Steadfast Companions Dog Training

02/20/2023

It's so important when hiring a dog trainer to ask questions. Make sure that both you and your dog will be treated with kindness in a learning environment free of fear, pain & intimidation.

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04/15/2022

04/15/2022

Very few dogs actually should go to the dog park. Here's why.

https://www.facebook.com/603003256397289/posts/5512324805465085/

The last time I posted this it went viral 🤯

It rubbed some the right way and some the wrong way with lots of different opinions about my opinion ... and I still say the same 💁‍♀️

It seems that the ultimate goal for dog owners is to have a dog they can bring to a dog park because that must mean their dog can tolerate and deal with anything 🧐

And I wonder why that's so important?

I understand that many owners with this as their goal in mind, doing it with the best intentions, assuming they’re doing the right thing and are improving the quality of their dog’s life. And for a small amount of dogs, it can be a great experience.

But…

If you have a dog that doesn't really enjoy other dogs, you don't do your dog any favor trying to get him to a point where he can "tolerate" being at the dog park...usually it's quite the opposite and you'll lose your dogs trust that you got his back.

Or if you have a dog that enjoys playing really rough, why is it so important that he can "play" with the miniature doodle at the park rather than finding him a personal play mate that is on his level?

There's many reasons why I don't bring my dog to a dog park regardless of how well tempered and balanced my dog would be...the environment is just way too uncontrolled.

It's like going to a night club, you never know what to expect LOL

The fact that the majority of dogs are dog selective, meaning they prefer a more social circle than having to hug and kiss every stranger they come in contact with, is just another one.

But one of the big reasons I don't bring any dogs there is, because it really is a very unnatural environment for dogs and if you'd like to understand more about this, read my article on that topic on my website blog https://www.k9possible.com/single-post/2016/04/05/why-dog-parks-are-unnatural-how-to-properly-socialize-your-dog

10/07/2021

Dog breeds were created for specific purposes. When choosing a dog the breed is perhaps one of the most important considerations. Need help deciding which breeds best fit your lifestyle? Let me help!

07/04/2021

So much truth to this. They owe us nothing. We owe them everything. Message me to learn how to be the partner your dog needs.

Your dog owes you nothing. Not a thing.

The decision for him to be in your life wasn’t his, it was yours. He doesn’t owe you anything. If you look at your dog as owing you something in return for your attention, food, medical care etc, then that’s the first problem we have to tackle before we can even begin true training together.

Your dog doesn’t owe you “obedience” he doesn’t owe you “respect” he doesn’t owe you “good behavior” simply because he gets to share the same space and life with you. If you want that kind of relationship and behavior; that’s on you to create, not him.

YOU owe your dog. You owe it to him to understand his history, his development and his ancestors. You owe it to him to learn about his needs, his characteristics and his individual personality. You owe it to him to become educated on how he communicates with you, his body language and train him in a way he understands and enjoys and doesn’t cut corners just because it’s easier on YOU. You owe it to him to protect him and keep him safe. You owe it to him to modify YOUR environment to help him be successful.

Dogs are a privilege. WE created THEM. We’ve done them so many injustices and yet they still go to war with us, herd our livestock, protect us, find people for us, assist us devotedly, meet us at the door wagging their tails and comfort us when we are down. The tasks they do for us go above and beyond any other partnership between species imaginable, so you have to be willing to do your part too.

Your dog owes you nothing. You owe your dog. Remind yourself of that every time you get mad at him for simply doing dog things. Now, let’s get to work to make a great team.

Written by Helen St. Pierre. No Monkey Business Dog Training. Please share with CREDIT to the author.

06/07/2021

Is your dog overly excited to greet everyone he sees? I can help!

05/29/2021

Ever wonder what your dog is "saying" to you? Learning to understand canine body language will help. Need a translator? Book your consult now!

05/26/2021

Have you ever looked at one of those perfectly trained dogs and sighed longingly? Wonder how they got there? Lots and lots of tiny steps.

Are you and your dog struggling to understand one another? Does it feel like your dog is intentionally defying you? Let me help!

05/23/2021

Does your dog bark and lunge at people or dogs while you are out for walk? Are people afraid to come to your house because of how your dog behaves? I can help!

05/21/2021

So much truth!

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10165360863935578&id=805265577

05/21/2021

So much truth!

10/05/2019

Group class today at 3 p.m. at Bryan Park. See you there!

10/02/2019

They aren't ignoring you, I promise!

FUN FACT #11 – TURNING A DEAF EAR

Do you recognize that moment when you turn down your car radio so you can see better? Especially when we think we might have gotten lost, and we want to focus on reading street names, a radio can be very distracting. Thinking about this rationally it might not make sense, after all you wouldn’t think that a radio affects your vision, or does it...?

Another common example is where you completely ignored someone who started speaking to you while you were just enjoying your favorite movie. Research refers to this phenomenon as “inattentional deafness”. Studies on humans revealed that concentration on visual tasks will render you temporarily deaf to normal-volume sounds. Brain scans showed that people were not ignoring or filtering out the sounds, but that they were not hearing them in the first place! The findings support a shared audio-visual centre, which, when depleted under load, leads to failures of sensory perception and awareness.

Now let’s look at dogs. There is an area in the brain called the thalamus. The thalamus is responsible for relaying sensory information such as hearing, sight, touch and pain. It also enables the dog to concentrate on one (!) thing at a time.

