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Kool K9 Dog Training Joanne of Kool K9 can help with all kinds of dog training and behavioural problems.

21/12/2024

More on Arlo - he is up close to one of my dogs that he had not met before. What a good boy!

21/12/2024

Arlo update - I am so proud of Arlo and the work that his owner has put in to achieve these results. If you remember Arlo used to scream when he saw another dog.

And it is a ‘wrap’ for dog training classes for 2025. Here are some of our latest graduates.
21/12/2024

And it is a ‘wrap’ for dog training classes for 2025. Here are some of our latest graduates.

There is a clear difference between  behaviour modification and training although also at some stage in the behavioural ...
15/12/2024

There is a clear difference between behaviour modification and training although also at some stage in the behavioural modification journey they can come together.

A dog pulling on the lead is a problem. I love using a longer lead so my dog can sniff on her walk and move more freely ...
14/12/2024

A dog pulling on the lead is a problem. I love using a longer lead so my dog can sniff on her walk and move more freely (of course it is necessary to also teach your dog to walk on a shorter lead for ‘tight’ spaces’ , but lead walking is hard for a dog because they would prefer to walk at a faster pace than what we want to move at.

This is something that those of us who work as trainers or behaviour consultants encounter a lot. A client will come to us because there is a behaviour or group of behaviours that they want to stop happening.

This is fine for some behaviours. Destructive chewing can result in injury to the dog, either damage to their teeth or, in some cases, swallowing inedible items that can cause an emergency and require surgery. Chasing cars out on a walk could result in a dog managing to get into the road and run over. Pulling on the lead can make walks difficult and potentially painful for dog and human (particularly dangerous for dogs walking using collars around then neck as there are many delicate and important structures in their throats just as in ours).

The essential first step in working with any behaviour is to think about why it may be happening.

Is the dog chewing because they are young and teething? Give them something appropriate to chew and redirect them to that if they start to chew something else.

Are they destroying things when they are left home alone? They could have separation related issues, in which case it's important to work with a qualified and experienced force free trainer to reduce their anxiety.

Are they given enough opportunities to chew on a regular basis? Chewing is a natural behaviour (as is digging) and it's vital we give them plenty of opportunities to carry out natural behaviours.

Are they chasing cars because they are scared? Or is it because they are a breed that reacts to fast moving objects, like herding dogs, sight hounds, or terriers? In each case here, working with a force free trainer will help, as will finding out activities we can do with our dogs to let them chase appropriate items or control movement as they have been bred to do.

Pulling on the lead is perhaps one of the simplest (and most common) of issues and one very simple reason it happens is that dogs generally move faster than humans, and they need to be taught to match our pace. Switch to a harness to keep their neck safe and reward them when they are in the right position. Again, working with a force free trainer is a great idea as they can show the best way to mark and reward when the dog is in position and how to keep the lead loose.

Another thing that helps greatly with this is to use a longer lead and let them have more length to explore when it is safe to do so, so they can sniff and investigate their surroundings - sniffing is another natural behaviour and probably the one that is easiest for us to let them do, as we can simply let them sniff while we are out walking together.

For any behaviour that humans can find problematic, before anything else, we need to understand why it is happening and, if it is a natural behaviour, our responsibility as caregiver to make sure our dogs are able to do these things safely.

Pain is always worth considering especially if there is a sudden behavioural change in your dog.
13/12/2024

Pain is always worth considering especially if there is a sudden behavioural change in your dog.

It can be difficult to cope with when your dog's behaviour changes suddenly, and your normally loving happy go lucky dog starts to behave awkwardly, refuses to do things, and perhaps growls or barks when asked to do something or approached.

Pain or feeling ill can have a massive effect on behaviour. Think about how it affects your mood when you're coming down with an illness or have pain that won't go away, and how much more difficult it makes doing the normal things you take for granted. As someone who lives with a chronic pain condition I have needed to take time to consider and understand this, and it has helped me to realise how much pain or illness must affect our companion animals, including dogs.

