Lead On Dog Training

02/07/2024

Reactive Dogs.
I know just how much hard work you put in, everyday👍. Many of you will know reactive dogs are an area I am passionate about.
Maybe you are new to having a reactive dog or have just noticed reactivity in your own dog creeping in. It's OK and it CAN get better🙂.
What can be confusing for some are terms which are used....and importantly what they actually mean and why we stress the importance of these when working with reactive dogs.
This is a very non technical explanation of what some of the terminology means.....a very general and hopefully easy to understand explanation of terms.

This isn't just for fear reactive dogs, even over excited/hyper dogs can have high levels of stress in fact some dogs that are just on the "go" ALL the time often have very high levels of stress hormones. Nervous or newly adopted dogs can also benefit.

🔵Stress levels/Stress hormones
Reactive dogs have releases of stress hormones when they react, the difficult thing with this is they can stay at a high level and can take hours or DAYS to reduce, so....if your dog reacts many times a day those levels may be very high, and stay high. These levels need to come down to help reactivity.
They have to reduce.
As mentioned even overly excited/hyper dogs can have high levels of stress hormones.

🔵Lowering stress hormones/stress levels/decompression.
Simply put these are ways to help your dog lower those stress levels. Lowering the pressure your dog is feeling.
Ways to help lower those levels include not adding to those stress levels (avoiding situations where dogs react again and again). If your dog reacts again and again, those levels may not drop and they can stay high. Every reaction can "top up" stress levels.
We also add in ways to help your dogs life by helping with confidence, enrichment and creating relaxation which can be a natural way to lower those stress hormones.
Sleep is VERY important for reactive dogs.
Helping a dog use their nose is extremely helpful for reactive dogs.

🔵Trigger stacking.
Small issues that can occur in a short period of time (or over a few days) that add to stress in a dog.
These can be seemingly small when looked at individually. These smaller "triggers" stack on top of each other and can cause reactions. They may react to something they have always been ok with if they have had multiple smaller scares/stressful situations, even if there are very small outward signs or reactions, they can "add up".
They may also have a much bigger reaction if they have had multiple smaller issues during the day. These can be as innocent as a very small startle when a door is closed too quickly, or a car toot as it goes past......these can have an accumulative effect on your dog so they will be MORE likely to react to something else, react more strongly and at a far greater distance than they may normally have an issue with.
Understanding trigger stacking is important with reactive dogs.

I hope that may clarify a few terms commonly used with reactive dogs.🙂

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30/06/2024

Dogs need an anchor in the world; someone they have a secure attachment with based on a loving relationship and someone who makes them feel safe. There’s a lovely quote from John Bowlby about child/parent secure bases that says ‘all of us, from the cradle to the grave are happiest when life is organised as a series of excursions, long or short, from the secure base provided by our attachment figures’.

What this means is that dogs do best if they feel safe and have a secure bond to someone. This means they need contact- both physically and emotionally and they need to feel safe and with no concern that they will be punished. This secure attachment helps them to be resilient and cope with the world as they always have a safe base to return to.

I’ve seen this in action with my little hand reared yorkie. From 6 days old she lived attached to me, to keep her warm she mostly lived inside my jumper (actually in my bra really 😂). She slept next to me, I bottle fed her and cared for her every need. You’d perhaps think this would create a needy monster who would never cope without me being right there- who would have awful separation issues and who would really struggle emotionally in life. Quite the opposite occurred, she’s the most independent and confident dog I’ve ever had. When she was a few months old she decided she didn’t want to sleep in my bed anymore- she’s big and brave enough that she doesn’t need me like that now. She’s grown her wings to fly the nest. She returns in the night if she gets cold and always every morning for a cuddle under the covers when I’m half asleep-it’s like I’m her docking station for a recharge and then she’s off, without a backward glance (actually maybe she silently swears at me 😂) and she’d face the world alone if she could, she is totally fearless.

There’s no short cuts to a secure attachment- you can’t achieve it by using food and you can’t get it by training. You can’t get a secure attachment by using coercion, quite the opposite occurs- if you punish your dog they won’t feel safe. It takes time, trust and understanding. If you haven’t had your dog from a puppy you can still have a really strong, secure relationship. I’ve had a mix of puppies and adult rescues and some of my strongest relationships have been with my adult rescues but it all takes time, and if they’ve had a series of broken attachments in the past it can take time for them to trust but it’s so worth it.

Don’t ever worry about loving your dog ‘too’ much or giving them too much care or attention, just like children, they need to feel safe and understood to thrive.

