New Beginnings Dog Training

05/29/2024

Another myth: Certain breeds cannot be trained using positive methods

The Ten Myths of Canine Behavior:
Myth #7: "German Shepherds learn differently than other dogs."
Learning Theory is universal among animals through associations and interactions with their environment. Dogs are not stubborn; the instructions provided are not clear.

05/28/2024

Get ready for thunderstorm & fireworks season by counter conditioning now.

Ah, the irony. I had planned to repost a piece about helping to prevent or treat thunder phobia, and then ended up in the cellar last Tuesday night after the TV weather dude said, not quite in these words, “There’s a tornado moving toward your house, it just hasn’t touched down yet.” We are ...

05/22/2024

MANAGING RESOURCE GUARDING
I see a lot of dogs with guarding behaviors, especially newly adopted dogs. Why? Maybe they were living as strays, competing for resources on the streets. Maybe they lived in a home where their people were constantly taking stolen items from them. Teaching your dog to trade will prevent guarding before it happens. If he's already guarding, teach him that you will always give him something more valuable than what he has. I love the way Emma Parsons explains item exchanges is her book "The New Click to Calm - Solutions for All Dogs in a Challenging World":
"...you have a $100 bill in your hand. A friend walks by and takes it away. You look at your friend, questioningly, wondering if he's going to return it. He doesn't. The next day, you have a $50 bill in your hand. Your friend says hello, take the $50 bill and leaves. The next day you have two $100 bills in your hand. You see your friend approaching. This time you don't wait until he swipes your money! You either run in the opposite direction or you tell him in no uncertain terms that, if he tries to take your money, he'll get into trouble."
In contrast, "you have a $100 bill in your hand. A friend walks by, takes it, and gives you two $100 bills. You look at your friend in joy and disbelief. The next day you have a $50 bill in your hand, Your friend says hello and replaces the $50 bill with a $100 bill. We love this friend! The next day you have two $100 bills in your hand and your friend asks if she can have one of the bills. You bet! You would gladly share what you have in anticipation of a greater payoff!"

05/21/2024

Kenya is looking for a dog-free home. Please share!

Send a message to learn more

05/20/2024

If you want to try a dog sport, check out a nosework class. This is 8 year old Lola doing her first vehicle search. You can tell how much she loved it.

05/18/2024

Dogs are reading your body language. Be aware of what you’re saying to them.

The key to dog body language is recognizing stress signals, and understanding what our own body language communicates to our dogs.

05/02/2024

Have you tried a lick mat? Provides mental stimulation, reduces anxiety, prevents boredom. Spread with peanut butter, mashed sweet potatoes, banana, yogurt, and any combination of these. Freezing makes them last longer. Lots of different sizes and shapes. Supervise your dog while he’s enjoying it.

04/27/2024

Disturbing!😡

04/25/2024

WORDS TO LOOK FOR WHEN RESEARCHING A DOG TRAINER:
*postive reinforcement
*force-free
*certified
*science based
*clicker training
WORDS TO AVOID WHEN RESEARCHING A DOG TRAINER:
*dominance
*pack leader
*alpha
*balanced
*guaranteed

WORDS MATTER!

04/23/2024

Missing Dogs Massachusetts does a great job reuniting lost dogs with their owners. Many of these dogs are recent adoptions. Please use a martingale collar while your dog is adjusting to his new home.
What do you do if you see a stray dog? Remember in Massachusetts it’s illegal to keep a dog that you find.

4/23/24 Today is Lost Dog Awareness Day! If you see a wandering dog, the safest and quickest means of helping reunite that dog is to call your local animal control officer.

If you're aware of a lost dog in your community, or if you see a flyer matching the dog's description, call the number on the flyer directly to report the sighting instead of trying to catch the pup.

Pursuing and calling out to a dog, who may be in survival mode, can force the dog to hide, or run in a panic near busy roads.

A great way to help owners reunite with their lost dog is to help hang flyers locally, and enter the number in your contacts so you can report sightings ASAP, this is much safer and more effective than heading out and actively searching for a scared dog.

And remember, a dog's appearance can change quickly when lost - fur becomes dirty and matted, dogs can lose weight if there isn't a reliable food source - it doesn't mean the dog was neglected or unloved.

Help spread awareness!

