JW Dog Training & Behavior provides professional, expert dog training and behavior support to the Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia.
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Resurfacing on Facebook to share that I wrote a book! About management! After working on it for two long years it was finally published two weeks ago and the response has been incredible. The audience is the average person with a dog and it's all about how to use management to improve your life and bond with your dog. Links to purchase below if you're interested!
https://amzn.to/3AFxluY
https://www.dogwise.com/manage-it-hacks-for-improving-your-dogs-behavior/
Stillness =/= calm. A lack of behavior does not automatically indicate a dog is relaxed.
Let’s assess two scenarios ➡️
Dog A: Lying down around a group of other dogs. If you look closer you see their ears are flat back, their mouth is tightly shut, their eyes are squinting, and their brow is furrowed. They continuously yawn and lick their lips. They seem to be stuck in the exact piston they’re in. They are on a 4-foot leash and cannot move away if they tried. They are likely very stressed.
Dog B: Lying down around a group of other dogs. They have a soft facial expression with neutral ears and no wrinkle lines around their mouth or brow. They give a soft wag when they notice a person or dog. They stretch out, sigh, and flop on their side. They are on a leash but it is 10 feet and there is slack to get up and move if they want to. They are likely relaxed.
Both dogs are lying down around other dogs. They are having two very different experiences.
Fear responses can include fight, flight, or FREEZE.
Keeping a dog still does not ensure a positive experience. Look closely at behavior and the context to assess how a dog might be feeling.
Have you noticed a time when your dog was still but not calm/relaxed? Share in the comments 🐶⬇️
Being over tired can contribute to behavior issues! ESPECIALLY when it is a chronic issue.
Like with humans, consistent restful sleep is critical for combatting stress and anxiety in dogs. It’s also an important part of the equation for adolescents and puppies whose brains and bodies are often working over time and absolutely NEED rest to be their best selves.
Sometimes in an effort to fulfill our dogs and make sure they’re getting enough exercise and stimulation we accidentally create a lifestyle that lacks the proper amount of sleep. Recognizing this and making some changes can have a big positive impact.
What are some ways you encourage your dog to get good sleep? Share in the comments! 🐶⬇️
Behavior is information! What is your dog trying to communicate? 🧐
Dog training and puppy training are about opening up lines of communication between you and your dog. We don’t want a relationship where we are just telling our dog what to do all day long. We want them to be able to talk to us and express their needs, feelings, and preferences.
It can be confusing to figure out how to navigate behavior change while also listening to and prioritizing your dog’s needs. We’re here to help—a virtual consultation with our behavior consultants can give you tailored advice specific to your individual dog and situation. You can always find info about our consultations at the link in our bio.
And yes, we got Louie a water bowl for his crate to prevent this from happening again. Historically he has knocked bowls right over and made his crate a swamp so he needed a special bowl that locks to the side and can’t tip over 😅
When was a time you’re grateful that you listened to your dog’s communication? Share in the comments! 🐶⬇️
Like what you see on our page? Let us help you apply to it your own training journey with your dog!
Our tips here on IG are meant to be general and broad. There will almost always be tweaking for individual dogs and cases to see the best impact. That’s where private training can be so helpful.
Our trainers are all excellent coaches and can effectively walk you through every single training exercise you learn via Zoom. The benefit of this is YOU are the one training your dog and building the necessary skills.
You can start with a consultation so you can meet your trainer, get immediate tips, and learn more about what the program would look like with your individual dog. You can then choose if you want to pursue the full package.
Sign up at the link in our bio! 🐾
What did we miss!?
Comment what you’re leaving in 2023 or bringing to 2024 down in the comments 🐶⬇️
We are so so so grateful for another year of helping dogs and people 🤍🤍🤍
We’re coming with even MORE training, learning, and support options for you all in 2024…stay tuned! 🐶
Holidays with your dog can be challenging!
Let’s think of all the tricky and novel scenarios that holidays can come with 👉🏻
🎄 Guests at your home
🎄 Long car rides
🎄 Novel environments
🎄 Sharing space with other dogs
🎄 Lots of people in one place
🎄 Food everywhere
🎄 Different schedules & routines
…to name a few!
Knowing what to expect and planning accordingly can make a huge difference!
Sign up for our HOLIDAY PREP WEBINAR for more proactive tips and guidance at the link in our bio 🎅🏼
What are you most looking forward to with your dog, or most worried about with your dog this upcoming break? Share in the comments! 🐶⬇️
First ever merch drop! These custom designs feature everything we love about dogs and positive reinforcement training. Check out our shop and see if there is anything you might want to buy 😍 🐾
https://www.jwdogtraining.com/category/shop
Educating the public about this is so important to us! Dogs are living beings with their own experiences, they are not robots who can be programmed to behave a certain way forever.
