Interview: dog trainer Lyssa Howells

November 6, 9:26 AMClicker Training ExaminerEve Alexander

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Lyssa and Willow.

Lyssa and Willow on the Today show.

Lyssa Howells came to my attention from an article in People magazine about her dog Willow who can read!

Lyssa, when did you get started in training?
I started in 1994 at the age of 13 training my family's dog, and then training my friends' dogs. At age 15, I started volunteering for the Humane Society where I had the opportunity to work with lots of different dogs. By age 16, I was head trainer at a dog training business, and at age 18 I started my own dog training company, It Howls.

So you are a self-taught dog trainer?
Yes, I learned dog training from dogs, not from people.

Are you a clicker trainer?
I have used a clicker but most of the time I use a word marker, such as 'yes'. I have found that my clients just don't like carrying and using a clicker. But I train using positive reinforcement and operant conditioning, the same as a clicker trainer.

What kinds of treats do you use?
I like the Natural Balance rolls. They come in three flavors - beef, lamb and turkey. For very finicky dogs I will use cooked chicken breast or steak, or cheese.

I read somewhere that Willow has a repertoire of 250 tricks! Is she an extraordinarily gifted dog?
Yes, Willow is unique. She's goes above and beyond most dogs, but all dogs can learn.

You have trained her to do lots of chains of behaviors.
She can do very complex groups of behaviors. For instance, I can ask her, "Please go to the kitchen and grab a pen," and she'll do it.

She understands that many words?
Yes, and she understands the difference between objects - she knows a chair is different from a table.

Did you consciously train her to know these objects or did she just pick it up on her own?
I consciously taught her. If you speak to a dog, like you would a young child learning language, they can learn words too.

So, you would point to the chair and say 'chair'?
Yes. I would say 'chair' and when she put her feet on the chair, I'd say 'yes chair' (marker) and follow up with her treat (positive reinforcement). We'd do that over and over until she understood it.

Willow is twelve years old, so when people say, 'you can't teach an old dog new tricks' they're wrong!
Any dog can be trained to do anything at any age. There are 15 ways to train the same behavior to different dogs. You have to find what works for each one.

So, how did you teach Willow to read?
The same way I taught her objects. I'd hold up the sign and tell her what it said. If it said, "sit" I would show her the sign and say "sit'. When she sat, she got her marker word "good sit" followed by her treat.

I recently interviewed Marta Williams, an animal communicator. Do you communicate intuitively?
Animals are constantly trying to communicate with us. We need to learn to interpret what they're saying. From my experience working with hundreds of dogs, I have learned to speak dog fluently.

Willow and I have a language of our own. If she wants water, she will jump up and put her paws on the sink. If she wants to go out, she'll put her paws on the door. If her bowl is empty (because I free feed) she will put her paws on the bowl.

I'm glad you mentioned free feeding. I advocate free feeding too (free feeding is providing food for the animal at all times). Dogs, and horses, that are fed only once or twice a day, are so hungry that they wolf their food down which can cause medical problems like colic, torsion, bloating and gas. People don't realize a lot of behavior problems with their dogs and horses are a result of the animal being hungry.
People are afraid if they free feed their dogs will get fat. I've found that dogs regulate their own weight.

Lyssa, you are absolutely charming and delightful! You have accomplished so much at such a young age. I look forward to following your career.

Here is a video of Lyssa and Willow in The Tyra Show.

 Photo credits: Lyssa Howells

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