Car Crash! š
This has got to be the most flawless execution of this exercise I have seen to date! Car Crash is an exercise developed from the #ControlUnleashed program based off of an agility box jump drill. Up to four dog/handler teams make their way through four sets of cones taking left or right hand turns. The point of this exercise is to practice navigating heeling through tight spaces, working in close quarters to other dogs, and keeping your dogs engagement while problem solving through close encounters! Here we have our Saint pack of Mouse, Stormy, and Ava with their handlers Neil and Allison as well as our tiny dog team Remi the Frenchie and his mom Sydney! Watch as each pair remains focused on each other while letting the rest of the teams effortlessly move around them. When worked right, engagement almost builds a bubble around you and your dog. You and your dog join each other on the same page and can let the rest of the world evolve around you. š
Allison Hall Neil Hall Sydney Dove
Thereās no shame in the cookie game! I give my dogs reason to want to work with me. In order to get this happy go lucky bouncy relaxed energy, I work to find ways to motivate them towards our common goal. When positivity is used for the foundations of a behavior the results will speak for themselves!
Throughout my years of competitive obedience Iāve been able to really see the value of building your partner UP. I encourage you to look past the command and into the emotions surrounding it. Yes, I do want my dogs to walk next to me but more importantly I want to see confidence, I want to see security, I want to see enjoyment, and I want to see my partner having fun.
Training should be fun for both of you.
This is a huge breakthrough for this jumping jelly bean! Wolfgang is naturally spring loaded, so keep off can be a challenge. Dogs like him often have to go against what their own body is communicating to comply to our expectations. Instead of just trying to stop the behavior from occurring, you want to change the emotions and function behind the behavior itself. To put it plainly, you will be teaching your dog to regulate their emotional charge to better match yours. This often takes a reward history, a relationship, and compromises on both ends. Itās a mutual understanding.
1. I will provide other outlets for his energy that are just as, if not more fulfilling.
2. I will make sure my energy is matching what Iām trying to communicate (this requires self awareness and good self reflection skills).
And 3. I will encourage good behavior with a functional reward (affection/getting closer).
In return, he stays out of my face lol.
Board & Train - Pilot āļø This has been a really special experience for me. Let me give you all some back story - Iāve know Coralyn and Rowan since I was 12 years old. Koda was my first service dog, I was completely unaware of the ability of a service dog before him. We were one of the first few teams to be apart of a small community of local handlers called the Evergreen Service Dogs. These guys supported me through a HUGE part of my life. They watched me get my independence. Coralyn and Rowan have been like parent figures for me when it comes to the service dog experience. Theyāve come to watch my agility competitions, weāve been on countless mall trips, training sessions, and evening walks together. They moved away from Washington but have remained apart of my life and an incredible support system despite the distance. So, of course this opportunity to help Coralyn and Pilot grow as their own team was a really meaningful experience. I am grateful to say the least.Of course, when you hear board and train your mind goes straight to teaching the dog. But I want to be honest, itās equal part them teaching me.My job is not just teaching a dog to obey. I am teaching a dog and their person how to communicate, how to understand each other, and how to help each other. I am facilitating an interspecies relationship based on emotional understanding - cause I do believe that is what we all have in common. When Iām given the chance to live with a dog, feel a dog, and really hear a dog, we can start learning and healing together. Then, once I can hear them, I pass this information onto the owner. I teach them how to hear too. Now, this is the part of the adventure where the training switches. The learning is now between the team. I get to support, guide, and cheer from the sidelines. Watching this transition so clearly with Pilot and Coralyn has been eye opening, and, sure Iām a dramatic person butā¦ itās been life changing. Thank you Pilot for being so open
Just a little love to start our Friday off on the right foot (or paw)
Featuring @jaxdogdropriverdog training camp kiddos
tags:
#tailwaggingwarriors #washington #dogtraining #dogs #hiking #training #workingdogs #servicedog #akc #dogsofinstagram #doglife #balencedtraining #forcefreetraining #positivereinforcementtraining #canine #caninebehavior #behaviormodification
Tandem heeling with Winston and Koda
Double trouble!
