Loose lead walking is absolutely one of the skills you should absolutely teach a puppy from very early on.
Lead pulling, apart from being extremely jarring, is a hugely underrated issue imo. I have actually recorded a podcast episode on lead pulling and why I think it's an underrated issue so go and check that out if you want to find out why I think this!
Lola, despite her size, is a pretty extreme puller and we've begun working on her pulling along with a few other issues she has. This was our second session focused primarily on lead pulling and I think it's pretty safe to say she's NAILING it.
When teaching loose lead walking, it's important to mix it up by doing changes of pace and changes of direction and then rewarding when the dog transitions with you. I also find that the more unpredictably you move, the more likely the dog is going to pay attention to your movements.
Ultimately, loose lead walking is just teaching a dog to move WITH you and not AGAINST you and to move into any lead pressure and not against it.
#puppy #puppytraining #puppies #puppiesofinstagram #dogbehavior #dogbehaviour #dogbehaviourist #dogbehaviorist #dogtraining #dogtrainer #dogsofinstagram #dogstagram #positivedogtrainer #positivereinforcement #positivedogtraining #balanceddogtraining #balanceddogtrainer #dogs #dog #doglovers #doglover
PUPPIES ARE LIKE SPONGES.
Seriously, I cannot even begin to stress how important it is to get it right during your dog's (short) puppy period.
Reward ANYTHING and EVERYTHING you want to carry on seeing and be cautious about not reinforcing anything you don't want to continue to see.
It's also important to consider how your puppy may be feeling at all times. Avoid overwhelming them and putting them into situations they find distressing, BUT a bit of discomfort is also important to build resilience.
Keeping them actually safe, but also FEELING safe, rewarding EVERYTHING you want to keep seeing (seriously) and having fun with them will mean you should build a fantastic relationship with them and that's arguably a HUGE majority of raising a well rounded dog.
If you get this time in your dog's life mostly right, because no one is perfect, then the dreaded adolescence and their subsequent journey into maturation will be a lot easier.
DISCLAIMER: Whilst the chances of your puppy picking up an illness is very low, there is still a chance this could happen. Being smart about limiting potential exposure by not letting them sniff poop or drink out of puddles will minimise this risk, but whether you want to take that risk is still up to you.
#puppy #puppytraining #puppies #puppiesofinstagram #dogbehavior #dogbehaviour #dogbehaviourist #dogbehaviorist #dogtraining #dogtrainer #dogsofinstagram #dogstagram #positivedogtrainer #positivereinforcement #positivedogtraining #balanceddogtraining #balanceddogtrainer #dogs #dog #doglovers #doglover
No matter which way you look at it, having a well trained and well behaved dog is ALL about clean training.
There are so many factors that go into what makes "clean training" and this is a big one. Giving your cues (aka commands) when you're not likely to get the appropriate response is a big reason why a lot of dogs seemingly don't listen.
And owners make it INFINITELY worse for themselves by continuing to give their cues when the dog isn't responding, or even worse than that, an owner will then escalate the cue by shouting and/or maybe even hitting the dog and then not only weaken the cue, but poison it too.
If you have any questions or you would like me to elaborate or shine any light on specific scenarios then please feel to ask and I'll do my best to answer!
I want to make a real point of educating dog owners to build better relationships with their dogs by uploading content like this so ask away! A share wouldn't go amiss too 😉
Don't forget to hit like and give me a follow if you're not already if want to see more content like this!
#dogbehavior #dogbehaviour #dogbehaviourist #dogbehaviorist #dogtraining #dogtrainer #dogsofinstagram #dogstagram #positivedogtrainer #positivereinforcement #positivedogtraining #balanceddogtraining #balanceddogtrainer #dogs #dog #doglovers #doglover
Before any of you jump down my throat, this is not me saying you can excuse yourself from walking your dog everyday. But taking a day off, because let's be honest, winter is crap is OK!
