Doctor Loulittle Dog Training

No matter what season your puppy is born in, it's really important to expose them to different stimuli that they'll experience throughout the year. Today, we're taking advantage of the thunder and the rain and we've opened up the patio doors and have popped Tara into her pen with a chew. She's wandering in and out of the rain, and has decided to settle on her mat, enjoying her snack and listening to the thunder and the rain, just like us. Thanks for the chew @vikingdogs.petshop ♥️ --- 🇪🇸 No importa en qué estación del año nazca tu cachorro, es muy importante exponerlo a diferentes estímulos que experimentará a lo largo del año. Hoy estamos aprovechando el trueno y la lluvia: hemos abierto las puertas del patio y hemos colocado a Tara en su parque con un mordedor. Ella entra y sale de la lluvia y ha decidido acomodarse en su manta, disfrutando de su snack y escuchando los truenos y la lluvia, igual que nosotros. Gracias por el mordedor @vikingdogs.petshop ♥️

Ellie's been up since 5:30am, after a night of not sleeping, so naturally I haven't got much energy for training or playing right now 😪 If Ellie's up, Tara's up too. Normally in the mornings when she wakes, we pop her in the garden while Ellie has her breakfast and potters around, but this morning we've got torrential rain and thunderstorms, so obviously that's not ideal. If I let her loose in the living room, she'll jump up on Ellie and potentially bite and scratch her, so that's definitely not ideal either. She's not calm enough to put in the pen and I don't want to encourage any attention barking, so instead we've gone for Plan B: tethering. I've got Tara on-leash with a few chews (beef scalp, toys and a frozen carrot) so she can be with us, but hasn't got free-range of the living room, so the only option she really has is to chill out and chew. She's had a run around, we've played, she's had her breakfast, and now she's laying at our feet while we watch Bluey and listen to the thunderstorm (which, she's not at all bothered by ⛈️ 💪🏻) Tethering can also be a great help with potty training as well as training your puppy to settle, as they can't get up for a pee or a poo without you noticing, so you can take them outside straight away when they need to go. 💩 ____ 🇪🇸 Ellie ha estado despierta desde las 5:30h después de una noche sin dormir, así que obviamente no tengo mucha energía para entrenar o jugar en este momento 😪 Si Ellie está despierta, Tara también lo está. Normalmente, por las mañanas, cuando Tara se despierta, la sacamos al jardín mientras Ellie desayuna y se entretiene, pero esta mañana tenemos lluvia torrencial y tormentas, así que obviamente no es lo ideal. Si dejo a Tara suelta en en salón, saltará sobre Ellie y posiblemente la morderá o rasguñará, así que eso definitivamente tampoco es ideal. No está lo suficientemente tranquila como para ponerla en el corral y no quiero fomentar los ladridos por atenc

Very proud mama moment yesterday ♥️ We took Tara out for a coffee, and as soon as we sat down, Fí asked me if she could do some work with her. She wanted to work on her automatic sit, on keeping her focus on her while other people walked past, and on getting her to walk with her on a loose leash. I didn't tell her what to do, I let her figure it out on her own, and she did pretty well! 😁 She only turned 6 a couple of weeks ago... When I grow up I want to be just like her! ----- 🇪🇸 Momento de mamá muy orgullosa ayer ♥️ Llevamos a Tara a tomar un café, y tan pronto como nos sentamos, Fí me pidió si podía hacer un poco de trabajo con ella. Quería trabajar en que se sentara automáticamente, en que mantuviera su enfoque en ella mientras otras personas pasaban cerca, y en que caminara con una correa floja. No le dije qué hacer, la dejé resolverlo por sí misma, ¡y lo hizo bastante bien! 😁 Apenas cumplió 6 años hace un par de semanas... ¡De mayor, quiero ser como ella!