27/06/2024

23/06/2024

If you have enquired about puppy classes recently then please check your messages!
I'm hoping to start a new group this Thursday........😊🐾

20/06/2024

Congratulations to these two teams for passing their bronze level puppy life skills this evening......Linda & Holly.....Izzy & Holly.......or big Holly & little Holly as they're better known!
Absolutely smashed test week!😊🐾💪

04/06/2024

Entries close this Friday! We still have space if you want to enter....😊🐾

26/05/2024

Entries are filling up fast!.......if you're planning on coming please get your entries in!🤩

22/05/2024

Mull blog is now live! We had a brilliant time. Thank you Jayne for such lovely comments.....😍

Thanks to Moira Owers of Paws by the Loch dog training, we are very fortunate to be able to hold this trial in the grounds of Duart Castle and the stunning backdrop of the Sound of Mull, Ferries, Cruise-liners, Yachts, fog and of course the Castle adds so much to the experience and definitely provid...

17/05/2024

Big thanks to Hobbit Rosettes for supplying rosettes for our upcoming Talking Dogs Rally trial!
Trial is on 15/16 June.......schedule will be live on the TDR website any time now......😊🐾

17/05/2024

Reactivity....Complex, individual and there is a LOT to do before and after this graphic. It is also a passion of mine. 💖 Yesterday we talked about movement words and how important they are, note the movement word in the graphic too.
Reactivity is very nuanced, yet there are many similarities from one reactive dog to another.
I love working with reactive dogs because it changes a dogs life and it changes peoples lives......love it !
I have posted a lot about reactivity lately and this subject comes up quite a bit...what to do when they are just heading up and over their threshold or even if they are reacting.
This helps enormously, however it really is just one way to help in this situation, there are many others.

This is a small explanation of how to perform a U turn (which is really a J turn) with a reactive dog. Your dog should NOT be in a full blown reaction when you do this....however you can do this too if they are in a full blown reaction though the walking away part will be far longer than if they are just starting to go over their threshold.

Letting them stay there in the face of the trigger will only exacerbate and lengthen the reaction. That is VERY damaging for many reasons.

You will have a really good idea of how to read your dogs own "tells" so not all will be listed.

Always try to reengage after any U turn at that distance your dog is now comfortable viewing at.

I appreciate there are many different ways to manage reactivity and this may be different to how you are working with your own dog....if what you are doing is working....great.

All the best with your own reactive dog journey

🙂Unmarked graphics are available for $ 1.20 USD or $ 2 NZD each (approx), these are then able to be used off Facebook for client handouts, posters etc. Please visit ABC Dogs Patreon Shop for our collection of graphics.
Everyone is free to share these posts on social media, however off social media use is protected.
Screen shots are a violation of copyright.
Please respect that these graphics take time and effort to make . All graphics belong to ABC Dogs NZ and are under copyright.

16/05/2024

Last chance to grab a space on my puppy course! Alongside Wight Agility Group, I run an 18 week puppy programme over 3 terms.
You can do as many terms as you'd like.
The next new intake won't be until September so this is your last opportunity to get involved before then. Drop me a message to book your space.....😊🐾

🐾NEW BRONZE LEVEL PUPPY GROUP!!!🐾

Start date - Thursday 16th May
Time - 5.30 to 6.30pm
6 week course - £70

Only 6 spaces available!

We cover all your early puppy life skills.....toilet training, socialisation, puppy biting, jumping up, appropriate play, sit, down, loose lead walking, recall etc
All taught using force free, reward based training methods in a fun, relaxed environment.

For pups up to 6 months old.

Drop me a message to find out more & book your space.....😊🐾

15/05/2024

If a fear reactive dog is in the height of a reaction your dog is beyond learning anything. They are in their flight, fright or fight state and correcting this does absolutely nothing to teach your dog how to not be reactive.

When a dog is reacting it means that the dog has lost control of logic and their brain is flooded with stress hormones. This makes reasoned thought or learning impossible.

Your dog cannot learn in a reactive state.

Counterconditioning and desensitisation, while keeping your dog under threshold is a proven, effective way to lessen reactivity.
The best thing to do if your dog goes over its threshold and reacts is to walk away in the opposite direction.....keep going until your dog stops and do a U turn to reengage at a better distance.

If you do not reengage your dog will begin to think their reaction worked (it created distance between themselves and the fearful stimuli)....and you can have a cyclical reaction.

Always work under your own dogs threshold .

Celebrate the wins and remind yourself this is a process.

12/05/2024

🐾NEW BRONZE LEVEL PUPPY GROUP!!!🐾

Start date - Thursday 16th May
Time - 5.30 to 6.30pm
6 week course - £70

Only 6 spaces available!

