Dog 4 Life - Training & Behavior Solutions

The 🔑 KEY 🔑 to advanced obedience and reliable listening skills no matter where you go or what’s going on is IMPULSE CONTROL. Impulse control is built through teaching the dog to have a rock-solid faith that if they listen to you, even against their wishes in the moment, it WILL work out great for them. #labradorretriever #blacklab #austindogs #atxdogs #austindogtrainer

The 🔑 KEY 🔑 to advanced obedience and reliable listening skills no matter where you go or what’s going on is IMPULSE CONTROL. Impulse control is built through teaching the dog to have a rock-solid faith that if they listen to you, even against their wishes in the moment, it WILL work out great for them. #labradorretriever #blacklab #austindogs #atxdogs #austindogtrainer

Otis!Getting ready for the park, talking about different collars and tools, how we choose and how we introduce them. And how we know if a dog is relying on a body cue/ visual motion rather than actually understanding the word/ verbal command.

Murphy!!

Getting ready to hit the trails with some off leash reliability work!

Maggie!

Little miss is doing amazing so far!

Nail trims can be easy! Ft. Kenai

Riley morning zoomies

She must do at least 12 of these prior to going in to eat breakfast 😂

Daily consistency - everything you do is training

Moose day 4. He is learning our schedule and patterns, he is especially learning to pay more attention and be more considerate when on leash. He has high prey drive, focused on critters, and low handler engagement when he’s outside. Things have already improved dramatically even just in these “informal” interactions.

Simba - Day 1 (second session)

Simba is a 4 month old Golden Retriever puppy here for a two week puppy course. Our main focus during her stay is… well… FOCUS! We will also be helping her feel more confident and comfortable when she’s prone to being a little nervous.

Mojo goes to the park!

Puppies Can’t Make Mistakes!

There is NO correction given to a dog who offers a behavior they’re only just learning. Fun and messy little impromptu session with Kenai. She’s been here for only a few days, and here is some of what we’re seeing: 1) she LOVES to train! And she’s picking it up quickly! 2) she’s learning the words (commands) that go with the behaviors. She is has fully paired “place” with the behavior, and her name and “here” with recall. She understands “sit” and we’re working on “down” and “heel.” 3) she is anticipating what she thinks we might ask for next, and offering things she knows we like! This is the BEST thing to see this early in a program. There is NO correction given to a dog who offers a behavior they’re only just learning. That means, even if I say “sit” but she heads to Place, I will not help her “fix” it. Instead, I’ll reward her enthusiasm for a behavior she has learned we like! She’s still in the very beginning stages of learning, and the most important thing we could want is that she LOVES the behaviors. We want to build hope and joy, and we can do that by always acknowledging her effort, even if we had just asked for something else. It’s completely ok, even desired. Which makes for a “messy” session, but she also only builds her confidence and enjoyment in the work. 4) ZERO jumping after only 4 days of training. This girl was a jumping fiend when we met her. It seemed like she was in the air more time than she was on the ground! She has already come so far with this. And of course… 4) We’re still working on taking treats without taking fingers along with them. Taking treats while excited can lead to painful biting. She’s learning how to control her teeth even when having a great time, and she’s improved a ton here as well!

BANDIT!!!! 🎬 He’s progressing beautifully!

PUPPY TRAINING SESSION

A little fun training Witchita and talking about how to prevent unwanted behaviors from progressing or even occurring in the first place.

Bandit: Days 1&2

Bandit’s starting point. He’s a high flight dog, but if he feels cornered or restrained (leashed) he uses aggression to try to create space. Step one these first few days is to build some trust, NOT by coddling and “making friends,” but by establishing some predictable patterns through structure. And I’m giving him some confidence-building exercise to do. Get him used to following my lead, conquering obstacles, taking cues and direction. All resources come through me (except water which has constant access to). I open crate doors, gates and am the key to outside and movement. I offer food and I have all the great ideas (like what to do with the jumps and fun equipment outside). He’s been showing us how much he enjoys the little agility obstacles we have! #anxiousdog #fearfuldog #fearaggression #reactivity #reactivitytraining #austindogs #austindogtrainer

Little update on Bandit: TRUST THE PROCESS. We do not rush fearful dogs. We hold to a schedule and routine, give them opportunities to move their bodies and get used to following… and we wait. We wait for THIS RIGHT HERE. He’s actually enjoying himself. After four days, he now knows what to expect (walking and jumping and climbing) and is looking forward to it. He’s checking in with me more. He’s aware of the dog Tegan is training off camera, and the cats in the field, and the goats on the sidelines… but he’s no longer freaking out at them. He is almost ready to truly begin his training! #fearfuldog #anxiousdog #fearaggressivedog #reactivedog #austindogs #atxdogs #austindogtrainer

Training a Puppy!

How to practice, what to look for, knowing the criteria, and dealing with “puppy brain.” Ft. Saké the Darling Maltipoo

The best way to 100% ensure a new dog and the established dog get along is to follow a slow, systematic integration protocol! Our protocol makes SURE all experiences are positive and conflict does not emerge. Arie and Mellie have been following this protocol (Arie is the established dog, Mellie the new puppy) and are doing amazing! Is it slow? Yes. Is it faster than dealing with dog fights and training to fix conflict? ABSOLUTELY. #bullterriermix #chihuahua #puppytraining #newdog #newpuppy #twodogs #austindogs #austindogtrainer

What does it look like when we teach a dog the ecollar? Ft. Paik the 6 year old German Shepherd

Night Games

Planned on a recall practice session at the park… but Cosette decided it was to be a game of Tag instead! 🌖