Consistency vs unpredictability in dog training

I was talking about being unpredictable in your dog training here recently. And yet I also talk a lot about being consistent!

It’s a fine line we need to tread. Between boring the proverbial pants off our dog and retaining some semblance of knowing what we’re doing.

And it’s not only in your life with your dog that you need to keep this in mind … more below.

Predictability

In your training you need to be predictable. Your dog has to KNOW without a doubt when she’s got something right.

So this is why using your marker at the right moment is so important.

“Marker?” you ask? This is what you do when your dog does something you like. Some folk like to use a clicker, but most will get along very nicely with a word. I use YES. Quick, clear, to the point. Whatever my dog was doing when I say YES is something she’ll consider worth repeating.

Why? Because YES is always followed with a reward.

Always. No exceptions.

This is where the clarity and consistency come in.

So if you’re woolly over your timing, your dog’s response is going to be equally woolly.

I often say Lacy wears her heart on her tail! Because I know EXACTLY when she’s GOT the new thing she’s learning, as her tail starts to swish as soon as she does the required action.

This is great feedback for me!

Your dog may give a clear signal like that. Or you may have to depend on

🐾 sparkly eyes,

🐾 slightly parted mouth,

🐾 eager stance …

See the image at the top for a demo of this. By the way, Lacy hadn’t just eaten a cat - I was wearing a red jumper and it reflected back on to her pearly whites!

You’ll get to know exactly what your dog does when she gets it. This is wonderfully rewarding for us, too.

Unpredictability

But there’s also a place for being UNPREDICTABLE!

Don’t be a clockwork dog owner - keep your dog guessing!

🐾 Do you usually train in the kitchen?

✔️ Train in the bedroom.

🐾 Do you usually sit in a particular chair?

✔️ Choose another.

🐾 Do you usually train your dog at a certain time - or place?

✔️ Mix it up.

Get the idea?

And if your dog is doing something you’re not mad about, follow this simple recipe:

1. Your dog is doing something.

2. Decide what you’d like instead.

3. Teach the new thing.

4. Be consistent.

Please don’t expect your dog to somehow know - not only what aspect of her behaviour is troubling you, but what you want her to do instead!

Dogs are remarkably sensitive and observant, but they don’t have a crystal ball.

Not only with our dog . . .

For some ideas of how to go about this with ease, check out our free email course

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And it’s not only with our dog we need to combine unpredictability and consistency. If you’ve done the same things, day in, day out, since forever . . . you’re going to get the same results as you’ve always got. Stands to reason!

So to get the change we all need - to move forward in our lives and fulfil our true potential - something has got to change. We can’t stay stuck in childhood our whole life.

Change things up, be unpredictable! This is the ultimate sign of a flexible mind.

Choose new thoughts, new feelings, new things you can do.

While, at the same time, being consistent!

Always stay true to your values and your core beliefs.

That’s a puzzle for you to work out. Have fun!

How can I stop my dog’s aggression?

I frequently get this question. An owner gets in touch with me because their dog - who is wonderful at home with them and their family - behaves “aggressively” when seeing strange dogs or people. This could be when out and about, or with visitors to the home.

And the first thing I’ll ask them is what their dog is actually doing!

You see, I absolutely understand that when their dog appears aggressive, this brings up feelings in the owner of

• Confrontation

• Challenge

• Conflict

They fear their dog has turned nasty, and has to be restrained so that he can’t damage another dog or a person - with all the horrors that entails. Vets! 😢 Doctors!! 😳 Lawyers!!! 😱

So it’s natural that their dog’s actions should provoke a strong reaction in the owner!

But you need to look at what your dog is actually doing - something that you are labelling as “aggression” - when it’s most likely for another reason entirely.

Common reactions to something the dog sees can include

Growling

Backing off

Hiding

Grumbling

Staring

Moving forwards

Stiff body and legs

Hackles raised

Tail up

Barking

Lunging

Snapping

And people may think this will automatically lead to biting.

Well . . . in some cases it could. But normally, if whatever is upsetting the dog is removed - or the dog is removed from where he is upset - this is enough for everything to die down again.

So this is just aggression, right?

I can tell you that in most cases that I work with, the dog is not actually aggressive. What’s happening is that he is afraid.

Something has appeared that he can’t cope with, that he’s afraid will hurt him (it doesn’t matter if he’s right or wrong - this is his perception! It’s real enough to him!) so he fires out some warning shots in order to keep the dangerous thing away from him.

