Sensible Canine

08/09/2024

Our next Sensible Skills class will be offered on Monday, 9/9 at 7:30 PM. This is our general manners course where we will be teaching your dog all the basics; including sit, down, stays, leave it, loose leash walking, polite greetings, mat work, the always important recalls, and how to have fun while training! All group classes will be held in Lakewood.

Contact us now to sign up and get notified of next steps: https://sensiblecanine.com/services

08/06/2024

Congratulations to our recent graduates from our Sensible Skills group class! We loved watching all these wonderful pups and their people pick up foundation skills in this 5-week course and most importantly, have fun with training!

07/31/2024

Our last myth to debunk is that dogs only yawn when they are tired. While dogs can yawn for that reason, yawning is also used as a 'calming signal' or to diffuse a situation.

Technically speaking, a yawn helps relax muscles, so you can see why this may be used in a stressful situation. Next time you see your dog yawn, consider the possibility that they are showing signs of stress in this particular context and see if you can help them by improving the situation for them.

07/24/2024

We've all heard the phrase 'you can't teach an old dog new tricks' but this simply isn't true. All dogs are capable of learning new things so long as they are motivated to do so and taught in ways that support their success.

While older dogs may take longer to change their more ingrained habits or may have slightly slower cognitive function depending on the circumstances, they absolutely can learn new things! In fact, it could be argued that as their body slows down and they are less physically able, training is a wonderful form of enrichment for our older dogs.

07/21/2024

Another prevalent myth about our beloved pups is that they feel guilt. While we do know for certain that dogs feel emotions such as happiness, fear and sadness, there is no proof that they feel guilt or shame.

The look that your dog gives you when you walk in after a destructive event is likely linked to a learned association based on your reactions to certain contexts. For example, the association is likely more along the lines of 'when mom walks in and the trash is strewn across the floor, she is angry'. Because of this distinction, punishing your dog after an unfortunately event such as them getting into the trash won't actually help them understand what they did wrong but simply creates more stress for the both of you.

07/15/2024

This may come as a surprise to many, but the fact that dogs want to 'dominate' us and establish hierarchy is actually a myth. For years now, people have attributed jumping, mouthing, barking, defiance, and other behaviors to the need or desire to 'dominate'. The truth is that there are many natural (albeit undesirable) behaviors that dogs will act out in order to gain our attention and whatever works to do so will be repeated and can become a habit.

The original study of dominance theory was based on a small group of captive wolves in which they attributed disagreements and conflict to 'alpha wolves' establishing dominance over others. This study has been widely debunked by science, but had already spread far and wide into the world of dog training. Next time your dog does something frustrating, instead, think of it as an attempt for attention or a result of insecurity and teach alternate behaviors instead of 'alpha rolling' or otherwise punishing your dog in order to 'put them in their place'.

07/09/2024

Another myth is that only happy pups wag their tails. While a wagging tail can be a sign that a dog is happy, excited and friendly, it can also occur when a dog is feeling insecure, threatened or anxious.

Make sure to look at full picture of a dog's body language to help decipher. If their body is more loose and fluid, they are likely feeling calm and content. If there is a stiffness to their body language, there is likely anxiety at play.

07/02/2024

We wanted to share some fairly prevalent myths about dogs this month.

First myth is that dogs are colorblind.

In reality, dogs can see blues, yellows, and shades of gray. They cannot, however, see greens or reds. If working on training with colored targets, consider yellow and blue and maybe stay away from teaching your pup the game of red light, green light anytime soon...

06/24/2024

Congratulations to our recent Sensible Skills graduates! Romi, Vinnie and Poppy did an amazing job throughout class.

05/31/2024

Thanks for guessing!! Here's the results from Aubree's DNA test. She's got a lot of variety which culminate in such a sweet girl. We loved working with her, her husky brother, and her wonderful humans.

05/29/2024

Aubree is 100% good girl but her humans wanted a little more info about her breeds and decided to do a DNA test a little ways back. We're going to give you a chance to guess her breeds and we'll post them in a couple of days!

05/03/2024

Another useful training tool is a flirt pole. Though often mistaken for cat only toys, flirt poles designed for dogs are a wonderful addition to your training toolbox for so many reasons.

First off, they are a great energy outlet for days when the weather is bad or you just don't have the opportunity to get as much exercise in for your dog with walks/runs/playdates/etc. Flirt poles are a wonderful way to get your dog moving, jumping, and using their brain. In addition, you can use them to teach your dog better self regulation skills and how to play by certain rules. Teaching cues such as 'drop it', 'wait', 'get it', etc. while using the flirt pole will prove to be beneficial in many other settings as well.