A change in behaviour occurs rapidly should prompt a visit to the vet for a health check to see if there are any illnesses or injuries as a sudden behaviour change can be a sign that the dog is in pain or feeling unwell.

A good and ethical canine professional will always ask when the dog last visited their vet and will recommend a check up to rule out any medical cause for the new behaviour before beginning to make a plan to help the dog and their people. Trying to change behaviour if there is a health or pain issue will, at best, be ineffective, and it is unethical and unfair to the dog to try training when they are unwell or hurting.

10/12/2024

In the Recall class tonight we made if fun to for your dog to come to you.

08/12/2024

This is Buddy and he likes to hunt for rabbits, ducks and pukeko etc. this is a problem because when he is out on a walk he is constantly scenting and scanning for ‘prey’. I have been working with him and his family to allow him to hunt but for things we can control like a toy. It will take awhile to change his behaviour but this is the start.

Guarding food is a natural behaviour for a dog. We guard our property etc all the time! I am sure you would not be happy...
06/12/2024

Guarding food is a natural behaviour for a dog. We guard our property etc all the time! I am sure you would not be happy if someone tried to take one of your possessions, and maybe even your food ( I have been know to hide chocolate so no one else gets it 🙂) One of the easiest things to do is to manage your dog- leave it in peace to eat.

Particularly important to remember this time of year when there may be lots of family gathering who might not be as respectful of dogs and their boundaries as they should be.

This is an amalgamation of the types of comments I see so often on social media posts, that dogs should allow anyone to take anything away from them, including small children, without reacting.

Sadly, this kind of thinking can still be all too common, usually linked to the dog ‘knowing their place’ and seeing humans in the household as ‘the alpha’. I’ve talked a number of times on this page about the issues with the alpha/pack leader/ dominance theory approach to life with dogs, and situations like these are a real problem.

Let’s start first of all with guarding behaviour. While seen as problematic by many and completely unacceptable (in any situation) by some, resource guarding is a natural behaviour. The dog has something they value – in this case, let’s stick with the bone mentioned above – and they want to keep that bone. It’s tasty, they enjoy chewing it, and so they don’t want to lose it.

When someone tries to take it away from them they show they don’t want to give it up using the only language they have, body language, and so we see the positioning themselves over the bone and the teeth showing, escalating potentially to a snarl, snap, or more depending on how far they are pushed. I can absolutely relate to this – if someone tried to take away my food, I am pretty much guaranteed to tell them to go away and leave it alone!

Resource guarding can be a tricky problem but there are easy ways to manage the situation and not make the dog feel they need to guard. When the dog is eating their meal or chewing that tasty bone, leave them alone. Feed their meals in an area where they can be left in peace, and any bowls can be collected once the dog has finished and moved away. Drop high value treats (cubes of cheese, slivers of meat or other things your dog loves) and, when they move away from the bone, then pick it up and remove it.

Children make up a massive proportion of cases of dog bites and it is in large part because of thinking like the statement in the image, ‘If a child or toddler cannot take a bone away from a dog, that dog is a problem. Dogs don’t get to have boundaries.’ It is not the dog that is the problem. It is the misunderstanding of the essential nature of the dog by those responsible for those children that is the problem.

There may well be dogs that will let kids take stuff away from them, but this should not be expected as the norm. Neither should letting kids climb all over dogs, pull at their fur, ears, lips, tail, or indeed ANY part of the dog. When those with education and understanding of canine behaviour and body language look at the ‘cute’ pics or videos of kids doing these things to dogs it fills us with horror, because we can see the signals that the dog is so often giving to say that they are not comfortable, they need to be left alone.

We’re usually accused of being killjoys or over-dramatic, but the truth is that we see the after-effects of these situations going to wrong. We are the ones who are called in to deal with the dogs labelled as aggressive, with a bite history (and there are dogs we don’t even get to see, who are immediately euthanised after a bite) and try to pick up the pieces of this dog who feels the need to defend themselves.

