Robin MacFarlane

Robin MacFarlane Dog trainer. Workshop Instructor. In person and virtual consulting for pet owners and professionals

"π΅π‘’β„Žπ‘Žπ‘£π‘–π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘™ π‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘›π‘”π‘’ π‘π‘œπ‘šπ‘’π‘  π‘“π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘š π‘™π‘’π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘›π‘–π‘›π‘”, π‘›π‘œπ‘‘ π‘ π‘’π‘‘π‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘›. 𝐼𝑑’𝑠 π‘‘π‘–π‘šπ‘’ π‘‘π‘œ π‘ π‘‘π‘œπ‘ π‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘‘π‘’π‘›π‘‘π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘œπ‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘Ÿπ‘€π‘–π‘ π‘’."This.
02/15/2025

"π΅π‘’β„Žπ‘Žπ‘£π‘–π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘™ π‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘›π‘”π‘’ π‘π‘œπ‘šπ‘’π‘  π‘“π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘š π‘™π‘’π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘›π‘–π‘›π‘”, π‘›π‘œπ‘‘ π‘ π‘’π‘‘π‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘›. 𝐼𝑑’𝑠 π‘‘π‘–π‘šπ‘’ π‘‘π‘œ π‘ π‘‘π‘œπ‘ π‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘‘π‘’π‘›π‘‘π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘œπ‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘Ÿπ‘€π‘–π‘ π‘’."

This.

For years, fluoxetine (Prozac) has been pushed as the answer to behavioral problems in dogs. Veterinary behaviorists and force-free advocates love to cite β€œscience-backed” studies to justify long-term medication use. But here’s a big problem, most of these studies are flawed, biased, and rely almost entirely on owner-reported data.
Take, for example, the 2009 study on fluoxetine for compulsive disorders in dogs (Irimajiri et al., J Am Vet Med Assoc). It claimed fluoxetine helped, yet the only improvement came from owners’ OPINIONS, not actual behavioral measurements. When researchers looked at objective data the dogs’ actual behavior logs they found NO SIGNIFICANT difference between the medicated and placebo groups. But guess which result gets cited?🀫
How about the 2007 study on fluoxetine for separation anxiety (Simpson et al., Veterinary Therapeutics). The conclusion? Fluoxetine was effective … but only when paired with a structured behavior modification plan. And yet, thousands of dogs are medicated without any meaningful training, as if a pill can replace actual learning.
Sad reality is that Dogs are being drugged, not rehabilitated.
Ask any serious trainer what happens when they get a dog that’s been on fluoxetine for years. They take the dog off the meds, implement a sound training plan, and SHOCKINGLY the dog improves.
Not because fluoxetine β€œworked,” but because the dog finally got what it needed: clarity and proper training.
Yet, the AVSAB keeps pushing these medications while dismissing legitimate training as β€œaversive” or β€œoutdated.” They’d rather chemically suppress behavior than actually address it.
The real question isn’t whether fluoxetine has some effect but why so many dogs improve when you REMOVE the drug and train them properly?!!!
Behavioral change comes from learning, not sedation. It’s time to stop pretending otherwise.
I know I am not the only one noticing that dogs on fluoxetine don’t get better - they just get dull.
The dog isn’t learning or adapting, just becoming more passive.
This can actuallY DELAY proper rehabilitation, because the dog’s emotions and responses are chemically suppressed rather than modified through learning.
Thinking about making a solo podcast to talk about the dog I have in training right now, one of the many that end up euthanized after YEARS of being on SSRI’s and the pandemic of prescribing psychotropics like flea medication

As some of you may know, I recently bought a property near Des Moines, Iowa. I work part-time in the area and plan to re...
02/13/2025

As some of you may know, I recently bought a property near Des Moines, Iowa. I work part-time in the area and plan to relocate later this year.

If you’ve been following my journey for a while, you may remember that when I launched in 1998, it was on my home property in small-town Wisconsin. The business grew, and I moved to Iowa, where I scaled and upsized a LOT! It was great, but it also had a downside. I was dealing with burnout when I sold the company in 2021.οΏ½

Well, 25- and some odd years later, that kind of personal, one-to-one training I started with is what I'm returning to! The ability to help people not only live with their dogs but also achieve full potential and partnership...That is what having a dog should be about!

