Do all dogs like petting all the time? The answer is no! To find out if your dog wants to be touched, try the Petting Consent Test:
-Gently pet your dog for 2-3 seconds.
-Stop.
-Observe what they do. Do they lean in for more? Move away? Do nothing? Look for signs that they want you to continue.
Just like with other humans, we can and should wait for consent from our dogs as much as possible. What signs can you see in this video that show that Helena is in a petting mood?
#pettingconsent #touch #no #yes #itsokfordogstosayno #doggieautononomy #blinddogs #shepsky #rockstardogbehavior
Harvey and Desi had a date! 😘
Dogs socializing with other dogs can look all sorts of ways, including "parallel play." They don't have to be wrestling and throwing down to be having a great time together. Both of these dudes love the water, and hanging out enjoying what they love together makes for a pretty good day. 😍
What does your dog love? How does your dog socialize? When does your dog learn from other dogs?
#beingsocial #waterdogs #dostufftogether #learnfromeachother #lotsofwaystoplay #altonbakerpark #damnthatwateriscold #rockstarbehavior #rockstardogtraining
2 Dogs = 2 Release Cues?? 🐕🦺🐕🦺
I did a little experiment when teaching my dogs their release cues: I taught them different cues! I did this to avoid any confusion, but along the way, I realized more confusion could result.
🧐I could accidentally transfer the cue: If Helena always heard "ok," which is Emery's release cue, before "free," which is her release cue, she could start to respond when I say "ok." To change a cue, you say NEW CUE, OLD CUE. This could happen because she is usually released second in order to avoid her clobbering her brother when he comes out the door. #management
🧐What if 2024 brings a 3rd dog to our home? (mulling, just mulling). What cue are we going to use for that dog?! A 3rd cue? Or one of the ones we already use? Which one?
I get around this by using their names if I think there will be confusion, and you can tell they're doing great. But I wanna know- what would you use as a cue for a 3rd dog in this situation?? 🐕🦺🐕🦺🐕🦺
#damnmydogsarecute #releasethis
What are your dog's favorite behaviors to do while waiting for the vet? 🧐
Emery finds that practicing his duration nose target passes the time quite nicely. 🤩
#vetvisitday #nosetarget #duration #partywhilewewait #rockstarcollie #rockstarbehavior #rockstardogtraining
Lily can be very worried about new people in her space. We've been working on building her confidence and giving her a predictable structure when new folks come over.
In our 8th session, we had a "friendly stranger" come over to help Lily practice. Check out how she chooses to greet him and then disengage from him and head back to dad. No teeth necessary! 😎
#strangerdanger #predictable #friendlystranger #happyvisit #engage #disengage #dontsayhiwithteeth #rockstarbehavior #rockstardogtraining
Household Harmony! 😍
No matter how well everyone gets along, when you have four dogs, there's bound to be a bit of chaos. And no matter how friendly he is, do we really think it's ever a good idea to invade the space of a giant German Shepherd?? (The answer is NO).
Simple solutions are best:
🐾Install a sturdy gate.
🐾Help the dogs practice calm behavior together, slightly separated.
🐾Strive for equity, not equality-this means you may have different criteria for each dog based on their individual needs:
We'd like Ambrose the shepherd laying down because he is the biggest. We also want him farther away from the gate so no one tap dances on his space.👯♂️
We want Max the terrier on his mat because while we are working on his confidence with people, we still want him to know boundaries around other dogs' space (ie: don't step on the shepherd!). 🤓
We want Kevin and Dobbie to learn they don't always have to be on the same side of the gate as the others, but they'll still get something good. 😘
What criteria do you use for each dog in your multi-dog household?
#multidoghousehold #tinydogsandashepherd #gatedcommunity #getgates #getmoregates #gatesaregreat #equity #individualneeds #householdharmony #forcedpack #settletogether #eugenebehaviorconsulting #rockstarbehavior #rockstardogtraining
How do you help your dog be more comfy with veterinary procedures? 🧐
Bodie is pretty afraid of vet visits. We've taken a step back to make a plan to help him feel more comfortable and not scare the vet staff! This plan includes:
⭐️ Muzzle Training
⭐️Switching to an in-home vet instead of a vet clinic
⭐️Working on handling procedures that will occur at the vet, like gentle restraint and vaccines!
