Clever Canine Training & Behaviour Consulting

01/07/2024

01/06/2024

Alfie
Alfalfa
Alfinator
Alf-a-bits
Alfie boots
Bubbles
🤣

Truth

29/05/2024

Is your dog your sous-chef? And your office assistant? And your garden helper? Mine is! 🤣

Credit to and Howling

18/05/2024

I see you, and if you’re trying…I don’t judge. It gets better. Really, it does.

To the dog owner that’s struggling.

I see you.

I see you with your treat pouch training your dog while Susan down the road says ‘my dog is friendly’ and therefore doesn’t need training.

I see you rewarding your dog for disengaging from traffic as you walk them.

I see you queueing at agility shows and advocating for your dog by asking for space.

I see you training at home with some home made equipment with dreams of Crufts.

I see you getting elimination after elimination at competitions and showing up again anyway because you know you can do it one day.

I see you working on your dogs ability to settle and relax.

I see you pushing for secondary or third veterinary referrals because you know there’s something being missed.

I see you cuddling your dog close after a long day where nothing went right but you promise to try again tomorrow.

I see you and I applaud you.

Those people that have it easy don’t know how hard it is. They don’t know the looks you get or the judgements you hear.

I see you. You’re doing fu***ng great out there.

06/04/2024

Ever wondered why a puppy's behavior seems erratic during adolescence, which occurs between six months and 18 months of age?

The neurobiology of adolescence is fascinating, with some key events that alter both the structure and function of the brain.

During canine adolescence, s*x hormones are changing which effects the animals stress responses. Adolescent dogs have a decreased ability to modulate sensory processing and subsequent behavior.

The connectivity between the frontal cortex (responsible for decision making) and amygdala (responsible for emotional processing) decreases, resulting in less behavioral control.

So what does this mean? This could mean that your dog, who used to come when called, suddenly cannot. This could mean that your dog, who didn't jump up on guests, suddenly does. Your dog that walked nicely on leash is now pulling. Or perhaps it seems like some days your dog responds to behaviors you ask of them, and some days they don't, without any rhyme or reason.

We also see increased risk taking and more sensitivity to fear.

As your puppy undergoes this transition into adulthood their inner world is intense, even chaotic. Many pet owners experience an increase in undesirable behavior and find themselves becoming increasingly frustrated. In turn, frustration and impatience sometimes cause us to act unpredictably.

This adds to your puppy’s inner turmoil. When the inside and the outside are both unpredictable it can be difficult for puppies to adjust.

By understanding this we can gain greater compassion and understanding. When we approach adolescence with patience we can help create a world that is predictable and gentle so our puppies grow up to be their best selves.

29/02/2024

30/01/2024

Right? 🤣

I don't make the rules. I just follow them.

25/01/2024

What’s your fave? Or have you got your own not mentioned here?

25/12/2023

Someone also left a plate of butter on the dining room table, but we won’t talk about that!

Merry Christmas one and all!

23/12/2023

Some puppy truth right here. 🤣
“We’ve bought Satan”…😄

23/12/2023

Got a dog with big feelings about other dogs? This is who I recommend.

One spot left in the first Leash Lungers Reactive Dog class of 2024! Class begins Thursday, February 1st at 730pm and runs for 8 weeks. Questions about how this class can help you and your dog? Send me a message!
#

22/12/2023

🤣🤣🤣

so cute tho with the better homes & gardening, and the verminating, and the wishboneism

—

meme: a bust shot of a tan and white broken-coated russell type terrier against a white background. The text above the dog says,

“I am not a toy. I am not a christmas present. I am become Death, the Destroyer of Worlds.”

The text below the dog says, “think twice before getting someone a problem child for christmas.”

26/11/2023

24/11/2023

The Reward🦴
📷Heybuddycomics.com

17/11/2023

Put socialite and thinker together and you have my puppy, Alfie. Wants to do/experience/learn ALL THE THINGS, as long I’m doing them with him and we’re a team. It’s exhausting. 🤣

Put the free spirit and thinker together and you’ve got trouble. Billie, when younger, loved to explore…WITHOUT US! We still to this day don’t know how she got on the roof of the shed….🤦‍♀️🤣

Where your dog fit in this?

In her book "Meet Your Dog," Kim Brophey describes four primary dog behavioral tendencies and motivations. They are:

1. The Socialite: Socialites are dogs who prioritize social interactions and seek connection with humans and other dogs. They thrive on attention, affection, and being part of a group. Socialites are often friendly, outgoing, and enjoy being in the company of others.

2. The Thinker: Thinkers are dogs who have a strong drive for problem-solving and mental stimulation. They are intelligent, curious, and enjoy engaging their minds. Thinkers often excel in training and learning new tasks. They require mental challenges and activities to keep them satisfied.

3. The Free Spirit: Free Spirits are dogs who value their independence and autonomy. They have a strong desire for exploration, freedom, and the ability to make their own choices. Free Spirits may be more aloof and less interested in constant social interaction. They enjoy having space and opportunities for independent exploration.

4. The Protector: Protectors are dogs who have a natural instinct to guard and protect their territory, family, or resources. They are vigilant, alert, and may display protective behaviors. Protectors are often loyal and dedicated to their family, but they may also be wary of strangers or unfamiliar situations.

It's important to note that these groups are not rigid categories, and individual dogs may exhibit traits from multiple groups. Brophey's approach aims to understand a dog's primary motivations and behavioral tendencies to better tailor training, enrichment, and overall care to their specific needs.