I'm thrilled to announce I have a few spots open this spring for board and train or private lesson programs!

I’d love to work with your dog and help you become Your Dog’s Hero!
Learn more on the website and Apply today!

Dog board-and-train will teach your dog basic obedience skills and good manners. Private dog training lessons are also available.

02/09/2025

Look at this fabulous work!!

This dynamic duo is currently enrolled in my Ecollar: Beyond the Basics course. It is a 7-week program for people who want to learn more about Ecollar use and enhance the relationship they have with their dog.

This is week 2 and practicing our "silent following" exercise.

If you question whether Ecollar training is right for you and your dog, test the water by taking my FREE ecollar course first. (Link in comments)

Here is a hard truth. Breed matters. Anyone that tells you otherwise is either: a) not a knowledgable resource or b) ha...
02/07/2025

Here is a hard truth.

Breed matters.

Anyone that tells you otherwise is either: a) not a knowledgable resource or b) has a reason they want to keep the truth from you.

Being πŸ’― honest with yourself about the time you can devote to training, and exercise is a crucial first step in finding a dog that is right for you.

If you are a in poor health, fairly sedentary, or want a dog to be your "emotional support"...there are a LOT of breeds that are not going to work out for you.

Prioritize the dog's quality of life in your decision making process.

Weigh your choice carefully by making characteristics like activity level, sociability and potential for guardian "watchdog" behaviors more important than how "cool" "cute" or "trainable" the dog is.

Do you wonder if Ecollar training would help improve your dog's behavior? Have you been struggling for some time but hav...
02/04/2025

Do you wonder if Ecollar training would help improve your dog's behavior? Have you been struggling for some time but haven't gotten good results?

Check out what this dog lover had to say once she started my video course:

𝐼 𝑀𝑒𝑛𝑑 π‘‘π‘œ π‘‘π‘œπ‘” π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘–π‘›π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘ π‘’π‘šπ‘–π‘›π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘ , π‘€π‘Žπ‘‘π‘β„Žπ‘’π‘‘ π‘π‘œπ‘’π‘›π‘‘π‘™π‘’π‘ π‘  π‘£π‘–π‘‘π‘’π‘œπ‘  π‘“π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘š π‘£π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘–π‘œπ‘’π‘  π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘–π‘›π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘  (π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘π‘’-π‘“π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘’ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘œπ‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘Ÿπ‘€π‘–π‘ π‘’), π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ 𝐼 π‘›π‘’π‘£π‘’π‘Ÿ π‘”π‘Žπ‘£π‘’ 𝑒𝑝 π‘ π‘’π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘β„Žπ‘–π‘›π‘” π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘€β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘π‘’π‘£π‘’π‘Ÿ 𝑖𝑑 π‘€π‘Žπ‘  π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ 𝐼 π‘€π‘Žπ‘  π‘šπ‘–π‘ π‘ π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ π‘€π‘Žπ‘  π‘˜π‘’π‘’π‘π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘šπ‘¦ π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘–π‘›π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘“π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘š 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑓𝑒𝑙, π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ π‘œπ‘›π‘’ π‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘›π‘’π‘‘ π‘œπ‘’π‘‘ π‘‘π‘œ 𝑏𝑒 π‘Œπ‘‚π‘ˆ. π‘Œπ‘œπ‘’π‘Ÿ π‘£π‘–π‘‘π‘’π‘œπ‘  β„Žπ‘Žπ‘£π‘’ β„Žπ‘’π‘™π‘π‘’π‘‘ π‘šπ‘’ 𝑆𝑂 π‘šπ‘’π‘β„Ž, π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ 𝑖𝑑 π‘€π‘Žπ‘  π‘ π‘œ π‘’π‘Žπ‘ π‘¦ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑙𝑒, π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’ β„Žπ‘Žπ‘£π‘’ 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 π‘šπ‘Žπ‘›π‘¦ π‘‘π‘–π‘šπ‘’π‘  π‘›π‘œπ‘€ π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ 𝐼’𝑣𝑒 π‘ π‘Žπ‘–π‘‘ π‘‘π‘œ π‘šπ‘¦π‘ π‘’π‘™π‘“ 𝐼 π‘€π‘–π‘ β„Ž 𝐼 β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ π‘“π‘œπ‘’π‘›π‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘  π‘ π‘œ π‘šπ‘’π‘β„Ž π‘ π‘œπ‘œπ‘›π‘’π‘Ÿ. 𝐼 π‘π‘œπ‘’π‘™π‘‘ β„Žπ‘Žπ‘£π‘’ 𝑓𝑖π‘₯𝑒𝑑 π‘Žπ‘™π‘™ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘ π‘’ 𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑠 π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ 𝐼’𝑣𝑒 π‘‘π‘’π‘Žπ‘™π‘‘ π‘€π‘–π‘‘β„Ž π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘¦π‘’π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘  𝑖𝑛 π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘“π‘–π‘Ÿπ‘ π‘‘ 2 π‘€π‘’π‘’π‘˜π‘  π‘œπ‘“ β„Žπ‘Žπ‘£π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘ π‘’ π‘‘π‘œπ‘”π‘  β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ 𝐼 π‘˜π‘›π‘œπ‘€π‘› β„Žπ‘œπ‘€ π‘’π‘Žπ‘ π‘¦ 𝑖𝑑 π‘π‘œπ‘’π‘™π‘‘ 𝑏𝑒!

