the standard hand signals we would like incorporated into puppy raising obedience. Note that in these photos, the signals are very exaggerated.  You can make the signals more subtle as your dog begins to understand what you are asking for.

Sit 
With your palm facing up, move your flat right hand in an upward motion.  While the puppy is learning the command, you can give the hand signal right at eye level; eventually, you want to build up to giving the signal while standing completely upright.

Down

Raise your right palm up, then make a downward motion that concludes with your fingers pointing towards the ground.  Initially, you can reach down close to the ground, but gradually progress to being able to give the downward-motion signal while standing completely upright. 

 

Stay

Cross your right hand across your body and face your flat palm in front of the puppy’s face.  Pause your “stop sign” hand for a moment while you say “stay”, then remove your hand.  The puppy should not be dependent on your hand remaining out; however, on a long or distracting stay, you may repeat the signal briefly as a reminder.

Forward

Start with the puppy seated or standing in heel position.  Extend your right hand from your side out in front of you in a quick motion while commanding, “forward”.  When you are initially teaching the puppy, you can give the hand signal and step forward to encourage the puppy to step out.  As the puppy gets the idea, wait for the puppy to start walking first; you can apply light forward leash pressure to encourage it to start moving.

Call to heel

The signal is to swing your left hand out from your side in a quick, sweeping motion.  While teaching the “heel” command, you will be starting with the puppy in front of you, then using backwards motion as well as leash cues in order to teach the “horseshoe heel” motion.  Begin to wean off of the backwards steps but continue to sweep your left hand out while holding the leash.  That will become the primary signal that can be paired with the verbal command.

What Older Dogs Teach

There is just about nothing cuter than a baby puppy. Floppy ears, soft fur, razor-sharp fangs… well, I suppose every rose has it’s thorns. Part of the responsibility of puppy raising is to help mold this wiggly, mouthy, bouncy ball of clay into a happy, eager dog who looks forward to going to “work” and can control his puppy impulses in public.

Within puppy raising, there is one teacher that sometimes appears whose value cannot be understated. An older dog with appropriate social skills can often communicate in a way that is so much clearer than anything us bumbling humans can come up with.

There are, of course, potentially negative interactions a dog can have, and not every dog can serve as appropriate teacher. I am in no way suggesting you let your puppy into a pack of furniture-destroying, carpet-soiling, socially inept dogs. That would probably have an adverse affect, although I suppose miracles do happen.

But a well-behaved dog can help influence a puppy’s behavior. An older dog can show the puppy where the door to the backyard is, and also influence their door manners. If the older dog waits calmly for the door to open, a puppy will have an easier time learning to stay at the door. An older dog who busies outside leaves scent that can help clue the puppy in to the correct potty area. A puppy also can observe that the resident dog keeps the home area clean, and that tends to speed up housebreaking. The puppy can also get an opportunity to eat around another dog and learn manners around food.

Probably one of the biggest benefits of an adult dog though is the social interaction. This can be achieved even in single dog households by allowing the puppy to visit with a responsible older dog. A well-socialized dog tends to be very patient with puppy silliness; they will interact, play, and allow the puppy to expend some energy. They also, however, let the puppy know when he is biting down too hard with little baby teeth, or when the puppy is getting too wild. As the puppy ages, his “puppy card” will begin to run out, and the adult dog’s tolerance for inappropriate behavior lessens. With baby puppies, some adult dogs will simply turn their head away or stand up to avoid the onslaught of chomping. But as puppies grow, the adult dog may begin to use corrections.

If an adult dog corrects a puppy, it is usually by a hard stare, a growl, or even a snap. An appropriate correction (versus aggression) will occur during or after playtime. Sample scenario: the dogs are playing together fine, the puppy chomps down on adult dog’s tail, and adult dog snarls. The puppy backs off and lowers his body, wagging his tail and trying to appease the adult dog. The adult dog accepts the “apology” and play can continue, or sometimes the dogs will separate and do their own thing for a while. Either scenario is appropriate. There is also a possibility that the puppy will decide not to respect the adult dog’s signals and will continue with the irritating behavior. That’s the time to step in and separate the dogs, so the puppy learns that his behavior resulted in the end of playtime, and the adult dog can have some peace.

Dogs communicate mostly by body language, and an older dog can help a puppy develop appropriate social skills. It is important to allow your puppy to have interactions with other dogs in order to “learn the language”. However, it is important to pay attention to the body language dogs are sending off. The onset of puberty can create some tension between dogs who have previously been friendly together, and too much stiff, upright body language means it’s time to end the playtime. There are times when adult dogs can overcorrect puppies, and there are also times when puppies are bold enough that they feel like fighting back. Those are negative interactions that should be interrupted before they escalate.

