Force Free Dog Training Tullamore

10/07/2024

July/August Group Classes ....

Starting Saturday 13th @ 10am - INFANTS - 1 place left

Starting Friday 19th @ 7:30pm - JUNIORS - 2 places left

Starting Saturday 20th @ 10am - JUNIORS - 2 places left

Please book online www.offalypetsitting.com/dog-training

* Infant Puppies (8 - 21 weeks old) 5 week course
* Junior Puppies (5 - 10 months old) 4 week course

(Puppies can switch between the Friday evening and Saturday mornings to help those that are unable to commit to particular weeks where times clash with other activities)

Puppy Classes availabe through positive reinforcement training. The kindest form of dog training based on proven scientific methods which is a fun and enjoyable experience for both the dog and the owner.

17/05/2024

UPCOMING PUPPY TRAINING CLASSES

Next course starting ....

INFANTS PUPPY BASICS/ SOCIALISATION (8-16 weeks old)
Friday 31st May - 6:30pm, 4 weeks @ €80

JUNIORS BEGINNERS /FOLLOW-ON TRAINING (5-10 months old)
Saturday 1st June - 10am, 4 weeks @ €100

Online Booking only, limited places available
www.offalypetsitting.com/dog-training

🐾🐾🐾

Force Free Dog Training Tullamore

Puppy Classes availabe through positive reinforcement training. The kindest form of dog training based on proven scientific methods which is a fun and enjoyable experience for both the dog and the owner.

09/01/2024

PUPPY CLASSES NOW AVAILABLE

FOR PUPPIES 12 WEEKS TO 6 MONTHS

BOOK NOW ...

Puppy Classes availabe through positive reinforcement training. The kindest form of dog training based on proven scientific methods which is a fun and enjoyable experience for both the dog and the owner.

09/11/2023

Hello All,

Please note we are currently unable to provide any training.

11/05/2022

Training a dog often involves a lot of unrealistic expectations

These often include
1. Quick fixes
2. That the dog can do the cue immediately
3. The dog will stop the behaviour

If someone promises you the above- that’s a huge red flag.
WHY?

Because training is learning, and learning takes time.

In reality, every dog is an individual and learns at their own pace:

1. There are no quick fixes: Learning a cue and especially desensitization and counterconditioning a dog to certain triggers can take weeks, months, and be lifelong struggles.
2. Your dog needs time to practice- in a low distraction environment, setting them up for success. You then slowly need to progress the training according to your dog’s progress (not yours!) in increasing levels of distractions and scenarios with different criteria to help proof the cue- which again, takes time
3. Your dog will not stop the behaviour - unless you address your dog’s emotional states (like fear, anxiety, and stress), their welfare needs (5 welfare needs) and their motivations for the behaviour (what is reinforcing or driving the behaviour), then your dog will not change their behaviour. You need to give your dog outlets (like a digging pit, shredding, scentwork, sniffing) help their emotional states and change the reinforcements (management) to help change the behaviour

Contact WFA if you want to learn more about our dog and cat training courses

06/04/2022

Hi everyone,

Due to some unexpected circumstances we will be closing our books for new clients from the end of April. While we aren't taking on any new clients anyone is still more than welcome to ask advice (at no charge) as we still don't want misinformation to be spread surrounding dog training and behaviour. We will most likely open the books again early 2023 or sooner and during our time away we will be working on some exciting things for you and your dogs.

This won't affect anyone currently with us so no panic!

Thank you all for your support

Be Kind, Train Humane

Stephen & Gemma

05/04/2022

Hi everyone,

No one will be in the office from tomorrow until Tuesday, anyone who emails in or calls during that time will get a response by the Friday

Be Kind, Train Humane

16/03/2022

Super cute breed .... but looks can be deceiving! A mix of two energetic working Breeds means these guys needs LOADS of things to do .... lots of enrichment, training and walks giving the dog lots of opportunity to be a dog!

A Cockapoo consideration post.

This breed has taken the dog world by storm over the last few years. Many people fall in love with Cockapoos because of their teddy like appearance and they have become one of the most popular ‘designer crossbreeds’. Is this the right breed for you? Note: the below is written from my own knowledge and experience with the breed.

COCKER – POO. The Cockapoo is a crossbreed between the Cocker Spaniel and Poodle. What does this mean genetically?

