Animal Manners - Dog Training and Behavior Counseling Portsmouth, NH

08/16/2024

❤️......!
Ten Unknown Facts About
1. Founding and History: BMW, Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, was founded in 1916 in Munich, Germany, initially producing aircraft engines. The company transitioned to motorcycle production in the 1920s and eventually to automobiles in the 1930s.
2. Iconic Logo: The BMW logo, often referred to as the "roundel," consists of a black ring intersecting with four quadrants of blue and white. It represents the company's origins in aviation, with the blue and white symbolizing a spinning propeller against a clear blue sky.
3. Innovation in Technology: BMW is renowned for its innovations in automotive technology. It introduced the world's first electric car, the BMW i3, in 2013, and has been a leader in developing advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) and hybrid powertrains.
4. Performance and Motorsport Heritage: BMW has a strong heritage in motorsport, particularly in touring car and Formula 1 racing. The brand's M division produces high-performance variants of their regular models, known for their precision engineering and exhilarating driving dynamics.
5. Global Presence: BMW is a global automotive Company
6. Luxury and Design: BMW is synonymous with luxury and distinctive design, crafting vehicles that blend elegance with cutting-edge technology and comfort.
7. Sustainable Practices: BMW has committed to sustainability, incorporating eco-friendly materials and manufacturing processes into its vehicles, as well as advancing electric vehicle technology with models like the BMW i4 and iX.
8. Global Manufacturing: BMW operates numerous production facilities worldwide, including in Germany, the United States, China, and other countries, ensuring a global reach and localized production.
9. Brand Portfolio: In addition to its renowned BMW brand, the company also owns MINI and Rolls-Royce, catering to a diverse range of automotive tastes and luxury segments.
10. Cultural Impact: BMW's vehicles often become cult

07/07/2024

Here's one thing you can do right now to make your dog’s life even better than it already is: let them sniff! Walking your dog provides physical exercise, but letting them sniff along the way will provide your dog with mental exercise and stimulation, too. Not only is sniffing important to your dog, but it is essential for your dog’s wellbeing. Studies have also shown that olfactory stimulation lowers a dog’s heart rate and reduces stress levels. Next time you take your dog out, we encourage you to slow down and let your dog "smell the roses" and other epic scents on their walk!

Maria Scrivan

06/20/2024

I spend so much time working with people and their reactive or aggressive dogs, learning how to help them and work with them, but I also try to show people with NON reactive dogs learn how they can help them too. I have both kinds, dogs who take things too personally (like eye contact from 100 yards away - ahem, Aslan) and dogs who think everyone needs a hug and a slobber (ahem, Andy). I truly believe if we work together as a collaborative society of dog lovers we can help every dog live their best life. Here are some things I try to teach every human and dog team, and I’ve actually found these are good preventative tools too.

1. Stop letting your dog have on leash greetings with other dogs. Even if they are friendly. Teach your dog when they are on leash you are the best thing they can focus on! This will minimize their conditioned excitement every time they see another dog and help them not pull, lunge or move towards a reactive dog who doesn’t want an interaction. Also, the more you do let your dog meet dogs on leash, the more frustrated and aroused your dog can get when they see them and then reactivity can develop. NO leash greetings all around is a much healthier way to teach your dog(s) that the world out there is great but you’re even better to focus on!

2. Silence your dogs tags. I started doing this a few years ago when we started camping. I realized that the jingling of my dogs tags walking was a huge trigger for many of the dogs in their campsite, and as a result, they would bark and scream profanity at my dogs walking. This made their walk stressful too. By minimizing the noise, I’ve greatly improved my dogs walks and I know I’ve also helped a lot of reactive dogs not get triggered for the umpteenth time that day.

