PATH Dog Training & Behavior

10/12/2024

OMG, does it get any cuter than a ⁉️


Today, little Osa learned:
Name, Sit to Greet, Down, Stay & Release, Drop it, Leave it, and Place. Whew!

10/04/2024

Little Olive has bite history with multiple incidents to feet and hands. She is 7 years old and previously been in training that focused on obedience and punishing the aggression. Since that didn't work, her Mom gave up for a few years. We just had our first session today where I took Olive through my 6 Steps to Resolve Reactivity. She got to the point we could walk together easily. When it came time to settle, that's when she tried offering all sorts of behaviors. This sit was fantastic, as was the calm eye contact she offered multiple times. Then came the barking.

Let's talk about barking for a minute.

Barking can be an invitation or a demand for attention/activity. Barking can be an alarm, to announce the presence of something. Barking can also be a warning to ask something to go away.

With dogs who were previously corrected for barking, I find dogs will do a "test bark," to see if I will ever turn scary. It's as if the dog is saying, "I know what this is. This is a training session. This is when I get leash popped for doing something perfectly natural to me. Are you going to do that?"

No, sweetheart. Never. Instead, I'm going to help you feel comfortable. In the meantime, I'm going to teach you how to ask nicely for space, and I'm going to make sure your quiet asks are honored so you don't have to yell ever again.

Olive and I began all of that today. Space is a conversation. What are you saying?

09/27/2024

Who is a good boy?
Lukas is!!
Today, he worked on:
🐾 Automatic sit-to-greet a guest coming in the house
🐾 Loose-leash walking past dogs and people
🐾 Began Dr. Overall's Relaxation Protocol on his mat
🐾 Leave it: closed hand with eye contact!
No more prong or vibration collar required.

09/22/2024

Little Bernie was so reactive, he took a bite out of my fake dog (or 3). Went straight for the jugular. Today was his first ever group class after only 3 private sessions where Takoda and Terra worked their magic. He did FANTASTIC! Sure, he barked a couple times, lunged once; but his outbursts were managed with space, and he had dozens of excellent interactions with people and dogs from a distance where he did feel comfortable! He took food, and was even able to offer his favorite, most adorable tricks.
RSVP on Meetup.com/path4dogs
Sundays, 9am

09/04/2024

If you learn nothing else, let it be the power of your dog's nose. Studies show the part of the brain that controls sight lights up as well as the olfactory center while dogs are sniffing. This implies that dogs "see" smells.

🐾 Puppies and even adult dogs who sniff a lot are calmer, more confident in new environments, happier, and less reactive on walks.
✔️ Sniffing and tracking scents are essential activities for every breed, age, and size of dog.
🐾 Sniffing is a fabulous enrichment activity that helps the elderly and/or disabled folks physically and mentally enrich their dog's day with minimal activity requirements on their part.
✔️ Turn a 10-min walk into a 10-min sniffathon and you will notice a huge difference in the satisfaction of your dog!

09/04/2024

This is Jacque, the
He would like to let everyone know that in addition to being a for his training, he was happy to see me for the first time. This is monumental, because he is nearly 1yo and has never liked a visitor before.

08/17/2024

I simply cannot with this cute

08/07/2024

This is sweet little Kahlua's second session working on behavior mod for severe people stranger danger. She is a whose nervous system is always running high. She would jump at the sound of repeated, gentle thumps in her own garage.

Last week, we introduced:
✔️ Counter-conditioning
✔️ Threshold honoring
✔️ Playing tag (AKA touch)
✔️ Default settles
✔️ Emergency U-Turns

Today, I discovered walks are now going GREAT thanks to counter conditioning and emergency U-Turns. She was able to play tag with me for the first time!

So I added:
✔️ Target a mat with all 4 paws
✔️ Lie down on the mat
✔️ Stay briefly until released
✔️ Use mat work to recover after a mild-moderate trigger (the thumping)

I am so stinking proud of her and her family. Last week, I got growled and barked at with paranoid eyes 👀. Today, she not only took treats and played tag with me, she let me teach her to target the mat!

