The Pawfect Place

06/20/2024

So important to educate yourself & others!

We have had a couple people reach out about this topic so I thought I would educate:

** Three Lakes LLC Service Dogs: **

• We only train Service Dogs directly out of our breeding program- we specialize in producing Labrador Retrievers for Service work. We know our dogs, our bloodlines and our puppies produced. Three Lakes Labradors
• We only train 1 Service Dog per year and this is on a case to case basis. Training a Service Dog takes an extensive amount of time and focus so that the dog can be trained to assist their handler. We need to make sure we have the time and schedule to dedicate to this dog and their handler.
• We only train Pysch/PTSD Service Dogs, POTS Service Dogs and Mobility Service Dogs.

🐕‍🦺 🐾🐕‍🦺🐾🐕‍🦺🐾🐕‍🦺🐾🐕‍🦺🐾🐕‍🦺🐾🐕‍🦺

FINDING A SERVICE DOG TRAINER:

Unfortunately Service Dog handlers are widely taken advantage of/scammed. Training a Service Dog is expensive and some “trainers” see this as a “cash cow”. Some “trainers” will scam handlers out of money, or claim the dog is trained to XYZ standards when the dog is not- I could go on and on…

• find a trainer who specializes in training service dogs
• find a trainer who has extensive proof of success rates in service dogs they have trained
• find a trainer who can give referrals of previous clients that have service dogs from their program

** We can refer you to trainers **

🐕‍🦺🐾🐕‍🦺🐾🐕‍🦺🐾🐕‍🦺🐾🐕‍🦺🐾🐕‍🦺🐾🐕‍🦺

SERVICE DOGS AND THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA):

Definition of a Service Dog according to the ADA:
Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.
• must be task trained for their handlers specific disability
• must go through extensive training both in obedience and public access (typically a minimum of 2 years).

Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are not Service Dogs and do not have the same rights as Service Dogs.
Therapy Dogs are not Service Dogs and do not have the same rights as Service Dogs.

In the United States there is no such thing as a “registered Service Dog”, a “National Service Dog Registry”, a “Certified Service Dog” or “Service Dog papers/ID”.
When you see this information advertised online this is NOT REAL. This is not recognized. And when you flash your dog’s fancy ID or papers you are now putting legitimate Service Dog teams following ADA guidelines at risk due to falsified information.

Below are the links for the ADA guidelines for Service Dog handlers and businesses as well as ADA Service Dog FAQs and more!

We are always happy to help educate individuals and businesses! Please reach out if you have any questions!

https://www.ada.gov/topics/service-animals/

https://www.ada.gov/resources/service-animals-faqs/

https://www.ada.gov/law-and-regs/

https://www.ada.gov/resources/?filters=service-animals

09/19/2022

09/16/2022

Education education education!

08/12/2022

The ultimate dog training concept/theory in practice! I wish I was in a position to take this. If your interested in learning how to train dogs, this is where you wanna be!

💥NePoPo®️ Ecollar class in East TN💥
I’d be honored to have you come and allow me to share with you my interpretation of Ecollar utilization within the NePoPo®️ system, where we make the tool a gas pedal, not just the brakes of yesteryear
Any and all dog training enthusiasts, of all experience levels welcome. Pls use the email at the bottom of the flyer to register.

FOLLOW👇

05/27/2022

To bring everyone up to speed, there is a toxic, social war going on between the Pure Positive/Force Free movement and Balanced Training. One of these bodies is massively funded and out to dictate how you train your dog. But don’t get fooled by the pretty language and perfectly-placed buzz words..

“Animals have never learned through punishment or consequences”
“Don’t train with pain”
“Reward what you like, ignore what you don’t”
“Dominance and force in dog training creates stress and fear”
“This dog just needs medication”

I’ll be honest, “Positive-only” sounds pretty great on paper, but practically? Not so much.

News flash: “Purely Positive” anything doesn’t exist. Life, parenting, career, school, nature, it all has consequences and it all has pressure. And if you want to talk about the quadrants of consequences, There’s FOUR. Yep, PP/FF peeps pick and choose which quadrants they want to train with. Balanced trainers use what works. We implement a holistic approach.

Rewards = information
Punishment = information

Information and communication are how dogs (and humans) learn. Punishment is NOT abuse.

If I’ve lost you in all of this chaos, allow me to break it down: Rewarding a behavior will encourage repeating, punishing a behavior will deter. These PP/FF folks are trying to change that.

The ban on these tools is coming. The ability to train how you want is being argued. The ability to use certain tools is being argued. The ability to say “no” to your dog is being argued.

So this post is to raise awareness as to what’s going on out there. I’m sharing my thoughts and stories because spreading the truth, sharing content and success is how I bring value to this community. My clients and followers are my motivation. I believe in these tools because I’ve seen them work, time and time again. Believe me, we were there one day. Stuck, stressed and struggling feeling like everything we tried with our dog wasn’t working. Trainers had failed us and it was incredibly crippling.