Behavior is complex and non-linear. Even the most simple skill like sitting on cue is influenced by a number of factors and cannot be guaranteed in every single scenario.
Think about yourself: is there any behavior from you that is guaranteed 100% of the time?
As skilled trainers and behavior consultants, we understand how conditions impact behavior and work that into our training plans to improve results. That’s also why we never guarantee results.
If someone is guaranteeing behavior change, we would feel very concerned about the means in which they are accomplishing that behavior change 🚩
We hope this posts helps you as the consumer when you are seeking out training help!
Not all harnesses are created equal! We have some specific guidelines for what we want in a harness, and the great news is that within that criteria there are a lot of options.
What y-shaped harness has worked best for your dog? Share in the comments so we can all get some ideas! 🐶⬇️
We love this resource created by and . We can tell a LOT about how a dog is feeling based on their body language and behavior.
FAS (fear, anxiety, stress) scores help us evaluate how a dog is doing. We have seen these used at the vet’s office and in animal shelters, and as behavior professionals we are so grateful that a dog’s emotional state is being taken into account.
Can you identity body language on the FAS spectrum that you have seen from your own dog? Share in the comments! 🐶⬇️
Simple + effective, just the way we like it 😍
4th of July fireworks recovery efforts are in full effect today! If your dog struggled with the fireworks over the holiday, these tips might help you.
These tips can apply to any stressful day or event, not just fireworks!
We focus on rest, quiet time, calming activities, and extra love when helping our dog recover from a stressful event. We avoid intense activity and anything stress/anxiety inducing in the days following.
What are you doing to promote R&R in your pup today? Share in the comments! 🐶⬇️
A single firework experience can have long lasting impacts for your dog. Unfortunately it is not uncommon for us to be called after a dog has developed serious noise phobia or anxiety after 4th of July celebrations. And we’re not talking about people who bring their dog to the fireworks show (please PLEASE don’t do that), we’re talking about dogs who were traumatized while safely in their own home 💔
Want more info on these recommendations? expanded on each one in a blog post—link in our bio.
What are you doing to help your dog this holiday week!? Share in the comments so we can all get some ideas! 🐶⬇️
“How do I get my dog to stop barking at other dogs!?” The answer, as always… it’s complicated!
Dogs are living beings with their own temperaments and emotional responses. Their reactivity is tricky! It is not fair or realistic to expect these big emotional responses to just *p**f* change in two weeks.
When our dogs are having the big feelings that drive reactivity, they need our support and our empathy. Your reactive dog is not trying to give you a hard time, they’re having a hard time!
Learning about reactivity from a science perspective — what causes it, what training exercises can help (because there are many), how dogs speak with their body language, how you can support your reactive dog at home — is the first step to improving your pup’s reactivity.
As always, consulting with a qualified professional is the best way to help your dog and see improvements long term. We can help! We offer virtual consultations and behavior modification - check out the link in our bio.
We have tons of reactivity Reels - look for REACTIVITY in the title. We also have a reactivity highlight that features some great information from our peers.
Life with a reactive dog is not always easy. Hang in there, you’re doing great. 🤍
Catch our puppy tips on 🐶 Link to the full article in our stories!
BELLY UP doesn’t always mean “I want pets!” In fact, it can mean the opposite: “I want space!”
Some differences to look for are outlined in the photos, and it’s also important to look at CONTEXT. Is the dog surrounded by people they don’t know? Are they in an unfamiliar space? What was their behavior prior to lying down?
One of the best ways you can tell how a dog is feeling if they’re on their back around you is to ➡️
1) Stop interacting with them
2) Take a few steps back
3) Observe what they do
Some ways a dog might respond if you give them space:
— Get up and walk over to you with a relaxed face, wiggly body, and sweeping tail wag. Likely ok to keep petting them ✅
— Get up, shake off, walk away. Do not re-approach ❌
— Stand up but do not approach you. We’d probably keep giving them space ❌
The more you know about dog body language, the more you can understand what they are saying to you! When a dog’s signals go noticed and understood, they are less likely to escalate to snapping or biting.
Can you think of a time when you saw a dog belly up but knew they DID NOT want pets? Share in the comments! 🐶⬇️
We totally understand your frustration when all the good training advice out there recommends using food to work on your dog’s behavior, and your dog won’t even eat.
