Helping you build a better relationship with your dog through positive reinforcement training đž
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Loki and his family have worked hard with us on fear, reactivity, anxiety, and even positive reinforcement based rattlesnake avoidance training, and it shows in the relationship they have with him today. We love helping people build beautiful relationships with their dogs through fun, humane training đŚ´
Back to school isnât just for our human kiddos đâď¸ We are back from our summer break on classes and are ready to work with you and your dogs in our Westside Good Manners class!
When: September 7, 14, 21 and October 5 and 13 at 9am (no class will be held on September 28)
Where: An outdoor space located in the Village of Corrales (address will be provided after signups)
What: Good Manners Class; this class covers how to teach basics such as sit, down, stay, recall, loose leash walking and more through positive reinforcement based training
Please visit our website heartdogbehaviorandtraining.com to claim your spot today!
Weâd love to help Herbyâs adopter build his confidence!
LET'S NOT FORGET ABOUT HERBY! He has been in foster care for a long time, due to no fault of his own. He is beautiful, with long legs. Herby has a loving personality and bonds strongly, and is calm and quiet. He is crate trained, house trained, and LOVES his daily walks. He is fearful of strangers, so it takes a couple of days for him to warm up to a new person. Herby needs a forever home!
Hey Heart Dog community, weâre back with another Training Tip Tuesday! A common complaint that dog trainers hear about is that the dog knows a behavior and can do it perfectly at home, but struggles in other environments- and that makes total sense. Being out in the world can be like Disney World for dogs with so much to smell and see and do. Itâs a big transition to ask a dog to go from responding to a cue in the living room to responding to it in an environment full of distractions! One way to help your pup with this is to introduce small distractions into training from the start- train with a hat on sometimes, train in your kitchen instead of the living room, sit in a chair instead of standing up, train in the backyard. When youâre ready to introduce bigger distractions, do so gradually and at a distance so that your dog can practice being successful!
Help welcome these new little pups to Albuquerque! You can drop off items to ABQ Chihuahua Rescueâs next event on August 3rd, or at Good Shepherd Animal Hospital!
Albuquerque Animal Welfare is doing free microchips and ID tags before the 4th- go check it out, as today is the last day. Both items are so important to help get a lost dog home!!
Hey Heart Dog Community! We are so thrilled that weâve gotten to meet so many of you in our group classes, and we look forward to working with many more of you in the future. We will be taking a summer break from group classes in order to recharge and refresh. Weâll be back soon, and class announcements will be made here and posted on our website as we begin scheduling again! In-home private consultations and dog walking will continue to be available throughout the summer âď¸
Brilliant Mr. Brody and his mom are rocking our Foundations package! Here Brody is learning to wait at the front door until his mom tells him to go check out whoâs in the courtyard. (Please work on exercises like this with your dog on leash if you donât have a safe, enclosed courtyard or backyard like Brodyâs family for your dog to go out into off leash!) Our Foundations package is really tailored to the individual goals of each person and dog we work with; manners at the door and with guests are important for Brodyâs family, and he and his mom have put in the work to make wonderful progress on them!
We have a favor to ask you, our shelter is in need of dog treats. Milk bones, pupperonis, beggin' strips, any others except no rawhides or hard bones. Thank you so much for ANY and ALL donations, the shelter pups will be very appreciative đđđžđž
Jim is enrolled in our Walk & Train program to work on loose leash walking and mild reactivity towards other dogs, and heâs doing great! In our training, we focus on setting dogs up for success and reinforcing them for the behaviors we want to see instead of punishing them for behaviors we donât. Jim is definitely enjoying being reinforced for calm behavior around other dogs!
Wondering what your dog might learn in our Foundations package? Helping you and your pup learn how to build a reliable recall is one thing we focus on! This is such an important cue for dogs to know for safety reasons, especially as we get deeper into camping season. Penne clearly loves this game, and her parents have done a fantastic job of making it a fun and positive experience so that she doesnât hesitate to run to them!
Itâs June, which means now is the time to make a plan to keep your dog safe on the 4th of July! Ensure ID tags are on and up to date, microchips are updated, any necessary medications are available or make an appointment with your veterinarian to ensure you have them in time! Introduce your dog to their safe, cozy indoor spot as the holiday approaches so theyâve got lots of time to get comfortable there. This can be a tough holiday for dogs- start preparing now to make it easier!