These tools and training methods have saved my dogs lives along with so many others, and I don’t want that to be taken from us. This current debate has really taken away from the dogs (and the training). Have we forgotten our mission? To help dogs, to clear shelters and empower owners to succeed.

Myself and all other balanced trainers have to deal with the constant hate, negativity and criticism from the PP/FF body. “Death before discomfort” is especially unsettling to me, and this idea is the reason so many dogs are being killed for no reason.

It’s time we stand up and share our success. Our rights are being stripped and our dogs are suffering.

P.S. Any hate or bashing will not be deleted, rather exposed. So watch your words :)

05/27/2022

A bit of a rant but when some of your more popular force free trainers have a hard time with tough working dogs and the blame is immediately placed on the dog, it gives me little faith on the future of the working dog.

Nancy working her showline GSD or doing sport work with her biddable malinois through treats and toys only is not a good representation of the working dog.

Are you aware of police dogs and MWDs that will shred a bad guy even while getting stabbed or shot? Do you know there’s a certain level of toughness and lack of biddability a dog has to have to not comply with that level of pressure? Those are the dogs you have to say “no” to in training, those are the dogs you have to use tools on in training, those are also the dogs the purely positive community will take out of the gene pool if legislation advances to every corner of the dog industry. If so whatever dopamine happy dog will be left will run at the first sign of confrontation as the endorphin dogs will then be a thing of the past.

I’m not condoning abuse and the industry definitely has to improve. Old school trainers have to evolve and use more modern approaches, but the fact still remains, we need more tough dogs, not less, the kind your average trainer who just got her certification online cannot handle.

03/08/2022

➡️We are back! & accepting new clients! 💥
➡️➡️Previous clients, do you need refresher training?? 🙈

Call to schedule a consultation! 📱 4238633358 ☎️

Consultation fee is $150. (Should you decide on a **board & train, money is applied towards training)

2 week board & train - basic training - $2400 (includes $400 worth of equipment) Behaviors include Loose leash walk, recall, sit and target/place.

4 week board & train - advanced obedience + off leash - $4800 (includes $600 worth of equipment) behaviors include heel, sit & down with implied stay, Target/place, recall and perform all behaviors off leash in low to medium level of stimulation or distraction. E-collar is included.

Both packages include all training equipment - tab leash, pinch collar (if needed), elevated pet bed, 20/30ft long line, & a bag of frozen training treats. AND a throughout 90 minute go home lesson where I bring Fido home to you & teach & train your family everything Fido has been taught & trained. LASTLY is one free follow up within 6 months, to ensure behaviors transfer to family members & into the household.

Private lessons are bi weekly $150 each, buy two for $200.

12/17/2021

E collar training shouldn’t be scary, painful or unpleasant for your dog !
I love this video for clients to see you can safely train a happy dog to listen off leash!
It’s all about using the correct tool, the correct way.

12/17/2021

Will share every time for education purposes ! It’s important to learn, and understand dog training tools, how they work, what sets quality product from cheaper knock offs is so important. It is those who abuse the tools, or use them without proper education is the fuel purely positive trainers & organizations like PETA trying to band these tools.
You can kill someone with a butter knife.
It’s about proper use with the proper tool.

Let's Talk About... the Prong Collar. Facts, not emotions:

The prong, or pinch, collar was first patented by Hermann Sprenger in the late 1800s, and the design has evolved over the decades with improved knowledge, experience, and materials. It should be noted that Herm Sprenger (*not* "Springer") are one of only a very small handful of prong collar manufacturers that reputable trainers recommend, and arguably the best.

The collar itself:

The individual prongs themselves are angled in and blunt at the ends, NEVER sharp. They are not designed to stab like a needle, or injure the dog. Due to the mechanical design, pressure is distributed evenly around the neck, and this pressure is felt far more readily than that of a choke/check chain, or flat collar. Ergo, less pressure is required to be used by the handler. This is particularly useful for handlers who have strength or mobility issues, or who have very large dogs. Also important to observe is that there is a martingale chain that connects each side of the collar, which prevents the collar from tightening excessively or dangerously, as can happen with a choke or check chain that is not used appropriately.

The mechanics of the collar, as explained by a mechanical engineer:

F = force applied by the handler.

FA, FB, FC etc = force applied on dog's neck. The tip exerts the force in opposite direction of pull. This is because of the lever effect created by the fulcrum (shown in the red circle).

Now the important part: anatomy, not physics.
A dog’s neck is sensitive at the throat and strong at the side and back. FE is force applied at neck and FB & FC are force applied on side of neck.

Now FA = F cos (angle made by FA and F); similarly, FB, FC etc. If you look at a trigonometry book, the greater the angle between F and the direction of resultant force (FA, FB etc), the lesser is the force. So you can see the force on the neck/throat is almost zero. And the force on the side of neck is almost equal to what you apply.