Read the full testimonial to hear about the reactivity Allie was struggling with and how the course impacted life for her and her pups:
https://robinmacfarlane.com/testimonial/i-wish-i-had-found-this-so-much-sooner/

Link to the training course in comments.

02/02/2025

We're always doing "something" on our little hiking adventures. Today's moment of practice was a short send away. ⬆ 🐾

Send a message to learn more

It is the 100th anniversary of the the Great Serum Run. That is the real life event that immortalized the story of Balto...
01/31/2025

It is the 100th anniversary of the the Great Serum Run. That is the real life event that immortalized the story of Balto, Togo and the team that made the harrowing 650+ mile journey to Nome, Alaska to deliver medicine to treat the diphtheria outbreak of 1925.

https://www.cmnh.org/learn/science-blog/2025/01/23/100-years-after-the-great-serum-run-baltos-legacy-endures?user_id=675ca701d65f25bff60949cf

This is an interesting article because it includes information on how Balto and his surviving teammates came to live out their lives in Cleveland, OH.

A century after The Great Serum Run of 1925, Balto’s story continues to inspire.

01/30/2025

Throw back to 2015, Tommy (the Mal) and Diva (Duck Toller) speeding up the process of going for a walk by helping me get my shoes! 😎

01/27/2025

Loki is terrier mix I adopted in the summer of 2018. He was adopted for one purpose..to fill a void after having lost my heart dog, Tommy, the previous summer.
I had been grieving Tom for a long while and it wasn't getting a lot better. I needed a training project and something new to focus on so I'd been cruising pet finder for a couple of months. I was searching without having a real idea of what I was looking for, I just figured I would know when I saw it.
When his shelter photo popped up and he was holding a tennis ball in his mouth, I clicked on it. At the time, I was teaching in Portland, OR...turns out he was in a shelter 30 miles from my hometown. That seemed serendipitous so I made an appointment to go look at him when I got back home. I had never personally owned a terrier so I was curious what living with one long term might be like...
The shelter was a small operation. Not a lot of funding but a very caring staff. When they let him out of his crate, he came flying into the front room, jumped up to say hello before he spotted the basket of toys in the "meet and greet" room. Off he went to empty the bin, tossing, chasing and shaking each toy until the basket was empty. πŸ˜…
I knew right then and said "I'll take him". He cost me $75.00. The name on his adoption form was Wally (cause you know the story..."found at a Walmart down south" and brought to the shelter up here...πŸ™„)
Anyway, 2 days later I took him to my DVM for a health clearance. I remember the look on the Doc's face as he moved the stethoscope from the little guys chest (he was estimated to be ~ 18 months old at the time) Turns out he had a grade 4 heart murmur. πŸ€¦β€β™€οΈ.. after testing, and consulting with specialists, we scheduled surgery at the Iowa State University Veterinary Hospital. He underwent a balloon valvuloplasty for sever pulmonic stenosis.
I now had $4000.00 invested in my $75.00 shelter dog. 😬
Here we are, 7 years later, and you sure would not know this dog had any history of heart problems. He's feisty, has a huge attitude, and is a highly efficient hunter that thinks he can take any other critter including a huge buck that likes to visit our backyard. He's a quick learner that loves to train and engage, with the exception of when there are critters that need extermination!
He's a little πŸ’© and I don't foresee myself with another terrier in the future..but boy does he make me laugh! If it cost me 4G to fix the problems with his heart, it was a good ROI cause he's helped fill the holes in mine.
This is a short video I took last week one one of our hikes. Typical Loki! 🀣

