TRAINING VS. HUSBANDRY
I started using the term "Husbandry" to refer to keeping dogs a couple years ago. When we keep other animals it's something we CONSTANTLY think about. From farming animals for profit to keeping exotics! How is their environment set up? Do they have access to their basic needs when they need them? Do they receive good nutrition? Do they have access to species appropriate enrichment? Mental and physical stimulation?
But often I feel like it gets kind of thrown to the side with dogs. I usually get brought into cases where we are actually having a husbandry issue, not a training issue. It's really amazing how many things change behaviourally when our dogs are able to feel relaxed and fulfilled.
I spend most of my time with my dogs making sure their needs are being met... not training them. Obviously I'm providing access to quality food, clean water and shelter. But my requirements that I set for my dogs every day are that they move their bodies and use their brains. We don't do the same things every day, and I always leave room for flexibility. I also make sure we FREQUENTLY have time for decompression. Sometimes that means relaxing at home, sometimes it means a quiet walk in nature.
Different dogs also have different needs. My beagles always need ample sniffing opportunities. If they don't get frequent sniffing time (in a variety of places), they have a harder time focusing when I need them to. I find they have social needs and really benefit from having access to regular dog friends. Not meeting every dog they see, but being able to interact with regular dogs outside of the household. When I'm not meeting that social need they tend to get REALLY FRUSTRATED about seeing dogs. My border collie really feels satisfied after being able to RUN! She needs room to open up and move on a regular basis. She also really craves working cooperatively with me in training and getting her mental stimulation that way. You have to get to know YOUR dog and fi
Sometimes its worthwhile to work your dog in the ring when stuff isn't going right at a trial 🤷🏻♀️ #bordercollie #feo #agility #dogagility #youngdog
Some casual #rallyo practice with Zelda this evening! #bordercollie #heeling #front #dogtraining
Some #PuppyClub superstars, Courtney & Lhotse! Working on proofing the mat behaviour and recalls even with distractions (this time food in a dish). I love doing these exercises in Puppy Club because it helps students learn how to work with variables in training set ups and adjust them to find the balance of raising criteria and making exercises harder but still setting up their dogs to have success! #dogtraining #dog #bordercollie #puppy #distraction #puppytraining#yyc #yycdogtraining #yycpuppytraining #calgary #calgarydog #calgarydogtraining
Courtney Ledden
It was time for me to make this!
#fyp #cheesetax #cheese #dog #dogs #bordercollie #beagle #dachshund
Living in a multi-dog household... "wait your turn" is something I utilize a lot while training 😅 Link is pretty young and Zelda still needs work on this, but this is what the "beginning stages" might look like. Until my dog is proficient, I often reward the dog "waiting" for having the impulse control to not just jump in and try and take the other dog's turn. My other rule is the only way you GET a turn is by waiting on the boundary. Once dogs are more proficient, often you don't need to reward waiting as often and for a lot of dogs getting to have a turn becomes the reward for waiting on the boundary. #boundarytraining #dogtraining #waityourturn #beagle #bordercollie #puppytraining #multidoghousehold #multidog #puppytraining
A solo #puppy outing with Link! Lots of opportunities for a young dog to learn about the world! #socialization #youngdog #beagle #puppytraining
Part 1/6 Join Link, Zelda and I on a walk! #walkyourdog #leash #freedomwithinreason #dogsbeingdogs #dogtraining #fyp #beagle #bordercollie
Part 2/6 Join Link, Zelda and I on a walk! #walkyourdog #leash #freedomwithinreason #dogsbeingdogs #dogtraining #fyp #beagle #bordercollie
Part 3/6 Join Link, Zelda and I on a walk! #walkyourdog #leash #freedomwithinreason #dogsbeingdogs #dogtraining #fyp #beagle #bordercollie
Part 4/6 Join Link, Zelda and I on a walk! #walkyourdog #leash #freedomwithinreason #dogsbeingdogs #dogtraining #fyp #beagle #bordercollie
Part 5/6 Join Link, Zelda and I on a walk! #walkyourdog #leash #freedomwithinreason #dogsbeingdogs #dogtraining #fyp #beagle #bordercollie
Part 6/6 Join Link, Zelda and I on a walk! #walkyourdog #leash #freedomwithinreason #dogsbeingdogs #dogtraining #fyp #beagle #bordercollie
Nice work Holly & Penny! These two have been working through the #PuppyChallenges and submitted their videos for the Advanced Tier, and part of that is an assumed leave-it where the dog leaves food dropped on the floor without being cued to leave it. This is a tricky skill to get to this level, to say I'm proud is an understatement! The goal is to develop a dog's ability to make the choices we want them to ON THEIR OWN. That doesn't mean a leave-it cue is never used... it just means we are reinforcing the dog for being in control of their own impulses around distractions without us telling them to. We train this through setting up choice-based training games and we start out with the choice we want the dog to make being very easy and obvious for the dog, then we gradually make that choice more challenging as the dog is ready to progress. I love seeing my puppy training clients through the first year of their time with their dog for this reason. I get to really build relationships with clients and their dogs and see them not just start skills... but really develop them to advanced levels. Want results like Holly & Penny? Join #PuppyClub ! www.inspiredogtraining.ca/puppy-club #rescuedog #puppytraining #dogtraining #yycdogtraining #calgary #calgarydogtraining #assumedleaveits #positivedogtraining #rewardbasedtraining #gooddog #proudinstructor
These teams did great at #Nosework practice tonight! Great job Tucker and Enzo! #bordercollie #miniaussie #scentdetection #dogtraining
