Blue Creek Canine

01/12/2025

Have you ever heard about the littermate syndrome?

Littermate Syndrome is a common behavioral issue that often goes unnoticed until it becomes a serious problem. At our shelter, we see it frequently, particularly with sibling dogs around 8-10 months old, and often when they haven’t been spayed or neutered.

Many people don’t realize how prevalent Littermate Syndrome is, but it can affect any breed. It occurs when littermates become overly dependent on each other, leading to a lack of independence. This can result in a variety of behavioral issues, including:
🐾Separation anxiety when apart
🐾Fearfulness or difficulty with new experiences
🐾Aggression toward each other or other animals, as they struggle to establish individual identities
🐾Over-dependence on each other for comfort and support
🐾Training difficulties, as they may focus on each other rather than on learning from their owners

One of the more concerning aspects of Littermate Syndrome is the aggression that can develop between siblings. As they reach maturity, their dependence on each other can lead to territorial disputes, resource guarding, or even physical confrontations. This can be especially problematic when they have never learned to navigate relationships with other dogs outside of their litter.

To help prevent Littermate Syndrome at home, here are some important tips:
✅ Spay/neuter early to reduce the hormonal influences that can amplify the bond
✅ Separate training sessions for each dog to build individual confidence
✅ Socialize each puppy individually with people and other dogs to encourage independence
✅ Give them time apart to help them become comfortable being alone and learning how to navigate the world independently

Because of these challenges, we do not adopt out sibling puppies together. By adopting separately, we ensure they have the best chance for healthy development and become well-adjusted, confident adults.

If you’re adopting, remember: encouraging independence early on is key to helping your puppy grow into a happy, balanced dog. 🐕💕

01/12/2025

Newly updated class schedule.
Please notice the newly added Saturday class.
With the colder weather outside and icy roads, a group class is a perfect place to go and work with your dog giving him/her both physical and mentally exercise, while staying nicely warm ;)

To sign up for any of the upcoming classes, please go to my online shop: https://www.bluecreekcanine.com/online-shop.html

01/08/2025

Free trap-release workshop !!!

We are hosting a Trap Release Workshop! Traps like these are allowed on almost all Montana public lands and trails. You won't want to miss this opportunity to learn how to release pets from a variety of traps & snares.

The workshop will be at our learning center on 2010 Grand Avenue from 6:30p.m to 7:30p.m Monday 1/13 and is completely free to attend. Hope to see you there!

01/06/2025

This is a great reminder for all dog handlers and especially puppy owners. You are allowed to say “no” to people wanting to interact with your dog. And please do so, so your dog doesn’t get conditioned to expect interaction with strangers. Focus should be on you and staying calm around stimuli.

Why yes my dog would LOVE to say hi, but I’m still going to say “no thank you” and move on. Why?

1. Because I want my dog to learn that every time we see people it doesn’t mean it’s a party for him. I’d like him to continue his focus on us together as a team and not create conditioned excitement and expectation every time we are approached by someone.

2. Because I don’t know what saying hi means to you. Will you politely touch him? Will you allow him space to move away if he wants? Will you put your face too close to his? I don’t want him to have a negative experience so I’m going to avoid that by continuing our walk.

3. Because maybe I feel overwhelmed or stressed in public places and conversations with strangers may make me uncomfortable, so even though you’d like to talk and meet my dog, I’m protecting myself too.

4. Because we’re in a rush and have to get something done quickly.

5. Because I said no. Even social, sweet, friendly dogs and their handlers have every right to say “no” to a request to meet and be touched by people. This shouldn’t just apply to reactive, worried or bubble space dogs. Dogs are not public property, and saying “no thank you” to touching my dog shouldn’t be regarded as rude or unkind, any more than if a stranger asked to hold my baby.

Please normalize hearing “no” OR even better, normalize ignoring more dogs in public. Let them carry on with their handler and admire them from a far. It would do a world of good for dogs and humans everywhere, trust me.

- Helen St. Pierre

01/05/2025

There will be puppy play groups today, so come and join me and enjoy a tired puppy for the rest of the day 😉

01/04/2025

Due to the snow and cold weather, my dogs are not getting as much exercise as usual. So time to increase the mental stimulation with extra enrichment activities…only way to keep our sanity 😁
Show me pictures of some of your enrichment activities with your dog(s)

12/31/2024

Last night these great teams graduated 🎓Puppy /Basic Manners class. Well done everybody and keep up the good work 👏👏💪

12/31/2024

New and updated class schedule, now including a MixMatch class where I will introduce you to a new dog sports activity in each session., such as Rally, Creative Movement, Nose work and as a new activity I have included "Movement Puzzle" - a super fun activity which I am excited to introduce you to.

If interested in signing up for a class, please go to my online shop here : https://www.bluecreekcanine.com/online-shop.html

Looking forward to working with you in 2025 😊

12/30/2024

Once in a while I run into clients whose vet still recommend that they wait with puppy class until their puppy is fully vaccinated ( usually around 16 weeks). But that is a problem, as our puppies has a primary window of socialization from 5-15 weeks. If your puppy hasn’t had the chance to be accurately exposed to the world and learned social and play skills when they reach 16 weeks, they will often be less resistant to the impact from a negative experience and for some puppies, it can also mean more behavioral issues later on in life ( not all as genetics do play a great role here as well).

