Max loves his walks and he gets super excited, bouncing up and down whenever Dad goes to get his leash. This was his very first lesson and they both did an amazing job 🙌🏼
There's nothing flashy here. Training should be super boring to watch!! We're not setting Max up to fail so we can correct or punish the jumping.
What we are doing is making changes to the environment and the conditions so Max CAN be successful. And so far so good!
#dogtraining
#dogtrainingtips #japanesespitz
That Recall 👌🏼💨
Hazel cut her leg pretty badly about 2 weeks ago. That meant no off leash walks, no fetch or disc and worst of all... no swimming. Asking her to come back to me 25 feet from the water while she was at a full run was a very tall order and I really didn't expect her to be able to do it 💛
This didn't happen by accident though. We rehearsed this scenario hundreds of times. Not with food by the way but with a ball, a disc, a bumper. A more functional reward considering where we are and what we're doing. Teaching a reliable recall takes time, repetition, managing the environment and managing your expectations.
#dogtraining #goldenretriever #waterdog #dogtrainingtips #recall
🤸🏽♂️Play behaviour is so interesting and it can be hard to interpret sometimes.
Hank and Ella are trying to decide if they're going to play and if they do, what play style and intensity level. Ella's mounting is a way to entice Hank to play. His hackles indicate his excitement and arousal level.
Hank's barking usually gets a response from her so he tries that. Everything is very intentional. Yawning, turning away and bouncy movements are ways to lower intensity, encourage more interaction and prevent conflict.
Hazel has a hard time when other dogs are playing so she uses her to use a ball or toy to cope. Lucy avoids tension like the plague so she's minding her own business.
#dogtraining #dogtrainingtips #dogplay #dogbehaviour #oldeenglishbulldogge #bullybreeds
✅ Behaviour is functional.
Knowing how your dog is feeling makes all the difference in your training, and your everyday life. And the more you know about why they do the things they do, the better equipped you are to manage their behaviour and teach them the skills they need to navigate our world.
Hank's displaying several behaviours that, in this context, tells me he's not loving the loud voices. His posture, flicking his tongue, his ear placement, facial expression and of course, the urine marking.
Why do I care about all this? It's information for me to use the next time we find ourselves in a similar situation.
#dogtraining #dogtrainingtips #dogbehaviour #oldeenglishbulldogge #dogbheavior #dogbodylanguage #localdogtrainer #ilovedogs
Hank's 7 and he just learned that nail trim aren't that bad after all 💅🏼
Hank's a big, active guy and he has always worn his nails down really well. I haven't had to trim them since he was a puppy. But a few months ago he hurt himself and his exercise was reduced. His nails needed a little maintenance.
🛑 Agency and the ability to say no
💚 Taking as many breaks as he needs
🛑 No restraint at all
💚 Consistency
🛑 Distracting with food like lick mats or Kongs
💚 Patience, empathy and kindness
#fyp #dogtraining
#doggrooming #nailtrims #doggos #cooperativecaretraining #christinescanineconsulting #lovedogs #animalhusbandry #ilovemydog
📏 Management and supervision are non-negotiables in a multi-dog household. Leaving dogs to "figure it out" is so ridiculous and completey unfair. Not to mention dangerous.
🥊Conflict can range from mild to severe. Intervention is often needed to diffuse tension and help someone remove themselves from the situation peacefully.
🥩 Resource guarding or possession aggression are normal behaviours but can become a problem. Teaching a positive interrupter cue allows you to interrupt the behaviour without resorting to punishment which usually makes the problem worse.
🥣 We choose where and when our pets eat. The least we can do is make sure they can eat in peace without having to worry about housemates they didn't ask for, eyeballing their meals.
⛔ Every multi-dog household should have barriers, gates and other ways to give everyone space and keep them safe. Eating too close to another dog can trigger faster eating. That's a risk for choking, vomiting and bloat. Which if not treated quickly can be fatal.
🏷️
#dogtraining #dogtrainingtips
Imagine not having control over your own body. Who touches you, where they touch you, for how long they have their hands on you. I think as women we're especially sensitive to the idea of consent.
Dogs have long been considered property. Treated like teddy bears or robots that are supposed to let us do what we want, when we want it and just power down when they start to act too much like dogs.
Consent checks are one way that we can empower our dogs. Build confidence and trust in us that we hear them and understand what they're trying to communicate. We assume so much about what our dog's behaviour is telling us and we're wrong more often than not. Pausing petting is a really easy way to be respectful and get to know your dog as a dog.
I wasn't sure what Lucy wanted and it took 1:44 seconds for me to figure out what she was saying. Based on the conditions she wanted me to stay with her instead of moving to my usual spot on the couch. That's all. I assumed she wanted pets but right away it was a VERY clear EW! no thank you 😂 When I moved my hand away, she moved her head back but I realized after, that was just to see if I was leaving. She does push my hand at one point but decides pretty quickly it's still a no. In the end she decided I finally got the message and went to sleep 💕
It's a really big blow to find out your dog actually wants to be petted 85% less than you thought 🥺 But the more two way communication you develop, the more you understand about body language and behaviour, the better your relationship gets.
