Collected Canines

I remember when I first got Scar I thought, I’m going to have her so well trained that she won’t need a leash.. Well that didn’t happen right away. It was a lot of lessons learned and frustration but now here we are… and I can do it with multiple dogs and it’s become my job.. Keep your dreams big kids.

Sully man’s board and train program is almost complete! Over the past 3 weeks Sully has gone from an insecure dog and was not walkable to a fun, happy guy who has earned so much freedom! He previously pulled on leash, would bark at every little sound he heard, intervene a lot between two dogs playing, and really struggled to relax. Sully absolutely loves to explore, roll in grass, venture and do what a dog is suppose to do! I am so thrilled I was able to get him to a point where his family will now be able to confidently do this with him too. This is what a happy and fulfilled dog looks like!

Daisy has come along way in a short period of time. She was out of control before. Constantly jumping, pulling, and doing whatever she pleased whenever she wanted. This caused her to be returned when adopted out. A full grown man couldn’t even control her. Shortly a week later and those behaviors are non existent. This shows what a little structure and guidance can do for a dog. She didn’t get to come into my house and it be a free for all. There were rules from the second she entered. As she progresses and becomes more balanced she earns more freedom. This girl still has a few more weeks with me before we find her a home but so far I’m extremely proud with how far she’s come. Good job daisy girl.

What’s the greatest feeling about having a dog that’s reliable off leash? The relationship. This takes time, and remember that your dogs not a robot. They will have their strengths and weaknesses, and they will slip up. Film yourselves working with your dogs. It can show you what areas your dog may need work on. Scar keeps looking back at her dad filming us. I want her to be only concerned about me. This is something we now will practice more and more!

Oz and his family recently have finished our private session program. Over several sessions Oz is now a dog who gets to enjoy off leash freedom and has a very healthy relationship with his owners. It was a pleasure working with them!! “Working with Kate has been one of the best decisions we have ever made, our only regret was not doing it sooner. I got Oz as a puppy and he grew up in a student house with not much structure or consistency when it came to training. Due to this Oz really struggled with his manners at the door and manners with strangers. In addition, we used to not enjoy going on walks with Oz because it was a half hour long game of tug-of-war. Since working with Kate we have seen a night and day improvement to Oz’s behaviours and manners. Walking with Oz is a dream! His manners at the door are amazing, with the ability to put him on “place” when people enter our home. We are complimented on “what a good dog you have” on almost a daily basis. We are so happy. we are happy how happy our dog is now too. All of his anxiety and fears are gone. Our relationship with Oz has never been stronger. Oz truly trusts us as his best friends and parents. Now we can have more fun than ever as we can always bring Oz wherever we’re going knowing for certain that he will be on his best bahaviour. We cannot thank Kate enough for showing us what changes WE had to make to unlock the full potential of our relationship with Oz!”

Megan and I worked together in the summer with her dog Holly. Holly and Megan made major improvements each session and now she enjoys much more freedom. “I can’t recommend Kate at Collected Canines enough for helping me and Holly redefine our relationship. Holly displayed bratty behaviours like whining and barking when bored (which was any time we weren’t walking or playing), she tore up fence, chewed our table, begged for food, and often ignored my commands despite a ton of positive reinforcement. She also struggled with distractions outside when walking and couldn’t be trusted walking past people or other dogs. I was hesitant to introduce an e-collar and Kate was very respectful of my concerns and comfort level. After being more educated on the tool, I willing to try it and I’m so glad I did. Within a week of working with Kate she had stopped some of her pushy behaviours, started to ignore dogs and people on walks,  and began looking to me for direction. Kate has helped me learn the fundamentals of dog training and has had thorough answers to all of my questions. Through our sessions she showed such enthusiasm and truly cares for both the owner and the dog. Hollys behaviour and obedience has improved immensely and I enjoy her so much more now! What’s equally as important, is that HOLLY is happier. She is no longer frustrated, being scolded or yelled at, or being left at home instead of coming places with us. She now has so much more freedom and we were even able to bring her up to a cottage resort with us this summer. A few months ago my every day revolved around meeting her perceived needs and doing anything to avoid her bad behaviour outbursts. Now I finally dictate our day and we can enjoy it together. Every time I leave the house with her I get compliments on how well behaved she is”.

The training never stops! I still run drills, especially recall during our hikes. Scar comes when called, and “breaks” when given the command. I tell all my clients, by the end of your board and train program or private sessions you should be pretending that the leash is still attached to you when they are off leash. All the same rules apply when doing an off leash heel. No smelling No marking No pushing past me No breaking heel to chase things I still hold them accountable for all of this. The only difference is our leash is invisible, and the e collar becomes our means of communication. Your dogs freedom needs to be earned by the work both you and your dog put in. If you’re putting in 100 percent you can except that back from them.

There is nothing I love more than the relationships I get to build with dogs and their owners.