04/25/2024

The next tool that you'll want to have on hand is a treat pouch. In order to be the most effective trainer possible for your dog, you'll need to have quick access to reinforcements with the ability to keep your hands free for other tools and training use. Having a pouch on your person will allow you to do so. It can also help to assure you always have reinforcers nearby when a training opportunity arises.

Getting in the habit of using a treat pouch may just prove it to be the most useful training item you need.

04/17/2024

Our next training tool we'd like to highlight is an exercise pen. These gates can be used to close off certain areas of the home or to enclose a specific safe space for your puppy. They can be a wonderful tool to incorporate into housetraining, boundaries, ability to relax, and training in social settings.

While an exercise pen can but does not need to take the place of using a crate, they can allow more space for your dog during down times and prevent destructive behaviors when less supervision is in place. Consider using one for your puppy or new dog to avoid the development of bad habits before they occur!

04/11/2024

Our next training tool that we recommend having on hand is a snuffle mat. These are a wonderful way to work your dog's brain while feeding them.

There are many options out there from mats that have different types of hiding places to ones that are homemade with felt and a grate, but you really can't go wrong! You can use a snuffle mat as a way to trigger your dog's foraging senses. This is an activity that a lot of pups naturally do when out and about, but rather than picking up the occasional leftover off the street, you can use a snuffle mat as a safer outlet for this behavior and for mental stimulation.

04/05/2024

For entertainment while learning, you'll want to have some puzzle toys on hand. We've posted a lot about how important enrichment is, but it can't be stated enough just how much mental stimulation and problem solving can help a dog's confidence, focus, demeanor and more!

When it comes to enrichment toys, there are many out there now and dogs tend to have unique preferences, motivation and skill levels. Feel free to start with a few different types of food puzzles and see what works best for your dog.

03/30/2024

Another great training tool to have on hand is a long leash. Our preference for this is to obtain a leash made of biothane that is around 25-45ft in length depending on your plans for use. Biothane material is weatherproof, sturdy, and easier to hold onto with less risk of ropeburn. Luckily, this material is gaining popularity and becoming easier to find online.

The use of a long leash is ideal when you want to give your dog more freedom with the safety backup of being on leash. It is a great tool to use for play, hiking, walking in open spaces, and more. For training purposes, using a long line while teaching recall can be extremely beneficial.

03/26/2024

The next training tool to consider is what leash you use. Though many people are attracted to the idea of a retractable leash for its variance in length, these can be harmful to training and unsafe in many situations.

In order to set expectations on walks, avoid harm to you, your dog or others and control a dog's surroundings to set them up for success, using a flat leash is the better option. In more urban areas, we recommend having a flat leash that is about 6-7 ft. long. Type of material, webbing, and handle style don't matter too much so long as it is safe and easy for you to hold onto, comfortable and strong enough for your dog's size and strength.

03/20/2024

We have 2 more spots left in our next general manners group class, Sensible Skills, starting on Sunday, 3/24 at 10:00 AM in Lakewood. If you or anyone else you know may be interested, please reach out to us. You can learn more about the class here: https://sensiblecanine.com/group-training/.

Group Training are a fun and engaging way to learn skills and build trust in a structured environment with other dogs and their owners.

03/20/2024

Another training tool that is very important is the use of a good harness. Though we love helping you train your dog not to pull on leash, on the occasion that they do, or if you ever need to help them out of a situation, a good harness will help protect their body from harm.

Our favorite harnesses can help with leash training. For dogs that prefer not to have something put on over their head, try a harness that buckles around the neck as well as the chest. The fit should be fairly tight without the ability for the material to shift around much. Front clip harnesses can help with pulling if you find yourself struggling to manage your dog on walks. Make sure that you work to desensitize your dog to any new harness and make lots of positive associations for them!

03/14/2024

We wanted to share with you some of our favorite training tools that we use both with clients and with our own pups.

First up is training rewards. There are so many options out there for rewarding your pup, so how can you narrow it down? We're of the opinion that as long as something is safe for your dog to eat and your dog loves it, you really can't go wrong.

A good place to start in order to figure out what fits this criteria is using higher value food options. Jerky style food is now widespread throughout the pet industry and seems to be pretty high value as well as nutritional and cost effective as you can usually break these treats into small pieces and constitute training rewards as part of your pup's diet.