Send a message to learn more

Just put up a new blog about teaching a recall. There are lots of reasons to prioritize getting it done.Safety is my rea...
01/24/2025

Just put up a new blog about teaching a recall. There are lots of reasons to prioritize getting it done.

Safety is my reason number one, but can you guess what the other four are?

5 reasons that investing time to teach your dog to come when called is the best thing you can do for them.

Last chance to join the upcoming Ecollar training course. The first module opens Thursday. Live calls start next week.Th...
01/21/2025

Last chance to join the upcoming Ecollar training course. The first module opens Thursday. Live calls start next week.

This 7 - week course is open to Pet Owners and Pro Trainers.

If you're a pet owner wanting to improve your understanding of ecollar training and feel confident allowing your dog off-leash, this course will help.

If you're a pro trainer already using ecollars but want to upgrade your coaching skills, and discover best practices for program structures that improve client outcomes, this course will help.

Only a few remaining spots available!

This ecollar training class will help you learn about proper use of a remote training collar. This step-by-step approach is easy to understand and apply.

01/16/2025


from a colleague in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

New course starting soon!! Whether you're a pet owner or a professional trainer there a ton of information you will gain...
01/15/2025

New course starting soon!!

Whether you're a pet owner or a professional trainer there a ton of information you will gain in this course!
Registration link and details in the comments.

Pet owners get a much better trained dog that is capable of enjoying off leash freedom. Pro trainers get loads of insights into instructing, course outlines and helping clients to successfully use a remote collar.

I've worked with 100's and 100's of Labs and Goldens in my pet training career. And worked with a significant number of ...
01/14/2025

I've worked with 100's and 100's of Labs and Goldens in my pet training career. And worked with a significant number of Labs that were both pets and used to duck hunt. But I can't recall any of the Goldens also being used in the field.
It has made me curious... How many of you have a Golden as your hunting dog? What are the factors that lead you to that choice?

Feel free to share a photo of your dog working!

You can’t go wrong with either breed, but there are distinct differences between the golden retriever vs Labrador.

Throw back to a few years ago to a pro trainer's course I taught in Cold Springs, NY. We had several dogs at that event ...
01/10/2025

Throw back to a few years ago to a pro trainer's course I taught in Cold Springs, NY. We had several dogs at that event that won my heart over..but this one took first place because he had some big stranger danger issues.

We did various exercises with him to build confidence and trust, including demonstrating how the ecollar could be incorporated through cadence exercises to build rapport with various handlers (rather than using it to correct him for being reactive to their presence.)

It was an emotional moment when he decided to engage and show me how he felt about it all. My heart bursts in these moments and I'm so pleased someone captured it. 😍

Ecollar: Beyond the Basics is open for enrollment!This virtual course is open to both pet owners and Professional dog tr...
01/02/2025

Ecollar: Beyond the Basics is open for enrollment!

This virtual course is open to both pet owners and Professional dog trainers interested in learning more about ecollar applications.

Over the course of 7-weeks we will work on improving impulse control, build more flash and speed in our dog's performance, and develop advanced skills like directional control and down-on-the-fly.

If you've completed my basic program, have a start on ecollar training or you've studied with someone else but still have some questions, this class is a great fit! Not only will you have access to a variety of videos and learning materials, but you will also join me for π₯𝐒𝐯𝐞, 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐀π₯𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐑𝐒𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚π₯π₯𝐬 to ensure you get all of your questions answered!

If your ready to learn more, do more and have more fun off-leash, now's the time!

Enrollment closes 1/22/25 or when the course sells out (which ever comes first) Live calls start on Thursday Jan 30th.

Enrollment is limited to ensure everyone gets the one-to-one attention they deserve, so don't delay. Register today!

https://bit.ly/42hEygX

If you have any questions or concerns if this course is a good fit for you and your dog, please DM or send me an email [email protected]

This ecollar training class will help you learn about proper use of a remote training collar. This step-by-step approach is easy to understand and apply.

