Happy Life Dog Training

07/25/2024

100%

When we punish dogs for growling, even if they're growling at our child, we aren't helping them feel better about whatever it is that is threatening them. Instead, we are teaching to stop letting us know when they feel unsafe.

The result? A dog who stops giving us warning signs and "bites out of the blue."
And, that's how we create dangerous dogs. I'd much rather have a dog growl and tell me they're upset (so we have a chance to intervene and help them) than a dog who just bites without any warning signs.

06/17/2024

Keep your short-snouted pups out of the heat!

A picture is worth a thousand words...image credit International Canine Behaviorists

03/25/2024

One of my clients is missing her two beloved kitties from Hidden Springs Condominiums in Lewis Center. Stanley, the brown tabby was wearing a collar and tag at the time but may have lost it since. The black and white kitty is Kiki and does not have a collar or chip. Please reach out with (nearby) sightings! 614 284 8751

I specialize in positive reinforcement based training and management techniques to address behavioral issues.

02/17/2024

What do you guys think about this approach to loose leash walking?

01/07/2024

Let's get real for a second.

The world often paints a picture that dogs who live together are best friends and do everything together.

This is just not true. Many many many multidog household utilize management in different situations to allow dogs personal space to enjoy things such as:

- feeding time
- chew time
- play time
- attention time

This. Is. Normal.

Just because someone utilizes management, doesn't mean their dogs don't enjoy each other's company or have fun together. It just means that there are certain activities that they prefer to do on their own.

And I will tell you firsthand that implementing safe space zones and time apart can be so beneficial to the relationship between two dogs.

Think about it-- do you enjoy doing every single activity that you do at home with your spouse, family, or sibling RIGHT there? I don't think so.

So let's normalize management between dogs who live together!!

Do you want to work on your dogs' relationship and/or interactions? Go to my website here to schedule a private consult: perkedears.com/private-training-sessions

09/21/2023

Patterns matter!

PREDICTABLE PATTERNS AND WHY THEY MATTER
We can help our dogs cope in our world by providing predictable patterns that they can follow, even when the unpredictable happens.

This requires consistency and repetition, but dogs quickly learn what to do when that behaviour creates a predictable, rewarding result.

Predictability allows the brain to conserve energy which lowers anxiety and creates a sense of trust and security in knowing what to expect or what comes next.

Like other animals, people included, dogs are experts at looking for and finding patterns.

Being able to find a predictable pattern, not just in an environment but in the behaviour of others, helps to make sense of a situation, rather than feeling confused or anxious when no pattern can be found.

When we create predictable patterns, dogs begin to understand what happens and how they should respond when a specific situation occurs.

The situation becomes the cue for the behaviour rather than the cue itself. We often get caught up in using cues instead of just showing our dogs that this is what they should do in this situation.

Pattern games or training a behaviour by using patterns is a really effective tool to use with dogs that are reactive, anxious, fearful or lack confidence.

They’re simple and quick to teach and provide predictability when a situation may be unpredictable.

To find out more about Leslie McDevitt’s different pattern games from the Controlled Unleashed ™ program, have a look at Tanzi Leary’s (CDBC, CPDT-KA, PMCT1, SAPT, FFCP) website - https://www.dogcrazylady.com/post/pattern-games

08/22/2023

Im offering a new hybrid two-part class for the owners of dogs who “overreact” to seeing other dogs/people/bikes while on leash/behind a fence/at the window.

Reactivity is the main behavior issue I see with my clients, but there’s a lot of learning that goes with it. The first session is an online video/presentation available September 1st that covers all the important information you need to know to tackle this issue. The second session is a private training session to go over putting the techniques you learned into practice at home.

I’m limiting the class to 10 participants since it’s new. The cost is $90 and can be paid via
Venmo: lauren-schnieders

https://www.happylifedogtraining.com//_paylink/AYoajC8Y

06/28/2023

Guys. Every night from now until the end of July be extra careful. Don’t take your pets out to see fireworks or attend parties. Leave them secure at home. Walk on a martingale collar or other secure means and don’t let them out off leash. It’s not worth losing them when the shelters are already in crisis and full.

Pet Safety

Did you know that more pets go missing on July 4th than any other day of the year? Fireworks frighten animals. HMDD Alum, R***r has a few tips to keep your pets safe this holiday weekend!

04/25/2023

Have you ever heard someone say, after their dog bit someone, it was "a complete surprise"? They had no idea their dog would bite, and it came entirely from "out of the blue"?

