Teaching your dog to "keep their paws on the floor" can be a challenge in itself especially when your dog has learnt the behaviour that jumping up gets your attention!
Whether you inadvertently encourage them to jump by fussing them above their level of height or when their paws are positioned on your legs or whether you push them down after they have jumped up.
Attention is attention!
Dogs do not understand what is right or wrong - they simply learn what works!
Jumping up works because it gets your attention!!
We humans can be lazy and complacent when it comes to greeting puppies, especially us tall folk, me included! Upon greeting puppies the first thing we do is to hype them up talking all silly to them "omg, isn't he/she a gorgeous puppy" and before you know, you have been sucked in by their beautiful big brown eyes. You then bend down just above their level of height to interact with that pup. As you bend down, the pup reaches up to say hello and boom - the pup's front paws have been elevated off the ground and onto you as you interact with them.
Therefore the behaviour of jumping up has been reinforced by us humans with being stroked!
.....and the more that puppy practices that behaviour the more of a challenge or becomes to change their expectations.
One of the programs that we work on is teaching our puppies some impulse control to remain in place whilst you enter through the front door without them jumping up all over you or your visitors....
..... And Dexter is demonstrating this beautifully with his first session on this particular training exercise this morning - which he picked up fairly quickly by making more appropriate choices.
Just need to work on bum positioning ๐คฃ๐คฃ.
Well done Dexter and I am excited to see your progress next week ๐ฅฐ
#puppytraining #puppypackage #puppytrainingbirmingham #impulsecontrol #greetings #goodchoices #cominghomealoteasier
#kindandpositive
What a way to end the week! ๐ฅฐ
This morning, I headed off to Cheltenham to help a long term client introduce their dog, the beautiful Vizsla Amber with another family member's dog, Luna the lurcher.
Now, this wasn't just any old meet as both dogs show strong lead frustration behaviours and at times they can both make decisions that, if you like, gets themselves into trouble when around other dogs. That said, my client - Amber and her mum and dad have worked incredibly hard over the months implementing the behaviour and training plans that I have thrown at them session after session, without any complaints - and today just proved how far Amber has come along on her behaviour journey.
With the power of consistency, time, patience and daily training of overcoming hurdles you can just see that results can be achieved - no matter how long it takes.
I would like to say a massive THANK YOU to Amber and her family for entrusting me to helping them with their behaviour journey.
Thank you to the wonderful The Dotty Behaviourist for working with Luna and her mum over the weeks leading up to today and also supporting me in today's behaviour session.
And a massive thank you to Canine Acres dog walking field for enabling us to use their amazing facilities.
Two behaviourist working with each other to gain the same result! Teamwork at it's finest! โค๏ธโค๏ธ
Today has been one and truly successful ๐๐
What an amazing afternoon yesterday was ๐คฉ .....
And I cannot tell you how proud I am of Lottie and her guardians! You are awesome ๐
You may remember a few weeks ago I posted a video of Lottie, starting out her behaviour journey on helping her feel more relaxed in proximity of a family friend., that her guardians wanted Lottie to befriend - if possible.
Lottie's immediate response upon seeing any stranger, including the family friend and myself was to demonstrate behaviours that reflected on her emotional state and unfortunately this often led to vocalisation as a way of her communicating to us humans to basically "go away". And of course, she learnt it works because her previous learnt behaviour was to bark at the stranger and the stranger increases their distance - go away!
Bingo!
So, Over their 5 sessions with myself, her mum and dad have worked tirelessly to help change Lottie's emotional state to enable her to make "better" choices in life!
This short video shows you just how far this beautiful girl has come and not only is she responding to her training well with me being in her garden but she is also learning to have their family present too. ๐ฅฐ๐ฅฐ
....and I hope you agree she has "smashed it out the bag" ๐.
Working with "reactive" dogs takes time and patience from both parties and our behaviour modification programs are tweaked and adapted according to you, your dog and your environment and this is exactly what we have done with Lottie!
...and trust me, Lottie threw some hurdles my way but we ALWAYS find a way to help you and your dogs!