✨ Enrichment ✨ Transforming the training room into a sensory room. Even with this super simple set up my dogs spend about 20 minutes working. Setting up an area like this is a great way to meet needs in the winter because outside isn't always an option.
Tailor it to your dog's skill level and preferences. Not sure what your dog likes or what their skill level is? Start small and build as you learn more about how they work through the activities.
Big thanks to Penelope for *helping* me out 🐱
#canineenrichment #enrichmentfordogs #enrichment #dogthings #
Meal Enrichment should never be a frustrating experience but that's often the case with short muzzled dogs like mine 🐾
This slow feeder plate from LickiMat is the perfect balance between a boring bowl and more complicated options.
I'm totally using these for every meal. The Bulldogges thank you @lickimat ✨
#mealenrichment #canineenrichment #oldeenglishbulldogge #bullybreeds #bulldogs #lickimat #christinescanineconsulting #dogtraining #slowfeeder #puppyenrichment
Bath time doesn't have to be an awful experience 🛁 With Ella's allergies she needs regular baths and hrough cooperative care training, she not only willingly gets into the tub, she's an enthusiastic participant in the whole process.
#dogtraining #dogbath #trainhumane #midlandontario #christinescanineconsulting #positivereinforcementtraining #ilovemydog
Cooperative care training teaches animals to not only tolerate handling & husbandry tasks, but to be an active, willing participant in the process.
When we allow them to have choices and put them in control, stress and conflict is lowered. Making it a more enjoyable experience for both the humans and the animals.
Hazel came back from a very rainy walk and happily participated in the blow-dry 💛
#dogtraining #cooperativecaretraining #positivereinforcementtraining #trainhumane #midlandontario
Calming signals are language for dogs. They're vital to reduce tension, prevent conflict, to negotiate & to work cooperatively.
Face to face greetings & greetings on leash often prevent dogs from being able to efficiently communicate their intentions to each other.
Hazel is able to use calming signals to navigate interactions with strange dogs with ease & I'm always so proud of her 🧡
How we got here....
❤️ A great relationship
✅ Loose leash walking training
🐕My ability to recognize when she's uncomfortable
🤗 Providing support & guidance when she is
⛔ No on leash greetings
〰️ Using a long line
#calmingsignals
#positivereinforcement
#positivereinforcementtraining #doglanguage #dogwalking
It's so easy to label dogs as stubborn when they don't act in ways we think they should.
When they don't listen we get frustrated & even angry. We tell them they're bad, threaten to take away privileges & vow to pile on the punishment to get control over them.
But when you understand behaviour you realize that they are not stubborn or bad. What they are is stressed, uncomfortable, anxious & what they need is support & compassion 🩷
Ella's been dealing with vision problems which has led to her becoming anxious, hyper-vigilant & even aggressive with my other dogs. This walk was unexpectedly busy with too much stimuli. Her behaviour was a reflection of how she was feeling. Nothing more. Nothing less.
I did my best to make her feel better & got outta Dodge as soon as I could.
#oldeenglishbulldogge #dontbullymybreed #dogtraining #animalbehaviour #mydogiscutest #dogwalking #christinescanineconsulting
Can you tell when your dog is in pain? 🤕
Lucy had TPLO knee surgery in 2020 & x-rays showed she had hip dysplasia. Post rehab Lucy often refused walks, was tense around other dogs & wasn't interested in doing much.
Finding a pain regimen for her has improved her mood, activity level & reduced her reactivity toward other dogs but a LOT. She's back to running with Hazel, playing with Hank and Ella, and chasing the flirt pole 🧡
#painmanagement #oldeenglishbulldogge #dogtraining #caninehealth #tplosurgery
🐿️ Lucy's got some big feelings about the squirrels & she doesn't mind telling the neighbourhood all about it. Those big feelings are the reason she isn't able to come when called under these conditions. Under most other conditions her recall is👌🏻
#dogtraining #trainhumane #squirrel #dogsdoingthings
✨Canine Massage✨ There are so many health benefits to massage therapy for dogs beyond the release of muscle tension and pain relief.
And these quiet moments, deep sighs and trust are magical 🪄
#caninemassage #caninemassagetherapist #caninehealth #christinescanineconsulting
Walks can be complicated for so many dogs. When we stop trying to control, suppress or punish our dog's undesirable behaviour, and start to give them the ability to make choices, relationships improve, behaviour improves and training becomes more enjoyable. Walks can become conversations instead arguments when you learn how to communicate with your dog.
Lucy's able to make choices that make her feel safe.
I'm able to support and guide Lucy as needed in a positive way.
I'm able to reward the "good" choices she makes and learn from the "bad" ones.
We may take an hour to go 1/2km but if that's what she needs, and I'm here for it.
Interpreting behaviour and body language is tricky even for experts. I'd love to hear what behaviours you see and how you thins she's feeling in this video.
There's always time for training!! Ella & I tagged along with my husband to run some errands in Midland last Saturday.
We made 3 stops & spent 7-10 minutes working on her mat at each location.
I used high value food and made sure no one approached Ella.
I used body blocking when needed and chose spots that would ensure maximum success.
⛔ Just because an establishment is dog friendly does NOT mean you should take your dog inside unless they are ready.
✅ The goal is always success. Not seeing how far you can push the envelope! We spent a literal minute or 3 at each spot.