In this video, Bodie's parents are using a syringe (no needle) so Bodie can practice receiving a vaccine calmly. He's doing pretty well, don't you think??
#vetvisit #bettervet #takeashot #makeaplan #eugenedogtraining #rockstardogtraining #doodle
WARNING: This video depicts a dog being very boring. This content may offend some thrill seekers. ‼️
Here's what you need to know:
Luna is a 3 year old shepherd who is worried about people, dogs, cars, bikes....
When we started working with her in 2021, she couldn't take walks anywhere. She could not ride calmly in the car. She didn't really take treats in new locations. Her world was pretty small.
Her current list of achievements in 2023:
-Regular car rides to walk at a location she is familiar with and now loves.
-Calmly working with my dog in sessions.
-Joining her first small group session ever and working with 4 other dogs as well as their people.
-Training at a brand new location yesterday.
-Letting the person with walking sticks in the video pass by unharmed.
-In process: Meeting a new person who will dog sit her.
So, there's more going on in this video than you might think. 🧐
#teamluna #swissshepherd #behaviormodification #longtermcommitment #bebrave #dontgiveup #rockstardogtraining #eugenedogtraining #initforthelonghaul
WARNING: This video depicts a dog being very boring. This content may offend some thrill seekers. ‼️
Here's what you need to know:
Luna is a 3 year old shepherd who is worried about people, dogs, cars, bikes......
When we started working with her in 2021, she couldn't take walks anywhere. She could not ride calmly in the car. She didn't really take treats at new locations. Her world was pretty small.
Her current list of achievements in 2023:
-Regular car rides to walk at a location she is familiar with and now loves.
-Calmly working with my dog in sessions.
-Joining her first small group session ever and working with 4 other dogs as well as their people.
-Training at a brand new location yesterday.
-Letting the person with walking sticks in the video pass by unharmed.
-In process: Meeting a new person who will dog sit her.
So, there's more going on in this video than you might think. 🧐
#teamluna #swissshepherd #behaviormodification #longtermcommitment #bebrave #dontgiveup #rockstardogtraining #eugenedogtraining #initforthelonghaul
2 dogs + 2 fetch items = 0 conflicts! 🤾♀️
Maisie the border collie loves fetch with frisbee or tennis ball. 🥎 Helena the shepsky loves fetch with her jollyball. ⚽️They play harmoniously in tandem because they each have their respective preferred fetch item. If one dog went towards the other's toy, we would calmly redirect. If both dogs went towards the same toy at the same time, we'd get more space. We don't want a 💣!
#householdharmony #sofetch #bordercollie #shepsky #blinddogsplayfetch #trainwithplay #management #houseguest #girlswhocrush #sportyladies
We're having a birthday over here! Duder is 7!! 🥳
For those clients of mine who've had the pleasure of a working session with Emery, you know he's an awesome mix of social and neutral. He lets stuff roll off his back, which is why he makes such a great helper dog for other dogs. He's worked with more of my clients than not, and I feel so lucky to have such a great collie-gue. 🥰
Emery is always up for a fun time, loves tricks, and loves going out and about to meet people and dogs. He is a huge positive force in his dog sister's life. He is a color-outside-the-lines guy who marches to the beat of his own drummer. His bicep tattoo 💪would say "be back in 10," because he loves a chance to wander. He does not always do what is asked of him. He's smarter than that. 🤓
Happy birthday, you weirdo! We love your individuality. If you know Emery, throw him some birthday love! 🎂
#neutraldog #helperdog #birthdayboy #seventhbirthday #smoothcollie #colleague #coloroutsidethelines #yousit #luckyme #officialrockstardogtraininghelperdog
Emery is preparing for his summer bath. 🛀
He's not a guy you're going to be able to pick up and put in a tub, nor will he accept being lured into the water. 🙅♂️
We're playing a shaping game instead. I click him for approaching the pool, putting front paws in, and then putting back paws in. 🐾
We're not bathing today, just playing. He hasn't had a pool bath since last summer, so I just want to remind him it exists and I won't force him. 🌊
#funfriday #bathtime #shaping #choicefordogs #consent #smoothcollie #clickergames #dogtraining #summer
#Muzzlemagic! 🪄
It can be tricky to feel like you have enough hands to clip a muzzle on a dog! 🐙
Breaking the process down into small steps can help. Here's how Bodie and I broke it down together:
Step 1: I clip the collar on Bodie's neck.