Do you own a reactive dog and feel like you need further support? Why not drop me a message and we can arrange a discovery call for you.
[email protected] or Whatsapp me on: 07837787990
#eescuedogs #BehaviourConsultation #Behaviourtraining #onetoone #justyouandyourdog #positivevibes #positivetrainingmethods #Scientificallyproven #redditch #worcesterahire #westmidlands #awardwinning
Saturday we had the pleasure of seeing Zou and his guardians for his second behaviour session where they showed off the training they have implemented over the last week. ๐.
Being a spaniel and like most breeds, Zou's fur tends to attract bits of brambles and sticky buds etc that seem to get tangled and cause a lot of tugging which often causes discomfort for him. Unfortunately, the tugging and pulling has caused a bit of discomfort in the past and now he has a negative association when his guardians attempt to remove them for him.
Here, we are teaching Zou choices!
Teaching him the choice to communicate with his guardians when he is comfortable for them to "go ahead" and remove the stuck bits of brambles by remaining on his yoga platform however, when Zou is uncomfortable and wants to tell them to stop and give him a break, he will move away and step off his platform.
We are only in the early stages of this program and have just introduced Zou to the cue "touch"! This means that before the guardians present their hand, they give the cue "touch" and see if Zou remains on his platform! If he does he is giving his mum and dad the go ahead.
He did so well especially with the heat that we had on Saturday! Well done ๐
#cooperationhandling #veterinarycare #choices #choicesmatter #slowandsteadywinstherace #spaniel #dogbehaviourist #Behaviourtraining #kindandeffective #positivevibes #weekendtraining
Check out the beautiful lead work that Nala is demonstrating ๐ฅฐ๐ฅฐ.
Nala is currently working through her early starts puppy package and in her previous session we practiced lead training skills..... And in just one week her amazing mum has not only practiced the homework we set but also put the training skills to work whilst out and about and introduced distractions too. ๐
..... Keep an eye on that crafty cat heading towards us! Nala did amazing and we are so proud of you all. Well done ๐ฅฐ๐ฅฐ
#puppytraining #puppytrainingskills #leadtraining #smilinglead #positivevibes #yorkiepuppy #redditchdogtraining #bossedit #smashingtraining #purple #perfectfitharness #HOMEWORKCOMPLETED #positivetraining #kindandeffective
๐ Appreciation post ๐
An absolute massive shout to Finn and his mum, Rebecca.
You may have seen a few weeks back that Rebecca reached out to us for help with Finns behaviours which one being his reactivity around people and dogs whilst out on a walk.
Now I always believe "credit must be given when due" and this video here is just that! I am not going to take credit for something that someone else has achieved as prior to our sessions Rebecca had done extensive research and training and had implemented so much time, effort and patience into Finns behaviour already but yesterday was a massive step forward for both of them.
Yesterday we visited our local lake and with a lot of preparation, time and reinforcement by implementing all the hard work Rebecca has put in over the months, Finn was able to spend his behaviour session at the lake, people and dogs watching at a distance and just simply enjoying his walk.
This video is just a snap shot of yesterday sessions but I am so proud of Rebecca and Finn.
Honestly, if it wasn't for all their dedicated hard work this would not have been achievable with a short space of time.
Outstanding work. ๐๐๐๐๐
#atrainerinthemaking #reactiviytraining #dogbehaviourtraining #dogbehaviourredditch #redditchdogtraining #yellowdog #muzzlemovement #bordercollie #positivethinking #positivereinforcementtraining #kindandeffective
I've been a bit quiet here over the last week due to dealing with a sickness big that my son decided to kindly bring home from nursery however on Saturday we had the absolute pleasure of seeing Zuluf and his mom for their second session โค๏ธ.
You may remember us talking about him in a previous post but one of the behaviours they asked for some help with was his behaviour around dogs and people when out and about.
In Saturday's session we taught Zuluf to check in with his mum when he saw someone he was unsure of! By giving Zuluf the choice to ask his mum for a little bit of help when he was presented with a trigger and by keeping him under a threshold where he is able to learn - reduced the risk of him practicing his previous behaviours of barking, lunging and growling.