04/08/2024

Set up your dog for success:
Do you find yourself repeating a cue before your dog does what you asked?
Ask yourself what can I do to help him?:
Is your cue clear and does he understand what it means?
Have you practiced that behavior without distractions until it is solid before adding distractions?
Is the reinforcer you are using rewarding for your dog?
Are you asking him in a stressful environment?
Have you tried breaking the behavior into smaller steps?
Is he physically able to perform the behavior?

If you have any questions please ask in the comments.

03/28/2024

If you want to prevent food guarding instead of messing with them while they’re eating walk by their bowl and toss something yummy in it.

02/26/2024

Do training methods matter? Absolutely!

The science supporting positive-reinforcement dog training is abundant. It's more effective and more humane than force-training. Here's why.

02/24/2024

Lately I have seen so many dogs at airports, grocery stores, restaurants and other public places with their owners claiming that they are service dogs. Service dogs perform tasks for an individual with disabilities. They cost thousands of dollars to train. They are not dogs wearing a vest from Amazon. They are not comfort dogs.

02/19/2024

Sharing one of my favorite pictures in honor of Kelsey on the anniversary of her birthday. Even toddlers can safely and appropriately help with the care of their pets.

02/08/2024

Listen to the whispers.

02/06/2024

Luce’s sister is visiting this week. If I were to describe this breed in one word it would be happy!

02/02/2024

Tell me what you notice about this dog.

01/28/2024

MEET THE TRAINER:
Owner Martha Palermo, KPA CTP, is a professional dog trainer certified by Karen Pryor Academy. She specializes in helping newly adopted dogs adjust to their new homes. Martha has been involved in animal rescue for over 20 years. She was the founder and director of Bay State Dogs, Inc., a small local all breed dog rescue. She is currently a volunteer for Newfoundland Rescue and Referral and Lagotto Romagnolo Dog Rescue Martha works with several other local shelters and rescues providing training and behavior assessments.

Martha has a BS in accounting and a MBA from Bentley University. She is a member of IAABC, APDT, MAC, Doggone Safe and NCNE. Seminars and workshops that Martha has attended include Assess-a-Pet, TACT, The Genetic Basis for Canine Behavior, Dog to Dog Interactions and Sociability vs. Aggression Thresholds in Dogs with Sue Sternberg, How to Teach a Reactive Dog Class with Emma Parsons, and Cementing the Human-K9 Bond with Dr. Tim Lewis and Sue Sternberg. She also participated in an internship with Sue Sternberg studying the behavior of sled dogs at Eden Dog Sledding and the Un-Chained Gang.
Martha completed Canine Body Language and Behavior Observation training with Kelley Bollen and is certified as a volunteer evaluator for the MA Animal Coalition program Animatch. Martha is a former adjunct faculty member at Becker College in the Animal Sciences Department and a former mentor trainer for Animal Behavior College. She has also been a Delta Society Pet Partner and a Reading Education Assistance Dog partner with her Newfoundland, Lily. She has also participated in nosework and agility classes with her dogs.

01/27/2024

More recall practice on the beach with the ocean being the biggest distraction.
Remember to start training recalls inside with no distractions.

01/27/2024

More on shock collars:
This dog was surrendered to rescue due to behavior issues and was trained using a shock collar. The first picture shows her before surrender. The second picture shows her in her foster home being trained using positive reinforcement training.
A picture is worth a thousand words.

01/27/2024

Lately I have had a lot of questions about shock collars. This type of training equipment causes fear, anxiety, and even aggression. There is no quick fix to train behavior. It's a daily practice based on a bond between dog and human.

Ian Dunbar said it best regarding the use of shock collars.

01/05/2024

Shaping is the process of breaking down the goal behavior, in this case, settling on the Kurunda bed, into smaller increments. In previous sessions she had already progressed to putting all four feet on the bed. As you can see at the end she needs to be quicker before we can move on to the next step.

10/31/2023

Keep your dogs safe tonight.

10/27/2023

Seamus

10/27/2023

This big guy is appropriately named Happy. Happy to meet new friends, happy to learn, happy to show off all his tricks. Happy was rescued from a neglectful situation in the Dominican Republic and is thriving in his new home.

09/22/2023

Seamus enjoying his Reiki session with Linda. He gets regular sessions to help with his IBD symptoms. It has completely stopped his chronic teeth grinding.