Positive 4 Paws Dog Training and Behaviour

10/11/2023

Onya and Beatrix learnt new social skills and behaviours around other dogs in their Sensitive Soul course together. 🎓🎓🐶

08/11/2023

Una had a 1-2-1 at our outdoor venue in Denmead to help with her walking on lead skills. What a superstar she was, too. With clear and easy-to-understand feedback from her handler, she quickly went from "resistance training" mode to walking in unison. 🐶🎓

04/11/2023

Here's some cuddly, furry, ‘pawsitive’ wisdom! 🐾

If you've just welcomed a tiny canine into your family, remember the importance of socialising them. It’s not just about making them a ‘friendlister’ on the doggy network, or setting pawty goals! 🐶🎈

It's all about exposing them to different places, people, other animals and experiences at a pace that suits their current level and character. It ensures they grow into well-behaved, adventurous, and expressive companions. 😄

So go ahead, step up their socialising game – set up suitable playdates, or take them on neighbourhood walks, let your pup meet, greet and tweet! Okay, maybe not the tweeting part, human; you got that! 🤣 After all, a confident social pup is a happy pup! 🎉

🐕🌈

03/11/2023

🐕👃 Calling all dog parents! Paw-lease go on an indoor 'walk' and follow your noses to our upcoming Scent Work for Dogs Training Course! 🎓

Is your fur buddy a champion sniff-whiffer? Does the promise of a new scent have his tail wagging? If you're nodding right now, this scent-sational course is just for you and your four-legged friend!

Over the four weeks, we'll introduce your canine companions to an exhilarating world of 'nose work'. Together, we'll engage their super sniffers and transform them into scent-detecting superstars! 🦸🐶

Not only will they learn new skills, but you'll be bonding and connecting like never before. New indoor winter activity, happy dog, elevated bond – it’s a triple win!

If you’re ready to start on this exciting olfactory adventure, sniff out the 'book now' button on our page. See you on the scent trail! 🐾🕵️‍♀️🔍

🐕👂🏼🌲🍂🍄

02/11/2023

Finding the sweet spot in canine training requires not the rigidity of an old oak tree but instead the flexibility of a willow in the wind! 🌳🍃

Each dog is an individual with unique traits, skills, and learning pace. The journey is scattered with beautiful moments of progress, tiny victories, and occasional setbacks. But isn't that what growth is all about?🐾💖

Remember, patience is key, but so is adaptability. Let's keep sharing tips, encouragement, and love for our faithful companions. After all, we are not just training them; they are teaching us too. Woof you all! 🐶💙

01/11/2023

Ollie was with us to help improve his loose lead walking skills.

A walk with a tight lead is no fun for both handler and dog. It causes stress and can result in unwanted behaviours being displayed.

How is your lead walking training?

30/10/2023

Why attend dog training classes? 🐾

Dog training is much more than teaching your dog different tricks; it's about teaching them self-control and manners, behaviours that will keep them safe and happy.

Training classes provide a structured setting where your furry buddies can learn and socialise with others, building their confidence and understanding of the world. This is also great for forging a stronger bond between you and your dogs, giving you better communication and understanding of their behaviour 🐕👏🏽.

It makes daily tasks simpler - like walking without pulling, greeting guests without jumping, and behaving when other dogs are around. Not only do these classes positively influence our dogs, but also improve the overall well-being of our homes and neighbourhood.

So, if you've brought a new rescue dog into your home, or if you're struggling to maintain harmony with your existing one, consider enrolling in dog training classes.

This investment will reap outstanding returns in behaviour, well-being, and love. 🙌💕

Always remember, a well-trained dog is a happy dog that understands the world around them.

🐕🐾💞

06/03/2023

The next Course starts on the 26th of March.

Puppy Intermediate Skills Training 4-week course for puppies between 13 to 24 weeks old.
Sunday’s at 13:00h starting 26th of March.
Cost, of course, £60
Restricted to 4 puppies per course.
Held at our outside venue in Denmead.

