Power walking

Walking is a critical part of any dog's life, but it can also be a huge nuisance if your pup doesn't understand who's the boss.

To emphasize this, it's necessary to start as early in your dog's life as possible. This way, no matter the potential size of your dog, they are conditioned to not resist, or in some cases to not resist as much.

The methods to this range from fairly simple to extremely complicated, and everyone has their own way.

We have tried multiple training methods to get Marou to behave on a leash, though most have had little effect other than making him mad or irritating him.

First, we tried to stand still until he quit pulling on the leash, but all that did was frustrate him and tire us out. He also got choked a lot by his harness from all of the pulling and jumping to get away. This startled everyone around us and worried us because we didn't want him to hurt himself. 

Next, we tried using slight leash tugs, and that had some significant results. This didn't give us any results at first, but as he has matured he has responded better to it. It's very important not to tug or jerk too hard on the leash, as doing so may choke your dog or even cause serious irreversible damage depending on the harness or collar used.

We've also tried simply picking Marou up and bringing him back inside when he doesn't behave, but we had little result with this, as he just got mad and got into trouble and destroyed some of our things.

There are many more methods than what I've posted here, and there are new methods created all the time, so everyone will have their own opinion.

Wiggly Hugs

Marou has recently hit "doggie puberty" and with it has come the phenomena of humping and leg lifting. The leg lifting hasn't really been much of a problem because he knows everything inside is his territory and there's no contest for it, so he only really marks outside.

The humping or "Wiggly Hugs" as some of Josie's friends have dubbed it, has been a little bit of a nuisance because he doesn't like to just stop. He does it constantly until either he gets tired or something else catches his attention.

We have partially succeeded in redirecting the behavior to another object (a throw pillow), but getting rid of it is going to require getting him neutered, which we are hoping to wait until right around his first birthday to do.

Training Diaries - Verbal Commands

Verbal commands can be some of the simplest training you will ever have with your Shiba. Verbal commands must be strictly enforced to have any success.

First, give the command followed by an example or some assistance if it is a more complicated command. Make sure to reward the pup for the successful completion of the command, and do this every time. This is imperative for successful memory.

Marou, like many Shibas, didn't need much assistance or too many examples due to his intelligence. He has picked up the majority of our commands fairly quickly, though he does still like to ignore us from time to time if it will interrupt his fun.

Next, when you think your pup has learned to do the technique alone, withdraw any assistance and stop giving any examples. Upon successful completion, reward your pup well, and always be sure to do this to emphasize the priority of these commands.

In Marou's case, this was the harder step due to his whimsical nature and reluctance to pay attention for more than a few minutes. 

It may take a little while for your pup to catch on, but after the first couple of commands, it seems to become easier for them to learn new commands. The earlier you start, the quicker and easier this will be and the more receptive you will usually find your pup.

Marou laying on his back waiting for a belly rub

Training Diaries - Potty Training

Potty training is the focus of every puppy owner. Some pups take only a few days or weeks, and some take as long as a few months. I've even heard of some people that were never able to  potty train their pups.

Thankfully Marou is absolutely repulsed by his own waste, so potty training was as simple as taking him outside when he showed any signs of needing to relieve himself. Save for a few incidents and some extenuating circumstances, he doesn't relieve himself inside at all.

The first step was to acquaint Marou with his harness and show him that it was not bad or scary. This was simple: we just fed him a few pieces of kibble or training treats that we had on hand as we put his harness on him. Getting accustomed to it took him a little while, but now he wears it like a natural.

Next, we showed him where the door was and taught him that it leads to outside (where he should relieve himself). This was accomplished by many short trips outside when there was any suspicion that he had to go. He caught on fairly quickly and began to sit by the door when he needed to go. If he needed to get our attention he would paw the door or "speak" to us until we acknowledged him.

Josie did an amazing job teaching him where the door is and how to show us that he wants to go outside.

He's by no means a model citizen, but his compliance with the training has made life so much more pleasant and a whole lot easier.