Finally, an older dog can help instill confidence in potentially worrying scenarios. A puppy might show a fear of blow-up holiday decorations, for example. Bringing a more confident dog along for a fun walk can help the exposure become successful. If the puppy sees that the other dog is unconcerned and willing to investigate, the peer pressure can help the puppy work through his fears.

Extinguishing and enforcing behaviors

Dogs do what works. A behavior that gets a desired response is likely to be repeated. A behavior that gets no response will likely be extinguished. This is important to keep in mind when raising a puppy, because even accidental rewards will reinforce a behavior.

So consider the following situations:
 
A young puppy is teething. His gums itch and ache, especially after he’s been chewing on a hard toy. He wants to chew on your legs, but you correct him and mold him into a “sit”. This frustrates him, so he snaps out of resentment. This makes you pull away and he finds relief, because you’ve stopped correcting him and trying to make him “sit”. Now he is more likely to snap next time, and will likely begin to escalate if he feels he needs to increase his efforts.
 
Your mostly housebroken puppy has been earning more freedoms. She’s made some mistakes and you’ve corrected her when you’ve caught her in the act. She’s loose in the house and has the urge to “busy”, but is not sure how to get your attention. She goes to the door silently and waits, but you don’t notice. She paces and paces, then sneaks away and “busies” under the dining room table. She feels immediate relief, and because you don’t notice, she does not get punished. Now when she feels the urge to go, she quietly leaves the room and makes a mess where you will not find it until later.
 
An adolescent pup is playing and romping in the backyard. You call him to “come” so you can go to work. He starts to head towards you, but then notices an enticing clump of grass and grabs it. You call him again, and he freezes, staring at you. Then he leaps into the air and begins to play with the grass clump. You start after him and he bolts around the yard, adding a delightful 15 minutes of playtime to his own schedule and making you late. Now he’s learned that the “come” command is optional if he feels like he has better things to do.
 
Your pup is happy to see you when you come home and hops up to greet you. You hug and pet him before telling him “off”. A few months go by, now your puppy is 70 pounds, and has just been out in the muddy backyard. You come home and your giant puppy with muddy feet clobbers you and hits your nose with his giant, blocky head (if this has ever happened to you, you never forget that kind of pain). 

All of these are examples of behaviors that were reinforced unintentionally. Behaviors that the dog finds beneficial easily can become habit. Dogs are always unconsciously trying different behaviors and seeing what the result is. If the dog is in the crate and wants to be let out, he may circle, sit down, paw at the crate door, whine, and then bark. If he gets let out when he barks, the circling/sitting/pawing/whining behaviors will quickly be extinguished, and he will move right to barking.
 
So for the teething/snapping puppy, the reinforcement is the removal of the unpleasant stimuli (corrections, efforts to manipulate the dog into position). My recommendation would be to frequently have the dog on tie-down or leash, so that if the puppy begins to throw a “tantrum”, the puppy can be restrained calmly. I like to give the puppy a short length of leash so that he cannot continue to physically work himself up; I calmly hold the puppy’s muzzle. If the puppy throws a whining, screaming tantrum, I hold on, or at least keep the puppy leashed. It’s important to make sure that the corrections are firm but CALM. The puppy is already energized and feeding into it will only make it worse. If I am frustrated as well, I just put the puppy into time-out until I am better prepared to deal with the attitude problem. I consider this behavior to be pushy and results-oriented; it in no way represents the puppy’s temperament currently or in the future. It does tend to occur more in excitable, high-energy dogs, and sometimes in dogs who actually have a little bit of anxiety and insecurity. So while you may be thinking the puppy is trying to dominate you, it’s usually more of a case of “the schoolyard bully” syndrome. The puppy is insecure and has figured out how to be intimidating and “big and bad”. Sometimes, the best cure is regular interactions with adult dogs or older puppies who are skilled at letting puppies know their limits. There is no better puppy raiser than a savvy dog who communicates well with other dogs.
 
For the puppy regressing in housebreaking (or other house manner issues), don’t be afraid to go back to basics. Put the puppy back on tie-down, leash, or in the crate. Remember, we advise our graduates to keep their guide dog leashed to them AT ALL TIMES for two months after they go home. Preventing self-rewarding behaviors is the best way to set good habits. The dog can gradually earn more freedoms as it shows that it is trustworthy. Then, in case of regression, the dog can go back to restriction. I like using tie-downs a lot because when the dog feels the need to busy, they often circle, pace, or whine in “that certain way”. They don’t have the option of wandering off into a hidden corner to relieve themselves, so they express a little bit of frustration. This becomes their way of telling me that they need to be taken out, and I don’t miss the signal.
 