Re-uploading because Instagram cut off the end of the video earlier 🤦🏻‍♀️ A sneaky peek at our puppy pen and the current setup that works best for us 🐶 Is there anything else you'd add for someone with their first puppy? ----- 🇪🇸 Subiendo de nuevo porque Instagram cortó el final del video antes 🤦🏻‍♀️ Un vistazo furtivo a nuestro corralito para cachorros y la disposición actual que mejor nos funciona 🐶 ¿Hay algo más que añadirías para alguien que tiene su primer cachorro? #puppypen #puppytraining

Play is more than just fun – it's a powerful way to strengthen the bond between you and your puppy. Through games like chase and tug, you build trust, encourage engagement, and create a positive relationship. These interactive games are perfect for teaching valuable skills, such as impulse control and confidence. For example, during a game of tug, you can ask your puppy to "drop" the toy. Then, wait for them to sit calmly before continuing the game. This teaches them patience and focus, all while keeping the game enjoyable. Regular play not only exercises your pup but also enriches your connection, making training more effective and your relationship stronger. ----- 🇪🇸 Jugar es más que solo diversión: es una manera poderosa de fortalecer el vínculo entre tú y tu cachorro. A través de juegos como correr y tirar, construyes confianza, fomentas la participación y creas una relación positiva. Estos juegos interactivos son perfectos para enseñar habilidades valiosas, como el control de impulsos y la confianza. Por ejemplo, durante un juego de tirar, puedes pedirle a tu cachorro que "suelte" el juguete. Luego, espera a que se siente tranquilamente antes de continuar con el juego. Esto les enseña paciencia y concentración, mientras mantienen el juego divertido. El juego regular no solo ejercita a tu cachorro, sino que también enriquece su conexión, haciendo que el entrenamiento sea más efectivo y su relación más fuerte. #thepowerofplay #puppytraining

Raising a well-behaved puppy starts with one simple rule: whatever gets reinforced gets repeated! 💪🏻 This goes for both good and bad behaviors, so it's crucial to prevent unwanted habits before they form. Today, I'm working with Tara on one of the big ones: counter-surfing and food stealing. To stop this habit before it starts, I only allow Tara in the kitchen when she's supervised. This way, she never has the chance to explore the countertops. But it’s not just about what you *don’t* want them to do—think about what you *do* want! For Tara, I'm reinforcing her sitting calmly nearby while I cook. If you'd prefer your puppy to lie down or go to their bed instead, you can reinforce that behavior too. In this video, I waited for Tara to offer the sitting behavior on her own and then rewarded it with a smidgen of cheese. ----- 🇪🇸 Criar a un cachorro bien educado comienza con una regla simple: ¡lo que se refuerza, se repite! 💪🏻 Esto aplica tanto para los comportamientos buenos como para los malos, por lo que es crucial prevenir los hábitos no deseados antes de que se formen. Hoy estoy trabajando con Tara en uno de los grandes: subirse a la encimera y robar comida. Para evitar que este hábito se desarrolle, solo permito que Tara esté en la cocina cuando está supervisada. De esta manera, nunca tiene la oportunidad de explorar las encimeras. Pero no se trata solo de lo que *no* quieres que hagan—¡piensa en lo que *sí* quieres! En el caso de Tara, refuerzo que se siente tranquilamente cerca de mí mientras cocino. Si prefieres que tu cachorro se tumbe o vaya a su cama, también puedes reforzar ese comportamiento. En este video, esperé a que Tara ofreciera el comportamiento de sentarse por sí misma y luego la recompensé con un poquito de queso.

Trying to get some work done with this little panther and her obnoxious butthole.

I am OBSESSED with this puppy! 😍♥️ I really really hope that whoever adopts her takes advantage of her willingness to work. She's only 8 weeks old but she's got so much motivation and her focus is fantastic. At this stage I'm just playing with luring and building muscle memory. I haven't added any verbal cues yet. My goal is to teach her to enjoy training through play, and to get her thinking and figuring things out. I'll need to put a mat down for the next session though because she constantly has wet paws from splashing in the water bowl 🤣 I've been working with Cailín on a Detection course with @unodedogs and started playing with some of the exercises with Tara too. It'd be amazing if her new family were interested in continuing with her training! 😍 ----- 🇪🇸 ¡Estoy OBSESIONADA con esta cachorrita! 😍♥️ Realmente espero que quien la adopte aproveche su disposición para trabajar. Solo tiene 8 semanas, pero está muy motivada y su enfoque es fantástico. En esta etapa solo estoy jugando con guía con comida y construyendo memoria muscular. Aún no he añadido ninguna señal verbal. Mi objetivo es enseñarle a disfrutar del entrenamiento a través del juego y a que piense y resuelva problemas. Para la próxima sesión, necesitaré poner una alfombra porque siempre tiene las patas mojadas de salpicar en el cuenco de agua 🤣 He estado trabajando con Cailín en un curso de detección con @unodedogs y he empezado a probar algunos de los ejercicios con Tara también. ¡Sería increíble si su nueva familia estuviera interesada en continuar con su entrenamiento! 😍

