Choose to Train Humane with Annie Phenix

12/21/2024

Did you know that our popular course on how to REALLy heal your dog's car phobia is also on Amazon as a Kindle book??

How to REALLY Heal Your Dog's Car Phobia : A 10-Step Guide by Professional Trainer Annie Phenix

12/21/2024

The stupidity and cruelty in dog training never ends.

Just learned of a franchised shock collar company that proudly displays ads claiming (falsely) that "an e collar is not a shock collar" and it "builds trust."

No babe. Your cruel collar harms the human-canine bond. It IS in fact a shock meant to cause pain. Period. End of story.

Their very next post is talking about the dangers of retractable leashes but remember kids, shocking your dog is just fine.

PLEASE seek out educated, humane, compassionate and credentialed canine professionals who have knowledge and experience to train your beloved pet with no need to ever harm your dog

12/20/2024

🎙️PUPPY CLASS IS NOT BOOT CAMP — IT SHOULD BE FUN!
🎧 https://ow.ly/M0wm50Uty9C

Dog trainer Annie Phenix of Choose to Train Humane with Annie Phenix sympathizes with Tracie’s concern that the puppy classes she has tried with her young Viszla, Sky, have had a joyless, even harsh, atmosphere. Annie explains why lessons should be about building trust, safety, confidence, resilience and JOY! which matter so much more to a young or new-to-you dog than “training.”

12/20/2024

For Local Utah dog guardians:

Looking for an excellent way to engage your dog's mind in a way that leaves them happily tired?

Need to get your dogs energy out before the fam comes over for a holiday?

I can help!

I am a Certified Canine Professional (and best selling author of canine behavior books) and I have a sensory room (Free Work) set up for dogs that creates a safe space for even reactive/fearful dogs where they can explore, learn and gain confidence. Free Work tires each dog out more than any walk can. My high energy Heelers LOVE Free Work and it is the only thing that truly tires them out.

Check out my website to learn about me and send me an email.text to hear all about scheduling a private Free Work session with me soon - your dog will thank you! Holiday special for just $35 a session - includes a video of your dog and tutoring by me during the Free Work session.

[email protected]
970-442-1222
choosetotrainhumane.com

12/19/2024

From 1956:

12/18/2024

Looking for that PERFECT gift for yourself or the dog lover in your life?

Check out the t-shirts, sweatshirt, coffee cups, stainless steel water bottles and MORE on our new Phenix Advocacy Center's store.

These shirts are great conversation starters!

You can choose shirt color and size. Our PAC logo is on the back of the t-shirts and some of the options you can get on the front of the shirt include:

Connect, Not Correct
Kind Trainers - Happy Dogs
Kindness Is the Best Training Tool
R+ - Where Love Meets Learning

Special thanks to the amazing Anke Herrmann who designed these products for the PAC!!

Click this link to view all the options:
https://pacstore.tpopsite.com/

12/18/2024

Dog attacks on humans were once SO RARE.

What has changed?

The first 2 chapters of my best-selling book - Positive Training for Aggressive and Reactive Dogs (link in the comments) - explains the WHY behind how and why our modern dogs are so very troubled.

I wanted a safe place for loving dog owners to learn how to help their dogs heal from daily life traumas that leave dogs in a state of anxiety and distrust for the world around that can and does lead to biting or attacks in self defense or immense frustrations.

If you have a dog that traditional training has not helped, if you have added a new puppy or adult dog to your home and want to make sure your new house mate is happy, resilient and trusts you, I hope to see you over in The Canine Trauma Clinic.

You will get expert advice from me that can include one-on-one consultations and video reviews of your dog. Get the help you need today before a situation arises that causes you and your beloved dog the ultimate stress!

https://community.caninetraumaclinic.com/

12/16/2024

Are you REALLY prepared for an off-leash dog to rush your leashed dog?