Which category does your canine align with the most?

https://www.caninedevelopmentandtesting.com/

02/11/2023

🤣🤣🤣 Who’s your fave?

I love the sheep and the ball pit…yes you heard me. Now go see what they look like! 😍

30/10/2023

“Some dogs can’t be fixed. And some dogs can’t be broken.” Oh my. 💔💔💔

27/10/2023

I’m on board with this.

Stop approaching unfamiliar dogs.

We're all guilty of this. Sometimes it's hard to resist an adorable dog. That said, there are plenty of dogs that do not like being approached by strangers. It's important that we take the dog's feelings into consideration. If we go up and do it and it makes us happy but it makes the dog unhappy, it's a bit selfish on our part.

If you want to meet a dog you see, consider asking, "Does your dog like meeting people?" This is way better than, "Can I say hi to your dog?" The latter doesn't consider how the dog feels about it. If you do get the "Yes" from the pet parent, watch the dog's body language as you invite them over to you. If you're not seeing clear, loose, wiggly body language then they may not be enjoying the interaction all that much and you should move along.

25/10/2023

"We went to puppy classes but...."

I hear this ALL THE TIME, usually followed up with something along the lines of:

🐾 .... he was so overwhelmed he hid under the chair
🐾 .... he barked the entire time
🐾 .... we spent more time outside than inside with the others
🐾 .... he was so fixated he couldn't learn
🐾 .... she hated one/two of the dogs there

As someone whose bread and butter of work is reactivity issues I am seeing an (understandable) pattern of puppies who didn't cope in puppy class growing up with issues around "reactivity".

Puppy class ISN'T good socialisation if your puppy is hiding under the chairs, getting targeted by the other puppies, or spending the time there barking at the other puppies/people.

If any of this is happening you need to QUIT going, immediately and seek help 1-1.

Puppy classes aren't for every puppy. They can be pretty overwhelming- so much going on around them, so many puppies will struggle to process it all. And that's BEFORE we are asking them to do particular activities.

Before signing up it is worth asking the question: "what happens if my puppy doesn't seem to be coping in the class?". Sitting away from the busy-ness can help but there is no rush to get them back into the crowd. We push so many of our puppies too far too fast.

A good puppy class will allow you to pull out altogether if your puppy is not coping. It's about the welfare of our puppies first and foremost. You're preparing them for the rest of their lives and trust me, their experience in puppy class makes a SIGNIFICANT difference.

Not all puppies belong in puppy classes 🐾💜

24/10/2023

I would pay for this! 🤣

Sign me up!

26/09/2023

Recalls, leash walking, or…nosework! Commitment is the thread that runs through all dog training. Without commitment, nothing will change or improve.

Commitment

Here’s the thing. There’s loads of different methods out there. My chosen method that’s worked well with approximately 10,000 dogs to date is positive reinforcement based with a strong emphasis on emotion and the science of behaviour. But whether you choose a trainer like me or a balanced trainer or a purely positive trainer or anyone, your training WILL NOT WORK unless you put the time in. This is an absolute fact regardless of method, technique or tool used.

It is really that simple. Time put in = results. That means every day.

I don’t mean you need to train your family pet for 28 hours a day but committing to training means just that. Doing SOMETHING daily. Even ten minutes.

I get compliments on my dogs behaviour almost daily whether at competition or when they are being demo dogs for me. They weren’t born that way. They didn’t magically become that way because I am a dog trainer. They are trained to be that way. They aren’t perfect by a long stretch because training is life long but they are trained enough for my lifestyle and to excel in their relevant sports.

People nowadays, more so than ever before, are searching for that magic wand. Videos on social media show dogs that have undergone magical transformations in minutes and these are simply fallacies. Yes, results can be seen in a short time but they require maintenance and progression. The magic wand does exist but it takes time and commitment from YOU. No one else can train your dog for you. No one else can practice lead walking for you. No one else can counter condition for you. No one else can proof recall for you and so on.

There is a simple formula for all training;
Management - meaning stopping your dog doing what you don’t want them to do. Long lines for dogs that run off. Distance from dogs they react to etc. This needs to be consistent.
Training - train the skills you need! Practice that recall. Practice that lead walking. Drill it. Work at it. This is the part that takes time! When your dog is ready, up the distractions. Move closer to the thing they used to aggress towards. This won’t work if you just practice an hour a week at class.
Maintenance - once the behaviour is ‘trained’ you will need to maintain it. Throw in a jackpot reward for a recall now and then to keep it fresh. Reward a check in to keep that attention there.

Regardless of method. Regardless of trainer. Regardless of your dog. Regardless of ANYTHING there is commitment needed from you as their owner. If you don’t commit and work at it, and if you don’t do the homework set by your trainer every day, you won’t progress and you will either bounce around between trainers spending a small fortune or eventually give in.

I know this is blunt. I know I sound like a school teacher who did a motivational speech webinar but everything I have said is true.

Commit to the training. Daily. For the life of the dog. It doesn’t matter how much money you spend or how many in person trainer sessions you do, you won’t progress unless you commit. Stop looking for quick fixes that require little to no effort from you. My best case studies are those that do their homework little and often and COMMIT to it. They are the ones that complete a behaviour course and move onto things like agility or rally.

Stop waiting for your dog to train itself. Stop looking at social media. Train your dog. Only you can do this.

📸 by Barkshot Studios

22/08/2023

Laughing/not laughing. ;)

19/08/2023

I have a retriever, so I’m going to say it’s more like 90%…🤣 And yes, sometimes what I’m fishing out of his mouth, is my arm. 🙀🐶

omg true! 😂

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