When I first got my Shiba Inu, I had a lot of troubles with him. He is a stubborn, independent minded guy, and I was expecting a more Disneyesque kind of dog. Instead, I got an aloof thing that looked like a dog, but acted more like a “terror that flaps in the night”.
Because Sephy was so confident, stubborn, and independent, I started with aversive training techniques. In this article, I talk about three common dog training methods that I used on Sephy, and why I have stopped using them.
- Touching the dog’s flank.
- Leash corrections, collar corrections, or leash jerks.
- Holding a dog to the ground (also known as the alpha roll).
1. Touch the Dog’s Flank
This technique is commonly used to stop a dog from obsessing on an external stimulus (e.g. another dog, a cat, a person). Reactive or aggressive dogs often start by actively searching for something to focus on. Once a target is acquired, the dog gets extremely still, and will stare unblinking at the object.
During this time, the dog will not give attention to anything else, even food.
From here, the dog can explode in a burst of energy and lunge after his target when it gets within range.
I try to stop my dog as early as possible, and redirect him onto something else. If I wait too long, he will lose control and practice reactive/aggressive behavior, that he will then be more prone to repeat.
Initially, I was able to break my Shiba Inu from focusing on objects by touching his flank (startle response). After a few times however, he got habituated to it and would just ignore the touch.
The best technique, I have found, for avoiding reactive/aggressive triggers, is to ignore those objects myself, and just move my dog along. There are a variety of other techniques for dealing with dog-to-dog aggression and other aggression triggers.
A variation on the touch, is what is known as the finger jab. Instead of a touch or tap, some trainers direct clients to apply a hard jab to the dog. While the two techniques may sound similar, they actually work quite differently.
Unlike a touch, finger jabs are very dependent on the amount of physical force applied. We want to apply the right amount of force, so that our dog has an aversive response. Too weak a jab and our dog will just ignore it, and too strong a jab may cause stress, fear, and more.
Finger jabs are a pain based technique, and as such, all the risks of aversive methods are present as well.
2. Leash Correction, Collar Correction, Leash Jerk
Leash corrections are very difficult to implement with the proper timing, with the proper force, and with the proper technique. I received many private lessons on how to perform leash jerks, and I was still not doing it correctly.
Firstly, and most importantly, the collar correction has to be a quick jerk or snap. There is only tension for an extremely short amount of time (a quarter-second or less), and then the leash should be loose again.
Most people tend to do tugs rather than jerks, which have very little effect on the dog. Instead, it may exacerbate the situation, because there is continuous tension on the leash, causing the dog to get more tense and frustrated.
Secondly, we must be properly positioned for the jerk so that the force is always to the side, rather than directly back. Jerking to the back, may encourage the dog to lunge forward to oppose the force.
Finally, the leash jerk has to be implemented with the proper amount of force so that our dog exhibits an aversive response. It cannot be so hard that it causes our dog to break down, and it cannot be so soft that our dog does not notice it or gets habituated to it. For me, this was the most difficult part.
My leash jerks were always too soft, and my Shiba Inu quickly got habituated to it. Instead of improving his behavior, my dog just got frustrated and aggressive whenever I did a leash correction. He would jump and bite on the leash. Ultimately, it got so bad that he would jump on me and bite on my jacket sleeve.
Some people use a martingale collar, prong collar, or choke chain to help them perform more accurate leash jerks, with greater force. I used both the martingale and the prong. However, as with the flat collar, results were good at first, but degraded after my dog got accustomed to the increased force from the prong.
The collar correction may be more appropriate for a less strong-willed breed, but it did not work well on my stubborn Shiba Inu. As with other pain based aversive techniques, leash corrections can also cause our dog to lose trust in us, and develop other behavioral problems, including aggression.
3. Alpha Roll
The alpha roll involves holding or pinning our dog down until he surrenders, gives up, or shuts down.
It is extremely difficult to implement an alpha roll well and in the proper circumstance. In the hands of most pet owners, alpha rolls frequently gets overused and misused.
