Celebrity Dog Trainer Reveals Secrets
September 22, 2008 by Paris and John
Filed under Celebrity Dog News, Training
If you watched the CBS series “Greatest American Dog,” you know Presley, the tiger-striped boxer K9 and winner. Presley competed against 11 dogs and won $250,000 cash for his loyal owner , Travis, a Los Angeles area bartender. You might not have known the secret to the pair’s success: LA-based rocker turned celebrity dog training guru, Steve Brooks.
Brooks has trained the dogs of the stars with a client list that includes Robert Downey Jr., Sheryl Crow, music producer Rick Rubin, William Petersen of CSI and Cheryl Tiegs. According to Brooks, “My schedule is so full that I had to turn down training with Hillary Duff and her dogs!”
Just how did Brooks train Presley to compete in this important event? It involved teaching the dog–and his owner. “One of the key aspects to properly training Presley (or your own dog) is teaching the dog how to work, and teaching the owner how to influence his dog’s behavior — not the other way around. Your dog should listen because he wants to, not because he has to. This dynamic helps establish your position as the ‘Alpha,’ always in control, but this doesn’t require using physical domination, intimidation or punishment. That is the mistake most people make when it comes to training their dogs.”
He kept the training creative, fun, consistent, and trust-building. “Being the alpha is really about providing resources — things your dog wants, like food, water, exercise, rest, attention and toys — to reward and reinforce good behaviors like waiting patiently to be fed, making eye contact and not charging wildly out the door before a walk. Your dog’s listening skills and behavior are essential to survival in an urban atmosphere. Your dog should never be deprived of the basics, (food, water, attention, affection), but positively encouraged by pairing these rewards at times your dog shows self-control. This teaches your dog to have a mutually respectful bond and relationship with you as person he obeys and trusts, not just a food dispenser. “
Brooks first worked with Travis to teach him to be the boss. “Your body language and tone is what influences your dog. He needs to learn to read your energy just as you should learn his. My early sessions with Presley were mostly silent, without the use of verbal commands.”
Non-verbal disapproval was used when Presley would bark, jump, run off or just be unruly; it involved a dirty look or just simply ignoring the behavior.
And it involved instant approval or disapproval. “The key to your dog’s understanding of your behavior, is to react immediately, within two seconds, otherwise the lesson is lost. The same principle applies when you’re teaching your dog good behaviors. Praise or rewards should come immediately so the cause and effect is clear.”
Greatest American Dog Strategies
To prepare Presley for the tv series, Brooks followed three main strategies that all dog owners can learn.
- He used food and treats as fun, reward-based incentives, game control and always made sure that Presley had a job. “Dogs are scavengers by nature so I fed Presley throughout the day by hand, pairing these rewards with his good behavior. When it came time for games, he had to follow my instructions to continue his exercise and have access to toys.
- I also gave him little jobs like sitting, being quiet or not pulling his leash while we walked.
- Presley first learned the basics — come, sit, stay, lay-down, return and retrieve — and Presley learned to stand on two legs, walk, wave, walk backwards, sing, dance, shake, sneeze and even play dead in one week, perfecting his talents with continuous training from Travis and Brooks. Brooks says that good training starts with the basics.
The Basics
According to Brooks, “Every dog I train learns my Four Commandments:
Come: To come when called quickly and on demand, even if distracted.
Walk: To walk on a leash without pulling (heel).
Stay: To sit down and be still until released.
“No” or a dirty look: To stop whatever is being done right then.
These very simple tasks provide clear motivation for your dog to behave, and set the stage to combat more advanced behavioral problems such as house soiling, separation issues or making your couch into a meal.”
For More Information:
• visit www.SteveBrooksk9u.com
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