When deciding whether a play style is right for you and your dog, there are a few things to consider:
1. Does your dog enjoy it? ✅
2. Do you enjoy it? ✅
3. Is it set up in a way that’s clear to the dog when the game starts & ends? (Especially if there could be problems with the game play behaviors bleeding over into real life situations.) ✅
Jamie LOVES this “bitey-face-finger” game. He thinks he invented it himself, but it’s actually a variation on a normal play behavior we often see during dog-dog play.
We (his humans) think it’s fun and will play it with him on occasion. We have clear cues for starting and ending the game, and we don’t teach this game to anyone except for his two primary humans. We also practice other ways to interact with our hands so that this isn’t the “default” way that Jamie responds to hands approaching.
I might make a different choice depending on the individual dog’s ability to regulate their feelings with this type of engagement, and based on the individual dog’s unique behavior goals and challenges. For example, if Jamie was a large breed adolescent puppy with lots of enthusiasm, minimal bite inhibition (ouchy bites rather than gentle ones), and a default to using his mouth in all sorts of inappropriate situations, this wouldn’t be a game I would play right now.
Ultimately, you get to decide what your play relationship looks like with your dog!
Tell Us In The Comments: Would you play this game with your dog? 🐕
🤔 Every wondered what happens at Adventure Camp For Puppies? Well here is the inside scoop!
⛺️ Adventure Camp For Puppies is a half day, drop off, service where we jump start your puppy’s training for you!
⛺️2 days a week (Wednesday & Friday) 7:30am - 12:00pm
⛺️ One of our professional dog trainers will introduce your puppy to foundation behaviors & life skills that every growing dog needs to live their best life!
⛺️ To continue supporting you at home, Adventure Camp includes 2 private lessons, a daily report card and videos, a treat pouch, and lifetime enrollment in our Puppy Basics Online Course!
😉 Psssst! While Adventure Camp For Puppies is for pups 9 weeks to ~ 6 months old, ask us about our adult dog program!
Schedule a discovery call ☎️ with our Adventure Camp team here:https://summitdogtraining.as.me/adventure-camp-info-call
Find more information on our website: https://www.summitdogtraining.com/adventure-camp
#summitdogtraining #puppytraining #adventurepuppy #trainingbasics #puppyraising #puppylife
⭐️ Be our 150th Google Review! ⭐️
We are so thankful for all of the wonderful reviews y'all have left so far, and we are excited to share another milestone!
You can share your thoughts ➡️ https://g.page/r/CbH2Op8ShrzsEAg/review
Intro to Nose Work! Progress from Week 1 to Week 3!
Watch Jamie & Atlas play K9 Nose Work© in Intro to Nose Work class! Right now they are searching for treats hidden around the room - in later class series this will change to specific odors. Watch the difference in confidence and search speed from Week 1 to Week 3 of class after just a few short weeks of practice!
Register on our website - link in the comments!
A few things that we take into account when using a retractable leash!
Location - no busy sidewalks, more nature walks
Pay attention to your surroundings, both ahead and behind, so if someone comes up quickly they aren’t tripped or tangled
We attach to a light weight 4-ft lead with no handle so that there can be slack in the line when in close proximity (this lead is from Trust Your Dog!)
Good recall (with consistent practice)!
Use the locking mechanism proactively when entering a distraction zone so the dog doesn’t have to experience a sudden jolt.
Keep in mind that this picture would look different for a large breed dog! Depending on the level of control you have with your dog, a Flexi may not be right for your larger dog.
We don’t recommend this for dogs with reactivity - or as a solution to chronic pulling behavior. Amber only started using this with Jamie when he was older and already had good leash skills!
Otto is a recent Adventure Camp graduate who completed the program with flying colors! When Otto first joined Camp, he had a hard time working through his frustration so we spent a lot of time teaching him ways to appropriately deal with and work through that frustration. Otto usually became frustrated when he could not play with another dog or inspect something so we taught him how to calm himself down through sniffing, and that checking in with a human can give him access to the thing he is interested in.
In the first video, Otto tries to pull towards a piece of trash, after a moment, he is able to check in with Trainer Meredith who rewards him by getting to sniff something else. In this case, it wasn’t safe for Otto to inspect the trash so Meredith offered the option of sniffing elsewhere.
In video 2, Otto practices a down with adult dog, Khy. When Otto first joined camp, other dog friends were a big deal for him. Through activities like side by side downs, Otto gained some confidence, and learned that friends are fun but don’t need to be a big deal!
If you have a puppy, you might be concerned about socialization with the Upper Respiratory Virus currently going around. It’s 100% possible to provide your puppy with adequate socialization AND keep them safe! Any time you bring a puppy anywhere, there are always risks. However, the behavioral fallout from failing to properly socialize a puppy is much more likely than them contracting an illness. The last few years of Covid have demonstrated that isolating a puppy during their prime socialization period can have serious consequences. Expose your puppy to different textures! Grass, dirt, sand, water, rocks, cement, etc. Bring them to a dog-friendly shop (that isn’t a pet store) and let them relax and work on a chew in that environment. Let your puppy navigate different terrains and obstacles, like crossing a stream! Let your puppy play with odd, noisy objects, like plastic water bottles and empty detergent bottles! Bring your puppy to a dog-friendly store and keep them in a shopping cart! This prevents them from touching the floor, where most dogs are walking. Let them observe novel things, like horses! When you introduce them to new people and dogs, focus on quality over quantity! Make sure they are dogs and people who haven’t been exposed, and allow the dogs to play in the safety of a home or backyard.