Food is a primary reinforcer, meaning dogs in general are programmed to like and want it. We use food in training for a number of reasons. One, because it’s an easily accessible reward that we can use quickly and often - two important mechanics when training. Two, because, when used correctly, it’s one of the best ways to change a dog’s underlying emotion that is causing a behavior issue. These are just two of many reasons why food is an important piece to the training process.
A dog not eating does not mean food is off the table for training. Instead, we investigate WHY a dog is not eating. That curiosity often leads us to bigger issues - issues that are likely contributing to the behavior challenge in the first place. This is why when you find yourself with a dog who won’t eat, we highly recommend you get to the bottom of it.
For the most part, we find when a dog is FEELING ok - feeling safe, calm, low anxiety, low stress - they will eat. This is why working with a qualified professional can be extremely important. We can help you troubleshoot what might be going on.
Not eating is data. Get curious! You might be surprised what you find 🤍
PS - We *do not* recommend deprivation as a way to increase “food drive.” We believe we can allow dogs to eat at least a portion of their meals free of requirements AND have them be food motivated for training. We do it every day!
Have you figured out what helps your dog be able to eat in more challenging training scenarios? Share in the comments so we can all get some ideas! 🐶⬇️
We are constantly reminded how incredible the human-canine bond is ❤️ Grateful for the opportunity to train in a way that enhances that bond 🐶🤍
Dogs talk with their bodies. Do you now what they’re saying?
It’s critical to learn canine body language so you know what dogs are trying to communicate. Body language can also, unfortunately, be complicated and nuanced.
Pictures are just a snapshot in time and don’t tell the whole story, but they’re also a great educational tool. Body language often happens in a split second, and much of it is subtle.
Looking at photos of body language is a great place to start learning about it. Overall it takes hours of watching dogs and observing body language to really get a feel for what’s happening with the big picture. Watching videos in slow motion can also be especially helpful.
While learning about each body part - the mouth, the eyes, the ears, the tail, etc - is important, you have to look at the WHOLE dog and the context to know what’s truly going on. Like we said, it takes time and practice 😅
What’s one body language signal you have learned to notice in your dog? Share in the comments! 🐶⬇️
We just moved from an apartment to a townhouse, and we’re reminded every day how even positive changes can be challenging for our dog 😵💫 We are in the middle of trying to help our dog cope with the new environment, so we wanted to share some info and tips!
Some dogs will of course cope with travel, moving, or ending up in a new home better than others. If your dog is anxious, fearful, reactive, etc. then these life changes, whether temporary like a vacation or permanent like a move, can bring out some worse or new behavior in them.
It’s a mix of being proactive to help your dog, and also being patient. Knowing so much of the stress related behaviors are due to the unknown and therefore might start to go away as your dog settles in, but also making sure they do not develop unwanted habits in the new space.
If you’re on vacation with your dog, there’s a chance they might start to settle in right as you’re ready to head back home 😅 This would be a normal and expected (though inconvenient for vacas!) behavior trajectory.
How have you helped your dog cope with a brand new environment from either traveling, moving, or being rehomed? Share in the comments! ⬇️🐶
Sort of a stream of consciousness as we hit 50,000 followers! We think transparency is important, so we created this post to share what JW Dog Training is all about.
This Instagram has grown and evolved a lot since we started in Sept 2020, just like our training has over the years. We used to use sweeping statements in our posts and Reels like “This is the best way to….” We did this until we had an eye-opening and informative conversation with about what is responsible in terms of the information we put out. They helped us realize, who are we to say what is best for our followers dogs? We don’t know your dogs! We reflected on how much information we take in when we meet with a client for a consultation — all before giving an ounce of advice or jumping into training. To us, it feels irresponsible for social media to be any different.
This Instagram is not meant to be a replacement for direct support with a qualified trainer. Please always keep that in mind when consuming any content here on social media — nothing beats personalized guidance from a professional 🤍
We know that with a platform this size we have a lot of responsibility, and we don’t take that lightly. We don’t always get it right. We LOVE love sharing information and showing the power of positive reinforcement training. We look forward to more connection, more positivity, and more joy in the name of training!
Learn from our head trainer Juliana DeWillems at the Karen Pryor Academy () Dog Trainer Professional program! Applications are now open for the New Jersey course (right outside NYC!).
The KPA DTP program is a rigorous, in-depth six month course to build and sharpen your training skills and understanding of behavior science. Through online and hands-on learning and training, this program is for both new trainers entering the field and seasoned trainers wanting to expand their skillset.
