“Go, go, go!” And the went, went, went! …just not in the same direction! 😆
Another great day volunteering with RSPCA Westmorland Branch! How could a heart not be full with those eyes looking up at you!!! ❤️
A trustees meeting this morning and then the rest of the day spent playing with dogs …more news about them to follow! 🐕🐕🦺🦮
Did you know that the branch is looking for more volunteers!
Cat cuddlers 🐈 and dog walkers. 🦮
Getting animals to and from appointments. 🩺
Fundraising at events and branch HQ. ☕️
Helping with donations and in our shops. 👗👚🧥
Spotting treasure and advertising it online. 🖼️
➕ You may have a talent we didn’t even know we needed! 🤩
Please get in touch! 🤞🏻
Movement Patterns part 2Have a look at the previous post to see how and why we started this with noob #pollythewhippet …and an explanation of the Estonian word “Tubli”!This is Blink’s third ssssion. She quickly grasped moving to the other pot in anticipation of her reward and then in session two we gained some good distance. We’re confined to indoors today because it’s pouring down and Podencos are really Gremlins in disguise …they must not get wet! Here, we’ve introduced a cone (stool) for her to move around. Our aim is to gradually increase the distance between the pots and around the cone so that we can introduce some puzzles to travel on over and through! Im holding off saying her marker word “Tubli” until she starts to move past the centre.#gamechangerdogs #gamechangerdogtraining #blinkthepodenco #podencoibicenco #podencosofinstagram #ibizanhound #movementpatterns
Teaching Polly Estonian! “Tubli”! 😆Why? “Tubli” means ‘good, fine, ok’ …which happens to be what we mean but it doesn’t really matter what word we use, it’s just a unique word that isn’t used in other training. Why Estonian? No, it’s not a language I speak, but the trainer who coached me in Movement Patterns was Estonian. This is the start of Movement Patterns. In time we’ll increase the distance and then start to introduce obstacles. They’re great for mental and physical stimulation. It helps with body conditioning, enrichment and can help you identify and overcome struggles like a lack of confidence or potential injuries. No cues are given, the dog chooses to move from one tub to the other and the marker “Tubli” tells them that they’ve got it right and food will be waiting in their bowl.Follow along to see how these patterns progress …I’ll share a clip of Blink second session where she’s now moving around an obstacle later today.#gamechangerdogs #gamechangerdogtraining #dogtrainer #dogtraining #movementpatterns
Saying ‘No’ to your dog …and why it might not serve you well.
(This is training, it includes imperfections …because that’s normal!)
Yesterday evening was a chance to practise ‘Middle on the Move’ while waiting to meet the youngest. Blink has this nailed at home, but here we were at the Auction Mart, late so it was quiet enough but an unfamiliar place with some new distractions.
This is more of a challenge for Blink. She loves 💕Middle, but she’s a tall dog …moving literally keeps me on my toes 🩰 She’s popping out of Middle more than usual here. Why don’t I say 💬 ‘No’ when she gets things wrong?
I generally try and avoid ‘No’ altogether. I do use an interruption noise that’s got a positive association – when she’s heading to trouble, I say 🗯️ ‘Ah Ah’, and reward her for interacting back with me.
But let’s face it, her not staying in position here is mostly my fault! Pushing a step too far, doing something unexpected, moving that bit too quick. I want her to enjoy Middle and not find it punishing. Plus, what does ‘No’ actually tell her? ‘Wrong!’ …that’s it! It doesn’t show, or explain to her, what to do instead!
So, if she breaks position, I reset or I give her chance to come back into Middle. It’s her choice and the reward is there when she does it. I acknowledge it’s hard, then I might ask a little less of her (speed, distance, duration) and reward her in position more often.
If our dogs suddenly struggle doing something we know they can already do, they’re not being willful or disobedient. Something has made it more challenging than usual …an exciting environment, a distraction, unclear direction from us, tiredness or an unpleasant association.
Think about what you can do to make it easier for them to make the right choices …and with the right choices, there’ll be no need for 💬‘No’. 💕🐕
That was a wet one! Training as a ⛈storm started was always going to add to the challenge …but Ollie and his lovely (now soggy) people have made a great start!
Post #couchto5k run and someone’s still got plenty left in the tank! 😮💨 Show off! 🏃🏻 💕 🐕 😆
I took some video of our walk today because last week I caught Lottie on film having what looked to be a bit of a problem with her hips. Having a recording can be super helpful, especially if it’s something that’s unlikely to present in a consult at the vets. Fortunately, her vet has said it was likely just a twinge and to keep an eye on her.
And pleased to say all today’s videos show is dogs enjoying being dogs! Is there anything better?
#gamechangerdogs #getlottieleaner #offleadfreedom
We may not be at Crufts but we had our own lil competition in the woods …not sure the photo finish was necessary Blink! 🤣 💕 🐕
Go #gamechangergirls and #getlottieleaner!
🎄 Hope all your festive plans are on track! We’ve had a stretching couple of weeks …so we’re crashing into Christmas like Blink! 😆 💕 🐕
I heard Blink pressing her buttons from another room but when I came back through she went all coy! So, this is giving her time to articulate her thoughts. It feels like aaaages! But it's something you have to do as a teacher of kids too!
Resist the urge to 'fill the gap' by answering for them and presume competence!
...and yes, the batteries in the 💬'Play' button are getting a pasting! 😆 💕 💬 🐕
That's an assessment draft done, 'Picking your next dog - how understanding genetics can help!'
Still needs formatting, but then I might need a test audience! And don't worry, it's not just selecting the right puppy from a breeder ...still advocating for rescue dogs, so it covers all bases!
Might you be happy to see us Lottie!
She's joining the #GameChangerDogs for mission #getLottieleaner!
Gorgeous girl ...she'll be skipping over the (many, many) stiles in no time!