This is a big milestone for them both as this was the first time, in a long time that they have been able to just walk down the street together and without Zuluf feeling the need to practice his previous behaviors.
We still have a fair way to go but all of this achievement is down to all the hard work that has been implemented day to day by his mum, so a massive well done. ๐ฅฐ๐ฅฐ
Can't wait for our next session ๐
Go Zuluf! ๐ฅฐ๐ฅฐ
#dogbehaviour #dogbehaviourtraining #behaviourmodification #rescuedogsrock #rescuedogs #mioriticshepherd #workingtogether #teamwork #dogbehaviourbirmingham #positivetrainingmethods #kindandeffective
We are now closed for the Easter bank holiday and we reopen on Tuesday 2nd of April ๐ฃ๐ฐ
I will be in the office all day tomorrow responding to the last few emails and finalising the last three reports that I don't get finished tonight.
All new enquires will be responded to from Tuesday onwards but keep an eye on this page as tomorrow we are launching an Easter treat ๐
Happy Easter Holiday from us at Behind the Mind Training
Lottie's snuffle and find video following my recent post!
Please note: to keep Lottie under the threshold I kept a distance I knew she would be able to learn and carry out tasks in a calm environment. I did not decrease my distance, I purely zoomed in on my phone!
As you can see - she had one little bark but her dad re-engaged her back onto her activity and if you watch carefully she finds the chicken stash her mum is holding ๐คฃ๐คฃ She would not have achieved this - this time last week! She would have just reacted at me!
Can't wait to see her progress next week ๐
Meet the stunning Lottie! ๐ฅฐ
Now you're not meant to have a favourite but honestly, I really do have a soft spot for this beauty. ๐
Now, the soft spot doesn't just come from being a rescue or the fact that she pushes my behaviour knowledge to the test or the fact that she continues to educate me but the fact that this little girl tries super hard in every session and she really wants to be friends with me, but struggles to know how!
Our Lottie struggles to make certain choices in specific contexts and unfortunately this has created a very stressful and limited life for her and her guardians as she just becomes conflicted in all most any situation that involves strangers and other dogs!
This session that we video'd is one special moment as this is the first time she has felt comfortable enough for me to be present in her garden, whilst carrying out our training exercises. Not only is Lottie engaging beautifully with her dad but at times, throughout the session she would engage with myself and recheck back in with her dad asking for help. Instead of her shouting at me โค๏ธโค๏ธ.
This is our second session since my return from maternity as we did have a couple prior and honestly I so proud of her and all that her guardians have achieved in such as short space of time.
It is important to know that behaviour training such as stranger aggression can take months to change your dogs emotional state and to change the associations with something they are worried or frustrated by. Lottie still has a very long way to go but I just had to shout about her progress because not only has she improved but she deserves it โค๏ธโค๏ธ
I have posted a separate video to this (as Facebook would not allow me to attach two videos together ๐ฅด) to show that Lottie's jack pot of reinforcement for achieving the cone training exercise was to have a good sniff and rustle around her snuffle and find pile!
Yes there is a little bark during the video but she re-engaged bea
Remember Bobby from last week?
Well, we were back for his second puppy training session and today we worked on teaching him to settle in preparation of and around food.
Like most dogs, Bobby does get excited around food but this cheeky chap has learnt that if he becomes vocal by constantly barking at his guardians, he may just well get some of their food - cheeky hey!
So instead of Bobby "begging" and becoming extremely vocal for food we have introduced some impulse control training whereby we reinforce all calm and quiet behaviours and teach him an alternative behaviour such as to settle! So instead of getting under his guardians feet, we want him to settle down and relax!
With a little bit of role play of prepping dinner from his mum, I think it's safe to say that they have absolutely smashed his training session today. ๐.
Over the course of the week they will be adding in the length of the time he remains on his bed in-between rewards and also adding in even more distractions such as the smell of food cooking.
