‼️ Life Saving Skill All Dogs Should Know‼️
The Emergency Stop ✋
Being able to stop your dog on cue is a skill that could literally save their life one day!
Let’s say your dog makes a dash from the park towards the road chasing a squirrel, you need your dog to stop before they get hit by a car. Or maybe they are recalling back to you and something is about to cross in front of their path, again you need them to stop before they crash into the bike/child/etc.
So how do I teach this essential skill?
1. First practice throwing a piece of food BEHIND your dog when they’re standing a few feet away from you.
2. Once your aim is sorted, you can introduce the verbal and hand signal at the same time. Say STOP and hold your hand up 🙋♀️ then immediately throw the food behind them.
3. Gradually increase the time between saying Stop and throwing the food to see if your dog is expecting the food to be thrown. If they start walking towards you during the pause go back a stage.
4. Gently encourage your dog towards you (don’t use your recall cue at this point) and as they take a few steps say Stop, pause to see if they stand still and then you throw the food.
5. Increase the distance between you and your dog and practice stopping them at random points. Introduce distractions and vary the location that you practice in.
Have you taught an Emergency Stop? Let me know in the comments ⬇️
#marketharboroughdogtrainer #dogtrainer #reactivedog #dogtraining
#marketharborough #dogtrainingtips #emergencystop #dogsofinsta #positivereinforcement
🤦♀️ Does your dog do this?! 🤦♀️
If you spend the end of your walks chasing your dog in circles because they bounce away each time you try to get hold of them you need to try this game!
Teaching a collar (or harness) grab is super simple and will make life so much easier 🙌
Take hold of their collar, use a marker such as Good or Yes, then feed a treat. Do this multiple times in short sessions, both stationary and on the move.
If your dog is sensitive around their collar being touched you might want to start with just reaching towards that area instead of physically holding on, build up gradually as your dog becomes more comfortable.
Eventually your outstretched hand will become a visual cue for your dog to offer their collar to be held!
No more playing keep away! No more fly-by’s!
Like and follow for more tips ❤️
#dogtraining #dogtrainer #marketharborough #dogtrainingtips #dogtrainingadvice #dogtraininghelp #collargrabgame #positivereinforcement #recalltraining #recall
🚨 Common Reactivity Mistakes 🚨
Number 3 not doing decompression days.
Everyone needs a break now and then, including our dogs.
Decompression days might look different for everyone, but in general it’s a day of not being around triggers to let their stress levels return to baseline.
They could include:
✅ No walks - Enrichment or Duvet Day
✅ Secure Field
✅ Quiet walking locations
I encourage my clients to have a decompression day if their dog has a stressful walk or big reaction or if they know there is an upcoming event that could be stressful then taking a decompression day beforehand will benefit them.
Let me know in the comments if you take decompression days and what your dog loves to do on these days.
#reactivedog #reactivedogs #reactivedogtraining #reactivedogtips #reactivedogsaregooddogstoo #dogtrainer #dogtraining #marketharborough #decompressionday #enrichment #securefields #acefreework
🚨 Common Mistakes With Reactive Dogs 🚨
Distraction is not the cure!
Do I use food for reactivity training? Yes I absolutely do! But we are not distracting the dogs, we are changing their emotional response to the trigger.
Your dog must see the trigger before the food appears so that the scary thing predicts the good thing (food). Not the other way round.
If you’re keeping your dogs attention away from the trigger with food and suddenly they spot the trigger as they’re passing you’re more likely to get a reaction because they’ve appeared out of the blue and are within your dogs reaction distance.
Finally, if you’re using distraction and your dog never sees their trigger you’re not actually working on the issue!
Need help with your reactive dog? Drop me a message and we can chat through your situation.
#reactivedog #reactivedogtrainingtips #reactivedogsofinstagram #reactivedogsaregooddogstoo #dogtraining #dogtrainer #dogtrainingtips #marketharborough #reactivedogtraining
🚨 Common Mistakes With Reactive Dogs 🚨
Making their dog sit while the trigger goes past!
This is so common but really doesn’t help your dog.
If something potentially scary is coming towards you and you’re made to stay still and being restrained on a tight lead (which they often are), your stress levels are going to sky rocket. Because you can’t get to safety you’re more likely to be defensive and lash out to keep the scary thing away.
If you want to know what to do instead of this, drop me a DM!
#reactivedogtrainingtips #reactivedog #reactivitytraining #commonmistakes #dogtrainer #dogtraining #dogtrainingtips #reactivedogsaregooddogstoo #positivereinforcement
My reactivity client’s benefit from monthly group sessions in various locations to practice their skills
Tonight Pimms and Cybi smashed their walk together. Zero barking. Lots of focus. Distance decreased nicely. 🙌
They’ve never met before, it was a new location for Pimms, there was a lot going on in the area, and it was super windy.
