If you went to a park or grassy area and sat down, what would your dog do...?
Would they stay with you, or wonder off and do their own thing?
Showing your dog the value in being with you, is what leads to behaviours such a perfect recall, a dog that can go to the Cafe and sit by their owner, a dog that can have more freedom in life.
A lot of times we miss these small but massive factors into why our dog might struggle to listen or choose not to listen to us.
So how is this achieved?
Next time you take your dog out, start in an environment with low distractions and sit/stand there. When they offer you any kind of engagement, praise them with what they enjoy (food, pats, play).
#trainingtips
#dogtrainingaustralia
#dogtraining #balancedtraining #creatinggoodhabits #hardworkpaysoff #fun #relationshipbuilding #buildingengagement #buildingvalue #dalmationsofinstagram #bandit
Bandit would refuse food in any environment, but not anymore. How did we accomplish this?
By showing Bandit that food can lead to a fun game, exposing him to the world in a calm and fun way, setting him up with clear and consistent expectations. He can now not only take food but is learning how to work for it and that this is a fun thing to do.
We are super proud of your progress, Bandit!
#makeitfun #confidence #buildingconfidence #buildingdrive #dalmatian #dalmationsofinstagram #goodboy #walkandtrains #happyboy #teamworkmakesthedreamwork #teamwork #dogtraining #dogtrainingaustralia
Now that I think about it, it might have looked a bit weird seeing a dog just laying there by himself... obedience is strong in this one (after a solid year of training, injuries, and desensitisation to life in general)
We worked on all three components today, distance, duration, and distraction.
Jax has come so far and taught me so much.
He is becoming the perfect dog, and I couldn't be prouder.
Consistency, education, the right tools, and fun are what has gotten us to this point.
Jax is well on his way to being an advocate for reactive dogs, anxious dogs, dogs that lacked socialisation, and so much more.
#germanshepherdsofinstagram
#germanshepherd #blackgermanshepherdsofinstagram #reactivedogsofinstagram #obedience #down #dogtrainingaustralia #dogtraining #workhardplayhard #progressnotperfection #growth
You've already made leaps and bounds in your training and we can't wait to see your progress in a few months.
You glorious dribbly girl.
Guys it's Game Day!! Charlie's just a little bit excited about the Eagles first game of the season. What are you doing with your canine friend this weekend?
#afl #westcoasteagles #dogsofinstagram #doglife #gameday
While I've been in Perth to further my studies so that I can be the best trainer for all our clients I decided to visit the zoo and I was pleasantly surprised to see an elephant playing a fun game with its handler.
If you've never seen an elephant do a ring toss, here you go.
Still to this day, I still find it incredibly fascinating that we can communicate with a different species and have a harmonious relationship with them.
We still have a long way to go but we have come so far in animal behaviour, especially with captive animals.
It was also really cool to understand how they taught the elephant because we use the same methods with dogs!
Bonnie needs ear medication just like a lot of dogs. Bonnie used to be held down against the wall with multiple people, fighting her way through to avoid the medication. It was very stressful.
Now Bonnie happily takes her medication, we don't use any treats to bribe her to do it and she is happy and willing when the medication comes out. Trotting up with her tail wagging, big smile and feeling confident with the whole process, instead of stress, fear and avoidance.
Setting your dog up for success in all situations is so important for their mental health and well-being.
Unfortunately life involves stress, being uncomfortable and dealing with difficulties. Teaching our dogs how to cope and get through these difficulties is important.
This is proof that anything is possible if you put in the work.
We are so proud of you Bonnie!
What a great message from the team at Method K9.
Training isn't just about having fun and creating the behaviour we want from our dog, it's also about safety! Maple's owner has done a fantastic job at teaching her not run out the rollerdoor when it opens and to only leave the rollerdoor when given a command.
This will keep Maple safe as well as challenging her and help to build her confidence in everyday life.
Well done to the both of you! 🤗🐾
Bonnie is in a completely new environment and one of the thing's she struggles with is focusing. By creating a high value for tug play we can then use this to create focus and engagement in any environment.
This sets her up for success and means we can achieve greatness. It's a team effort, if you aren't exciting to your dog, why would they choose to follow you especially with competing factors such as new smells, other dogs, people etc.
Mr Charlie learning not to attack the vacuum!
Charlie is a very nervous boy, to the point that he is too scared to leave the house.
His owner has made massive progress with him and they are continuing to chip away at all of his reactive/nervous behaviour.
We are so proud of the both of them and the hard work they are putting in.
Working as a team and learning new skills that can be applied to help Charlie through this big scary life.
We love all our clients and the dogs we get to work with.
Mr Shadow has been trained by his owners to place his own reward on an out door storage container for play.... How cool is that.
Car manners for Koby boy today! 🚗
Your dog should never jump out of a car unless given permission. Teaching them a simple release command in this situation can be life saving.
He is not allowed to leave the car until he is 'released'.
We did this by simply setting Koby up for success and implementing what he already knows into this picture.
He learnt this within 10 minutes. Smart boy!
Charlie's challenge - Don't Chase the birds! 🦆
Charlie says "Give me something more challenging please!" 🤗
When we set our dogs up for success properly, the dog will thrive and WANT more challenging situations. It feels good to accomplish things when it's fun and stress free!
We should set the dog up so that the behaviour we want is in the dogs advantage,
meaning the behaviour can become a lot more reliable in the future.
#desensitisationtraining #desensitisationandcounterconditioning #goodgirl #smashinggoals
A before & after clip of Bonnie's reactivity.
She reacts to livestock when she sees them.
After a bit of work she learnt quickly that she doesn't need to react.
