Everyone's first instinct is to reach for the leash when they want to communicate with their dogs. It would have been easy to pop the leash or drag her back when I saw her headed over to the kids. But what would that accomplish?
I want the dogs I train to be responsive to my voice (and their owners' voices). The leash is there in case the training fails or in case something unexpected happens in the environment. Yes, I do use leash pressure in training, and if Scout had not responded when I asked her to wait, I would have given her a tug... But it's not my first instinct. If you don't give your dog a chance to respond BEFORE you use the leash, you have taught your dog to wait for that leash pressure before responding.
With this mindset, we are building toward off-leash reliable dogs! This way of training teaches the dog to make their own good decisions, builds impulse control, and makes for a responsive and motivated dog!
#dogtraining #dogtrainingtips #burnsvillenc #yanceycountync #wncmountains #westernnc #wncsmallbusiness #dogtrainer #herdingdog #positivereinforcement #cpdtka #longlinetraining #longline
This has been a rough winter in so many ways. It comes after a fall full of local disaster and trauma, and the cold has been relentless. Sometimes, I'm just not sure what to do with myself and how I can keep plowing through day after day.
It's amazing what a dog walk can do for your mental health! Although our daily walking path here on the property AND our favorite park in town were taken by Helene, we are making it work. Nice days like today are admittedly few and far between right now, but I have every intention of taking advantage of as many as possible.
Get out with your dogs and take some deep breaths...
I guarantee you will feel like a new person.
#dogsheal #companiondogs #dogsbringpeace #naturetherapy #mixedbreeddogs #dogwalk #thatswhatdogsarefor #reactivedogs #dogtrainer #walkyourdog #ilovemydogs #dogtraining #appalachia #yanceycountync #burnsvillenc #f**khelene #hikingwithdogs #dogsthathike #adventuredogs #westernnc #wncistheplacetobe
Cheers, y'all.
🍻
#dogtricks #dogpartytricks #sillydogtricks #dogtraining
Just a little sweetness for you on a Thursday morning.
A snappy, snowy recall ❄️
#dogtraining #recalltraining #demodog #rescuedog #mixedbreeddog
"Leave it" is often overlooked as a core skill for dogs. I use it all the time for general life but I feel like it is one of those cues that could be lifesaving.
This skill is easily taught using only food or toys in the house and moved gradually into more and more distracting and stimulating situations until... you can use it on the kitty at the bar.
I did this only about 5 times while she played with Bug, these are the first two times. Don't miss little opportunities like this to practice your skills. This is training!
Things to notice:
1) I never give her any pressure on the leash. Even on the first try when she hesitates, I give her a full chance to respond. And she did! What a shame if I had given her a tug too soon. I do as much of my training as possible without using the leash. That way, it's an easy transition to no leash at all when the time comes (and when appropriate).
2) I let her go back to playing with Bug after she is rewarded. This is important! There is no downside to leaving it temporarily, she is not getting dragged away. Although sometimes you do need to leave something for good, it's helpful if training setups involve things they can have!
3) My tone is pleasant and encouraging. She is not " in trouble" for playing with the cat, so no need for harshness.
4) I promise Bug is having fun. He stalks her and jumps her and is begging for it.
#dogtraining #bardog #dogtrainer #leaveit #dogmanners #demodog #burnsvillenc #trainyourdog #positivereinforcement #cpdt #cpdtka #yanceycountync #rescuedog #mixedbreeddog #gooddogstuff #thingsyourdogshouldknow #dogbasics #obedience
Wilson's "welcome home" song 🧡
The combination of these body language hints are telling me that Wilson is ready to act. This is not just an alert but a threat display to whatever/whoever he is focused on. (It is almost certainly a deer).
-His hackles are dramatic and easy to see between his shoulder blades and at the base of his tail.
-His tail is high and stiff! The muscles in his tail are so tense that his tail is quivering.
-Every muscle in his body is tense. Stiff dogs mean business!
-He is leaning forward into this. His body weight, tail, lips, ears, everything are pulled forward.
-His ears are up and forward and alert. He is confident.
- Barking is all part of the package.
-When he turns along the fence you can hear growls and huffs. I think he is actually trying to calm down here.
-Commissure is a fancy name for lip position. When the camera follows him to his side, you can see his lips are pushed forward like he is blowing out a birthday candle. This is seen in threats and aggressive interactions.
-The ducks are coming closer because they are safest near him where he is warning off any potential predators.
-Minnow is unimpressed.
#caninebodylanguage #bodylanguagebreakdown #dogtraining #dogtrainer #pittymix #rescuedog #mixedbreeddog #dogtips #doginfo
Sebastian is a 10 month old lab mix who is full of energy! He is friendly with people and dogs and would LOVE to go with you on hikes and runs and trips to the lake. He has not yet been taught polite manners, but he is very trainable and eager to learn! And just look at those freckles on his nose... how can you resist?
If you're looking for a goofy boy with a zest for life, come meet him at @yanceyhumanesociety today!
#adoptabledogs #shelterdogs #yanceycountyhumanesociety #burnsvillenc #burnsvillenorthcarolina #yanceycountync #828isgreat #ashevilledogweirdos #ashevillenc #happydogs #smilingdogs #dogsthatneedhomes #adventuredog
Minnow loves getting her ass kicked by the cat.
#rescuedog #mixedbreeddog #dogsandcatscanbefriends #dogsandcatsplaying
Make sure your dog has a good chance to release tension every day by doing exactly what they love. For Scout, that means frisbee!
#frisbeedog #discdog #mixedbreeddog #dogtraining #dogtrainer #dogadvice #dogtrainingtips
Jackie Mobley