And yes, dogs absolutely get to have boundaries. They are sentient creatures who should not have to tolerate being poked and prodded or having their food or toys taken away by anyone, including kids.

Dogs and children can be a magical, joyful combination. It’s up to us to make sure that BOTH parties are kept safe and happy in their interactions.

I seem to have been talking a lot recently about how dogs generalise, this give a really good description and also about...
04/12/2024

I seem to have been talking a lot recently about how dogs generalise, this give a really good description and also about how you would generalise a recall.

It can be tempting, once our dogs have got the hang of a new cue at home, to think that they know exactly what it means and head out into the world. But when we come to need that cue away from home, suddenly there is no response to the cue at all!

Because of the way our language driven brains function, once we know what a word means it means the same thing wherever we are. So why isn't it the same for dogs?

Dogs don't actually understand the word and what it means. What has happened is that they have formed an association with the sound that word makes and a response we would like from them. However, dogs are far more aware of their environment than we are a lot of the time and, when we have only worked on the cue at home, that environment is a part of the cue setup in their minds. At this point as far as they understand it, the cue means the particular response is wanted in a particular place.

To show that the cue is asking for the same response wherever we are with our dogs, we need to go through a process of generalising, or 'proofing' the response.

This means gradually widening the number of places where the dog understands and can respond to the cue in the way we would like or need them to. As an example let's look at an absolutely essential cue, a recall.

We may start off teaching recall in the house, from just a few steps away when the dog is already heading towards us. This makes it easy to form the association between coming to us and the rewards for doing so (whether you use treats, fuss and attention, toys or games etc). And it's easy to introduce the cue word you have chosen for recall at this point also.

When recall is mastered in the house, move out to the garden and repeat the process.

After recall is solid in the garden, go somewhere quiet and with minimal distractions. Repeat the exercise there.

Gradually increase the number of distractions around as you ask your dog for that important recall, until it's solid and they are able to understand and respond to the cue wherever you go.

When adding a new location or more distractions, it's recommended to up the value of the rewards on offer. Use extra tasty treats, a highly valued toy or absolute favourite game, for example, so your dog knows that responding in this new and slightly busier place is definitely worth it. Once they have clearly got the idea, we can go back to a lower level of incentive and save the high value items for when we next increase the difficulty.

Be considerate when recalling your dog out in the world. Try not to recall them when they're having a good sniff as this is interrupting their time they get to carry out an important natural behaviour.

If you are not sure of your dog's recall, you can use a long line (always attached to a harness, not a collar, for safety) while working on the cue. That way your dog has more freedom to explore but you have backup security of a physical connection if needed to stop them potentially getting into trouble or bringing them in closer when needed. For off lead time secure dog fields can be very useful while you are still working on the reliability of your dog's recall.

Once your dog is reliably responding to the cue wherever you go, you have 'proofed' the behaviour, and you and your dog can go out and enjoy the world, confident that, when needed, your dog will come back to you when you call. Safer and more relaxing for all involved!

My own dogs are quite happy off lead being around other dogs but they rarely play with another dog. Not all dogs want to...
27/11/2024

My own dogs are quite happy off lead being around other dogs but they rarely play with another dog. Not all dogs want to play and that is fine that is their choice.

🐾 There are many dogs who love to play with other dogs. Most of the time these may be dogs that the dog sees regularly and knows, but some adult dogs do not enjoy interactions with every dog they see.

Socialisation isn’t about every dog playing together or always getting along. It has become a very loosely used word that technically describes a specific period of puppyhood development.

Puppies approach interactions quite differently than adult dogs as they would be in a different stage of their development, and are naturally more social butterflies, however, as they grow up (like we do) some dogs start to socially decline and become more dog selective, and/ or dog tolerant. Not all dogs want another dog's nose up their bum.

