Best Mate Dog Training

Jumping up is a SUPER common problem, partly because many common training approaches to stop dogs jumping don’t work that well! If you’ve been trying to stop your dog jumping without success, it’s probably for one (or more) of these reasons: 1. Jumping up is a self-rewarding behaviour (so ignoring it doesn’t work) If your dog has fun doing something (like jumping), then ignoring them, or turning you back on them often just results in them merrily jumping at your back instead of your front (because they’re having fun, regardless of whether you’re giving them attention or not!) 2. They’re “Gaming the System” A commonly recommended strategy to stop jumping is to give your dog a treat when they put “all four paws on the ground”. Problem is, most dogs are fully capable of working out that if they jump on you, and then stop and wait, you’ll give them a treat. So sometimes it can actually make them jump up MORE, to get more treats! 3. Your feedback is (accidentally) confusing them. This is either because some people in the family encourage your dog to jump up while some don’t like it, or because your response to your dog jumping up changes based on factors they can’t understand (like the type of clothes you’re wearing, how muddy their paws are, what mood you’re in etc). 4. They’re a “Band-Aid Solution” (E.g. Using a “sit” command to stop them from jumping) This is a common strategy, and while it can be a useful tool DURING the process of teaching your dog not to jump, you need to make sure it’s not a band-aid solution (i.e. that your dog learns not to jump up even when they’re NOT sitting). If the only “tool” in your “toolkit” is using a sit command, and you have nothing in your training approach to ALSO teach them not to jump up in general, you end up with a dog who will still jump on people any time they’re not sitting. Want to learn how to stop your dog jumping (without using treats!) in a way that actu

Your dog’s BREED is NOT the only thing determining their behaviour. Breed is definitely PART of the equation, and depending on your dog’s genetics it can play quite a large part, but the key thing to realise is that it’s not the ONLY part – training can influence their behaviour, too. The problem with whole-heartedly buying into the breed stereotypes, is that it can get in the way of a dog’s progress, because the stereotype puts a “glass ceiling” on your expectations of what’s actually possible. Just because your dog’s breed has a tendency towards a certain behaviour or attitude, doesn’t mean they have to take it to an extreme. Huskies can learn not to pull on the lead. Border Collies can learn not to chase everything that moves. German Shepherds can learn not to guard the house from the postman. Terriers can learn to listen even when it doesn’t suit them. Labradors can learn not to steal food off the table. So, while breed definitely does have an influence on your dog’s behaviour and different breeds are always going to have certain traits (which means choosing a breed that fits your lifestyle is still really important – a Border Collie is never going to be a chilled-out lapdog!), don’t write off your dog’s bad habits as “unchangeable” just because of their breed. Otherwise, your limiting beliefs might become the thing that’s restricting their progress, not their breed.

Comment "REACTIVE" to check out our honest, in-depth guide to reactive dog training! # 1: Have them walk next to you, tuned in (don’t let them walk in front) # 2: Help them feel safe/have their back (so they don’t feel like they have to “deal with” things themselves) # 3: Interrupt them in the first moments, don’t wait for them to explode (and I DON’T mean use treats to distract them!) # 4: Build their self-control (so they can hold themselves back from doing something, even when they REALLY want to do it!) # 5: Teach them to listen, even when they don’t want to (in all areas, not just on the walk!) Want to learn how to stop your dog’s reactivity (without using treats!) in a way that actually works? Comment "REACTIVE" to check out our honest, in-depth guide to reactive dog training!

“Dogs want to please” is a super common quote in dog training circles. And while it’s true to an extent (which is what makes them such amazing pets and family members!), it’s often not true to the extent that some people (including some trainers) make it out to be. In reality, dogs are creatures with in-built survival instincts (just like us). If they were entirely focussed on pleasing someone else, with zero interest in their own needs and wants, it wouldn’t be a great survival strategy! Which means that dogs DO operate, at least to a point, based on their own self-interests and what feels good, or gets them something they wanted. These needs and wants often over-ride their desire to please their owners (and often their desire for whatever treat/toy you’re offering, too!), which results in them blowing off your commands and rules, and doing things like chasing after the bird/bike/cat, jumping all over the guest, ignoring your “come” command in favour of chasing smells, or greeting a new dog. That’s why, if you’re using a method that’s reliant on the “dogs want to please” strategy, you’re missing a huge piece of the dog training puzzle. If the “dog’s want to please” strategy was 100% true (as some make it out to be), then all that would be required for your dog to listen reliably would be for them to know the rules, and the definition of commands that you teach them, and they’d do it, every single time, because they wanted nothing more than to please you. In reality, they need to learn not only what the rules and commands are and what’s expected of them, but also that they’re non-negotiable, even when there’s something better on offer. And that’s the element that’s missing in a massive amount of common training strategies, which is why there are so many people struggling with their dogs selective hearing and unwanted behaviours (jumping up, pulling on the lead, barking, digging, stealing items around the ho

