Indy and Kobe had a great time up at the cottage this weekend. We make sure to introduce boats to all our dogs at an early age so they learn not only how to behave when on a boat, but also to love boat rides!
Contact Kim for more information on our Puppy Development Program, Small Group Classes, Private Lessons and Board and Train programs:
Kim French, Owner & Trainer
(647) 295-3734
[email protected]
www.tumblewood.ca
#socialization #positivereinforcementtraining #obediencetraining #dogsofhaltonhills #dogsofgeorgetown #dogsofguelph #dogsofmilton #tumblewoof #buildingbetterbonds
It's day 4 of Rio's board and train and he is really starting to show some progress! One thing Rio's family wanted me to work on with him was teaching him some manners.
My favourite way to teach manners is with different impulse control games! These short clips are just some of the games that I use to teach dogs to be polite.
1) It's your choice: food in hand and on floor
2) Food bowl manners
3) No door dashing: doors to outside and crate doors
Notice that I'm not giving any commands or telling Rio what to do. Instead, I wait for him to make the right choice on his own and then mark it with a 'yes', followed by a reward. If he makes the wrong choice (e.g. trying to take a treat without my permission), then the treat goes away.
In my opinion, this is an important part of teaching dogs good manners because at the end of the day we want them to be able to make the right choice on their own.
Great work little buddy, you're learning so quickly!
#kingcharlescavalier #goldenretriever #boardandtrain #daytraining #positivereinforcementtraining #puppytraining #recalltraining #looseleashwalking #tumblewoof #buildingbetterbonds #dogsofhaltonhills #dogsofgeorgetown #dogsofguelph #dogsofmilton
Oakley and Murphy met at one of our #puppysocials and quickly became best friends. I love watching these two #goldenretriever puppies play on our obstacle equipment - not only is it helping develop their fitness, balance, and coordination, but letting them explore different surfaces and learn how to navigate different obstacles can also be really good for building their confidence.
Way to go guys, hope to see you again soon!
#socialization #puppykindergarten #puppytraining #puppysocialization #LearnByDoing #dogsofhaltonhills #dogsofgeorgetown #dogsofguelph #dogsofmilton #tumblewoof #buildingbetterbonds
It has been 4 days since Lola the #frenchbulldog came to us for a board and train. She is doing well at learning how to walk on a loose leash beside a stroller She absolutely loves spending time outdoors, which has been a great way to get her energy levels down! She still isn't 100% sure of her two roommates, Indy and Kobe, but is definitely interested in playing with them. Best of all, she hasn't had an accident in the house in 2-days!
When housetraining a dog there are a couple important things to keep in mind:
1) Always make sure to take your dog out on a regular basis. In general, a dog can hold their bladder 1-hour for every month old they are. A few exceptions: always take your dog out as soon as they wake up, if they have exercised, after they eat or drink, and after a training session. All of these things can stimulate the bladder and cause your dog to have an accident.
2) Go out with your dog on leash and make sure you see them do their business, don't just let your dog out and assume they will go on their own. It's very common for dogs to get distracted when outside, so when you let them in they still have a full bladder, which leads to accidents.
3) Don't give your dog access to the whole house, this just makes it easier for them to sneak off and have an accident, or you might miss the signals they give you that they need to go out. If I'm not paying 100% attention to a dog I'm housetraining, or if they didn't do their business when I took them out, I like to put them in an Ex-Pen or crate. Confining them them to a small space helps them learn to hold their bladder until I take them out again.
4) Always praise your dog when they do their business outside - you can even put it on a cue such as 'go pee' so eventually they will know what they are supposed to do. Never punish your dog for having an accident, this can teach them to sneak away and have accidents.
5) Until fully housetrained, always take your dog out the same door so they learn where to go
It was great having Oakley the Golden Retriever attend our Puppy Social today. He got to play with our two dogs, Kobe and Indy, and go for an adventure walk!
What are the benefits of attending our Puppy Socials? It can help them learn:
- How to communicate appropriately with other dogs
- Bite inhibition
- How to play with dogs of different sizes, ages, and play styles
- To focus on you around distractions
- To be called away from a play group
- Off-leash skills (checking in, no wandering, recall...)
- How to navigate different obstacles
Our free Puppy Socials take place every Saturday from 11:15am-12:00pm. We have a limited number of spots available so no drop ins, please email us in advance to reserve your spot.
For more information visit: https://tumblewood.ca/grouptraining/puppy-training/
#positivereinforcementtraining #puppytraining #puppysocials #puppysocialization #puppykindergarten #dogsofhaltonhills #dogsofguelph #dogsofmilton
I love this video of Indy trying to figure out how to cross the bridge with her big stick.
It may seem simple, but it's extremely important that we allow our dogs to figure out how to problem solve on their own. Problem solving and allowing our dogs to become frustrated engages their mind, providing mental stimulation which helps build their confidence, self-esteem and resilience.