That’s why if you can keep the dangerous thing away from him in the first place, or remove him, he will have no need to take the law into his own hands and try to keep it away himself.

Compassion

So instead of trying to STOP what you perceive as aggression, look at it with compassion and work out what the cause of this usually noisy display is.

Instead of trying to stop this by yanking the lead, shouting, nagging, dragging your dog away, trying a new gadget to physically hurt him (I include the misuse of headcollars here, never mind real nasties like collars with spikes pressing into the neck, or any device using batteries), and all the other things I see people do - perhaps acting out of character because of their embarrassment . . . instead of focussing on STOPPING what you don’t like, look at how to teach what you DO like!

You’ll get some ideas of how to approach this mindset-shift in this article.

Understanding is half the battle. Once you’ve got the measure of WHY your dog is doing this, only then can you work out what you’d like him to do instead, then formulate a plan to teach him!

You see, dogs can’t exist in a vacuum. They can’t NOT do. Dogs are doers. So if you want to change what your dog is doing, you have to find him something else to do instead!

How?

Glad you asked!

Your first step is to watch our free Masterclass, and Learn the 3 Biggest Mistakes Growly Dog Owners make - and what to do instead!

You’ll find there some terrific strategies for making great changes with your Growly - reactive, anxious, shy, “aggressive” - Dog, changes which will last.

You can ask your personal questions in the chatbox, and start looking at a new way to work with your Growly Dog to effect a happy life for both of you.

You may not like your dog’s actions - but you can be sure that he doesn’t like them either! Let’s get started on changing them . . .

Start the change with your reactive, anxious, aggressive - Growly - dog with our free Masterclass packed with ideas and strategies, all force-free

My dog is afraid of the car: 10 steps for change!

Why is my dog afraid of the car?

This is a tough one! You’re dying to take your dog out on lovely walks with the family - and she quakes and quivers at the sight of the car.

This is usually only found in rehomed dogs who have had a bad experience in a vehicle. But it can happen also with the family dog who used to enjoy car journeys till there was a motor accident.

The most carefully-nurtured puppy may be afraid of the car because it means carsickness. Some pups are carsick, some never are. Travel your puppy in the front seat of the car - between the wheels - where there is less movement, take corners slowly, and have a bucket ready. You can strap in his crate with the seatbelt. This phase will gradually pass.

If your dog’s reaction is extreme, with shaking, scrabbling to get away, drooling, and evident misery, you may need to talk to your vet about a mild sedative to calm the dog enough to start on a protocol to readjust her attitude to the car.

There are some very good herbal remedies which do not require a prescription which may help - they are often marketed as a calmer for firework nights.

The last thing to do is try to force the dog into the car!

This will only increase the fear and anxiety. What you can do is slowly and gradually change her view of the car as somewhere safe and pleasant to be.

Jet the young black Labrador had to be lifted into the car as he was fearful of getting in by himself. I suggested to his owners that they shut the garden gates, prepare his food as usual, walk out to the car, open the boot and place the bowl in the car as far back as possible from the edge. Then leave the dog to figure out how to get this food all by himself.

I hinted it could take a few days.

Next morning they reported back to me: they’d placed the food in the car, and started to walk away only to hear Jet leaping into the back of the car and scarfing down his dinner! One happy owner.

Here are 10 steps to change your dog’s approach to the car

1. For some dogs, it’s the vibration and noise of the car engine that is the problem. So take your dog out to the car, sit in the car yourself without the engine running, leave ALL the doors open, and toss top-class treats (sausage, raw steak) to her outside the car. Let her decide when she’d like to get closer to you. She can climb in beside you if she likes, have some more food, then you can both get out and leave it for the day.

2. Repeat this a few times and your dog will be keen to get in with you. Once you’ve achieved that stage, you can start to close the doors for a moment, then get out.

3. If your dog loves playing fetch, a great game of tossing her favourite toy into the back of the car, or right through it (all doors open) can work wonders.

4. Next step is, with doors and windows closed, turn the engine on for a short while, ensuring the exhaust isn’t blowing back into the vehicle. Do NOT drive the car! But keep up the flow of treats. These steps will take as long as they take. Don’t be in a hurry to push forward till your dog is really happy about the previous step.

5. After a few times doing this step, you may notice that your dog is calmer and exhibiting less anxiety (tension in face and ears, wide darting eyes, paddling the feet, etc). Now you can actually roll the car forward or back a little way, and that’s it for the day.