If someone uses the word "never" when you ask about dog training tools, keep searching to find a more credible source to...
12/30/2024

If someone uses the word "never" when you ask about dog training tools, keep searching to find a more credible source to talk to.

This was a nice email to receive! I'm so pleased I could help Diane and Logan. 🐾❀️🐢

πΌβ€™π‘š 𝑔𝑒𝑑𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 π‘Ž 𝑛𝑒𝑀 𝑝𝑒𝑝𝑝𝑦 π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ π‘šπ‘Žπ‘‘π‘’ π‘šπ‘’ π‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘›π‘˜ π‘œπ‘“ π‘π‘Žπ‘π‘˜ π‘€β„Žπ‘’π‘› π‘¦π‘œπ‘’ β„Žπ‘’π‘™π‘π‘’π‘‘ π‘šπ‘’ π‘€π‘–π‘‘β„Ž π‘šπ‘¦ π‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘Ÿπ‘’π‘›π‘‘ πΊπ‘œπ‘™π‘‘π‘’π‘› π‘…π‘’π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘’π‘£π‘’π‘Ÿ. 𝐼 π‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘›π‘˜ β„Žπ‘’ π‘€π‘Žπ‘  π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘’π‘›π‘‘ π‘‘π‘€π‘œ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘€π‘Žπ‘¦ π‘’π‘Žπ‘ π‘–π‘™π‘¦ π‘œπ‘£π‘’π‘Ÿ 𝑒π‘₯𝑐𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑑. 𝐻𝑒 π‘€π‘Žπ‘  π‘π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘› π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘π‘’π‘šπ‘–π‘ π‘ π‘‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘‘π‘’π‘‘ π‘‘π‘€π‘œ π‘€π‘’π‘’π‘˜π‘  π‘™π‘Žπ‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿ, π‘ π‘œ 𝑀𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑑𝑛’𝑑 𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑒𝑝 𝑔𝑒𝑑𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 π‘šπ‘’π‘β„Ž π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘–π‘›π‘–π‘›π‘” 𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑙 β„Žπ‘’ π‘€π‘Žπ‘  π‘‘π‘€π‘œ. 𝐼 π‘œπ‘›π‘™π‘¦ 𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑑 π‘‘π‘œ 𝑅+ π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘–π‘›π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘  π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘Ž π‘€β„Žπ‘–π‘™π‘’ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘π‘’π‘œπ‘π‘™π‘’ π‘€β„Žπ‘œ π‘ π‘Žπ‘–π‘‘ π‘‘π‘œπ‘›β€™π‘‘ π‘’π‘£π‘’π‘Ÿ π‘ π‘Žπ‘¦ π‘›π‘œ π‘‘π‘œ π‘¦π‘œπ‘’π‘Ÿ π‘‘π‘œπ‘”. π‘‡β„Žπ‘’π‘¦ π‘ π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’ 𝑑𝑖𝑑𝑛’𝑑 π‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘›π‘˜ β€œπ‘ β„Žπ‘œπ‘π‘˜β€ π‘π‘œπ‘™π‘™π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘  π‘ β„Žπ‘œπ‘’π‘™π‘‘ 𝑏𝑒 𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑑. π‘Šπ‘’ π‘€π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘Ž π‘‘π‘–π‘ π‘Žπ‘ π‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿ. πΏπ‘œπ‘”π‘Žπ‘› π‘€π‘Žπ‘  π‘ π‘šπ‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘‘ π‘’π‘›π‘œπ‘’π‘”β„Ž π‘‘π‘œ π‘‘π‘Žπ‘˜π‘’ π‘Žπ‘‘π‘£π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘π‘Žπ‘”π‘’ π‘œπ‘“ π‘Žπ‘™π‘™ π‘œπ‘“ π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘šπ‘¦ 𝑖𝑛𝑒π‘₯π‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘’π‘›π‘π‘’. π΄π‘›π‘¦π‘€π‘Žπ‘¦, π‘¦π‘œπ‘’ π‘”π‘Žπ‘£π‘’ π‘šπ‘’ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘π‘¦ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘ π‘œπ‘šπ‘’ π‘œπ‘›π‘™π‘–π‘›π‘’ π‘™π‘’π‘ π‘ π‘œπ‘›π‘ . 