I always ALWAYS remind my clients that they are also an important part of the relationship between them and their dog, and if they aren't feeling 100%, then they also deserve to take their own needs into consideration and have a day off if necessary.
Personally, I struggle during the winter a lot. The cold weather and the darker days have been known to really get me down and so I will be the first to admit that I am not my best dog owning self during the winter months.
When I'm not being my best dog owning self though, I will always make sure to supplement the day with indoor enrichment. Whether that's a good training sesh, scentwork stuff using a snuffle mat and/or hiding treats around the house, filled kongs or some intense playtime to ensure your dog is still getting their needs met!
#dogbehavior #dogbehaviour #dogbehaviourist #dogbehaviorist #dogtraining #dogtrainer #dogsofinstagram #dogstagram #positivedogtrainer #positivereinforcement #positivedogtraining #balanceddogtraining #balanceddogtrainer #dogs #dog #doglovers #doglover #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #seasonalaffectivedisorder
Yep I said it. I hate doggy daycares.
I think the majority of them are run poorly and I think they're actually not great environments for most dogs.
Now, doggy daycares that are run well and include the things I mentioned during the video are great, but these are few and far between. Unfortunately, I have also worked with a number of owners who have sent their dogs to daycares and their dogs have then developed reactivity.
Daycares can encourage inappropriate play behaviours, sleep deprivation, anxiety and stress through bad management and bad dog-dog match ups. Typically, daycares just lump dogs together rather than mixing and matching dogs based on their personalities. These dogs also rarely have much else to do in the day care, which means their only entertainment is the other dogs.
I think well-meaning owners are putting their dogs in daycare to improve their dog's quality of life, but I encourage those owners to look into the alternatives mentioned during the video as better options. Especially if you already have a reactive or over exuberant dog.
#reactivedogs #reactivedog #doggydaycare #dogdaycare #dogbehavior #dogbehaviour #dogbehaviourist #dogbehaviorist #dogtraining #dogtrainer #dogsofinstagram #dogstagram #positivedogtrainer #positivereinforcement #positivedogtraining #balanceddogtraining #balanceddogtrainer #dogs #dog #doglovers #doglover #dogwalker
Dogs that read the room are the best.
I don't know about you, but I absolutely could not stand it if my dog didn't read the room. In all honesty, it would make me very frustrated and agitated.
On top of that, this is one of the things I actually look for when I am observing a dog too. A dog that takes a while to settle is always a bit of a red flag to me and can be a sign of a number of things.
This is why I also don't believe in set routines for dogs... I tend to find that these dogs who are not so rigid in their routines tend to be far more adaptable than dogs who have rigid routines. Which I know is contrary to popular belief. I'll do a video on this soon.
So, does your dog read the room ?
#dogbehavior #dogbehaviour #dogbehaviourist #dogbehaviorist #dogtraining #dogtrainer #dogsofinstagram #dogstagram #positivedogtrainer #positivereinforcement #positivedogtraining #balanceddogtraining #balanceddogtrainer #dogs #dog #doglovers #doglover
I've been keeping this very hush hush, but I am very excited to share that I have begun working with @realscottmills and @samvaughan89 and their dog @helloteddydog
I'm sure I don't need to explain why working with these particular clients is especially exciting, and if you live within the UK, then you are more than likely to know who they are!
We have begun the ball rolling on Teddy's reactivity and anxiety issues and I have no doubt they're all going to make amazing progress!
It's time to transform, Teddy!
#entrepreneur #femaleentrepreneur #blessed #dogbehavior #dogbehaviour #dogbehaviourist #dogbehaviorist #dogtraining #dogtrainer #dogsofinstagram #dogstagram #positivedogtrainer #positivereinforcement #positivedogtraining #balanceddogtraining #balanceddogtrainer #dogs #dog #doglovers #doglover
It's not very often that I am moved to tears by a dog's history, but Luca is one of the exceptions.