Client Success Story 🐾
Edgar’s mom Kimber contacted us in a panic and crying because she had just adopted him and tried to take him on a walk where he dragged her, forcefully chasing wildlife. Trainer Angela went there for a consultation and started supporting this team to better harmony right away.
After 3.5 months of work using a gentle leader for mom’s safety, relationship building, self-regulation exercises, the look at that game and recalls they have a harmonious life together. Angela & Kimber also talked a lot about what Edgar was bred for and understanding him as an individual so Kimber could work together instead of against each other!
‼️Agility Foundations ‼️
If you want to start a fun and exciting activity with your dog, today is your day! Registration is open for our upcoming sessions of Agility Foundations with Trainer Melissa. Due to the large demand for agility, we have FOUR classes that you have a chance of joining!
-Starts January 20th @ 3:30pm
-Starts January 20th @ 4:45pm
-Starts February 24th @ 3:30pm
-Starts February 24th @ 4:45pm
To register, send us a message or click here:
https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=12462199
Come follow along as Service Dog in Training Olivia completes a public access evaluation with Summit Trainer Amber!
During this evaluation, we are looking to see how Olivia handles many common situations that she will encounter during her service dog career.
Olivia was carefully selected for her potential for service dog work as a puppy, and has been training with her human handler (also named Amber!) for service dog tasks and public access skills for 2.5 years. Amber has put a lot of hard work into raising and training Olivia intentionally for her future career as a service dog, and this public access evaluation is an important step in checking that Olivia’s skills and behavior in public meet the high service dog standard. No surprise, but she nailed it!
Service Dogs are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and are defined as “dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.” While there is no standard or required “service dog certification” or “service dog registration,” a public access evaluation is often part of the process for determining if a Service Dog in Training is ready to be promoted to the title of Service Dog. This is the culmination of careful planning in the election process for a potential service dog and then a lot of hard work training for specific service dog skills and above-average public manners.
Congratulations, Amber & Olivia! We are so excited that we’ve been able to be part of your training
In Adventure Camp we give the puppies opportunities to interact with appropriate adult dogs. In video 1, Koda the terrier puppy is learning how to play with small dogs by playing with Jamie the 3 year old Papillon. We created safety measures by putting Koda on leash so that Jamie can move out of her space if he would like. We always keep play brief so that we can end it on a positive note!
In video 2, Midas the golden plays with Chona, a 3 year old Collie. They are both having a good time. Midas uses the tunnel as a tool to hide which helps Chona give Midas space if he needs it.
In all social situations, we set everything up for the dogs to be successful so that they can have fun and not worry about being overwhelmed. Even with confident adult dogs this is important! Appropriate interactions with adult dogs is a great opportunity to teach puppies how to take breaks from play and learn that not all interactions have to be wrestlemania.
We are currently booking out for November & December, so if you'd like to set your puppy up for success, email [email protected]!
In Adventure Camp, we teach puppies how to use a variety of puzzle toys which helps develop problem-solving skills. In the video, Adventure Camp Trainer Meredith teaches Ernie the Dachshund how to solve a puzzle. This toy has different slots to hide treats in, but Meredith only uses a couple of the slots while Ernie learns how to use the toy. Meredith offers him plenty of encouragement as he works on the toy to help him stay motivated.
It's important to offer support while your puppy learns a new puzzle so they understand how it works. Many puzzle toys have difficulty ratings which can be a helpful tool when choosing one for your puppy!
Do you want to give your puppy a solid start? We are currently booking out November & December for Adventure Camp!
At some point throughout your dog’s life, they will need a bath! Rather than hope for the best, there’s a lot we can do to prepare our dogs for this event.
Before your dog actually needs a bath, practice getting in and out of the tub! Use a treat to lure your dog in, reward, and then release out of the tub. Be sure to put down some sort of non-skid surface so your dog won’t be spooked by the slippery floor! Practice this regularly, so getting in the tub is as familiar as getting in the car or the bed.
Once your pup is familiar with getting in and out of the tub, start practicing known behaviors, like a hand-touch! Have your dog move around in the tub to reach your hand, so they can explore the environment and feel the stability underneath them.
This is just the beginning of preparing your dog for baths and other forms of grooming! Lucky for you, we have an online course for this exact subject.
Click this link to learn more: https://courses.summitdogtraining.com/courses/cooperative-care
Ask A Trainer Live 10/11!
Ask Trainer Benah any question about dog training, behavior, or welfare!
10/8 Training Trek!
Nothing makes us happier than seeing our students meet their training goals! Watch these teams navigate difficult proximities and distractions in a busy environment. It takes time, energy, and patience to get here and we recognize how hard our students work to reach their goals. Today, no matter where you are on your training journey, take a moment to celebrate the progress you and your dog have made!
We have a few spots remaining in our upcoming Adventure Dog Class starting this Saturday 10/5 at 8AM!
Now that the weather is cooling down and the leaves are starting to turn, we all want to be out on the trail with our dogs! In this class, you'll learn the skills you need to adventure safely and confidently with your dog by your side. Watch the video below to get an inside look into our past Adventure Dog Class!
Click here to learn more and register: https://summitdogtraining.as.me/?appointmentType=52292409