For a dog who decides the recall is optional, my answer will always be the same: put the dog on a leash. Leashes come in many lengths, which is useful for recalling a dog at a distance while still being able to enforce the command. I use my Scorch frequently as an example. He is five years old, and my only “off leash reliable” dog. I did not consider him reliable until he was about three years old, at which time he had matured, shown a high level of responsibility, and had been neutered. I called him off of pursuit of a rabbit recently, and he turned around and came without hesitation. That level of reliability was achieved by thousands of on-leash recalls. Sometimes I would be holding the leash, sometimes he would be dragging the leash, and I constantly varied the distance I called him. We practiced in the backyard, in the house, on walks, and around distractions. I hardly ever called him out of a “stay”; I called him away from distractions and, because of the leash, he never learned that he could blow me off or choose to ignore me. I was always able to enforce the command. Of course, I made it worth his while with a randomly-given food reward, which we have now worked into our puppy raising program.
 
For a jumping puppy, I cannot stress this enough: START EARLY. When a puppy is little, I set them up frequently with attention games. I go crazy over the pup (“PUPPY PUPPY PUPPY!!”) in my trademarked, high-pitched voice. The second the puppy’s front feet leave the ground, I immediately cut off all attention, fold my arms, and look up at the sky. When the pup puts its paws back on the ground, I resume the crazy attention, usually at a slightly less frenetic level. When the pup consciously resists jumping, I lavish them with attention (or even a toy or a special tidbit). It’s much easier to do this with a baby puppy rather than a giant. I progress to “sit and say please”; if the pup wants my attention, it has to respond to my “sit” command first. If you are very consistent about ignoring the puppy at a young age, the jumping behavior will be extinguished. If the puppy thinks the behavior doesn’t “work”, then the behavior will not be repeated. This is often why some of our puppies will never jump on the raiser, but will happily leap up on strangers; if enough strangers reward the “cute” behavior, it will be repeated. Since it is impossible to train everyone who wants to meet your puppy, I advise using “four on the floor” as acceptable behavior in your young puppy. If the puppy jumps up while someone is petting it, I back the pup away a few steps (or do a treat recall) and then try the approach again. The pup learns that it is taken away from the attention as soon as it jumps. It is still attention-removal training, but you’re not relying on a random stranger to have good timing.
 
These are just a few, commonly-seen examples. The most important thing to remember is to start early, ignoring behaviors you don’t want to see repeated. Believe it or not, dogs don’t sit around scheming, however it may seem. If a dog counter-surfs when you’re not in the room, it’s because it has learned that the behavior doesn’t work in your presence, but it DOES work when you’re not around. Start looking at behaviors from a dog’s point of view, and find a solution by eliminating the self-rewarding aspect of the problem behavior.

Train the dog in front of you

Train the dog in front of you. It’s a mantra often repeated by dog trainers and instructors. But what does that really mean? I believe it serves as a reminder to be an observer, to watch behaviors and reactions carefully, and to see what the dog is actually doing, not what you expect them to do.
Let’s say you’ve owned dogs or puppy-raised for years. The dogs have been active, goofy, hard-necked hooligans. You’ve had to spend time teaching them not to jump on people, and maybe you’ve actually wiped a paw print or two off of the walls (or ceiling!). Exposures were a breeze, other than working on leash management skills. Then you pick up a new puppy. This puppy is softer in temperament and a little more sensitive. He’s quiet and serious. He lets loose a little bit in the backyard and in the house, but tends to flop down or pull back on the leash when going on walks or exposures. He doesn’t rush up to people, but instead wags his tail and lets them come to him.

I would not follow the same training and exposure protocols with this dog as I had with the others. I would take short, frequent strolls rather than long, energy-draining walks. I would start with a couple of very routine, low-stimuli exposures, such as work and the grocery store. I would save the mall or a crowded playground for when I felt the puppy was confidently striding through his routine. If a meeting is being held at a busy mall, and I feel that the 16 week puppy at the end of my leash is a little hesitant, then we’ll cut the exposure short.

