Canine Coaching School

11/17/2023

"Why are all my students "lazy"... None of them are doing the work?"

I look at their social media

Full of short form videos, gimmicky to catch short attention spans, with before and afters not showing any of the "middle bit work".
..I wonder why.

(A new dog trainer client call from this morning's onboarding session in Canine Coaching School)

You attract what you put out there for the most part

Your work is a mirror

Reflecting what others want to see in themsleves

This is why I show unedited training videos, all the rewarding and setups and in betweens.

And why I write.

And use lots of whitespace

And a tempo that encourages people to slow down

And take in

The words

I'm writting

02/08/2023

Impulse control is life for a dog.

They need to control themselves with many skills that we must teach them.

The human world can be a difficult place for most dogs, the more we can teach them to think and control their very natural canine instincts, the less stress they will experience as they navigate life.

Almost every skill you want your dog to learn, starts with learning impulse control first.

This is the critical missing piece for most dog and human teams who are having trouble bridging the gap between listening well at home (or training class) but not in new, novel or distracting environments.

Some of these skills include:

“leave it”
“drop it”
recalls/coming when called
loose leash walking
stays
nice and polite greetings (don't jump on strangers!)
leaving food and “things” in the house (counters, shoes, etc)
leaving other animals in the house alone
boundaries (i.e. not allowed in certain rooms, on furniture, etc)
dog sports! (i.e. start line stays, holding contacts, weave poles, not biting handler, etc)

Food is a great way to start this style of training because dogs have to eat everyday!

Toys can be used for dogs not food motivated!
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Like this style of training?

March training is almost full - save your spot for April!

Brain Games, Boundaries & Better Listening Skills Program!

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02/08/2023

The middle position is a handy behavior to use to precisely line your dog up, to teach the concept of positions with the barrier of your legs (which transfer to heel work) to administer medication, checking on teeth and other husbandry tasks.

1. Toss a cookie in front of you, “get-it”
2. Toss a cookie behind you, “get-it”
3. Call your dog and lure your dog in between your legs, feed
4. Lure into a sit, feed, then “get-it” as you toss a cookie forward.

Repeat.

As your dog starts anticipating the pattern, they will hurriedly eat their cookie you tossed behind, in order to get the bigger rewards in the middle positions. You should also see them start to anticipate the sit and offer it on their own.

When your dog starts automatically offering the sit you can start calling the behavior “Middle”. Start saying the words as your dog is moving from the cookie behind you to between your legs.

This tossing the cookie with the release word is important because we are establishing a pattern for the release word, and later on in the training we will use this pattern to help them become patient and wait for permission to move from position. This cookie will become a distraction later.

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Like this style of training?

March training is almost full - save your spot for April!

Brain Games, Boundaries & Better Listening Skills Program!

Message for more info.

02/07/2023

Was working on distance cues with Edge today, and he presented a funny yet difficult conundrum for himself....

What does "leave-it" actually mean?

Does it mean you can't eat the food or you can't touch the food?

In most situations, it would mean both.. But what would the dog do if the cue was presented in a contradictory scenario?

And this is exactly what happened this evening...

So he's about 20 feet away, we're working on precision in static positions. Sit-Down-Stand-Pretty-Paw L - Paw R ...

Repeat and Shuffle.

Next, we add food to the equation.

As he cycles through his cues, I start tossing some cookies his way. This is easy for him. He's 3, and has been doing this since 8 weeks old, barely a mental workout for this guy.

As he is trained, he is not allowed to get those treats, and instead must look ahead and give the proper response to each cue.

Self-control is his best Jam.

Up until this point, everything is great with the food being tossed in his direction. We've been working hard on removing the franticness of his movement, I have it in my head that we may try some competitive obedience one day, and so far the behaviors are crisp and fluid with effortless transitions and really soft movement.

But I hadn't asked him to "down" in the cycle yet of throwing food at him while he performs...So he's in a sit position and I cue the "down", and he doesn't comply.

I'm a little confused.

I wait 2 seconds and ask again. "Down".

Nothing...

Okay a third time, "Downn" I emphasize the word a little, even though I know I don't need me to. Bad habit on my part... I can see his muscles twitching, and he *very slowly* starts folding towards the down position and just hovers above the ground, creeping like a sheepdog would.

It takes me a second, but...at this point, I have to laugh.

He's a border collie, this is his best behavior. The first thing he learned. Yet, he just couldn't fully commit to the position.

Why?

There's a piece of kibble between his front paws where his chest would land...and going into a down means touching the food.

And "leave-it" trumps the down position.

At this point, I toss a handful of kibble his way, release him and reward him so generously for his intelligence. Then we play a round of tug, cause that's his favourite.

Good-boy!

02/07/2023

Using eye contact to teach the concept of availability.

Your dog learns that in order to get what they want, they should offer something in return first.

