Ali starting learning recall on Tuesday! Let’s break it down:
1. I let him get distracted either on his own, with the help of the environment, another person, or in this case food.
2. I say “Ali, come” and press and hold stim (usually tone for most dogs, but Ali has a dog sibling who is sound sensitive so we are not using tone in this instance).
3. I release that stim when he makes commitment back to me and also am utilizing his leash to help reel him in.
4. My body language moving backwards helps not only create more distance, but shows him exactly where I want him to go.
5. I want the sit to be part of the recall, so I am using upwards leash pressure to mold that at the end.
6. Always remember to release your dog so they know they’re done with the command!
Muzzles can be worn for a multitude of reasons! The dog may be scared at the vet or groomer, maybe the dog is a poop eater or a scavenger and picks up rocks or socks, or maybe the dog is scared of strangers or gets overstimulated and reacts with other dogs and it’s for everyone’s safety. The moral of the story is; muzzled dogs are not bad dogs. It’s actually super responsible of their owner to use a muzzle!
Muzzle conditioning doesn’t happen overnight and here are some tips to start the process!
❄️ Hold the muzzle and feed through one of the open slots (preferably you’re using some sort of basket muzzle and not a mesh muzzle). This can be their food, treats, or some peanut butter like I am using here.
❄️ Allow the dog to make the choice to put their face into it, mark it and reward!
❄️ As you progress with your dog getting comfortable putting their face in it, you can add a cue to it; such as, “muzzle up”
❄️ Strap the muzzle on briefly, continue rewarding, take off, and repeat. Gradually you’ll build duration.
❄️ Start to wear the muzzle for longer periods of time and don’t only wear it when it is needed. Wear it randomly other times too so your dog doesn’t predict something they may not like is going to follow.
Try not to rush muzzle conditioning, we want the dog to feel comfortable wearing it!
Jumping 101
🐾 Walk into them and claim the space
🐾 Bump them off with your knee
🐾 Use a leash or a tab leash to guide
🐾 Pair an ecollar correction
🐾 Don’t touch them with your hands
🐾 Say “no” or “off” instead to not confuse with laying down
🐾 Talk to your friends and family who say “oh it’s okay, I don’t mind,” letting them know that you mind and you’re working on training
When Maple visited this weekend, we spent time working on handling! This helps prepare her for grooming and vetting as she will be more comfortable! Always great to start this as a puppy, but something you can do with any dog! 🖤🐾
How your dog acts in the car depends on what you’re doing with them prior to getting in. Are you amp’ing them up by saying “wanna go for a car ride!” or are they resting on place while you tie up your shoes and grab their leash. Are they jolting themselves into the car as you barely get the door open or are they waiting for permission to jump in? Are you allowing them to bounce back and forth from window to window or are you holding them accountable for a down or using a crate? All these things affect their mindset and result in their behavior during the ride!
Nail trims don’t have to be complicated, but it does take patience!! Ever since I’ve started to follow @kane9dogtraining ‘s “Nailed It!” routine, nails have become so much easier and more manageable for even the trickiest dogs! The prep process in general helps with mindset work so much. Thank you, Kait, for being such an awesome trainer to look up too and learn from!
Set up an ecollar with me! Questions about the ecollar? Let me know below!
There are various ways to get the same result, but the past few months (probably 5-6 now) I’ve really enjoyed teaching place “backwards” as some may say. I start with various distractions and moving around to really shape and show the boundary of the bed and then I start to build duration and the expectation of laying down. I’m trying to do much less “micromanaging” and more giving my trust and then providing feedback for mistakes or wrong choices.
We have a winner for our gift basket filled with so many dog goodies!! Congratulations to Megen Barsness! Please send me a message to coordinate your prize.
Once we hit 1000 followers, part 3 of our giveaway will take place!
When supervising social time between dogs, I am always carefully watching play styles, body language, and social cues. I interupt and correct for anything inappropriate or that I feel could quickly escalate things. We want there to be a nice back and forth between the dogs and also respect for when a dog might need a break or is done playing.
Kirbie is going to be such a fun dog to have off-leash! I like to shape an auto-sit into my recalls to ensure they come to me and are stationary without a “just kidding, going to run right past you” situation happening. Kirbie is still working on the auto-sit part, she’s a bouncy little bunny, but she’s making progress each day!