Yes, it is important to make sure that these pups get everything on the exposures list. However, the QUALITY of exposures is what’s important, not the QUANTITY. When a young pup is being socialized, the puppy should CHOOSE to interact and should have the option to leave the interaction. As a puppy raiser, start training yourself to be an observer. If your puppy hesitates before approaching a group of children, slow down the interaction. Have the children stop (easier said than done, I know) and allow the puppy to approach them. Give the children a tidbit to encourage the puppy towards them in a positive way. Don’t assume that this puppy will be excited to meet every group of children; the last puppy may have loved kids, or this puppy may have even had positive experiences with kids previously. But if the puppy in front of you shows timidity, hesitation, or wants to back away, make sure that puppy has an option for escape. Be an observer and don’t take it for granted that your puppy is tolerant. The puppy will gain confidence and have a positive experience when they can make the choice to socialize.

If, on the other hand, the puppy is a whirling dervish when children appear, and tends to want to jump on them, you will also want to carefully manage the interaction. In this case, learn to observe the signs that your puppy is “revving up”. He may speed up his pace, start to tremble with excitement, or vocalize. Interrupt any interactions when you feel the puppy is getting over-stimulated. Walk the puppy away to calm him down. Practice some down-stays and then return to the interaction. If the puppy can’t handle the interaction at that moment, then skip it. There is always time to return to it later, when the pup is in a better frame of mind.

We’ll be talking more in-depth about body language and how to get a better read on the puppy. As much as you learn about various body language cues though, each puppy is an individual. Start paying attention and observing little clues. One weekend, Scorch and I had an out of town, two-day dog show. The days were long, and after the show was over, we went out to eat and visited an art festival. I was not paying as much attention to Scorch as I should have been, but I did notice that he kept circling and acting strange. I thought he had to “busy”, but despite multiple opportunities, he didn’t. When we finally got back to the car, he leapt into the back, grabbed a towel, and pulled it over his head. He was overwhelmed and just wanted to escape from the world. He’d been trying to tell me and I hadn’t understood his signals. Now I recognize the cues that he uses when he’s had enough and wants to curl up into a hiding place.

Observe when your puppy has had enough. They might get more active and intense, or they might withdraw and look for escape. In either scenario, learning will not happen when that puppy is in that state of mind. Give the pup a break or reduce the amount of distractions and stimuli surrounding the puppy. Be an observer of the behaviors the puppy is presenting, rather than interpreting behaviors based on what you expect.

Enrichment Toys

There are a plethora of toys available for dogs on the market, and new ones are coming out all the time. We have been hard at work testing out different toys in our kennel enrichment program and finding out which toys our dogs enjoy the most, which toys stand up well to retriever-levels of play, and which toys seem to exercise their brains as well as their bodies. The following toys have been the most successful. Remember that food-dispensing toys are considered a “high value” resource to dogs; watch for any guarding behaviors and use caution if you have other dogs. Some toys are best given to each dog separately or while the puppy is confined. You can also use food-dispensing toys to slow down a fast eater. Keep in mind that any food or treats your dog gets from the toy have to be subtracted from their regular meals.

Kong toys:
Kong has long been a favorite among puppy raisers, trainers, and guide dog users. They make a variety of toys, most of which are appropriate for our puppies. They also have a variety of strengths as well as different types of toys. The Classic Kong is a bee-hive shaped rubber toy that can be stuffed with food or treats. For young puppies, there are “teething strength” Kongs that have a tie-dyed appearance. For average chewers, there are red strength Kongs. For tougher chewers, there are black and royal blue strength Kongs.

Kong also makes several other shapes and types of toys, such as the Genius, the Goodie Bone, the Stuff-a-ball, the Wobbler, and the Traxx tire. These are designed for chewing, dispensing kibble, or stuffing with food. To stuff a Kong, you can moisten their dry food and mash it into the Kong, use the canned puppy food counterpart, or use a treat such as Kong Stuff’ns or a peanut butter. Freeze the stuffed Kongs to make them last even longer.

Do not use any Kong products that are made from ropes, have squeakers or are shaped like tennis balls.

Nylabones:  
Another favorite toy is the Nylabone. The Nylabone brand offers a lot of options for a variety of chewers. The Puppy Chew, Gumabone/Flexi Chew, Rhino, and Romp n Chomp are good for teething pups or soft chewers. For more intense chewers, the Dura Chew, Big Chew, and Galileo bones are good options.

Do not use any Nylabone products with ropes or squeakers, or the edible bones.

Stuffable toys:
There are some other brands of toys that can help to occupy your puppy. The Starmark brand makes some excellent treat-dispensing toys that we’ve used in our enrichment program. In particular, the Everlasting Treat Ball, Bento Ball, and Fire Plug engage the dogs and hold up well. The cone-shaped Everlasting Treats are best used for older puppies, as they are fairly large. For younger puppies, small treats or kibble can be stuffed into the center of the toy. Very determined chewers may be able to rip pieces off of this toy. We have found that the Everlasting Treats do keep them more interested in the treats themselves rather than the toy, and MOST dogs take their time working on the treats. I know there are stories of dogs who removed the large treat within minutes, and those dogs may not benefit from this toy. But I have truly been stunned at the length of time the dogs spend working on this toy.
 