Juliana aims for her DTP students to have a challenging, yet inspiring and eye-opening experience — mixed in with fun and community!
For more info about the course and how to apply, head to the link in our bio 🐶
Have questions about the DTP program? Leave them in the comments 👇🏼
A new face you’ll be seeing here! Sam (she/her) is the latest addition to the JW Dog Training team! 🥳
We are so excited to have Sam join us. Sam brings her experience in animal sheltering and helping dogs both thrive in the shelter and in their new adopted homes. She specializes in reactive dogs, helping adopted dogs transition into their new family, and adolescent dogs.
Sam is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) and, like the rest of us, enjoys teaching humans as much as she enjoys training dogs 😍
To work with Sam virtually or in-person (Alexandria, VA), head to the link in our bio!
Welcome to the team, Sam!!! 🤩
We think this graphic from Miki Saito and is helpful for showing how dogs learn by association.
Our dog responds from an emotion (often fear) —> we punish them —> they associate the other dog with the punishment —> they become even more fearful and uncomfortable around other dogs —> their reactivity increases in an effort to get distance and space.
We get it. Reactivity from your dog can be embarrassing or scary. Society tells us that we must tell our dogs when they’ve done something wrong or “bad.” But it’s way more complicated than that.
Interactions on leash - especially with unknown dogs - can be stressful and full of conflicting emotions for our dogs. If a dog is uncomfortable, their “flight” option is eliminated on leash so many dogs jump to “fight.” This is why our general goal is to help dogs feel more comfortable around their triggers at a distance.
Reading and understanding canine body language can be a helpful piece to the puzzle when understanding how your dog is feeling.
As always, if you are needing help with your own dog, please consult with a qualified professional. We have a link in our bio to sign up for a Virtual Consultation with one of our trainers who specialize in reactivity, fear, and aggression.
Did this graphic present any new information or perspectives for you to consider? Share in the comments ⬇️🐶
We love this reminder from ! Just this morning we had to put our body between our fearful reactive dog and a sweet yellow lab puppy that ran right up to us.
While the dog and pet parent meant no harm, they could have really scared our dog. Many people don’t realize that not all dogs want to say hi - in fact, many dogs would prefer to skip on-leash greetings.
There are so many reasons why some dogs might not want to say hi to other dogs you come across. Please be kind to others! 💗
For more of Lili Chin’s amazing work, check out 🐶
We’re taking a page out of our dog’s book this week and doing a lot of resting and decompressing 🐶😴❤️ We hope you’re having a wonderful winter break as well!
We couldn’t resist a little holiday humor 😂 But in all seriousness, this is important — if you notice a sudden change in your dog’s behavior you should start at the vet! Medical and behavior are very closely linked, and not in the way you might think! Limping and vocalizing are not the only way dogs exhibit pain and discomfort. If there is an underlying medical issue driving your dog’s behavior issue, no amount of training will solve it.
We have no idea where this meme came from so if you the original creator please share so we can give them credit 🤗
Arlington, VA
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Anxiety meds, white noise machine, bathroom fan on, lights on to reduce lightning contrast, calm petting, and comforting her in my normal voice…this is how I try to support my dog when she panics during a storm. YES I will be there for her and support her, no that won’t “reinforce her fear.” Luckily her vet-prescribed anxiety meds kick in in about 20 mins and bring her enormous relief. But that time beforehand is stressful and hard for both of us 🥺 How do you all support your dogs with thunderstorm phobias? Share in the comments so we can all get some ideas! 🐶⬇️ #DogTraining #DogTrainingTips #DogTrainingAdvice #DogBehavior #DogAfraidOfThunder #ThunderstormPhobia #DogAnxiety #DogAnxietyMeds #BehaviorModification #FearfulDog #ScaredDog #AnxiousDog
We are spending a LOT of time at Petsmart right now while we raise these kittens 😅 so we bring Lola along for some extra enrichment and quality time with her. Added bonus, she gets her favorite @pupford training treats that are now available at PetSmart! #ad Some errands to pet-friendly stores can be really fun for your dog *if they enjoy* novel smells and places. Always be sure to watch their body language and behavior to make sure they’re enjoying it, like Lola did on this trip! 🐶 #DogTraining #PositiveDogTraining #PetSmart #PupfordPups
