Working on a see/hear & dismiss for Kodi. This gorgeous beast is pretty nervous. You can see how we’re incorporating some small household distractions, while having Kodiak practice disengaging from the trigger, and reorienting towards his human. Go Team Kodiak!
In a multi dog household, we need to factor in each dog’s capabilities. For this trio, the larger dogs are capable of relaxing in a down-stay while I walk out of the room, and to the front door. But the little guy, he can barely sit still as I walk 2 steps away. So the big dogs are hanging out as light distractions. The dog on the left also gets comfortable being separated by a gate (very tough for him!). We start small, but I’m confident that in no time they will have 3 dogs that are MUCH easier to manage when guests come over.
Gotta love a well reinforced recall. Belle’s mom hasn’t even finished saying the cue, and Belle is flying ⭐️
Let’s talk about a little thing called a Stimulus Gradient. Just like how you don’t learn to swim in the deep end of a pool; behaviors are best taught in an easy environment then increasing the difficulty as the learner is ready.
As a trainer, I like to setup our exercises like a sound mixing board: with one lever for distance, one for duration and another for intensity.
For this case, the two brothers have a history of fighting. Usually the catalyst to their squabbles is when Sky (the bigger Aussie behind the barrier) gets rowdy, Whisky (smaller closer Aussie) will face him directly with an intense stare down, then they both growl/snarl/snap until their guardian intervenes.
For our plan, we’re teaching Whisky to respond differently to his brothers antics. Instead of letting his frustration build, we’re teaching him to disengage, turn away & check in with his mom. If we started with Sky running up close, Whisky would surely fail - frustrating for everyone. But with an emphasis on errorless learning & a stimulus gradient, we’ve built up distance, duration & intensity individually then combined in small amounts.
An example, (but not an exact recipe for all cases):
* Laying down/facing away
* Laying down/facing towards
* Standing/facing towards
* Walking/facing sideways
* Walking/facing towards
* Sky walking
* Sky running
* Sky playing with a toy
Huge kudos to the dogs’ mom, and her helpful neighbor handling Sky, their efforts are paying off! Still work to do, but we’re well on the way to a peaceful two dog household again.
*Behavior modification is best done under direction of a certified trainer or behavior consultant. Especially with housemate aggression.*
https://suzanneclothier.com/article/understanding-thresholds-its-more-than-under-or-over/
Meet Sky & Whisky. These brothers get along great most of the time, but need help in certain scenarios. Looking forward to helping them. They’re beautiful, and brilliant ✨ #herdingdogs #housemateaggression #positivereinforcement
Muzzle Training - when introduced gradually and properly, a muzzle can be an excellent tool. Notice how this muzzle is fitted enough to prevent bites, but the dog still has plenty of room to eat, drink & pant. The dog is happy to put his nose in, and we’re working on getting him comfortable with the strap & buckle. #muzzleupproject #positivereinforcementdogtraining
Going to your mat when asked is nice and all, but hopping with glee and landing a twirl/down — that’s what I’m talkin about!#positivereinforcementdogtraining
Creative nail solutions - Sometimes teaching a scratch board can be an awesome solution, for dogs that are sensitive to paw handling & nail trims.