Covering:
🐕 how dogs learn
🐕 How to train any behaviour
🐕 Recall
🐕 Loose lead walking
🐕 Relax and Settle
🐕 Leave
🐕 How to solve common issues
🐕 and lots more

💻 You will also gain access to the home study support course backing up everything covered in class. No more getting home from class and racking your brain!

Added bonus Home-Study modules:
💻 How Dogs Learn
💻 How to Train With Your Dog
💻 Understanding Body Language
💻 Puppy Foundations
💻 All home study courses are available 24/7 on our online study portal

Message Iain below for more information

03/03/2023

The next Course starts on the 26th of March.

Life Skills Training 4-week course for dogs over 6 months.
Sunday’s at 11:30 AM starting 26th of March.
Cost, of course, £60
4 dogs per course to create a great learning experience
Held at our outside venue in Denmead.

Covering:
🐕 how dogs learn
🐕 How to train any behaviour
🐕 Recall
🐕 Loose lead walking
🐕 Relax and Settle
🐕 Leave
🐕 How to solve common issues
🐕 and lots more

💻 You will also gain access to the home study support course backing up everything covered in class. No more getting home from class and racking your brain!

Added bonus Home-Study modules:
💻 How Dogs Learn
💻 How to Train With Your Dog
💻 Understanding Body Language
💻 All home study courses are available 24/7 on our online study portal

Message Iain below for more information.

01/03/2023

Looking for a new activity with your dog? 🐕

Scent work is great fun for both dogs and handlers. Creating teamwork and building the bond between you and your dog.

You'll be amazed at how much energy your dog uses when using its nose. Nose work is suitable for dogs of any age or breed.

🎓The next Course starts on Tuesday 14th of March at 6.00 pm in Denmead. 🎓

Message us or leave a comment below for more details.

05/09/2022

Looking for a new activity with your dog? 🐕

Scent work is great fun for both dogs and handlers. Creating teamwork and building the bond between you and your dog.

You'll be amazed at how much energy your dog uses when using its nose. Nose work is suitable for dogs of any age or breed.

🎓The next Course starts on Tuesday 13th of September at 6.30 pm in Denmead. 🎓

Message me or leave a comment below for more details

18/06/2022

Due to a cancellation we now have availability on the following Life Skills course:

Next Course starting soon on the 26th June

Basic Life Skills Training 4-week course for dogs over 6 months.
Sunday’s at 11:30 AM starting 26th June.
Cost of Course £60
Restricted to 4 dogs
Held at our outside venue in Denmead.

Covering:
🐕 how dogs learn
🐕 How to train any behaviour
🐕 Recall
🐕 Loose lead walking
🐕 Relax and Settle
🐕 Leave
🐕 How to solve common issues
🐕 and lots more

💻 You will also gain access to the home study support course backing up everything covered in class no more getting home from class and racking your brain!

Added bonus Home-Study modules:
💻 How Dogs Learn
💻 How to Train With Your Dog
💻 Understanding Body Language
💻 All home study courses are available 24/7 on our online study portal

Message Iain below for more information
Or visit our websitehttps://positive4paws.co.uk/dog-training-and-behaviour/dog-training/dog-training-classes/

18/06/2022

🐕🎓Buster and Beatrix worked on their social and communication skills in their Sensitive soul Course.

12/06/2022

07/05/2022

The Gorgeous Roxey working on her lead walking skills 🎓🐕🚶

When training your dog to lead walk, it is important to set them up for success by choosing an appropriate place to train and building their ability gradually over time.

For example, if you are working with a busy street full of traffic and distractions, you will likely encounter difficulty getting your dog to focus on you and stay by your side. On the other hand, a quiet park or walking path will be much more conducive to successful lead walking, as it provides fewer external stimuli for your dog to worry about.

Additionally, by building your dog's lead walking skills gradually over time, you can help prevent frustration and encourage long-term progress. You might start with simple tasks like staying at your side or remaining calm in the presence of other dogs at a far distance away from you.

As your dog masters each step in the lead walking process, you can begin adding more challenging obstacles into your training routine, such as working with distractions at different distances and speeds. Through these strategies and others, you can help improve your dog's lead walking skills and set them up for success!