My Shiba Inu got really stressed (wild eyes, mouthing, screaming, flailing) whenever I did this on him. Even after he relaxed, he got very detached afterwards, and it did not seem to have any effect on his bad dog behaviors. In fact, alpha rolls made things worse because my dog became extremely sensitive towards human touch.
After a lot of counter-conditioning work, he is a bit better today, but is still skittish of heavy handling and restraint. I am slowly working to gain back the enormous amount of trust I lost by using the alpha roll technique.
Even the Monks of New Skete, who were the first to popularize the alpha roll, have recently said that they regretted putting this technique in their book because it has been misused.
Alpha rolls should only be used by expert trainers, who are really good at reading dogs, and only as a last resort for dealing with dogs that do not respond to anything else.
Unfortunately, this technique has gotten more popular again, because of television training shows.
I see many people using it in dog parks, dog trails, and vet offices for minor offenses, or not even real offenses at all. The most frequent case of alpha rolls occur when a rude dog runs up to invade another dog’s space. The invaded dog naturally starts vocalizing to warn the rude dog off, and tell him that his rude behavior is unacceptable. This is all perfectly natural canine behavior.
Nevertheless, the growling dog gets alpha rolled by his owners, in front of the rude dog. This can erode our dog’s trust in us, because not only did we not protect him from the rude dog, but we are also punishing him for trying to protect himself. It also teaches our dog not to growl in the future, and to go directly into an attack or a bite.
Alpha rolls are dangerous, erodes trust, and may cause additional dog behavioral problems.
I have never seen it make things better, and have seen many instances of it making things worse. Even when expert trainers did this on my Shiba Inu, he did not respond well. It did not stop his bad behaviors, and only encouraged more aggression. Violence begets more violence.
Alpha rolls make for a good television show, but given the extreme risks, both physical and mental, to the dog and the trainer, I would stay away from this technique. I would also stay away from trainers who recommend its use.
What Worked Best with My Shiba Inu
Resource management techniques combined with a consistent set of rules and a fixed routine has worked well for Sephy. He is not perfect, but his behavior has improved significantly, and he is happy and relaxed.
I no longer use finger jabs, leash corrections, or alpha rolls on any of my dogs.
they look so cute
Hi. I’m a small dog walker/trainer from Rhode Island who needs some advice about two clients’ dogs.
The first is a uncastrated 2 year old Siberian husky called Pegasus. His owner is not financially able to provide him with the exercise he really needs. She does not want to “take away his manhood” though I am in the process of changing that. I run him when I can and am in the process of buying a dog treadmill and agility supplies but it is challenging when I pretty much work him for free. The owner pays me low amounts sporadically. He pulls like a maniac and will run off and not come back if let off leash. What should I do about getting his excess energy out and get him leash trained??
The other is a pair of mini schnauzers. Lucy is 10 months and hyper, pulls on leash, is a bit mouthy, and chews her leash when super excited. Pepper is 9 years old, unsocialized, but has great leash manners when there are no distractions. They both have had 0 socialization and bark hysterically at other dogs. They are very loyal and intelligent when not distracted but lose all control when another dog is present. They can be sensitized to other dogs by walking side by side with two different walkers.. And then eventually brought together. But strangers make them crazy. What should I do?? Lucy also has the tendency to want to pull and chase cars.. Which can be dangerous on the sidewalks with cars so close. Usually a verbal reprimand “No” works.. But I’m still worried that this could end badly. Any advice? I haven’t been able to work much with the dogs this winter.. But now that the snow is starting to melt I have access to training areas. I should be able to work on more clicker training and all training in general, but I’d still love to here your thoughts. Thanks!
And just so you know, I’m not a licensed dog trainer. I am a minor and this is simply a little, simple owner helping in my neighborhood. I just help out owners when they can’t bring their dogs out for exercise. Also, by SMALL dog business I didn’t mean the dogs were small, I meant the business was small. 🙂
That is how I leash train my new dog. I first walk her separately, and then with different walkers. Is the issue that there is no access to another consistent walker? I also desensitize my dogs to people so that they are more comfortable meeting and greeting new people.