Foundation behaviors have a huge impact on your ability to support your reactive dog! In this video we cover THREE basic behaviors to work on so that you have ways to communicate with your reactive pup. #ad It’s important to be able to get your dog’s attention on walks using their name or other positive interrupters! It’s also important that they are eating treats and you feel comfortable delivering those treats while walking. The @pupford freeze dried treats are the perfect size for using on training walks. Remember, if you’re struggling with your own dog’s reactivity, consult with a qualified professional! What foundation behaviors help you with your reactive dog? Share in the comments! 🐶⬇️ #DogTraining #ReactiveDog #Reactivity #PositiveDogTraining #ReactiveDogTips #PupfordPups
When you have a reactive dog, you know how meaningful these small acts of kindness are from other people! Not only did these folks keep walking without upsetting our dogs, they supported their own dogs through the interaction by giving them treats while passing. It was such a delight to see! Supporting your own dog can mean supporting others 💖 #DogTraining #DogTrainingTips #DogTraining101 #DogTrainer #ReactiveDog #Reactivity #ReactiveDogTraining #ReactiveDogs #PositiveTraining #PositiveDogTraining #ReactiveDogsOfInstagram
Heat stroke is extremely dangerous in dogs! Which is why during the hot summer months it’s usually important to stay indoors and limit exercise outside. We’re sharing FOUR tips for entertaining your pup indoors! #ad What is your dog’s favorite indoor activity that tires them out mentally and physically!? Share in the comments! 🐶⬇️ #DogTraining #PupfordPups #Pupford #DogTrainingTips #PositiveDogTraining #Enrichment
Finding treats your dog loves is important! Pupford treats can now be found in Petsmart stores, making them easy and convenient to stock up on. #ad Have you been to PetSmart yet to pick up your dog’s favorite flavor of Pupford treats? Share in the comments! 🐶⬇️ #PupfordPups #Pupford #DogTrainingTreats #DogTreats #DogTraining
What YOU think is your dog’s cue might *not* actually be what your dog is perceiving! Cue confusion is a huge reason for slow or non-responsiveness. Where you are standing and what you do with your body when you give a verbal or hand signal cue can quickly become part of the cue! Then if that changes or goes away, our dogs become super confused. One great way to improve your dog’s responsiveness and reliability is to practice your cues from different positions, as demonstrated by @cooperativepaws in this video. Sitting, standing, kneeling, facing away from them…get creative! Remember, you are changing the training picture when you do this—your dog might be confused at first. Help them figure out what you’re asking by breaking it down into small changes. If they make more than one or two errors, consider going back to where they were successful and start from there. What different positions can your dog respond to cues from? Share in the comments! 🐶⬇️ #DogTraining #DogTrainingTips #DogTraining101 #SDiT #ServiceDog #ServiceDogTraining #ServiceDogInTraining #ServiceDogTrainer #OwnerTrainedServiceDog #PositiveReinforcement #PositiveDogTraining #ClickerTraining #DogTrainer
Exposure alone is not enough for puppy socialization! It’s critical to look at your puppy’s body language to gauge if they are feeling GOOD during novel experiences in that critical socialization window (~8-16 weeks). Bad experiences at this age can directly impact a dog for the rest of their life! Ways we make sure socialization is accomplishing what we want—a positive experience—and is not accidentally creating more problems down the road: 👉🏻 Give the puppy an exit at all times. In this case, the door to inside was open and the puppy could retreat out of the rain whenever he wanted 👉🏻 Watch body language closely. If the puppy became still, lowered his tail, didn’t take treats, attempted to hide, vocalized, or tried to retreat, we would stop immediately! That would give us a chance to regroup and figure out how to help him feel more comfortable 👉🏻 Keep it short & sweet. Short, positive experiences tend to be more successful than long drawn out ones where the risk of a negative experience becomes more likely. Especially when puppies get tired, overwhelmed, or overstimulated, the likelihood of a positive experience starts to decrease What are some ways you made sure your puppy had a positive socializing experience to reduce the likelihood of fear or flooding? Share in the comments! 🐶⬇️ #DogTraining #DogTrainingTip #DogTrainingAdvice #PuppyTraining #ClickerTraining #PositiveReinforcement #PositiveDogTraining #Socialization #PuppySocialization #DCDogTrainer #JWDogTraining #PuppiesOfInstagram
Playing around with my cues to see how well Lola knows them 😍 Loud/stern/bigger doesn’t mean a better response! If you can make your cues really subtle and your dog still responds correctly, it can mean your dog has a pretty solid understanding of that cue! When testing this out it’s important she can still perceive them and I’m not being *too* quiet or still (that could be super frustrating for her). This was fun. I love how much Lola loves to work together, even when I switch things up. In her world, different training has never resulted in anything uncomfortable, scary, startling, etc—so she is all for whatever I throw at her! Do you think your dog could respond to a cue said in a whisper!? Share in the comments! 🐶⬇️ #DogTraining #DogTrainingTips #DogTrainingCues #DogTrainingIsFun #HumanCanineBond #DogTrainer #ObedienceTraining #PositiveDogTraining