Some other good options are available from Premier Busy Buddy. Popular choices are the Twist and Treat, the Waggle, and the Magic Mushroom. (Yes, I am literally laughing out loud as I am typing these names) Petstages also makes some good chew toys such as the Occupi and the Orka Jack. Bionic has a great teething bone available.
 
Puzzle toys:
This category of toys encourages problem-solving. These toys are great ways of feeding meals to a high energy, intelligent dog. It not only slows down their eating, but it also provides them with a challenging, mentally-stimulating task. These toys are not generally designed to withstand chewing, although they hold up well to being tossed around. These toys WILL make a lot of noise on tile floors; sensitive puppies might benefit from playing with the toys outside or on carpet. There are several brands of puzzle toy, but generally Nina Ottosson is considered the biggest innovator. We most often use the Tornado and the Treat Maze. Since Nina’s toys came on the market, many other toy companies have followed suit. The Kyjen brand has some excellent, readily available puzzle toys. The Kong Wobbler is another interactive, food-dispensing toy worth a try.

Unsafe toys:
There are toys that we do not want our puppies to have access to. Here are the toys that they are not allowed to have, as well as the reasons why:

Sterile bones and antlers:Any toy can pose a danger to a dog. The position of Board Certified Veterinary Dentists on chewing is as follows: if you would not hit yourself in the knee with the toy, or if you cannot dent it with your fingernail, it is not a safe for teeth. We do allow some “hard toys” in our puppy program (nylon bones) but have tried to reduce the most dangerous. When a dog chews on a toy that doesn’t have any flexibility, there is a risk that they can break or crack their teeth. The most common breaks are slab fractures (molars) or cracked canines. These most often occur with “dedicated chewers”, who take a toy like a sterile bone into the back of their mouth and start chomping. It is for that reason that we do not allow sterile bones or antlers in our program. However, the softer toys can often be destroyed and there is a risk of the puppy ingesting pieces. There is not one toy that is universally indestructible and also teeth-safe. Choice of chew toys will depend heavily on the puppy’s individual personality and chewing style.

Rope toys:
While rope toys have long been popular in the pet-owning community, we do not allow them for guide dog puppies. Ropes, when ingested, become string that is not easily passed. It can cause severe, irreparable damage to the digestive tract. The strings get wound up and can actually saw through intestines. We have had to perform surgeries on some program dogs, and have seen the damage firsthand that these toys can cause. Braided felt or fleece toys are a safer option for young, teething puppies.

Squeaky toys:
We do not allow toys with squeakers in our program due to the distracting nature of them. Dogs enjoy squeakers for various reasons, but it is likely related to prey drive. Besides the choking hazard of squeakers, toys that squeak are extremely distracting to a guide dog who has enjoyed playing with them in the past. We also don’t want to encourage our guide dogs to enjoy picking up small furry things that squeak! Please also avoid toys that resemble children’s stuffed animals (teddy bears, etc). Toys without stuffing, fleece braids/tugs, and canvas toys are preferable options for dogs who like soft toys. Again, the use of toys needs to be supervised. If a dog starts ripping pieces off of a toy, dispose of it immediately.

Balls: 
Tennis balls and other balls that roll along the floor are not allowed due to their use building “chase drive”. Toys that roll in a straight line encourage the chasing of moving objects, which not only creates distraction for balls (tennis courts, soccer fields, etc), but also can encourage the chasing of small animals. Toys that bounce erratically or stop when they land are better choices for retrieving games. Stop tossing any toy if the dog becomes fixated or too intense. The game should remain fun, not become a serious obsession. Speaking of obsessions, NEVER use a laser pointer to play with a puppy. It can not only damage their eyes, but also can lead to obsessive behavior towards lights and shadows.

Rawhide:
Rawhide is not meant to be ingested, but many dogs gulp down large chunks. They create a choking hazard as well as a blockage risk. They can also cause stomach upset. We do want you to expose the dog to the rawhide aisle of the petstore, as some dogs react fearfully towards the odorous chews. But do not allow your puppy rawhide of any kind, including rawhide bones, compressed rawhide, Gnawhide, crushed rawhide, Dingo bones, pig ears, cow hooves, or bully sticks.

