Sandpit zoomies!
Paws4Play
Practicing walking together on lead during our walk recently. All the dogs are still able to look around and sniff at things of interest. Even if dogs are very good off lead or walk beautifully on lead on their own, it can be quite different when there isn’t 121 handling so for safety it’s important to practice when there are few distractions.
I recommend that most dogs are walked on non-tightening well fitted harnesses, this is to protect their necks. Harnesses don’t cause pulling but are essential if dogs occasionally pull for whatever reason, or if they spend time on long lines. As you can see, the dogs walked on collars stay close and have a very loose lead, no slip leads, head halters or corrections needed!
When it comes to getting their paws wet there are two types of dog.
How many have a water lover or avoider?
Management will always play a role when living with dogs, particularly if a behaviour is self rewarding. Try to set your dog up for success as much as possible so they don’t practice unwanted behaviours - if your dog is likely to steal food, then keep it out of paws reach.
Sometimes we have to get a little bit creative with management when a dog is as crafty as Stanley though!
When choosing a muzzle for your dog, it is essential that they are still able to take food, pant and drink freely. Fabric muzzles may look comfortable but are only intended for very short sessions such as getting an injection at the vets, and if these allow dogs to take food, pant and drink then the dog will be able to nip, bite or scavenge!
Here is Stanley in a basket muzzle, he is able to pant fully to help regulate his temperature on a warm day and communicate, he can take treats and as you can see, drink freely while wearing it.
Shake away the Monday Blues!
No video from last week’s walkies this week.
Here’s something I did capture though. Tried to film Stanley jumping up and his buddy decided that this would be the first time he’d join in with this particular “up”.
Really caught me by surprise as he’s shown no interest in joining in with this particular place to go “up” until now! I was, however, very proud of both of them!
The dogs are always given the choice to join in or decide “not today”, and I don’t bribe them into doing things they may find difficult so they can make the decision themselves without focusing on the reward.
Stanley had another go at chasing the lure today. The first attempt was brilliant, so I thought I’d film the second try.
As you can see, he wasn’t quite so excited about the lure and the only way I can describe what he might have been thinking is:
“Ooh yes run. Oh hello, you seem like a nice person, have you got treats? Oh! Run again!”
That’s okay, we’ll try again soon. As this activity is still very new to Stanley, there will be times when he doesn’t quite do what I’d like him to do (enthusiastically chase the lure). The main thing is that he still obviously had fun!
We’ll try to make it easier for him next time. Remember when teaching a new behaviour, it is not a straight line of learning. There will be steps forward and back, so it’s important to be fluid with any training plans.
Remember that walks for dogs are just that - for the dogs! They aren’t just about physical exercise but also mental exercise and enrichment.
Here is a short unedited video of Stanley stepping along some tree stumps on cue - it might seem quite slow and boring but this sort of exercise is brilliant to engage your dog’s brain and also work little muscles they won’t always use when running on a flat surface.
This is actually the first time I’ve ever “chained” Stanley’s “up” cue. Usually the “up” cue means “jump up on that rock/stump/bench and stay still”. As you can see, he did extremely well at grasping the concept and would step or hop onto the next stump without returning to the floor.
Engaging in activities like this with your dog can really help to build your relationship. I try to do similar while out with other dogs on their walks, depending on their skill level - for some it’s a matter of a quick sit while we build up duration as we want the activity to be enjoyable and not frustrating.
If you would be interested in your dog joining for walkies then please get in touch for browse my website for more information: www.rootbps.co.uk
Two happy and tired doggies after their walk today! We had lots of time sniffing, a bit of swimming and also just lying down to have a quiet break time to keep cool.
Both dogs enjoyed exploring the woods, lots of new and interesting sniffs to be sniffed!
True feeling of success isn’t money, it’s when your dog recalls away from something they want 😱
First frozen Kong
Stanley had his first frozen Kong at the weekend. It’s usually filled and given straight away without freezing, so he was pretty bamboozled about the fact the food wouldn’t drop out straight away.
Do you think he managed to get there in the end?
I've been fooled!
That moment when you get fooled into thinking you were supposed to throw the stick