3. Work on a bombproof recall. And then work on it some more. And then some more.

4. Only let your dog off leash in places that are allowed. Even if you think no one is there. Even if it’s just for a second. Just. Don’t. Do it. It’s not fair and it sets so many dogs and humans up to fail. Want a place to let your dog run? Look at Sniffspot.com

5. Respect muzzles, give me space vests, and people saying “no” It is super hard to take a reactive dog out in public and have confidence. The more we give space and respect the better these teams will do! Don’t make judgements or stare or insist on saying hello because you hope to be the exception. Just tell them they are doing a great job and keep going.

6. Don’t let your dog stare. This is a BIG one we work on in all our classes. We teach humans how to position their dogs so they don’t stare at other dogs. I work hard on teaching my dogs to not stare at other dogs on leash and you can too. This is more subtle than not leash greeting but it can be just as helpful. Teach your dog to acknowledge there’s a dog there, but then move on, or turn around and not face them. For many reactive dogs there is nothing more triggering than a goofy adolescent dog staring at them across the road. I swear they scream back “WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?!”

7. Confine and safely manage your dog in the car. Dogs hanging out of windows, barking and lunging in the backseat, or moving back and forth in the car are problematic because 1. It’s not safe and 2. It’s teaching THEM terrible behavior and 3. It’s very stressful for reactive dogs trying to walk down the road. My dogs are crated in the car; or tethered or use a calming cap to reduce their own stress and the stress of dogs that may walk past.

8. Offer to help. Ask the person what you can do to make it easier or help them? More space? Or moving back and forth? Or just continuing on your way. Some people struggle to find others with NON reactive dogs to practice with, so having help makes a big difference. Speak up if you see someone putting them down. Warn someone with an off leash dog that there’s a dog there that needs space. Help them the same at YOU would like it if it was you and your dog.

Reactive dogs are not broken: and they aren’t abnormal either. Reactivity honestly is now becoming more normal than NON reactive dogs, so we have to all work through this together. And it boils down to respect, understanding, courtesy and lots of reward based training.

We can do it gang.

-Helen St. Pierre

05/12/2024

When the unthinkable happens 😁 🐿️

05/02/2024

I'm not sure when growling became so vilified.

When did we decide that dogs weren't allowed to have an opinion unless it aligned with our own?

That they weren't allowed to express their displeasure, their fear, or their anger? That they just always had to agree with what we were asking of them?

When did our expectations become "put on a happy face?" And "grin and bear it, dog?"

Let me tell you this, IT IS FINE IF A DOG GROWLS. Growling is just a form of communication. Communication is ALWAYS a good thing. It's when communication stops that we are all in trouble. (And if we know they are feeling a particular way, we are better positioned to help them).

IT IS OKAY TO VALIDATE YOUR DOG'S FEELINGS. Any feelings. Their happy ones, sad ones, and yes, their angry ones, fearful ones, anxious ones, or worried ones. And growling can happen in all of those situations, too.

If your dog growls, THEY ARE TELLING YOU SOMETHING: "That thing is scary," "I don't want to be touched right now," "I need space," "I hurt," "I am worried," "That startled me."

And while you might say, "my old dog never growled at me," know that some dogs use growling to communicate more than others. They are not bad dogs, they are good communicators!

05/01/2024

Happy 15th Birthday to the most amazing cat there ever was 🥰. We love Freddie, Mr. Fuzzy pants, Nugget, Nugs, Little Black bean, (yes I could keep going).

We Love you!

04/14/2024

Don't become another statistic! Child safety begins with education. We have posters and booklets available to teach child safety around pets.
https://bit.ly/3PP5YDL?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=facebook_page&utm_medium=CattleDog%20Publishing%20-%20The%20Legacy%20of%20Dr.%20Sophia%20Yin

03/14/2024

https://www.facebook.com/seespotlearn/posts/809631541172873

02/22/2024

Please listen to your dog.

Be a Dog Detective - Look for Clues!
https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/resource/be-a-dog-detective-dogs-do-not-like-hugs-and-kisses/

02/18/2024

Happy Sunday! 😃

02/18/2024

Happy 16th Birthday to my beautiful Jazzy 🥰