Clearwater Stockdogs

09/29/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/KBtCCn8jEupQPMm9/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Putting a dog down and condemning them to death because you refuse to use any method that isn't "positive only" isn't very positive...

Sedating a dog into a zombie because you don't like other training tools isn't very positive...

Restricting a dog to a confined life without the chance to thrive isn't very positive...

Telling someone to put down their 8 month old working line dog for having lots of energy and acting like an 8-month-old working dog isn't very positive...

Guilting a young family that lives in an apartment into adopting a large dog with behavior issues isn't very positive...

Telling an older lady their dog would be better off dead then using a prong collar that helps her walk and control her dog isn't very positive....

Bashing other trainers because they don't train dogs using only one method isn't very positive...

Having an owner put a 5 month old puppy on 400mg of trazadone isn't very positive...

Harming dogs because of your own ego isn't very positive...

All of the things I just listed are REAL things that owners have dealt with by "certified positive only trainers and behaviorists."

Anyone can be certified online for $50. It means nothing.

Dogs and their humans deserve real trainers who care and emphasize for both ends of the leash. Trainers who will tailor training to each dog in front of them. Don't be fooled by the "positive" sounding approach. That's just fancy marketing from people who care more about their ego and lining their pockets rather than helping the dog community.

I've chosen to speak out on this because I care and hate seeing dogs harmed. The positive only cult is doing more harm than good to dogs. Dogs and owners that are already having a difficult time. Enough is enough.

09/13/2024

I love this post. Makes me think back to when Sunny was just a puppy and I took him to the Home Depot with me while I was shopping for flooring. I was busy looking at products and he was just playing around by the cart. He got his legs through the bottom tray of the cart. I watched him do it. He was fine. He wasn’t panicking. He was calmly standing there. A lady came running over, howling “poor baby…” I stopped her and said “don’t touch him.” She stopped but gave me an angry look. I told her that he was fine and that I was watching to make sure he didn’t get hurt. I went on to explain that he was going to go to work, helping me with my sheep one day and he had to be able to think his way out of situations. She was intrigued and said that she had never thought about anything like that. I think both she and Sunny learned a valuable lesson that day!!!! 😎

How do you feel about exposing your dog to stress?

This young Weimaraner started a board and train recently. During the drop off, I informed his owner, he'd be living under some different rules at my house than what he'd been used to for the past few months of his life.

He would be subjected to some "healthy stress.”

Among other things, he would be sleeping in a crate at night, learning to walk nicely on a leash, and participate in proprioceptive exercises to build body awareness.

Essentially, he would be learning some problem solving skills and because of it, develop greater resilience.

The first day here he found himself stuck on the opposite side of a pole than the side I was on.

Can you guess what I did?

I did nothing. I stood there, not moving, not applying more pressure to the leash, not coochie-cooing him...I just waited.

It took him about 90 seconds of wiggling, and whining to figure out what to do to get himself free.

Once he did, he was darn proud of himself, prancing about for a few seconds and then we moved on and enjoyed a short game of fetch.

The stress was short lived. He learned how to relieve it and was proud of himself as he discovered his power to problem solve.

We do our dogs no favor by immediately bailing them out of every little problem or struggle they encounter.

So often I hear, "My dog doesn't like the crate,” or "My dog doesn't like to be brushed,” or "My dog won't potty while on leash.”

As a woman who has raised two (now grown) children, I could not have imagined saying to my kids dentist..."well, they don't like having their teeth brushed so we just gave up." 🤣

I have news for you, there are very few dogs that immediately enjoy their crate, or being brushed and bathed, or being restrained on a leash.

It's our job to teach them to tolerate the realities of life in the human world.

For most things the teaching recipe is simple:

A bit of skill, applied over time, mixed by a healthy dose of patient persistence.

If you don't have the skill, the time or the patience, you can pay people like me to do the foundation work for you. It is like having the dentist clean the kids teeth...but if you don't maintain what the professional did, it's not going to become good habits that serve for a lifetime.

The main thing to understand is that stress and learning will be part of life. There is no avoiding it. It is how we learn to work through it that makes the difference.

By taking time to teach your dog how to tolerate some stress and learn to problem solve, you set them up for increased confidence, improved manners and an overall healthier mindset.

