Double Down Dog Training

08/04/2024

Zero lives these

01/03/2024

Having your dog practice down stay (or anywhere really if your dog is semi-comfortable) in the crate can promote
-relaxation and self regulation (both in and out do the crate
-prevent general impulsivity and frantic mindsets
-help your dog see you as someone that is capable of upholding fair rules in and around the home to keep them safe and secure
-maintain positive associations when separated from you
-if done correctly, the dog will choose to stay in the crate at times on thier own.
*similarly the place cot can also provide this but stay behaviors in a variety of contexts helps the dog generalize what we are aiming to teach them
(Calmness gets them what they want)

11/12/2023

.fox visited again. She always keeps everyone on their toes!

10/29/2023

10/05/2023

How’s that recall?

10/02/2023

Don’t do it- it isn’t JUST bad for dogs.

❗Pumpkin Spice Is Pleasant to Smell, but Harmful to Pets❗

Air fresheners (both aerosol sprays and plug-ins), scented candles, wax melts, incense and other products may mask unpleasant odors and make your home smell delicious, but they also disperse airborne toxins ☠️. These include formaldehyde, naphthalene, phthalates and volatile organic compounds, which can cause a multitude of health issues in pets. ⚠️

Learn more about the health risks of air-scenting products to pets, along with pet-safe ways to keep your home smelling fresh and seasonal, in today’s free pet blog post on our website: https://bit.ly/46g0vfu

09/30/2023

After 5 days in Minniapolis , I am@back with my pack and ready to rock!!

09/26/2023

Why Have We Gone Soft on Our Dogs?

Over the past decade, there's been a significant shift in how we raise and train our beloved canine companions. The era of saying "no" to our dogs has faded, making way for an era of "yes." Rules and boundaries seem to have taken a backseat as owners are influenced by the media's portrayal of keeping our dogs constantly happy and comfortable, allowing them to do as they please.

We've fallen into the trap of attempting to solve all canine issues with an overflow of love and indulgence – almost like a negotiation. We think, "If I shower you with treats, toys, and let you have the run of the house, you'll be the happiest dog ever and love/respect me.” But, dogs don't operate that way.

When we go above and beyond to treat our dogs like royalty, they often end up treating us as their subjects. Even dogs with underlying insecurities or anxiety can be pushed into a leadership role, which they aren't equipped to handle.

The result? We're witnessing a surge in aggression, fear-based aggression, resource guarding, territorial behavior, overprotectiveness, hyperactivity, and separation anxiety in our dogs. Clearly, what we're doing isn't working.

Clients often tell me, "My dog is so well-behaved and happy when they're with you, but not so much with us. Why is that?" The answer is simple – I provide stability. Dogs need to understand where they stand, which gives them a sense of security. During our sessions, I'm loving and fun, but I'm also firm, correcting unruly behavior like pulling, jumping, and nipping in an appropriate but non harsh way. They know the rules, which allows us to focus on having a blast and achieving success together.

If you fear that setting boundaries with your dog and enforcing them will make them unhappy, that's a misconception. Wild animal packs thrive with clear hierarchies and roles. So, be a leader for your dog! Enforce rules and incorporate my four favorite F words: Fun, Friendly, Firm (but never harsh), and Fair. Never just scold your dog for being bad; they need your guidance and teaching of what they are supposed to do instead. Heavy reinforcement of what you want to see and yes, timely corrections for the bad stuff followed by redirection into the desired behaviour. Those 2 need to be done together, not just correction on its own. Life’s no fun if you’re always told no but never rewarded for what you do right.

Being a good leader for your dog won't harm your relationship – it will strengthen it. Leadership isn't about dictatorship; it's about guidance and structure.

It doesn't matter how you label yourself and your dog, as long as you consistently show up as a leader, teaching and shaping the behaviors you want to see, and living a consistent lifestyle with your dog.

I challenge you to try this for just one week and see the positive changes in your bond with your dog. Share your results!

➡️Start your dogs training journey today with the help of a coach by your side to guide you along the way! Book your free consult to get started: www.dukeferguson.com/consultationbooking

- Coach Sara
UPK9 PEI

www.upk9.ca
www.dukeferguson.com

09/10/2023

Shenzi- the dutchie in the back -is 7 years old and before she came to us, her mom could never get her this close to a dog due to her reactivity.
Never under estimate what your dog may be capable of when things are handled in a way that sets them up for success!

09/06/2023

Evening ferry ride!

09/05/2023

Miss Basil is cruising along in her learnings! Basil is generally a happy go lucky girl but does have some uncertainty at times, which has caused her to nip. Miss Basil also has a propensity to dart away from her owners or just get busy doing her own thing when off leash which for obvious reasons doesn’t usually end well for our pups. She is here to gain a more reliable recall so if she does get away and is operating in flight, we have a way to get her back to us. We also will be building up her general obedience skills so it is easier for her people to Introduce her properly to newcomers, reduce the risk of reactivity as well as help Basil feel more comfortable and controlled during those experiences. -training

08/31/2023

The one and only Miss Royal- who would rather be jumping off the boat rather then sitting in it. Food games for the win!

07/15/2023

Evening woods walk with two of my favs - the blonde girl came along to keep the big guys safe
Zero the Doberman was attacked by another dog on more then one occassion before he turned a year- it’s been a long road teaching him to feel safe around other dogs. Dora helps him remember to to stop and smell the roses and not be so visually focused on his environment.

07/12/2023

Dusty - my feral foster turned heart dog 💕🐕 50% ACD 50% Staffy

07/10/2023

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rescue-dogs-responsibly/id1504315595?i=1000620376659

‎Show Rescue Dogs Responsibly, Ep American Pit Bull Terriers with Phyllis Smuland Part 1 - Jul 9, 2023

06/28/2023

Miss Charlie out on the town in Langley today 💕

06/18/2023

Another

Cut your anchor.
Deal with now.