We cover all your early puppy life skills.....toilet training, socialisation, puppy biting, jumping up, appropriate play, sit, down, loose lead walking, recall etc
All taught using force free, reward based training methods in a fun, relaxed environment.

For pups up to 6 months old.

Drop me a message to find out more & book your space.....😊🐾

10/05/2024

Really proud of our club teams! Some great scores from everyone!
We spent the weekend with some super like minded (slightly bonkers) Isle of Mull teams.......Great fun all round....🤩

10/05/2024

A few more...

10/05/2024

Some pics from the trial on Mull last weekend!
We had a fantastic time with everyone doing some cracking rounds....😊🐾

07/05/2024

I still have a couple of spaces on this Puppy Course starting Thursday 16th May.
Drop me a message to book your space.
I'm currently away & don't always have Internet access, but will reply as soon as I do...😊🐾

03/05/2024

Myself & 4 members of our training club have spent the week travelling up the country to Scotland where we will be spending this weekend on the Isle of Mull at a Talking Dogs Rally trial!
Adam & I arrived on Mull on Wednesday & have been enjoying the stunning scenery with Rocco & Reuben. We'll be meeting up with the others later today.
Look out for pics over the weekend......the backdrop for the trial is a bit spectacular!🤩

26/04/2024

Awww they want to meet, look at their wagging tails ⚠️
A wagging tail is never a good indicator of your dogs emotional state.
It can simply mean their emotional state has changed, apart from happiness and joy, that can also include changing into a fearful, anxious, angry, confused state. Tail wags are not a good indicator when deciding your dogs (or another dogs) emotions.
I know this is controversial for some to hear but very few dogs are truly dog social....many are highly selective.
They may only like their own breed.
They may only like female dogs....small brown dogs...or curly coated dogs.
They may have their own unique preference.
They have (and are ALLOWED) their own social preference....just as we have our own social preferences.

Or they may just dislike any other dog outside their/your family and friends.

Encouraging dogs to meet a dog walking down the street (even with the best of intentions) can cause some serious issues. If your dog pulls you down the road at the mere glimpse of another dog, your dog is likely in a highly aroused emotional state. Allowing them to meet others in that state is habit forming and rewarding....so they WILL repeat it.
Other dogs can respond badly to over aroused dogs.

Why not just let two dogs meet ?
There can be lifelong consequences to "just letting them meet"
Reactivity and/or aggression.
Anxiety and stress
Injury.
A lessening of the strong bond they may have with you as they can no longer trust your judgement.
Why not take a bit of time and lessen the chance of these serious (and sometimes life altering) issues occur in the first place.

So.... meeting any strange or unknown dogs on a walk, JUST because there is another dog there is something I highly discourage.

However....
There are some circumstances where you may have to introduce dogs. So these are a few tips which have been written about before (separately) in graphics but I have squeezed them together for a clearer reference.

One of the biggest mistakes people make is only concentrating on their own dogs emotional state and not watching the rising stress in the other dog involved....
These cause those "Out of the blue" reactions....

They weren't out of the blue, they were just missed.

🔵Micro meetings are essential.
🔵Parallel walks are a must.
🔵Avoid face to face.
🔵Keep your voices light and happy.
🔵DON'T make a dog sit or lie down.
🔵Tension creates more tension so keep those leads loose.
🔵NEUTRAL territory....not your yard, your house or even your immediate area around your house....go somewhere else.

Biggest tip though (as mentioned) watch the body language of both dogs.....IGNORE the tail wags and watch the whole body and all the little tell tale signs given.

If it doesn't feel right...it likely isn't.
Trust your own intuition.

ALWAYS advocate for your own dog no matter how "friendly" you are told the other dog is.

Please respect that these graphics take time and effort to make. Everyone is free to share on social media🙂, however off social media use of these marked graphics is prohibited.
Unmarked graphics are available for $ 1.20 USD or $ 2 NZD each (approx), these are then able to be used off Facebook for client handouts, posters or for personal use.
Screen shots are a violation of the copyright.
Please visit ABC Dogs Patreon Shop for unmarked graphics. All graphics belong to ABC Dogs NZ and are under copyright.

24/04/2024

🐾NEW BRONZE LEVEL PUPPY GROUP!!!🐾

Start date - Thursday 16th May
Time - 5.30 to 6.30pm
6 week course - £70

Only 6 spaces available!
4 spaces left....