When we don't allow our dogs (especially puppies) to become frustrated and problem solve, it affects how their brain develops and can affect how they learn to cope in stressful or frustrating situations. This can lead to unwanted behaviours like under confidence, anxiety, fear and 'Learned Helplessness'.
The next time you what to give your dog mental stimulation, think beyond just food puzzles and consider how you can use their environment to engage their problem solving skills.
I'd love to know what you do with your dog for mental stimulation as well as what challenges or problems you let them solve on their own!
#mentalstimulationfordogs #problemsolving #positivereinforcementtraining #obediencetraining #puppytraining #dogtraining #dogtrainer #puppykindergarten #puppysocialization #recalltraining #looseleashwalking #dogmanners #dogsofguelph #guelphdogs #dogsofmilton #miltonontario #dogsofkw #guelph #tumblewoof #buildingbetterbonds
Look who's back for another board and train, it's Cricket! This adorable Mini Australian Shepherd stayed with us when her owners first got her for a 1-week board and train, attended our Puppy Kindergarten and Puppy Socials, and completed our Total Recall Workshop.
You can really see the benefits of her socialization with how she plays with Indy:
- The play style and energy level of both dogs matches
- Both dogs are comfortable, encouraging play, and enjoying the interaction
- One dog isn't being too overbearing and they take turns being on top
Contact us for more information on our puppy program and workshops or visit www.tumblewood.ca
#puppykindergarten #puppysocialization #puppysocials #recalltraining #socialization #positivereinforcementtraining #dogsofguelph #guelphdogs #dogsofmilton #haltonhills #buildingbetterbonds #tumblewoof
Meet Luke (AKA Cool Hand Luke), a 3-year old #weimaraner who just completed a 4-night board and train stay with us. This clever and handsome fellow is already quite accomplished and has won titles in obedience and hunting trials. So his family thought it would be fun for him to learn something new while he stayed with us... so we worked on some agility!
We started by teaching Luke how navigate each piece of equipment on its own, as well as establishing some fundamentals (focus forward, target, back paws on/front paws off), and shaping the jumps and tire. Then we started adding more difficulty by combining obstacles, adding a curve to the tunnel, sending him to obstacles from different positions/distances, and adding proper contacts and targets to the end of the teeter and cat walk.
Luke absolutely loved learning, he was super eager, and a lot of fun to work with. He showed a lot of progress in a short amount of time.
Great job, buddy, we hope to see you again soon :)
#boardandtrain #agility #positivereinforcementtraining #positivereinforcement #dogsofguelph #guelphdogs #dogsofmilton #dogsofwaterloo #dogsofkitchener #dogsofinstagram #buildingbetterbonds #tumblewoof #boardandtrain #agilitytraining
Nikki the 2-year old rescue from Texas is back for a board and train. Prior to this, Nikki spent several days with us working primarily on her dog reactivity, and we couldn't be happier with her progress. Although she still struggles when meeting a dog for the first time, with a proper introduction she is able to calm her self down relative quickly and be introduced to dogs calmly. She is already great with our two dogs, Indy and Kobe off leash.
I started by working on proper introductions, where I would reward he for remaining calm and focused on me in the presence of another dog that was far away. We slowly decreased the distance, but were always mindful to keep her outside of her threshold.
Once she was capable of focusing in the presence of another dog I then added movement, and practiced walking Nikki calmly past another dog. Again, we had a big distance when we first started, and then slowly decreased that distance.
Then would have Nikki to stop and sit next to the other dog, again keeping her focus on me, and finally would allow her a short greeting with the other dog. It was important that we didn't let it last too long as Nikki tends to get over excited quickly, which can cause her to react.
Great work Nikki, keep it up!
#rescuedog #reactivitytraining #socialization #confidencebuilding #positivereinforcementtraining #positivereinforcement #daytraining #obediencetraining #dogsofguelph #guelphdogs #dogsofmilton #dogsofwaterloo #dogsofkitchener #dogsofinstagram #buildingbetterbonds #tumblewoof
See Echo's progress as we worked with her to gain her trust, build her confidence around other dogs, and introduce her to new environments.
I started with unstructured walks on our property with just the two of us, and eventually invited my dogs along so Echo could start to feel more comfortable around other dogs. We then took our training off property with unstructured walks in a local park during off hours, and then on a residential street.
As her confidence continued to grow, we started introducing Echo to different dogs, making sure that the interactions were positive. We started at our training facility and eventually were able to do parallel walking with new dogs while out on our walks.
Echo is still quite nervous so it is difficult to add any structure to her walks yet. So our focus is to continue building her confidence out in the world, and to start adding structure in low-distraction environments, like her home or our training facility.
Great work Echo, you're becoming so brave!