And finally, please do bear in mind that this post is about the science behind the prong collar - not your *feelings*. If you don't like this particular tool, it's pretty simple: don't use it. But also bear in mind that, if you haven't ever used it, then your opinion of it is based on nothing more than emotion and/or hearsay.

If you are triggered by this post, ask yourself why - based on *fact* :-)

08/20/2021

07/15/2021

🛇 Use your Manners! 🛇
The Sniff test - Stop doing that!
The sniff test - a badly engrained habit that society has been taught, without a clear understanding of what they're actually doing.

🚩When you reach out towards a dog, you are using body pressure AT them, giving them no time to assess whether you are safe & whether they require further investigation to pick up your information. You are forcing an interaction of a relationship that hasn't had time to develop. To some dogs, this is quite rude & the reason a lot of dogs snap at or bite people. This can cause alot of behavioral issues because of layered stress due to forced interactions.

🚩If they are on lead, they have no where to go if they are sensitive to spacial pressure, so can end up shutting down, shying away or snapping at your hand so you back off. This is an example of how a dog is now using pressure to turn off pressure & make you back off so they aren't so stressed.

🚩People think by offering your hand it can give the dog time to sniff to know you're friendly... they can sniff without being forced to sniff your hand.Their noses are far more superior than ours & they don't need close contact forced upon them to smell you.

🚩Some dogs might not want to know you. You have no relationship with them and that's perfectly fine. They aren't your dog so you don't need to touch them or steal pats for your own satisfaction.

🤔 If you are meeting a dog, what should you do?
⚠Ask the owner if you can interact with their dog. Not all people want strangers touching their dogs. Especially strangers who you are unlikely to see again.
⚠Stand up straight & relaxed, with your hands at your side.
⚠Ignore the dog & talk to the owner.
⚠Don't stare at the dog & don't try to force an interaction by going in for a pat. If the dog wants to know you, it will come up to you & sniff around. Usually they will move away & then come back for a second sniffathon. Some dogs will bunt your hands & wag their tails, which are good signs that you're likely an accepted new friend. Give them a few slow pats down their back (NOT THEIR HEAD) & then stop. Is the dog happy? Has it accepted your interaction? This will determine whether you can give it more pats.

🐶This is a more stress free option for dogs & a reason why in consultations we can develop a good level of trust, especially with fearful dogs & aggressive dogs, without a bunch of negative side effects from forced interactions.

06/03/2021

Let's Talk About... the Prong Collar. Facts, not emotions:

The prong, or pinch, collar was first patented by Herm Sprenger in the late 1800s, and the design has evolved over the decades with improved knowledge, experience, and materials. It should be noted that Herm Sprenger (*not* "Springer") are one of only a very small handful of prong collar manufacturers that reputable trainers recommend, and arguably the best.

The collar itself:

The individual prongs themselves are angled in and blunt at the ends, NEVER sharp. They are not designed to stab like a needle, or injure the dog. Due to the mechanical design, pressure is distributed evenly around the neck, and this pressure is felt far more readily than that of a choke/check chain, or flat collar. Ergo, less pressure is required to be used by the handler. This is particularly useful for handlers who have strength or mobility issues, or who have very large dogs. Also important to observe is that there is a martingale chain that connects each side of the collar, which prevents the collar from tightening excessively or dangerously, as can happen with a choke or check chain that is not used appropriately.

The mechanics of the collar, as explained by a mechanical engineer:

F = force applied by the handler.

FA, FB, FC etc = force applied on dog's neck. The tip exerts the force in opposite direction of pull. This is because of the lever effect created by the fulcrum (shown in the red circle).

Now the important part: anatomy, not physics.
A dog’s neck is sensitive at the throat and strong at the side and back. FE is force applied at neck and FB & FC are force applied on side of neck.

Now FA = F cos (angle made by FA and F); similarly, FB, FC etc. If you look at a trigonometry book, the greater the angle between F and the direction of resultant force (FA, FB etc), the lesser is the force. So you can see the force on the neck/throat is almost zero. And the force on the side of neck is almost equal to what you apply.

Please do bear in mind that this post is about the science behind the prong collar - not your *feelings*. If you don't like this particular tool, it's pretty simple: don't use it. But also bear in mind that, if you haven't ever used it, then your opinion of it is based on nothing more than emotion and/or hearsay. If you are triggered by this post, ask yourself why - based on *fact* :-)

And finally, always please remember: TOOLS DON'T TRAIN DOGS; TRAINING TRAINS DOGS! If your trainer puts one of these on your dog to "teach it to walk nicely to Heel", I would suggest firing them and finding a trainer who understands how to teach Handler Awareness, the Step Sit, and actually train the dog. If your dog will only walk to Heel when it is wearing equipment (of any kind), it's not trained :-)

Thank you for reading!

06/01/2021

There is a process. It’s not just simply giving your dog treats to get them to do a trick. It takes a lot of work to get a solid dog.

05/08/2021

This is great!

04/28/2021

😂