👨‍🦰Many people believe that all dogs should be friendly and get along. Unfortunately, stereotypes from dog park culture and social media often reinforce this idea. As a result, dog guardians may unintentionally push their dogs into interactions with others in public, often saying, 'Don’t worry, my dog is friendly'...

This can be both frustrating and unsafe, especially when an on-lead dog is approached boisterously by an off-lead dog. Such situations can lead to negative interactions, as the on-lead dog may feel trapped and unable to move freely or express their body language clearly.

💥One of the ways your dog shows you that they are unhappy or uncomfortable is by trying to avoid an approaching dog, or by lashing out and being reactive. Imagine some stranger walking up to you and giving you a cuddle? I don’t know about you, but that’s not going to be something I would enjoy. Not all dogs like to greet or be greeted.

If you have a dog who does not like interacting with dogs they don’t know (especially while on leash) - that’s ok! Your dog is allowed to feel this way.

Be your dog's advocate and tell the other dog guardian to not approach you with their dog. This is being proactive, and preventing your dog from being in a situation that may cause them distress. Additionally, if you know your dog doesn't like dogs approaching them, manage your environment by choosing quieter areas, using distance, or positioning yourself between your dog and others to help them feel more secure.

❗️It is important to not allow your dog to get into the habit of greeting every dog that you walk past because:

- One day you may walk past a dog who doesn’t like being greeted which could cause your dog to get lunged at.

- It puts them at risk as you may not be able to tell if that dog is a good match in temperament for your dog.

- You don’t know if the other dog may have had a negative experience in interacting with other dogs.

- It may cause long-term nervousness if your dog is constantly being snapped at by other dogs which may lead to your dog becoming reactive.

🐕Creating space will help with making your dog or the other dog feel safe - just in case the other dog lunges. If a dog starts to approach you in the street, cross the road to the other side.

Remember, you’re not alone—if you’re finding this challenging, we’re here to help:

www.seespotlearn.co.nz 🐾

Dog training has changed a lot in the time I have had dogs and some of the methods used were not great. But as we move f...
27/11/2024

Dog training has changed a lot in the time I have had dogs and some of the methods used were not great. But as we move forward we should try to learn about better ways to train and live with our lovely dogs.

I saw a comment on a post I shared a few days ago where someone was saying they wished they'd known the information given before because they felt bad about things that had happened in the past with their dog.

This is such a common feeling - I know very few people who do not have regrets over how life has been lived with their dogs previously. I make no secret of the fact I'm a cross over trainer and, while I didn't use some of the harshest methods in existence, what I did do using old fashioned methods I regret. I understand that feeling of cognitive dissonance and the emotions that come with realising what I have done wrong by the dogs in my past.

What I have come to realise is that we can only ever do the best we can with what we know at the time. When we know better, then we can do better.

It can be so, so hard when we realise what we've been doing wrong but there is really no point to berating ourselves - the best thing we can do is keep learning about the best ways to work with and live with our dogs so that what we know at the time is absolutely the best information we can have and use to help our dogs lead happy and comfortable lives.

27/11/2024

This is Arlo who I have been working with for a few months. He used to scream when he saw another dog but this very rarely happens now. He is also very interested in the bird life and in the second video he is calmly watching a Pūkeko .

This dear little dog is Tahi but he has a dark secret - he doesn’t like people reaching toward him and he is reactive to...
26/11/2024

This dear little dog is Tahi but he has a dark secret - he doesn’t like people reaching toward him and he is reactive to dogs. I am working with his owner to change this behaviour.

It is nearly summer which means holidays and more time with your dog. Wouldn't it be nice if you could let your dog off ...
21/11/2024

It is nearly summer which means holidays and more time with your dog. Wouldn't it be nice if you could let your dog off lead at the beach and parks that you go to and when you call know that he will come back to you? You need to do the Kool K9 Off Lead Dog Class. It is over three nights so you can really concentrate on your training and get the results you want.

