Praise the Pup

06/10/2023

Things to keep in mind when your dog shows signs of resource guarding

25/09/2023

Looking for help with your dog's separation anxiety?

Stay tuned for an announcement tomorrow 26th September' 23

08/09/2023

Last but not the least to participate in the huge giveaway and awareness being spread by our friends at



We are a fan of feeding fresh cooked, meat-based food 🙌

04/06/2023

Hey everyone 👋
We have news to share!
We've relocated and resumed our Dog training and boarding services in Gurgaon :)

For more details, please feel free to connect

04/05/2023

Teach your dog what to do, instead of focusing on what you don't want them to
do.

How many times have our dogs landed into a problem we don’t want them to
(such as stealing kitchen towels or jumping up in order to greet), the first thing
out of our mouths is “NO!”
Does your dog stop every time, do they resume it after a few seconds or you have to change the way you say that No?
We’ve all been there.

Ever wondered if the dog knows what a NO means? Is he startled? Or is he just
intimidated? Look at their body language. Perpetually yelling at your dog No will
leave the dog confused, scared, stressed.
Yelling a NO will not Teach the dog what not to do
Yelling a NO will not Teach what you want the dog to do instead
What can you do instead?

Ask for a known, alternate behavior - simple cues that you'd want the dog to do
instead :
Mat/Place instead of chasing the mop
Drop instead of running behind the dog or wrestling things out of his mouth
Scatter treats on the ground for your dog to eat rather than jumping up
& so many more

27/03/2023

Gokarna you beauty 💜💜

Thank you for capturing this 🌻

13/03/2023

In life, it's not where you go, it's who you travel with!
Pc:

16/02/2023

Lack of quality sleep can have a significant impact on the physical and behavioral health of an individual. Dogs are in a vulnerable position while sleeping and can have a startle response (sleep startle) when woken up suddenly or unexpectedly.

A startle reflex is a dog’s brain and body’s way of helping protect them from potential danger and hence the reaction is almost reflexive, without much thinking involved.
This reaction often occurs as a startle response ranging from just lifting their head up, looking around & back to sleep to more serious responses like growling, snarling, or biting.

Dog parents should avoid waking their dogs while they are sleeping and especially avoid waking the dog by touching them. Kids should be taught not to go close to a resting, or a sleeping dog. Let sleeping dogs lie.

If you have a dog who startles easily when they are awoken from sleep, consider not having your dog sleep in bed with you. In waking them up unintentionally in your sleep, you could startle your dog and it can be a safety issue. Have them sleep in their own dog bed or designated space like a crate

Consider moving their sleeping place to low foot traffic areas or out of the way corners

Need more help with your pupper who startles easily? Connect in the DMs 📩

30/08/2022

This is your reminder to slow down and enjoy the small moments with your dog

27/07/2022

Sunrise 🌄 at Nandi Hills

22/07/2022

Ever been in a situation, where your dog growled, showed teeth to the rude puppy jumping up your dog’s face and your dog was called names and judged for being “bad”?
True story!

Dogs are social creatures but their tolerance to other kinds of the same species or other is variable.
Basis this, dogs can be Dog Social, Tolerant, or Selective
Dog sociability is not a fixed trait. It will change with age, health status, experiences (both good and bad), developmental status, etc.

Dog Social : Most puppies, and highly social adult dogs fall under this category. They really enjoy and seek out company of other dogs.

Dog Tolerant : Most adult dogs land in this category. They get along with most other dogs and have good communications skills. They may be playful or indifferent to the presence of other dogs.

Dog Selective : Other common category for adult dogs is this. These dogs are highly selective and have preferred “play styles”, like certain kinds of dogs, have an approved circle of dogs only.

Hence, it is really important to carefully select dogs with similar age group, play styles, etc. Introduce dogs in a controlled environment and with proper management. Avoid rushing.

And if your dog is not comfortable in the company of other dogs, it is just fine.

14/07/2022

Fear is a universal response experienced by every species, including dogs. It’s an emotional response caused by an encounter with anything, real or anticipated (anxiety), that appears to be a threat.

When we (including dogs) are afraid, our body undergoes brain and organ function changes. When faced with danger, whether evident or anticipated, we breathe more rapidly, our heart rate increases, and our muscles tense up. In the blink of any eye, these physiological reactions alert the brain to the presence of a threat. Body and mind go into self-defense mode, commonly referred to as “fight or flight”. Other physiological effects of fear are increased blood pressure, elevated stress hormones, lowered immune system, and reduced coping ability.

A stressed and fearful animal is more prone to disease and infections because ever-rising cortisol levels suppress the immune system.

As we know, to certain extent Stress is beneficial because it aids survival but too much stress leads to physical, mental, and emotional problems affecting the overall quality of life.

🤔 What Causes Fear?