The "Turn" Command

            Dining out with your puppy generally brings up a few challenges.  Our goal for a working guide dog is that they are able to make themselves as unobtrusive as possible, either under the table or right next to it.  Before the implementation of the new "turn" command, we sent the dog under the table and then had them lay down (hence the command, “Under/Down”).  This had the potential to create a few problems.  For one, the area underneath the table is where the puppy is most likely to discover discarded food or chewing gum.  This often resulted in dogs who would gleefully dive under the table and scarf down every crumb in sight.  Another problem was that the dog’s head was often positioned some distance from the handler, making it more difficult to correct any scavenging or soliciting behaviors.  And finally, the dog’s rear facing out potentially exposed the dog to being stepped on by oblivious waitstaff (“I didn’t even know there was a dog under there!” … sound familiar?).

            So we have decided to implement the “turn” command as a more useful way to orient the puppy properly in dining situations.  It is also useful for vet examinations, grooming, or backing the dog into a tight space (such as the crates in our training vans when the dog comes IFT!).

            Think of the “turn” as a reversed “heel”.  Instead of the dog at your side facing forward, the dog will be at your side facing behind you.  They do not have to be in a “sit” position; in fact, if you choose to back your dog into a space, having them in a “stand” position is more useful.

            To accomplish the “turn”, start with the dog at heel.  In order to encourage them to start moving, you may have to take a step or two forward (much like with the “heel” command, when you take a step back).  Tell the dog to “turn” and begin to back up, using your hand or light pressure on the leash to help the dog reverse their direction.  This may not look pretty at first, especially for a dog who is heavily conditioned to face forward!  But when they are reversed at your side, praise them heavily, even if they are not perfectly straight.  Try not to drag the dog by the lead into position.  Keep your flat palm on their hip or side to prevent them from spinning back into heel. 



Goldie demonstrates the finished "turn" position



            When having the puppy sit or down in the turn position, you may initially have to mold the puppy.  They have been conditioned to sit and down in a front-facing position, so they will need extra guidance to keep them from spinning back around.  If you just give the verbal command, they will be confused at first.  Help them out by gently molding them into position as you say the command.  If they get confused or end up facing front again, start over with the “turn”.  It may take time for them to get comfortable with this.



After Cindi completes the "turn", her handler molds her into a "sit"



            When dining out with your dog, approach your seat and have the dog turn beside you.  You may want to scoot them backwards under the table a bit while they are standing up.  When they have completed the turn, have them “down”.  This should result in their head being right beside you so you can easily reach down and correct if they are scavenging or “army crawling” away from you.  When you give a correction, have your hand low on the leash, close to the collar.  This will allow you to give a smaller, more effective correction that will likely not encourage them to stand up.  When they have settled, you can loop the leash under your leg in order to free your hands.  If the puppy begins to misbehave, you can easily reach down and correct. 



Cindi is comfortably "turned" under the table



            Remember that you are trying to teach the puppy to behave appropriately in restaurants.  You may have to “pick your battles”.  If you are struggling with the puppy’s scavenging behavior, don’t stress too much about a perfect “turn”.  Address the scavenging issue first, then as they improve, begin to up your criteria for the positioning of the “turn”. 

            There may be times when it is difficult to position your puppy under a table. Certain booths or tables may have a pedestal that leaves no room for your puppy, or if you’re dining out with other raisers, it may be too crowded.  In that case, just position the puppy as close to you as possible, focusing on having them under your control and out of the main walkway as much you can.  Eventually, your puppy will be conditioned to rest quietly when dining out, and will quickly “turn” at your side when asked.  Learning to ignore dropped food may be a work-in-progress for quite some time though!

A weight-y issue

            Weight management is an important element in raising a puppy.  A healthy weight leads to a better quality of life and improves the dog’s ability to work as a guide. 

            It is very normal for puppies to go through awkward, lanky stages and there may be times when they hit a growth spurt and will need to take in more calories. 



Lean (but normal) puppy on a growth spurt - narrow, but not bony



            It is important to adjust to any changes in metabolism and be prepared to adjust your puppy’s food intake accordingly.  The measurements listed on the bag are a good starting off point, but they are suggestions and won’t work for every dog. 

            Dogs can have a varied appearance even within their breed.  There are stocky, “show style” Labradors (sometimes called “English style”), long-legged “field style” Labradors (sometimes called “American style”), and everything in between.  There are also “show” and “field” Golden retrievers.  Since we breed for working ability rather than appearance, we see a tremendous variety within our lines of dogs.  “Showy” dogs tend to have a wider build than the leaner “field” dogs and will often need fewer calories.  So dogs at the same height and weight may still have different feeding requirements.  There is no hard-and-fast rule when it comes to the amount of food an individual dog needs.