Cocker Spaniel: The Cocker Spaniel was originally bred as a hunting dog, helping us humans to hunt birds. Many are still used for this purpose today. Although we see some physical variation in working cockers, show cockers, etc, there is a big similarity in behaviour. Cocker Spaniels need a job to do to engage that working dog brain of theirs, lots of mental stimulation. They belong to the Gun Dog group.

Poodle: Little known fact…a working dog! Part of the Utility dog group, Poodles were originally bred to help hunt birds, specifically water hunting. That’s right – lots of mental stimulation needed. They are a very intelligent breed.

So your Cockapoo is a mixture of TWO WORKING DOG BREEDS used for hunting. Be prepared for lots of mental stimulation, lots of training games, lots of helping your Cockapoo to slow down because they will be ready to go go go. With that intelligence and drive comes the possibility of behaviour problems if their needs are not met. Kim Brophey also describes some gun dogs as having a bit of a “Peter Pan never grow up” complex which I think is quite apt.

Some Cockapoos seem to be more cocker-y than poodle-y, and visa versa. I have once had a group of four cockapoos stood in front of me, and they all looked completely different. Some much more like Cockers than Cockapoos. We can also see this in their behaviour, with the ‘cocker’ part of their breeding very prominent on walks (I sometimes see Cockapoos running with their nose down like they are looking for birds to flush out). This is down to their individual genetic make-up.

I often see Cockapoos being recommended as hypoallergenic pets. This hypoallergenic element came from the poodle. However, with larger scale breeding of Cockapoos, that hypoallergenic element may be heavily watered down in some cases. Choosing to bring a Cockapoo in to your home purely because the breed was once described as hypoallergenic could be a mistake, because they might not be at all, so researching the genetic lines in your dog is really important. Don't forget you can also be allergic to dog saliva or dander, not just fur.

Cockapoos have been a really popular breed in recent times and sadly, this does attract puppy farmers. Puppy farmers do not breed ethically, which means breeding from stressed parents who often do not have basic welfare needs met. They also tend to breed from dogs that have behavioural or health problems which can be genetically passed on. All of this will affect puppies as well as parents, which is why no puppy is a blank slate.

Cockapoos have high grooming requirements and helping your dog to feel comfortable with daily grooming at home is important for their welfare. They will also need regular grooming with a professional dog groomer.

Cockapoos are lovely, intelligent dogs, often bundles of fun. In the right home, they can do amazingly well and be wonderful, funny companions. I have mentioned puppy farms in this post but there are plenty of ethical breeders who really care for the health and wellbeing of their dogs and puppies. If you’re prepared to put lots of time and effort in offering your cockapoo an enriched life, with plenty of stimulation, appropriate outlets for the working dog drive, then a Cockapoo can make a great companion and you’ll love their big personality. But please consider all of this if you fall in love with that teddy-like appearance and don’t assume that they will be happy with a sofa dog life.

Please note: this post was written to consider the needs of a popular crossbreed and not to debate if the 'Cockapoo' should or should not be considered a breed. Although the Cockapoo is not a registered breed and is a crossbreed dog, the label 'Cockapoo' is functional as we all know exactly the crossbreed that it applies to.

09/03/2022

06/03/2022

Do not force your dog into situations you know is uncomfortable or scary for them .... you need to desensitise and use counter conditioning .... this does not mean asking them to sit and wait for scary thing to go away!

Book in for a 121 training session to learn how to help your dog and start the process of desensitization correctly.

Welcome to part 2 of " What to do if your dog reacts on a walk": What NOT to do.

Firstly, I would like to clarify that this is aimed at dogs who are afraid as opposed to over excited or frustrated and actually want to see the thing they are barking at.
When a dog or a human feels fear, our bodies and brains do pretty much the same things. In that respect we are very similar to our dogs; imagining how we might feel when in a life-threatening situation helps us to understand how our dogs are feeling too.
If we are suddenly faced with a knife-wielding maniac, our brain has already processed the danger and triggered the mechanisms in our bodies that help us flee or fight before we have even consciously registered it. Adrenaline is released to help us run faster or fight harder and the ancient part of our brain takes over, putting the more rational, thinking part to sleep, for want of a better description.