06/05/2022

Training tip – all done cue

Training your dog can be a rewarding and challenging experience, but it is important to find effective ways to motivate and encourage your dog during their training sessions.

One effective strategy for this is to build your dog's ability to recognize cues and understand when a session has finished. This can be done by developing a "All Done" cue, which will let your dog know that the training has come to an end, and they can go off a do their own thing. This cue often reduces frustration at the end of the session. Because it gives the dog a clear understanding, rather than leaving them hanging on “maybe you want this behaviour for my next treat”.

To begin building this ability, it is important to start out with consistent training methods and stay focused on positive reward-based techniques. Then at the end of each session, give your “All Done” cue (whether verbal, visual or both), then pack away your rewards. You may also want to time your sessions, making sure they are not too long or distracting for your dog. Over time, you can slowly increase the duration of your training sessions, gradually building up their skills and understanding of cues.

How do you know when your dog is reliably recognising the "All Done" cue? Once they no longer pester you for more treats by going through their repertoire of behaviours when you finish the session, you will know that they have mastered this skill.

With patience and consistent training sessions, every dog can learn how to effectively communicate with their owner and take pride in learning new skills!

05/05/2022

The very handsome Hugo attended our Sensitve Soul Course to help him gain confidence being around other dogs. 🐕🎓🐕

Teaching our sensitive dogs new social skills and building their confidence is an important part of their training. When our dogs are barking, growling or lunging at other dogs, this can often be a sign of anxiety or fear. By working with them to help them develop better social skills and build their confidence, we can set them up for success and help make dog interactions less stressful for everyone involved.

One effective approach to dog training is positive reinforcement training, which relies on the use of positive consequences to encourage desirable behaviours and discourage unwanted ones. Through positive reinforcement training and creating a suitable learning environment, we can work with our dogs to develop new skills and help them feel more comfortable being in the company of and interacting with other dogs. At the same time, we can also use this approach to build their confidence and reinforce positive experiences, helping them move past any feelings of anxiety or fear that they may have.

In order to successfully teach these new social skills and build our dog's confidence, it is important that we remain patient, consistent, and committed in our efforts. And most importantly, we must remember that building confidence is a long-term process that requires significant practice over time in order to see real behaviour changes.

04/05/2022

Training tip – three D’s

Building your dog's ability to show wanted behaviours no matter where they are requires a thoughtful, consistent approach. This is achieved through the three D's: duration, distance, and distractions. Each of these factors has a different impact on our dogs and their ability to perform certain behaviours at each stage of training. Our goal is to build our dogs ability through a consistent training plan.

At the beginning stages of training, we can focus on increasing the duration of desired behaviours. This means that we need to be patient and take our time in helping our dogs to stay focused on the task and maintain the behaviour over long periods of time. For instance, we may start by rewarding for 5 second sit and gradually work up to 30 seconds or more, as our dogs become more comfortable with the task at hand.

As our dogs develop their skills over time, we can then begin to refine their abilities by increasing distance from us. This might mean gradually moving further away when asking them to sit or asking them to sit and then moving away from them while they maintain the behaviour. Remember, for the latter, your dog will need their duration pre-trained, to give you the time to move away and return to them.

Lastly, it is also important to expose your dog to distractions so that he or she can practice self-control in a variety of situations. Slowly, increase the number of distractions (people, dogs, vehicles etc.) happening in the environment you are training in, while your dog is maintaining the behaviour.

By focusing on these three factors in your training routine, you can help build your dog's overall ability to show desired behaviours no matter where they are. After all, consistency is key when it comes to supporting your dog to become a well-rounded adult canine!

Want to know more about the Three D’s and training your dog? https://positive4paws.co.uk/dog-training/the-difficulty-level-in-dog-training/

03/05/2022

When it comes to puppy training and social skills, it is essential that we focus on positive reinforcement techniques and help our pups to get the most out of their interactions with other dogs.

This means taking the time to teach them how to play in an appropriate, respectful way, while also supporting them in situations where they may feel a bit scared or overwhelmed.