6. When you first pull out of your drive and actually move along the road, make it a very short journey ending in something spectacular - a run in the park, a visit to granny, or just straight back home for a great game.

7. Another thing that can help: ensure that there is a door or window open when you shut the boot. The shockwave from the boot-slam can be very distressing for a dog. Sit in the car yourself with doors and windows closed while someone else slams the boot shut and you’ll see what I mean.

8. For some dogs, travelling in a cage they can’t see out of is very effective. It could be to do with carsickness, fear of cars approaching behind your car, or just that they want to bark at everything that moves as they pass.

9. If your dog is happy in the car but hesitant to get in, you may need a vet check to rule out a physical issue. It can be an advanced warning of hip trouble. Meanwhile, a ramp or sturdy step can help.

10. And never let your dog - especially a young dog - jump out of the car onto a hard surface (road, dry or frozen ground)! This can seriously damage his shoulders.

Barking in the car can be completely solved by either covering the crate or using blackout material to cover the inside of the windows. Never was there an easier solution to a common and aggravating problem!

Experiment and see what works for your dog. And once you’ve worked out how to get him into the car, check out this post to find the best way to keep secure.

Now you can head off on some of those great country walks!

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Look how much these dog-owners’ lives improved!

I’ve been busy welcoming and “bedding in” the new students since the Workshop, and there are such lovely things being said that I thought I’d hand the stage to them today.

In their own words they will tell you just what membership of my programs and their communities means.

They say things that may resonate with you - especially when it comes to the camaraderie and support of the Communities, as well as the changes they’ve made through the program, which they had never imagined would be possible!

I get email queries daily from people struggling with their dog people at the end of their tether, people ready to give up their dog. And I can safely send them to join one of the Brilliant Family Dog programs, because I KNOW they can get the same results as these students below, however hopeless they may feel at the outset. (They do have to do a bit of work though! No magic wands available here …)

I am so glad I joined the Brilliant Family Dog Academy in addition to From Growly Dog to Confident Dog. I can’t begin to tell you all the changes that are beginning to happen as a result of the games we play. Charlie is no longer taking his behavioral supplement, he is not barking at vehicles that turn around in our driveway or trying to chase the mail truck, we can actually take walks using the walking belt, and he has stopped his barking at squirrels outside the window. The best part is I am beginning to learn what to do to manage the situations we may encounter. All of this in just  four months with your program. My dogs look forward to playing the games throughout the day and learning new things. Thank you for developing these courses. They are exceptional!

SB & Charlie, Academy and Growly Dog student

Paisley is a "growly" reactive dog: we are very excited about everything you have to offer! I have already learned some things from you that I have NEVER heard from any of the numerous trainers that we have been involved with. So - I am thinking there is still hope for us!

TC and Paisley, Academy student

Wow, our dogs are doing amazingly well, this training is causing miracles to happen! Never did I believe we’d get this far . . . 

CR and Lois, Academy and Growly Dog student

I certainly am looking forward to learning the choice way, it is so kind and gentle and I am feeling so comfortable with it and knowing I am doing the best I can to give Enya the time and space to make the right choices. I certainly think I have made the right choice choosing this training! Enya and I have a lot to learn, probably me more than Enya and already I am looking at things so differently, it’s a complete learning curve. Currently we are doing well with the first lessons and am learning so much by reading students’ posts in the Community. I cannot believe the amount of information there is on both courses and am finding it all invaluable and am so pleased I decided to do the courses.

CB and Enya, Academy student

I purchased the Academy program last year and didn’t regret it. The videos are brilliant.

AG and Dodger, Academy and Growly Dog student

Realising we aren't alone is a huge relief! Thank you Beverley, it's great knowing that you understand and are willing to pass on your knowledge to help so many owners struggling on a daily basis.

JB and Yogi, Academy and Growly Dog student

The turnaround in the last three days has been truly astonishing, the Beverley Magic is back! Right now I feel elated at how Beverley’s precision toolkit is opening up our lives! The structure of the games and the insistence on thinking beyond food as a reward have changed everything, as well as waiting EVERY TIME for Tay to make the choice, not tell him what I want.

JD and Tay,  Academy and Growly Dog student

You cannot know how helpful it is to me, having the interaction, communication, and connection that you can’t get from just reading.

CZ and Winston, Growly Dog student

 Beverley, we will continue on our amazing journey, I am so pleased you are a part of it. Feel proud of what you do, it is invaluable and really does make this world a better place, especially for the canines who live alongside us.

