A little hello. This is McCreary. He is staying with me for a couple of weeks. We are going to work on building his confidence, helping him navigate this big, wide world, and working through some behaviour modifications. The main focus is on resource guarding, separation anxiety, and generalized anxiety.
But before we address any of these issues, the most crucial step for me in training any dog is to build a relationship with them. Then, I must address any medical needs, finally make changes in their environment, and implement management strategies to set the dog up for success. Once all that is addressed, we can start the training.
Without foundation work, learning can not take place. Remember these pointers before you start any training session.
-Dogs need to be below threshold before training can take place, and this affects the trainer, too. If you're already frustrated going into a training session, odds are it won't go well. So make sure you and your dog have a positive, motivated mindset.
-Remember that what your dog finds rewarding may not be what you see as rewarding; the same goes for aversive stimuli. What one dog may see as aversive or a correction, another may see as neutral or rewarding stimuli. You may have a very food-motivated dog or one that only works for toys. Work with what works best for your dog.
-When you first start training, training sessions should be short so as not to create boredom or frustration. It is also essential to work within your dog's comfort zone at the beginning and slowly expand that zone together.
Who needs help with with Recall?
One of the most common issues dog owners contact me about is recall. Either their dogs completely ignore them; they've never actually conditioned what their recall cue means, their dog only has a perfect recall in their backyard, or their dog listens and follows through with their recall cue 50% of the time.
Does this sound familiar? Do you find yourself getting frustrated every time you let your dog off-leash? Does your dog seem to ignore you when you're out on a walk?
What often happens is something dog trainers like to call "poisoning the cue". This means you've repeatedly used the whistle or a word and rarely followed through with it; either your dog blows you off, or you say, "Oh well, he didn't listen," and move on. Or your dog has run off, ignoring you, and you've been calling and calling. You may have even found yourself running after your dog. What do you do when you eventually catch up to them, or they wander back? Do you find you're now frustrated, and so you punish or chastise your dog? You know they should know better. But do they? You've just taught your dog that if they run off and then return, they will get into trouble. You need to teach them what you actually want of them. Just that you are scary and mean when they hear their recall cue. Here's another scenario: you take your dog to an enclosed park and let them off leash; they run around, maybe play with other dogs and explore loads. Suddenly, you call them, and they come over, then they get put on the leash and leave the park. Your dog has just learned that the fun ends if they return to you. So what do you think they are going to do next time? Nine times out of 10, that dog will run away, play chase and avoid being caught as they don't want the fun to end.
I see it daily when I am out and about, owners fighting with their dogs and trying to catch them.
Well, what's the answer, you say? Recall training. My method is broken down into four easy-to-follow phases
This is Shadow and he is an oddity in that walks for him are not enjoyable or fun. They are stressful and scary. So to help Shadow understand and gain confidence on his walks I often pause and allow him to take as much time as he needs to evaluate and observe the world around him. Sometimes we do pattern games in low distracting environments and somtimes like in the video below we just sit and take it all in. Remeber that we all need to take a minute and slow down in this fast paced world. #jemspetshappyhometraining #reactivedogsaregooddogstoo #caninebehaviourconsultant #dogwalkingadventures #alldogsaregooddogs #dogtraineruk
Let's talk about reactivity.
Reactivity can occur in dogs for different reasons, the most common being errors during socialization periods & traumatic events. It's important to remember that reactivity is not your fault. Please do not feel guilty; reactivity occurs because various factors can work against us and our dogs.
When discussing socialization, we also discuss possible interruptions that can occur during it, such as personal health and that of your dogs, your work schedules, family commitments, weather, and many other daily factors.
Traumatic events are another common cause of reactivity. Traumatic events do not have to mean your dog was attacked and nearly killed. They are objective to the individual dog. Getting barked at and startled by a large dog could be traumatic for a young puppy. These types of events can range from a dog being chased, made uncomfortable, forced into a situation they are scared of, suffering physical injuries from an attack, or even just hearing a loud sound that startles them, especially if the dog itself is naturally shy, cautious and nervous to begin with.
It's important to note that some dogs can quickly leave a situation that we may view as scary or dramatic, shake it off, and move on, whereas others may be affected by it for a long time.
Reactivity can also be location/ situation specific; some dogs may only be reactive on a leash or behind a fence, whereas others are only reactive in the car or home. Some dogs may only be reactive towards other large breeds, notably ones with pointed ears, larger bodies, and darker coat colouring. I have worked with dogs that were only reactive to black shepherds, malinoiss, and some darker-coloured boxers. We see this in dogs that have dog-selective reactivity more often than not.
How do you get started, and how do you succeed in tackling reactivity?
First, let's have a quick summary of what reactivity is.
Reactivity is a conditioned emotional response to a trigger. Nothing can magic
I absolutely love when I can make a difference in someones day. This little pup had workers in his backyard and they were making all sorts of noises. He didn't understand why they were there. I gave his owners some management strategies and they got through the day. Even though I wasn't able to physically be there they took my guidance and worked with him. I'm so proud of my clients when they get a win like this!
If you want to work on your relationship with your pup, reach out today.
#transformyourfurryfriend #HappyDogHappyLife #dogtraining #lovemyjob #caninebehaviourist
BAT (Behavioural Adjustment Training should be called boring adjustment training, we want to set our dogs up for success not failure. I had a fantastic session with a client whose dog would have been over threshold, barking and lunging a few months ago at the sight of another dog or person. Now he can calmly focus on his handler and the even enjoys some sniffs with another very active dog in sight. Massive client wins today!!
Spending the morning with the best boy. Paddy needs some help on his recall and leash manners, and what better way to train these then with games.
#trainingwithgames #dogtrainingfun
Hi, I'm Jems, of Jems Pets- Happy Home Training . I just wanted to share this PSA with you about being mindful of your pups in this hot weather. Remember, they always need access to fresh water, don't walk them on hot pavement or they can burn their paw pads and don't do long walks or heavy strenuous exercise. If you're playing fetch, take breaks and allow your pups to calm down and breathe. Stay safe everyone.
#doghealth #hotdogsummer #sunsafetytips #trainingwithgames
"You can't teach an old dog a new trick"... We've all heard that before, well my client says otherwise.
Meet my old girl, she is a 10 year old Golden retriever with a lot of love to give. She's vocal and loves her family, she still loves going on long beach walks, but sometimes they are far more fun for her than her owners. This girl loves to pull. You'll see in the video below how I work in building engagement, providing direction, introducing her to leash pressure and giving positive reinforcement throughout. As she is an older dog the session is very short. You'll notice at the end of the session I remove her leash and give her the 'break' command. This command is so important because it lets our dogs know when they are done. Having a clear signal of when they are working and when they are done working builds trust, leadership and provides them with an understanding of exactly what we are asking. Which prevents frustration and confusion, making every training session fun and enjoyable.
If you're interested in any dog training or behaviour modification don't hesitate to get in touch. You can reach out via [email protected] or via messenger.
#makingtrainingfun #dogtrainingtips #jemspetshappyhometraining #goldenretriever #forcefreedogtraining #positivereinforcementtraining
