Small dogs, old dogs, short coated dogs, lean dogs, poorly dogs, any dogs.. that aren't build for this cold weather may need a little more insulation.
This is Safe Space Saturday . We've Marty practicing the Boundary Game, Spence doing a little Look at that, Mable learning the Sarah Walk and in the far corner we've the lovely Max.
These doggies are all amazing and very special. They are developing skills to help them in environments that they struggle in.
Here we teach them coping skills in a environment thats mildly challenging, there's distance so we purposefully avoid our dogs reacting. Simplifing this is alot it keeps them in their learning brain 🧠. When calm they don't just learn, they process and create memories.
Leaving with that positive memory of being in a field with novel dogs and humans is priceless. Building confidence builds resilience.
Love when I get vidoes!!!!!
This is the extremely handsome Marty doing the Sarah Walk with distractions just in that next field.
That treat placement on every other footstep by the heel is perfect 🥰.
Check out those voluntary Check ins the Sarah Walk makes happen.
Makes me happy 😊.
Why the Sarah Walk is fab for reactivity is it helps dogs deal with the environment they feel uncertain in, dogs thrive of predictability, knowing what they are doing gives them confidence. This repetition becomes such a learnt behaviour it becomes the to go to choice.
Any training starts in a distraction free environment and works up to this.
I say this alot but I have amazing clients who I'm very thankful for as you all do the work!!! You commit and make the change.
Met up with Lee and Eric K9 Adventure Club for a quick picnic lunch today.
Loved watching them play. Check out that intense focus, its the anticipation of the balls movement that releases Eric's dopamine rush. Its so much better than just throwing a ball, all that does is lead to over arousal and repetitive movements that could cause injury.
Here Lee is tapping into what Eric innately wants to do.
Dog walks should never be just a dog walk.
Aubs can find the world a little scary at times.
Living in the country means she doesn't get daily exposure to novel stimuli.
We're going to Dog Fest tomorrow and would love to be able to take her, but reality of reactivity is that she wouldn't cope. Exposure to that level is called Flooding. It would be awful for her.
What we do is socialisation and exposure at a low level.
Here we're at Buttys Wonastow doing a little "Up and Down" training. I love this technique, i love pattern games. They were designed by Leslie Mcdevitt and work wonders with reactive dogs. Any dog who feels certain things are hard to cope with. Things that they may be excited, fearful of or upset by.
The Up and Down game is fab as its movement which dogs like and it offers a series of repetitive things that are predictable and reliable which dogs need. This helps them trust in what comes next.
Its lovely as its a way Aubs and I can communicate and its fab as she can still choose to look at the environment yet she has this as a to go to before that amygdala kicks in.
So its also brilliant to help with desensitisation.
So Aubs and I will continue to go to new places and build up her experiences in a positive way with all our pattern games to help.
Technique used
Put the treat down, the dog eats it, dont say or do anything, the dog looks up at you. That moment that the dog looks up at you … and if you want eye contact, that's OK. It doesn't have to be intense eye contact. It can even be just orientation towards your face. You can use your marker, mine is a yes then put the next treat on the ground and repeat. I know Aubs will offer eye contact so that was my criteria but some wont so start easier.
Parker's Canine Care
#puppies #puppyclass #socialisation
You only have a small window of critical learning opportunities. Runs every Wednesday at 6 15 in #Trellech
A learning class that's always available. 8 to 16wk old puppies. Older puppy classes at 7.30.
I first met Spencer when he was 4 months, his owners had a few concerns about some of his behaviours and thankfully got in touch. German Shepherds are a very individual breed, yes they all need time, patience, consistency in training but the GSD more so, they love obedience! They love it more than any breed I've come across so far. I wish i videod their distance downs today as they were awesome and Spencer was clearly in his element.
GSDs are bred with intent, they have a hard wired purpose, a fear response being purposefully bred to make them excel in what they do. But of course most are pets so this is a tricky genetic background to work with.
Spencers owners are amazing, they work with him not against, they are consistent in their training which is more necessary than you realise with this breed. They really are making amazing GSD owners. Spencer is now 9 months, heading into that adolescent stage, if they hadn't put in so much effort we'd be looking at a completely different picture.
Very happy to be part of your journey and watch the amazing progress you make.
And no its not all been plain sailing, dog training isnt. Sadly there is no magic wand just commitment.
Practise for my 6 week calming course. Its a course based on the click to calm technique, its designed to help dogs not just offer a down stay but relax in one, and not just at home either, we will be proofing this is different locations each week. My hope is on week 6 I will have 4 dogs on a mat in Chippenham field in a relaxed down on their beds. Distractions going on around them.
This is a course where alot of home work is needed, i can only show you what to do an hour a week its you that needs to put the practice in every day.
As with all my sessions you will learn sooooo much about brain, arousal, communication, cues, rewards.
These two are my guinea pigs, they are amazing, just blown away with the progression they make.
Here we are shaping the relaxing behaviours and marking the head down criteria. Last week was the relaxed body, and hip to the side.
Next week we build duration of the head down on the bed then we mark further signs of relaxation such as relaxed eyes, smooth head with no tension
Its very exciting!!!!! We've tweaked a few things along the way, my guinea pigs input has been invaluable so thank you both so so much 🥰.
Training clients get to use my field as part of my training package.
They are encouraged to use it as much as possible for what ever training we're doing.
Here is the beautiful Ella on my confidence course.
Ella is having sessions to help her confidence around other dogs.
This video is perfectly highlighting Ella's choices, she chose to go up there, she chose to walk across the first runs of the ladder and she chose to turn around and come off.
Giving your dog the chance to make their own choices builds confidence, the fact she wasn't encouraged to go across further than she felt comfortable deepens the trust and bond she has with her owner.
It's the same with humans, making our own decisions is empowering.
Awesome team work both 👏
Very excited about this news.
This was one of Rose's fab ideas. She has more so we shall add to it over Easter.