We love seeing dogs get an opportunity to use their brains and solve a puzzle- Clancy is having a great time foraging for his food thatâs buried in this box! This is a great way to provide mental enrichment using things you already have around the house. Worried your dog will consume the non-food parts of the enrichment? Try a puzzle toy instead! Some of our favorites are the Kong Wobbler, snuffle mats, and the IQ Treat Ball. Enrichment can increase relaxation behaviors and decrease stress behaviors in dogs (Hunt et al 2022) and we love to see dogs relaxed and happy!
Looking at the why behind a behaviour is the best thing we can do for our dogs, and ourselves.
When we see behaviour for what it really is, we realise itâs not personal, just practical for our dogs at the time.
I give you the Westside Good Manners Class of May 2024!
It was an absolute pleasure getting to work with each of these pups and their dedicated parents. Oh, the places theyâll go đśđ
Billie and her dad reached out to us to help with her reactivity in late April. Billie barked, growled, and lunged at dogs from approximately 75 feet away when we began, and we worked hard from a distance to teach her that dogs predicted fantastic things! Her dad also worked hard between sessions- As her Reactivity Package ended today, she showed relaxed body language and was able to remain engaged with her Dad with another dog just 15 feet away! Training is not a linear journey; there are always highs and lows, good days and more challenging days. By working to create positive associations with other dogs for Billie, our hope is to create more good days for her and her dad đ§Ą
Our next westside Good Manners Class is now available for sign ups! This class will be in an outdoor space in the village of Corrales and covers basic behaviors such as sit, down, stay, coming when called, walking on a loose leash and more! This positive reinforcement based class is open to dogs 6 months and older and will be at the same time and place for 5 consecutive weeks. Dogs must be up-to-date on vaccinations to attend. This class is $140 per dog and will be limited to 6 participants, so be sure to snag your spot soon! Head to heartdogbehaviorandtraining.com and click the âGroup Classesâ tab to sign up. We look forward to working with you and your pups! đžâ¤ď¸
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Helping you build a better relationship with your dog through positive reinforcement training.
Dan and his family started training with us in the fall to decrease his barking at other dogs while out on walks, and we love getting these progress videos! Through positive reinforcement training, Dan has learned that ignoring other dogs- even those that are barking at him- is far more rewarding than barking at them. Danâs family knew that changing his behavior would take practice, patience, and persistence, and this video shows just how wonderfully those things pay off! Weâre cheering for you, Team Dan đ
Our foundations package is designed to teach you a variety of skills to not only make life easier with your pup, but also to strengthen your relationship with them through the power of positive reinforcement training! These are a few of the official skills that you can learn through this package, BUT the best part is we customize the package to meet each clientâs specific needs. This means the skills you have by the end of the package really depend on the individual needs of you and your canine companion!
Weâre so proud of our newest Good Manners graduates and their humans! Fritz, Blackie, and Willow are pictured here (Stormy & Ralphâs families couldnât make it to the last class, but weâre just as proud of them!) Your hard work, patience, and sense of humor as you learned with your dogs is something to be celebrated đđ
Hey there Heart Dog community, Jessica here! I am thrilled to share with you all that I have officially graduated from âs incredible separation anxiety trainer program and am now a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer! This work is so important to me, as my heart dog Boots suffered from separation anxiety himself. I know how heartbreaking and stressful it can be, especially when you donât know how to help your dog move past it, as I certainly didnât when I adopted Boots in 2011. His memory inspired me to go through this course and become certified in order to help other dogs and their people who struggle in the same way. Peaceful absences are possible, and I would be honored to be a part of you and your dogâs journey to stress-free alone time. Head to our website and click on the âSeparation Anxiety Trainingâ link to get started today!
Happy Earth Day, Heart Dog friends!
For a lot of us, getting out into nature is something we can do with our dogs for mutual enjoyment. Letâs give back to the planet by making sure we are always being environmentally responsible dog owners! Here are just a few tips to keep in mind:
1. ALWAYS pick up after your dog! Dog waste carries all kinds of bacteria and disease that, if left on the ground, will make its way into the nearest stream, river or other body of water and contribute to bacterial pollution of our water.
2. Make sure those p**p bags make it all the way into the trash! Plastic poses many risks to the environment as well as to wildlife. Safely disposing of these bags will keep that plastic out of vulnerable ecosystems.
3. Let your dog be your recycling partner! Recycled items should be thoroughly cleaned prior to recycling. Look out for safe items (be mindful of both the safety of the container as well as the food that it contains for your dog) that your dog can help lick clean. This provides them some enrichment and saves precious water resources. Of course, be sure to always supervise your dog with items for safety!
