Walk This Way Canine Training

06/20/2024

Remi’s paw will be bigger than my hand in no time.
It’s a great representation of connection and trust with our four-legged companions. 💕

06/15/2024

Mac had fun enjoying his stuffie, sniffing out treats in the puppy puzzle and building duration for his place training with a licki mat.

06/07/2024

Remi is hilarious with all her different poses in the chair. She is unusual with her coloring for her breed which is?

05/30/2024

I had a lot of fun hanging out with Hank. He did a stay and train program with me for two weeks and learned games to help with impulse control, how to walk on a leash nicely and basic manners training. Good boy Hank!

05/20/2024

Is your dog doing a lip lick and it hasn’t eaten anything? This is another body language sign that dogs usually will display when they’re nervous or anxious. A lot of times you’ll notice it when you’re trying to take their picture. When do you notice your dog doing it?

LANGUAGE OF THE LICK

Dogs usually lick their lips when food is about to be served, when a tasty treat is imminent, when those soulful eyes are begging you to share whatever you’re putting in your mouth, or when that last morsel of food stuck on their nose needs to be captured.

Maybe it’s just an itchy nose or a pesky bug that’s irritating them, but sometimes lip licking can be an important sign that there’s something else going on.

The amazing vocabulary that is dog body language is often spoken through subtle signs that are so easy to miss, but when noticed can provide us with important information as to how our dogs are feeling.

Lip licking is part of a group of calming signals that dogs use in an attempt to avoid conflict, calm themselves and others down and generally indicate that they’re feeling anxious or uncomfortable about something.

We also often use this type of body language without even being aware of it. Fiddling with our hair, nails or ears, biting the end of a pencil, tapping feet - may all happen when we’re feeling uncomfortable in a situation.

Sometimes lip licking can provide a warning that there’s an underlying medical condition like gastrointestinal issues, dental or mouth problems or pain somewhere in the body.

Take note of lip licking in different situations. It may be as simple as seeing a lip lick when you just can’t resist kissing that adorable face, but your dog is telling you that they really don’t feel comfortable with your way of expressing affection.

Take note, listen to their language and do what you can to improve their emotional state.

05/16/2024

Did you ever wonder why your dog shakes off when he’s not even wet. The shake off is another body language communication that is used for multiple reasons such as to relieve stress, anxiety, extra energy and when they’re playing to give the other dog notice to take a break for example.

JUST SHAKE IT OFF
Dogs constantly communicate through their body language.

A “shake off” is one of the many types of body language and is one of the easier ones to notice.

The shake off can provide us with important insights as to how our dogs are feeling.

Besides being a very effective way to get rid of dirt, pesky bugs and water - dogs can remove up to 70% of water in one single shake off - the shake off is often seen just after something that a dog needs a mental reset from.

It’s a way to flush out adrenaline and could be compared to us taking a deep breath to reset our nervous system and calm ourselves down.

Dogs instinctively know they feel better when they just shake it all off!

It’s their way of saying “Phew, I’m glad that’s over, now I can put it behind me and move on”.

Shaking off is a positive way to calm down, reset and cope with stress – be that negative or positive stress.

Sometimes a shake off could be due to an underlying medical reason like an ear infection, allergy, itching or pain.

If you notice a shake off, look at what has just happened beforehand. This will provide a good clue as to what it is that your dog needs to reset from.

05/08/2024

Who’s that doggie in the window?
It’s Miss Mabel.

05/07/2024

Dogs are always talking to us and to each other by using body language signs. This is just one of the signals used by them. Yawn away!

Language of a Yawn

Yawning is one of the many signals that dogs use to calm themselves or others down when they’re feeling stressed or uncomfortable.

Neuroscience shows that yawning is also triggered during moments of transition from one behavioural or emotional state to another - waking up, falling asleep, moving from being relaxed to alert or from an anxious to a calm emotional state.

Although we may be unaware of it, we also use types of calming signals. Think about the kind of body language we might show when we’re in a situation that doesn’t allow us enough personal space, like getting into an elevator with a group of strangers.

We may instinctively not face anyone directly, look down at the floor, watch the indicator buttons, focus on our phone and avoid any eye contact - these are all “calming signals” that people use to prevent any potential conflict.

If you notice more yawning than usual, or yawning in a specific situation, look into what may be causing this.

A yawn caused by stress is usually longer, more intense, with the tongue curled up at the end.

Sometimes there is so much more to a yawn than we may think.

04/30/2024

Who’s that doggie in the window? It’s Murphy!