It can result from : 👇

▪️Lack of socialization - Socialization is the positive, controlled exposure to different people, animals, sights, sounds, and experiences that a puppy needs in the early stage of life, between 3 and 16 weeks of age.
▪️ Hereditary
▪️Unpredictability in daily life & routine
▪️Negative & bad experiences
▪️Lack of novelty
▪️Traumatic injuries, especially early in life
▪️Pain & health conditions
▪️Lack of communication & social bonding.
▪️Inability to meet their basic needs

08/07/2022

08/07/2022

I'm grateful to have her on my side

#2022

20/05/2022

The unanimous question of “Do I only have to use food as a reinforcer for my dog” is something that people ask a lot. Here is a list of things you can use to reinforce your dog’s behavior.
However, it is to be kept in mind that the Learner gets to decide if something is rewarding or not, and this will be a lot more dependent on the context, motivating operators, reward history, and so on.

A dog who has just been fed may not find food as rewarding in that situation. A good pat on the head while the dog lies next to you is very different from a pat when the dog fetches you his favourite ball. Is the dog ducking his head, stops at a distance from you, no longer fetches the ball to you? The dog rejecting a treat when fed to mouth can be made interesting by tossing it on the floor & letting your dog chase and eat it. Changing delivery patterns and practising them beforehand can increase your dog’s engagement with you.

It’s the Learner who gets to decide.

27/04/2022

Not only should we focus on teaching our dogs calm greetings but we should also focus on Not interacting with every dog/animal they see and co-exist with each other, minding their own business.

Management is crucial while any interaction.

Candy is not a fan of interacting with other animals and so far, she has only played with Russel, who is now no more with us

Want to know more? Have questions? Comment them here ⬇️

27/04/2022

Puppy nipping can happen due to various reasons apart from the puppy going through the nipping phase. It is important to understand that puppies ARE going to nip - just like toddlers are going to explore the world with their hands, puppies explore the world with their mouths.

🤔 In what context does that happen?
Is it especially during the evenings?
Is it post meals?

And once you figure out a pattern, you are in a better position to manage it before it starts.

The best key to tackling Nipping is to preempt 🥳🥳

Proactively provide appropriate outlets for this normal puppy behavior. Some options are :

👉Frozen carrot/cucumber
👉Cabbage head
👉Frozen stuffed Kong toys
👉Himalayan Dog chew bones
👉Nylabones
👉Toys of different textures

Remember not to play with puppies using your hands. Always have a toy for them to tug on to

19/03/2022

A Dog's Emotional Cup by .owings

Illustrated by

This deserves a permanent place on the feed, and in our dog's lives.

This was inspired by The Emotional Cup by

22/01/2022

Gone too soon my Baby 💔

The below words were penned by .spirit_ 🌻

"Dearest Russ,

I got to know you for 6-7 hours
you played, swam and hiked
like a champion boy, a mother's pride
a goofy fur ball, replete of life!
an elusive concept for humans
but not for you.

blinding gleam in your eyes
the happy jolly face
you were muddy yet
the most pristine ever.

Now since you're gone, let me not refrain oversharing a tiny few bits. You know what!?

we, humans, are wretched creatures
we carry an eternal emptiness
a cancerous void, immutable grief
we, the untouched souls
we throw our lives away
die without truly loving for long
die without truly living for love
we wait for the minutes of crossing over
so cursed even to find the bridge
and a home to ourselves,
till then.

you know what!?
you were a dog, my love
you know what dogs do!?
you know what you did!?
Russ, Russ, Russ
you brought many a home

I know
you fought bravely
now, it's our turn!

You'd be the most noble grief, and a proud mom's favorite treat.

- An elegy for Russ

💔💔

01/01/2022

2022 please be Kind to everyone
🥂

11/11/2021

30/09/2021

Thresholds! What are they

You might have heard the word Threshold a couple of times, specially in case of Over-stimulated, Reactive, fearful, shy, aggressive dogs.

Thresholds can be considered like a boundary, separating different emotional states of a being - Sub-threshold and Over threshold. Sub threshold is the spot where you can still get your dog’s focus, learning and thinking can still happen, where choices of interaction are possible, and where behavior changes can happen.

Working under thresholds is an important part of any desensitization process.

When threshold levels in dogs are ignored, you are most likely Flooding the dog which is the opposite of desensitization.

For a desensitization process to work well, it’s important to keep the dog under-threshold where the dog sees the stimulus, acknowledges it but also disengages from it well. The dog is in the Think & Learn stage.

What can a dog over threshold look like?

Lunging
Barking
Growling
Snarling
Shutting down
Over-excited
Overly- distracted
Fixated on the trigger
Not responding to cues
Not taking treats

Note* - a stressed dog might still be able to take treats, so a dog still taking treats can’t alone be justified for being Under-threshold, for more info consider the entire body language of the dog and the context.

