I’m so proud of these guys. It has taken 2.5yrs to get to a place where their dog is happy to interact with another, on and off lead.
She happily runs off lead with others, but equally pays no attention to dogs if they are unknown to her.
A balance of calm and friendly - not overbearing and rude. She has learned to read other dogs well and disengage when required.
For those who are struggling - remember this particular dog as taken 2.5yrs to get to this stage.
It won’t happen in a few weeks or even months in some cases.
It takes as long as it takes.
So pleased for you all and I’m
Glad Maggie is now living her best life!!
Why weekly classes are important.
2x spaces in 7:40pm - Weeton on a Monday
1x space 8:30pm - Weeton on a Monday
All other classes are now full 🐾🐾
💚💚 Keeva’s first KCI 💚💚
Home now from our ‘hobbi-day’ at KCI , By far the biggest show in our agility calendar, and one where I try to enjoy the challenges at this level 🤣🙈
Keeva has done a few shows between Easter and now, and we’ve worked on different things - this show was about our startline stays and our exit from the ring to the toy -
We have A lot more training to do for her agility, but her jumping is pretty good; just need to master consistency in the weaves as she gains her confidence.
Here’s Mist Combined 5-7 Win ❤️❤️❤️
Reality?
When we teach something new the reward needs to be high value and frequent, because we want that behaviour to be offered again.
In reality though we are not wanting the dog to be in some ridiculous obedience position through out their walk being delivered snacks that they will quickly disengage from… we want the dog to relax, mooch and enjoy their walk.. but maintain the loose lead - it’s a relationship between you and the dog!
So this is the next transition.
A dog being a dog. Interacting with their environment, generally enjoying themselves, but realising that the walk involves their human too!
Well done guys!!
Here’s our super Patterdale!
So, her guardian has done lots of toy work with her which has given her an appropriate and controlled outlet for her instincts - she knows when she is needed to ‘work’ and when she is ‘off duty’
Now the work on loose lead walking begins.
Position and reward. Position and reward.
Repeat repeat repeat
Then, add movement to position and then, reward!
⭐️ Star pupil baby Ella, showing us all how we begin to build duration on the boundary, and distance from mum! ⭐️
Such a quick learner for her first attempt at this !
As the weather is so depressing, I’m cheering myself up with Mists jumping run from the other weekend - when it WAS ☀️
Just so we don’t forget what the ☀️ looks like
Reactivity seminar
Thursday 20th June 6:30-8pm
Weeton Village Hall
☀️🚛🐕 Sun, Lorry’s and Dogs 🐕🚛☀️
As a trainer, of course training to be safe when out and learning to be a good doggy citizen is important (new classes available soon!) but how much training is too much?
My dogs walks are for them to be dogs. 85% of the time outdoors is them just being dogs - they Initiate play, greetings, games and often where they want to go and what they want to do. The more I watch the more I learn about body cues -and what they find rewarding.
Of course there are elements of training built into this. We will do some recalls and races, some sits and downs to begin a game, some ‘tuck ins’ to let cyclists pass etc, but the vast majority of the walk is then just being them.
Down time. Relaxing. Learning to switch off in the outside world. This is just as important as your training. Your dog should be happy to be unemployed!
🥳🥳 Loose lead walking 🤩🤩
These guys came to my workshop a few weeks back now, and look at the progress made!
This wee doggy has a really high prey drive, making loose lead walking a really test of impulse control… but 👀 a beautiful relaxed pace enjoying the countryside together
Well done guys 😎😎
Pairs with baby Keeva
In pairs it’s the fastest and cleanest run with you and a friend
Here’s little Keeva having a go with our good friend Anne Pratt and Holly. Keeva clearly thought there were not enough opportunities for tunnels, so bagged an extra one early doors 🙈🤣
One of our agility runs ❤️
Had a wonderful weekend playing at our hobby!
My dogs all work so hard for me - but I have lots still to work on for them!
Training plan in progress!!
Safe spaces to practice? I love a car park 🤣🤣
You may have read the post about the GSD yesterday, this is such a transformation.
People, noises, movement everything that would have once triggered this dog way over threshold he now looks, and disengages and continues sniffing.
☑️Loose lead so no tension
☑️Gathering information on his environment
☑️Sniffing to increase calm and reduce hyper vigilance
☑️loose lead enables choice and promotes confidence
So proud of these guys!
I cannot believe this is the same dog. 🤩🤩
So I met this dude as a puppy and he was quite and anxious little man. He would back away and bark at almost everything … his dedicated guardians followed all the guidance offered on building confidence by rewarding calm responses in novel situations and rewarding calm behaviours as much as possible.
We did loads of desensitisation to EVERYTHING in the garden, in class, on walks etc etc
As he grew and continued to develop through fear phases his size made it almost impossible for him to be walked safely down the street.
He was still an anxious baby… but his sheer size, power and huge bark made him an intimidating prospect - which made his socialisation harder as people were not so keen to approach. This reaffirmed for him that barking and lunging makes scary things go away.
As taking him out was a daunting prospect his world shrunk and his fear grew.
So on went the training … late night walks, adding distance, reward markers, heel work and using the head collar for saftey, mum was able now to take him out.
As his exposure to the world bow started to increase, training resumed - these guys have worked tirelessly.
I’ve not seen them for a few months now.. and I genuinely could not believe this was the same dog.
I asked if they had done something else, or something in addition to what we had been working on all those months ago, the reply was simply “just patience and consistency with the training”
So so so proud of you guys.
It is possible. We CAN get there.
Some video from classes on Tuesday
Our first session is all about building confidence and creating little optimists!
Reward curiosity towards novelty 🤩🤩
We are a couple of months in with our 121s now.
We’ve worked through a lot of different issues, as it isn’t always the main issue that needs the focus - sometimes there are lots of little things that create a bigger more visual behaviour that draws our focus… anyway, we are now beginning to work on the ‘main’ issue.
These two friends have not walked together since their dogs reached adolescence- they live a few doors apart, and this is the FIRST walk they have done in over a year!!!
I’m so pleased when the training actually means you can do what you wanted to in the beginning - to go for a walk with a friend.
This was such a wonderful moment. Something that can now become the norm and be repeated 🙏🙏
So simple - to take a walk with a friend - yet impossible until today! 🤩🤩🤩
