Proud behaviourist🤩🤩
Raf’s owner has been working hard on reading Raf’s body language to help understand fluctuations in his arousal level in high distraction areas (such as the park!).
What does this mean?
This means Raf’s behaviour can be managed early before larger reactions occur, and reinforced as the alternative behaviour for the long term.
Raf’s lead walking has always been great (the excess lead that trails on the floor has to be held to avoid falling over it!😆) and it’s safe to say he is progressing well with this too🤩
Reading body language and identifying subtle moments of arousal fluctuations is a skill that develops after lots of repetition and Raf’s owner is doing great with this✅
Well done!🤩🤩
Reminder: I do run online body language workshops to help develop this skill! This is for both dogs and cats too😎
#xlbully #behaviourchange #behaviourmanagement #dogbehaviour #dogbehaviourist #dogbodylanguage
Happy international dogs day!🐕
What do you love about dogs?🥰
I love how happy they are when they’re doing their favourite thing (even if it is not our favourite thing😆)…any of your dogs roll in animal poo?🤭
Enjoy the remainder of your bank holiday🤩
#internationaldogsday #lovedogs #dogsifinstagram #dogsoffacebook
Learning to watch things and be okay with not always going up to say hi, she’s acing it😊
This is something I will be teaching at my workshops tailored to each individual😎
#puppytraining #puppybehaviour #dogbehaviourist
“SOCIALISATION IS IMPORTANT”…this phrase gets thrown around a lot I’m sure you’ll agree!
It is important, but the “how” is the most important part.
You can socialise anything and know what’s happening, but how do you feel about it?
Here my partner is “socialising” our girl to the harness using prompts for her to pop her head in, experience the harness touching her, and then for the harness to come off.
Why are we building it up gradually? To go at a pace that will normalise this object to her and be predictable with a positive outcome.
I could just put it on her and see how she gets on with it, but I’m not going to as this can create a frustrating experience for her when this thing is clipped around her body and she can’t get it off unless I unclip it.
I am taking the time now to normalise her to the harness so in the long term I can say “harness” and she can put her head through and let me clip it up, which will be a “normal” object to her.
This will also create desirable perception of the harness, instead of fearful or frustrating one.
#socialisation #puppysocialisation #harnesssocialisation #emotionalperception #puppiesofinstagram
Teaching a new behaviour?
The first step is to get the behaviour you want before saying anything.
Why?
It can be a better learning experience and build a stronger association for animals to learn when each element to a behaviour are split up and then put all together.
How?
The most common ways are through:
Luring
Shaping
Capturing
Targeting
Some may interlink!
Using positive reinforcement (operant conditioning) and associative learning (classical conditioning).
Here I am starting to teach “touch”, following the ABC structure - Antecedent, Behaviour, Consequence. (Refer to one of my previous posts about ABC’s)
I present my hand as a target (A), I wait for a nose boop to my hand (B), and I then mark this “yes” followed by a treat (C).
There are many different approaches to training, I am sharing my knowledge and my approach to improve the learning and emotional experience for our animals.
#dogbehaviour #dogbehaviourist #dogsofinstagram #operantconditioning #classicalconditioning #learningexperience #emotionalexperience
Troubleshooting!
Knowing when to move onto the next step of training is one thing. Then figuring out what to do when the original plan doesn’t go the way you had thought it would, is another thing😅.
However it can be super easy to figure out when you’ve got a variety of ideas on hand.
Here I’m muzzle training and have achieved Raph moving his head towards it and putting his mouth in✅.
Next I wanted to build duration. For this I used the treat lure to help build duration (there are other ways too). As you can see I was starting to reinforce Raph for taking his mouth out of the muzzle (he’s rapid!!) and I wanted to keep the reinforcement for his mouth being in the muzzle.
As you can see Raph went around the muzzle booping it out of the way to reach the treat. I didn’t begin saying “No no!” I kept calm as I knew this was the next stage up.
We’re both learning what works in this situation, and increasing my energy most likely will increase his arousal levels which COULD cause unnecessary frustration and make the learning harder.
As you can see after a few repetitions and refining treat delivery through the muzzle we got to where I wanted😁.
The aim of this post is to show training isn’t plain sailing (which I’m sure I don’t need to tell you😆) and just because things do not go right first time, your training goal can still be achieved.
Also, if anyone can comment below how you can tell there’s a second dog before his ear comes into view, that will make my day🤣
#springerspaniel #springerdinger #springerspaniels #springerspanielsofinstagram #muzzletraining #muzzletraininginprogress #troubleshooting #dogsofinstagram #dogtraining #dogbehaviour
I look forward to this greeting each week❤️
#dachshund #dachshundsofinstagram #happydachshund #daxiesofinstagram #dogbehaviour
Knowing where to start with separation related training can be a minefield, especially with how much information is out there.
This beautiful girl has recently started her tailored desensitisation and counter conditioning plan to help her feel better being separate from her owner.
This has started with building in her relaxation training to small distances and these distances and durations will increase to build a healthy resilience to being separate.
Amazing!🤩
#dogbehaviour #dogtraining #separationtraining #desensitisation #dogsofinstagram #dogs
This amazing dude has been part of my life for six whole years❤️ he has taught me so much about dogs and to always have fun🤩
That wiggle butt and happy face always has and always will continue to brighten my day🥰
#springer #springerspaniel #springerspanielsofinstagram #spaniel #spanielsofinstagram #springerspanielworld
It’s okay to train and explore on your walks!
Having a combination of training and exploring on your dogs walk allows:
1. Your dog to use their amazing nose to become familiar with the environment and build confidence in new places.
2. Build engagement between you and your dog around distracting things.
3. Provides reinforcement for moments when you need your dogs attention for going in an alternative direction.
4. MOST IMPORTANTLY, letting them be a dog, explore, and have fun!
What’s your dogs favourite activity on a walk?
#dogwalk #dogwalking #looseleadwalking #dogsocial #dogbehaviour #havefunwithyourdog #enjoywalkswithyourdog
Check out this first attempt of loose lead walking!
I’d love to change the name to “safe lead walking” - this is the main reason I teach this!
I won’t be talking about how loose lead walking is taught as there is SO much information out there on what’s “right” and “wrong”.
Except I will briefly highlight some of the benefits to you and your dog:
1. Walking on narrow pavements/pathways next to roads that you cannot avoid ensures you have focus and safety of your dog - useful for when you’re on holiday and come across unfamiliar routes. (I am not suggesting you actively walk your dogs on narrow paths next to busy roads, that is unsafe).
2. Walking past dogs you cannot avoid. We have all been there when we come across a dog we cannot avoid, and when the options of walking back the way you have come, stepping to the side, or to create space are no longer available. This can help reduce the pressure of greeting another dog in close proximity too!
3. Crossing roads safely instead of being dragged along like you’re skiing or about to fall on your face. Safety crossing roads is so important!
Loose lead walking should not have this mass focus on “obedience” but rather safety and enjoyment between both of you.
#leadwalking #looseleadwalking #dogawareness #dogbehaviour #dogsofinstagram #positivereinforcement #germanshepherds #germanshepherdsofinstagram #germanshepherddog