Labeling a dog “stubborn” does not serve us when we are aiming to change their behavior. Instead, we opt to 1) try to figure out the reason for the behavior and 2) use thoughtful training to teach what we want to see instead. Dogs pause on walks for MANY reasons. We can’t tell you why your dog stops without seeing it in person. However, we can tell you how we typically approach this behavior of stopping. We aim to: 👉🏻 Be patient and wait for the dog to start walking again 👉🏻 Be kind by not forcing the dog to move 👉🏻 Use smart training by rewarding when the dog is moving This is especially important when first introducing the behavior of walking on leash! Part of being a good positive reinforcement trainer is understanding how reinforcement works, including how it can work against us (dogs are always learning!) and how to use it to our advantage. We are always thoughtful about what behaviors and possible behavior chains are being reinforced in our training. Thanks to our brilliant friend Melissa Millet of @the_ultimutts for sharing these videos of her rescue puppy with spina bifida learning to walk on leash 🥹 #DogTraining #DogTrainingTip #DogTrainingAdvice #LeashTraining #LooseLeashWalking #LooseLeashTraining #ClickerTraining #PositiveReinforcement #PositiveDogTraining #ObedienceTraining #JWDogTraining #DogsOfArlingtonVA #ClickerTraining #DogsOfInstagram #RescuePuppy
You don’t need as much space as you might think to get your dog running while practicing your recall! It’s been super soggy in the DC area, and we are also headed into the humid DC summers 🥵 We need a LOT of ideas for exercising our dogs indoors! We love pairing meeting needs ✅ with training games that build skills! 📚 What’s your favorite INDOOR exercise for your dog? Share in the comments! 🐶⬇️ #DogTraining #DogTrainingTip #DogTrainingAdvice #PuppyTraining #ClickerTraining #PositiveReinforcement #PositiveDogTraining #ObedienceTraining #Recall #ComingWhenCalled #Enrichment #RecallTraining #JWDogTraining #DCDogTrainer #ClickerTraining
We talk a lot about housetraining puppies, but what about if you have an adult dog who is still having accidents in the house!? Here are some of our tips! #ad If your adult dog WAS successfully housetrained and then *suddenly* started having accidents, there is almost always going to be a medical or stress-related cause. We urge you to figure out what might be going on. If you’ve ruled both of those out by consulting with qualified professionals, you’ll want to rely on managing your dog’s environment, taking them out frequently, and giving them lots of rewards for going outside! For those occasional accidents, we rely on @pupford’s Oops Eraser carpet cleaner! Housetraining an adult dog is takes effort 😅 but it is possible! #DogTraining #DogTrainingTips #PupfordPups #HousetrainingTips
Here’s how we’re gearing up for spring cleaning by helping our dog feel comfortable with the vacuum! #ad It makes sense some dogs are scared of the vacuum. It’s weird looking and it makes a scary sound. Helping your dog feel more comfortable with the vacuum is about giving them choice and not forcing interaction. It’s also helpful to pair the vacuum with their favorite treats to create a positive association. We love using our @pupford training treats for this! How did you help your dog feel more comfortable with the vacuum? Share in the comments! 🐶⬇️ #PupfordPups #Pupford #DogTrainingTips #PositiveDogTraining
Working on the tricky behavior of JUMPING! First things first: we love when dogs are friendly, we have no interest in punishing that social behavior. We do acknowledge that sometimes jumping is not safe or appropriate, so when we work to change it we do so with positive reinforcement, rewarding alternative behaviors that can replace jumping. Some takeaways from this short video: ➡️ When changing behavior we start where the dog is successful. In this case, that starting point is while we are still petting the dog ➡️ We make things harder in small enough increments that there is almost no way the dog is not successful. Making too big of a leap in criteria will likely cause the unwanted jumping behavior to occur again. Don’t worry though: small steps lead to big progress more quickly than you think. ➡️ We keep our expectations reasonable. This is one single 2 minute training session that is working against a lifetime learning history ➡️ Some advice around jumping is to ignore the dog or wait them out. We do not do that because that allows a ton of rehearsal of the unwanted jumping behavior. If we’re training the way we want to, we do not let the jumping behavior occur in the first place What are some effective alternative behaviors that you have rewarded to replace jumping? Share in the comments! 🐶⬇️ #DogTraining #DogTrainingTips #DogTrainingAdvice #DogTraining101 #PositiveDogTraining #PositiveReinforcement #ClickerTraining #GoldenRetriever #ObedienceTraining #Obedience #DogTrainer #DogBehavior #ErrorlessLearning
