"Helping humans connect with their dogs"
Positive Reinforcement and Fear Free
(2)
The hardest part of this job is saying goodbye to our beloved clients.
Miss got very sick very quickly.
Her mama said goodbye this afternoon in the comfort of her own home.
I cannot put into words what a privilege it has been to be part of Miss's journey. We didn't get a lot of time together, but the time we did have was wonderful.
Rest peacefully my little Miss ♥️
Calm observation is often overlooked, but can be very beneficial to your dog's well being.
Today Dallas and I took a 15 minute break on our walk to sit on a bench and just observe. Her prey drive went through the roof this year, so observation from a distance is part of our training plan to teach her new ways to interact with prey (squirrels)
Maybe your dog is reactive, fearful, anxious, overly adrenalized or just a pup figuring out the world.
Allowing them to take in the world from a SAFE place is mentally stimulating (sights, smells, sounds) and can help shape a calm and confident dog.
If your dog is really struggling with a new skill or behaviour, one of the easiest ways we can help them is by changing their environment.
This sweet girl is terrified of the fire alarms in her building. When they go off, she will completely shut down and isn't comfortable for hours following.
What helped Foxy most, was getting her outside to the balcony ASAP anytime there was an alarm. She could still hear the alarm, but was able to maintain a workable level of stress, and settle much faster.
Besides, who doesn't love basking in the sun on a beautiful summer day ☀️
How often does your dog get to slow down and just observe the world around them? Sometimes the simplest thing, can have a big impact on your dogs mental state.
Taking breaks to relax and slow down is beneficial for every dog, but especially for those struggling with over stimulation or fearful, anxious and reactive behaviours.
A few things to keep mind
- keep a safe distance from any triggers
- if you have a reactive dog, have an exit strategy in the event you need to move quickly
- advocate for your dogs space.This is a time for observation not socializing
- reward calm behaviour and engagement with you
Rigby loves this piece of her training plan. She's also started doing some urban agility. This is her new observation deck 😍
"I'd rather have a dog that is confident enough to make a mistake, than one that is too scared to make a decision" - Unknown
Imagine someone shouting "No" or pinching you anytime you did something they didn't like. I don't think many people would thrive in that type of learning environment.
Reward based training allows for your dog to make mistakes... In fact, if we're working on something new we might even reward mistakes on occasion to encourage your dog to keep offering behaviours.
Have you tried free shaping with your dog?
cockapoo has been practicing this trick for a few days and he's already a pro! (he's a little genius)
Free shaping is one of my favorite ways to bond and have fun with my dog. I have found incorporating it into the training plan with reactive dogs to be especially beneficial.
- encourages more offered behaviours
- dog regularly checks in with handler for reinforcement of behaviours
- may help your dog if they are easily frustrated
- it uses a lot of brain power (tires your dog out)
- increased ability to focus and problem solve
- most importantly it's a really FUN way to connect with your dog! (and we always want training to be fun for everyone involved)
Haven't tried free shaping before and not sure where to start? Shoot me a DM!
🐾
Hitting a roadblock in training is normal.
Three problem solving questions I like to put in my clients' tool box.
1) What behaviour do I WANT from my dog right now?
2) What is the LEARNED cue for this behaviour?
3) If my dog can't do it... What can I, their handler do to help them be successful?
Your relationship with your dog is two sided. Working with them as a team, will allow you to get through these roadblocks together ♥️
What's the first thing that comes to mind when we think about "socialization" for our dogs?
The response I get most often; "My dog interacting with other dogs and people in a positive way!"
While that is correct, it's a very small piece of a much larger picture. Socialization is all about giving your dog safe exposure to novel experiences, building confidence in different environments, and teaching them neutrality first.
How does your dog feel about buses, thunder storms, shouting children, skateboards, fireworks, the vet, car rides?
Are they able to ignore most people and dogs in different environments? When they do play with another dog, are they able to self regulate and take play breaks?
Does your dog easily adjust to a new environment? How do you help them be more confident if they're struggling?
Yesterday Bob and I spent some time at the park to build his confidence in busier, more crowded environments. We didn't engage with any humans or dogs. We did some engagement activities together, and he got a lot of time to smell, see, and hear all the different things in the environment from a distance that he felt safe.