04/27/2024

Bring your furry companion and come visit me at my booth at this fun event!

Miamitown Pet Palooza is returning for a 3rd year! Bring your pets for a fun-filled day of petcentric activities, or come to the event to adopt a pet! It’s free to visit!

Interested in being a vendor at the Pet Palooza? Sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe6bB_o4IeXaHw1VMQDxC1XA45147H6hF1zETA45RsCr_l9yw/viewform

Interested in serving food at the Pet Palooza? Sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdwtvBGGh2y2dHPDNZ1mPfiOdZT8oQB6KWJsORSsR5dGGNPoA/viewform

Are you a non-profit pet adoption agency looking for loving owners to adopt? Participation is free and greatly appreciated, and you can sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf8B2QbWbzU3-c9oJD3XQ9q1M9VEduBqQ4ICxkI9e8gVuKVbw/viewform

04/27/2024

If you ever wondered what colors dogs can see.

WHAT COLOURS DO DOGS SEE?
Contrary to popular belief, dogs are not colour blind.

A dog’s visual world is certainly not as vibrantly colourful as ours, but they do see a range of yellow, grey and blue shades and have better night and peripheral vision than we do.

Colour is interpreted and discerned by nerve cells in the eyes. The retina has two main types of cells called rods, which detect light levels and motion and cones which differentiate colour.

A human’s eyes have three types of cones which can identify combinations of red, blue, and green.

Dogs have only two types of cones that are only able to discern shades of blue, yellow and grey – this perception of colour is called dichromatic vision.

An ophthalmology professor at the University of Washington discovered that dogs could see blues and yellows but not reds and greens. This information would have been confirmed by anatomical investigation of a dog’s eye.

It would make more sense if manufacturers of dog toys would take a dog’s colour spectrum into account when producing dog toys.

Toys are usually made to visually appeal to people, not dogs.

Shades of yellow, grey or blue are far more appealing to your dog than a bright shade of red or another colour.

04/16/2024

Drax is enjoying all the different enrichment activities during his training. Isn’t he a cutie?

04/12/2024

You would never guess Rosie is only an eight month old Golden-doodle. She still has a lot of filling out to do. Learning and playing can be very tiring when you’re a pup.😊

04/02/2024

Mr. Frodo just gave blood. He’s 1 pint short of a gallon for his blood donations at Care Center Animal Blood Bank. If you have a healthy, larger sized dog, please think about having them screen them if they can be a donor to help their other four-legged friends.
The perks are they get a full chemistry blood profile, large bag of science diet dog food and knowing you’re helping other dogs. 

03/29/2024

Brothers Freddy and Guppy were enjoying their playtime together during their training session.

02/29/2024

Eddie is having so much fun learning about coming back for a recall. Don’t you love the way his ears flap when he runs?

02/09/2024

Check out these pups practicing their place training. It can be used to have them hang out on it when you’re preparing food in the kitchen or to go to when eating dinner at the table or having them learn to chill on their bed. 

01/30/2024

Miss Sandy is such a sweetie. I love the way she crosses her front paws. Our dog Slick used to do the same thing. She’s such a love bug.

01/26/2024

Training is easy to incorporate into your dog's daily routine by asking them to do something first before they get to do something they want to do. It's similar to asking kids to eat their veggies first before they get dessert.🙂

Did you know that every opportunity is a training opportunity? There is a common misconception that dog training is too time consuming or difficult to do at home, but it doesn't have to be. Incorporating dog training into your daily routine improves your dog's behavior, strengthens your bond, and creates a happier and healthier pet. Consider practicing the following behaviors with your dog.

🐾For practicing "Sit", ask your dog to sit before doing the following:
* Putting the food bowl down.
* Going outside.
* Being petted.
* Before throwing a toy.

🐾For practicing “Leave it”:
* Drop something on the floor and ask the dog to leave it.
* While watching TV, toss something on the floor and ask the dog to leave it.

🐾For practicing “Stay”:
* If the dog is already lying down, ask them to stay while you grab your evening snack.

🐾For practicing “Wait”:
* Ask your dog to wait before eating his meal.
* Ask your dog to wait before allowing them to go outside.

Remember that training is an ongoing process. Even after your dog has mastered the basics, continue to reinforce their skills, and introduce new challenges to keep them mentally and physically stimulated. Always make training a positive experience, and tailor your approach to your dog's unique needs and personality.

If you encounter specific behavior problems, enlist the help of a positive reinforcement dog trainer. Use APDT's trainer search at locateatrainer.org to find a trainer near you!