I did find this article where 4 vets are interviewed regarding the benefits of early group class training and puppy play : https://www.dvm360.com/view/early-puppy-socialization-classes-weighing-risks-vs-benefits
I think it is so important to know that disease prevention is not necessarily the most important aspect of your puppy’s life and development the first few months 😉

Veterinarians with extensive experience discuss the risks versus the benefits of early puppy socialization in a roundtable format.

12/28/2024

This is Lara’s upcoming group classes . Contact her directly if interested in attending any of them 😊

First classes of 2025!

12/24/2024

Looking for a last minute gift?
How about a Gift Certificate that can be used towards any of Blue Creek Canine's services ?
Or maybe the gift of a group class? 😉
Either way it is a great investment in both handler and dog, and a gift that will be well received.

For more information or to purchase a Gift Certificate , please go to
https://www.bluecreekcanine.com/online-shop.html

Merry Christmas

12/21/2024

Murphy was on the job yesterday, helping a young dog feeling more confident in a new environment … and of course we had to play with the “decorations” 😂

12/18/2024

The dogs got a bit of extra enrichment today 😁

12/16/2024

Here are the upcoming group classes with Blue Creek Canine.
Group classes provide the perfect environment for learning new behaviors and proofing established behavior. Your dog will have a chance to learn, and practice, self-control and focus even in the presence of other dogs and people.
If you are interested in attending a class, please go to https://www.bluecreekcanine.com/online-shop.html to sign up. This will ensure your working spot in the class.
Limited working spots available.

Looking forward to seeing you in class :)

12/16/2024

A great reminder of what your dog will go through in his/her adolescence and the importance of understanding this, so you can be fair in your expectations AND offer your teenage dog the support and guidance he/she needs!!!
If you need any help and guidance, always feel free to reach out to me 😊

When people get a new dog, everyone talks about puppyhood, the does and don’ts, how to deal with specific puppy issues. People will prepare themselves for the first few challenging months with a puppy.

The mess, chaos and sleepless nights are generally overshadowed by the cute fluffy cuddles and the expectation that it won’t last for too long. Your eager little puppy will start to master toilet training, sleeping through the night, basic skills and even recall, but then adolescence hits.

For some it hits like a bus, but very few people talk about adolescence.

Adolescence is a really hard and trying time for both dog and owner. For owners, it can be really frustrating, as your puppy that was making loads of progress can suddenly stop, and even regress in some areas. Some of the behaviours that were adorable as a tiny puppy, become annoying and rude by a dog who is a lot bigger. With the largest number of dogs being placed into rescue during adolescence.

From roughly 5-6 months until around 18-24 months, your puppy is no longer a puppy, but rather a teenager. This can look very different in different dogs. Some may become more anxious, or fearful, some more reactive to things, others over confident, and for some lucky owners their dog will remain easy going and steady.

For the dog, adolescence is a really difficult period to navigate through, there are so many changes with hormones, genetic drives, even the brain structure and a second fear period, all happening simultaneously.

Hormones play a bit part into the development and sexual maturity of a dog. For female this may be a season and potential subsequent phantom pregnancy, this may result in dramatic behaviour changes. For males, they have the highest level of testosterone in their body, than at any other time in their life, even adulthood, and you may find your adolescent male starts to become more aggressive particularly toward other entire male dogs.

You may find that certain innate behaviours get “switched on” and become more easily triggered. So with Collies you may find that your dog starts to herd more things, and becomes more reactive to things.

Your dogs behaviour may also change, there are a number of behaviours associated with adolescence such as:
- Increased independence, some may label this stubbornness.
- Decreased responsiveness to trained cues
- Increased impulsivity
- Increase in energy
- Gender specific behaviours (i.e scent marking)
- Exacerbation of existing patterns (i.e Destructive behaviour, reactivity, fear based behaviours, excessive barking, compulsive behaviours etc)

During adolescence the brain structure changes and develops into a mature brain. New neural pathways are made, and others are lost, even ones that you use regularly, infuriatingly. Your dog may become more reactive, the reason for this is that the inhibitory neurons of the amygdala don’t fully mature until the end of adolescence, these help to dampen down emotional responses. You may find that they become more sensitive to things, and remember negative things more than previously, this is because extinction memory is impaired during this period, which means your dog is more likely to create fear memories due to a bad experience. The training you do with your dog may feel like you’re taking one step forward, but two steps back, this is because there is a decrease in the communication between the frontal cortex and amygdala, this is a key component for skills training.

It is important to try have patience and compassion, for both your dog and yourselves, as you guide and support your dog through this sensitive developmental period.

12/15/2024

Lara has her new group class schedule up and ready for you to sign up for.
Contact her directly at [email protected] for any questions and to sign up for one of her classes.