𝐻𝑒 𝑖𝑠 π‘›π‘œπ‘€ 𝑒-π‘π‘œπ‘™π‘™π‘Žπ‘Ÿ π‘π‘œπ‘›π‘‘π‘–π‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘›π‘’π‘‘ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ β„Žπ‘Žπ‘  π‘“π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘π‘Žπ‘ π‘‘π‘–π‘ π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘π‘Žπ‘™π‘™. 𝐸𝑣𝑒𝑛 π‘€π‘–π‘‘β„Ž π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘›π‘›π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘π‘’π‘’π‘Ÿ, β„Žπ‘’ π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘π‘Žπ‘™π‘™π‘  𝑀/π‘œπ‘’π‘‘ π‘ π‘‘π‘–π‘šπ‘’π‘™π‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘›. 𝐻𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑦 π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘ π‘π‘œπ‘›π‘‘π‘  𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑑 π‘‘π‘œ π‘™π‘œπ‘€ (2𝑠) π‘π‘œπ‘›π‘‘π‘–π‘›π‘’π‘œπ‘’π‘  π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘šπ‘œπ‘ π‘‘ π‘Žπ‘›π‘¦π‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘›π‘” π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ 𝑖𝑑 𝑖𝑠𝑛’𝑑 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑𝑒𝑑 π‘šπ‘’π‘β„Ž π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘ π‘’ π‘‘π‘Žπ‘¦π‘ . πΏπ‘œπ‘”π‘Žπ‘› 𝑗𝑒𝑠𝑑 π‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘›π‘’π‘‘ 𝑓𝑖𝑣𝑒 π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ 𝑖𝑠 π‘›π‘œπ‘€ π‘ƒπ‘Ÿπ‘–π‘ π‘š'𝑠 πΏπ‘Žπ‘‘π‘’π‘™π‘¦ 𝐼'𝑣𝑒 𝐡𝑒𝑒𝑛 π‘‡β„Žπ‘–π‘›π‘˜π‘–π‘›π‘” 𝐢𝐷𝑋 𝐡𝑁 𝑅𝑁 𝐽𝐻 𝑇𝐾𝐴 π‘ŠπΆ (11/28/2019-). 𝐻𝑒 𝑖𝑠 π‘Ž π‘—π‘œπ‘¦ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ πΌβ€™π‘š π‘ π‘œ π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘›π‘˜π‘“π‘’π‘™ π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ β„Žπ‘–π‘š. π‘Šπ‘’ π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘€π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘˜π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘œπ‘› π‘ˆπ‘‘π‘–π‘™π‘–π‘‘π‘¦ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ β„Žπ‘–π‘  π‘†π‘’π‘›π‘–π‘œπ‘Ÿ π»π‘’π‘›π‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿ. 𝑃𝑒𝑝𝑝𝑦 #2 π‘€π‘Žπ‘  π‘π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘› π‘œπ‘› πΏπ‘œπ‘”π‘Žπ‘›β€™π‘  π‘π‘–π‘Ÿπ‘‘β„Žπ‘‘π‘Žπ‘¦ π‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘  π‘¦π‘’π‘Žπ‘Ÿ! π‘Šπ‘’ π‘π‘–π‘π‘˜ β„Žπ‘–π‘š 𝑒𝑝 𝑖𝑛 π‘™π‘Žπ‘‘π‘’ π½π‘Žπ‘›π‘’π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘¦. πΌβ€™π‘š π‘”π‘œπ‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘π‘œ π‘β„Žπ‘’π‘π‘˜ π‘œπ‘’π‘‘ π‘¦π‘œπ‘’π‘Ÿ 𝑝𝑒𝑝𝑝𝑦 π‘π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘”π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘š. 𝐼 𝑗𝑒𝑠𝑑 π‘€π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘π‘’π‘‘ π‘‘π‘œ π‘ π‘Žπ‘¦ π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘›π‘˜ π‘¦π‘œπ‘’!