01/26/2024

What does a corgi mini Bernedoodle look like? Well Hank is the one. Don’t you love his ears one down and one up and he has a lot of long fringe hair along them. He’s learning how to walk nicely on a leash, and how to greet without jumping up.

01/21/2024

Meet this gorgeous Aussie Miss Lovey.
She is learning how to walk nice on leash, and how to say hi into greet without jumping up to do so. She loves playing fetch and she would make a heck of a goalie!

01/11/2024

Love this explanation that dogs do experience emotions and this helps us to understand that a dog’s behavior can have underlying emotions driving it.

EMOTIONS MATTER!
Dog’s emotions really do matter, far more than we may realise.

Emotions matter because emotional states drive behaviour.

Think about how our emotions have a direct affect on our behaviour – we may lash out at others because of the emotions of fear, anger or frustration. Be irritable if we are tired or in pain. Struggle to focus or learn something new if we are stressed or anxious, shut down or over react if we feel insecure or unsafe ….

When a dog’s emotional needs and well-being are not supported and not addressed, behaviour problems are often seen.

Unwanted behaviour shouldn’t be looked at independently or as a specific problem that needs to be fixed.

When needs are met, when emotions are recognised, when body language is understood and listened to, a dog’s emotional state will change, which will in turn bring about positive changes in behaviour.

These are the foundations on which behaviour change is built.

01/11/2024

Hey, you puppy owners out there this is an awesome free resource of an online event that has a lot of great advice and discussions with positive reinforcement dog trainers. I highly recommend it.

It’s here!!! 🎉 I’ve been working diligently behind the scenes for the last few months to bring you another information packed conference with aaaaah-mazing guest speakers. 🤩

Don’t you wish puppies came with instructions? 📝

If you’ve ever thought that, then you’ll definitely want to sign up for the ‘Your Puppy Blueprint’ Summit.- where you can stop guessing, wondering, and Googling how to have a well-behaved puppy and turn the chaos to calm! 🐾

I’ve brought together 25+ top experts in dog behavior and training for this complimentary conference on raising a puppy (and surviving puppyhood). The best part is it’s FREE to you! 🎊

🐾 Raising a puppy isn’t easy and some days can feel overwhelming. Come hang out with me and the other amazing trainers and behavior professionals who will be part of the event, helping you with all your puppy predicaments. 🐕

👉🏻 So if you would like to:

✅ Get help with your puppy predicaments
✅ Understand your puppy better
✅ Improve your training skills to help build a better connection with your puppy
✅ Have access to helpful, accurate information
✅ Finally have the joy and life you envisioned when you brought your puppy home

Then this event is for you! 🎉

🐶 AND… you’ll be hearing from me, talking about one of my favorite topics 🩵 The Truth About Puppy Socialization: It’s Not About Meeting Dogs and People 🐶

🎈Registration is open now. Event starts 1/22.

🌈 I saved you a FREE front row seat. But you have to register to be part of it!
🎤Come listen to us chat all things puppy!
🎟️ Claim your front row seat to the event right here: https://conference.puppyblueprint.com/kellyfahey

01/09/2024

We make New Year’s resolutions for ourselves, but this article reminds us that we should make them for our dogs also to help improve our relationship with them.
The five highlights are to praise our dogs when they get things right, and try not to yell at them when they get things wrong which will help when everyone in the family is consistent with the rules.
Provide fun things for your dogs to do and enjoy doing them with them and give them plenty of physical exercise and mental enrichment. Good luck! Your dog will appreciate it!

01/03/2024

I wish everyone to have an awesome and Happy New Year and for sharing yourselves and your furry companions with me on your training journey and to everyone else who follows my page.
Please share how we can all make a difference in thier lives by using positive reinforcement training methods that help strengthen our bond and relationship with them.

11/27/2023

Teddy is a cute mini goldendoodle that enjoyed learning through play. He learned the drop cue by playing, fetch and tug with rules. Since he is very excited to meet new people, he learned about keeping 4 feet on the floor or offering a sit to say hi. He also learned how to relax on a mat to help with staying calm. He also enjoyed taking walks. Keep up the good work with your mom and dad Teddy.

10/30/2023

Scarlet and Chipper and I enjoyed our walks and the beautiful fall colors around the yard.

10/29/2023

Miss Scarlet was doing some nose work with boxes to help build up her confidence. She also enjoyed her play time with a flirt pole, a kong wobbler and squeaky toys.