Why does my dog bark at the mailman?

Around the same time every day, many dog owners dread the moment the mailman comes for his daily visit. With the sound of a gate latch, many dogs fly into a manic rage and go tearing through the house to fling their bodies at the front door and bark as though there's a monster in their front yard. Babies start crying, the neighbors grit their teeth and write another complaint letter, and the poor mailman breathes a sigh of relief that the dog is behind a solid door. If this sounds like your dog's daily routine (minus Sundays of course), then keep reading to find out how to stop your dog from terrifying the mailman.

Dogs don't have the best, most sharpest vision. If you hold up a piece of plastic cling wrap, smear it with oil and try to look through it, you'll get an idea of how your dog sees the world. Dogs don't have as many rods in their eyes like we do that allow us to see sharpness and details, which means dogs mostly see the outline of a person. That's why a lot of dogs are often spooked by people carrying large boxes, wearing a big hat, or carrying a big bag. Sound familiar? Most often mailmen are carrying all of these things. Your dog sees a funny shaped human approaching his home carrying a lot of foreign things. So instead of relying on vision, your dog "smells" the world and can smell millions of times better than we can. Which means that your dog can smell the mailman coming from far away. He's also alerted by other neighborhood dogs with his acute sense of hearing.

So why does your dog go bananas when the mailman comes? Dogs bark because they are alerting us to something that they are wary of. Chances are, one of the first times that your dog experienced the mailman coming to your home, he was spooked by the random person carrying large objects and then he barked at him to alert you and to try to get him to go away. Then the mailman turned and left. The next day the same things happened and Bruno got his way again. He has learned through operant conditioning that he can bark and the mailman leaves, which means that his behavior is only going to increase because he gets what he wants- the stranger to leave his property. Chances are Bruno has decided that it's his duty to do this everyday and that the rush of exciting endorphins and chemicals really gets him going. He's probably also pretty frustrated to be behind a barrier, which only increases his aggression at the mailman. He'll just keep barking more and more and may start charging at the door to create even more of an impact to get the mailman to leave. He also probably gets yelled at by his owner, meaning that the mailman makes his owner angry too. This situation happens everyday consistently, conditioning the dog to go bonkers at any signal or cue that the mailman is approaching. Your dog has been trained to bark at the mailman.

How do you stop your dog from barking at the mailman? First off, it's very important for all puppies and any dogs that are new to a home to be properly introduced to the mailman. Proper socialization to the mailman and all other visitors to your home is key to creating a calm dog who is confident and happy around strangers. To do this, make sure you are home the first few times that the mailman or anyone else comes to the house. With your puppy or dog on a loose leash, ask your puppy to sit for the mailman and ask if he would like to give your pup a treat. You can also use your puppy's favorite toy or ball and initiate training playtime every time the mailman comes. Attach good, pleasant experiences to the mailman coming for a visit and condition your puppy to love the neighborhood mailman. You should also socialize your puppy to people who are carrying big boxes, wearing large hats, walking with a cart with a wheels, etc, Taking the time to socialize your puppy will prevent so many "behavioral problems" because you will be building up your puppy's confidence and "showing" him how you want him to behave in all different types of situations. If you let your puppy decide how he naturally wants to act, you may end up with a barking mailman terrorizer.

What do you do if your dog has a full blown pattern and history of barking at the mailman? It's very important that your dog is safely secured and managed. Keeping everyone safe is critical because your dog can be taken away if anything horrible should happen. The first step to counter conditioning your dog is to make sure he is properly managed before training even takes place. Manage your dog by making sure that he does not have access to the place that he would normally run to and fly into a rage. This may be the front door, a window or a couch where he can perch on and bark. It's important that he can not see the mail carrier coming and going. Also, to start breaking the pattern and habits, you have to restrict access from the place where he would normally go crazy. This is especially important if you are not home when the mailman typically comes. Chances are your dog also goes crazy when anyone comes to the front door, including yourself and other guests. So it's very important that you start with staying very calm when coming and going from your home. Do not give your dog any attention at all, until he goes and lays down calmly. Then call him over to you and ask him to sit for pets. Same things goes for guests, they must completely ignore him until he is calm and then they can ask him to sit and give him treats. You may also have to put your dog on leash so that you can manage him safely if he jumps on guests or reacts to them aggressively. Positively reinforce your dog for acting calm and quiet with guests, in order to calm him down around anyone that may be coming to your home.