π‘‚β„Ž β€” π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ 𝑀𝑒 π‘€π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’ 𝑖𝑛𝑣𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑑 π‘‘π‘œ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ 𝑂𝑏𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 πΆπ‘™π‘Žπ‘ π‘ π‘–π‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘  π‘¦π‘’π‘Žπ‘Ÿ! π‘Šπ‘’ 𝑑𝑖𝑑𝑛’𝑑 π‘”π‘œ π‘π‘’π‘π‘Žπ‘’π‘ π‘’ 𝑖𝑑’𝑠 π‘‘π‘œπ‘œ π‘“π‘Žπ‘Ÿ π‘Žπ‘€π‘Žπ‘¦ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘‘π‘œπ‘œ π‘π‘™π‘œπ‘ π‘’ π‘‘π‘œ πΆβ„Žπ‘Ÿπ‘–π‘ π‘‘π‘šπ‘Žπ‘ , 𝑏𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑑 π‘€π‘Žπ‘  𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑒 π‘‘π‘œ 𝑏𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑣𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑑. πΏπ‘œπ‘”π‘Žπ‘› 𝑖𝑠 π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ 𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑑 π‘π‘œπ‘¦.

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Videos

Look at this fabulous work!! This dynamic duo is currently enrolled in my Ecollar: Beyond the Basics course. It is a 7-week program for people who want to learn more about Ecollar use and enhance the relationship they have with their dog. This is week 2 and practicing our "silent following" exercise. If you question whether Ecollar training is right for you and your dog, test the water by taking my FREE ecollar course first. (Link in comments)

Throw back to 2015, Tommy (the Mal) and Diva (Duck Toller) speeding up the process of going for a walk by helping me get my shoes! 😎

My husband and I recently returned from a trip overseas. Over 9 days we visited the Netherlands, Germany, France & Switzerland. It was a long overdue and very enjoyable vacation for us. Despite my best efforts to not think about "work" while on holiday, I could not help but notice all the dogs we saw. πŸ˜€ I didn't want to creep on people, but I shot this one quick video of a dog "doing nothing." I knew when I got home that I'd want to share an example of the dog behavior we had observed time and time again. What's special about a dog doing nothing?... well, this was in a super crowded space with other dogs nearby. This very neutral, take it in stride behavior was so common that it really stood out to me. So I started to pay close attention to the owners to see what detectable behavior changes on their part were obvious compared to what I typically see in the US. The mature dogs behaved pretty much as the one in this video...just hanging out with little interaction needed from the owner. The younger dogs were much more revealing. Their owners where demonstrating the secret sauce used to achieve this exemplary public behavior. Here are a few of the key behaviors that were common: 1. Leash pops being used as needed to stop a dog from sniffing other people, or attempting to lift their leg to pee on posts, garbage cans etc. 2. Effective use of the leash and body blocking used to teach the dog to walk politely. Not a single person allowed their dog to drag them around or forge forward because "he/she just wants to say hi!" 3. Verbal reprimands of Uh-Ah, or No along with consistent follow through of what was not going to be allowed. I saw one women work her young, possibly Akita mix(?), for a solid 3 minutes to prove to him he was not allowed to drag her to a lamp post to sniff and mark it. I wanted to give that woman a blue ribbon!! πŸ™Œ I also saw exactly ONE retractible leash. It was attached to a Pomeranian pup that was being allowed to potty in a cor

Here is a clip from a recent Ecademy course (for professional dog trainers). My goal was to improve the trainer's ability to use the ecollar to help teach heel position to the dog. We're using a retractible leash and it is turned upside down to prevent using the brake. There is a reason for this madness. πŸ˜… It is to improve the trainers timing, footwork and ability to strategize how to help the dog get correct when faced with distractions. As you can see the trainer nailed it, which means the dog does too! If you have friends that believe ecollars can only be used as punishment or as a tool of last resort, please educate them. It is pretty obvious this dog is having a great time learning. (Note: Pet training, not competition heel)