Fí tried playing with Tara earlier, and she turned into a little bit of a land shark. Shorts and scratchy / bitey puppies aren't a great combo, so I suggested that she played with her using a toy, instead of getting her to chase her legs 🦈 She was so pleased with the results that she wanted to make a video to help anyone else who might be struggling with the same problem 😁 At the end, she stops and trades Tara the toy for a treat. We haven't put it on cue yet, but it's the first step to teaching "drop". ----- 🇪🇸 Esta tarde cuando Fí intentaba jugar con Tara, se convirtió en una especie de tiburón terrestre. Los shorts y los cachorros que rascan/muerden no son una gran combinación, así que le sugerí que jugara con ella usando un juguete, en lugar de hacer que persiguiera sus piernas 🦈 Estaba tan contenta con los resultados que quiso hacer un video para ayudar a cualquiera que pudiera estar teniendo el mismo problema 😁 Al final, ella se detiene y le cambia el juguete a Tara por un premio. Aún no lo hemos asociado a una orden verbal, pero es el primer paso para enseñarle a "soltar".

Mental enrichment doesn't have to be complicated! The simpler the better... This toilet roll has kept Tara entertained for the last 15 minutes, and she's still going! ----- 🇪🇸 ¡El enriquecimiento mental no tiene que ser complicado! Cuanto más simple, mejor... Este rollo de papel higiénico ha mantenido a Tara entretenida durante los últimos 15 minutos, ¡y sigue así! #puppytraining #canineenrichment

Today, I introduced Tara to her first nail trim. After a play session and some training, she was mentally tired and ready to relax—ideal for a stress-free first trim. I used fuss and touch as rewards because for her at this age, touch and contact are powerful reinforcers, more so than food. This approach helps her feel secure and comfortable during grooming. For an older dog, I'd probably use food, and would teach them that each clip = a treat. I didn't restrain her and at any point she could have moved away, but she chose to stay with me, and even fell asleep on my lap towards the end. Slow, gentle, and positive—setting Tara up for a lifetime of stress-free nail care. 🐾✂️ ----- 🇪🇸 Hoy, le presenté a Tara su primer corte de uñas. Después de una sesión de juego y algo de entrenamiento, estaba mentalmente cansada y lista para relajarse, el momento ideal para un primer corte sin estrés. Usé caricias y contacto como refuerzos porque, para ella a esta edad, el tacto y el contacto son reforzadores poderosos, más que la comida. Este enfoque la ayuda a sentirse segura y cómoda durante el aseo. Para un perro mayor, probablemente usaría comida y le enseñaría que cada corte = un premio. No la restrinjo y en cualquier momento ella podría haberse alejado, pero eligió quedarse conmigo, e incluso se quedó dormida en mi regazo hacia el final. Lento, suave y positivo, preparando a Tara para una vida de cuidado de uñas sin estrés. 🐾✂️

These two snuggled up on my lap together watching Bluey ♥️ Ellie keeps checking in with him, I'd love to know what secrets they're sharing. He's always been the girls' furry confidante and a constant tangerine blur in the back of every memory. His purr is the soundtrack to their childhood. ----- 🇪🇸 Estos dos se acurrucan juntos en mi regazo viendo Bluey ♥️ Ellie sigue pendiente de él, me encantaría saber qué secretos están compartiendo. Siempre ha sido el confidente peludo de las niñas y una constante mancha naranja en el fondo de cada recuerdo. Su ronroneo es la banda sonora de su infancia.