            Remember, a retriever does not generally "feel full", so we are responsible for controlling their portions and keeping them at their healthiest.

            There are some good, general rules of thumb when checking a dog’s weight.  You should be able to feel each individual rib without having to dig for them.  The dog should have an abdominal tuck when viewed from the side or above.  Their rib area should not be wider than their shoulders.  They should not have fatty deposits near their tail (forming a “dimple”) or on their chest.  You should not be able to see their hipbones or their spine, or count all of their ribs. On the other hand, they should not look like a table when viewed from above. 



"Table-like" appearance... identity concealed to protect the innocent!



            The puppy raiser manual includes a weight chart, but I wanted to post some photographs of dogs to show a variety of body types as well as different angles.  (Most of these are older photos, although some recent dogs are also pictured)



Ideal weight when viewed from the side - notice abdominal tuck, tight chest



Overweight from the side - no tuck, sagging chest and belly, deposits on shoulders



Ideal weight laying down (petite build) - no excessive padding on the ribs



Overweight laying down - deposits on ribcage



A good overhead comparison - heavy dog on the left, ideal weight dog on the right



Too thin - ribs too easily palpable, hip bones visible



Ideal weight sitting - no deposits on chest or belly - note, this dog has a wide build but is muscular and not sagging



Overweight sitting - sagging chest, excessive weight "pooled" around hips and elbows



Ideal weight Golden - despite all that hair, abdominal tuck still present!



Overweight Golden - deposits on ribs, "table" backed



Ideal weight on a Labrador with a wide build - lots of skin though! :)



Overweight on a wide build

         When raising a puppy, it is important to consider caloric intake.  Treats are frequently named as the culprit in overweight dogs.  Milkbones, even small ones, have a fairly large calorie content.  Vegetables such as carrots and broccoli can even add up quickly.  The best way to give a “treat” if your dog is on a diet is to measure out their meals, then take a few pieces of kibble out of the total for the day and save them as treats.  If you want to make them a little more “meaningful”, you can put them in a ziplock bag with soft, stinky treats or with a little bit of grated parmesan cheese to give them more flavor. 

            If you’re following the diet restrictions and the puppy is having trouble losing the weight, it may be time to talk to your vet about a low-calorie, high-fiber “light” food, or a fiber-heavy additive for their food (such as green beans).  The addition of fiber will help the dog feel fuller and will make the diet a more pleasant experience. 

            Many puppies will also go through a lanky phase.  You can add more food to their diet but keep in mind it is likely a temporary growth spurt and we don’t want to add too much weight too quickly.  If you can see their spine and their hip bones, then they are definitely too thin, but if they are simply long and lean, they may just be going through a disproportionate phase.  

            Why is it so important to make sure your guide dog puppy isn’t overweight?  

Excessive weight can affect a dog’s joints.  We x-ray all of our dogs’ elbows and hips when they come in for training.  If the dog is overweight, it can cause premature changes to their joints that can eliminate them from consideration as a guide dog or a breeder.  This also often leads to further complications, arthritis, and pain down the road. 

Carrying extra weight can affect the dog’s stamina on routes and may delay their training.  We start with short, simple routes but it does get hot quickly as the day goes on, and trainers have to take it easy with dogs that are not able to work as well due to their weight.  While there are dogs at a normal weight who could be categorized as low energy, heat intolerance due to weight problems is very different and much more problematic.  Overweight dogs are more prone to heat stroke and have to be worked carefully.

Dogs with extra weight are also more prone to injuries (such as torn cruciate ligaments), diseases (such as heart problems and diabetes), skin infections, and digestive disorders.  They also have a shorter life span overall.

It’s important for any dog of any breed, working or pet, to be kept at a healthy weight.  It’s extra important with our guide dogs because they are going on to do a very physical job.  Retrievers are also a breed that will generally eat everything and anything put in front of them; they do not stop when they are “full”.  I’ve heard many stories (and told some of my own) about dogs that got into their dog food bags and ate pounds of kibble in one sitting.  It is our responsibility as their caretakers to keep them at a healthy weight so that they can live the longest, best life possible.  If you have concerns about your dog’s weight, please speak with your AC or our puppy raising department.  We are happy to work with you to find a solution and come up with a plan to help your puppy be the healthiest he can be.

Call to heel

The “heel” position is defined as the dog seated at his handler’s left side. We like to have our puppies think of heel as a default position and are taught to sit and down at our side right from the start. However, one of the challenges of heel is getting a dog to reliably move into a nice straight position at your side when given the “heel” command. Most dogs want to look at our faces when responding to a command, which tends to result in their being skewed out to the side; they also generally lack “hind-end awareness”, meaning they aren’t conscious of the fact that they have a rear end. Dogs don’t automatically pay attention to their orientation in relation to their handler; they have to be taught.