We say it is an issue of not "if" but "when" and we encourage all responsible dog overs to have a plan in place for when it happens to you. We've created an inexpensive course ($20) that helps owners develop a real-life, workable plan to keep our dogs safe in public places:

Dog Pro Annie Phenix helps dogs and their caring owners overcome behavior issues after a traumatic experience such as a dog attack, abuse, neglect, harsh training protocols, lack of proper puppy enrichment/positive experiences or a one-time terrifying event for the dog. We are committed to non-viole...

12/16/2024

The Shock-Free Coalition believes that pets have an intrinsic right to be treated humanely, to have each of their individual needs met, and to live in a safe, enriched environment free from force, pain and fear.
Spread the word: https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/advocacy/shock-free-coalition/

12/16/2024

12/15/2024

I posted this in my dog pro group 2 days ago because I needed to share. I’m sharing here now to educate. I changed the breed so that there is no finger pointing.
Imagine if this person was walking wearing a shock collar and the person behind her kept shocking her for walking to far ahead.
Would she know why she was being tortured or just believe that life was hard and painful, a terribly scary world.
I suppose that if the woman were able to understand, she would stop walking ahead even though it would mean walking at a slower and uncomfortable pace. No one would want to go for a shock walk:

Hello, my loves,
just finishing up a walk.
I often see this couple who walks a grey hound with a shock collar.
I have had a few runs with them before over the years.
Once when I was on a walk with Sally, we were in close proximity. The grey hound looked at Sally, just looked at her. Sally looked at her as well with a happy body language.
When the woman saw her dog, looking at Sally, she gave her a firm “No!” And shocked her!
The poor dog yelped and jumped.
Sally was startled and scared by this. She of course, didn’t know what happened.
I yelled are you kidding me because it just all happened so fast.
Over the years, they see me coming and go the other way. I do the same.
Today I was walking without Sally. I saw them up ahead.
Once again, the grey hound’s tail was down.
Without having Sally, I noticed the woman holding the remote in her hand.
She walked the dog on a leash, 6 foot leash. But today I saw that Anytime the dog got a foot in front of her. She shocked the dog. The dog jolted and would stop walking. And this went on.
Of course, here, I am crying on my way home. I just can’t stop thinking about this poor dog every day when they say time to go on our walk, how she must dread it.
She can’t say no thank you or she will have pain and yet she knows when she goes if will only be a walk full of pain. She is never allowed to move to the left or the right. Never allowed to smell or to relax at all. Just awful.
Sorry to start your morning this way, but after all, we are all here for each other right.
So I appreciate whoever reads this or doesn’t. I just appreciate that I can vent.
Grateful for every person who just won’t stand for such nonsense and wishes that we could end it all tomorrow for them.
I’m gonna go and get Sally out now and let her run after the geese and sniff after her moles. I’m going to be so happy and grateful that her and I found each other instead of her ending up in the hands of someone like them.
And my poor Fitzy. You wouldn’t last a day with those folks.
I can’t understand how it can be so normalized.
I can’t understand how people can feel OK and even good about causing pain to one who they share a home with whom they claim to love.
Who knows do these people love her? Can love be so distorted? We know it is in families. We know that we see this in families where things are just so messed up. It’s not real love or is it? We know at the very least that it’s a terribly dysfunctional love.
How do dogs endure this?
How long will it be until we can change this?
Love all of you who are here.
Love all of you who care.
Grateful to to be a dog behavior consultant, speaking for dogs.
Grateful for all of you.
❤️‍🩹🐾

12/12/2024

Have you heard?

We have created a first-class, private community that focuses on trauma in dogs - how to recognize trauma, how dogs react to trauma and how to help them heal. Get daily trauma-informed professional canine advice ONLY in The Canine Trauma Clinic:

Dog Pro Annie Phenix helps dogs and their caring owners overcome behavior issues after a traumatic experience such as a dog attack, abuse, neglect, harsh training protocols, lack of proper puppy enrichment/positive experiences or a one-time terrifying event for the dog. We are committed to non-viole...

12/12/2024

We do NOT recommend e-fences for a wide variety of reasons.

