In Stride Pet Dog Training LLC

08/16/2024

Great information 💖🐾🐶🙌

The majority of dog bites (77%) happen with known dogs. This is an intimidating statistic when realizing that most dog bites are often preventable!
As a veterinary behavior clinic, we will emphasize time and time again that education is KEY for everyone with a pet at home. We love our animals and children, so let's be proactive to keep them safe and happy.🐶👶🧒

Here are three essential tips to start:
1. Management is your friend- if there is not an adult in the room ACTIVELY paying attention, your kids and pets should be separated by a physical barrier, like a gate or a playpen
2. Learning dog body language is only one piece, start teaching your children how to read them as well!
3. Teach your children and dogs essential skills like:
-children should be taught how to pet and interact gently, at times when your dog is showing you they want to interact (this also means teaching them not to climb on or grab at dogs)
-teach your children how to tell when a dog is not interested, and teach them what times dogs should be left alone entirely (like when resting or eating)
-teach your dog how to relax on a mat or in their kennel in different situations - dogs laying and relaxing are less likely to be underfoot and this can help show dogs they have a safe space to move away

Child and dog safety: https://www.thefamilydog.com/stop-the-77

Be a tree: https://www.trailblazingtails.com/pages/be-a-tree-training

Board game for kids and adults on dog body language: https://doggonecrazy.ca/doggone-crazy-boardgame/

08/16/2024

Things to remember 💖🐾🐶😉

Friday! We're commonly called out to help with dogs barking and hear a lot that they're barking at "nothing." This most likely isn't the case. We humans just can't hear the sounds or even fathom the frequencies they can hear.

One of my favorite things to watch is my dog Elvis. During specific times of the day, he gets restless. One is around the time my daughter gets off the bus and the other being when my husband is almost home from work. He gets up abruptly from a dead sleep and whines softly at the front door. Sure enough, my daughter comes walking down the block within 5 minutes, or my husband pulls down the street within a minute. I believe he is able to distinguish the sounds of the motors at the end of the road, which is a half mile away.

We humans can't hear the traffic clearly when the leaves are on the trees unless it's a very loud motor. In the winter, we are able to hear the traffic echoing through the woods. Based on phone conversations with my husband, I've clocked where he is and when Elvis gets up and looks out the windows. Yes, dogs do have a sense of time, but these very specific behaviors, at very precise moments, lead to my conclusions.

Fascinating, right?

Sound masking with brown noise for noise sensitive dogs works best. White noise can also work well. It provides a constant mask to noise pollution over calming music strategies.

08/16/2024

Yes please 💖🐶🐾😉

Don't wait for the bark.💥
I cannot stress this enough when working with reactive dogs.
Unfortunately too many people only react to their own dogs reactivity when there is a bark.
A bark is just an audible sign of a reaction but there are many other signs given before that bark and when we don't recognise those signs, guess what happens ?
Barking, Lunges, Spins, Jumps and a dog unable to control their own emotions.
There is a LOT that is shown before the bark, even if it is very fast, it is still shown.
So why is it so important to know the unique signals and changes in posture and body language your dog shows ?
So you can STOP the escalation....and yes, even stop the barking from occurring in the first place.
Barking is often at the END of a longer chain of events.
First is usually (not always) a hard stare, a fixation.
THAT is a reaction.
It is not audible but it is often the first sign your dog has changed their emotional state, they ARE reacting.

A change in ear position IS a reaction.
Puling harder on the lead IS a reaction.
A lengthening of the neck/leaning in IS a reaction.
A wrinkled face IS a reaction.......use that information!

Remember a reaction is a change in their emotional state.....and those non verbal signs are a reaction.

A bark is just a reaction we recognise more.

Imagine how we can help our dogs with their reactivity if we started to recognise all those other changes and escalations in their emotional states as easily as we recognise a bark.....

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08/16/2024

Yep! 🐾💖🐶🙌

08/16/2024

Great video 🐾🐶💖😍

08/16/2024

Great information 💖🐶🐾🙌

𝙐𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮?

The dog training industry falls broadly into two camps - those who believe the use of physical force & coercion is ethical & acceptable and those who don't.

There is increasing pressure from some quarters to look beyond these distinctions in order to create unity within the industry. This drive to unify is based on the premise that we all ultimately have the same goals, regardless of our methods of teaching. But I'm not sure we do.

