Dog training books are all around us. Go to a local book store and you’ll easily count 30, 40, even 50 of all kinds. Every so often, one rises to the top because of its sensibilities, its ease of use, its loving tone. Tamar Geller’s newest, 30 Days to a Well-Mannered Dog, (Gallery Books, A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc., $25.99) is one such book. Best selling author—her 2007 The Loved Dog, was on the New York Times top ten list—Tamar Geller’s newest entry is an organized week by week description of her “teaching” methods, and her common sense advice. For one thing, she debunks the “dominance” theory that dog owners need to be the strong, tough one or the alpha in the family pack.
Geller, who’s worked with Oprah Winfrey’s dogs, explains that while there has to be a leader in the family, he or she doesn’t have to be a “tyrant.” There’s a difference between leadership and dominance: “…the same way Gandhi inspired his people in a different way than, say, Saddam Hussein.” A dog, “should behave in a certain way not because he’s afraid that I’ll punish him or yank on his choke chain if he doesn’t, but because it feels good.” Teaching a dog to be submissive can also backfire. “Submissive behavior can mask warning signs, preventing our dogs from telling us when they’re scared, overwhelmed, or annoyed.
Israeli-born Geller spent many years as an intelligence officer where she observed some of the brutal ways the military trained dogs, with punishment and torturous methods. Working at a desert research facility after that, she studied wolves in the wild and describes her observations in depth in The Loved Dog. She writes, “What I saw fascinated and amazed me. I witnessed the older wolves integrating the younger ones into the wolf culture, correcting their behavior through game playing, body postures, facial expressions, tug of war…. There was no violence whatsoever!” Geller calls her method, “play-training.”
Research, she says, shows that dogs have, on average, the intelligence of a toddler. They can learn more words than we give them credit for, they can understand more as well. They will respond, like a young child will, if they are made to feel secure, loved, and are given direction. “Dogs want so much to please us,” she says. “We don’t have to use prong collars, choke collars, or any of the other devices that cause pain. A toddler will not learn with that method, neither will dogs.”
The book has a very user-friendly style, and Geller’s voice is friendly and down to earth. Chapters are divided up by weekly training tips so new pet owners, and those who need to start “fresh” can deal with housebreaking, socializing, and appropriate play and games. However, Geller cautions that once a dog gets older training can take longer, and the results will not be like those of a younger pet. “Even as humans get older, and have experiences, we can’t completely forget the past,” she says. “Just have extra patience with an older pet.”
One interesting method is her “take it” command. This is helpful when introducing your pet to anything new. When coming upon a new sound, or a new person, dogs don’t always know how to respond, and their first instinct is to be suspicious and fearful, and thus, sometimes aggressive. Build a positive association with new things by exposing them to new things, and immediately give them a treat so they associate that new person or thing with pleasure. Say “take it,” in a positive and happy tone so doggie knows you are having fun, and all is good. Soon, “take it,” will be like a child’s safety blanket; it makes the dog feel safe. Geller tells the story of when she worked with Winfrey’s two puppies and one of them became frightened by a man in a big straw hat—the gardener. Geller immediately “stopped in midsentence, gave the gardener a treat, and asked the dog to ‘take it’ from him. After a few more ‘take its’ the dog was happy to be petted by the man. When your pet associates the phrase, “take it” as something pleasurable, you can use that whenever something new is being introduced.
I asked about the statement she makes about talking to your dog, “in a clear way.” Dog owners tend to use the same phrase over and over, like “good dog,” whenever they do something good. Rather, she says, use the phrase that describes the dog’s actions. For example, when you call for your dog to “come,” and the dog runs to you, gets all happy, reward with treats, and repeat “Come!” “Come!” “Come!” Your dog will so want to come everytime you call.
When not speaking about her books, Geller has an extremely busy pet-care schedule. She not only operates her own business: The Loved Dog, Southern California’s first cage-free doggy boarding and day care center, but is celebrity pet trainer to the likes of Ben Affleck, Owen Wilson, Eva Mendes, Pat Sajak, and Oprah Winfrey; is an advisor to the Humane Society of the United States, and founder of the nonprofit program, “Operation Heroes & Hounds,” which brings together homeless dogs and wounded military personnel. She lectures on dog behavior at Pepperdine University and around the country. Of course, she’s got her own “loved dog,” Clyde. Geller’s site, www.tamargeller.com, features more dog coaching tips, videos of her and some of her famous clients.
When asked if there was one more thing she’d like us all to know about dogs, she didn’t hesitate. “Shower the dogs you love with love. Tell them the way you feel.” It can work for people and children, too, she adds.
Some favorite quotes:
Make a party. If you’re a parent, then you’ve probably already done this with your child, maybe when she brought home an art project from preschool. Even if it’s obscure, you may have made a big fuss, said ‘wow’ a lot, hung the project on the refrigerator, pointed it out to whoever’s around. Kids love to feel really appreciated in this way. So do dogs. When they do something we love, like catching a ball, they bask in the pleasure that we show. “Wow! Catch! Catch!” Clap your hands, smile wide, repeat the name of the behavior, and go all out with your enthusiasm. Your dog will be dying to repeat whatever it is that earned him such praise.”
Reward success with a”jackpot.” When your dog does something for the first time, or does it faster or better, or responds to you under tough or distracting circumstances, reward him with a series of treats, maybe five or six or twelve in succession. He’ll know that he hit the jackpot and will be eager to improve on his success.
“As a general rule, don’t coach your dog when you’re feeling angry, impatient, or pissy—wait until you’re in a better frame of mind.”