The exact same process happens to our dogs. The thing that is scaring them, whether it's another dog, a human or something else, is their equivalent of our knife-wielding maniac. They fear for their lives and their primitive brain has taken over. Rational thought and the ability to learn have been set aside.

So, for a minute, imagine you are faced with that knife. You pick up whatever is to hand to fend them off but every time you attempt to make the person attacking you go away, you are hit by your friend with a bat. It makes no sense. Now, you're not only afraid of the person with the knife, but you're afraid of being hit with the bat by the person you thought was there to help. You may stop trying to keep the person with the knife away to avoid being hit by the bat, but you won't be any less afraid of it, just more afraid of the bat as it actually hit you. That is how corrections and punishment work, they don't help the dog to cope with the scary thing at all. They simply stop the dog from showing the behaviour out of fear of "being hit with the bat".

Now, put yourself in front of that maniac with a knife again. This time, your friend doesn't hit you (phew!) but makes you sit on the floor with your back to the person with the knife and stare at them. If you look away, they are clearly not happy but it's not easy knowing there's someone with a knife behind you that might attack at any given moment. If you keep up the position and don't look away, you get a bar of chocolate. The chocolate is great under normal circumstances, but with a knife-wielding maniac behind you, enjoying a snack is the last thing on your mind! All you want is to be able to keep an eye on the knife and keep it away from you in any way possible.

Neither punishment nor distraction are going to change how anyone or any animal actually feels about something that scares them. Distraction or being trained to perform certain behaviours when faced with a scary thing may change the way they show their fear but they will still feel that fear.
Punishment and corrections have the potential for much worse fallout and is likely to cause them to escalate their attempts to keep the scary thing away.

If your dog is at the point of reacting, they are unable to learn in that moment. They are not actively choosing to react, their body and brain are simply fighting for survival. Just like we would if faced with that knife-wielding maniac. Just because your dog is reacting to something you know isn't dangerous, it doesn't make the fear they are experiencing any less valid. Your friend who was with you may well have known that the knife was made of rubber but as far as you were concerned it was real.

02/03/2022

Always let a dog come to you. 🐕

You can invite the dog over. If they don't come to you they want to be left alone.✔️

Don't reach out your hand to a scared dog.🖐🚫 That will usually make the dog more uncomfortable and can lead to getting bitten.

19/02/2022

Great advice here from another trainer in Ireland ..... reward your dog for doing nothing!

Whaaaaaa, I hear you shout at me wondering if I’ve gone mad….but let me explain…..

What do we want from our dogs and puppies?

We often don’t want them doing natural doggie things, things that are self motivating and give them natural reinforcement.

We don’t want them barking

We don’t want them digging

We don’t want them running around the house

We don’t want them chewing

We don’t want them biting

We don’t want them scavenging for our food

We don’t want them jumping up even when playing

So really what do we want them doing?

Nothing 😂

If you reinforce or reward your puppy or dog for laying in their bed doing nothing. They will offer this behaviour more.

If you reward when your puppy or dog is quiet they’ll try to offer more quietness.

If you reinforce or reward your puppy for sitting doing nothing while you prepare dinner they will offer this behaviour more

If you reward them for watching you walk passed and not latch on to your trousers as you walk past, they will offer this more

Today…right now….weigh your dogs dinner out and put it into an old hoody pocket or bun bag. As you go about your day - reward anything your dog does that you like….and you’ll see it’s often usually doing nothing 😂

Be proactive not reactive when it comes to teaching our dogs how to live in our world.

Whatever is left over at the end of the day you can put into their dish or even better, a food enrichment toy.

Have fun and report back!

10/02/2022

Yes you do NOT have to walk your dog everyday!

Yes, you read that right. I give you permission to NOT walk your dog.

The obvious disclaimer here is that dogs need appropriate exercise and mental enrichment (the amount varies from dog to dog). We are strong advocates for meeting dogs’ needs (physically and mentally).