SM and Henna, Growly Dog student

The good news is that I can see that Rumpole and I have made loads of progress since starting this programme - we are both more confident (very rarely hear a low growl these days from either of us), lead walking is good, recall excellent, we are good friends (very good), Rumpole is more confident around other dogs off lead and can hold back or have a quick hello then move on, he can walk through a field of sheep (on lead) and not react and this morning did not bat an eyelid at a couple of horse riders who passed us.

JS and Rumpole, Growly Dog student

Just wanted to share how chuffed I'm feeling with Ginny. This past week she has walked past/near several dogs without a bark even though a couple barked at her. She has also said hello to some. This evening she walked across the road from 3 dogs being walked together and a couple of minutes later a deer ran across the road - she stared but didn't bark. A few months ago she would have been frenetic with all of this!! I never thought it would be possible - I’m so glad I didn't give up. The learning and structure of the Course and this Community has reassured me I'm doing the right thing and kept going - thank you everyone :) particularly Beverley Courtney.

AT and Ginny Growly Dog student

Thank you Beverley - your Communities are just fantastic, you have set the whole tone for support, friendly advice, constructive comments, a much-appreciated touch of humour, encouragement, keeping up enthusiasm . . . and more. It's a pleasure to be part of it, to dip in and out as life goes on and always to feel welcome.

JL and Boyo, Academy and Growly Dog student

Want some help with building this unbreakable relationship? Watch our free Workshop on Getting your Dog to Listen, and you may be surprised how much this short video will teach you!

Do you need information for your dog - or guidance?

You’ve got the new puppy - or your new rescue dog. You’ve got the bed, the crate, the foodbowl and some grub. You’ve booked a vet appointment, you’ve worked out responsibilities in the family, you’ve got the collar and lead.

Now what?

If you look at Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs - written for humans, but just as applicable to dogs - you’ll see that that’s the Physiological and Safety needs covered.

Next step up on the pyramid is Love and Belonging. This should happen naturally as you care for your new pet, always ensuring that he is happy with the arrangements, and feels secure and wanted.

And that’s where a lot of people stop. The dog is fed and minded, he gets walks and a cuddle from time to time, and that’s it.

Dog or Puppy problems? Get your free 8-lesson email course and solve them all painlessly!

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But what about the next two levels?

The Needs I’m particularly interested in are

• Esteem - including respect, self-esteem, and freedom - and

• Self-actualisation - becoming the best one can be

What? This is a DOG!

Well, like everyone else in your family, your dog will feel much better, more loved, more valued, if you allow him to become the best he can be.

And this means training.

Not “training” in the traditional sense of “Do this, do that, do what I say,” but education in the original sense of drawing out the subject’s mind, knowledge, ability.

This is where Choice Training comes in!

Brilliant Family Dog’s Choice Training is the quickest way to build a rewarding relationship with a dog who can make good decisions!

And this is also where you could probably do with a bit of help.

Is your dog stupid?

Many of us are brought up to believe that a dog is pretty stupid. That you have to SHOUT at her to get her to understand. That she is a robot who has to be programmed with COMMANDS then give instant compliance or reap the consequences. (How many of you expect instant compliance from your family when you make a request?!)

When you turn things round and ask your dog to comply, instead of telling her, magic begins to happen. See what this Brilliant Family Dog student said: 

I like choice training as it makes me think of my dog as a friend rather than as something to be ordered about all the time.

But this can be hard to get your head round without a bit of help. We are so programmed to expect the old-school way of dog training, that we may be tempted to go to classes which treat the dog as a chattel, and accept instructions to treat our dog in a way we would not dream of treating our fellow humans.

(I’m not blaming you if this is what’s happened. You wanted the best for your dog, so you went to someone who claimed to be an expert. How were you to know?)

But just imagine it’s your 2-year-old child on the end of that lead in class: do you think you’d behave differently?  

You need a guide you can trust -

✅ Someone who understands your needs as well as your dog’s needs.

✅ Someone who knows that this will all go so much better if we view our relationship with our dog as a partnership, rather than master-slave.

✅ Someone who can show you how to teach your dog to get the companion you want without going against any of your deeply-held values about how to treat others who share this planet with us.  

Now . . . who could that be? 😀

You can end the frustration!

At Brilliant Family Dog, I help frustrated dog-owners transform the whole dog+owner experience from challenge and conflict to harmony and friendship.

