Another "Oh Missy" post. She honestly think she's a dog!
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
Here's a photo of my lovely little Polly who HATES her photo being taken!!
Share photos of your gorgeous girls to celebrate today. β€οΈβ€οΈ
Teaching respect vs asking for Obedience. As soon as you speak to your dog they stop thinking for themselves. Apologies for the homemade recording!!
In case you hadn't noticed it's really cold out there. I'm having an office day. What are your dogs doing to keep warm?
I thought getting a puppy and a kitten at the same time was nuts (I would never advise it to anyone), but when they have a relationship like these two it's pretty special. ππ₯°ππ₯° Polly is 8 months, Missy is about 6 months.
Out walking my dogs tonight. Recall is the number one request you need to nail to enjoy free ranging dogs.
Meet Fergus one VERY big boy who has had a rough start to his first year of life. His awesome owners came home, when he was about 6 months old, to find him with a broken leg in the back yard. He's been through an extensive recovery period, made more difficult due to his increasing size, and since he has recovered he has been close to impossible to take for a walk. A few weeks after meeting him, and with some very dedicated input from his owners, just look how relaxed and happy he is! I'm so happy for them all and am tracking their progress closely. Btw this dog is close to 70kg!!
Pluto thinks he might have enough skills to apply for the All Blacks coaching job!
So the kids are back at 'online' school today so it's time for a new trick for your dogs! Today they learn how to 'Stay"!
In my world 'Stay' means "remain exactly where I left you, in exactly the same position, until I return to you." It's the phrase 'until I return' to you' that I differ from some other trainers. Everyone teaches this differently and there is no perfect method, but I've found this method to be the easiest for the dogs to learn.
Start with having you and your dog somewhere quiet with minimal chance of distraction. Ideally inside, or outside but slightly enclosed. Dogs have to feel safe to remain in one place on their own, so I always make sure there is a fence or wall behind them to start with if you are outside.
Dogs learn to watch your body language before they learn the words you are using so be careful with your body language - I keep everything really formal. A flat hand is my signal to stay, kind of like a Stop signal, but some dogs need this right down low in their space, others need your hand really high up as they sometimes jump at your hand. You can experiment for the first day or two!
Start by getting your dog to 'Sit' in front of you, and ask the dog to 'Stay' using the appropriate hand signal. Stand still, count to two in your head, and if your dog complies, reward them with food. Get them to move around a little before doing it again. If your dog is on a lead, make sure you are holding the lead or drop it on the ground (don't get someone else to hold it).
The biggest mistake people make with 'Stay' is progressing too quickly, especially for dogs that are struggling to stay still or don't like being left alone. If you try walking away too quickly, your dog will move and you have defeated what you are trying to achieve.
Why is 'Stay' so hard to learn? Because slmost everything else we teach them is an action. Suddenly we introduce this new task that is to simply do nothing. Many young dogs will just give you the last
Have you every wanted a dog that walks beside you without being made to do so? Do you want your dog walking on a loose lead without having to be reminded to stick to the same pace you're walking at? Did you know that your walk starts long before you head out? Different dogs have different trigger points where they start to make decisions for themselves, and you will see in the video that Pluto really wants to head towards the door. It's not the best video and he's pretty excited and moves quickly, but the idea is that you can teach your dog to walk beside you without walking or even attaching a lead. Start the process somewhere quiet and simply ask your dog to heel. If he/she has never learned this word only say it when the dog is actually in the right place. I'm using food in this video and Pluto clearly knows where he should be, but he's very enthusiastic and wants me to hurry up! My answer to this is always to just slow down as he will never get what he asks for when he asks for it, no matter how insistent he becomes. Once your and your dog become skilled at this (it may take a few days) start taking steps so you walk a square. If the dog rushes ahead of you, stand your ground and ask the dog to return to heel. Slowly expand your square so that you start to walk all over the house and towards the door you would normally leave from. Each time the dog rushes ahead, turn and walk away from them. Please feel free to ask questions!
**TIP** Make sure your food is in the hand that is closest to your dog eg if your dog is on your left, the food should be in your left hand and keep this had close to where the seam on your jeans might be on the side of your leg.
Feeding your dog is one of the simplest things we do for them. But done right, you can use feeding time to reinforce leadership at home.
Feel free to ask questions.
Desensitising pony to traffic and the rubbish bins today. Also building on what we started on day one.
We all know that it's lovely taking our dogs for walks but it had to be said that some dogs are better than others when it comes to walking on the lead. Alfie has been difficult for a long time due to his aggression towards other dogs and his ability to slip out of both his harness and his Halti. He got to the point of running and hiding when his owner produced a lead. Just look at him now!! A happy confident little guy who is looking to his owner for all important leadership as he heads away from his home territory.
Winter crazies at home. It's not really fair but they're both 14 years old showing that you're never too old to play. Allie (dog) often goes liking for Lottie (cat) and Lottie had a particular meow that says 'come and play '. So cute! Excuse the housework!
One dog that loves water and one not so much! Summer fun in the back garden! Warning! Watch with your sound off as there is lots of barking.