The second part to counter conditioning is to desensitize your dog to any noises that signal that someone is approaching your home. The mailman may have to open a gate latch, open the mailbox, or put mail through a door slot. Using a clicker, set up the scenario with a friend and counter condition your dog to the stimulus. To do this, for the first ten times, click the moment that you hear the stimulus, before your dog begins to get excited. Then once your dog starts to hear the noise and look at you, attach the cue, "quiet" and then click when your dog quietly looks at you. You will know that your dog is getting it when he hears the stimulus and automatically looks to you instead. If there are multiple things that the mailman does that sets your dog off, isolate each one separately. Try to think of how your dog is experiencing the situation to figure out what gets him to react and desensitize him to all of the noises and situations that occur when the mailman comes.

With your dog safely on leash (and maybe even muzzled depending on the severity of your dogs reaction to the mailman), introduce your dog to him or her and ask if they wouldn't mind treating your dog several times. If your dog refuses to even come close to the mailman start off just by clicking and treating every time your dog looks at him or her without barking. If your mail carrier is not available to help out, you can also teach your dog that the presence of the mailman coming means party time. Try to catch your dog right before he starts to bark and then toss a handful of smelly yummy snacks all over the floor away from the door. Or you can whip out a bully stick and ask your dog to sit for it, and then give it to him so that he can happily channel his energy into chewing on it. If your dog is really ball or tug toy motivated, keep play time for when the mailman comes. It's important to try to catch your dog before he starts barking in order to change his emotional response.

If your dog does go completely ballistic, keep a drag line on your dog while you're at home with him (never leave a drag line on your dog when you're not home and never put a drag line on a choke chain), so that you can calmly pick it up and lead your dog away from the door into another room. Once he's stopped barking ask him to sit and make sure that your dog is calm before you open the door and let him leave the room. If you let him out and he rushes back to the door barking, pick up the drag line again and put him in the room. Taking your dog away from the space where he becomes unglued, will help change his emotional response and allow your dog to focus on you so that you engage him in a positive, fun training game. Remember to keep yourself unemotional and calm as well. If you are frustrated and upset with your dog for acting this way, you'll only fuel the flames with your intense energy. Be calm and quiet so that your dog can sense your positive, unaffected response to the mailman. Remember that counter conditioning your dog's response to the mailman will take time and will not happen over night, but with consistency, patience and some fun, your dog will learn to love the mailman. Your mailman, your neighbors and your dog will love you for it!

Happy training!

Zen Dog Art - Meet Bruno!

Bruno came to life slowly, but surely. I fell in love with the photo of this pensive, soulful German Shepherd and had to capture him in oils. Every time that I stepped up to this canvas to create Bruno, I felt like he was always there patiently waiting for me to pick up a brush and bring him to life with every stoke. It took a lot of time to paint this humongous 4'x5' canvas, but over the months so much has changed and so many exciting things have happened.

Mostly I've learned that painting is just like playing with dogs. You get lost in the moment and nothing matters except the Now. Now is the time to enjoy the moment because we are so lucky to have each and every moment in our lives. Our dogs teach us to be mindful of the present. To take time to watch the present moment with complete happiness and ease. When I play with my dogs or pick up a brush, I LOVE the fact that my mind becomes still and completely happy. The wandering thoughts of worry, stress, uneasiness or self-criticism start to slip away and I'm able to fully indulge in the experience. We see the world while our dogs smell it. To get lost in colors, must be how a dog follows a scent in a field- completely focused and immersed in the fun and joy of following his nose. To enjoy, appreciate and take in all of the smells, colors, textures and beauty of this world is living. Dogs live every moment of their lives with such happiness that I can only wish to experience life as a dog. Painting in Becky's studio with her has taught me so much and not only about painting. I've learned how to appreciate living in the moment with complete happiness. I can't even explain how happy I am with my Daisy girl laying by my feet while I paint for hours with not a care in the world.

As I write this post, Bruno is staring at me right now and I feel safe with him now watching over my house. When I started my business six years ago, one of my very first dogs that I started taking care of was a nine month old German Shepherd puppy named Isabella. Six years later we are still taking care of our sweet Bella every day. This painting reminds me so much of Bella at the dog park, watching over her pack of doggy pals. Bella is either running around, walking in our shadows (literally), or laying close by under a tree with the same pose and expression as this painting of Bruno. Shepherds are always watching, waiting and loving their human companions. Capturing the essence of a dog is my favorite part of the painting process. Can't wait to paint the next creature!

Are you super busy? How to train your dog with the least amount of time possible...