Unlike many trainers who work with force, intimidation, and coercion to get temporary results, Brilliant Family Dog can give you permanent change and a bright new future with your much-loved dog without you ever saying “Nooo”!

Really! You never, ever, have to say “NO” to your little puppy, or your new dog, who begins by feeling disoriented and lost in his new home. Think how much stress slips away when you remove that word from your interactions.

My approach is really very different from the traditional one, of dogs being marched endlessly round a hall with their lead being yanked. And I take you step-by-step through the foundations to ensure you get the results you work for.

When I asked my students what their biggest takeaway was, this is one of the answers I got! 

Should have gone to Beverley sooner

 To change your dog you need to change yourself first!

Watch our free Workshop and find out how to transform your “deaf dog” into a LISTENING DOG!

5 Reasons You Should Never Tie Your Dog Outside a Shop

This article was first published on 4knines.com and is reprinted here with permission

Question for you: Would you leave your toddler tied up outside a shop?

Universal answer: “No!”

We’ve read the papers, we’ve heard the news: horrific stories of child abduction and murder. Most parents won’t take their eyes off their children, and with good reason.

Why is your dog different? Do you not care what may befall him?

Start the change with your puppy or dog with our free Workshop packed with ideas and strategies -

all force-free!

There are five big reasons why you should never leave your dog tied up

1. He Can Be Stolen

Sadly, this happens all too often. Dogs can be snaffled from gardens. How much easier to take one who already has a handy lead on? The cuter and more expensive-looking the dog, the more likely this is to happen, though any old pet dog can be taken to be used as bait in dogfights. This doesn’t bear thinking about. This reason alone is enough to make most people reconsider the idea. People say to me, “But I’m only in the shop – I’ll keep an eye on him.” Ok. In that case leave your purse out there on the pavement and keep an eye on it. Uncomfortable about that? Or you may think as you live in a peaceful rural community it’s safe. Guess what? People have cars. Ne’er-do-wells can travel great distances very quickly. In. Out. Dog gone.  

2. Never Tie a Puppy Anywhere

Puppies are accidents waiting to happen. Tie them up on a lead, whether short or long, and you may expect twisted or even broken limbs. Or a throttled puppy. Once a pup gets tangled he can easily panic and get himself into all sorts of trouble. 

 3. You Can’t Defend Him From Inappropriate Approaches

If you’re not there, you can’t protect him. Kindly people may try and smother him with unwanted affection, or feed him inappropriate food. Teens showing off may taunt your defenceless dog. A small child may come and poke or prod him, or wrap themselves around him. Your super-friendly dog will be doing all sorts of things you don’t want – like jumping up on people, mugging their hands or pockets, grabbing their sleeve. Your normally-adjusted or fearful dog, however, is going to be stuck. He has no way to tell them if he doesn’t like these approaches (if they’re behaving this badly they probably know very little about dogs, and nothing about dog body language). He may curl his lip – and get told off into the bargain – he may growl, or… 

4. He May Bite

If he’s tried moving away (impossible because you tied him up), pulling a grumpy face, mumbling, growling, and none of these things has worked to make the person go away and leave him alone, he has only one way left – a snap or bite. If this should happen, you now have two major problems: 

a) Your dog has learnt that snapping or biting gets people away from him, fast. Now he can skip the growling and move to that option sooner in future.

b) The person who started all the trouble is complaining loudly, threatening to sue, threatening to have your dog put down.

And what can you say? You weren’t there. You didn’t see what happened. 

5. It Causes Anxiety

I have never seen a relaxed dog tied up outside a shop. They are always scanning and anxious. They are stuck on a cold, wet pavement, or perhaps a hot pavement with the sun beating down on them. They may be tied to the shopping trolley railing and have to put up with the clattering and banging of trolleys being taken and returned. They are often panting from stress, they are usually staring intently at the shop door, desperate to know where their person – their guardian and protector – has gone. I know enough to keep away from them and leave them in peace, but others think it would be kind to soothe them – or they just haven’t noticed the dog’s distress and think it’s there to provide a bit of doggy entertainment in their day. So the dog is subjected to uninvited greetings, which will interfere with him staring at the last place they saw their owner – piling on the stress.

Each one of these five reasons should be enough on its own to stop you ever thinking of leaving your dog tied outside a shop. If even one of them has given you pause, I hope that you’ll never be persuaded to do this.   

More commonsense tips to be found in this free 8-lesson email course to get you started with your dog

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