Front Range Dog Training

04/13/2024

12/12/2023

Who’s in for a Boulder location?

DOG PPL opened two years ago in Santa Monica, California, and has already attracted 1,700 members - who all pay $1,440 annually for access to the swanky club.

11/21/2023

Veterinarians want the day off too!

11/19/2023

Veterinary laboratories in several states are investigating an unusual respiratory illness in dogs. Oregon, Colorado and New Hampshire are among the states that have seen cases of the illness.

05/15/2023

What do you think?

Just in time for the summer dining season, the U.S. government has given its blessing to restaurants that want to allow pet dogs in their outdoor spaces. But even though nearly half of states already allow canine dining outdoors, the issue is far from settled, with many diners and restaurants pushin...

04/16/2023

This is real…

Yesterday I saw a video from a well-known trainer on social media that discussed how there is no such thing as “too much exercise” for dogs. This discussion was accompanied by b roll of dogs fetching balls in a variety of places.
I don’t usually get involved in trainer arguments but I need to say something about this.
There ABSOLUTELY is such a thing as too much high-arousal exercise. And you probably don’t want to find out for yourself what happens next.
Activities that tend to *physically* wear dogs out the fastest are also the ones that create the highest excitement levels. Fetching balls. Playing frisbee. Racing around at the dog park. Chasing water from the garden hose. Running next to a bike.
All of these are physical exercise, but they also create intense arousal states. And if you put your dog into high-arousal states repeatedly you better know how to train around this, too.
I have a lot of students who fell into this trap. They got a high-energy dog (a GSD, a herding breed mix of some sort, a retriever etc.).
They figured out that the fastest way to make the dog physically really tired (the tongue-hanging-to-the-floor-kind-of-tired) was by playing chuck-it for half an hour. Or by taking the dog to the dog park every day for a wild romp.
The dog started to crave these arousal states (as programmed in their DNA).
But at the same time, no impulse control training happened. So now we have a dog who knows the fun of adrenaline and who seeks it, without having been taught to listen and regulate when in a state of high excitement.
This dog will start to show other problems. They might get frustrated to the point of redirecting when they cannot access fun immediately. They might be vocalizing or unable to settle and then I get messages that say “My dog just cannot be normal in public”.
If your dog gets to enjoy a high-arousal activity every time they leave the house, they will start to expect (and eventually demand) a high-arousal activity every time.
And this is not fun.
Your dog needs a balance of high-arousal and low-arousal activities. Furthermore, the more high-arousal activities your dog has, the more you have to balance these with impulse control training. It’s not fair to make our dogs crazy without teaching them the skills to un-crazy ;)
“Exercise” can have four quadrants:
- Low-arousal, not physically demanding (sniff walks)
- Low-arousal, physically demanding (hiking)
- High-arousal, not physically demanding (excited waiting while another dog works)
- High-arousal, physically demanding (fetching)

Make sure you are aware which type of exercise you are providing for your dog, and try to reach a balance that works for your dog.
If you are unhappy with your dog’s arousal level or impulse control in daily life, look at whether this is amplified by the type of exercise you are providing.

04/10/2023

We’re going to have to break this problem down.
What are the desired outcomes in family dog obedience training?

04/08/2023

Nailed it! The chance of disease from going out is 1%. The chance of socialization issues from not going out is near 100%

I can’t say it enough, get your puppies out as soon as you have settled them at home (within days)
If you are terrified of disease (I have a Therapist I can recommend) then carry them or use a pram, but get them out into sights, noises and smells of the world 👀👃🚗🚞🐕‍🦺

I have been really tough on emails coming in recently “I’ll wait until the second vaccine”
Then it’s too late; find another trainer - we want intelligent PROACTIVE dog owners only please 😬🐾

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Reference
Page 127
‘The Critical Period’ Genetics and the social behaviour of the dog, Scott & Fuller

04/05/2023

Video breakdown of the lies and misinformation presented by Zak George.

03/30/2023

Too funny and sad to not share. I think this sums up the current problem in the dog training world. There is nothing there.

03/29/2023

Train a Polished Heel

03/24/2023

Science!

Is food or praise better as a reinforcer for our dogs? The science is in.Links to original articles:https://news.emory.edu/stories/2016/08/esc_dogs_motiviati...

03/22/2023

What a coincidence!

I love it when that happens! 😍

03/22/2023

So common. Train your dog to come away from anything, right away. Not just a social issue, but also a safety issue. Especially here in Colorado. 🐍 🐻

03/22/2023

Puppy biting? Puppy unable to switch off? Want the best relationship possible? The Love Hold is the #1 thing for puppies 8-10 weeks old.

03/20/2023

Let’s make this go viral! If you care about dogs at all, please SHARE, LIKE, and SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube Channel for the next episode…

Dog trainer caught on camera using a prong collar and shock collar.

03/17/2023

If you have a few minutes and $5 to donate to canine cancer research, please vote for Gus!

Gus is a very active pup. Once introduced to running free in the fields jumping in and out of mud puddles, creeks, and lakes he figured out what to do with his energy. Unless we are heading to the field, you don't dare show him his bright orange bumper. Photo credit: Michael Perry, Front Range Dog T...

03/14/2023

This needs to be spread…

Less is more 🤎

03/09/2023

Quickest leash entanglement fix!

03/09/2023

Follow the leader!

One of the most important drills in all of dog training. Teach your dog how to maintain awareness of you as you move through stopping and starting. This is t...

03/06/2023

What is leash pressure work?

Teach your puppy, how to come towards the leash instead of pulling back against it.

02/27/2023

4 sessions. 4 Dogs. 330 acre off leash area. Real distractions. Building rock solid, reliable recalls using an ecollar.No pain, no abuse. Let's all live in r...

02/27/2023

Let's all live in reality together. Show our work. Talk to listeners and not training deniers.

4 sessions. 4 Dogs. 330 acre off leash area. Real distractions. Building rock solid, reliable recalls using an ecollar.No pain, no abuse. Let's all live in r...

02/18/2023

Read the comments… What people really want is for their dogs to come when called, not be reactive to other dogs, not chase wildlife, be able to walk calmly, and be less reactive to things in general.