06/17/2023

06/12/2023

Meet Yuki
This pretty lady is here to build some confidence, focus and basic obedience. She can be reactive but my hunch is with some more clarity and positive exposure to people, places and things, she should train up quite nice!
With confidence and clarity comes manageability for both you and your dog. Many dogs find our world completely unmanageable, it is our duty to help them learn to navigate people, places and things so they can live their best lives with us!

06/04/2023

Silver School Shenanigans

06/03/2023

And herein lies the beginning…again.

06/01/2023

Day 1 of Silver School in the books! Already met some brilliant minds and have learned so much! Excited for what the future brings!

05/24/2023

Some pet parents neuter or spay their dogs for the behavioral benefits, while others want to prevent unwanted pregnancies, focusing on the pet overpopulation conversation. However, there's one aspect of dog spaying/neutering that receives less attention in available online resources, and that's the....

05/24/2023

🫶🏻

COUNTDOWN 9 DAYS
Be there!

05/16/2023

Costa Rica 🇨🇷💕🐬

04/13/2023

We live in the PNW-fleas and ticks are manageable. I have 5 dogs and cat plus whoever is here for training. Why subject your dog on the monthly to pesticides-insecticides?..We only have a short time with them already - dousing them with this stuff doesn’t help prolong that.
Get a good repellent and treat sparingly when needed- like in the height of flea and tick season with a topical and bath and flea comb your pet a week later and reapply your repellent.
Mad about Organics and Wondercide are my go to-

USE CAUTION WHEN CHOOSING A FLEA & TICK PREVENTIVE FOR YOUR PET! ⚠️🐶🐱

Popular flea, tick and Heartworm🦟 products have a history of being associated with reactions in some dogs and cats including seizures, behavioral issues, muscular/balance issues, and even death.

One class of these pesticides Isoxazoline (found in products like Nexgard, Bravecto and others) is so powerfully potent that it starts killing within two hours after administration! 🤯 In fact, it kills 98.7% of fleas within 24 hours! Because of this, Isoxazoline drugs now carry a warning⚠️ on their labels in both the U.S. and Canada.🇺🇸🇨🇦 Even the FDA-U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning statement for veterinarians and pet parents. 👩🏻‍⚕️

If you need to use a chemical preventive, or if you are looking for safer alternatives, you don’t want to miss today’s Inside Scoop Live episode at noon!

We’ll be discussing natural options, how to know if you really need Heartworm preventives year round, and supplement protocols to help support your pet if you have to give these pesticides. 🙌

Today Rodney Habib and Dr. Karen Becker are joined by special a guest co-host, veterinarian Dr. Judy Morgan D.V.M for this flea, tick and Heartworm extravaganza. We’ll also be covering:

🔥Non-chemical, natural prevention and integrative protocols

🔥What to look for and what to avoid when choosing a chemical pest preventative

🔥 Detox and support protocols when you are giving chemical preventives

…plus our Flea, Tick & Heartworm Guide full of DIY recipes, supplements and more! 📖

Join us Sunday at 12pm ET for this Live discussion. Looking forward to seeing you in the comments! 🙌

👉If you haven’t joined our troll free subscription group of 2.0 pet parents and want to learn more, just head over to the Planet Paws page and click the blue "Become a Subscriber” button to join our weekly Livestreams + get access to all the previous episodes to watch at your own pace! https://www.facebook.com/PlanetPawsMedia

04/13/2023

Committed to bringing my clients the very best!
Thank you for funding my NePoPo adventure!!
Can’t wait for June!! I’m taking May off so I should be totally refreshed when I get back from MO with all my new learnings!!

03/21/2023

💯

The other day our friends came over with their little girl, and I saw her do a few things that she could get away with with my dogs, but maybe not with other dogs.

So when the time was right, I talked to her and her parents about what she did and how it wasn’t safe.

What did she do? 🤔

#1 She reached through the fence to pet Havok and Zoey.

They responded by wagging their tails and licking her hand gently.

❌ But some dogs are extremely territorial and will bite anyone sticking their hand through a fence!

I told her to never pet a dog through the fence.

#2 She got down on the floor with Major and hugged him around the neck.

He responded by licking her face and pawing at her playfully.

❌ But some dogs will jump all over kids who get down at their level. Trampling and hurting them.

❌ Other dogs will bite or snap at kids who grab their head, neck or face.

On the floor is a bad spot for a kid to be with a dog. It’s a vulnerable and weak position.

I told her it’s best to stay standing and pet dogs gently on the back.

Then we talked about dogs in public that we don’t know. And how it’s best to not pet them and to leave them alone. That not all dogs are friendly even if the owners say they are.

And that with friends’ dogs, you should always ask the owner first and then, if they say it’s okay, let the dog approach you and pet it calmly. You don’t need to reach your hand out first.

We talked about how every dog is different and that it’s important to be respectful of dogs.

I asked questions and allowed her to come up with answers on her own. This made her think. It wasn’t a lecture. She’s young, and she was learning.

She didn’t have all the answers. And that’s OK!

My point is…

These are conversations that need to be had.

🚨 Adults, parents, dog owners: It’s our job to educate kids. They don’t know what they haven’t been taught.

Some of that education involves leading by example. Some of it involves correcting wrong behavior. And other times it means holding kids accountable for doing the wrong thing (when they’ve been taught otherwise).

Don’t shy away from teachable moments! 🔆

Don’t think you can’t say ”No.”

And don’t let kids do anything to any dog that could someday get them hurt by the wrong dog.

They’re young. They’re learning. And they’re counting on US to help them make good choices! 🙌🏻