E-fences, do they actually keep your dog safe? It actually turns out not so much. 😬

People often turn to electronic collars, and electronic fences, as the seemingly top-tier method of keeping their dog within a certain confined space. However, a study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, found that they are actually significantly less effective than the bog standard fence types including privacy fences and see-through fences. In fact the dogs confined with an electronic fence were almost twice as likely to escape (44%) than those using the other fence types (23.3%).

This is also not the only issue with using an electronic fence/ e-fence to keep your dog confined compared to the more traditional fence types, such as...

❎ It doesn't prevent dangers entering, which could put you and your dog at risk.
Even if the fence was able to keep your dog in, it doesn't stop other creatures, or people, entering the space that could either hurt your dog or even try to steal them. A privacy fence, or other fence type, would not only deter a dog from leaving but unwanted visitors from coming in too.

❎ If the dog does get out, they may not be able to get back in.
Sometimes dogs are hit with such strong adrenaline it will surpass the pain of the e-collar shock, this could be due to fear, prey drive or something else. This could leave them free outside the confinement area where they could get hurt, or become exhausted, and then not be in the same state of adrenaline in order to get in again, leaving them vulnerable and stuck outside the confinement area.

❎ It can create unexpected or unintended negative associations if the dog gets shocked whilst watching something near the fence line.
Dogs like to watch things, we all know dogs who sit at the window all day to have a nosey at what is going on in the neighbourhood. If your dog is watching at the fence line, and see something interesting, such as another dog or person, they may inadvertently move forward enough to receive a shock. They may now associate whatever they were watching with this negative consequence, which could lead to fear or even aggression if they encounter the same or similar visual later on.

So E-fences are not only not as effective as they are often perceived to be, but they also carry their own specific risks on top of that as well. So if you wish to keep your dog safe, I would recommend to always aim for a suitable physical fence, rather than relying on an e-collar. 👍

You can find the study quoted in the graphic here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28117644/ #:~:text=Dogs%20confined%20by%20an%20electronic,22%2F82%20%5B26.8%25%5D).

12/09/2024

Looking for that PERFECT Christmas gift for yourself or the dog lover in your life?

Check out the t-shirts, sweatshirt, coffee cups, stainless steel water bottles and MORE on our new The Phenix Advocacy Center for Canine Professionals Store!

These shirts are great conversation starters!

You can choose shirt color and size. Our PAC logo is on the back of the t-shirts and some of the options you can get on the front of the shirt include:

Connect, Not Correct
Kind Trainers - Happy Dogs
Kindness Is the Best Training Tool
R+ - Where Love Meets Learning

Special thanks to the amazing [Anke Herrmann] who designed these products for the PAC!!

Click this link to view all the options:
https://pacstore.tpopsite.com/

12/05/2024

Unpopular opinion: Dogs should not be obedient.

That, from me, a behaviourist and trainer.

I wish people would remember that dogs are not robots.

They are not here to do your bidding.

No animal is.

They are not your employees.

Nor are they your belongings.

They are sentient beings.

They are living, breathing creatures with wants, needs, emotions, dislikes and feelings of their own.

You should treat them as your family. When family has a problem, you help them with it.

Family doesn’t have to be obedient.

Family is loved and understood.

Family joins in and does stuff together.

Use games, rewards and Fun Not Fear® to teach them a better way.

Welcome to a much better life with your dog.

12/02/2024

Looking for that PERFECT Christmas gift for yourself or the dog lover in your life?

Check out the t-shirts, sweatshirt, coffee cups, stainless steel water bottles and MORE on our new The Phenix Advocacy Center for Canine Professionals Store!

These shirts are great conversation starters!

You can choose shirt color and size. Our PAC logo is on the back of the t-shirts and some of the options you can get on the front of the shirt include:

Connect, Not Correct
Kind Trainers - Happy Dogs
Kindness Is the Best Training Tool
R+ - Where Love Meets Learning

Special thanks to the amazing Anke Herrmann who designed these products for the PAC!!

Click this link to view all the options:
https://pacstore.tpopsite.com/