This little one is such a quick learner ♥️ Last night she slept in the crate beside my bed, and only needed to go out once for a pee at 4am. The first night she was with us, she struggled to settle unless I was touching her, so that's a huge improvement. Today is day 3, and she hasn't had a single accident in the house 💪🏻 When she's not supervised, she's in her puppy pen. It means that she doesn't have an opportunity to pee anywhere that I don't want her too. I'm also taking her out for tactical wees, so once she wakes up, after playing, after eating, and before putting her back in the pen. She's really clean and hasn't toileted in the pen at all. Rather than focusing on times to create a routine, I rely on blocks of activities. When she wakes up, she goes out to the toilet and explores a bit, then we have a play and do some really basic manners training, then she gets fed and has a cuddle and a chew before going back to sleep. This way I know that all of her needs have been met before she goes back in the pen, and she's ready to sleep. Think of it like filling up your Sims bar! Once all of the bars are full, then she can settle. I've also been working on "sit to say please" (automatic sits / manding) when she wants something, and she's caught on really quickly. This is going to be especially important around the girls to avoid her jumping up and grabbing things from them. ----- 🇪🇸 (En español en los comentarios)

So... I've got a new foster home... But now I need a name. Any suggestions? ♥️ ----- Bueno... Ya tengo una casa de acogida... Pero ahora necesito un nombre. ¿Alguna sugerencia? ♥️

Controversial subject! Rehoming animals... I'm the first to say that getting an animal is a *huge* responsibility and undertaking, and it should never be done on a whim. However, life sometimes throws us a massive curve ball, and I do believe that rehoming an animal can often be in their best interests. If you adopt a dog and weren't told that they had separation anxiety, and you work long hours, would it not be better for the dog to live with someone who works from home and can dedicate the time to working with them? If a dog is terrified living in a city environment, and you can find them another family who lives in the country, is that not a kinder option? In the example that I give in the video, the best outcome for him would be to find someone who can dedicate him the time and care that he needs. Long walks that he can enjoy, and training to help him to feel more confident in his surroundings. This family can't give it to him, but maybe someone else can. As with anything in the world of dogs, there are no black and white answers, but I'd love to hear your thoughts... My attitude is, if you can help the animal who is looking for a home to find a better situation, then fantastic. Otherwise, just keep scrolling and be kind ♥️ Remember, we never know what the person at the other end of the screen is dealing with. ----- 🇪🇸 ¡Tema controvertido! Buscar un nuevo hogar para los animales... Soy la primera en decir que conseguir un animal es una responsabilidad y compromiso *enorme*, y nunca debe hacerse de manera impulsiva. Sin embargo, a veces la vida nos lanza una gran curva, y creo que dar en adopción a un animal a menudo puede ser en su mejor interés. Si adoptas un perro y no te dijeron que tenía ansiedad por separación, y trabajas muchas horas, ¿no sería mejor para el perro vivir con alguien que trabaja desde casa y puede dedicar tiempo a trabajar con él? Si un perro está aterrorizado de vivir en un entorno urbano, y puedes encontrarl

#proudmamamoment I love watching Fí and her interactions with animals. When we visited Astorga the other day, I told her she could ride her bareback for a minute, but that was enough. She was happy to hop down, and just to "be" with her. She spent ages pampering and grooming her, and whilst @ballatcumcanibus and I were talking, she started "training" Astorga with a recall game. She would call her, wait for her to catch up, then drop a treat on the ground. She told me that she was dropping the treats so that Astorga had to look for them and it would be more fun for her. I haven't taught her that game with a horse, or even with a dog. She wanted to find a way to interact with "her" horse, and invented a game that they could play together, and that they could both benefit from. Sometimes I think we need to stop overthinking things, and we just need to be more Fí. We need to spend time together, we need to play, we need to connect, and often this is what's missing when we work with animals. From now on, I'm going to set myself a challenge. 5-5. 5 minutes of playing like a 5-year-old per day ☺️♥️ ----- 🇪🇸 #MomentodeMamáOrgullosa Me encanta ver a Fí y sus interacciones con los animales. Cuando visitamos Astorga el otro día, le dije que podía montarla sin silla por un minuto, pero fue suficiente. Estaba feliz de bajar y simplemente "estar" con ella. Pasó mucho tiempo mimándola y acicalándola, y mientras @ballatcumcanibus y yo estábamos hablando, ella comenzó a "entrenar" a Astorga con un juego de llamada. La llamaba, esperaba a que alcanzara, y luego dejaba caer un premio al suelo. Me dijo que estaba dejando caer los premios para que Astorga tuviera que buscarlos y fuera más divertido para ella. No le enseñé ese juego ni a un caballo ni a un perro. Ella quería encontrar una forma de interactuar con "su" caballo, e inventó un juego en el que podían jugar juntas y del que ambas podían beneficiarse. A veces pienso que debemos dejar