Hence, when your dog is sniffing intently (*reading his favorite book*), he will very likely not hear you! Be patient, wait for your dog to finish his “book” and then call him over. Never assume your dog is ignoring you on purpose.

09/30/2019

Pretend that this has a dog in the picture. We need to look beyond the surface. This is true of working with animals or people. Meet the need and the problem goes away.

09/19/2019

This is so true! So many dog issues are caused by failing to meet the needs of the breed. Dogs are dogs.

(on photo it is play, not agression)

"The art of training a dog owner.

Dog owner tells me: Hi, my dog pulls on the leash and runs into the woods after deer if I let it off leash.

Me: Okay. What's the breed?

Owner: A siberian husky mixed with a c**n hound.

Me: Okay, so you have a musher mixed with a hunting type of dog?

Owner: yes.

Me: ok, what are these breeds bred to do?

Owner: well, half of the dog should be pulling and the other half run into the woods and hunt.

Me: Yes. And your problem was?

Owner: it pulls on the leash and runs after wildlife.

Me: yea, it appears that you have a dog meant for pulling and hunting.

Owner: yes, that's correct. Can you train it out of the dog?

Me: Do you have any interests?

Owner: Eh, yea sure I do. I like to paint and watch movies.

Me: can you consider quitting doing that?

Owner: no, I don't think I can. But what does this have to do with dog training?

Me: would you consider doing something else that gives you the same pleasure you get from painting and watching movies?

Owner: I mean, sure I can do other things but it's not as fun.

Me: ok. And what can you offer a musher that is more fun than pulling and a hunting dog that is more fun than hunting?

The dog owner is silent for a while.
Owner: That's a good question. I don't know.

Me: neither do I.

Owner: perhaps I should had gotten myself a PlayStation?

Me: haha, yea if you dont like hunting or being a lot outdoors training perhaps this dog isn't for you.

Owner: yea, one should perhaps read up more before getting a dog. But it's awfully cute!

Me: yes, I understand that.

Owner : it sheds a lot too. My husband goes crazy of all the fur everywhere.

Me: mmm, that's something you have to deal with.

Owner : yes, it was even hairs in the stew last night.

Me: yea that's not uncommon.

Owner : but you know what? I met a husky when I was 12. It was so beautiful. Ever since I've always wanted one.

Me: too bad you didn't meet a PlayStation instead.

Owner laughs: alright, I think I'm starting to understand that it's not the dog that has problems but me.

Me: haha, not much of a "problem". What you are saying is very common. People with guarding dogs gets angry when their dog growls at strangers. People with sighthounds gets frustrated when their dog comes home with a baby rabbit. People often know too little when they get a dog.

Owner : thanks for the chat. I have learned a lot in 10 minutes.

Me: good luck in the future. There's a lot we can do to help you in your training with the dog. But The dog will always have a need and joy to pull and hunt.

Owner: yes, I can understand that now."

Author unknown.

09/17/2019

"Oh, she knows when she has done something wrong!"

No, she doesn't actually. She knows when YOU think she has done something wrong.

Interestingly enough, my two boys don't respond to shaming. If I say 'what have you done' or 'did you do this?!' they just look at me blankly or walk away. 😂

Why? Because I don't tell them off for things.

Sure I get frustrated sometimes, I'm human. Like when Lycan pulls the neatly arranged blankets off his crate for the 4th time in the day - but that's MY rule placed on him. And is it really that important in the grand scheme of things? No.

Dogs aren't to blame. They work off of their environment and all their behaviour has some function to them. If your dog chews items when you aren't home they could be suffering from separation anxiety or simply - they are just bored. Why not leave them with some enrichment? Block off access to that area they keep getting into. Set up the environment in order for them to succeed.

Photo credit: For the Love of the Dog

08/23/2019

Oops! Here is a nice article on how to fix things when they go sideways.

When you see your dog doing something you know he shouldn't be doing, take action with your Plan B.

08/13/2019

Don't invalidate your dog's fears. Don't do it to yourself either. Fear is real no matter who, or what species, is experiencing it.

08/09/2019

Bites don't happen "out of nowhere". Always give your dog the choice.

07/31/2019

Thinking about getting two puppies at the same time? Here are some reasons why that's not such a great idea.

Most training professionals strongly recommend against adopting two pups at the same time.

07/24/2019

How hot is to hot?

07/07/2019

The summer heat is here. Remember to stay hydrated! Don't play in the middle of the day, early morning is best. Here is some information about Heat Stroke and Heat Exhaustion. Please be safe. If in doubt, take your dog to the vet.

Heatstroke in dogs can be a life-threatening health issue. Here are some tips for recognizing the signs of heatstroke in dogs and what you should do if you think your dog is overheating.

07/02/2019

Old dogs can get forgetful too. Concerned about some odd behaviors in your trusty old companion? This article may help you to understand what's going on.

Is your dog wandering, getting stuck, pacing or barking for no reason more often in the evening / nighttime? These could all signal sundowning in dogs.

06/30/2019

06/27/2019

One at a time

The email described a familiar scenario: “We were planning to adopt one puppy, but the breeder said that raising two sisters would be easier. After we brought the girls home at nine weeks, their behavior became increasingly out of control. My husband and I could not get their attention for more th...

06/25/2019

Have a dog that is uncertain around strangers? Try this training tip.

06/20/2019

How do I spend my day?