Missy & Allieâs parents have been working with us on their manners and foundation behaviors and have done a wonderful job! Weâve tailored their program to their specific needs, including polite greetings, stay, and recall. These adorable scruffy pups and their parents have made great progress! Weâre so proud of them đđ
While last week was National Dog Bite Prevention Week, we believe we should be talking about preventing dog bites every day of the year! Many dog bites are preventable- ask permission to pet a dog, and teach your children to do the same. Avoid interacting with a dog whoâs sleeping, chewing on a toy, or eating, and if you have kids, give your dog a safe space to do these things uninterrupted! Kids are the most likely victims of dog bites, and are most often bitten by family dogs or dogs that they know; practice active supervision when kids and dogs are together, and when thatâs not possible, separate them. So many âcuteâ photos of dogs and children actually show dogs who are displaying signs of discomfort. Learn your individual dogâs body language signs of distress or discomfort and remove them from situations theyâre not comfortable in! No matter how big or small or what their breed is, any dog can bite; itâs up to us to help prevent that from happening!
(Statistics are from the American Veterinary Medical Association and the CDC.)
On this last day of Womenâs History Month, we just wanted to share our appreciation for all of you who continue to support our small, women-owned business! We are also both very lucky to have had incredible women mentor, teach, and support us professionally and personally throughout our careers and as weâve built this business- we are so thankful for each of you. We are also incredibly grateful for the trailblazing women in our field whoâve paved the way for humane dog training, such as Patricia McConnell, Susan Friedman, Alexandra Horowitz, Kathy Sdao, and Pat Miller, just to name a few. The science based, humane dog behavior world is full of incredible women, and weâre so lucky to be surrounded by them!
While fenced yard access can have its benefits for dogs, fenced yard ownership has been linked to dogs receiving less leash walks (Kobelt et al., 2003, 2007; Scheibeck et al., 2011).
Some owners may believe that letting their dog outside in the yard will result in the dog exercising and that walks are no longer necessary.
However, a 2007 study reported that dogs are actually less active in their fenced yards when left alone (Kobelt et al., 2007). Dogs may actually spend that time waiting for their owner to return by sitting near the door or watching the windows for their owner.
If you are utilizing a fenced yard for exercise for your dog, it may be best to be present in the yard with them. Especially if its one of your dog's only means for exercise! Encouraging sniffing, playing, or just walking along side them in the yard are all excellent choices.
Our next Good Manners class on the West side will be starting in April and is available for sign ups now. Class will be held outdoors in Corrales. This class will cover basic obedience behaviors such as sit, down, stay, coming when called, and walking on a loose leash, as well as other foundation behaviors using positive reinforcement training. It will also address minor behavior concerns such as jumping up on people and barking at people or other dogs. This class is open to dogs 6 months and over, and will be on the same date and time for 5 consecutive weeks unless otherwise noted by the instructor. Dogs must be up to date on vaccinations to attend. Class costs $140 per dog for this 5 week course, and will be limited to 5 dogs to give each pup the attention they deserve. If youâre interested, head to our website, HeartDogBehaviorandTraining.com and click the âGroup Classesâ tab to sign up! We look forward to working with you and your dogs đśđ§Ą
Helping you build a better relationship with your dog through positive reinforcement training đž
Pearl and Christine graduated from our Good Manners in-home training package in February, but their progress hasnât stopped! One of the big goals we worked towards was helping Pearl to greet people with 4 paws on the floor instead of jumping, whether at home or out and about. Weâre always so happy to get updates letting us know that our clients and their dogs continue to practice the skills theyâve learned and are able to use them in real life scenarios!
Albuquerque, NM
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Super smart (and SUPER adorable) Sunny is here to show you that youâre never too young to learn new skills! In particular, Sunny needed some help learning that human hands donât actually fall under the category of puppy chew toys. Not only did Sunny learn this fun new game involving a more appropriate way to engage with hands in our session but he also learned a âleave itâ cue, which results in disengagement from the object of his focus, such as hands, shoelaces or food items not meant for him. These skills will help his parents better navigate what they describe as the âShark đŚ Weekâ phase of his puppyhood đ Who else has been there before? đđťââď¸
Wondering what your dog might learn in our Foundations package? Helping you and your pup learn how to build a reliable recall is one thing we focus on! This is such an important cue for dogs to know for safety reasons, especially as we get deeper into camping season. Penne clearly loves this game, and her parents have done a fantastic job of making it a fun and positive experience so that she doesnât hesitate to run to them!
