Green Paws Dog Trainer

04/24/2023

trainer tip:
If you have a fearful, reactive dog, negative reinforcement is not an appropriate correction.( Prong, choke, shock collars etc.) Instead redirect and use positive reinforcement: treats, toys, praise or attention to desensitize them to trigger.
Dogs need to be able to communicate, using negative reinforcement only suppresses the reaction, the fear is still there, you risk the dog getting so overwhelmed they will react without warning.
Contact me if you have questions or need training!!!

04/24/2023

Trainer tip: comparison and understanding of a fearful dogs reaction vs humans with a stranger.
Scenario- Human: you are sitting on your couch relaxing, a stranger walks in. You jump up and yell "who are you?! get out of my house!". The stranger continues to walk toward you. You continue to yell, threaten to call the police, back away while looking around for an escape or weapon, you pick up a lamp. The stranger continues to advance, reaching out towards you, you lunge forward while swinging the lamp, threatening to hurt them. The stranger still advances saying "it ok I won't hurt you" and tries to touch you. At that point you either run away or you hit them with lamp until they stop.... Very scary situation right?
Now put that in a fearful dogs prospective.

A stranger walks into the house, they get up, growl and bark. The stranger continues forward, the dogs hackles go up they snarl ,growl and bark, they frantically look around for an escape route (the only weapon they have are teeth). The stranger still advances, reaching out toward the dog. The dog barks, snarls,lunges and air snaps at the stranger. The stranger still advances, saying" it's ok I won't hurt you" and tries to touch the dog. At this point the dog will either try to run away or will use the only weapon they have and bite the stranger until they stop.
Guess what, to a fearful dog, EVERY new person you bring home is that SCARY STRANGER.
This is why It is vital, you properly train your fearful dog, so when you bring in a new "stranger" they know how to respond. The "look" and "greet" method is a wonderful tool to use.
*New puppy owners; a great way to avoid raising a fearful dog, is to properly socialize and desensitize them.

08/01/2021

Is your dog bored and loves to sniff? The search game is a great way to engage your dog, work their mind and keep them entertained!

07/31/2021

Fin learning and loving the search game!!

07/30/2021

Tucker started on search game today! He is doing amazing!

07/21/2021

Doser working on his distance recall!

07/21/2021

Doser behaving like a dream, with all the distractions!

07/21/2021

Doser doing some confidence building exercises!

07/10/2021

This is a good exercise for any dog. Having them smell, put their paws on and then climb random objects, helps them overcome fear and builds their confidence. Start small and work your way to more difficult objects, never force it, instead lure them with treats and praise!!

07/10/2021

Dean and Alanea working in heel together!

07/08/2021

Working with Rex for the first time at partners, very smart boy!

02/27/2021

Offering private in home lesson. PM for more information!!

01/30/2021

Hello everyone I will soon be offering private training lessons. I am a ABC certified dog trainer. I will be offering basic obedience, puppy training and behavior modification techniques. Feel free to PM me for more information.

dog training