Comment "REACTIVE" to check out our honest, in-depth guide to reactive dog training! Mistake #1: Talking to them soothingly while they’re reacting (this is totally understandable, but can easily be interpreted by your dog as PRAISE for what they’re doing (and encourage them to do it more!) #2: Thinking they should make all their own decisions/leaving their behavioural choices up to them Many common training approaches have this philosophy at their core – leaving your dog’s decisions up to them, and then rewarding them when they make the right choice. Problem is, dogs often DON’T make good decisions (just like if you let your kids do the grocery shopping, they’re probably not going to come out with a trolley full of vegetables!). Reactivity can be a “self-rewarding” behaviour (your dog gets something they wanted out of doing it – they find it fun, get to release frustrated or excited energy, or they think they’ve “scared off” the thing they’re reacting to). So if you leave the decision up to your dog, they’ll usually continue being reactive, because they get something they want out of doing it! #3: Trying to distract them with food or toys This often doesn’t work (because your dog wants to react to the thing more than they want the treat), and if it DOES work, it only works for as long as you have treats to offer). #4: Thinking that all dogs are naturally “social butterflies” (Somes dogs are introverts, just like people. Not every dog wants to interact with every dog or person they see, and that’s ok (it’s NOT ok to do the equivalent of yelling abuse at them from across the road, though!!) #5: Being inconsistent with your approach, and what you let them do/not do This is usually because you’re not sure if what you’re doing is working, so don’t stick to it consistently, you get distracted by other “life stuff”, or because you’re inconsistent in OTHER areas of their training, which affects their ability to

Dogs who DON'T listen and behave reliably miss out on fun stuff, because it's stressful or unsafe to involve them in activities. Which means that dogs who DO listen and behave reliably (even when they'd rather do something more fun!) actually get to have MORE fun than the dogs who have "freedom" to do whatever they want, but have to be left behind or kept on lead because they can't be trusted to listen reliably... Our dogs don't always REALISE this, especially in the early stages of training where they're learning to listen reliably, but aren't reliable enough YET to get the bonus of the freedom and fun that follows! Which is why we need to make the decision FOR them that they need to learn to listen and behave (even if they think it's not fun!), because we can have that long term view and know that it makes life better for EVERYONE (including them!) in the long run!

Comment "BARKING" to get our honest, in-depth guide to stopping dogs barking! Why commonly recommended approaches to stopping your dog barking don’t work that well... #1 Barking is a self-rewarding behaviour (so ignoring it doesn’t work) Barking is fun for many dogs (or they feel satisfied that they “scared off” the person walking past), which means if you ignore them, they’ll keep doing it. #2 They’re “gaming the system” A common training approach to stop dogs barking is to tell them “quiet” and then give them a treat when they listen. Problem is, most dogs are smart enough to figure out this pattern of events and will sometimes start barking MORE to get more treats (which isn’t them being deliberately naughty, they’re literally just doing what you’re (accidentally!) encouraging them to!). #3 Your feedback is (accidentally) confusing them. If you’re following the recommended approach of saying “thank you” to your dog when you bark at something, you’re literally praising them for barking at it. Which encourages them to do it MORE. Likewise, if you try to reassure or soothe your dog by patting/cuddling/talking soothingly to them as they bark, it can easily be interpreted as praise for barking (encouraging them to do it more). #4 They’re a “band-aid solution” Things like covering the front window for dogs who bark at passers by are often recommended by many dog training articles, but they’re a band-aid solution that doesn’t address the actual problem. It’s far more effective to just teach your dog not to bark at passers-by! Want to learn how to stop your dog barking (without using treats!) in a way that actually works? Comment "BARKING" to get our honest, in-depth guide to stopping dogs barking!

Canine Chaos to Calm member Ziggy - Sit with distraction of a toy!

Training Win Wednesday!! Check out the handsome Ziggy mastering his sit with distractions, even when tempted with toys! Well done team, keep up the awesome work!!