Step 2: Bodie puts his nose in the muzzle.
Step 3: I flip the strap over Bodie's fluffy ear.
Step 4: I reach for the clip.
Step 5: I clip.
Bodie is practicing for his next vet visit. How do you think he's doing?
#muzzleup #baskerville #vetvisits #stepbystep #labradoodle #eugenedogtraining #rockstardogtraining
In our last post, we shared some information about the "let's go get" cue. You can see it here in action!
The Backstory: Helena will guard space from her brother at dinnertime. When she knows the food is ready, she will block him from entering the kitchen, vocalize at him, and lightly bite his neck. He takes it in stride, but we don't want it to escalate.
The Plan:
Management-We have Emery gated out of the kitchen so he doesn't walk in until we're ready to train.
Training-We take the behavior Helena is already doing - going towards Emery - and modify it. We say "let's go get Emery" and Helena walks with us to the gate to pick up her brother for dinner. She gets treats on her bed and lets him pass through unharmed.
The Result: Both Emery and Helena are safe and happy and can eat their dinner in peace!
How can you use the "let's go get" cue at your house??
#dinnerdate #modify #resourceguarding #blinddogs #shepsky #smoothcollie #bestbrotherever #talktoyourdog
#friYAY: Jacob demonstrating the breakdancing portion of the decompression walk.
#pitbull #decompressionwalk #dorrisranch #mud #weekendvibes #fun #rockstardogs
It's Friday! Have you been training all week and noticed your dog is accidentally relying on the cue of your treat hands or cookie bag to know it's time to work? Here's one of our tips to alleviate that while still giving your dogs their payday.
Have a great weekend, friends! ❤️🐶
.
.
.
#dogtraining #tips #trainingtips #positivereinforcement #R+ #snacks #payday #dogs #dogbehavior #cdbc #nojudgementjusthelp #friday
#MondayMotivation 🎉 If you didn't know Emery was the official Rockstar Dog Training Helper Dog, would you be able to tell who the "reactive" client dogs were in last week's training sessions?
#progress #parallelwalks #neutraldog #helperdog #success #reactivedogs #dogbehavior #cdbc #dogtraining #dogs #rockstardogs
Low Stress Leave It Practice: Training in the Wild!
We didn't set this "leave it" session up, but just decided to roll tape as it happened IRL. Here's how things went down:
Helena found a bandana upstairs in the bedroom that has some sentimental value. Since her chew style is shredding, we wanted to get it back (otherwise we would have just ignored it).
No treats in the bedroom! What to do???
Go downstairs and call her to come with us (the Go Away, Call Away Protocol). She obliged, and she brought the bandana with her.
Then we asked her to "leave it," rewarding each time she did.
What's "leave it?" Being aware the object is there and not picking it back up in her mouth. That's it. So walking past it and over it and sitting near it all count.
Notice: No scary Darth Vader LEAVE IT voice needed!
#lowstressleaveit
#traininginthewild
#IRL
#goawaycallaway
#gottagetthatback
#WednesdayWisdom: Leash Skills, pt. 5 - Walking up the leash.
This is a no-yank best practice for shortening the distance between you and your dog!
.
.
.
#leashskills #tip #dogwalking #dogtraining #dogbehavior #defensivehandling #nojudgmentjusthelp
Leash Skills, pt. 4: The "Glide"
What do you do when your dog is fixated on something, and you need to move?
.
.
.
#handlingskills #leashskills #fixatedfido #fridayFYI #dogs #dogwalking