Another great session from them! Well done all ๐โค๏ธ
#puppytraining #puppytrainingpackage #puppyonetoone #dogtraining101 #dogtrainer #dogtrainingredditch #dogtrainingworcestershire #positivereinforcementtraining
๐ Meet the gorgeous Will ๐
This little chap is an absolute super star as not only does he smash most of his training and behaviour sessions, but he also gets my brain thinking outside the box, quite often! Which I absolutely love!
We have been working with Will and his mum for some time over multiple and complex behaviors however Saturday's session saw us working through a behaviour plan on how to change Will's association to "squirrel Alley" from barking, pulling and wanting to be in the tree with the squirrels to engaging with his mum and focusing on other training activities, instead of on the squirrels!
This video may seem just like a little dog just sniffing around trying to find his scent reward however for Will, this is an absolutely massive step forward and to be able to walk nearly half way down the alley without a reaction to those pesky squirrels is a massive success! We still have a way to go but I cannot thank his guardians enough for all of their hard work that they have implemented over the past months and I look forward to seeing his progress on squirrel Alley in our next session ๐.
Well done Will ๐
Meet Finn ๐
A beautiful but extremely clever boy!
Unfortunately Finn and his guardian have had the unpleasant experiences of other dogs bombarding them whilst they have been on walks, which has not only left Finn feeling anxious in proximity of unfamiliar dogs but the experience has also created a negative association towards his harness going on, when getting ready to go out for a walk. Therefore, Finns guardian reached out to us for help in changing those negative associations around other dogs and his walking equipment to a more positive association.
Finns guardian has already put in a lot of training with Finn and has taken out our gold behaviour package and in today's session
not only did we introduce training games to help Finn feel more comfortable out on his walks but we also introduced some advanced target training and started to build duration with him holding his nose in position, which will be incorporated to helping Finn feel more comfortable having his harness placed on.
Keep following us to see his progress and how this marker is incorporated into his harness training.
Absolute pleasure to meet both Finn and his mum and I am excited to see their progress next week. โค๏ธ.
๐โ๐ฆบ Lead training at it's finest ๐
Do you find yourself getting more and more frustrated to even think about taking your dog out for a walk? Does the walk feel more of a chore than something you actually enjoy doing?
We have all been there, including myself.
Lead training can actually be simply one of the hardest training tasks to teach your dog as there are other things to consider than tossing treats down to your dog, as you are walk down the street, as some may say!
Well in actual fact, teaching your dog to walk nicely can sometimes be a challenge, especially for those dogs who have been practicing pulling for a period of time.
Lead training does take time, patience and a lot of repetition but in actual fact it's also about:
๐พ Building stronger bonds, relationships and trust within each other.
๐พ Learning how to engage your dog onto you, when there are more exciting things going on within their environment.
๐พ Learning how to implement what your dog enjoys on to their daily training exercises.
๐พTeaching your dog self awareness and positioning of their paws, instead of them constantly switching sides or walking under your feet
๐พ Learning how to re- route natural behaviours by slowing down their pace, which can be super hard for some dogs.
๐พ Learning to slow down your self instead of picking up the pace to keep up with your dog.
๐พ Checking in with each other and asking each other for permission to do something, such say hello to another dog, instead of being dragged towards them.
๐พ Working through their training program 'one paw at a time' and not feeling like you've failed if you have to take a couple of steps back to retrain a certain behavior.
๐พ Learning how to reinforce the behaviours you want correctly.
๐พ Plus much more ....
So as you can see, it's NOT all about tossing treats! Lead training consists of so much more!
Want your dog to walk like Lola?
Then get in touch with us to book a consu
Happy valentine's to you all ๐น
...and what a fantastic message to open this morning!
Meet the gorgeous Amber!
Her guardians got in touch with me some time ago as they needed support with Amber for multiple reasons, which some included:
๐พ Building confidence around environments outside of her home.
๐พ Building confidence around particular nosies.
๐พ Building a better relationship with the daily cats.
๐พ Creating a positive association to her harness.
๐พ Encouraging Amber to keep her paws on the floor when visitors arrive.
๐พ Blinding better lead manners around dogs, whilst on a lead.