Bob is adoptable through ♥️
Meet Zoe!
Zoe's humans are first time dog parents, so they had lots of questions about raising a puppy.
We proactively did our first session BEFORE Zoe came home, so both they and Zoe were set up for success right away. The priorities the first few weeks are socialization, relationship building and management. They're doing an amazing job and this cutie is thriving in her new home.
Meet Kirby!
This baby girl is a real heartbreaker (my photography skills don't do her justice)
At four months old she is full of puppy energy, and excited to explore the world.
Today we worked on engagement with her human, and had some fun playing "recall games" Her human has done a fantastic job with her so far and I'm excited to see her growth continue ♥️
Welcome Clover
Clover is a typical poodle. She's smart as heck, she's very handler focused and she has lots of energy! She is also an absolute sweetheart and I fell for her right away ♥️
We will be giving her more more structure, and building communication and cooperation with her humans, so she can use that brain power of hers' to its full potential.
🐾
Diane Forsey shared a video on Instagram: “A critical piece of your dog's training plan should include ensuring they enough get deep sleep.…” • See 55 photos and videos on their profile.
These two are why I love what I do 😍
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CaTiNZQgPaN/?utm_medium=share_sheet
Sia • Unstoppable
Welcoming Numi to the Canine Coach fam.
Numi is a very social, loving pup who wants to play with every human and dog he sees! This means walks can be a challenge for his humans.
We're working on giving clear cues so Numi understands exactly what is being asked, and heavily reinforcing the behaviours we want. Numi is a very smart pup and made fantastic progress in our first session! 🐾
Bring the same level of enthusiasm Bea has for socks, to your training with your dog.
You'll make more progress AND have more fun.
If you feeling frustrated or discouraged, you may need to make some adjustments to your plan and give your dog more opportunities to "win"
(most frustration happens when we don't feel successful)
🐾
Welcoming Wesley .the.rottie_ to the Canine Coach family.
This little guy is 5 months old and clever as can be.
It's important as we progress in our dogs' training, to remember they are learning to live in our world; everything we teach is a new skill for them and it takes a lot of practice to hone these skills.
Wesley has the best human who is incredibly kind and patient. They're both learning lots of new things and making fantastic progress ♥️
Often when our dogs display undesirable behaviours we neglect to acknowledge the role we, as their handler play or take into account their environment and emotional state.
Let me give you an example:
Tonight while I was out with Pogo, Dallas did some counter surfing and ate an entire pizza 🍕
Although she's never stolen food in the house before there have been a lot of changes in her life recently that have impacted both her environment and emotional state.
🔸 Dallas is currently taking some medications that significantly increase her appetite.
🔸She is currently on exercise restriction and is showing signs of frustration and restlessness.
🔸 We have a new foster cat as of two days ago. This adds stress and excitement to her day.
🔸She gets more competitive about food when there is a dog boarding with us.
🔸I (not even thinking) left it in an easily accessible spot.
I wasn't mad at Dallas for taking the pizza .. we went on our walk, and when we got back I gave her the empty box to shred.
I was slightly annoyed with myself that I didn't manage the situation as well as I could have and set her up to fail.
The next time your dog does something that you might label as "bad" I encourage you to ask these questions:
🔸Has my dogs environment changed?
🔸What's my dogs emotional state?
🔸Could I have done something to better manage or prevent this behaviour?
You're relationship with your dog is a partnership. They are doing the best they can with what you've taught them ♥️
It is absolutely OK; in fact I encourage you to support your dog when they seek comfort.
Reassuring your dog when they are experiencing anxiety or fear (and seek you out) does not reinforce these emotions. In fact, it can strengthen your bond so they see you as a base of support, which can help reduce these emotions over time.
Some dogs prefer to hide and isolate when they are feeling anxious and fearful. Others like little Samson, thrive on comfort from his human.
Your dog is an individual and will have their own preferences, but if they ask for comfort, give them some comfort ❤️
Pogo is just shy of 6 months old and has already mastered "puppy dog eyes." 🥺❤️
This sweet girl is all the way out on BC.
We started working on "place" this week, and it looks like Luna is already a professional. A+++ thegoldie.r
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What a successful "walk" might look like if you have a reactive dog.