More on what I do for dog-to-dog reactivity.
Yeah, Huskies are independent, bred to pull, and have high energy. My Huskies need consistency, structure, and daily exercise. I also do not let my Huskies off-leash because they have high-prey drive. If they see a running deer, instinct will take over, and they will be off.
How much time do you spend with the Husky? What is the Husky’s daily routine like?
I help my Huskies drain energy by doing daily walks, supervised dog-play sessions, play sessions with me, training exercises, etc. I also follow the Nothing in Life is Free program so my dogs work for all of their food. Frozen Kongs have been very helpful for me when my dog is recuperating from injury and needs to rest.
This article from the ASPCA has a good list of recall training techniques. However, Huskies are independent and have high prey drive. It is generally recommended that a Sibe be kept on-leash when not in a fully enclosed area.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/teaching-your-dog-come-when-called
Hey there!
Thank you for your response about the poop aggression and my Shiba. I just now saw it and had been waiting for some type of alert in my email, sorry:( Anyway, I did try giving him a treat one day thinking it would distract him, but it was a race to see who could get to the poop first….me to clean it up or him to eat it. I have been tying him to a tree, which he knows is coming and jumps up at me, but not meanly so this has been working. I will try leaving it and then picking it up on the way back, although it seems he knows where he leaves his own poop and will find it to eat it (even days after!). Very strange breed and would not have believed there were as many quirks as I had read prior to getting him. Now I know:) Thank you again for responding and keep up the great work and helping people!:)
Question (2 parts) posted on the 3 Dog Training Techniques Web Page. Thank you!
I just wanted to add 2 more things please. The first is after he poops around the house, I put him inside and then clean it up. No problem there. On the trail, if he poops far enough into the wooded area, I don’t clean it up and he is fine as we walk away from it. It is definitely a possessive thing about cleaning up his poop which is what I am having difficulty with. I have tried saying no and leave it, however, not with a treat in my hand since I don’t think rewarding him should be necessary. I was just given an idea of leashing him to a tree as I clean it up. That certainly would be better than getting bitten. Thoughts?
Hello,
I have a 8 month old male Shiba Inu. After having and training 4 dogs before him (2 Italian Toy Greyhounds, a Boxer and a Husky), I am at a loss for how to cure him of his possessiveness with his poop:( I walk on a Park Trail every morning for an hour with him and have to bag and dispose of his poop. This morning not only did he growl and bare his teeth, he actually started biting my hand that I had the bag on to get ready to pick up the poop while my other hand was holding him back. He has done this since the beginning, but is getting worse. I have taught him to let me pick up his bones and toys, but this poop thing is driving me crazy! I understand it is the breed and it is one thing to like to eat poop, but it another to bite me. Would appreciate your thoughts. Thank you!
I had a similar issue with my Shiba when he was young. In Sephy’s case, he would get really hyper after he did his poop. If we moved away, then he had something to do and somewhere to redirect his hyper energy, so he was fine. However, if we stayed still to pick up poop, he would redirect his energy onto the leash or sometimes onto me. This hyper behavior raised my stress level, which made Sephy’s behavior even worse because he would pick up on my energy, and get even more crazy.
What worked best with Sephy is that I would go walking with a friend. After he did his poop, my friend would walk on with him, and I would pick up his poop. In this way, everybody stayed calm and there is no hyper behavior.
If you walked on for a bit, wait until he is calm, and then walk back to pick up his poop, does he still show the same behavior? What about if you get him to do some commands after he poops, will he do it (with treats)? Will he “Leave-It” if you reward him? Personally, I would prefer to reward Sephy for doing the right behavior (e.g. Leave-It or Down) and not going hyper, rather than tying him to a tree. With the tree, he may escape from his collar or start going hyper at the tree because of barrier frustration.
