Breeds that Need a Firm Hand
I often meet with slightly nervous new puppy owners who explain to me that they’ve been told their breed needs a firm hand from an early age. While this is actually a good idea for any dog, it’s a rather vague statement, isn’t it? I mean, what is firm, exactly?
“A firm hand” is one of those things that can be interpreted differently by many different people. It can be an intimidating challenge for those who are afraid they’re not up to the task, or it can swing way over to the other side and become an excuse for those who are bent on punishment. So, let’s get clear on what the word itself means…
Firm:
1 a : securely or solidly fixed in place b : not weak or uncertain : VIGOROUS c : having a solid or compact structure that resists stress or pressure
2 a (1) : not subject to change or revision (2) : not subject to price weakness : STEADY b : not easily moved or disturbed : STEADFAST c : WELL -founded
3 : indicating firmness or resolution
When it comes to dog training, being firm simply means to me that you decide what the rules are and you don’t change them. It really is that simple. For example, you don’t have to yell at or hit your dog for jumping up on the couch in order to be firm. You simply have to provide the same consequence for jumping up on the couch every single time it happens. Being firm isn’t about what the consequence is, but rather how consistently the consequence occurs.
The consequence for jumping up on the couch could be as mild as removing the dog from the couch and nothing more. It could be a time out in a crate or the bathroom. It could also be a squirt in the face with water or a swat on the bottom, but choosing those consequences does not increase firmness. In fact, spanking a dog inconsistently is far less a firm hand than gently removing the dog from the couch each and every time he jumps up.
Another example is the simple behavior of sitting on cue. While many might view an owner who is pushing down the dog’s back end and sternly commanding a dog to sit as being more firm than the owner who is holding a tasty piece of cheese and sweetly asking the dog to sit, it isn’t necessarily so.
If the pushing down dog owner only applies this stern interaction when other people are watching, when the dog is in the vet’s lobby, or when the dog is getting on their nerves, then we are not looking at a firm handed dog owner. Instead, we are looking at a wishy-washy dog owner who hasn’t taken the time to teach her dog what she wants him to do.
It would be quite possible for the cheese-giving dog owner to be the one with the firmer hand. If this owner taught the dog what “sit” meant, moved quickly from treats to life rewards then consistently required the pup to sit as a way of saying please every time for all resources, this owner would be the firmer of the two. Again, it has nothing to do with tone of voice or choice of consequence, but rather a willingness to be steadfast and consistent.
In the day to day business of life, there are moments when we feel we just don’t have the time to be consistent. The dog is supposed to sit before having his leash put on. We are in a hurry, late for work and very tired. If we are to be a firm-handed dog owner, we will not allow these things to impede our efforts in being consistent with our pup. We will suck it up, wait for the sit and deliver the consequences exactly as we have explained to the pup that they will be delivered. We can’t allow the pup to go out with us without sitting, and we can’t allow our emotions to suddenly change the consequences to some emotional or physical outburst.
A firm hand means that we will keep our word. We are saying to our pup, “I promise that if you sit, I will put on your leash. If you don’t sit, I will not put on your leash.” This is about all a pup can really understand.
A dog can’t quite wrap his brain around, “Well, yesterday I waited patiently until you sat then I rewarded you by taking you for a walk. However, today I have a headache and I’m late for an appointment. So, instead of waiting patiently, I’m going to get really close to your face and scream at you. If you don’t respond to that, I’m going to put your leash on anyway and be angry for a half hour. Tomorrow, when I’m feeling better the rules will be different again. I can’t tell you what will happen the day after that, but I’d appreciate it if you’d just do what I want you to do.”
This kind of uncertainty simply translates to, “Hey dog, guess.” And when dogs start guessing with an owner who changes the rules on a whim, we have problems. Proving to your dog that you can physically bully him or yell louder than he can will never fix this sort of problem. Instead, you must use a firm hand that speaks clearly rather than loudly, that educates rather than bullies and that can be trusted to be consistent from day to day.
