Words, Woofs & Meows

Last month I emphasized the benefits of continuing to train your dog after you have taught them the basics [ FMI – https://bit.ly/ WhenCanIStopTrainingMyDog ]. My continued training with Muppy helped me quickly address a new behavioral challenge related to her health.

Last spring Muppy was seen by an eye specialist and was prescribed eye drops that she requires every morning. Dr. Blackwood explained that one of the drops might sting and could cause Muppy to be less than cooperative. On day two, Muppy started hiding to avoid her drops. Since this would be a daily event, probably for the rest of herlife, I was very concerned about how it could damage our bond.

If you go back to your childhood, you probably remember your mom telling you that you won't get dessert if you don't clean up your plate. I remember an uncle who was going to take me fishing, telling me that I had to eat my bread crust before we could go down to the boat. Adults even use this tactic in their personal and business lives. When doing so, we are using a promise of a more desirable activity, eating dessert, as an incentive for completing a less desirable behavior; eating cooked spinach. It works! We do this because it works! This behavior modification technique is called the Premack Principle. [ FMI - https:// www.simplypsychology.org/ premack-principle.html ]

My first step was to find a highly reinforcing behavior for Muppy that could be the reward for allowing me to administer her eye drops. One of Muppy’s greatest joys is mealtime. So, this is how I incorporated the administration of Muppy’s eye drops into her morning routine. Each step follows the other. • Go outside for her morning bathroom break • Administer the eye drops. • Breakfast!

I first started administering the eye drops in the kitchen close to the counter where I do Muppy’s food prep. She was on the floor, necessitating my bending over, something dogs find confrontational, and my back did not appreciate it either. Muppy also quickly learned that she could wiggle around the kitchen floor, making the process frustrating for both of us. She was getting her drops and breakfast, but it was still something she tried to avoid.

Then one day, I noticed something interesting. There was an intermediate step between coming in from outdoors and going into the kitchen to administer the drops. Muppy reliably defecates almost every morning. That means I return to the house with a full poop bag I need to take out to

by Don Hanson

photo credit: debra bell Don & Muppy Snuggling on the Stairs After "Drippy Drops", photo by Debra Bell

See WORDS on page 19

Don Hanson lives in Bangor, Maine, where he isthe co-owner of the Green Acres Kennel Shop (greenacreskennel.com) and the founder of ForceFreePets.com, an online educational resource for people with dogs and cats. He is a Professional Canine Behavior Consultant (PCBC-A) accredited by the Pet Professional Accreditation Board (PPAB)and a Bach Foundation Registered Animal Practitioner (BFRAP). Don is a member of thePet Professional Guild (PPG), where he serves on the Board of Directors and Steering Committee and chairs the Advocacy Committee. He is also a founding director of Pet Advocacy International (PIAI). In addition, Don produces and co-hosts The Woof Meow Showpodcast,available at http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts/,the Apple Podcast app, and Don's blog: www.words-woofs-meows.com.The opinions in this post are those of Don Hanson.

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