Let's face it- owning a dog takes lots and lots of time and time is a very precious commodity in this day and age. Luckily, if you have a well-trained, calm, happy, Zen dog, the time that you spend with your dog should be the most relaxing and enjoyable out of your 24 hour day. The problem occurs when people are just too busy to give their dog the attention that they need, deserve and require, which results in "bad behavior". There's no such thing as a bad dog. DogZenergy truly believes this and we also don't believe in bad owners. Dogs are a constant source of love, but also a constant source of guilt. Most of us are really busy. I'm a dog trainer and I find myself feeling very guilty all the time about not giving my dogs enough off-leash time and/or not playing enough training games with them. I am the first to admit it- it's tough to be the perfect dog owner. It's also important to realize that trying to be perfect in any way creates a lot of stress and anxiety that your dog will pick up on. However, always trying your best and not being afraid to ask for help is a must. Ask a neighbor or a friend who doesn't have a dog, but loves them, to borrow your dog for a jog or a trip to the coffee shop. They'll be happy, your dog will be happy and you'll be happy too! Or you can hire a professional dog walker (insert shameless DogZenergy plug here ; ) or sign your dog up for weekly dog park visits. Just by being out and about all day with doggy pals, your dog will be better behaved and more mellow by the time you get home from work. Plus, dog walkers spend all day with dogs so they're very well trained in dealing with doggy problems and if they're good dog walkers, they'll happily help you with any behavioral problems that you've been dealing with. Because I spend all of my time with dogs or with my own dogs, I don't have a ton of time to read, but when I do get around to reading, it's usually about dogs. The last book that I read is called The Tao of Puppies: How to Raise a Good Dog Without Really Trying by Krista Cantrell, and I absolutely loved it. Cantrell's training style closely aligns with the DogZenergy Method in that all training should be an effortless mindfulness all throughout the day. Cantrell emphasizes that people need to relax a little (or a lot) and go with the flow of puppyhood. It's not easy having a puppy, but patience and awareness of puppy behavior will make the process much easier and more fun. Being consistent, but not too rigid is key. Some puppies have different personalities, which she describes as being Ying or Yang. Yang puppies are more active, brave and assertive, while Ying puppies are more submissive, shy and quiet. Both need different approaches to training. She also talks about how every command has a pair. For instance, sit/down, take it/leave it, up/off etc. It makes perfect sense to pair the commands for a puppy's optimum understanding and performance. It also controls the puppy's behavior and their endless energy. Energy has to go somewhere and to deny outlets for it results in resistance. Cantrell offers a very clear, successful approach to puppy training and I would advise everyone to pick up her book, The Tao of Puppies before bringing home their new pup.

To train your dog with little time, it's important to be mindful of your everyday interactions and habits with your dog. That being said, understand that your dog is constantly understanding you through the process of operant conditioning- the law of cause and effect. If your dog does something and you give attention to it or not, your dog will learn based on the observation and experience of that moment. You may be busy, but taking a second out of your day to quickly reward your dog for good behavior will make the world of difference. For example, if your dog comes up to you and automatically sits patiently without nudging, jumping or whining, reach down and give your dog a pet and a "good girl". I promise it will only take a second. If your dog is quietly laying on her bed instead of the couch or in your guests lap, walk over and give another "good girl". Capture the good moments with positive reinforcement and praise and you will quickly and easily shape your puppy into a good dog.

Weaving in good dog owner habits throughout your day will also shape up your dog and encourage good behavior. For example, simply asking your dog to sit and "leave it" before putting his food bowl down will foster your dog's self control and calmness. Your dog will learn to follow your wishes instead of charging or lunging for anything that he wants. Same goes with the front door, back gate, the car, or any access to fun and exiting things. By teaching your dog to sit and wait for things that he wants, you are actively training your dog throughout the day to ask permission for all things good. Does your dog want a belly rub? Ask for a down/stay first. Does your dog want to jump up onto the couch? Teach him to wait for permission only and invite him with the "up" command. Does your dog want to go for a walk? Ask for a down before putting on the leash. Does your dog want sniff and smell on a walk? Ask him to heel for fifty feet and then reward the behavior with "Ok, go ahead". You should be the gatekeeper to all things good in his life and your dog should be rewarded with these things if he follows your clear, consistent and benevolent leadership all throughout the day. All of these things require mindfulness of your dog's daily interactions with you, but it only requires a few minutes here and there to shape up your dog's behavior. So go get busy! Just kidding!

Are people who own dogs happier?