06/30/2024

So proud of this team! From reactive to all dogs to a CGC graduate. Yay Sean and Lulu Diva!! 😁🙏🏼🥳☘️

06/27/2024

That thing where you look like your dog?
It's us. Me and Zephyr.

06/04/2024

So honored to be chosen at the #1 Rated Dog Trainer in Lake Forest, CA! This is my 14th year in business, it's been such a a rewarding journey. Thanks to all for helping me get here!

05/29/2024

Just announced the upcoming CGC test/practice day for PATH Animal Institute

RSVP on Meetup

**Group Class: TESTING PREP DAY** PATH private clients pay $20. If you and your dog are on your way to taking all 3 levels of the CGC test, the Service Dog in Training Ma

05/23/2024

Dr. Sparkle is concerned. Let me get this straight.

Let's talk about heel/loose-leash walking/no pulling. It sucks when dogs pull the whole walk. A dog who walk nicely is a dream to be out with. Dogs who yank constantly hurt my arms/back/abs/body.

Some trainers work on leash pulling by...
Putting the dog in a prong collar, making it uncomfortable to pull in.

🤔 Does that seem counter intuitive to anyone else? Fixing leash pulling with... More pulling (leash corrections on the prong)? We just moved the pain off of us and onto the dog. Is that really the best we can do?

I literally had a client say "WHAT SORCERY IS THIS?" at her dog's first walking lesson on a front-clip harness. I was NOT luring or constantly treating the dog. The dog actually did not pull at all.

Leash pulling is usually a symptom that becomes a habit. Remove the root cause and reinforce a new habit to stop the pulling.

Legit root causes of leash pulling:
✔️ Bored, hyper dog
✔️ Over excitement & prey drive
✔️ Reactivity (from frustration or fear of a trigger)
✔️ Fear & anxiety away from home
✔️ Over stimulated
✔️ Lack of partnership with owner

Illegitimate root causes of leash pulling:
✖️ Dominance
✖️ Trying to be the pack leader
✖️ Stubborn
✖️ Low intelligence
✖️ Has to be in front to control the walk

Let me know if this is your dog? I'd like to offer a free webinar on walking methods that don't hurt either end of the leash. 😉

05/21/2024

I have been slowly transitioning from the Pack Walks to the new PACT Class on meetup.com/path4dogs

Years ago, another local trainer (I'm not naming him) attended my pack walk to help his dogs (or so he said). I have recently discovered he stole my idea when someone in a local Facebook group accused me of stealing his idea. Seeing the Meetup Events history dating back to January of 2012 proved I offered it first, but I am not about drama.

Sometimes, necessity is the mother of invention!

Rather than a weekly pack walk, I am now offering a drop-in group class that focuses on manners out and about in the world. This class offers reactive dogs the space and structure needed to succeed alongside dogs who only need to work on obedience.

The price has gone up to $35 now that it is a group class instead of a pack walk. Private clients pay $20 for the life of their dog. This is still much more affordable than other in-person reactive dogs allowed classes (most have gone online).

If you're interested in doing a pack walk on a local trail, please comment below! I'd be happy to host a free monthly pack walk.

**Partnership And Trust Here (PATH) Animal Institute - Welcome!**This group is founded and hosted by animal behaviorist and dog trainer, **Ash Miner, a professional trainer since 2008, who holds dual Master's degrees in Animal Behavior for canine/feline and equine** from the accredited Unity Environ

05/14/2024

Just scheduled the next CGC prep & test day for PATH Animal Institute

https://www.meetup.com/path4dogs/events/301011034/

04/08/2024

It really makes my blood boil when trainers focus on making behaviors happen, rather than getting to the root cause.

I am Katie's 3rd trainer. She is 3 years old. We had our first in-person session today. She was terrified, but I helped her through it. It was the first time her owner said, "She really looks happy. I've been wondering if she ever really is happy, if she even loves me?"

I wish the training industry would be regulated to prevent this kind of neglect from happening.