The Naughty Dogge

04/09/2025

Honesty.

We are Canadian: This means we are nice, and by we, I don't mean me. I'm a Brit. I find nice annoying.

How does this relate to dog training? A lot of my students train together and became friends: As relationships develop, frank and uncomfortable training conversations stop.

How do I know. This week I'm training with a friend that I haven't trained closely with in three years. Back then, information was free- flowing and honest, and in the moment.

Now information is guarded. delayed and philosophical once my dog was in the car. Who cares once my dog is in the car. The moment is over. Learning is done. Any information now just festers in my head and gets me focused on things I do not have, and now cannot fix.

If you are helping someone training their dog, you must give instant feedback. If you are clumsy with words, and unsure of what you see, commit. You can say 'It's better! That's accurate enough.
My training partners are not only allowed to be honest, but are required to be so. It is your job to tell me if I look stupid. Don't let me go in the ring in front of an audience and look daft because you didn't want to hurt my feelings.

Friendships are very valuable. Treasure them. The best way to do that is to be the friend that warns you that you have a giant chunk of pepper in your teeth. Or takes a photo of you in your beige pants to show you the camel-toe that you were unaware of.

Happy training everyone.

I miss you Sheila.

Monique Anstee
Author of As a Dog Thinketh and Lift Your Leg- the podcast.

04/09/2025

Find the bad ass bitch

04/08/2025

My friend is up visiting, and for some weird reason feared her dog might eat Fika, the bad ass bitch. Her worries manifested into weird movements in her feet, a lack of confidence in her posture, which almost helped make her fear a reality.

If you are nervous of your dog doing something, make certain your body doesn’t tell. Stand tall, have calm movements if needed, and slow everything down.

This will help your dog more than you can imagine. Dogs may still misbehave if we are calm and confident, but when we do our part right, they will much better hear and care about any feedback we give them.

Monique Anstee
Author of As a Dog Thinketh, and Lift Your Leg - the podcast

04/07/2025

Lesson Two on the Importance of Freedom

As I watch Mr GSD climb up and down embankments, cross over streams, turn sharply, run fast, again and again, I see him slip and fall. He has no idea how to use his legs on uneven surfaces, or for fast turns. I hope soon the forests and river will teach him how to use all of his legs in harmony with each other. Until that time, Harry will have great fun making him look like a fool.

I hope the lessons I can teach him will prevent many future injuries. These lessons are more valuable than anything else that I will ever teach him.

Monique Anstee
Author of As a Dog Thinketh, and Lift Your Leg - the podcast

04/07/2025

Social media is always filled with all the greatness and successes that people have. But not here. Jill and I talk about our very s**t weeks, our screw ups, and how we got through without making things worse. Pour a glass of wine, and join us in this discussion!

How To Podcast · Updated Weekly · Two dog trainers, Monique Anstee from The Naughty Dogge and Jill Brown share raw conversation as they preserve the art of dog training. With different dog experiences from different venues of herding,…

04/07/2025

I'm up North with my two Board and Train dogs. I have a very young GSD who has been trained the opposite of how I train a dog. I'm not saying it was wrong, but because it's not what I do, I took him back to my roots, which is freedom and self control.
He was very dog reactive so first I let him off-leash with dogs strong enough to handle his antics. Slowly he has spent more + more time with these dogs, but every one of us finds him annoying. A perfect example was yesterday as I was kneeling down, he gave me a nose bop right in my eye ball. Addressing these infractions seems to give him more joy than regret, and so I moved on to giving him freedom.

I believe he has no outlet for all of this stupid energy and his need to experiment and explore, making this a vital training goal.

I drove North, where it is much safer with more places to avoid people. So far today he has had an off- leash walk through town with just me, and a pack walk with four other dogs through the forest to the river.
The outcome. He is lovely. He has not hurt me today, annoyed me today, had a dog snarl at him all day, and instead, he has been a lovely young man.

Don't ever underestimate the value and major need to be free to explore. It can dramatically change any dog.

Monique Anstee
Author of As a Dog Thinketh and Lift Your Leg, the podcast.

03/27/2025

My apologies for my silence. Here is a photo of Harry to give you a clue as to why! Next week I will be back on track, I promise

03/25/2025

The Science they DON’T want you to read.
Contrary to the propaganda pushed by force-free ideologists, punishment isn't a last resort! it's often the ONLY option that works in real world cases.
“Punishment is effective in reducing problem behavior in clinical populations, and in some cases, may be an essential component of treatment... Punishment also may be preferable to reinforcement-based treatments when problem behavior must be suppressed rapidly to prevent serious physical harm.”
Before you hit the keyboards, let me remind you - These are NOT opinions. These are peer reviewed facts backed by decades of applied and basic research.
It’s time we stop demonizing the use of aversives in training and behavior treatment and start demanding evidence-based discussions.

https://youtu.be/XjHTivWiqT8?si=2Mzm9TY_1MeJTKKY

03/24/2025

54. Teaching dog to Follow - the hidden benefits

Our next podcast is up, where we discuss the benefits of teaching dogs to follow you, and why this is such a vital training piece. Enjoy

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/lift-your-leg-the-art-of-training-a-dog/id1725750088

03/21/2025

I’ve had the best week with my Board and Trains. I have three dogs who all don’t really have friends. While they’ve gotten to know each other, their encounters are always a bit guarded. I was determined to change this.