I give you the Westside Good Manners Class of May 2024! It was an absolute pleasure getting to work with each of these pups and their dedicated parents. Oh, the places theyâll go đśđ
This time of year is full of graduations, weddings, and travel- it can be hard to find time to walk your dog or provide them with mental stimulation! Weâd love to help with that- we provide what we call âsniffaris,â walks on a long leash designed to allow your dog to sniff to their heartâs content, and can also provide indoor mental enrichment sessions when itâs too hot for a walk (or when that monsoon season rain hits!) Book on our website, HeartDogBehaviorAndTraining.com on the âIn Home Servicesâ page!
Dan and his family started training with us in the fall to decrease his barking at other dogs while out on walks, and we love getting these progress videos! Through positive reinforcement training, Dan has learned that ignoring other dogs- even those that are barking at him- is far more rewarding than barking at them. Danâs family knew that changing his behavior would take practice, patience, and persistence, and this video shows just how wonderfully those things pay off! Weâre cheering for you, Team Dan đ
Our foundations package is designed to teach you a variety of skills to not only make life easier with your pup, but also to strengthen your relationship with them through the power of positive reinforcement training! These are a few of the official skills that you can learn through this package, BUT the best part is we customize the package to meet each clientâs specific needs. This means the skills you have by the end of the package really depend on the individual needs of you and your canine companion!
Lily and her mom are working so hard to help change her feelings about strangers! Some caveats- Lily is off leash because her yard is completely fenced in and after working together for 2 previous sessions, we were comfortable with her being off leash for this session. However, I always recommend starting this exercise with your dog on their leash and harness! We also strongly advise starting this exercise with a qualified trainer who can help you to find the best starting point for you and your dog. There is hope for reactive dogs, and we are here to help you and your dog on your journey!
One of our favorite things about dogs is how full of love they are, but, we admit, that isnât always shown in our favorite ways. This is most often true during greetings, where our dogsâ excitement can lead to jumping and, as an unintended result, injuries such as scratching, bruising or getting knocked off balance. Fortunately, there are better ways that we can show our dogs to greet people that meets everyoneâs needs: they get to say hi and show us all of their beautiful love and we get to enjoy safe, injury-free greetings with our beloved pups!
This gorgeous girl is Shyla, an 11 month old lab mix currently awaiting her forever home at Bernalillo County. Maria and her family had the privilege of hosting her for the weekend through the shelter's Doggie Day Out program and were instantly in love with just how friendly and happy she is, despite all she has been through. Please help spread the word to get this short (peep the adorable low-rider legs đ) and sweet girl into the loving home she deserves! Don't have the capacity for another dog in the home? We feel the pain! Luckily, there are lots of other ways to help, including fostering, volunteering, donating or just spreading the word about all of these lovely pups in search of a family!
We had so much fun in Nose Games class with Storm, Porter, Emma, and Rosie! Giving our dogs an outlet for using their noses is great for mental stimulation, reducing stress, and even boosting their optimism. Itâs great for building confidence as well! It was especially fun to see the different ways that each pup in class chose to search and problem solve. Weâll be offering more Nose Games classes in the Northeast Heights and on the Westside- keep an eye out for posts here announcing the next start dates đś
Communication is key in all relationships - even with your pup! While they may not actually talk to you, there is a lot that they do say through their body language. Each observable behavior is a deliberate expression of how they are feeling. There are, of course, rules to the translation of what theyâre âsayingâ, but it is also important to get a feel for your dogâs individual style of communication through careful observation. Are they more shy? Confident? Excitable? Fearful? How would you describe the reaction of my dogs? For context, I had just gotten home from work and set up one-by-one greetings filmed by my husband in my kitchen, whereas I usually wait to greet them all at once in the living room after a settling period. If I had to put labels on each of their emotional states, I would describe Arkose (the Aussie) as âexcitedâ, knowing that he views the world through a sensitive lens. Cardi (the chihuahua), I would maybe describe as a little âoverwhelmedâ as she tends to have big feelings, especially around excitement. And I would say my apprehensive girl Juniper (the hound) is âconflictedâ, excited to see me, but a little unsure about this unusual greeting.