I completely agree with this, my three Border Collies are very different from each other and we should expect this as I ...
21/11/2024

I completely agree with this, my three Border Collies are very different from each other and we should expect this as I am sure you are not exactly the same as your brother or sister.

We humans are creatures who tend to make a lot of comparisons. We compare different factors of our lives to those of other people – whether that’s how much money we make, the clothes we wear, the cars we drive, and so on.

When it comes to our dogs, we have more of a tendency to compare them to the dogs we have known before and expect them to behave in the same (or a very similar way). This expectation is usually dashed, and we find people saying things like, ‘My last dog wouldn’t do that,’ or something similar.

Every dog is an individual and will all have their little differences and quirks. Dogs of the same breed will behave differently, even if related. The breed I live with is the Border Collie and over the years between sharing my home and work with them and working with others I have encountered quite a few! Every single one of them has been different, even when closely related.

I have had a mother and daughter who were complete opposites in personality. One very independent and not bothered much about people, while the other wanted to climb in your pocket and have all the fuss available from anyone in the area.

Many of the dogs I have known were keen to work, as is generally expected with herding dogs, and then there was the one who, when presented with sheep, took himself back to the house to play with a ball.

The dog who shows his excitement by standing by the back door and doing a silent little pre-walk dance, and the one who shouts her head off at full volume as soon as she thinks something exciting is happening (although this is calming as she moves through adolescence!)

Every dog is affected by the combination of their genetics (nature) and the things they have experienced (nurture), which means that even siblings will be different – each one will receive a slightly different mixture of the genes from their parents, and their experience of life will differ slightly. Occasionally we see a story of people who plan to have a much-loved dog cloned, but even then, with identical genes, the experiences will never be identical so their personality may well be different.

For me, the differences are something to be celebrated. I have loved each one of my dogs very much despite (and, if I’m honest, sometimes because of) their differences and quirks. Every different dog brings us something new and finds their own places in our hearts so, even though they may present different challenges to us in their care and stewardship, they all teach us something and make us better dog people.

I always start a behaviour consultation talking about management.
19/11/2024

I always start a behaviour consultation talking about management.

ARE YOU MANAGING?
Are you managing your dog’s environment to prevent or improve unwanted behaviour?

As people, we tend to prefer and look for the more complicated solutions to problems. This tendency is termed “complexity bias” - the tendency to prefer complicated explanations and solutions instead of looking for the simpler ones.

Surely a complicated, time consuming, detailed solution has to be more effective, superior, impressive, or correct?

Complexity bias is so relevant when it comes to changing a dog’s unwanted behaviour. We often get so stuck on trying to modify behaviour through counter conditioning, desensitization or detailed training plans when sometimes the simplest solution to the problem lies in simply managing the environment.

Dogs will do what dogs do – when an opportunity arises to help themselves to food left on a table, to bark at the gate at anyone passing by, to have a drink from that big water bowl at the perfect height, that we call a toilet, to running off with irresistibly smelly dirty underwear, to rummaging through bins in search of anything that may or may not be edible, to running out an opened door in search of adventure - the list is long - dogs will be dogs.

Parents of little children use management all the time without giving it much thought. Baby locks on cupboards, covers on electrical sockets, valuable or dangerous items put far out of reach, fences and locks around pools, etc.

We wouldn’t just train a toddler not to stick their fingers in an electrical socket, not to open cupboards, not to touch a hot plate – it’s far safer, simpler and logical to first manage the environment, to prevent potential incidents.

The same principle should apply to managing a dog’s environment to prevent unwanted behaviour.

The more a behaviour is practiced the more difficult it is to prevent. The more a behaviour is rehearsed the better dogs become at it.

Preventing the behaviour from happening in the first place by using management is the logical, simple and effective way to address it.

Be a good manager – it’s far less stressful, for both us and our dogs.

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