Lots of dogs are in a constant state of go-go-go! If they’re awake, they’re “on”, and they want to be involved in anything and everything. In fact, often dogs are mis-labelled as “high energy” because they’ve never been taught how to use their brain to focus, calm down and chill – they don’t actually know HOW to! Just like some people will work until they burn out, and need to learn to take time out for themselves, our dogs can have the same issue. And just like humans, dogs who are “on the go” ALL the time are often “wired” and stressed - even if it’s hidden under excited eyes and a fast-wagging tail, it’s not good for anyone to be that worked up, that often. That’s why teaching your dog to be still and calm, even when there’s exciting activities going on all around them (because dogs often find EVERYTHING exciting), is one of the most important skills you can teach them, for their mental health, and for yours.

Canine Chaos to Calm member Kenobi - Sit with distraction in a new place!

Training Win Wednesday!! Check out the handsome Kenobi handling sit with distraction in a new place, despite some challenges during the day. “We are away from home for a few weeks on a friend property but am keeping up daily training. Kenobi had been a bit stressed today as there was a fire a bit away and water bombers flying over the property and it is super windy. I popped his halti on and did some training and he calmed right down did some amazing sits at a good distance with all those distractions going on. Plus he chilled right down after, it was like a switch in his brain relaxed.” Well done team, keep up the great work!!

Common training approaches are often based around letting your dog make their own decisions, and then encouraging the ones you want by rewarding them with treats, toys, praise etc, and just ignoring the ones you don’t. While this is a nice idea in theory, it can create a lot of stress for both dogs and owners (even though the intention is to do the opposite!). This is because it’s basically leaving your dog’s choices totally up to them, and they’re often not going to make good decisions that benefit them in the long run. For example, many dogs LOVE going crazy and jumping all over a guest, biting at their clothes, barking etc. It’s a self-rewarding behaviour (i.e. it’s fun for them!), so if the choice is left up to them, they’ll often keep doing it (or briefly come back to you for a treat, and then go back to going crazy at the guest). But if that behaviour is allowed to continue, chances are they’ll end up being put outside, not involved as often, or guests might avoid coming over. We know that if they behaved differently, those things wouldn’t happen, and they could be involved more, without everyone being frustrated with them. But the only way for THEM to learn that, is for you to take charge and clearly show them what is and isn’t acceptable behaviour, so they can then realise the different outcome for themselves. Not giving any clear structure and rules, and letting them make all of their own decisions also stresses dogs out, because they can become overwhelmed with all the choices. Dogs (especially nervous dogs) thrive off structure and clear rules and guidelines, as long as they’re not draconian. And part of giving clear structure and guidelines is about holding them accountable and enforcing that they actually follow those rules. Just like us, dogs won’t always naturally do what’s in their best interest, but that doesn’t mean they don’t benefit from being made to do it anyway in a calm, firm but kind way. (Just

Canine Chaos to Calm member Dante - Sit with distraction of a frisbee!

Training Win Wednesday!! Check out the handsome Dante show off his sit with distraction skills, even when distracted by a frisbee! "He usually loves jumping for the frisbee, so he’s being really good here." Well done everyone, keep up the great work!!

Giving your dog a treat when they STOP doing a bad behaviour accidentally encourages them to do MORE of it. If you’ve tried this method before, that’s totally understandable, it’s really common advice right now. For example, if your dog jumps up, according to this strategy, you should give them a treat when they stop jumping, with the intention being to reward them for having all their paws on the ground. Or if your dog steals an item around the house, the advice is to give them a reward for bringing that item to you, (with the intention being to reward them for giving it up). The problem is it underestimates how clever most dogs are. While they can’t connect behaviours to an outcome when there’s a large time lag in between (which is why you can’t tell them off for digging a hole when you find it hours after they finished digging it), they ARE really good at connecting events which lead to each other in the short term. This is why your dog gets so excited when you grab your walking shoes, house keys, and their lead, because they know that those things happen before a walk. I.e. they’re able to compute that A is followed by B, which is followed by C, and if they like C, then A must be a good thing, too. So, it stands to reason that if they can figure out that you grabbing their lead is followed by a walk, they can also figure out that if they go and jump on you and then wait, or steal an item they shouldn’t have and show you they have it, you’ll give them a treat. So, if you’re struggling with some of your dog’s behaviours, and you’ve been using this strategy, your dog out-smarting your training system is probably one of the reasons why! P.S. This DOESN'T mean your dog is necessarily being deliberately naughty - they're literally just doing what works for them, just as we would in a similar situation!

Canine Chaos to Calm member Ziggy - Sit with distraction at the beach!

Training Win Wednesday!! Check out the lovely Ziggy mastering her sit with distraction at the beach. "I just wanted to share a further progress video on Ziggy's sit with distraction. The beach is a highly distracting area for her. I made sure there were no seagulls around when we did this. That is what I am building up to achieve - control around seagulls!" Well done family, keep up the awesome work!!