It can take time and patience to help our puppies develop these important social skills, but the end result is always worth it - a well-rounded adult dog that has strong bonds with both humans and other dogs alike.

After all, puppyhood is just a training ground for what lies ahead in their life, so making sure we set them up for success from an early age is key. 🎓🐕

02/05/2022

House Training – Accidents Happen

House training a puppy is often one of the biggest challenges for new pet owners.

Puppies have small bladders and need to go frequently, so it's important to provide them with ample opportunities to relieve themselves. A good rule of thumb is to take your puppy outside every hour initially, as well as, after they eat or drink. If you're using a crate, make sure to give them a toilet break every few hours as well.

Puppies will also need to relieve themselves after naps and playtime, so be sure to keep an eye on them and take them out regularly. The most important thing is to be consistent with your schedule and routine and be patient - accidents will happen!

If you do have an accident, clean up using an enzyme cleaner to help remove any lingering odour. With a little patience and perseverance, you'll soon have a well-trained pup!

26/04/2022

Marvelous Mocha has been working on her recall in puppy classes.

AKA The return as fast as I can game 🐕🎓🙌

25/04/2022

The very handsome Richmond has been working on building his confidence.

He's been trying out new social skills and practicing them in different situations. He's getting better and better every day, and he's feeling more confident in himself.

24/04/2022

There are several reasons why positive reinforcement is a better choice than punishment when training dogs.

For one, punishment can be ineffective.

Dogs often don't understand why they're being punished, which can make training difficult and confusing.

Additionally, punishment can also be harmful.

Using physical punishment can increase fear and aggression in dogs, which is the last thing you want to do.

So instead of using punishment, focus on using positive reinforcement. Manage the environment and focus on breaking your training into achievable stages for both you and your dog.

This will help you create a trusting and respectful relationship with your dog, which is essential for successful training.

23/04/2022

Rue mastering the art of loose lead walking - one trail at a time!

How can you make walking your dog more enjoyable for both of you? Training them to walk on a loose lead and then going and investigate the world through their nose 🐕👃

22/04/2022

Positive reinforcement training is a great way to bond with your dog while teaching them wanted behavior choices.

The key to successful positive reinforcement training is finding out what is rewarding to your individual dog. This may take some trial and error, but it will be worth it when you see your dog responding to your commands.

Some dogs are motivated by food rewards, while others prefer praise or toys. Once you know what motivates your dog, you can start using positive reinforcement training to teach them the behaviors you want them to learn.

With patience and consistency, you can help your dog become the well-behaved companion you always wanted.

21/04/2022

Scruffo enjoying his 1-2-1 at our outdoor venue, working on his recall and attention to his name. What a star! 🐕🎓🙌

What have been the biggest challenges with training your dog's recall?

20/04/2022

Puppies are not born socialised.

In fact, they go through a number of developmental stages that are critical for their socialisation. The first stage occurs between two and four weeks of age, when puppies start to become aware of their surroundings and begin to interact with other dogs.

The second stage occurs between four and eight weeks of age, when puppies start to develop a fear of strangers and become more attached to their mothers.

The third stage occurs between eight and sixteen weeks of age, when puppies start to become more independent and explore their surroundings. puppy socialisation is the process of exposing puppies to different people, animals, and environments in order to help them overcome their fears and become well-adjusted members of society.

It is important to choose a good breeder, as the first two stages of development for your puppy is in their hands! We tend to collect our puppies at the begining of the third stage.

It's no secret that puppies are adorable when they first come to their new home.

But what many new owners don't realise is that those first few months of life are crucial for a puppy's development towards becoming an adult dog. During this time, puppies learn important social skills that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

That's why it's so important to expose them to as many different people and situations as possible. The more they interact with other puppies and humans, the better prepared they'll be for adulthood.

Of course, all of this socialising can be exhausting for both puppy and owner. We need to make sure the puppy is calm and relaxed during each exposure and work at their indivdual pace. Little and often is key to success. But it's worth it, because a well-socialised puppy is a happy puppy. And who doesn't want that?

19/04/2022

Harley working hard on his puppy skills and what a great little learner he was! 🐕🎓🙌