It seems to me that trainers who choose to use physical force generally prioritise human needs & wants and define success in terms of the dog's compliance with those. While trainers who eschew force generally give more equal weight to both the dog's 𝘢𝘯𝘥 human's needs & wants and define success in terms of results which improve the dog's life as well as the human's.

The goal to unify also seems to suggest that methods are less important than outcomes and that's something that many 'force free' (not a term I love but for the sake of conciseness I'll use it) trainers sincerely, fundamentally and passionately disagree with.

Is unity a realistic goal when the mindsets, ethics, goals and measures of success are fundamentally different? And is it desirable if the price of unity is tacit acceptance of the use of force & coercion to teach?

Trainers who believe sincerely that the use of force is unethical and are therefore unable to present a united front with those who think otherwise shouldn't be censured or dismissed as close minded and divisive. It's ok to be clear about which lane you are in. It's ok to stick to your principles. It's ok to hold to your own ethics rather than bend to fit someone else's idea of 'unity'.

08/16/2024

Love this! 💖🐶🐾🙌

How to choose a professional to help you with your dog
Look for the Green Flags ✅

Green Flags ✅ - the professional has qualifications in canine science and behaviour
They hold an accreditation with a recognised organisation who are industry representative and who will assess them yearly and ensure they maintain their CPD and standards ✅

They are WELFARE FOCUSED and use terms such as ETHICAL, HUMANE, FORCE FREE, KIND, on their marketing. ✅
They discuss creating a CONNECTION with your dog ✅
Building BONDS, TRUST, RELATIONSHIP, COOPERATION, SAFETY, EMOTIONAL RESILIENCE, TEAMWORK and UNDERSTANDING. ✅
They mention SUPPORTING you the dogs owner with EMPATHY and KINDNESS. ✅
Their social media platforms show happy relaxed dogs engaging in cooperative activities with their family. ✅
The overall message is about caring for you and your dogs needs ✅

Red Flags 🚩 Things to avoid 🚫‼️🙅🏼

Promises of quick fixes ❌
Alarm Words in their marketing like Alpha, Respect, Pack Leader, Dominant, Naughty, Badly Behaved, Compliance, Obey, Control, Be the Boss, Red Zone, Corrections. ❌
Videos or photos on their social media showing subdued suppressed anxious dogs slinking along behind the trainer ❌
Videos or photos that look dramatic and sensational with dogs being forced to comply ❌
Videos or photos of dogs wearing punishment tools including grot or french collars, electric shock collars, prong collars, figure of 8 rope loops, choke chains, dogs being checked / yanked ( called ‘correcting’) . ❌
Noise devices such as rattle cans, air horns, spray collars, bark collars, throwing metal pans or chains at them . ❌
Videos or photos of Dogs being yanked off their feet, poked in the ribs, or heel kicked ❌
“Pack walks” for reactive dogs ❌
Fearful dogs being forced to walk in a group through crowds looking cowed and suppressed ❌

Dogs don’t need to be bullied, suppressed, hurt, or afraid to learn how to live in harmony with their families. Dogs thrive on connection, love, patience, trust and attachment with their families.

Choose wisely - damage caused by these type of trainers can take a long time to undo and ruin a dogs confidence and trust. Your dogs physical and emotional welfare should be your trainers priority.

08/16/2024

Great resource 💖🐶🐾😍

▶️Join us live! Monday 8/19 @ 1:00 pm
Instagram live- follow .dogs and to listen in

🌟Featuring our business founder Desiree Beauchamp Bales (certified dog behaviorist MA CCB CDBC LFDM-B CAB CPDT CPC)

And

🌟Jennifer Shryock BA CDBC, Founder/Director of Family Paws Parent Education

🐕We will be discussing
-realistic expectations for dogs and important considerations as you prepare to bring home your newborn baby
-safety tips
-what the homecoming phase is and how to prepare for it
-and more!

We can’t wait to talk together and share some great information from our experts!

08/16/2024

To my Saturday and Sunday students, the classes were moved to next week. Please check your email for details. Thank you for your understanding! I hate being sick, but especially losing my voice! 😭

08/16/2024

Yes! 🐶🐾💖🙌

So you’re at an outing, standing next to your spouse or friend. Someone approaches you with a tray filled with hors d’oeuvres, and offers one to you. You look at the tray, but then say “no, thank you.” The waiter moves away.

