Thank you for a wonderful 2024! Looking forward to seeing you in 2025 ♥
We have been doing a LOT more virtual sessions lately and could not be more thrilled!!! We get it! The weather is terrible, the roads are awful and you do not want to get out of your jammies to get to a class. Trust us....we won't judge. We have day jammies and night jammies too. Let us help you virtually to resolve any problems you and your pup are having with communication breakdown and even basic training at a very economical price. We have virtual programs (one on one with us) to get you back to enjoying each other again. www.wigglebums.ca
Our newest email newsletter just went out to our subscribers!! If you are not subscribed....why not??!! We have discounts, recipes, and some very cool insider news! Subscribe today! https://www.wigglebums.ca/
Is your dog pulling on the leash, jumping up, or struggling with basic commands? Do you want out of the cold while engaging your furry companion in a challenging course? It’s time to build a strong foundation with our Force-Free Dog Training not so "Basic" Manners Class! Over 6 weeks, you and your dog will learn essential skills that will make your daily life more enjoyable and peaceful and build real-world skills to ensure your dog is welcome everywhere. 😍
What You’ll Learn:
Loose leash walking
Sit, stay, and recall
Polite greetings and no jumping
Impulse control and calmness
Cooperative Care
And much more!
Why Choose Us?
✅Force-Free Approach: We use only the most modern positive reinforcement techniques that build and maintain trust and an unshakable bond.
✅Experienced, Educated Trainer: Our certified trainer will guide you every step of the way.
✅Small Class Size: Ensures personalized attention for you and your dog.
✅Fun & Engaging: Training is enjoyable for both you and your dog!
Class Details:
Duration: 6 Weeks
Location: Land Titles Building in Yorkton
Start Date: January 28th, 2025
Spaces Limited: Sign up today to reserve your spot!
Build a stronger bond with your dog and create lasting positive behaviors!
Register Now and start your journey to a better-behaved pup! www.wigglebums.ca
A lot of people are convinced that they know how to train a dog. Having attended a class before or watched YouTube videos or even their parents training their dog, they feel confident in their knowledge about canine cognition and learning.
But the faces I see on owners in class or private sessions as I dispel the myths and teach them how to easily shape their dog's behaviour is telling. Whether it is the grimace of falling for the long-perpetuated myth of "alpha" or "dominance" or just the wonder of how easily a dog will learn a behaviour when properly taught is always interesting to me.
If you want to learn the newest, best way to shape your dog's behaviour, learn what myths have a basis in scientific consensus and which don't, and how to make the most out of your relationship with your pup, you will want to give us a follow! Just as a teaser, I will throw out there that ethologists will tell you that dogs are NOT pack animals. Teaching them in a way that promotes hierarchical power struggles and dominance is extremely damaging to the relationship between you and often results in more problematic behaviours.
long-perpetuated
We have some free resources on our website
www.wigglebums.ca (subscribe to our newsletter!)
Great information on our page at
https://www.facebook.com/Wigglebums.ca
and
Current events local to you at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/yorktonpets
We are booking our New Year's classes (stay tuned) and still have private training sessions (virtual or in person) available every day, evening, or weekend!
Love is an overused word in our culture. That is because it is subjective and leaves a lot of room for interpretation. I often hear how much people love their animals but still seem willing to inflict harm on them in a misguided effort to "help" them.
With neither the training, nor education to understand the long-term effects of the punitive methods of dog training that people employ, it can be difficult to see the downstream effects that positive punishment (adding a scary or painful consequence with the intention of decreasing behaviour) has on your dog.
Often we see what we call "fallout" behaviours stemming from even a single use of P+. The very first time you use aversive on your dog, they learn you are not the person who would never harm them. They learn you are willing to do whatever it takes to gain compliance from them. It tears at the very fabric of a relationship and breaks that trust. Let me give you an example from my experience.
A dog goes outside every day and barks at the neighbour dog. The owners, thinking they have stumbled upon an innocuous and easy solution, get an ultrasonic bark deterrent. It emits a very high-pitched sound that humans have a hard time hearing (although it can cause some pretty serious headaches for your neighbors) whenever your dog barks. The problems: it cannot discern your dogs bark from your neighbor's dog. It is triggered by many other sounds.
A few weeks down the road, the owners notice a hesitation to go out into the backyard to pee or even for walks. They notice the dog is having frequent accidents in the house. They notice that their dog is getting more reactive to dogs barking. It doesn't make much sense. Why would the dog be suddenly afraid of going outside or other dogs barking?
This scenario took quite a bit of unlearning to get this poor dog to want to venture outside again. I equate it to living in a zombie apocalypse. Unless it is absolutely necessary, I do not want to have to battle The Walking Dead
It is not always a request for attention!
Quite often in my career, I have had clients whose dogs have developed a real dislike for strangers. When asked if they have always demonstrated anxiety around strangers, they mention that their dog was very social as a puppy, was socialized by being taken everywhere, and would even roll over for belly rubs. The moment they mention rolling over, I feel a figurative red flag go up in my brain.
Not every dog who rolls over is asking for belly rubs. Early on in my career, I learned this the hard way with a foster dog and bear the physical and mental scars of it. Puppies use the roll over to demonstrate that they are not a threat to adult dogs and appeasement, so they are not attacked as such. They learn very quickly that it works on humans too and even learn to develop a love of it as it feels good when humans rub their bellies.
