We showed you how to show your dog where you want them for loose lead walking. Now we are showing the next step which is getting the food out of your hand. We'd love to hear how these steps are working for you.
A couple of clips from the last few training sessions. Everyoneâs journey is different but all journeys can be fun. Whatâs your latest Dog Log entry?
A lot of fun on Wednesdayâs classes in a new venue for the winter. The puppies worked hard on some new behaviours and discussed how to progress the basic behaviours. In scent we continued to celebrate the dogs finds and discussed how to cover the working area.
Here is the first stage of loose lead walking. We have to make sure our dogs know where we want them to walk otherwise we are likely to find frustration appears for either dogs or humans or even both. The next stage is obviously adding that movement in but a good start can make all the difference when getting ready. As is stated in the Sound of Music - Lets start at the very beginning!
This is a section from a video on our membership area. We like using a variety of chews for our dogs. Just to note that if your dog resource guards and you have management in place, use that when giving chews. If your dog resource guards and you donât yet have management in place, speak to a trainer.
Errors!
They are expected. Donât panic when an error occurs. Calmly carry on with the plan. If you need to adjust the plan thatâs ok as well. But donât make a big thing about it. Most likely youâll get success on the next rep as long as your plan is sound.
Expecting perfection is what will make expectations to not be met and all of the frustration that comes with it.
Progress not perfect.
Itâs always worth keeping an eye out for what nature can provide
đ Are you like me and do you love the colours of autumn and the cosy evenings by the fire, but are unsure how to work your dogâs routine around the darker nights? đ
Nathan and I got married in October partly because of the amazing colours so I do really love this season!
As the days get shorter, itâs important to think about how these seasonal changes can affect your dogâs daily life. With darker walks and cooler temperatures, you might find that your usual routine needs a little tweak to keep both you and your dog happy.
Here are a few tips to help adjust to the changing season:
𦮠**Stay Safe in the Dark**: Reflective gear can be helpful if walking near roads. Consider a light-up collar or reflective jacket for your dog (and yourself!) to stay visible during those evening walks.
đ **Missed walk days are fine**: If the weather isnât great or itâs too dark to venture out, keep your dog mentally and physically stimulated with some fun indoor games, puzzle toys, or even a training session. A little brain workout can go a long way!
⨠**Embrace Routine Changes**: As the weather and daylight hours change our routines can change too. You might find that off lead walks are harder so make use of secure fields if you have them for that off lead time. Remember, that if you havenât used the lead much over the summer months then your dog will need support to remember what they are meant to do.
Whether itâs getting out in nature or snuggling up indoors, autumn is a wonderful time to enjoy with your dog. How are you and your furry friend adapting to the season? đđž
Have you got a puppy under 6 months and want to support them to feel confident in their surroundings? A dog who enjoys playing with other dogs but who will come when called and walk calmly next to you down the street. Would you like to learn the techniques to train behaviours and have some fun tricks to show family. Then have your dog calmly settle in their bed whilst you all eat a meal together and enjoy a glass of wine. We have a few remaining places on our puppy socialisation class starting this Friday 20th September 10am (Saturdays class is full - sorry). You get small classes with two trainers, access to our field and video tutorials. Link will be in the comments to book. #positivedogtraining #puppy #training #puppytraining #northeastengland #northumberland #dogsocialisationclass
Youâve probably heard of enrichment toys - but what are they and how do you introduce them.
There are many different enrichment toys and a Kong is one of them.
In this video Nathan describes how to get started with a Kong. There are many stages to using a Kong and if you move too quickly up to the harder levels the dog can become bored. They need their wins to know itâs worth sticking with.
Enrichment toys can help dogs in many ways, one is chewing. Chewing can be stress relieving for dogs, as well as helping keep teeth clean.
Licking can also be good for stress relief and the kong can provide an opportunity for this too.
Kongs can also be used to support dogs in finding the good in being in a crate. Make sure you always take something like crate training at the pace suitable for your dog, but using a Kong or something similar can provide continuous reinforcement whilst they make those positive associations.
Using it during low-level firework noises can also help desensitise dogs to sounds they are unsure of. However, if your dog is showing fear in these situations we always suggest speaking to a trainer about how to best help your individual dog.
Enrichment toys like this aren't a replacement for appropriate exercise or individual breed-specific activities but they can be a nice addition to a dogs day to day life. It can also be lovely watching your dog work it out. When we lived in our upstairs flat Arran used to love taking his kong to the top of the stairs and throwing it down to get the pieces out.
At the end of the day, they can just be something your dog enjoys and you want to give them âjust becauseâ. That's perfect too!
*Authors note I have told Nathan to bin his holey*
This is a celebration post đIn this video you will see a bulldog sat calmly whilst watching dogs move around so you might be wondering what this dog struggled with.Notice that Bruno saw the dog run past then a reward was produced for the calm behaviour that was offered. Recognising when dogs behaviours are appropriate (and reinforcing them) is more important than trying to reactively deal with problematic behaviours.He started with us 3 weeks earlier and when he first met Nathan he was barking and lunging at him and his family had asked for support due to his person and dog reactivity.They put into practice Nathanâs exercises and games and ways of looking at the dog and their overall needs.Behaviour change takes time and work but the results can be very rewarding.
Weâd love to hear what you would do with these obstacles which Nathan used in this weeks Parkour class.