Now, imagine if after saying “no, thank you” the waiter didn’t go away. Imagine if the waiter continued to push you to take one, and even your spouse started saying “come on, take one!” So you uncomfortably took and ate one, even though it wasn’t what you wanted. You’d probably be pretty aggravated with your spouse too. But you think it’s a one off and you carry on with the evening.

A few minutes later another waiter approaches with another tray, and the same thing happens. This time you feel yourself get more upset, especially after saying “no” multiple times. But your spouse insists also, even going so far as to take the snack off the tray and try to put it in your mouth. By the end of the interaction, you’re really on edge.

The third or fourth time you see a waiter approach you, you’re feeling either stressed, angry, or both. The waiter hasn’t even gotten all the way over to you yet and you’re ready to yell “no!” You look around for a place to escape to but your spouse/friend has their arm around you and you can’t back away. You end up physically snatching the tray from the waiter and throwing it on the ground, yelling obscenities and getting as quickly out of the room as possible. The guests look at you while your spouse simply says “I don’t know why she’s being so aggressive! They were just wanted to give her a snack!” I’m guessing you would be pretty angry at your spouse/friend by this point too. They aren’t helping support you at all. You can’t trust them OR the waiter.

You see where I’m going with this don’t you?
Try to imagine if your “no thank yous” were ignored. How many times would it take being ignored for you to get angry, get physical, or try to escape, or worse, just shut down completely. Everyone would handle it differently, but we’d all hate it.

Dogs deal with this EVERY DAY. They say “no, thank you” all the time. And we often times are guilty of ignoring that request and trying to convince them otherwise, sometimes even going so far as to force them through something because WE don’t understand. And then we wonder why dogs reach a point of aggressing or avoiding. Whether we are the waiter; trying to push something onto the dog like an interaction, or the spouse/friend not supporting the dog and backing up their request of “no, thank you” we are doing serious harm to the dogs confidence and even more harm to our relationship with them.

Your dog can only use his body language to tell you what he wants, so pay attention. If your dog says no thank you, listen. If they don’t want a stranger to touch them, support them. If they don’t want to meet a strange dog, let it go. If they want to take their time trying something different, let them take their time. I can tell you the more choice they feel they have the more likely they are to actually decide to try when they are ready. Just like you may finally get hungry enough to want a snack from the tray, but on your terms, and one that you get to pick.

Choice and consent matters in ALL species. Respect your dogs “no, thank you” and you’ll get a lot of respect back.

- Helen St. Pierre, No Monkey Business Dog Training. Please if you share give credit.

08/16/2024

So bummed! I lost my voice on Monday… I must have caught a cold after returning home on Sunday from vacation. I had to reschedule my Tuesday and Wednesday programs. 😓 I was hoping to have my voice back for Saturday and Sunday classes, but it’s not looking (sounding) like it.

I will email everyone from Saturday and Sunday programs by today to confirm. I hate getting sick, but especially losing my voice 😭

08/16/2024

Things to remember 💖🐶🐾😉

08/16/2024

Great information! 🐾💖🐶🙌

Pain can be present in young animals....

I've just finished watching the Chronic Pain Symposium 2024 (26 hours of talks!) From Canine Arthritis Management (https://membership.elearning.vet/speaker-schedule)

This snippet reveals the prevalence of osteoarthritis, commonly thought to be a disease we only see in older dogs. Revealing in the research 40% of dogs 4 years and under show radiographic signs of OA and of those 60% have pain in their joints. With only half of dog owners picking up on the signs.

This is why we are constantly referring dogs we see for training onto their vets and other professionals if we feel there is something underlying going on contributing to their behaviour.

Please see:
https://my.elanco.com/en_gb/product-support/pet/galliprant?utm_medium=print&utm_source=companion&utm_campaign=galliprant_2023&utm_content=franks_back&utm_term=full_page_issue_september

For more information on pain and links to behaviour:

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/2/318
https://bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/inpr.359?fbclid=IwAR1_1REuYnksS2_U0RDX52MfzONrgYIzwMSL2faQzQkflwZ7UvfWMhBh0DE

08/16/2024

Great information 💖🐶🐾🙌

Why “wait and see” might be a waste of time, money, and welfare - by Kate Woods, IAABC-ADT, FFCP

08/16/2024

Things to remember 🐾💖🐶😉

So many of the things that people consider 'behaviour problems' in dogs are in fact perfectly normal and instinctive canine behaviours that stretch back over their evolution. The problem is that these behaviours can be inconvenient and potentially problematic in human homes.