For really picky dogs, or potentially higher value treats, you might want to use small pieces of cheese, bite sized fresh dog foods, boiled chicken, or other safe human grade meats.

02/21/2024

Adorable Kebby (short for Kebob) is the feature of our next post. She was signed up for training as a 4 month old puppy and was in need of some manners refining. Starting with normal puppy tasks such as crate training and separation training, Kebby quickly became acclimated to life in an apartment as a well behaved family dog. By the last session, she was doing so well that Marni was able to work with her family on a restaurant patio and she successfully stayed calm on a mat during a majority of the session. How many 6 month old puppies have you met that can accomplish such a feat?! No really, we'd love to hear your stories!

02/17/2024

Vinnie is another great example of training success. He was struggling with leash reactivity and high prey drive. This made walking less than fun for his loving family, especially when they were instructed to use a prong collar by a previous trainer. After working with Mehak on how to better understand why Vinnie was having these issues, the family was able to ditch the prong collar and follow her guidance to see lasting results. By teaching him positive associations with animals on walks and working on polite leash skills, they were able to get Vinnie to the point where everyone can have a nice, calm walk and Vinnie now enjoys seeing other dogs on his adventures. He's pictured on the left with his roommates Shiba the husky and Destiny the toy aussie. If you'd like to better enjoy your walks with your pup, call us now to set up a consultation!

02/12/2024

We have 2 more spots left in our next general manners group class, Sensible Skills, starting on Sunday, 2/18 at 10:00 AM in Lakewood. If you or anyone else you know may be interested, reach out to us. You can learn more about the class here: https://sensiblecanine.com/group-training/.

Group Training are a fun and engaging way to learn skills and build trust in a structured environment with other dogs and their owners.

02/09/2024

Our next story is about Juno, a young rescue who was suspicious of strangers, had a history of nipping unfamiliar guests if they moved about her home and had shown some aggressive behavior towards other dogs. After working with Juno and her wonderful people, Marni helped the family accomplish important goals such as leaving her with a family member while on vacation and being able to calmly walk her around the neighborhood with better social skills with people and dogs. Winning her over and getting puppy love from Juno was the best payout possible. I mean just look at this sweet girl...

02/03/2024

Our third featured story is about Stitch (featured in the picture) and Yokai who were two dogs living together that were having issues with overarousal, reactivity, resource guarding, and aggression towards one another. With dedication from their family and a combination of strategic management techniques, new routines, practicing new behaviors, and lots of reinforcement for calmness around one another, they were able to coexist so much better in the home. By the time Mehak met with the family for their most recent session, there was a noticeable change in both dogs' behavior and body language as well as less conflict overall. If you are having trouble with dogs not getting along within the home or having issues with resource guarding, we're here to help!

02/03/2024

Are you or anyone you know looking for a manners / foundation training class in a group setting? We have a couple of spots left in our next Sensible Skills group class starting on Sunday, 2/18 at 10:00 AM. Contact us now to sign your dog up or to learn more about the class: https://sensiblecanine.com/group-training/.
Sensible Skills is a general manners course where we will be teaching your dog all the basics; including sit, down, stays, leave it, loose leash walking, polite greetings, mat work, the always important recalls, and how to have fun while training! All group classes will be held in Lakewood and we will be taking extra distancing precautions due to the recent dog illness going around.

Connect with the Sensible Canine team. We here to address your dog training needs and set up an initial call or arrange a meet-and-greet.

01/30/2024

Dusty is another adorable pup that we loved working with and saw such amazing results from his hard working parents with Marni's guidance. Like our previously featured client, Henry, Dusty also had some intense social anxiety. His family wanted to be able to take him out and about with them but he was too nervous in new environments and couldn't settle down. After taking him on some field trips and even practicing some relaxation in a brewery for one of the sessions, Dusty is now able to join his people as they venture to new dog friendly places and is doing so as calmly as can be! If you want to be able to take your pup out and about, give us a call and we can help!

01/23/2024

For the rest of this month and February, we wanted to share some of our favorite success stories with you.

Henry is a sweet boy who was having some social anxiety when the children in the family would run around with their friends or when anyone tried to cuddle him. When she first went in to work with him, Mehak wasn't even able to pet him. As he got less anxious, the family started to see more excitement based reactions to guests and physical attention in place of the growling. After working hard to follow Mehak's advice for just a couple of months, Henry's family is now much more able to enjoy his company and even Mehak was greeted with excitement a lap visit from Henry during her last visit. If you have a Henry at home, we'd be happy to help!