This dog was very reactive when a bike would startle him. His trainer @clickwithkat opted to teach the dog and guardian a cue that signals to the dog 1) a bike is coming and 2) when you look at it you get a treat. The dog’s response to this cue was information to the guardian. If the dog was unable to play the game and calmly notice the bike without barking, he was over threshold and adjustments had to be made to the training in that moment. A two way conversation! Since implementing this training game around triggers, this dog’s reactivity has decreased in intensity and frequency, and he recovers much more quickly. Reactivity training is not meant to eliminate the behavior right away—it’s a long process, usually due to the big feelings that are behind the barking and lunging. But seeing major positive changes like this means he’s on the right track and has made significant progress. When we show reactivity training on here it is to demonstrate what is possible and to spark curiosity—not necessarily to give you a DIY recipe with your own dog. Of course you could try what you see on this page, but know there are many factors that determine success! Have you put looking at triggers on cue for your dog? How did it help? Share in the comments! 🐶⬇️ #DogTraining #DogTrainingTip #ReactiveDog #ReactiveDogsOfInstagram #Reactivity #ReactivityTraining #BehaviorModification #LeashReactive #PositiveReinforcement #PositiveDogTraining #DogBehavior #CanineBodyLanguage #JWDogTraining #ArlingtonDogTrainer #DogsOfDC #Reactivity
Training a dog to “settle” in public is HARD! Here are some considerations we make when working up to setting in public: 👉🏻 Is the dog comfortable in the environment, or are they nervous/stressed/reactive? We typically would not work on settling in the traditional hang-at-a-patio sense if a dog falls under any of those labels 👉🏻 Does the dog have the skills? Has the behavior been worked on extensively at home? 👉🏻 Have we planned to start small with short trips, always willing to end early if the dog hits their limit earlier than expected? 👉🏻 Have their needs been met prior to the training session? It’s not fair to expect a dog to chill and hang out if they have a bunch of pent up energy 👉🏻 Have we prepared long-lasting chewing or licking items to help the dog stay settled? This is a skill that takes a lot of time and practice. For some dogs, settling in public can be achieved with lots of training! For others, settling in public might not be in the stars for them due to a number of factors and that’s ok. If you used positive reinforcement to teach your dog to settle in public, what helped them the most? Share in the comments! 🐶⬇️ #DogTraining #DogTrainingTip #DogTrainingAdvice #PuppyTraining #ClickerTraining #PositiveReinforcement #PositiveDogTraining #ObedienceTraining #DownStay #PlaceTraining #ServiceDogTraining #TrainingInPublic
How do you become a dog trainer!? Surprisingly, there is no standard track to start the career! Some people start with a dog training school early in their career. Or some people get started under a mentor and gain experience before pursuing additional education at a dog training school. Some work on their own towards credentials that test their knowledge and skillset. Regardless, a mix of science-backed education (through courses, books, seminars, classes, etc) and hands-on experience is important. Experience alone is not enough! JW Dog Training’s owner Juliana is Faculty at the Karen Pryor Academy. She teaches the Dog Trainer Professional (DTP) course and the Dog Trainer Foundations Immersion course. This weekend she wrapped up the six-month DTP program with another set of students, and got their take on how the program went! No dog trainer is ever done learning. Not only will there always be new ways to apply what we know, but the science is constantly being updated and re-routing us. What was up-to-date ten years ago is no longer the standard. When we know better, we can do better. Do you have a question about being a dog trainer? Share in the comments! 🐶⬇️ #DogTrainer #DogTraining #DogTrainers #DogTrainersOfInstagram #DogTrainersLife #BecomingADogTrainer #KarenPryorAcademy #ClickerTraining #KPCT #PositiveReinforcement #KPACTP #CertifiedDogTrainer #PositiveDogTraining #ClickerTrained