Understanding dogs, where they came from and the traits that were vital to their survival in the past, lets us see that we need to provide ways for our dogs to carry out these behaviours. It is a vital part of ensuring their welfare and mentioned in the Five Freedoms - the freedom to express natural behaviour.

Of course we don't want them chewing the furniture, shredding the cushions, digging up the flowerbeds etc. The key is to find ways to let them carry out these behaviours that both they and we find appropriate and acceptable.

A child's sandpit filled with dirt or sand makes a great digging spot, and you can hide things in there for them to find. Alternatively, select a specific spot in the garden and direct the dog there if you find them digging elsewhere.

Make sure they have plenty of appropriate chewing material and redirect them to a chew if they start nibbling on the sofa or the chair leg.

Provide soft toys to be eviscerated to save the cushions. The great thing with soft toys is that you can restuff them and sew them up - often several times before they are beyond repair. Charity shops can also be good sources of budget friendly soft toys for this purpose (always making sure they are safe with no bits the dog may swallow).

Shredding dogs often also love cardboard. Use the household recycling to fill a cardboard box with things like egg boxes, other pieces of cardboard, packing paper and so on, anything that is dog safe. Scatter their food or some treats through the box contents and let them hunt the food out and then have a great time shredding the box and contents. Yes there is a little clearing up that needs to be done, but it saves the furniture or other items from destruction.

With a little imagination it's simple to come up with ways to fulfil these natural drives and your dog will definitely thank you for it. 🧡

08/16/2024

Things to remember 💖🐾🐶😉

QUICK TIP: THOUGHTS ON REPETITION: Most of what I teach dog owners about how to train their dogs does not include repetition, that is, hours and hours of repeating commands until the dog gets it right. In fact, I don't teach commands at all, but rather cues, which represent opportunities for reinforcement. Further, I teach owner/trainers how to teach their dogs to think, not simply obey.

That said, repetition does have a role in the way I teach some behaviors where we want the dog to respond without considering the options, e.g., recall, or coming when called. I teach recall to pet dogs the same way I teach it to performance and working dogs, by building the behavior over time, in step-wise fashion. Each step in the process requires repetition.

However, the difference between the repetition I teach and that used by compulsion trainers is that I set the dog and owner/trainer up for success.

Setting the dog up for success doesn't mean the dog never misses the mark, but when this happens, as it inevitably does, the consequence does not involve "correction" (euphemism for punishment), but rather modification of the training plan. The onus of responsibility lies with the owner/trainer, and I am there as the instructor to guide the dog's person in how to modify his or her behavior to get the desired behavior from their dog.

I tell my students to keep their dogs successful at a minimum level of 80%. This degree of success is necessary for optimal learning, and to go on to the next level of difficulty. I also tell my human students to keep training sessions short, and end each session with the dog wanting more!

So, while repetition is required to teach certain behaviors, such as recall, where I don't want the dog thinking a lot about choices, this repetition does not entail long training sessions or any possibility of "correction" or punishment. All "behaviors" students learn to teach their dogs are taught as opportunities for reinforcement, which according to science, corroborated by my own experience, is much more powerful than training that is based on the threat of punishment.

When a student is struggling to get their dog to perform a specific behavior, repetition may be necessary, but only to the point that the owner/trainer can learn how best to communicate with the dog about what is desired. Another way to say this is that students need to practice!

I teach people how to get the behavior they want, for example, walking on a loose leash, but practice is required for the owner/trainer to learn how to teach the dog and for the dog to learn what is being asked. It's like a dance. You must first learn the steps, then practice for a long time before a series of steps begins to take on the look and feel of a dance.

Now for the take away nugget. While repetition is useful in training certain behaviors, especially those where the end goal is a default response rather than a conscious choice, it can work against you in some situations when training your dog.