Think of this as your dog saying 'please', it's just good manners!

This works because of the premarket principle.

If used and understood correctly, the Premack Principle is a wonderful, amazing way to deal with and work with certain behaviours, and create some amazing solid behaviours as well.

Most of my training actually revolves around this principle, in some form or another.

So, what exactly is this Premack Principle?More desired behaviours will reinforce less desired behaviours.

“desired behaviours” are high-probability behaviours – behaviours the dog does a lot, enjoys doing, have more value, and would choose to do if given a choice.

“less desired behaviours” are low-probability behaviours – behaviours the dog doesn’t do much, does not enjoy doing as much, have less value, or would choose not to do if given an option.

Or, put more simply, we will be finding out what the dog desires at a certain moment, and using that to reward something we want the dog to do!

We are essentially going to be transferring the value of the high probability behaviour (the one the dog really wants to do) to the low probability behaviour (typically the behaviour we want the dog to do).

The classic example: “If you eat your vegetables at dinner, you can have dessert”.

The lower-probability (less desired) behaviour would be eating vegetables, and the higher-probability (desired) behaviour would be eating dessert. If the person really want the dessert, he will probably perform the less desired behaviour (eat vegetables) in order to get it.

The dessert is reinforcing the act of eating vegetables. Over time, the act of eating the vegetables will become rewarding in itself, as it is always followed up with something the person enjoys!

Some real life examples of using Premack to your advantage (we will get to this in the next few weeks!):

*Rewarding loose leash walking by allowing the dog to go sniff, or visit another person/dog.

**Rewarding nice greetings (sitting, or keeping 4 paws on the floor) with a chance for the stranger or visitor to come closer and say hello.

**Rewarding recalls with a cookie (or tug play) and then a release cue to go engage again in the environment (whether it was with another dog, or just running off leash!)

**Rewarding focus and attention to you with a chance to sniff or look at a distraction
Instead of fighting your dog’s instinct to be a dog… work with them! Figure out what resources your dog wants, then teach the dog how to earn them.

Instead of using physical corrections, you can teach your dog life saving leave-it skills by empowering their brains.

We aren't against corrections, we're balanced trainers, but absolutely are 100% against using corrections BEFORE putting the work into teaching a dog...

1. How to learn
2. Emotional regulation
3. The actual behaviors
4. Self control

Once you teach all that, corrections are rarely needed. Most dogs are going through life guessing because they lack an education.

There's lots of different ways to train dogs, we prefer dogs using their brains and making great choices.

Interested in this concept based game style methodology?

Send us a message.

02/07/2023

NOW ENROLLING!!
Brain Games, Boundaries & Better Listening Skills Program!

Brains love patterns and predictability. Dogs are no different than humans in which when we know how to think our way through a situation because we recognize the patterns of what happens before and what happens next, we can make better choices over our emotions and feelings that pop up in certain situations.

The ability to think through a situation and recognize patterns to make decisions on though is a learned skill. To teach our dogs how to think and make good decisions we can set up learning scenarios to help them access the decision making center in their brains. Then progressively add more distractions so that even when the emotions and excitement levels are telling them to do otherwise, they can rhino before acting.

We use Problem-Solving Exercises to teach these concepts and you’ll be amazed how these simple exercises, practiced in different situations and locations, will transfer to real life. The more you practice the more you should see your dog start to think before acting. They become proactive not reactive (and need to be constantly micromanaged) to the world around them.

Dogs become more curious, more confident, and happier in their roles in life, which means behavior problems seem to "magically" disappear (with time! And practice!) without needing to directly address them.

Many dogs can “leave it” or recall well under controlled scenarios. They can leave the food when the owner carefully places it down, and they are staying still in position. In real life, if the dog owner sees the squirrel before the dog, chances are they can get their dog’s attention in time before they reach peak excitement, successfully calling them back.

Calling your dog off mid-chase, or mid-play with another dog, or as you drop your plate full of supper off the counter, however, requires your dog to not just do a thing, but to actively stop doing the thing in the first place.

Another use for this is when it comes to greetings. A great way to teach your dog not to jump on people without kneeing them in the chest (ouch!) or heavily correcting them is by teaching them to think first. Many dogs jump simply because they just get so excited that they lose their marbles, they can't think or process! While correcting them may stop the dog when they jump it doesn’t teach them not to jump in the first place or what to do instead. Once your dog learns to think and offer better behavior, it's easy to integrate this new thinking brain into “no jump” scenarios.

In this basic pattern exercise your dog is learning to not just ignore a distraction but to move, work and offer different choices while the distraction is right there.

We start with the food between us and the object, dogs are smart and able to do the math. They understand that we can stop them from getting the food when it's that close to us.