#socialization #confidencebuilding #positivereinforcementtraining #positivereinforcement #daytraining #obediencetraining #dogsofguelph #guelphdogs #dogsofmilton #dogsofwaterloo #dogsofkitchener #dogsofinstagram #buildingbetterbonds #tumblewoof
Look who's back for another board and train, its Aussie! We introduced this sweet girl to our obstacle course and she absolutely loved it! Especially the pool at the end 😄
Having your dog learn how to navigate different obstacles develops a number of different skills: It builds your handling skills and your bond with your dog as you help them learn to navigate different challenges. It also helps your dog build their confidence, coordination, and fitness.
Great work Aussie!
#positivereinforcementtraining #positivereinforcement #boardandtrain #obediencetraining #goodmanners #dogsofguelph #guelphdogs #dogsofmilton #dogsofwaterloo #dogsofkitchener #dogsofinstagram #buildingbetterbonds #tumblewoof
Went for an early morning walk today with the dogs and Thomas the cat decided to join us.
#earlymorningwalk #catwalking #dogtraining #dogtrainer #dogtrainerslife #packwalk #tumblewoof #buildingbetterbonds
Went for an early morning walk today with the dogs and Thomas the cat decided to join us.
#earlymorningwalk #catwalking #tumblewoof #buildingbetterbonds #dogtraining #dogtrainer #dogtrainerslife #packwalk
Meet Astro, a 10-month old Golden Retriever and our latest board and train. This sweet and handsome boy is with us for the week to work on household manners (jumping, mouthing, and counter surfing), and basic obedience.
Being an adolescent Golden Retriever, my first goal was to make sure his physical and mental stimulation needs were met - a tired dog is a good dog. So for his first few days I have focused on giving him lot of exercise when outside, and creating a very structured environment when inside.
We’ve spent lots of time going on trail walks through our property, and he hangs out outside with us all day. When he first arrived he was pretty distracted and would just ignore me, so I made sure to constantly praise him for checking in, and am teaching him that coming to me on his own and sitting always results in treats and lots of love! (He really likes this game). When he’s inside, I’ve taught him to go to his bed, where I give him a bone to chew - his job is to lay calmly on his bed.
Astro tends to act up (mouth and jump) when he is excited, so I’ve worked a lot on introducing him to new people and situations calmly. If he is too excited, jumping, or pulling he is not allowed to say hi to new people. I keep him on a leash and work on getting him to focus on me. When he is calm and doesn’t pull on the leash I then allow him to say hi. We also went to an obedience class at Canine Academy where we practiced these skills as well as focusing under distraction.
It’s only been a few days and Astro is already doing great and is on his way to becoming a perfect family pet. Great work buddy, keep it up!
#boardandtrain #obediencedogtraining #positivereinforcementtraining #goodmanners #goldenretriever #puppytraining #dogsofguelph #dogsofmilton #dogsofkitchener #dogsofwaterloo #dogsofinstagram #tireddogsarehappydogs #tumblewoof #buildingbetterbonds
It's day-3 of Lucy's board and train and we're already starting to see big improvements. The biggest thing we have noticed is that she is easily overstimulated and has difficulty controlling her impulses. So we have been working hard at keeping her well exercised and practicing different techniques to help her learn how to settle.
We have eliminated her jumping by about 90%, which was a big priority for her owner. She still struggles when meeting new people, but she is getting better.
We've also seen an improvement with her around the cat. We're at the point where she can be around him without chasing or mauling him, as long as he doesn't run away.
She's also doing much better at being calm and polite when she is loose with our dogs. She still gets overstimulated every now and then but its getting easier to get her to settle.
Great work, Lucy. Keep it up! :)
#boardandtrain #positivereinforcementtraining #impulsecontrol #puppytraining #dogtraining #dogtrainer #dogsofmilton #dogsofguelph #dogsofkitchener #dogsofwaterloo #tumblewoof #buildingbetterbonds
Rocco had another great board and train with us and loved going up to the cottage again. He's really starting to love the water and even tried swimming for the first time. It's his new favourite thing next to rolling in the grass of course. He's even starting to win Kobe over!
We did a lot of work with his impulse control over the weekend, trying to keep him calm and focused around different distractions. We took him to a local baseball game, and did a lot of work with him around friends, neighbours and their dogs.
Good job buddy, I'm looking forward to seeing you again in a few weeks!
#boardandtrain #positivereinforcementtraining #impulsecontrol #reactivity #dogsofmilton #dogsofguelph #dogsofkitchener #dogsofwaterloo #tumblewoof #buildingbetterbonds
Look who's back for another board and train, it's Aussie!
I'm happy to report that her owner is very happy with her progress after her last board and train, especially her recall. This time around she will just be staying for the weekend and we will continue to work on her loose leash walking skills.
She had a great first day playing with Indy and Kobe. We went on an adventure walk and she had a nice little dip in the river to cool off. She loved playing outside and even got the zoomies. By the end of the day all three dogs were pooped from all the fun they had together.
#boardandtrain #looseleashwalking #recalltraining #positivereinforcementtraining #bestdogfriends #dogsofguelph #dogsofmilton #dogsofkitchener #dogsofwaterloo #tumblewoof #buildingbetterbonds