We’ve had a week of days of non- training. We are hanging out for 4-5 hours at a time, and I’m just letting them be free. They can play in the pond, watch the chickens, explore the islands, or sit with me in the sun. The four of us are hanging, learning to work out when they feel uncomfortable without going postal, and as a result all three dogs are in such a better mental place. They have all learned to express being uncomfortable and likewise gotten comfortable enough to let loose and rip around. But mostly there is chilling in my vicinity.

Sometimes hanging and gently guiding them into what is appropriate is so much more important than actual training. My current board and trains would all agree, and their progress of this week proves it.

Monique Anstee Author of As a Dog Thinketh and Lift Your Leg - the podcast

03/20/2025

It’s been two weeks of dogs behaving naughtier than their norm. It came to a head Monday night, only to be even worse on Tuesday with our regulars arriving with horns sprouting.

I did my job on Tuesday. I got all the weird tension out of them, got them loose and mentally free, and hopefully sent relaxed and happy dogs home.

Then Wednesday night classes came. Only now I saw my people were out of sync too. Their ‘off’ energy then put their dogs into a similar mood.

I’m guessing it’s a people issue, triggered by our current Canadian stresses, which is going straight down the leash to our dogs.

The fix…. More time is needed unplugged in our forests and on our beaches. Do it. You deserve it.

If you have a formerly naughty dog, please be mindful right now so that you don’t see a regression.

Monique Anstee
Author of As a Dog Thinketh and Lift Your Leg - the podcast.

03/18/2025

My recent video of me getting a leash off a dog without reaching into the crate went viral, to dog-lovers and the dog world at large. It went far outside of people that know me, know my writing, and as such has taught me lots.
This is what I learned.

1. Anger and hatred make something go viral.
2. I monetised my FB page, so got paid when my haters talked mean or shared me with their like-minded hating friends.
3. If I post videos where I mess up, and actually show errors to be picked apart, I could become a rich legend.
4. Knowing how future videos will critiqued, 'normal' trainers will learn to not share knowledge. Only those wanting attention and $ will.

It’s made me appreciate the anger and games Zak George is posting. He must be making a fortune when all of his haters share and engage with him. And that is what social-media dog training will become. Those that ‘know’ will stay off-screen to avoid the cruelty, and the money-hungry, turmoil creators will get rich and continue creating and profiting from this divide.

The next time you want to comment, like or share a person that you dislike, please don’t. You are paying them to wreck something you love.

Now go listen to our latest podcast, episode 53, which was about that dog.

Please share this everywhere so I get rich.

Monique Anstee, who is feeling very Zennish with her hard-earned $7 from FB.
Author of As a Dog Thinketh and Lift Your Leg-the podcast.

03/17/2025

A skill I teach in both Pet Manners, and Growl, that will change a dog more than any tool or training method...


Domestic Leash Skills:

I often think dog training has gone away from actual dog training. Dogmanship and good handling are becoming a thing of the past; and are not something frequently taught, or even pondered. Many people have no clue how to use a leash, and use it more as a tow rope than an aide for communication.

Leash handling is is reward based and punishment based; but our rewards and punishments are not something that many think of. Or are even aware of.

Your reward for a job well done should be muscle release, and a consequence, tension. When they have done good, we need to have an absolute softness about us. Or if we plan on them doing good, we need to have that softness in advance. Tightness will trigger badness, be it reactivity, or pulling.

Yet many people who have not yet conquered their fears are feeding and rewarding 'good behaviour' while their muscles are tense. No one wants to be held rigidly and controlled. Save the hot dog, and instead be respectful with your hands and muscles.

And if you don't believe me, jump on a sensitive horse and tense every single muscle as you approach a plastic bag and see what effect that has on the horse.

We cannot lie to a dog. They know that if they did good that we will relax. So if they tried, and you did not relax - in their hearts they will know they failed...

When you walk your dog their leash should sit in your open, relaxed hand, while both of your arms swing. On every second step, your leash arm will swing back, and this is your dog's check and balance to know if they are in position or not. My arm continues swinging, even if they are out of position. It doesn't take a dog too long to work out that it is annoying being ahead - and to check their position an inch or two. By swinging your arm, you make the right thing easy, and the wrong thing hard. Sure they can pull, but the dumb human continues to swing their arm, oblivious of the tension on the back-swing. I let them work it out - I don't say a word.