All done without prong/choke/shock collars, without yanking the lead, without shouting at them. Just positive reinforcement and understanding of their dogs 🐶
#reactivedog #reactivedogtrainingtips #reactivedogtraining #reactivedogsaregooddogstoo #dogtraining #dogtrainer #marketharborough #positivereinforcement
🐾 Simple game to stop pulling on the lead 🐾
🐶 Have your dog on a longline or lead longer than 6ft and plenty of easy to eat, high value treats.
🐶 Roll a treat behind you making sure it doesn’t go further than the length of your lead
🐶 Wait for your dog to eat the treat and then as they turn towards you walk forwards with them
🐶 Once they reach your side mark with a “Good” and roll another treat behind you
🐶 Repeat this and increase the number of steps you take with your dog by your side before rolling the treat
🐶 Finish the game by rewarding your dog in position by your side
Superbly named the Reverse Yo-Yo by @thedogtrainerschool 🙌
#Dogtraining #dogtrainer #dogtrainingtips #looseleadwalking #positivereinforcement #looseleadhack #marketharborough #dogsofinsta
🐶 Holidaying with my reactive dog 🐶
Going on holiday with a dog who struggles around other dogs or people can be a daunting task. Holidays are meant to be relaxing so being on edge all of the time wondering what trigger will appear next is just exhausting!
I love going away with Tom, mainly because I am very picky about where we go and plan things so I know we will both be able to chill out.
Some of the things I look for are:
🏡 Self catered whole property dwellings - e.g not a B&B or hotel!
🌳 Secure garden with 6ft fencing
🐾 “Off the beaten track” type walks from the door or short drive away
🛌 Dogs allowed on the furniture and beds
🌲 Huge bonus if they have secure private land for dog use too
🐕 This year I’ve also had to make sure exempt dogs are allowed and that they have muzzle/lead free areas
We’ve had the most amazing week away at Dogs Love Holidays with Tom’s best friend @cybi_cyprus_rescue and I am so proud of both doggos for adapting to living together for the first time!
#reactivedogs #reactivedog #reactivedogholidays #dogtraining #reactivedogtraining #dogholiday #dogsloveholidays #reactivedogsaregooddogstoo #exemptdog #endbsl #bullybreed #breedspecificlegislation
Harnesses make dogs pull?!
So many people, trainers included, will tell you that harnesses make dogs pull.
I guess mine and all of my clients are just faulty then 🙈
Does anyone else have a faulty harness?
#dogtrainer #dogtraining #positivereinforcement #forcefreetraining #reactivedog
Does your dog struggle at the vets? Do they hate being handled? Would you like to easily be able to trim nails, give ear/eye drops and make vet visits less stressful for them?
You need to teach them co-operative care skills!
Co-operative care essentially means that your dog is consenting to the treatment and they have full choice when they need to take a break. A bit like us going to the dentist for a procedure and being able to ask them to stop for a second.
Want some help to teach your dog these skills? Drop me DM and we’ll have a chat!
#dogtraining #dogtrainingtips #dogtrainingadvice #cooperativecare #cooperativecaretraining #postivereinforcement #dogtrainer #marketharborough #reactivedogsunite #reactivedogtraining #reactivedogsaregooddogstoo
🐾 Stress free walks for reactive dogs 🐾
If you have a reactive dog and your daily walks are always filled with stress, it’s highly likely your dog isn’t enjoying them. I’m a huge believer that all dogs should be able to enjoy walks with as little stress as possible. They NEED this time to “be a dog” so their well-being doesn’t deteriorate.
I drive my reactive dog to walking places most days so that he can have his needs fulfilled. Does this mean we never work on his reactivity? Of course not!
I make sure that we also do specific training walks in busier locations so that we can keep working through his frustration around other dogs.
If you’re struggling with reactivity and want some professional guidance please get in touch 🐶
#reactivedogs #reactivedogtraining #dogtrainer #positivereinforcement #dogtrainingtips
A super group session tonight with these three teams! 🙌
✅ Reggie’s first time with the group and he did great
✅ Cybi overcame her initial fizziness with the weather and decreased her distance nicely
✅ Jake handled the head on passes with little trouble
Brothers Rusty & Sparky had their first 1:1 this afternoon 🥰
Their families are close friends and live on the same street so they’ll be seeing a lot of each other throughout their lives!
Today learning the basics of sit, down, recall and lead walking… in between play of course 🙈
A super group walk today! Well done Cybi, Benji, Jasper & Tom 🥰
Zola is also very close to achieving Grade 2! Just the down stay to complete next week 🤞
Here she is during the loose lead exercise 🐾