Are people who own dogs happier? What a silly question! Of course they are! Pretty much any devoted dog lover would answer yes to this question. Dogs remind us to play, have fun, laugh, and not take ourselves too seriously. According to a study comparing happiness in pet owners versus non-pet owners done by Allen R. McConnell, PhD, of Miami University in Ohio, "Pet owners had greater self-esteem, were more physically fit, tended to be less lonely, were more conscientious, were more extraverted, tended to be less fearful and tended to be less preoccupied than non-owners." Happiness is not the easiest feeling to define, but one look at my dogs playing in the snow for the first time and I know exactly what it means. Happiness is pure joy. Happiness is a wag of the tail. Happiness is enjoying every moment of our existence. How lucky we are to be alive! To feel snowflakes in our fur and on our noses? Dogs are so happy to roll around in mud, bounce into snow drifts, chase after falling snow and taste the cool white fluff that surrounds them. I'm happy right now too! Dogs have been teaching me that there is happiness in every moment. One of my clients has a sign hanging up in her house that says, "Happiness is not a destination, it's a way of life." Training dogs is a way of life that fascinates me, makes me beyond happy, and teaches me that every moment counts. Oftentimes, dogs never know what their destination is and yet they always seem to be happy. My boyfriend Matt and I decided to go on a working vacation to Telluride, Colorado and of course we had to bring our dogs Daisy and Taj. This meant that we had to drive 16 hours to get here, but it is well worth it to experience this enchanting, happy place with our two best friends. Daisy and Taj most likely had no idea that we were taking them to a doggy paradise, but they were happy the whole way here and then they were extra happy when we finally got here. Dogs are allowed off-leash in Telluride as long as they are under voice command, and my dogs have never been happier. Yesterday we went on a hike up to a half frozen waterfall and the day before we went walking along the river. Even though it's ice cold, Daisy and Taj were more than happy to jump in. I was really happy when we passed by a porcupine and they didn't seem to notice. That could have caused momentary unhappiness for them with snouts full of quills. Daisy's tail hasn't stopped wagging in happiness since we arrived here and Taj seems to never stop smiling. I haven't stopped smiling either. To see my dogs happy and to be in such a happy, peaceful place is happiness. Dogs bring so much joy to our lives because we have another living creature to share our experiences with that allow us to see beyond ourselves. Dogs remind us to stop, smell, see, hear and accept moments that we would've otherwise missed. They allow us to experience a way of life that is playful, energetic, compassionate, loving and happy. For this reason, I'm very grateful that my dogs teach me to be happy everyday.

Interpreting a Dog's Body Language In Response to Stressful Stimuli

Learning how to read your dog's body language will open up a whole world of communication between you and your dog. Remember that with positive reinforcement training, you are always looking for all of the positive things that your dog does and rewarding that behavior with praise, treats, toys or life rewards. Therefore, you must always be one step ahead of your dog to set him up for success and to show him what you want him to do instead of just reacting to what he does. Being one step ahead of your dog means “seeing” things before your dog does and also appropriately responding to your dog’s body language before he becomes overly excited or stressed out by a stimulus. For example, if you are working with a leash reactive dog, you must always be aware of your environment and your dog's body language. Where their eyes go, their bodies follow. Where their ears perk up to the body will follow. If a dog licks his lips, yawns, pants excessively, salivates, lifts a paw, shakes off, ducks his head, puts his ears back, tucks his tail or raises his tail and wags it stiffly, these are all signs that your dog is experiencing a stressful response to stimuli in his environment. Capturing your dog’s attention before his body language reads, “I’m completely stressed out and overwhelmed,” and then redirecting his attention by taking the lead and showing your dog what you want him to do instead will alleviate his stress. By learning your dog’s body language, you will be more successful in being a benevolent, calm and confident leader.

At the same time that your dog is giving you cues with his body, he is also responding to the cues that you are giving him with your own body. Are you stiff? Did you tighten up on the leash, back away, pull away or clench your jaw? Did you suck in a deep breath? Are you staring at something intently? These are all stress signals from a human that your dog is very attuned to reading. Just remember, 90% of human communication is through body language and merely 10% is oral language. We are speaking to our dogs with our bodies all the time.

So what does a happy, relaxed, calm dog look like? Posture is balanced, comfortable and steady. Eyes are bright, but not fixed on one thing too intensely. Tail is held low and wagging with long sweeps or circles (unless the dog is a breed with an upright tail). The dog is breathing regularly and evenly, and sometimes dogs even "laugh" with a type of snorting and breathing sound when they are playing or happy to see you when you get home. Ears should be relaxed or forward. A happy dog trained with positive reinforcement methods, who trusts his owner and has all of his basic needs met will watch his owner's every move, ready for the next fun adventure. Whether it's just another tummy rub, playing his favorite training game, running on the beach, fetching his owner's shoes or going for a car ride to do errands, a happy dog's body language reads, "I'm ready to have fun and I'll do whatever you say because I trust you!"