A dog who is over threshold is reacting rather than thinking; he is in a fight, flight, freeze, or fiddle-around state.
The dog is in no situation to Learn

How can you keep your dog under Threshold?

👉 By Increasing Distance from the Trigger
👉 By decreasing Duration of the exercise
👉 By decreasing Intensity

🎥 In frame. Candy and I working with People at a distance in a cafe setting where we temporarily stayed on relocation.

We sat in an extreme corner.
Did the session for a couple of mins.
Chose a time when very few people were present

17/09/2021

Wonder why they seem disappointed?

Because Not all dogs want to be petted all the time, not even if they are yours 🤯

Not all dogs want to be 👇
approached/greeted by strangers
Loomed over
reached out with their hands stretching stared at
Walked into

However, well you mean 🌻

Advocate for your dogs, by asking People not to greet your dog
Or by teaching people how to interact or not to interact with your dog

Watch your dog carefully for signs of stress - avoidance, head turns, yawning, body stiffening, excessive sniffing, lowered posture, exposing belly, etc

03/09/2021

Meet Poppins 

She is a community dog, you might have seen her following around in MOST of our stories where she is just running around in circles, showing the best behavior to get treats.

She now lives right outside our main door, gets fed, has shelter from rain and bad weather and enjoys her freedom. 

At first, when we moved here Russel and Candy were too stressed with the sudden changes around, too many people and people being loud around. They took their own sweet time to settle down.
Poppins then used to loiter around and she stayed somewhere else. 
We have raised footpaths and dividers here which also happen to be proper walking tracks with grass and chairs around.

On one of our late evening walks with Russel, while exiting a park we had to cross the road. It was dark and poppins appeared out of nowhere and poked her nose to Russel's butt to meet him and he got spooked. To escape, he jumped up to the divider and it happened to be an Open drain 😣😖😞

Russel was hanging on his martingale (his harness was still in transit) by the leash and I started yelling out loud to get people to help us. Thank God, 2 men came and dragged Russel out.

Ever since that incident I started hating Poppins but soon after she started living right outside our house and managed to win over us with those beautiful eyes.

She is now our BEST Friend

29/08/2021

I come across a lot of people on walks, who do not have any focus on their dog and they start using the leash as a steering wheel. The leash is tight, the tension on the leash and they keep on heading in 1 straight line, steering their dog away

There is no partnership, no need for the dog to pay attention, no focus on the dog too 🙅‍♀️🙅‍♀️
At this point, both dog and owner end up working against each other.
Why would the dog pay attention when they are just going to be dragged around? Why would the dog pay attention when they have no choice, knowing they’re going to be steered away from what they want. 

When the leash gets tight and you realize you are steering your dog and not just keeping them safe, it is time to go back to the basics. Look at the environment and ask yourself why has my leash become a steering wheel? What is distracting my dog that he cannot pay attention to me? Am I not paying enough attention to my dog on the walk? Am I asking my dog to walk in a situation he is not trained for? Am I walking too slow? Is there a dog friend waiting at a distance and my dog wants to get there? Have I trained Focus in these situations?

All of that needs to be taken into account while training for a loose leash walk and developing Leash handling skills

28/08/2021

A Few reasons to avoid Leash corrections (other than being Kind)
🐕

COOKIES NOT CORRECTIONS!!

Swipe to slide 5 ➡️
That is the basis of how Dogs learn
Do share this post with other Pet parents if you feel this was helpful 🌻

27/08/2021

🐕🐕 Digging, chewing, sniffing, exploring around using their nose, foraging for food are all Natural and normal behaviors for a Dog

Here are a few benefits for providing Legal outlets for your dog's instinctive behaviors
👇
Avoid Boredom
Meet their needs
Keep them healthy physically and mentally
Prevent unwanted behaviors.

25/08/2021

Fun Fact - A well-known Trainer said that to me on a discussion of how do I teach drop

The person joked that Positive reinforcement trainers wait patiently with treats in hand wishing the dog leaves it and then reward when he does.

While he hung his dog by the leash and waited for his dog to let go off the bite sleeve 🥴

🤗 Reward based training or a better term for the mindset is LIMA (Least Intrusive minimally aversive) is so much more than just feeding treats. It is about setting our dogs up for success and having a lot of expectation setting from the start, putting our learner's needs welfare as a priority

Have questions?
Feel free to drop your thoughts in the comments or slide them into the DMs 📩

20/08/2021

Picking up can be paired with good things and practiced out of context a few times, so it doesn't come across as a surprise for your dog when you are in a Vet/groomer setting

If a puppy/dog dislikes being picked up - go back to the basics of counter conditioning (changing the emotions related to hands reaching out) and desensitization (gradual exposure, short sessions, marking and rewarding before the dog starts to get uncomfortable, going at the pace your dog decides)

✅✅ A "pickup" cue is what I like to teach all small dogs - because they are most likely to be picked up all the time and adding a cue to it gives them some predictability and control over what is happening