In video 1, I'm working with Lady in a safe area where I know she won't run into very many triggers. The goal was to build her engagement with me and work on her leash skills in an easy environment.
In video 2, I'm engaging in play with Lady. The point of this is to help her get comfortable in her environment and to continue building our relationship. You can see near the end of the video a person walks past. Often from that distance it would trigger her, but she's able to stay engaged and focused on what we're doing.
Key take aways:
- the 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 of your walk if more important than the duration or distance.
- Be 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 with your dog. The more connected you can be with your dog, the more you can help them deal with triggers. If they can't engage with you when there are no triggers, they definitely can't focus on you with triggers present.
What do you do with your dog to make walks more fun? 🐾
Jack in his dashing business attire ready to work.
Before finding his family Jack lived in the streets of Bahrain.
When we started working together he was very reactive and had a lot of anxiety in new environments.
Jack has come so far. He is rarely reactive and is able to disengage and focus on his handler or self regulate and go sniff. Jack also loves to do urban agility which has helped him become more confident in his environment.
Every week I look forward to our time together and feel so privileged to be part of his journey. Love ya Jackie boy ❤️
Charlie just completed a three week board and train with me.
He's a very intelligent little guy, but as is common with smart dogs, they can easily become over aroused and struggle to self regulate their emotions.
Part of his training plan included building the foundation for "place" and "wait" as well as working through some excite and settle exercises.
We increased Charlie's food drive so we could incorporate more mental stimulation each day, as well as teaching him to settle in his crate and on a tether.
He also thrived having a walking buddy, which helped him be more confidant and relaxed on outings.
His parents are committed to continuing his training, so he can continue to have success in his own home.
🐾
His Papa calls him the "Velvet Hippo" 😂
has grown so much since we met. He's such a charmer and gives the best hugs ❤️
Welcoming .0821 to the Canine Coach family (and swooning over those ears)
This cutie has the best parents who have started her puppy training right away.
Raising a puppy can be overwhelming and exhausting. (if you've been there you know exactly what I'm talking about) Working with a trainer to establish structure and boundaries and ensuring your pups' needs are being met will not only set your puppy up for success; it will help you keep some of your sanity!
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This weekend Lou and I became best buds!
Lou struggles with severe reactivity and anxiety and is very wary of strangers. Quite frankly a lot of people would've given up on Lou, but her mom is AMAZING. She has consistently been working with my mentor .my.mutt.training and brought me onto the team for extra support.
Lou still has a long way to go, but she has come so far and I continue to see progress every time we have our training walks together.
I admire Lou's mom for her commitment to Lou's well being and am thankful for her and Lou's trust in me.
Go team Lou! ❤️
Boba had her first session with me this week.
Puppy hood is EXHAUSTING and can be overwhelming. Where do I start? What's the priority right now? Is this the best approach or will it cause problems down the road?
Her mama has done an incredible job; setting her up for success by having structure and boundaries in place, as well as giving Boba lots of physical and mental enrichment.
The priority with Boba today, was introducing her to loose leash skills. We also touched on leash greetings and emotional regulation. Boba is incredibly clever and picked up on the exercises so quickly! I can't wait to see her progress in a few weeks after lots of practice with her mum! 🐾
Toronto, ON
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Have you tried free shaping with your dog? @maximum.cockapoo has been practicing this trick for a few days and he's already a pro! (he's a little genius) Free shaping is one of my favorite ways to bond and have fun with my dog. I have found incorporating it into the training plan with reactive dogs to be especially beneficial. - encourages more offered behaviours - dog regularly checks in with handler for reinforcement of behaviours - may help your dog if they are easily frustrated - it uses a lot of brain power (tires your dog out) - increased ability to focus and problem solve - most importantly it's a really FUN way to connect with your dog! (and we always want training to be fun for everyone involved) Haven't tried free shaping before and not sure where to start? Shoot me a DM! 🐾 #dogtrainer #dogtraining #freeshaping #dogsofinsta #dogsofinstagram #cockapoo #smart #positivereinforcement #fearfree #goals #fun #torontodogs #bond #gooddog
When Hounds Fly Positive Reinforcement Dog Tr
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