We teach what is known as a “horseshoe heel”. The dog makes a horseshoe shaped u-turn at your side in order to position themselves at heel. Traditionally, this has been taught starting with the dog seated in front of the handler, followed by the handler taking a big step back with their left foot, encouraging the dog to move to that side and u-turn into heel. One of the problems we’ve found with this is that the dogs often aren’t prompted into movement by a single step; some even seem to think it’s a trick and that they’re supposed to be staying! Other dogs have a tendency to not go back far enough and they make a “shallow” turn, ending up crooked.

We want to make this more fun and motivating for our puppies, so we’re changing the way we are teaching it. This technique is also able to be started with a puppy of any age, and it breaks down the behavior in a way that is easier to understand.

1. Face the puppy and get their attention. They can be in a sit position, distracted, or just “hanging out”. Call the dog clearly, “Scorch, come!”, and praise them as soon as they respond (make sure to keep the recall high value and give them immediate feedback; this is the most important command they will learn). You can stop and have a praise party to reward them for responding to the recall. After you have their attention, start backing up and encouraging them to follow you.

Calling distracted Theo

2. As they move towards you, encourage them towards your left side and say “heel”. Don’t pull them on a tight leash; you can use light tugs to encourage them, but try using hand motions or pat your leg to help direct them.

Backing up and encouraging Theo into heel

3. As they move to your left side, start moving forward again for a few steps. You want to maintain your orientation; it is the dog that is going to change direction. By suddenly reversing the direction you’re moving in from backwards to forwards, the puppy will naturally make a u-turn if they are following you (if they get “lost”, give light tugs on the leash to remind them to pay attention). Ideally, the dog will turn towards you when they make their u-turn, but the direction they turn is not as important as ending up in a proper heel.

Changing direction to help Theo make the u-turn

4. Take as many steps as necessary to get the puppy in a straight position at your side. Stop and pet the puppy, helping him make a positive association with being at your side. Use the leash to help him stop if needed, and use a flat hand on his hip to reposition him if he “swings out”.

Proper standing heel position

5. Once the puppy is willingly moving into heel, mold them into a sit. You can use the verbal “sit” to help them out if need be, but also make sure you’re guiding them with your hand. You can use a light pinch right above their hips, or pressure on the base of their tail, but have your hand present initially to prevent them from swinging out. Dogs tend to want to look at us when they hear a verbal “sit”, and that often causes them to be crooked or wide, so we want them to have a consistent history of sitting straight.

Lightly pinching to mold the sit

A nice, straight sit

6. Slowly wean off of the backwards motion until you are only taking a step or two, and you may even be able to wean them off of the step entirely. However, it is important to have a loose leash when working on this command, so some dogs may benefit from having the step as an extra clue for a while.



The most important thing to remember as a raiser is that we are not looking for perfection from your puppy. We are looking for a dog who is happy to work and is thinking through commands. This technique breaks down the call-to-heel so that the puppy can work through each element individually: the movement towards you, the u-turn, the heel position, and the sit.

The straight sit is important because if you are visually impaired and call your dog to heel, you want your dog to adjust to your orientation, not the other way around. Just a small movement can skew your direction quite dramatically. Try facing in a direction and focus on a distant landmark. Call your dog to heel and if they are crooked, shift yourself so you are standing at heel position next to them. Now look up and straight ahead; is the landmark you picked in front of you now? Many times, just a small shift will reset your direction. With a visual impairment, that reset can get you lost.

By making sure you’re molding the dog into a sit, or even molding them into the proper standing position next to you, you’re helping to build your dog’s muscle memory and making a straight heel feel more natural to your dog.

You don’t always have to pair the come command and heel together; use the come command if you need the dog’s attention, but if you already have it, you can just give the command to “heel” and start backing up. You should also sometimes call them to come and have them “take a break” without having to sit or go to heel. For puppies, the come command simply means “come over here within reach”.

I like to play the call-to-heel game any time my dog gets distracted. You can try it on fun walks as well as in-coat. Practice it in stores, or after your dog has greeted someone. Practice it if you’ve been stopped for a while and you’re ready to set off walking with your pup again. Try it if you’re giving your dog a treat, rather than having them sit in front of you. If you make this exercise a positive, fun part of daily life, your puppy will easily “reset” themselves when put into this position, and it’s a great way to regain attention.

Well-aligned Theo