However, a roll over that is preceded by a curvy, slinking, tail between their legs, and avoidance gestures would be a clear indication that the dog is not comfortable and likely to bite when you reach out to rub that belly. My foster dog did not even give me that indication, however, as those stress signals proved futile or were even punished prior to him coming to us. He would roll over, lay on his back and bide his time until he was close enough.
A consent test is a good way to see if the dog is into the interaction. Mentally count to 3 while rubbing a dogs belly and remove your hand. If the dog wants more interaction, they will generally let you know. If they move away or leave, then we can grant them the space they ask for. Watch for signs that your pup is uncomfortable. Flattened ears (behind or out to the side, but tense), lip licking, tail tucked, etc.
If you want to know more about stress signals, check out our video on them at https://youtu.be/ZcwXz2AWWQ4?feature=shared
We are excitedly planning our classes and programs for the new year! We have so many plans to bring you more of the best of education, skills, and a supportive learning environment. We have loads of other stuff we are working on that will be a bit of a surprise for next year as well. You can keep up with subscriber-specific specials, recipes, and advice by subscribing to our newsletter at www.wigglebums.ca. You do NOT want to miss our Christmas Newsletter, where we will find the best of the best gifts and serve up some amazing recipes for your holiday season with your pets!
Join us on our social media pages, Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Wigglebums.ca) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/wigglebums/), and our YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@WigglebumsAcres), to which we will be adding more videos soon.
Join us on the Yorkton-specific page for pets at Yorkton Pets
What is resilience in regard to our dogs? According to Dr. Patricia McConnell, "Resilience is being able to cool down after you get hot. Resilience is being able to get back to normal and find balance under extreme conditions.
Building resilience in our puppies takes planning and knowing how to navigate the landmines that may occur. There are many factors that are considered when creating resilience in dogs.
The first of which is genetics. Resilient parents have a better likelihood of creating more resilient puppies. Studies have proven that trauma and fear are passed down to future generations in the DNA. It literally encodes itself into the very fibers of life. This is why it is incredibly important and highly recommended that you meet the parents of any potential puppy you plan on bringing into your home if at all possible.
Next up is proper socialization. This is where you come in. You need a carefully constructed plan prior to bringing your pup home of the situations, environment, and things in order of importance that your puppy will need a reference for to accommodate your lifestyle. For instance, if you are an avid horseperson and want your puppy to accompany you to the barn or on rides, it is important that they have positive references for horses and all the things associated with them. Those specific scenarios, along with the everyday references, should be on a scale of necessity.
If your puppy is going to go to the dog park, the kennel/daycare, or even family events with other dogs, it is imperative that they have a reference for group play, different playstyles, breeds that don't look like them, stranger dogs, etc. It is unfair to expect your pup to simply sort it out when those things happen.
Being able to gauge risk assessment for extreme situations looks different for every puppy. Layering in "risky" situations as your pup is ready for them can be difficult to determine. Knowing how to react when your pup is unsure or in deep water before
If you have a puppy under 16 weeks, this is a game changer.
Did you know that a puppy has a critical socialization period that ends at 12-16 weeks of age? Anything experienced in that open period of discovery goes into the reference library in one of three bookshelves marked SAFE, UNSAFE, or NEUTRAL. After that timeframe, they become more closed and suspicious of novelty. This also means it cannot wait until they are fully vaccinated. The AVSAB (American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior) advocates for safe puppy socialization classes. Dogs are at far more risk of being euthanized or given to shelters or rescues due to problems stemming from lack of proper socialization than they are at risk for diseases. https://avsab.org/resources/position-statements/
This timeframe is where we can really build their resilience for novelty, and play with groups, other breeds, other playstyles, and temperaments. We can create puppies that are confident approaching strangers, and even being handled by them (as long as they have the choice to engage or not).
Let us help guide you through, what ends up being, the most critical learning opportunity of your puppy's life. You will receive reference materials, and advocate and guide for your puppy's mentorship and, of course, safe play that builds their confidence. Our experienced trainer has been running this particular class for the better part of a dozen years and was so popular in Calgary, that people are still contacting us from there and are sad they cannot bring their new puppy to it. We have worked with hundreds of puppies and their owners to prepare them for the real world. Playing with your family's other pets is not enough. That gives them the experience of a single other dog.
Sign up at wigglebums.ca to give your puppy the best chance to explore their opportunities safely.
Are you looking for a fun and effective way to shape your puppy or dog's behaviour? This is the last week to register for what will probably be our last class of the year! At Wigglebums, we offer everything from early puppy socialization to basic manners training and behavior modification.
You can get started as early as 9 weeks old with Puppy Power socialization, to help build resiliency your puppy will need during this critical developmwntal period befor 16 weeks. Pairing that with the basic manners course sets your and your puppy up for a lifetime of enjoyment.
Our goal is to help create model canine citizens while building a strong bond between you and your furry friend. Sign up today and give your pup the best start! 🐾
Be adventure-ready with our Mensa Mutts "not so basic manners class" starting September 23rd at 7pm!!! You will learn the basics like sit, down, stay, and the not so basics of leash walking with distractions, recall and cooperative care. This 6 week course is designed to give you everything you need to communicate more effectively with your dog and shape their behaviour.
Learn from Yorkton's only certified Force-Free trainer in a small class format so you get the individual attention you need to succeed!
Visit www.wigglebums.ca for more details. Subscribe to our newsletter for recipes, tips and exclusive discounts for our subscribers. #yorktonsaskatchewan #saskatchewandogs #Saskdogs #dogsofsaskatchewan #SocializationTraining #puppylife #yorkton #canadadogs #puppytraining #socialization #yorktondogs #dogtraining