"You can't teach with an Ecollar. You can only enforce known commands" Another one of those statements made by people that don't know as much as they think they do. Yes, you can teach with an Ecollar, but it requires you understand how to do it. Certainly you can pre-teach the behavior first and then use the Ecollar to reinforce it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with approaching the tool that way, but it isn't a MUST as some would have you believe. Particularly for simple skills like a recall. If you can use a long line (leash pressure) and body language, combined with positive reinforcement to teach a recall, then of course you can use Ecollar pressure combined with positive reinforcement to teach a recall. The non-logic of some of the things people say really astounds me. But... it doesn't leave me speechless. 😜 That's why I'm sharing this short clip of a young Weim on day 3 of his board and train time with me. He's five months old in this video and had no prior training. A typical 5 month old goofy, bird dog. One of the goals the owner had was to be able to give him more freedom to "dog" as soon as possible. So we started Ecollar work right away. In this short clip I applied Ecollar pressure twice. Once for the recall (at the end of the clip) and once, when the pup came across an animal carcass. If I'm teaching with the tool, I combine the verbal cue with the physical cue and use any form of "help" (leash tension, body language, encouragement) as needed so the dog can be successful quickly. I wean back on the help portion and the physical cue as the dog demonstrates readiness. This is the result of 2 prior days of training so that on day 3 we're on the trail with a drag line. By day 6 I fully trusted this boy to be free of the drag line (he didn't need the help) when we hiked together. There is just no faster way to freedom if that's a goal you have for your dog. Perhaps it's just be my opinion...but I think the speed and efficiency i

Terrier doing terrier stuff. This is what determination looks like. 🐁🐢

Tonight we finish up the final class of the 7 week, Ecollar: Beyond the Basics course. In the past weeks we've been discussing that we don't build dependency on the tool. One of the homework assignments was to send footage where no tactile prompts are used, only voice or hand signals. Here is a recent clip. It is really nice work from a pet owner that has been very dedicated to improving the relationship and responsiveness with his dog. I'm so proud of my students. 😍

Nail maintenance can be a nightmare for many dog owners. This was several months in the making but worth every bit of the effort to achieve. It is a chain of 3 behaviors: Through ➑️ Wait ➑️ Foot Through gets him into position, Wait instructs him to hold steady in one spot, Foot informs him I will pick up and hold his foot. Turning off the dremel (absence of the sound) is a terminal marker. He knows when it shuts off he gets his cookie. In the early training it was one toe at a time. Now we are at the final target behavior, all nails on the foot before the dremel stops. fwiw, I realize this standing position may not be for everyone...I prefer to trim the nails like this because I get a clear view of the quick and can easily see how far back I want to go. For smaller dogs I stand them on a table and switch sides as needed.

This may ruffle a few feathers...but it is truth. The video is a moment from one of the lectures at a recent Ecademy course. I was discussing the value of incorporating ecollar training into behavioral cases. If you don't understand how an ecollar can be used to help dogs that are fearful, anxious, hesitant, etc...you simply don't understand the true value of how a tactile cueing system can be used to put a dog at ease, build confidence and enhance trust in the handler. If you want to understand what I'm talking about...DM for registration details for the final 2024 Ecademy course that will be happening in Northern KY at Pawlished Dog Training LLC Oct 17 - 21 When more people understand, more dogs and their owners can start living a fuller life together. πŸ™Œ

A quick < 5 min workout while waiting for a client to show up for our appointment. There is always time to train the dog. :-) #beyourdogshero

Teaching a dog to walk in heel position is one of the things that challenges many pet owners. It is a skill that takes a lot of practice! Knowing "how to practice" is a big part of the equation for success. It is important to effectively communicate the defined area that you want the dog to remain in. For my pet training clients, I teach that the dogs head should be in alinement with my left leg. I will accept a bit of lagging (12 - 15 inches) since that isn't going to get most dogs in trouble (because if they are slightly behind me, they aren't pulling OR in a position to make bad choices with eye contact). But I don't allow forging. Once you allow "some" forging...it turns into a little more and a little more...pretty soon the dog is so far in front of you, they have no concept that you are even part of the partnership anymore. One of my go-to practice routines is to work on a set of stairs. The pattern of vertical ascent and the visual set up of a stairway helps many dogs make the connection that I want them matching my pace and remaining next to the left leg as it leads the way. This is the 2nd and 3rd try at it. The first time, I stopped/paused on EACH step. I'm using an ecollar to draw attention to my stopping ( I stop because he started to forge) and use a slight bit of tension on the leash, as needed, to help him get it right. You can see the progress just between the two attempts. The second time around I only had to stop once for forging. The rest of the trip he nailed it! I start my next virtual ecollar training course tomorrow night so I'm glad I grabbed this footage today...it will be one of the upcoming homework assignments for the group. πŸ€“

Lazy human...training from the porch swing...πŸ˜…

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