They say the way to the heart is through the stomach, and we definitely believe thatâs true for dogs and humans alike! Make your dog your Valentine this month by stimulating their brain with a puzzle toy, or letting them try a new dog-safe fruit or vegetable. You can also give them a foraging activity like the Muffin Tin game using items you already have in your home- you just need a muffin tin, some kibble or treats to put in each cup, and tennis balls or toys to place over the food. Your dog might need a little help to learn that they can pick up the toy to get the food underneath, or they might dive right in! Food-based enrichment is a great way to show your dog some love đ
Winstonâs family reached out to us in the fall for help with his fear-based reactivity towards people coming into his home, and other dogs while out on walks. Together we channeled the powers of both the positive reinforcement quadrant of operant conditioning- using rewards to reinforce certain behaviors we wanted to see more of- and Pavlovian or classical conditioning, pairing the sights and sounds of people and dogs with a tasty treat- to help change Winstonâs behavior around his triggers. We worked at this smart boyâs pace, moving forward when he was ready, and today he graduated from our Reactivity Package! This video captures Winston walking by a helper dog on the street without reacting- a huge step for this little guy. Winstonâs parents have been so dedicated to practicing with him and setting him up for success, and weâre so proud to see them all thriving! Congratulations Team Winston đđ
Weâre Heart Dog Behavior and Training, and weâre here to help you live your best life with your dog through positive reinforcement training! #positivereinforcementtraining #positivereinforcementdogtraining #dogtraining #forcefreedogtraining #positivetraining #forcefree #positivedogtraining #rewardbasedtraining #rewardbaseddogtraining #snackfeedernotpackleader #ccpdt #cpdtka #uwaab #certifiedprofessionaldogtrainer #albuquerquedogtrainer #albuquerquedogtraining #womanownedbusiness #smallbusiness #newmexicotrue #newmexicodogtrainer #supportlocal
Wishing each of you and your canine companions a happy new year! đ May your 2024 be full of adventures like Kaiâs, who just made his first new dog friend since coming home to his family âşď¸
Our sweet girls are home for the holidays! Thank you so much to everyone who followed and shared their foster journey with us. Hereâs hoping theyâre two of many other homeless pets that get to experience the season with their new families! đ¤#fostersaveslives #fosterpuppiesofinstagram #fosterjourney #homefortheholidays #adoptedpets #adoptionjourney #puppiesofinstagram #positivereinforcementtraining #puppytraining #puppyenrichment #puppysocialization
Dehlia and Lydia are back for another pup-date to share all of the enrichment theyâve been experiencing over the past week! Enrichment doesnât have to be a lot of work on the human end. Simply exposing your dog, or in this case, puppy, to novel experiences in a safe and managed fashion is all it takes to keep those brains nice and stimulated. We have just about a week left in our foster journey with these sweet girls and will use that time to continue to prepare them to be future Heart Dogs! P.S. Donât forget to spread the word that these cuties are still looking for their families! #heartdogs #enrichmentfordogs #canineenrichment #dogenrichmenttips #fostersaveslives #fosterjourney #fosterjourneyexperience #fosterpuppies #fosterpuppiesofinstagram #adoptionsaveslives #adoptables #adoptionready #positivereinforcementdogtraining #forcefreetraining #fearfreetraining
Dehlia and Lydia are hoping to become someoneâs very own Heart Dogs someday! Follow along on their foster journey with us for the next few weeks as we help prepare them for the task âĽď¸đž
Hello Heart Dog friends! This handsome boy is Charlie, a (estimated) two year old boxer mix who is currently AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION through Boxer Rescue of ABQ. Charlie not only has one of the sweetest and mellowest dispositions out there, but his foster mom has been doing great work with him to help get him ready for his future home. He can be a tiny bit shy with new people at first, but absolutely loves other dogs and would love to be one of pack in the home of possible. If you or someone you know is interested in taking this precious boy home, please reach out to us for more information! #availableforadoption #adoptionready #positivereinforcementdogtraining #forcefreetraining #boxerrescueofalbuquerque #rescuedog #rescuedogsofinstagram #rescueboxer #boxersofinstagram
We have a VERY exciting new program to announce! Heart Dog will now be offering positive reinforcement based rattlesnake avoidance training đ As opposed to traditional methods of teaching snake avoidance, we will never use pain or fear to have your dogs avoid a snake. Instead, weâll train them to alert you to the scent, sight, or sound (volume up on the last clip!) of a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, helping keep both of you safe from a potentially dangerous interaction. Visit our website today for more information on how to get started on this program with your pup! #positivereinforcementdogtraining #forcefreedogtraining #fearfreetraining #painfreedogtraining #snackfeedernotpackleader #snakeavoidancetraining #snakeavoidancetrainingfordogs #dograttlesnakeavoidance #albuquerquedogtraining #newmexicodogtraining #womenownedbusiness #albuquerquesmallbusiness #keepdogssafe
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Gill Street NEDogs And Puppies For Adoption in Albuquerque
Acoma Road SE