We've heard this a LOT, but if you know what to look for, dog bites are very predictable and preventable because dogs almost always display multiple warning signs that they are uncomfortable, anxious, or afraid about certain specific people, places or things, long before they ever bite someone. It's just that most people ignore these warning signs.

There are a handful of VERY common triggers that are likely to make dogs feel stressed, and you should know what they are so you can be on the lookout for signs that your dog is avoidant or fearful around these things. If your dog is fearful about any of these things, don't ignore it! Instead, proactively teach your dog to feel comfortable about these things immediately, to help your dog feel relaxed, so they can enjoy life, and so they don't end up biting someone in the future.

Usually, bites happen when more than one of these triggers are present at the same time, and the stress adds up until it's too much for the dog to handle and they react defensively. But if you work with one trigger at a time, you can use classical conditioning to diffuse these triggers and put your dog at ease.

Download the PDF version of this document, and learn more about recognizing and diffusing these common bite triggers here: https://dunbar.info/predict_and_prevent_dog_bites

And if your dog is reactive or fearful of anything, we want to help. We're offering our Reactive Dog Toolkit for 50% off for the next few days, and we'll be offering 1-week of PERSONALIZED SUPPORT to any student who signs up, to make sure you get the answers and advice you need to resolve your dog's problems.

Sign up now: https://dunbar.info/reactive-dog-2023

As always, any purchase you make on Dunbar Academy comes with a 30-Day Satisfaction Guarantee.

04/18/2023

Enrichment is so important for dogs, but did you know there are five types? In this photo, Pixar is engaging in sensory and physical enrichment. She loves to explore and roll around in the tall grass of this field that used to be a cow pasture. Letting a dog use their nose to explore their environment is important! Try not to get frustrated on walks when they want to stop and sniff every five feet. Their brains are hard at work collecting information and this sensory stimulation can actually help burn off excess energy in addition to walking.

03/19/2023

Truth!

02/11/2023

Dogs trained with aversive methods are less likely to show a ‘secure base’ effect.

02/05/2023

😜👇🏻

🤣🤣🤣

10/11/2022

What can you learn about your pet’s emotional state from martinis, chocolate… and spiders?

Find out: https://www.fearfreehappyhomes.com/what-martinis-and-chocolate-can-teach-you-about-overcoming-your-pets-fears/

10/08/2022

08/23/2022

Sociability is a spectrum. It can also change over a dogs lifespan. Most dogs are dog selective. Something to keep in mind when considering a dog park or letting your dog off leash at the park. He or she May be friendly but many dogs who are on leash don’t want to be approached by strange dogs.

So valuable to understand this.

06/07/2022

Dominance "training" causes stress and is a dog's worst nightmare.

06/06/2022

Beware of the dangers of Blue-Green algae to your dogs. It can be found in non-flowing freshwater during the summer months and can be fatal to our 4 legged friends.

At least eight dogs have died after swimming in ponds. Likely, liver failure was brought on by ingesting water contaminated with toxic blue-green algae.

05/30/2022

It can be tough, but the best thing we can do for our fearful/reactive/etc dogs is to speak up for them. It’s ok to say no when someone asks to pet your dog. In fact, I highly recommend it, unless you’re confident they enjoy interacting with strangers. If someone is approaching you and your dog it’s ok to stick your hand out and say “stop, he or she is not comfortable around strangers etc”.

I had to alter this original post, all I can say is… giddyup!

05/24/2022

So important

05/24/2022

It really doesn’t matter if your dog is friendly or not.

What matters is that you don’t take the choice away from another owner (and their dog) as to who they interact with.

There can be so many reasons why a dog and their owner need space from you and your dog.

Please allow them that choice 💙

02/08/2022

A Doggone Safe Reminder:
Dogs Don’t Like Hugs and Kisses – Teach kids not to hug or kiss a dog on the face. Hugging the family dog or face-to-face contact are common causes of bites to the face. Instead, teach kids to scratch the dog on the chest or the side of the neck.💖

12/14/2021

It’s not cringey. It’s accurate!

11/01/2021

🎃😂

Friendly reminder to set your vending machines out tonight! 🎃

08/14/2021

An interesting article!

Dog owners are 24% less likely to die for any reason, but the life-prolonging benefits are even higher for anyone with cardiovascular disease, according to two new studies.

07/31/2021

“My dog is a little too cute!” Yep, accurate.