By swinging our arms, we move normally. As you look 'normal' they will follow your lead and start to act normal too.

Ponder this!

Monique Anstee
Victoria, BC

Author of As a Dog Thinketh, and Lift Your Leg - the podcast

03/17/2025

Episode 53 is up. My apologies for the editing errors when I first published. I had technical difficulties, and didn't realize I had...

53. Becoming Next Level Trainers. This topic was sparked by Maryna Ozuna's brilliant questions on my post this week. We tried to answer them, as best we could, but feel this is only the start. Attached is a photo of Pippa and Poodle and below is the video of dog we discuss in the podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/lift-your-leg-the-art-of-training-a-dog/id1725750088?i=1000699433014

03/16/2025

The beginnings of seeing Harry’s lazy stable side. It’s fascinating reading back…

Today I cut Harry’s toe nails. It took a while. This is his second time, with cookies for each nail, only husband isn’t here to help, and I can only see half the picture. Harry was a tad uncooperative. He didn’t bite or lose his temper, but as he flailed his fists towards my eye I was grateful for my eye patch. Then he flung his head and I thought I should wear a mouth guard. And a nose protector.

I gently held onto his chubby little arms as he protested and flailed, then slowly and calmly clipped each nail one by one. The first foot probably took about ten minutes. The remaining three feet took about five minutes total once he realized flailing got him nowhere, but allowing it got him cookies.

I then did exactly the same with all my board and trains. My hands were carefully placed so they couldn’t bite me. I held onto their little arms as they sat on my lap, and eventually allowed it.

The choice was theirs. I can hold you here calmly until tomorrow, or you can allow this and get cookies.

Rupert was last. Holding onto his arms is entertaining as they are so short and immense. His forearm muscles are ridiculous. Rupert started out claiming he couldn’t bare to eat under such duress, so I tucked his cookies under his lips. It didn’t take him long to get over himself.

Today I realized I’ve lost all control of wee Harry. I think this is the youngest I’ve ever said this. When he’s on his own agenda, he doesn’t come when he is called. Of course I’ve done hundreds of recalls already with cookies, but he’s found that there is more to life than cookies. I need to fix this now, and will. It’s my work for tomorrow when my patience is reloaded, and his belly is empty.

Whenever I’ve gotten a puppy, the youngest dog in the house (or newest if a rescue) is always the Nanny for the baby. Rupert absolved himself of this duty at first, but he couldn’t hold out. He’s become the most patient and endearing Nanny for the monster. I think that is my reason for loss of control. I can never compare to Rupert. He’s so endearing, charming, and now playful. Their time together is limited and controlled, but I still cannot compete.

Maybe it’s because I’m older, tired and lazy now compared to even a few years ago. It’s obvious more effort is required from me. I have tried games with him, like me crawling across the living room floor with a blanket on my head, but he doesn’t engage.

In an attempt to compete with Rupert I raced around a chair. He watched. So I raced around a chair with beef heart and got 20% effort. I then raced around all the furniture in the living room with tiny steps and he put in 40% effort. He liked his beef heart when he caught me. And he did find the game curious and mildly amusing.

100% effort goes into biting. He just licked my finger, then bit it holding on at the knuckle, then tried to run away with his prize, tugging with all his might when he met resistance. I need to get that effort into other things that we do together.

Next attempt. I stole his feather and ran away with it. He chased to claim his prize. He got it and took it to his dog bed in-front of the fire. I stole it again. As he chased me I shoved him through my legs by his collar then his bum, then ran away. It’s a good job he’s little because that woke him up. Suddenly I had 90% effort. He caught me and I tossed him through again and ran the other way. When he caught me he grabbed the knuckle of my finger and dragged me to his dog bed in-front of the fire. He had me in such a good grip I went willingly and he knew it.

This might be my answer; Add a wee bit of fight into games seeing as that is so clearly what he loves. He is so much more engaging in a pleasant way tonight that I might be onto something. Or not. Time will tell.

Regardless, that’s my new goal. I mustn’t be such a frump.

Monique Anstee
Author of As a Dog Thinketh

03/15/2025

Harry looks forward to the unicorn- sucking moments in his life. Now he has an attachment that wants to participate with him. Her favourite dogs, in this order, are Harry, Johnny, Kate, then Pippa. She doesn't know what to make of the grumpy dog that carelessly walks into her, or the grumpy dog that's smaller than her head.

Harry is clearly her favourite. She has fine taste.

Monique Anstee
Author of As a Dog Thinketh & Lift Your Leg -the podcast