Sometimes a little switch up in training is just what’s needed. We decided Marley needed a change in her normal training so we had her try the treadmill. It took her a little bit to get used to walking but towards the end she was able to walk with no problem! The treadmill is a great way to work your dog mentally and physically. Marley is an active dog, but we can tell her mental stamina is a little short. After 30 minutes of walking on the treadmill she was already tired. #rykerdogtraining #rykerdogtrainingfresno #dogtraining #dogtrainingfresno #dogtrainer #fresno #clovis #madera #sanger #kingsburg #centralvalley #fresnocounty #california #dogsoffresno #balanceddogtraining #balanceddogtrainer #dogtrainer #fresnobusiness
When controlling the impulse to get up when you hear every little thing gets to be too much mental work for your brain. 🤣 “Chill” or “relax” is not in Sylvie’s vocab so we’re working with her on staying on Place despite distractions. Her little brain was on over drive and started for fall asleep towards the end of her session.
Do you know the signs of stress in your dog? For most dogs show signs of panting, licking lips, shaking, or stiffening their body. It is common for owners think that putting dogs in stressful situations will hinder training or make them more anxious. It’s actually the opposite. Having your dog be in situations that causes them stress will help teach them how to deal with things that make them uncomfortable in a healthy way. You just need to find the right balance of stress to where it’s completely shutting your dog down.
In Finn’s case, he has mild separation anxiety and usually shows his stress by panting excessively or shaking. Doing commands like staying in down away from people will help reinforce that he has to tolerate being by himself. It’s the perfect amount of stress where he is able to work through it but not completely overwhelm him.
On top of learning basic commands, Maggie also worked on potty training during her 7 Day Board & Train. We use an exercise pen as a designated potty area to teach our board and train puppies where it’s appropriate to go potty. Having her enclosed in a pen also helps her focus on going potty as puppies her age get easily distracted and limits how much she can roam.
Struggling with potty training? Ask us about our Online Potty Training course!
Zola was absolutely in LOVE with Rufus during play time in Preschool today! ❤️
We’ve got road construction going on in our parking lot so it was the perfect opportunity for socialization with Copper especially because she is going through a fear period. She doesn’t have all of her shots yet so we played it safe with having her stay on a towel and observe everything going on.
Remember that socialization isn’t just about directly interacting with humans and dogs. Having your pup sit and watch the world go by is also a form of indirect socialization. It is just as important.
We’re changing things up a little for Luna’s training session and introducing the Place Game. The Place Game consists of 2 beds set up a few feet away from each other. The dog starts on one bed and has to stay on place until you call them to you from the other bed. This game incorporates place, recalls and impulse control. As you can see, Luna also had distractions from outside to make things more challenging.
It’s all tricks AND treats for Hurley! 🎃
Millie is back after recovering from surgery and doing well with walking so we’re adding more difficulty. Even though she was nervous, she did great handling the chaos of Costco’s store front with all the carts, people and even someone’s dog growling at us. We’re so proud of Millie!
If you have a treadmill at home, teaching your dog how to walk on it is a great way to keep your dog mentally and physically engaged. You can add difficulty by increasing the speed and incline as well. While nothing beats a walk outdoors, this is an excellent alternative when the weather is too hot/cold.
When they’re not training or playing, our dogs are crated. The crates not only give them a safe space to be in while we attend to other dogs but it also is an important aspect in our training process.
We teach the dogs to be calm and quiet in the crate. It’s not only for the sake of staff or our neighbors, but it also creates a less stressful environment for all the dogs. The crate is also a form of indirect socialization because the dogs are exposed to seeing other dogs and their temperaments.
Olive worked on controlling her impulses by leaving her favorite treats alone. We use the “leave it” command which means the dog needs to move away from the object/person/dog (or in this case cheese). Doing training drills like this will help reinforce “leave it” and their impulse control in more realistic situations such as when kids drop food or if your dog likes to pick up random things while on walks.