As you can very clearly see from the video, Luca did not have the best start in life. He's suspected to have had his leg broken by a human and was severely underweight. Tbh it's absolutely shocking he's not people reactive, but that really is just a testament to how wonderful this dog is.
When I first went to assess Luca, I was shocked at how lovely his temperament was and how quickly he seemed to let him into his circle of trust. He was pushing a toy into me to play tug within minutes of me entering his home. And you best believe, he got what he asked for.
His owner and I have begun his behavioural modification to address his reactivity with other dogs and some general anxiety and he has been put on medication to facilitate the process.
I have absolutely no doubt that Luca is going to make amazing progress. He is easily motivated and his behaviour, from my observations, is largely stable.
If you want to follow Luca's progress, then make sure you give me a follow!
#romanianrescuedog #romanianrescue #reactivedogs #reactivedog #mixedbreed #dogbehavior #dogbehaviour #dogbehaviourist #dogbehaviorist #dogtraining #dogtrainer #dogsofinstagram #dogstagram #positivedogtrainer #positivereinforcement #positivedogtraining #balanceddogtraining #balanceddogtrainer #dogs #dog #doglovers #doglover
I am so beyond bloody grateful and thankful to have such amazing, dedicated, understanding, receptive and kind clients.
Every day I try to remind myself of how lucky I am to be in the position I have worked SO HARD for, but I literally would not be here if it wasn't for my incredible clients who have shown me so much support over nearly 5 whole years with the business.
A lot of you see me in SERIOUS DOG TRAINING mode, but just know that underneath that tough exterior is someone who freaking adores you all for trusting me with your dogs and your training journeys.
I am absolutely not perfect, and I have absolutely made mistakes, but I promise to always push myself to get better and better at what I do so I can then push you guys and your dogs to be better and better at what you do!
From the bottom of my heart, thank you. ❤️
#dogtraining #dogstagram #dogsofinstagram #dogs #dog #dogtrainer #entrepreneur #femaleentrepreneur #blessed #growthmindset
I gotta say, this mobile life is really suiting me lately.
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE being in Candy, but I am very much enjoying the comfort of being in a hotel while I'm away working. This is the first weekend in a while that Honey has been with me though, and I gotta say, it has been so nice.
Honey has stayed with me in hotels before, but I am reminded of how adaptable and damn right incredible she is when I throw her into situations like this.
I have documented our time together this weekend and will be uploading it to my YouTube so make sure you go and subscribe over there if you wanna see more!
#dogtrainer #nomad #dogsofinstagram #dogstagram #dogs #dog #dogfriendly #dogtraining
Our dogs understand us a lot more than most people give them credit for, but there are absolutely some things that I know we all wish they could actually understand.
Which one of these resonated with you the most?
#dogtraining #dogtrainer #dogsofinstagram #dogstagram #doglovers #doglover #dogs #dog #dogmom #dogmum #relatable #positivedogtrainer #balanceddogtrainer #dogtraining #positivedogtraining #balanceddogtraining
You see a lot of negativity on the internet, especially when it comes to the dog owning world, but I actually do believe that this is a minority.
If the majority of the dog owning world was bad, we would have A LOT more altercations, conflict and/or injuries. But when you really think about it, and the amount of dogs there are in the world, it's amazing how little this actually happens.
Whenever I'm out with my dog or with client's dogs, the majority of dogs and owners that I pass typically results in absolutely no issues and we all go on our merry ways. It's just we, as a society, are programmed to focus on the bad.
So, here is my little attempt to spread some positivity and thank all the owners who are doing right by their dog's and general dog owning society. Positive reinforcement shouldn't just apply to our dogs, so here's some for the other end of the leash. ❤️
(And if you are one of my clients this OF COURSE especially goes for you 😉)
#dogtrainer #positivedogtrainer #positivedogtraining #dogtraining #balanceddogtraining #dogsofinstagram #dogstagram #positivity #dogs #dog #positivereinforcement #doglover #doglovers