There’s a common misconception about dogs that they’re inherently social, and therefore should love EVERY dog and human they come across and want to interact enthusiastically with them. But how many people do you know who genuinely love and want to interact deeply with every single person they ever meet. Even massive extroverts have people they’d rather not spend much time with, let alone introverts who are more than happy with a handful of key relationships with their favourite people, and who aren’t interested in socializing with random strangers. So why do we expect every dog to love and enthusiastically interact with every other dog/person they encounter? Just like us, dogs have unique personalities and preferences when it comes to socializing. Some do love almost everyone they run into, while others are happy to keep their distance from strangers and just interact with “their” people. People who have always had the happy-go-lucky, friendly dogs often struggle to understand why others might not be happy about their friendly dog running up and greeting their more introverted dog (or why every dog you see in the street doesn’t always want you to pat them). Just like you wouldn’t run up and hug every person you encounter on the street, it’s not ok for your dog to run up and greet every dog they encounter (or for YOU to try and pat them), unless the other owner gives the “ok”, too. Some dogs might be injured, having a bad day, or just a natural introvert who takes time to feel comfortable around new people/dogs, and that’s ok. There is a social etiquette the other way, too though. Just like you wouldn’t run up and hug every stranger on the street, it’s also not ok to shout abuse at the ones you don’t like the look of. It’s ok to not like someone, or not want them in your space, but it’s possible to be polite about it, and our dogs should learn this, too. This means that even if your dog is uncomfortable about other dogs

Canine Chaos to Calm member Apollo - Boundary with distraction of a treat!

Training Win Wednesday!! Check out the handsome Apollo practicing door boundaries, even when tempted with a treat! "We've been practicing door boundaries since the last round of canine chaos to calm and I finally got around to filming Apollo. We have 6 different doors he's a pro at and working on a couple more. We can leave both doors to the garage wide open and he won't go through, even when we are filling up his his food jar from the big kibble bag! I was really proud of him when we took him on holiday for New Years, at a completely new house he only did one mistake before figuring out 3 new doors he had to wait for permission to come through." Well done team, keep up the great work!!

Everyone I work with loves their dog. But sometimes, they admit to not “liking” them all the time. When dogs do things that make life either unpleasant, or unsafe, like jumping up, barking, refusing to come back when called, or growling and barking at things that don’t need to be barked at, it means they often live more restricted lives than they otherwise would. They’re shut outside when guests come over, or their owners get frustrated by their crazy OTT “greeting” habits. They’re not walked as often as they could be, because walks are such an ordeal that they require mental preparation beforehand, and popping to the shops or a café with the dog seems like a distant dream. Dogs misbehaving and not listening results in a reduced quality of life for EVERYONE – their owners, who pictured having a dog who could be involved in family activities and outings without stress, and the dog who gets left behind/shut away from activities they’d LOVE to be involved in, because they just can’t be trusted to take part. That’s why it’s my mission to help everyone who wants to take action to transform their dog from a source of frustration, to a joy to have in their lives, so everyone can make the most of those short years we get to spend with our best mates 🥰

Canine Chaos to Calm member Jax - Boundary with distraction of new smells!

Training Win Wednesday!! Check out the handsome Jax learning a new boundary by the gate, even with distractions such as rabbits, dogs and new smells! "Jax learning a new boundary on holiday at grandma place, with rabbits, loads of dogs outside the gate, loads of new smells. Jax is a rescue and doesn't play with toys, smells are his big distraction. This was second go at this boundary." Well done everyone, keep up the amazing work!!

Dog pre-empting your release command and getting up before they were supposed to?

If your dog gets up (like from a sit or down/drop command) BEFORE you've said your release command, this might be why - they're more perceptive than many people realise!!

There are several issues with using treats to train your dog, and most dog owners who've tried treat training will have experienced at least one, if not all of these. ⁣ ⁣ If you've tried googling "training dogs without treats", you'll probably have found that the "solution" that most articles talk about is essentially just swapping the treats out for a toy, or praise, but still using the same general training approach.⁣ ⁣ Problem is, swapping treats for toys or praise, without changing the actual training system, doesn’t fix the core issue of why this training system doesn’t work that well around real world distractions like guests, kids, cats, other dogs, bikes, cars, birds etc.⁣ ⁣⁣ Which is why I wrote the honest, in-depth guide to training dogs without treats (including how to fix the training system so that it actually works!). Want to check it out? Comment "TREAT" and I'll send you the link!