Real Life Distractions Training 🐾 Replacing pulling, lunging, and jumping with calm watching and checking in. Like many adolescent dogs, Martha shows her enthusiasm for greeting other dogs and people through leaping, pulling, and sometimes barking. We love that she is so friendly and outgoing so we don’t want to punish her for that, but we definitely need to teach her more desirable behaviors to replace her current choices. A few notes about what’s happening in the video: 💫 We first reward calm looking because that’s the easiest alternative behavior to get + reward around distractions that isn’t pulling, leaping, and barking 💫 We are using a marker word “yes!” to capture the exact moment Martha notices the distraction. This is important because we only have a few seconds of good behavior before she’d likely start pulling, so we need to catch it quickly! 💫 After a few reps of rewarding Martha calmly noticing distractions, we raise our criteria to see if she’ll offer an unprompted check in after seeing a distraction, which she does. She has a strong history of being rewarded for eye contact and checking in, so it’s a pretty easy choice for her once she’s able to think! 💫 People are less exciting for Martha than dogs. This person passed in close proximity and Martha did well. If this was a dog, she would not have been able to watch calmly even for a second, and likely would not have taken treats. This is called being over threshold and is not a good place for a dog to learn. So if this person passing us had a dog we would have moved Martha way up the sidewalk. Distance is our friend with this training! 💫 Martha doesn’t need to sit in this exercise. As long as she is focused on us, we are perfectly okay with her choosing to stand 💫 This is the beginning of many many months of teaching Martha that it pays to stay by our side calmly when a distraction passes instead of leaping towards it. It will take lots of consi
Fearful Dog Training Session 🐾 The importance of avoiding eye contact. We posted yesterday about how direct eye contact can be threatening in the dog world. Here is JW trainer Kayleigh working with her foster dog, a nervous puppy named Bean. Watch as Kayleigh marks and rewards different behaviors from Bean, all while mostly keeping her eyes averted, her shoulders relaxed, and her movements calm and quiet. All of this is very nonthreatening body language from her, helping Bean feel more comfortable in the session. Notice how Bean is participating in the training and eating the treats, but his feet are planted totally still. He leans his body forward to touch or get a treat, not wanting to move closer quite yet. His proximity to Kayleigh and participation in the training does not necessarily mean he is comfortable yet, which is why Kayleigh continues to make herself as nonthreatening as possible. Kayleigh is working on hand targets, capturing when his eyes move up towards hers voluntarily, and she is starting to introduce an eye contact cue but only for a fleeting second. Knowing eye contact IS important for training, but that it will be extra hard for this sweet boy, Kayleigh is introducing it in a way that Bean can handle right now. Working with dogs labeled “nervous” or “fearful” or “shy” is about meeting them where they are and working at their pace. It’s important to go slow and build trust. Helping them learn the world isn’t a scary place is one of the most rewarding parts of the job 🤍 #dogtraining #dogtrainingtip #nervousdog #fearfuldog #shydog #reactivedog #trainingfearfuldogs #positivereinforcement #positivetraining #forcefree #fearfree #dogsofinstagram #fosterdog #rescuedog #doglover #jwdogtraining #dogsofdc #dcdogtrainer
Adding a Verbal Cue When Teaching Your Dog a New Behavior 🐾 Okay we admit mechanics aren’t as sexy as speedy recalls or reactivity progress, but they are SO IMPORTANT! ✨ Results are rooted in good, clean training. So let us tell you about one important step in the teaching process ➡️ Adding a verbal cue 🗣 Here’s the correct process 💯 1. Pair the cue with the behavior 2. Back up the cue It is a common (and understandable) mistake to say and repeat the verbal cue before the dog *actually* knows what the behavior is. This can be confusing to the dog! For example, when teaching sit you might say “sit!” to your dog while they are standing looking at a treat in your hand. They might think “okay sit must mean stand in front of my human🤔.” So how do you make sure your dog knows what the word means? Let’s again take a look at the correct process: You initially want to say the cue *as* your dog does the behavior. A good rule of thumb is to say it once you’re positive your dog will complete the behavior correctly, as demonstrated in this video. This pairs the word with the desired behavior. Then, after pairing it with the behavior a few times, you can start to *back up the cue*. Backing up the cue means saying it a little sooner each repetition. Soon, you will be saying the cue and the dog will do the behavior. This is, of course, the desired end result! By pairing the cue with the behavior first and then correctly and systematically backing it up, your dog will understand what the verbal cue actually means. Remember⚠️ Dogs don’t speak our language, so being very clear about what our words mean is absolutely critical to helping our dogs be successful! 🎉 Let us know below what questions you have about adding a verbal cue! 🐶 #dogtraining #dogtrainingtip #dogtrainingvideo #trainingmechanics #positivetraining #clickertraining #positivereinforcement #clicker #kpactp #clickerexpolive #sheepadoodle #settle #mat
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