Training A Dog? Become a Good Leader!
By Joanne Beck
Tom Ryan loves dogs (check out Chloe, below). Although many us can say that, we haven’t taken it quite as far as this former biophysicist and Volunteers For Animals president has. Ryan, a Batavia, NY resident, is a graduate of the National K-9 Learning Center in Columbus, Ohio and has attended several seminars at the Monks of New Skete, a monastery group in Cambridge, NY that breeds German shepherds to be companion animals and produces books all about dogs and dog training.
Several years ago Ryan adopted a shepherd from Genesee County Animal Shelter, and the dog displayed some aggression, no doubt from the way it was treated by its original owner. Ryan wanted it to be more social and people-friendly. So he took the dog, Heiko, with him to Ohio. It was a six-week, hands-on, early morning to late evening boot camp for how to train and deal with companion and service dogs.
Ryan believes that training takes the commitment and time necessary to see positive results. Ivan, another German shepherd with some aggression issues, made a complete 180 after Ryan took the dog to behavior specialists for one-on-one lessons. Ivan went from not being able to socialize in March to attending a crowded fundraiser in October. “He just turned around,” Ryan says.
If you’ve got an aggressive dog, seek out some one-on-one training help. If you have a dog with behavioral issues (it is hyper active, nervous, not housebroken, etc.) or one that could use some obedience training, Ryan suggests the following to get you started:
1. Get a 20-foot leash and map out a 60-foot square outside.
2. Start walking with your dog on the leash around the perimeter of the square. Ignore your dog at first and just keep walking. If he doesn’t want to follow you, give the leash a gentle tug and keep moving. Move from corner to corner, stopping at each one for a minute before resuming your walk.
3. Repeat this 2-3 times a day for two weeks. Yes — it’s a commitment of time, but it will begin to develop an obedient dog, Ryan says.
“It’s amazing how much that exercise works,” he says.
4. After a couple of weeks, you can start to reward your dog with treats when he walks along with you. This is the “Heel” command, and is the beginning of obedience. You can then move onto a 6-foot leash.
5. You as the trainer must be in control and not show frustration or impatience (hard as that may be). Dogs will pick up on your voice and tone, so be upbeat for when your dog obeys, and use a more stern (but not hostile or screaming) tone when you need your dog to know you mean business.
“Learning the meaning of ‘No’ is really important,” Ryan says. “But no doesn’t mean bad dog, it just means the dog isn’t doing what you want it to do.”
6. Other commands will become much easier once this first exercise is mastered, he says. Staying within the 60-foot square, you can then begin the “Sit” command.
Ryan suggests that people take their dogs to obedience class, where both dog and human will learn how to successfully interact with one another. Ask your local animal shelter or SPCA for recommendations.
He also highly recommends books written by the Monks of New Skete, such as Let Dogs Be Dogs: Understanding Canine Nature and Mastering the Art of Living with Your Dog.
But of course, it all starts with you. Be a positive leader for your dog, and the rest will come with time.
For more about the Monks of New Skete, click HERE
For more about Tom Ryan and his dogs, check out these stories published in The Daily News:
Dog Finds Hero
Volunteers For Animal’s New Leader
Walks Lead to Adoptions & Hobby