🎃👻 6 Top Tips for Preparing Your Dog for Halloween Night! 🐶🕸️
1️⃣Comfort First – If you're dressing up your dog, make sure the costume is comfy and safe! Avoid anything too tight or with choking hazards. And more importantly, if your dog isn't used to wearing clothing already, leave the outfits at home and let them stay 'naked' 🦸♂️✨
2️⃣ Noise – Halloween can be noisy! Play calming music or creating a cosy space where your dog can relax away from the excitement is important 🎶🛋️
3️⃣ Tricks, not treats – Keep the sweets out of reach! Many Halloween treats are toxic to dogs. Make sure to stock up on healthy dog treats 🍬🐾
4️⃣ Walks – Take your dog for a walk before the trick-or-treaters come out, let them enjoy the calmness before it becomes too busy and overwhelming out there 🐕🌅
5️⃣ Watch the Door – If your dog gets anxious around visitors or startles at unpredictable noises, it may be worth leaving your sweets outside with a note asking people not to knock on. If your dog is ok with doorbells and visitors, then use a baby gate to keep them from running out of the door 🚪🐾 remember, the distraction levels will be very high so even if your dog hasn't darted out of the door with the post person, they might if there are tons of excitable kids on the other side!
6️⃣ Settle training - Between now and Halloween night, focus on practising calmness with your dog. Build the value of their bed or settle mat by placing treats on it whilst your dog is lying down and starting to relax. It's crucial that your dog has an area they can go to if it all gets a bit too much, where they can relax and not be disturbed 🛏️
Enjoy a spooky and safe Halloween! 🎃🐾
No training needed!! This is how you get your dog to walk on the lead without having to train them 🙌🏻
One of our key priorities when working with young dogs is the prevention of guarding behaviours! Resource guarding can develop quickly and have severe consequences, so here are three top tips to prevent it:
1. Teach a "Leave It" cue 🐾 Start early by teaching your dog to respond to the "leave it" cue. This helps them understand that giving up an item doesn’t mean losing it forever, but can lead to something even better! 🦴✨
2. Always trade for high-value items 🍖 When your dog has a high-value item, never just take it away. Instead, offer them something they value even more in exchange. This keeps the interaction positive and avoids tension over prized possessions. 🐕🤝
3. Never snatch items off a dog 🚫 Avoid grabbing things out of your dog's mouth unless they are dangerous. Snatching items can create a negative association with you approaching your dog, leading them to guard items they value. 🧦🍗
Larry had his first trip to a private dog area (the Dog Place, Cockerham) so he can have a run and play with his family without the worry of other dogs being around! He’s clearly having great fun!
Little Bali saw two dogs across the road and you see her ‘shake off’ here after spotting them. Doing a shake like this (it looks like she’s trying to shake off water) is a way of relieving stress, helping her feel better. Seeing her do this is an indicator that she wasn’t comfortable when the dogs appeared from around the corner. She then orientates towards me as we have practiced this so I am able to reassure her and help manage the situation with her, moving away if needed. She is not in full control due to the fact she has a lead on - so we work together and communication is key! As you can see, she’s happy to turn away from the other dogs and work with me while they pass. This ensures she isn’t barking, lunging or any other behaviours that often occur when a dog is on a lead and in an uncomfortable situation.
Watch your dogs body language, acknowledge what that means and listen to your dogs communication through their body to work together to help your dog feel safe, calm and happy 🐕
We're gonna miss you Chloe Rogerson ❤️🐾
We're so lucky to have had you as part of the team. You've grown into an amazing trainer and we feel privileged to have been part of your journey 🙌🏻
Good luck with your new venture! 🐾
