The Name Game!
We tend to forget that #dogs don't come to us knowing their names. We have to teach them and frankly, their name is one of the most important things they can know. So how do we teach our #pups their name? Here's a quick primer on how to get started, featuring Bodhi and a brief apperance from Lenny.
#DogTraining #DogBehavior #PositiveReinforcement #ForceFree #ChicagoDogTrainer #RescueDog
Demand barking is one of those behaviors I get asked about a lot. What is it? The simplest explanation is that it's when your dog barks at you to ask for or demand something. What that something is could be anything - food, play, affection, attention ... it varies by situation.
The tough part about demand barking is that we often inadvertently reward it. Think about it: Your dog barks at you so you decide to play with them to get them to be quiet. It seems to work until a bit later when your dog barks at you again.
Why did they bark at you again after you played with them? Because last time they barked, you played with them, so they figured that barking worked to get them what they wanted. And you inadvertently taught them that.
So how do you deal with it? That's what this video's all about. The basic idea is that you have to teach them to ask for what they want by essentially not asking for it. I know that's a little confusing, but I clarify in the video.
#DogTraining #DogBehavior #DemandBarking #BigWagsChicago #Dogs
It's getting #cold out there, y'all. Make ure you and your #dogs stay safe.
#Chicago #ChicagoWeather #Midwest #MidwestWinter #Winter #Dog #SafetyFirst
Got a chance to do some ghost walking with Sam and his mom, Katie, on Thursday. Ghost walking is one of my favorite leash walking exercises because it helps both dog and handler learn what it feels like to have a walk where there's absolutely no tension on the leash. Katie was so confident (especially at the part where Sam got distracted by someone coming out of the gate) and Sam was so focused.
Ok, so I love posting videos of appropriate #dog play. Especially when it's rough-looking appropriate dog play. I think it's helpful to see play that LOOKS rough and explain why it's still very appropriate. That said ...
You'll probably notice that both Bodhi and our foster, Damien (he's the #husky) are both moving very quickly. They're mouthing each other occasionally. They're vocalizing a lot, including some growls and barks. And it just kind of looks rough and if you're not totally sure what you're looking at, you might think it's a little scary-looking.
I totally get it. But let me talk about why this is actually incredibly appropriate play. First - it's equal. If you watch closely, you'll see that they're going back and forth a lot. Bodhi will chase Damien and then Damien will chase Bodhi. Damien will lay down and then Bodhi will lay down. Bodhi will bounce on Damien and Damien will bounce on Bodhi. It's equal. It's fair. Nobody's being pushy. They're taking turns and going back and forth.
Another important detail to note is that they're not constantly moving. They're taking very quick breaks between bounces and between chases. Those little breaks are super important because they allow the #dogs to kind of reset and check in with each other. Basically, each break, they're asking each other "You still cool? We still going?" And at the end, when they separate, neither dog is trying to keep playing. They let each other disengage.
Finally, I'll address the mouthiness they're both showing. Note that neither is biting down. They're just opening their mouths and putting them on each other. And they're not doing it constantly.
When it comes to play, every dog has their own style. In this case, the dogs are playing fast, bouncy and a little mouthy. That's their style. And it's really cool that they're doing this even though Damien's only been here a week. Some dogs prefer slower play, some dogs prefer faster and rougher. Some dogs like to play loud, some dogs do
Hope you all get something tasty to celebrate National #Dog Day!
#NationalDogDay #DogsRule #Kong #FrozenKong #PeanutButter
This is Luna (and her mom, Gaby). Luna is a bit leash reactive and she's also just VERY easily distracted while outside. She LOVES exploring. She's also VERY strong and prone to pulling when on her leash. That's a tough combination and it can make walking her hard.
Y'all know I'm a HUGE advocate for letting dogs sniff and explore as much as they want. That said, we do occasionally need our pups to walk nicely on leash, which they need to be taught to do. But Luna's reactivity and near-constant desire to explore make that hard.
So what you're seeing here is an exercise I do with easily distracted #dogs. What I did was tell Gaby to start walking with Luna and then just occasionally change direction with no warning. No yanking or tugging on the leash. Just changing direction and getting Luna to follow. And of course, Gaby rewarded Luna for checking in and following her because, as I tell my dogs all the time, reinforcement drives behavior.
The idea is that by making the walk unpredictable - rather than your standard walk in a line/turn/walk in another line/turn/rinse/repeat walk pattern - it helps Luna learn to focus on Gaby. That's important because if she's focused on Gaby, she's not as focused on the world around her and there's less pulling.
And as you'll see, Luna absolutely CRUSHED this exercise. She's just laser focused on Gaby and we were in Humboldt Park. It's one of the biggest parks in #Chicago and there were a LOT of distractions out and about.
If you've got a dog that pulls or is distracted on walks, try breaking up the routine a bit. I bet you'll find it helps!
#DogTraining #DogBehavior #LeashWalking #ReactiveDog #HumboldtPark
Breakfast enrichment with Sarabi!
Mealtime is one of my favorite times to incorporate #enrichment into dogs' lives. Sarabi here is enjoying her breakfast out of one of my favorite toys - the #Kong Wobbler. We feed her half of her breakfast out of the Wobbler and the other half out of a slow-feeder dish.
Even though only half of her meal comes out of the Wobbler, she spends 15-20 minutes trying to get it all. Even with the slow-feeder dish, she wouldn't spend that amount of time trying to get it all. So it really slows her down and guess what? She loves it! She loves slapping it around and getting all the little bits out of it. She loves that it makes noise. She loves that she can spin it and pounce on it. It's fantastic!
Enrichment is one of those things that is so good for your #dogs and is so easy to incorporate into your daily routines. It's an easy way to work their brains and relax them. We should all be doing more of it with our #pups.
Long story short - yay enrichment!
#CanineEnrichment #FosterDog #GreatDane #GreatDanePuppy #GreatDaneMix #RescueDog #RescueDogsOfInsta
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