Klaus the Sheperd
Loose leash walking goals. š
Ava the Service Dog in Training
Very attentive service dog Ava practicing her tasks in a mall! Retrieval is one of the many tasks handlers utilize to optimize life with a disability. At only 7 months old Ava has multiple tasks in the works and some seriously incredible public access skills.
Allison Hall
Ava the Service Dog in Training
Ava the Saint Bernard puppy is working hard on perfecting that nice heel. Heeling and loose leash walking is critical for any dog but particularly important for a dog of her size! As you can tell, sheās got it in the bag. š
Canine Good Citizen Prep Lesson
What an amazing day for training! Hazel the 11 month old poodle and Reno the French Bulldog worked hard today pursuing their canine good citizens. Good dogs!
Loose leash walking with Klaus
So Facebook doesnāt let me post multiple videos and pictures so yāall will be getting two posts in one day! So here we have Klaus the German Shepherd demonstration a beautiful loose leash walk with very minimal leash guidance. Today we utilized the chain to strengthen our communication through the leash and set better guidelines for our overall walking standard. Klaus being the wicked smart boy he is it didnāt take him long to understand and follow! With consistency, this boy is one to be reckoned with. šŖš½
Bet youāve never seen a dinosaur train Saint Bernard puppies!
Though completely fashionable and a totally practical stand alone outfit, there is a specific reason Iām wearing such luxurious gear. Any guesses? š¤
#cascadesaintbernards
Group Sessions at the Waterfront
How many good dogs can you spot? I see four... five if you count Sydney. š
One thing I noticed today out while working is how many folks were genuinely shocked to see/hear that only a few of these dogs are service dogs. All of our dogs are held to the same standards, good behavior is not exclusive to working dogs. Reno the French Bulldog got particularly a lot of attention. We had multiple people say things like āheās so good for his breedā, ānormally bulldogs arenāt like thatā... he was simply just laying there attentively awaiting direction. Every breed, every type of dog, every age of dog, has the capability to be well mannered in a public setting. Lets normalize good dogs. šš½
Training with High Distractions
Hey guys!! Todayās video is a quick run down of how I use my energy to keep my dog focused while a high distraction passes. Things you want to note are:
- The rate of reward! Do you notice how quickly I am delivering those rewards?
- My communication with my dog. I barely give him much time to let his mind wander. I am either giving a command or praising.
- My energy. Every command I give makes him MOVE! It helps my dog get their energy out while keeping them engaged. Your dog wants to have fun! Use commands that they enjoy, for Koda thats spin.
- Let them take in there surroundings. I use ācheck itā to allow Koda to look over to what ever is hyping him up. When he does, heās rewarded away from the distraction. This quickly creates a chain of behavior: looks at distraction, look back at handler, get reward.
- Give them choices and let them learn from them. I donāt tell Koda to focus more than a few times, but every time he makes the decision to look at me he gets rewarded. I am rewarding the behavior I want, so in the future he feels more inclined to make those decisions on his own.
- Be positive!! This doesnāt mean avoid corrections, and this doesnāt mean reward him for every single thing he does. This means limit negative connotations and be generous with your rewards. I want this experience to be a fun one and I want to be more exciting then our environment.
- Let your dogs make mistakes and learn from them. Youāre dog will make decisions that youāre not fond of. It happens and it is entirely apart of learning. To make a mistake and bounce back from it is way more impressive than a dog who is scared and shut down.
- End the session with a down stay to return to a calmer baseline of energy. You donāt want to go from crazy, fun, and fast energy to having to relax immediately. Give your dog that buffer by doing a down stay and reinforcing that calm behavior.
Hope this helps a bit! Happy training yāall, get out there and put yourself in a si