"You're my dog. Sure, I do things for you, but you get me through my day. You protect the yard, the house, heck the whole neighborhood! You are my pet... But you're also my best friend." You're 9. 9 years since the day you were born. 9 years since the day you were destined to become my best friend. You're a "senior" dog. I look at other 9 year old dogs, and I think, "That can't be right, you're nothing like them." They're old, and you can't be. I keep telling myself you're still a puppy, you've still got teenage madness... But I do see you slowing down. You're quieter now. I would have given anything for that a few years ago, but I wish I could give it back now. You still want to play all the time, but our sessions are shorter, you ask for more breaks. Someone else mightn't notice these things, but I do. Your bloods are good, your hips are good, but there's are clouds in your eyes that weren't there before. You react a little slower. Some days you'd rather stay in Fí's bed and wait for her to come home rather than climbing the extra set of stairs to the attic. That's ok, you take your time. We've got all the time in the world. For now. Thank you for being my best friend and the best teacher I've ever had. Thank you for taking care of my girls, and for loving them as much as they love you. Some day, you'll be a memory, a constant in their happy flashbacks. So, for now, let's make more, let's play, let's cuddle, let's work, and let's just be ♥️ ----- 🇪🇸 "Eres mi perra. Claro, hago cosas por ti, pero me acompañas en mi día a día. ¡Proteges el patio, la casa, incluso todo el vecindario! Eres mi mascota... Pero también eres mi mejor amiga." Tienes 9 años. 9 años desde el día en que naciste. 9 años desde el día en que estabas destinada a convertirte en mi mejor amiga. Eres una perra "mayor". Veo a otras perros de 9 años y pienso: "Eso no puede ser correcto, no te pareces en nada a ellos". Ellos son viejos, y tú no puedes serlo. Si

The girls' dinners tonight 🍖 Beef menu from @cadarma_naturalfood , scrambled eggs and salmon oil with a sprinkling of kelp... In a @papajohns_es pizza box 🍕 I've got two very happy doggies 🐶🐶

I spent half an hour this evening working on splitting Cailín's cords. Jack came home and spotted the difference straight away. Ellie just filled her with spaghetti so now I need to spend the evening pulling it out of her hair 🤦🏻‍♀️🍝

Creating a safe haven for our little explorers and furry friends is crucial. Ellie has only ever interacted with our animals when supervised, so these interactions are all she knows. 🌟 When it comes to toddlers and pets, management and modeling behavior are the way to go. Accidents can happen in the blink of an eye, and toddlers haven't yet developed the impulse control skills they need to take care around animals- we can't expect them to act a certain way when their brains haven't developed those abilities yet. 🚧 **Management Matters**: Invest in baby gates, play pens, and crates to create secure zones to keep kids and animals separated when unsupervised. If they can't reach the animal without supervision, accidents are rare. Safety first, always! You wouldn't leave a toddler unsupervised near an unsecured pool or a fireplace, so it's important to take the same care around dogs. 👶🏽 **Modeling Behavior**: It's important to show our kids how to appropriately interact with animals, bearing in mind that they are little sponges. They copy everything we do. Put your hands on top of theirs and guide their movements. If they try to grab fur, teach them to stroke with the back of their hands. Once they're old enough, teach them to ask for permission before stroking, then pet pet pause. This means, stroke a couple of times and then pause to see if the animal continues seeking interaction. If they move away, let them go. 👉 **Our Own Interactions Matter**: It's not just about teaching the dogs. Our interactions matter too. Just because our family dog tolerates kisses doesn't mean every pup does. Remind little ones that not all furry friends appreciate face-to-face encounters. A study from 2013 showed that the majority of dog bites occurred in children 5 years of age or younger (68.0%). Almost all (89.8%) of the dogs were known to the children. When circumstances surrounding the bite were documented, over half (53.2%) of the cases were provoked. 🐾