BUT. There is this idea in our culture of the walk as a “thing dog owners must do,” and sometimes it can cause more harm than good. A few examples:

- your dog is reactive, and walks are filled with explosive reactions and stress for everyone. Suggestions instead: do training exercises in the back yard, get outside your neighborhood to somewhere quiet for a “decompression walk” (and talk to a qualified behavior consultant)

- your dog is terrified of the outside, and shakes and trembles during the entire walk. Suggestion: keep outdoor potty breaks short, and play games indoors. You can try fetch, some wrestling/chase, or even “find it” games. (And talk to a qualified behavior consultant)

- your dog pulls like a freight train on walks and tries to chase every squirrel and leaf and you end every walk with a sore arm and lots of frustration. Suggestion: train your leash walking skills indoors, in your yard, or in another quiet space without distractions! Use a flirt pole, fetch, and other active games to burn off some energy. (And talk to a qualified trainer)

- you’re having a bad day and know that going for a walk is likely to upset you when your dog pulls, reacts, etc

- there are so many other reasons why a “walk” might not be the best option for you and your dog. If your dog is stressed during walks, or you feel emotionally exhausted after them- it’s probably time to reconsider whether a walk is your best option!

Saying no to walks (temporarily or long term) doesn’t make you a bad owner. It means you’re thinking carefully about how to meet your dog’s needs, and your own!

Remember, we still have to meet our dog’s needs for exercise and mental enrichment, and there are TONS of other ways to do that!

But a walk isn’t the only way to do this, and it’s ok to NOT walk your dog.

07/02/2022

Single handedly describes my feelings on a walk in the woods or bog 🤣

themuttnut • Original Audio

06/02/2022

Check out Gemma with little Rory

28/01/2022

Great infographic here to explain nice and simple why behaviour problems keep on occurring .....

Frustrated by your dog's behavior problems?

The first step is to figure out how it's being reinforced. If a dog repeats a behavior, he's being rewarded for it. Break it down into these 4 components:

1. What is the dog doing?
2. What is it that the dog wants?
3. How do you respond?
4. What is the dog getting?

You'll uncover how your response may actually be contributing to the problem behavior by either directly reinforcing it, or allowing the reinforcement to continue.

Happy Training!!

20/01/2022

QUICK REMINDER

Due to messenger not always being accessible or even working 🤦‍♀️ we cannot take bookings via Facebook.... please send us an email to [email protected] and we'll do our best to get back to you within a few days. Due to high volume of emails, occasionally one may get missed so please email again. Thanks 😊

06/01/2022

We regret that we will not be running group classes due to the high covid numbers for everyone's safety at this time.

Stephen is continuing with 1-2-1 private training sessions. These are only bookable via email [email protected]

08/12/2021

Bit late to say the least 😅

But another €25 was sent over to Cara Rescue Dogs from our last class of 2021 .... big thanks to all these dogs who signed up and did fab 🤩

06/12/2021

Gorgeous K9connectable gift 🎁 hampers for dogs 🥰

03/12/2021

This 👇👇👇

Getting a puppy at Christmas is not the best time if year .... its very overwhelming for a puppy with so much going on in the home, and with the amount of time and energy needed to give to that puppy in the early days, families often dont get enough time!

Why not get all the essentials needed for a puppy at Christmas with the intention of getting a puppy early in the new year when there is much more time that can be dedicated to raising them 😀

Thinking of getting a puppy for Christmas?
As a trainer we often hear of people considering getting a puppy for Christmas.
Christmas isn’t a great time to bring home a puppy. Puppies are hard work and require a good routine and a lot of time and energy.
At Christmas our homes can be hectic and fun but overwhelming for a young dog and it can be a struggle to keep to a good routine which came lead to issues with house training and all the excitement of Christmas can over stimulate a puppy and lead to mouthing and nipping, not to mention all the extra things lying around that could be chewed.
If you are thinking of bringing a new pet into your home why not put together a getting new puppy gift for under the tree?
It can contain all the things you will need for you new family member so you will be all ready for them when they do arrive after the holidays and be great fun to open!
We have a selection of hampers for preorder, including one for puppies, online and in-store now!
https://lilys4paws.myshopify.com/collections/hampers

03/12/2021

Yummy Apples 🍎 for dog treats 😋

🐶🍎Grab & Go Treats - Apples!🍎🐶

Another fresh food treat to try with your pup: a bite of fresh apple!

An easy and convenient treat that dogs love, apples are loaded with polyphenol compounds that have been shown to prevent and slow down various diseases, including epicatechin, which improves blood circulation and boosts the level of immune system protection.

