Out and about with Benji & Bolt, drone footage.
Congratulations super job 🎉👏
Sian is here with her lovely Japanese Akita, Ajax. Sian came to K9 Solutions because she recently welcomed Ajax into her home and was having some trouble with getting him to come when called. First, we played the recall game - getting Ajax to chase a treat and then come back for another. Then we moved on to helping Ajax understand the "follow me" concept, using gentle leash pressure to guide him. After that, we went back to the recall game, adding in a bit of leash pressure to help Sian have better control over Ajax's recall.
Luke and Rhia are practicing the recall game, which is a treat-based exercise involving chasing after a treat and then returning to start the game again. Luke is using positive and negative reinforcement to guide Rhia's behavior, establishing a simple communication system that is easily understood by both handler and dog. This approach involves praising the desired behavior and introducing negative consequences for undesirable behavior, creating a positive training environment. Additionally, this game can be expanded to include a stay or wait command.
Luke and Rhia are working on the "leave" command. Rhia's previous owner had taught her never to release the ball or tug, which made it difficult to train her further using more advanced methods. We decided to go back to basics, using both negative and positive reinforcement to achieve the desired result. In this training, "leave" restarts the game again creating hope bingo.
Luke is working with his Czech German shepherd, Rhia, to teach her to sit as soon as he stops. These exercises are wonderful for helping your dog stay focused and in a receptive state of mind, as it requires them to constantly pay attention to their owner.
Practicing some circle tracking with my police dog prospect Winston a German shepherd X Dutch herder.
Working with my dogs Brooke, Winston and Erik doing a little exercise and training.
Today, we had the pleasure of working with a lovely Mastiff named Sasha who was rescued from the streets of Spain along with her 8 puppies. Sasha has found a new home with Megan, who is dedicated to helping her adjust and become more comfortable around people. Sasha gets a little reactive to common household sounds like doorbells and knocking, so we've started using a "treat and train" approach a remote treat dispenser to shift her focus and help her get used to these noises. This will make her feel more at ease in her new home. Go Sasha 👍
Laura brought her Staffordshire bull terrier, Lola, to K9 Solutions. During Lola's one-on-one session, we discussed reactivity and management. We talked about leading the walk by creating a following mindset, intervening when the dog exhibits unwanted behaviors, redirecting the dog's behavior, and creating a stable sit where the dog is happy to watch the world go by.
Sabre and Steel are working with their Malinois named Nina and Axel. Choosing littermates as pet dogs isn't always the best choice, as the dogs become too focused on each other. They exhibit over-exuberance in play-prey behaviors which can lead to anxiety around other dogs due to the extreme nature of their play. This is their second week at K9 Solutions, and there has been significant improvement from the chaotic behaviors they displayed when they first arrived. Nina suffered from extreme reactivity and would lunge and bark at anything she found unsettling. The handlers and dogs have achieved a lot in such a short time.
