This clip is from an episode of Think Like a Dog Extended all about preparing your dog for the holidays. The entire episode can be found on MIK9 Extended by clicking the link in our bio.
I get the most calls for training sessions right after Thanksgiving and Christmas. The majority of those calls are due to a dog biting a family member visiting for the holidays, getting into a fight with a family member’s dog, or a dog who simply struggles with change (guests in the house, travel, new schedules).
If your dog has a firm understanding of how to use healthy coping mechanisms like the place or the crate when they’re feeling stressed and you’re inviting people over that you are extremely confident will respect your training and your boundaries you have set up for your dog, then great! No need to worry.
Unfortunately though, that’s not the case for most people. Most of my clients teach place YEAR ROUND as a safe space to prepare for moments like hosting Thanksgiving dinner. But if we forget to advocate for our dog and really hold firm on these boundaries with our guests, we undo a lot of the association we’ve worked so hard to build.
It is NOT a cop out to put your dog away when you’re hosting an event. Your attention won’t be on your dog and you won’t have the bandwidth to support them in the way they need. Putting your dog away in situations your dog can only fail in…is support, training, and love all in itself.
#dogtraining #dogtrainingadvice #dogbehavior #holidayswithdogs #reactivedogs
Watch the full Muzzle Training video and tons more on MIK9 Extended! You can find the link to this in our bio or by visiting mirrorimagek9.com
This clip is from an episode of Think Like a Dog Extended all about different products we normally recommend against. The entire episode can be found on MIK9 Extended by clicking the link in our bio.
Enrichment toys are great when they’re used in a healthy way. They allow our dogs to use their brains to problem solve and figure out different puzzles. They tap into our dog’s instinctual drive to analyze and find solutions to problems, just like they would in the wild.
However, one of the most common phone calls I get is someone who cannot understand why their dog is still showing signs of separation anxiety or hyperactivity when they have so many different enrichment toys around them to play with. With separation anxiety, the dog being “bored” is almost never the issue and no amount of toys left at home is going to help. By supplying a constant flow of enrichment toys to our more hyperactive dogs, we’re missing teaching the one skill that can actually solve our problem: how to turn off and do nothing. And by constantly giving them something to do, we’re teaching them to constantly expect to do something.
But my biggest problem with enrichment toys is that they’re most often used as a way out of actually training and playing with our dogs. Enrichment toys are great every now and then. But so much can be taught to your dog when YOU are involved in the play.
#dogtraining #dogtrainingadvice #dogbehavior #enrichmenttoys #playwithyourdog
Decided to post this morning’s Pack Walk clip without any music. Because the sounds of these people and these dogs all walking together is its own form of music.
One of my favorite clips of almost any Pack Talk.
Kathy works so hard with her dogs. She’s come such a long way. But no client will ever be far along enough in their training for me to not call them out on something I know isn’t going to help them reach their goals. There’s never any judgement or shame. But I’ll always tell you the truth!
For all MIK9 Extended members working through creating rules and boundaries for their dogs, please share your calendars with your dogs so they know not to tell on you during Pack Talks!
😂😂😂😂
Thumper showed the pack who the real sk8er boi was today.
If you’ve never been called a poser, you were never in love with the sk8er boi during your emo phase in middle school.
We love coming up with new exercises to challenge our pack as often as possible. Once we get all the dogs skateboarding by themselves, we’ll teach them how to drive and vacuum the house next!
This clip is from an episode of Think Like a Dog Extended all about different products we normally recommend against. The entire episode can be found on MIK9 Extended by clicking the link in our bio.
Harnesses tend to do the exact opposite of what most client’s end goal is. Harnesses were invented to “harness” the animal’s body weight so they’re able to pull more comfortably. Originally, harnesses were invented for horses or other draft animals to more easily and more comfortably pull heavy loads, carriages, or vehicles. One of the first jobs we introduced dogs to after their domestication was pulling sleds. In order for the dog to pull the sled more comfortably, smaller harnesses were created for the dog so they could more easily utilize their pulling power.
The entire purpose of the harness is to allow the dog to pull. However…most people who purchase a harness are doing so because they’re trying to STOP pulling, not encourage it.
I see the thought process behind why people purchase harnesses. It’s not fun to watch your dog be uncomfortable pulling on their flat collar. Harnesses are impeccably marketed as the answer for a more comfortable walk with your dog. However, the harness misses the entire point of what it takes for a truly comfortable and connected leash walk…
It doesn’t help teach the dog to…just not pull.
If your dog is pulling on the walk there is one sure fire way to stop it: training.
There is not one single tool out there on the market that can train your dog for you. Any products advertised as such are huge red flags.
Don’t get me wrong, there are situations where a harness is actually a super helpful tool.
But if you’re looking to rely on a harness to teach your dog to stop pulling on the leash…I’d research trainers near you instead!
#dogtraining #dogtrainingadvice #leashtraining #leashwalking