The more Sephy went hyper after pooping, the more likely he is to repeat the behavior in the future. Therefore, I want to minimize reactive episodes by giving him something else to do or by redirecting him into doing something positive, e.g. Sit or Down.
Hi my name is Rossi im from Blackpool, England. 4 days ago I bought 5 months old siberian husky he’s already peeing outside and 2nd night he stoped peeing at night and waits till the morning he’s such a well behaved dog 🙂 after 4 days on the lead he walks by my side not pulling nothing he doesn’t jump on people or knocking stuff over very well behaved we love him so much BUT obviously im the pack leader wherever i go he fallows if im in the room he’s just sat next to me or chilling ( sleeping ) that’s great but as soon as i leave the room and go upstairs to brush my teeth or just to do something, he is not coping well he howls or starts looking for something to chew which makes me think what am I gonna do in next two weeks when I go back to work 🙁 please any suggestions? So i can start preparing him to be by him self. Well I mean no humans in the house. Thank you very much.
With my puppy I very slowly get him used to alone time by doing desensitization and counter-conditioning exercises. I start with very short periods of alone time and then slowly build up from there. The more positive and calm alone periods my puppy has, the more confidence he gains, and the more comfortable he is in his own company. Similarly, negative experiences and panic attacks will undermine that confidence, significantly set back training, and cause him to become more anxious. I hire a pet sitter or get help from a good neighbor if I need to be away for more than he is ready for.
How I help my dog with separation anxiety.
*Note* though that I only take my puppy on neighborhood walks after he is fully vaccinated. Puppies still have developing immune systems and are more susceptible to diseases, therefore I make sure not to take my puppy to places where he may be exposed to poop/pee from unknown dogs, other animals, etc. until he is fully vaccinated.
ASPCA article on separation anxiety.
I never new there were so many articals about dog training on the net. I am having trouble finding what I need.
Yeah it can be pretty overwhelming in the beginning. What kind of information are you looking for?
Hello, I’m desperate for your help and advise, I have a weimaraner aged 7; he is very aggressive and possessive over my father’s wife, and snarles and shows his teeth, he has bitten my father and ofter shows his teeth and snarles at commands. We recently got a cat and they have settled in fine together, however he gets quite excitable sometimes around her, and when given a commar he just freezes and if you then get close, or tell him to lie down he will snarle and show his teeth, I’m worried about getting attacked by him as he is quite aggressive and he is a lot stronger than me.
He does have obedience as he will sit and stay at meal time, and on walks. My father wants to re-home him, but I think this will only end in him being put down, I really don’t want to let that happen, and would try anything to get my dog back. Thanks for you time, any advise would be greatly appreciated.
How long have you had him? When did his aggressive behavior start? Did it start suddenly or did is increase gradually? What is his daily routine like? Is your father and his wife in the same house? What are their interactions with your dog? Does everyone use the same type of training?
Dog behavior is very context dependent, which is why in cases of aggression, it is usually best to get help from a good professional trainer. When I was having aggression issues with my Shiba Inu, I visited with a bunch of different trainers.
http://www.apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
http://shibashake.com/dog/finding-a-dog-trainer
When I am trying to change my dog’s behavior, I first try to identify the source of his behavior. Is it a physical issue? Is it from fear? Is it guarding behavior? Stress? Or something else? I try to identify what exactly triggers the behavior – is it only with certain people, is it only in certain circumstances, is it only in certain locations, is it only at certain times?
After I identify the source of the behavior, then I can start to take steps to change the behavior and help my dog cope with his stress and fear. It took time, management, supervision, and more to change my dog’s behavior, but it was very worth it. It helped me change for the better as well.
More on how I deal with bad dog behavior.
Snowdog Guru on Facebook is stealing your pictures and blog writing. 🙁
htp:www.snowdog.guru/teach-your-husky-to-walk-on-the-leash/
htp:www.facebook.com/snowdogguru?ref=br_tf
Thanks for letting me know Tess.