I tell my students to never repeat the dog's name or their recall cue. If you repeat a cue, you will teach your dog to not listen. Remember, a cue represents an opportunity for reinforcement. If your dog gets one chance and misses it, he will listen better next time!

This stands in contrast to the use of commands, which represent orders with an implied threat. It may seem counterintuitive, but if you get into commanding your dog (usually due to impatience and frustration) or repeating commands or "cues," you have just entered into an oppositional relationship with your dog, and all the things that can go wrong as a result, including a loss of control of your dog, enter into the picture.

Understanding when and how to use repetition in dog training is part of understanding best practices in animal training and necessary for achieving good, reliable results. Making effective use of your training time and teaching your dog to think and make choices rather than obey to avoid undesirable consequences will yield the best, most reliable, longlasting results!

Cindy Ludwig, Canine Connection LLC
Willard, Missouri

08/16/2024

Great information 🐾💖🐶😉

08/15/2024

Great tips and information 🐾💖🐶😍

08/15/2024

Great information 💖🐾🐶😍

08/15/2024

Yes! 🐾💖🐶🙌

08/15/2024

Amazing resource 💖🐾🐶🙌

Over 100 years of selective breeding to create breeds specifically designed for movement control has resulted in many significant problems in pet dog households. The most common issue is reactivity, which is characterized by an undesired response toward a trigger while on a leash. Whether your dog reacts to other dogs, people, cars, bikes or novel items such as garbage cans, this webinar will provide valuable information for you!

We will delve into the causes of your dog's reactivity and take a peek inside your dog's thoughts and how it sees the world. The webinar is tailored for novice pet dog owners and experienced trainers who wish to learn more about working with herding breed clients. Whether you are new to pet ownership or an experienced trainer, this webinar is for you!

The webinar is live, but WILL BE RECORDED for those who can't attend live.

Friday, September 6th at 10:00 am Pacific. The webinar is $29 CAD/approx. $21 USD.

https://wildatheartdogtraining.as.me/reactive

08/15/2024

Great information 🐾💖🐶😉

Why we need to keep repeating that reward-based methods are the best way to train your dog.

08/15/2024

Yes 💖🐾🐶😉

Growling is communication. Always just communication. How else are our dogs going to ask for the space they need if we punish them for growling? Take away the growl and they have no choice but to go straight to a bite.

08/15/2024

Yes!! 🐾🐶🙌💖

Muzzled dogs are LOVED dogs. 🫶

If you see a muzzle, just know we're doing our best!

It's always going to be a double-edged sword when it comes to muzzles.

People who see muzzles will provide space because they assume that the dog is fearful or aggressive. This in turn benefits those dogs that need space!

People who see muzzles will sometimes also believe that muzzles are cruel or that muzzled dogs are in some way worse off simply for being muzzled.

The world shouldn't rush over to muzzled dogs assuming they're not aggressive or scared. Hopefully one day people will think 'yay, what a great dog guardian' as they give muzzled dogs space. 💕

Who's with me? Share this post! 😘

08/15/2024

Yes please!! 😩🐶🐾

STOP 👏🏻 ANTAGONIZING 👏🏻 SMALL 👏🏻 DOGS 👏🏻 FOR 👏🏻 SOCIAL 👏🏻 MEDIA 👏🏻 CLOUT

It’s not funny, it’s not cute. Small dogs deserve to be listened to and respected too.

That’s it. That’s the post.

08/15/2024

Yes! 💖🐾🐶🙌

The Kryptonian symbol on Superman's chest represents hope, which is why its incredibly sickening to see aversive trainers represent themselves as hero's in the industry. Do you think dogs feel hope when they see that shock collar or prong collar?

When you discuss ethics, with such ones they say ethics are subjective. When you share the wealth of scientific research on training methods, they say science has no place in dog training. When you state the dog's needs should be prioritised, they say the guardians wishes should be prioritised. (Don't forget as trainers we are supposed to be the dog's voice)

There is no common ground. Either you hurt dogs or you don't, and if you understand canine behaviour and the impact of aversives, and you choose to use them regardless, you don't belong in the industry. Dogs deserve so much better than that.

I am all for unity but not if it means sacrificing my beliefs and principles. I can't overlook or support professionals hurting other dogs simply because they have some good knowledge and skills. There are plenty of professionals in the industry with extensive knowledge and skills that don't use aversives. Follow and support them!