The peel contains three- to six-folds more flavonoids than the flesh, so don’t remove this nutrient-rich skin. Some variants that are packed with antioxidants: Gala, Red Delicious, Royal Gala, and Jonagold.

Buy organic or spray-free, remove the core and seeds, chop up into bite sized pieces and treat away! 🐶

Looking for other fresh food snacks you can share with your dog? You can find dozens of other grab-n-go treat ideas in our book, get your copy here: foreverdog.com 🐾

22/11/2021

CANCELLED

Our last group dog training course of 2021 ...

We will be running a 2 week mini intensive course, 90min training sessions, €80 per dog, focus foundation & loose-lead walking. Suitable for puppies and young adults.

Saturday 27th Nov & Sat 4th Dec ..... 12:00 - 13:30, Tullamore Town Park.

Our concept based positive reinforcement training techniques ensures building a strong bond between owner and dog, as well as no harm, no force and no painful equipment used on the dog.

Please book by following the link below, filling out the short questionnaire ...

https://www.offalypetsitting.com/event-details/christmas-puppy-pre-school-short-course

Mini Intensive Course* - Dog Training for Beginners 2 Week Course (€80) suitable for all dogs. Classes last approx. 90 minutes. Focus foundation & Loose-lead training.

17/11/2021

"Working Walks" don't have to be boring, this is a fun way for both you and your dog to work your walk, some spins, swapping sides, closeness walking, sits etc.

Precision, regimental but fun too 😉 .... test out your skills 👍

06/11/2021

🎉 CONGRATULATIONS 🎉 👏 to our intermediate dogs for completing their 4 week course today ... they were definitely put to the test today as it was super busy and lots of distractions ... but they all did fab!

Now just keep up all that hard work you've put in 👍

03/11/2021

If your dog was scared of the fireworks from the weekend, now is the time to start thinking about helping your dog by desensitization to fireworks for the next time..... New year!

We get many calls about fireworks at this time of year, and if your dog has a noise phobia, it’s best to work on this throughout the year. However, if you find that your dog has recently become scared of loud noises, then your first port-of-call should be the vet, to rule out any medical issues that may make your dog’s hearing more sensitive...

Here are a few things you can do to help your dog if the fireworks start before you have chance to work on the issue…

Be aware of the signs of stress: shaking, dilated pupils, ears back, tucked tail, salivating, panting, attention seeking, hiding, urinating, defecating, and running away.

🎆 Have a place that your dog can go to, that allows them free access to come and go as they please; never shut them in as they will feel trapped. This could be a crate (with the door left open) or even behind the sofa… anywhere that the dog can feel safe; it should be covered over, but make sure that they are not able to destroy anything and unintentionally hurt themselves. The covers will limit the amount of noise and light, which will help the dog to settle. If there is lots of light coming through, then make the room as bright as possible, not dark…. If the noise is quite loud, run the washing machine, or put a film or music on to try and mask some of the noise. Place some clothes, that have been worn by the family, into the safe place, as this will be a familiar smell to them, which will help to calm them a little.

🎆 Use mental enrichment to occupy their minds: get some activities that may take them some time. Solving small problems have been proven to reduce stress. Even some training-sessions will help; go over basic-training, as this will be familiar to them. Throw a treat to the dog after every loud noise, they will associate the noise with the treat and become less fearful. You could make it into a game for you too!!! If they will not eat, try to cut out some more of the light and noise.

🎆 Don’t leave them alone: be in the same room where they know you are, and if they come to you for a cuddle, give them a cuddle. Do stop if you think the dog is becoming more fearful or anxious. Stay calm, don’t use an overly-excited voice, or too low and soothing. Both may make things worse, just speak normally.

🎆 Aromas can help: there are many products on the market that can help… you need to find one that works best for your dog; Lavender and Chamomile have been proven to have a calming effect; stay as natural as possible - many candles and plug-ins have volatile organic compounds and formaldehydes in them, which are super-harmful for pets.

🎆 Thundershirts may help: you can even make your own body wrap if you don’t have the shirt. The body wraps should not be left on the dog for prolonged periods though.

🎆 Exercise your dog: (if they are physically able to) as this increases serotonin and help the dog to relax.