We cover all your early puppy life skills.....toilet training, socialisation, puppy biting, jumping up, appropriate play, sit, down, loose lead walking, recall etc
All taught using force free, reward based training methods in a fun, relaxed environment.

For pups up to 6 months old.

Drop me a message to find out more & book your space.....😊🐾

16/04/2024

I find it hard to understand why some people still use and firmly believe in old fashioned punishment-based training methods when science clearly shows there is a better, kinder, humane, ethical and far more effective way.

The key principle of force free or positive reinforcement based methods is “first, do no harm”, not just physical harm, but emotional harm too.

Punishment amongst many other negatives, creates stress. Stress inhibits learning. A dog that is feeling stressed from being punished will struggle to learn.

Positive reinforcement methods release the hormone, Dopamine. This “feel-good” hormone drives the reward and pleasure-seeking system.

Dopamine also increases the brain’s ability to learn, improves memory function and motivates a dog to repeat a behaviour.

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behaviour states that punishment-based methods may cause several adverse effects, including “inhibition of learning, increased fear-related and aggressive behaviours, and injury to animals and people interacting with animals”.

One of my favourite quotes with regard to dog behaviour is by Dr Carolina Galvez Vidal - "Any idiot can suppress behaviour. It’s so easy: That’s why most humans on the planet think they are expert dog trainers. But to truly modify a behaviour without suppression…Ahh, that requires true talent, knowledge and skills".

We are all individuals and don’t all have “true talent” or “skills”, but the key word for me in this statement is “knowledge”.

Knowledge is not that hard to find these days. Be willing to put in the effort to find out how to build a trusting, secure and positive relationship with your dog, remembering to "first do no harm".

10/04/2024

Still a couple of spaces on these......get in touch to book your space.....😊

We have a couple of spaces left on our upcoming hoopers workshops with Dorothea Lambert!
Please get in touch to book your space or find out more!

🐾🐾HOOPERS WORKSHOPS🐾🐾
With Dorothea Lambert
Saturday 20th April - £30
Only 6 dog/handler spaces on each workshop.

🐾10am - 12pm Beginners/Intermediate - for those who are up to doing short combinations & looking to improve their skills & build distance.

1 Space Left

🐾2pm - 4pm Intermediate - for those who are up to doing small courses & looking to improve their skills & distance.

1 Space Left

🐾I'm excited to have Dorothea back on the island to run us some more workshops. I've known Doro for 10 years now. She was my first trainer & the reason I'm now a trainer myself! Come along, have some fun & improve your skills!😊

These will be followed on Sunday 21st April by a little skills test competition! Details to follow.

A little about Dorothea........

Dorothea Lambert has been teaching hoopers since 2018. She runs hoopers training groups, 1-2-1s and workshops. She is also a Hoopers judge as well as a successful competitor and is one of the two founders of “For The Love Of Hoopers” shows. She competes with two rescue dogs (one Large and one Veteran) with various Hoopers organisations (CHUK, UK Hoopers, HUK, Kelluki Hoopers, JJ Hoopers and FTLOH).

Besides being a hoopers instructor, Dorothea runs various other dog activities (TD Rally, Treibball, Games) as well as puppy classes and general dog training and is a fully accredited dog trainer with PACT and a registered ATI with ABTC and a proud member of the PPG.

Check out her pages at Dog Activity Spot & For The Love Of Hoopers....

09/04/2024

Some of our recent Silver Level Lifeskills passes! I'm loving the wide variety of breeds I'm working with at the moment.........& their good humoured handlers of course! 🤩

09/04/2024

Isn't a sneeze just a sneeze❓
Yes... and no.
Dogs speak to us everyday.
Sometimes they "whisper", sometimes they "shout".
A lot of the communication can be quite subtle and it is the subtle communication that can be a bit trickier to pick up on.....and that subtle communication is what we need to look at more.
Dogs that have these "whispers" not listened or respected can go on to use more direct ways of communicating.

If you have a dog that has behavioural difficulties or is reactive......I urge you to pay attention to the "whispers".
If you start to recognise the smaller ways your dog communicates, you can stop escalations.
You can stop that barking, snarling, growling and lunges BEFORE they start.
Aggression can be the end result of all the other smaller "whispers" not being respected and no one wants that.

Start listening to the much smaller and seemingly "insignificant" ways dog communicate.
It makes such a difference.

Unmarked graphics are available for $ 1.20 USD or $ 2 NZD each (approx), these are then able to be used off Facebook for client handouts, posters or for personal use.
Screen shots are a violation of the copyright.
Please visit ABC Dogs Patreon Shop for unmarked graphics. All graphics belong to ABC Dogs NZ and are under copyright.