I cannot tell how much time, effort and patience her family has put in with Amber on a daily basis and this morning I received a message saying "massive progress with the cats too" followed by this amazing picture!
Absolutely over the moon and what a brilliant valentine's moment for the family! โค๏ธ
Well done everyone. I am so proud!
And I can't wait to see you all up on my return.
If you are struggling with any behaviour problems and want some support and guidance then please do get in touch and we will more than happy to help ๐ฅฐ.
[email protected]
07837787990
Happy valentine's from all of us at Behind the Mind ๐น๐น
Whilst we are still muzzle training in the background (don't worry, I will be uploading the videos soon) I just wanted to say that training isn't always about being focused solely on one subject. Why?
Because like my dogs, i like a variety! And it gives me something else to work alongside instead of solely focusing on one thing .......and you also may get bored doing the same thing day in and day out!
So yes, we are still doing muzzle training which I will be sharing over the next few days however I would also like to share some other training videos with you ๐๐
Impulse control by teaching your dog to wait around blind corners ....
And using the freedom to run as a reward! ๐๐
๐๐ Fireworks at New Years Eve ๐๐
We all know that there will be a ridiculous amount of fireworks going off later tonight and like many, there a alot of dogs and their guardians who will not find tonight enjoyable!
And if you're like me - our new years eve is spent with my dogs, on the sofa watching a good old film whilst endulging on the left over Christmas treats and most importantly ensuring that our night is the best it can be for our dogs too.
Therefore I have prepared some enrichment ideas that will be given to my dogs throughout the day and evening to keep them occupied - mentally. Preparation is key! So please do not leave preparing your dogs enrichment to the last minute as you do not want them to associate that certain things such as a Kong, only appears when fireworks go off! My dogs have enrichment daily and they have already had their breakfast in a long wobble too!
Lunchtime they will get a walk and come back to a licky mat as this helps my over stimulated Labrador to just chill out!
Dinner time they will get part of their dinner in the fish shape activity game (shown in slideshow) and then they will get the option to snuffle the rest of their dinner in the snuffle mats whilst we eat our dinner.
Both dogs will generally get pudding of an evening as this is a cue to switch off and chill out generally about 9pm however tonight I will delay it slightly and give them their frozen Kong - which generally lasts between 30 mins to an hour.
Please note: that this is generally our daily routine so not a lot will change and they won't become too suspicious of what's going on! The only change for my guys tonight is they will get another frozen Kong with their favourite filling - scrambled egg at around 11:45pm. It is up to them if they want it but if the fireworks are too loud little Molly, will take herself to her safe place to hide! Either her crate or on the sofa with me. This is her choice and I do not try and force her to eat! I leave
That's it! That's the last of 2022 practical training and behaviour sessions and I mean it has been a blast ๐๐
A small selection of the wonderful dogs I have had the pleasure to help and my new years resolution will be...
To remember to take more videos and photos to share the amazing work you all put in on a daily basis! I may be the one guiding and advising but it's YOU lot that put in all the hard work, daily! So THANK YOU, I am so proud of you all โค๏ธโค๏ธ
I would like to also take this opportunity to thank all my wonderful clients (current, new and old) and their amazing dogs and everyone who has supported me by recommending me to your family and friends, following, liking and/ or sharing my posts including the rescue centres, groomers, other trainers and pet shops etc who refer their customers to me throughout this year. You have all been amazing and I have loved working with each and everyone one of you, no matter how hard I have had to think outside the box. ๐
Here's to the end of 2022 and to celebrate the start of 2023! It's going to be an interesting one! I cannot wait to see you all in the new year and to see what behaviours your doggo's brings!
Have a lovely weekend and a very Happy New Year from us all (two and four legged) at Behind the Mind Training.
โค๏ธ๐โค๏ธ๐
Homework completed โค๏ธ
When Elly and her mum show off just how hard they have worked on learning how to file down Elly's nails! ๐๐.
Outstanding achievement so well done. ๐๐
Next step teaching her to file down her nails on her back paws ๐.
