Some Minor Dog Training

07/04/2025

07/03/2025

Remember, as we approach the 4th of July, to take the time to make sure our pets are safe and secure!

On the 4th of July (and sometimes for days before/after) leash your pet, even if just going outside to potty in the yard. Unexpected, sudden noises can startle even the most solid, unphased dogs and cause them to potentially run off. The continued eruption of noises can cause dogs who do run off to continue running, trying to hide, and can end up putting themselves in dangerous situations during their panicked state.

On the day of (or during fireworks), consider giving your dog some yummy treats to keep them distracted, and to build a positive association to the noise in a safe, structured manner. For anxious dogs you can also use calming chews, cat nip, or seek advice from your veterinarian to help make this day/week as stress free as possible.

We have already started our pack, and training clients, on calming exercises, prepared calming goodies, and have stuffed, frozen toppls prepped for the day of (which includes their kibble, pumpkin blend, raw ground ostrich, raw egg, cat nip, no-hide chews and freeze dried sardines).

If you find your dog struggles during this loud, chaotic week, please seek the help of a trainer to prepare your dog for the next set of firework holidays and make it as stress-free as possible in the future. ❤️

07/02/2025

BACK-TO-SCHOOL SALE: We are offering a 20% discount on all of our in-home dog training programs that are booked for August and September!

Now that the kids are back in school, and we have a little more time on our hands, this is a great opportunity to work on our dog training!

Shoot us a message for a FREE consultation (depending on location)! Prices available on our website:

www.SomeMinorDogTraining.com

07/02/2025

We are big fans of feeding a raw diet to dogs, BUT....

A lot of people don't think about the fact that the ingredients in processed dog food (like kibble) are very carefully balanced to ensure that the dog is getting the necessary amounts of each vitamin and nutrient. Raw food, obviously, often doesn't have this benefit especially with home prepared raw. Meaning that, when people switch to a raw diet, they often won't consider the fact that they have to balance those ingredients themselves. If they don't, the dog will become deficient in certain vitamins and nutrients, and they will get an overabundance of others.

That's why we always recommend talking to a vet, nutritionist, or other dog professional that deals with canine dietary requirements before switching over to raw meals. There are A LOT of benefits that come with raw feeding, especially for dogs that have allergies. But it's not a matter of simply giving them the food; it's an intentional mixing of certain ingredients to ensure that they're maintaining the proper balance of vitamins and nutrients for your individual dog and their lifestyle.🐶❤️

07/02/2025

We all want to give our dogs toys that they'll actually play with, but oftentimes we'll give them free access to every toy we buy them at the same time. What happens is that the dog gets bored of one, because it's always available, so they move onto the next, and then the next, until, eventually, they're not really interested in any of them.

If we rotate the toys, however, and only give them a couple at a time, and then switch them out for others, the dog won't have time to get bored. Each time you switch them out, it's as if the dog is getting a brand new toy, which makes it very exciting. This will keep them interested in all of their toys, and ensures that they get maximum enrichment from each one.

This also applies to toys that you're using for interactive play, like rope toys. Maybe the dog is bored of that particular toy, because it's always available, even if you're not around. So ensure that certain interactive toys are put away until you're ready to play. This will ensure that the novelty of the toy is maintained, while also making the association in the dog's mind that this particular toy is for a different type of play (not solitary play, but fun interactions between dog and human). ❤️💕

06/30/2025

"EXTINCTION BURSTS" IN DOG TRAINING:

"Extinction" refers to the process of gradually reducing or eliminating a behavior by stopping the reinforcement that was previously maintaining it. Reinforcement could be a reward from us, but it could also be the satisfaction they get from performing a behavior (like jumping or barking).

An "Extinction Burst" refers to the temporary increase in the intensity or frequency of an unwanted behavior when the reinforcement for that behavior is removed. It's a natural part of the extinction process where the dog tries harder to get the desired outcome before eventually giving up.

This is why we say that management is the other side of the dog training coin, because Extinction Bursts DO happen, so we want to prevent them from practicing the undesired behaviors while we teach them the appropriate ones.

This is also why it's so important that, once we start the behavior training process, we can't stop. Otherwise the behaviors can often come back stronger and more intense than they were before.

So stay strong. If the dog was doing great, and they start to regress, we want to maintain that consistency and structure, and it'll pass. Just remember that dogs get better at what they practice, so if we give in and say we're not going to reinforce something because we don't feel like it, then the dog WILL return to their previous behaviors. I always say: The hardest part of dog training for most people is not the actual training, but rather the consistency necessary to turn those things into habits. 🐶❤️

06/28/2025

It's impossible to have a baby AND continue living the same lifestyle you had beforehand. Similarly, dog ownership is not about fitting the dog into your current lifestyle; it's about creating a whole new life WITH your dog.

So, if we want to change the dog's behavior, we're going to have to change with them. If we want them to "Sit" every time we open the front door, for example, then we're going to have to ensure that we're stopping and having them "Sit" every single time until it becomes a habit. If we only enforce things when WE feel like it, then the dog will only listen when THEY feel like it.

This also means, if our dog is having behavioral issues, there's often something within our lifestyle that is allowing them to continue. That's not to say that we're CAUSING the issues (a lot of dogs naturally have their own problems), but that something about how we're interacting with them, or something about our household/lifestyle, is making the dog feel like their current behavior is acceptable. So we need to figure out what that is and change it if we expect to see lasting change within the dog. 🐶❤️

06/25/2025

A big part of dog training is showing the dog what works to get them what they want, versus what DOESN'T work. That's why, while we teach them the appropriate behaviors, we want to prevent them from practicing the unwanted ones. 🐶❤️

06/23/2025

This is a great game to help build a dog's ability to focus on you. How high can you go without your dog looking away?

When working with a dog outside, the name of the game is "Focus." We want the dog to find us more valuable and attractive than any dog, person, squirrel, or anything else in the environment. That's not to say we don't want them to explore and all that stuff, but we also want them to be able to focus on us if needed. Just like anything in dog training, though, that's something that has to be built up. This is a great game to help gradually do that.

(1) Get a lot of treats and get the dog's attention.

(2) Ask the dog to "Sit," count to 1 while they're looking at you, give them a reward. Then take 1 step forward while maintaining their eye contact, and give them a reward.

(3) Now, ask them to "Sit" for 2 seconds while maintaining eye contact, and reward. Then take 2 steps forward with them looking at you, and give them a reward.

(4) Continue with a count of 3 seconds and 3 steps, 4 seconds, etc. If they drop eye contact, start over at 1 second and 1 step.

How many seconds, and how many steps, can you take before the dog breaks eye contact? Can you double that number? Send us a video or picture of you working on it! 🐶❤️

06/18/2025

Some dogs, like some children, are super easy and don't require much effort. Others are more difficult, and require more management during the training process. So don't compare your dog to others, because each one is an individual. 🐶❤️

06/18/2025

If you've been following our page for a while, you'll remember Emrys, the Chinese Crested that we got about 6 months ago for the purpose of competing in dog shows.

This past week, he had his first experience at a show, though he didn't compete. We just wanted to expose him to the environment, and see how he handled being there everyday for a week. He did fantastic. We're so proud of him! Hundreds of dogs (not ALL on their best behavior), hundreds of people, and of course he got a lot of attention. Despite that, he was a perfect gentleman.

He will be competing in his first show next month (July)! Wish us luck! 🐶❤️