There have been a few long distance stay challenges going around on social media, so I thought I would give this a try with Phoenix in a park.
I don't usually practice this, but if your dog has a good understanding of a behaviour and you have shown him through various different scenarios what it means, there should be a good level of reliability.
It really matters! Best way to stop door dashing and start your walks with calm control.
The emergency sit/down is incredibly useful as a backup or instead of your recall. I practice this regularly with phoenix, especially when he is mid chase during a game of fetch.
Pick your dogs strongest position, sit or down, and start by working on the speed at which your dog gets into the position before challenging the distance and finally the distraction.
If you want your dog to learn this skill, get in touch.
Reactivity training session with Cedric the Romanian rescue. I am very proud of this boy and his guardians. Cedric suffered from extreme reactivity to dogs... the scent of another dog was enough to send him into a lunging barking frenzy! We've worked on lead walking, and after a couple of sessions with Phoenix, Cedric has improved brilliantly. His guardians have taken his training head on, and their commitment is getting some serious results 💪 This clip is a breakdown of our last session with Phoenix. For Cedric, it was important to keep changing the picture as novelty situations caused the biggest reactions.
Always finding ways to work on confidence exercises. Jumping on a wobbly surface and working on static positions is not as easy as it looks! Adding these small exercises to break up your normal walk are great for bonding and mental stimulation. 🐕
Always finding ways to work on confidence exercises. Jumping on a wobbly surface and working on static positions is not as easy as it looks! Adding these small exercises to break up your normal walk are great for bonding and mental stimulation. 🐕 #dogtraining #malinoislife
Another great Train 'n' Walk workshop this morning with the assistance of Amy from Watsons Dog Services . The only workshop like it! The ultimate way to work on socialising your dog appropriately while working on building your dog's engagement and control.
This workshop is ideal for any dog struggling with excitement, focus and reactivity. You can join the workshop after an initial assessment or having completed a training class with us.
Training is about creating clarity in your communication with your dog. Good obedience is simply your dog understanding what you're asking and working towards creating reliability in the motivation to perform a specific behaviour.
A good example is lead walking. Many dogs that I work with genuinely don't understand what is being asked of them, nor do they have the motivation to perform the task reliably. Some dogs need more guidance than others simply because they are more stimulated by the environment rather than walking calmly. My dog Phoenix is one of those, and he does best when told exactly what to do rather than leaving it up to him. In the video above, he shows he understands the difference between walking calmly on a loose lead and being allowed to explore and sniff. Some dogs are fine with doing both without issue, however many dogs I come across struggle on this 'grey scale' of being allowed to sniff as they choose but also expected to pay full attention and walk calmly. If your dog is very stimulated by its environment, then your dog may benefit from being given clear instructions on when to sniff and explore and when to walk calmly next to you.
My lovely clients sent me this beautiful, harmonious clip of their 3 Goldendoodles in complete peace. They have worked so hard from having chaos to calm, first with big boys Walter and Barney and then their third addition puppy Arthur. Much respect 👊 It is not easy having a mutlidog household where all dogs (including a puppy!) are under control and able to settle so well.
If you're struggling with calmness in home and adjusting to having more than one dog, get in touch.
Down-stay mid chase.
Always keeping Phoenix on his toes by practicing his impulse control on walks. By adding spontaneous obedience to your walks and play you can easily fit in 'training' without properly 'training'. Rather, you're working on control in situations that are far more realistic than a dedicated training session where your dog knows he either has to pay attention or can choose to switch off.