🎆 Don’t try and make the dog go out to the toilet during the display: try and let them out (but go with them) as near to the start of the event as possible.

🎆 Don’t give up on the training: some dogs learn quickly, and some learn slowly. Don’t forget that you are essentially ‘re-wiring’ the dog’s brain to think differently about a stimulus, so take your time.

🎆 Prescription drugs: if your dog has an extreme phobia, already known, then talk to your vets about sedatives. Ideally, the dog will be sleepy and dozing throughout the display, but also do work on the issue long-term to help the dog overcome the fear.

🎆 As a long-term solution: desensitise to the noise, counter-condition to change the association.

03/11/2021

How to help your dog work up to being left alone.

If you're looking for information about how to set up your dog or puppy for successful alone time, check out this infographic the talented Doggie Drawings by Lili Chin helped me bring to life with her wonderful illustrations!!

14/10/2021

UPCOMING CLASSES

Our next group of classes will be this Sat 16th Oct ...

INTERMEDIATE 4 week course, suitable from 16weeks upwards. Recall, Loose lead, and focus exercises.

2 places left

To Book: offalypetsitting.com/event-details/intermediate-course-october

Level 1 - Dog Training Course 4 Week Group Classes (€85) suitable for older puppies to adults. Classes last approx. 45 minutes.

14/10/2021

Are force free positive reinforcement techniques not working for you? .... these may be the reasons why ..... 👇

Top 10 reasons why positive reinforcement training didn't work for you:

1. You don't actually understand what it is or how to apply it.

Positive reinforcement training is evidence-based training. It simply works by definition. However, if you don't have a clear understanding of what it is or how to apply it, you can easily get tangled up.

2. Your timing is off.

The importance of timing in training is extremely important in finding success. If a consequence isn't happening within a couple seconds of the behavior and in a very clear manner, your dog simply won't be able to figure out the rules of the game.

3. You're still waiting on something that you don't like to happen and then reacting to that behavior.

If you only interact with your dog on a way that is reactionary instead of in a way that is proactive, training will fail.

4. The treat or promise of a treat is coming before the behavior.

Most owners learn how to "lure" their dogs and this is about the only thing they understand about positive reinforcement. Eventually, the treat turns into a bribe to try and coerce our dogs to do the things we want. This is not positive reinforcement training, how you practice it, or how you will get results from your dog.

5. You aren't putting any thought into an actual training plan.

You aren't deciding what a good behavior or the "right" behavior looks like. So you aren't looking at WHAT YOU WANT in a situation, only what you don't want. If you don't know what "good" looks like, how are you able to consistently reward it?

6. You're still mixing in pain, intimidation, or fear in your methodology.

Positive reinforcement training is designed to build relationship and use behavioral science to train your dog into doing what you want them to do because you have made it enjoyable for them to interact with you. It's based on relationship, trust, making our dogs feel safe, and fun. Pain, intimidation, and fear will break all of this down putting your dog in a situation of "Can I trust you this time? Or is something bad about to happen?"

7. You're still in a punishment mindset.

This can be really hard for us to break away from. All of us. We live in a punishment driven society and we take on that message in almost every aspect of our lives.

8. You're using sit for EVERYTHING.

For the love of all things good, so using sit as a go-to for everything. There are so many other, more appropriate skills to train for that gives you a wider array of behaviors to ask for depending on the situation.

9. You're not keeping the rules clear and consistent.

"Sometimes this is okay, sometimes it's not". And this usually depends on your mood or how your day went. And while dogs are superb at reading our body language, they don't always know what that means or what they need to be doing in that moment.

10. You're not setting you and your dog up for success.

You probably don't know how to break the bigger goals down in a way that is easier for your dog to understand. In training, this is called "splitting". And this is how you get results more quickly and with minimal amounts of frustration. Little wins turn into BIG wins.
..

See, there is structure and there are rules in the implementation of positive reinforcement training. And it's a hell of a learning curve. I used to do it wrong too. And it took a long time to gain true practical understanding of the methodology and the application. But I took the time. I've done the work. I am still learning more and more because I'm a super nerd when it comes to canine behavior and cognition.

I can make this journey easier for you AND WE CAN SOLVE YOUR TRAINING PROBLEMS TOGETHER!

If you want some help, reach out.😉