You are sitting on the ground or in a chair, food bowl with treats or their daily kibble (use higher value the more exciting the environment you are in) in front of you and an object they can circle in front of you.

In the first stage you help your dog go around the object if they try to dive into the food simply cover it with a hand and wait for your dog to back off, when they back off, tell them good, but don't reward them. They do not get the reward by simply leaving the food, they must first offer good behavior in exchange.

Don’t say anything to help your dog, this is a thinking exercise. We want them to learn to make good decisions without micromanagement, for us not to need to constantly tell them what to do, and for them to make a good choice in the first place, versus having to be told no/stop.

In the beginning reach with your opposite hand (the dog is on my left I reach with my right hand) show the food and then lure them then feed them. When they finish eating do the same with the opposite hand (the dog is on my right ill reach and feed with my left). Each rep grabs a new reward from the food bowl in front of you.

Every few reps help your dog less and less, don’t reach as far, and don’t lure as much, until they are actively doing it on their own.

The key here is your dog goes around the object, from your left side to your right side and back again, to eat the food.

After a few sessions, and when your dog is no longer trying to steal food from the bowl (if they are stealing too often go back and practice the cookies in the hand exercise, and then food bowl exercises) and they are actively going from hand to hand to get their reward its time to make it more difficult.

Move the object further away from you and the bowl, now there is a space and your dog has to realize they have to still go around the object not cut through the middle (which eventually translates to not cutting in front of you when you go for walks!).

Don’t progress (moving object further), until your dog is fully successful and confident in their role. The further the object, the harder the exercise. Being able to work at a distance away from you is a crucial skill for off-leash work and recalls!

Be patient.

This exercise can be frustrating for some dogs, asking them to think and process a situation. If your dog is used to being told what to do, it will be even harder. Working through frustration will also teach your dog to manage their emotions. Temper tantrums don’t work here, and to get what you want (reward) you’ll have to not only leave it and be good but offer something in return (the basis of work).

If you've read through this, enjoy this style of developing the canine and human bond, and are interested in our programming send us a message.

01/10/2023

Ready to take the next step after basic obedience?

Distraction classes offers you the opportunity to take your social dog's training to the next level!

Learn the art of creating engagement, focus and stellar self control as you practice stays, leave it's, recalls in an environment tailored to take you and your dog to the next level.

Ongoing classes currently in the Cambridge area. Email to see program availability.

[email protected]

Send a message to learn more

10/07/2021

The reward MUST MATCH the effort.

At 6 months a puppy is now entering adolescence and that means they are soon going to start testing the boundaries. ?

*This is natural!*

When they are younger, pups are more naturally inclined to follow, they know we provide good things: like food, water and fun, and more importantly, they rely on us for the sense of safety and direction in this confusing human world.

But, there comes a time in most puppies lives where they start to range, push their boundaries and get more daring out in the world.

While it may seem like you're going backwards in training, do not fear, this is normal development! 🙂

It has nothing to do with being dominant, stubborn or any malice whatsoever...

Dogs are just opportunistic creatures, if there's something they want more, and they aren't given a better option...

Why wouldn't they choose that something?

Take for example chasing a rabbit...

That's a super instinctual behavior for most dogs, just like you see in this video my at the time 6 month old puppy take off in full pursuit of a rabbit that darted into the woods.

Now when I saw her take off after the rabbit I knew I had to be MORE VALUABLE than a rabbit. Meaning I had to provide an opportunity just as amazing as chasing that rabbit.

This is hard to do if you don't practice with small distractions first, but as you can see we already had a great foundation established.

1. I used a high pitch voice to interrupt the chase pattern... 'PUP PUP PUP.' This is a sound she's heard since she was 8 weeks old.

To her it means 1 thing:

AMAZING STUFF IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN YOU BETTER LOOK AT YOUR OWNER.

2. You'll notice she didn't come back right away... She took a second to make a decision.

Human or Rabbit?

That rabbit looked mighty fun to chase....

And that's why I started PARTYING RIGHT AWAY.

I didn't wait for her to come back, she's only a BABY, she needed to know right away that stopping was the best choice she ever made!

When training a behavior, especially when it's a hard distraction don't wait until they have "finished" the behavior to start the reward process (in this situation returning to owner)

That's why she got encouraged the whole way back.

And again, the reward MUST match the effort,

The reward should be MORE than the effort.

In this case, cookies won't do, not after being recalled off the chasing instinct.

A rousing game of tug is exactly what she needed, this is dog dependent though -- find out what works best for your dog.

When dealing with distractions at this important transitional age it's imperative now more than ever to make sure YOU MATTER more than the big distracting world out there.

Set the tone for the next stage of your puppies development into adolescence.

Make a habit out of being rewarding, teach your dog that life is good when they listen to what you ask of them.

You'll be happy when your dog is an adult, that you took the time to make sure YOU are more valuable than the big world out there.