08/21/2024

My morning started with a baby goat separated from the herd and stuck out in the hay field. I had to go to work this morning so I grabbed Sunny- My trusty rusty. My comfortable pair of old shoes that I know I can rely on every time.
The little goat-devil was hiding in the brush but as soon as we found her and I sent Sunny to get her, it was game over.
I had chased her around the field for 15 minutes as she zoomed right past the gate several times, and then deeper into the pasture.
In less than 5 minutes, Sunny had found her and brought her straight to the gate. I will never get tired of watching him work a single like that. He is brilliant and breathtaking in his work. I will be forever grateful to have had the privilege of having such a great partner.
The little goat-devil is safely with her own kind, plotting her next diabolical act and Sunny got extra pats and his breakfast before I left for work with a big smile on my face.

❤️🐾

08/20/2024

Socializing does not mean letting your puppy interact with everyone and everything!!!!

08/18/2024

I can’t even begin to express how proud I am of this guy. He and I have run the gamut of highs and lows. We have struggled and persevered and finally figured out how to communicate. If someone had told me, a year ago, that he and I would ever run in, not to mention place in the Pro Nov I would have laughed at them. I am super proud of my Chick man tonight!!! ❤️🐾

08/02/2024

Happy birthday to my Lilly!!! ❤️🐾

07/31/2024

“If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.” – Loren Eiseley

My Chick, looking handsome….❤️

07/28/2024

Chick, Sunny and I had a blast at the Broken Circle Stockdog trial!!! Sunny ended up with a 1st place and a 3rd place for the weekend and Chick did some really cool things!!!

07/28/2024

Pretty happy with my two boys this weekend. Sunny and I struggled on the first “Y” chute today. We just couldn’t find the sweet spot for the pressure to get them through. We would either not have enough pressure and they would skim to the inside or too much pressure and we’d push them to the outside. Odd because Sunny and I usually don’t struggle with that. We ended up timing out at the pen and we came in third place. For the weekend, Sunny won - “Top 3” award for both days, and a check from our 1st place run yesterday.
Chick did so much better today. He was confident enough to let go of the draw and flank for me. He took his lie downs well. We made it to the pen and he was a little tight on them at the pen and we timed out before we could pen them. All in all, a pretty nice run.
It was a good weekend shared with dogs, sheep, and friends!!! ❤️🐾

07/18/2024

I love this. I have long said, “Don’t try to force a square peg into a round hole.” Dogs are individuals. Not every dog will love going to the Home Depot with you. Please respect your dog for who they are…..❤️🙏

07/17/2024

Just wrapped up my latest photos from MSSA Finals!!!

07/17/2024

07/16/2024

Running the final edits of Finals photos right now!!!

07/14/2024

Oh yeah!! This is my vibe!!! ❤️

07/14/2024

I helped out a client this week by recommending a piece of controversial equipment. In one lesson my client with a disability was able to enjoy walking her dog for the first time. The dog was happy and attentive. They can now get out of the house and enjoy each other’s company on walks. Train the dog that is in front of you. Sometimes that means using training equipment that you normally would not.

07/14/2024

I want to take a minute to talk about equipment. Too often I hear debates raging about different pieces of dog training equipment: prong collars should be outlawed. Halti’s can cause neck damage as can slip collars or, any collars. A harness can impede movement and cause injury to the shoulders…. And on and on and on.
The problem with this focus on equipment is that we forget that the end goal is shaping the dog’s mind and helping the dog and the owner communicate better and have a great and happy life. Honestly, the goal is a dog walking happily on a loose leash and if they are damaging themselves on equipment, you are doing it wrong.
I had a client contact me last week who has some serious health issues. She lives alone and recently adopted a young Heeler from a rescue. I was recommended to her by her vet. The first day that she arrived, she had the dog on a thin slip collar. He was coughing frequently, he almost pulled her down, and when I took the leash he paid not one bit of attention to me except for the coughing and gagging whenever I popped his leash because he was pulling constantly on it otherwise. I could see that his owner was unsteady on her feet and I knew that this could be a recipe for disaster if we didn’t find a way for them to be a team. In addition to the coughing, the dog was easily 20 pounds overweight because the owner simply wasn’t able to walk him with his pulling and erratic behavior.
Many people would chide her for having an active dog like this but she adopted him from a rescue. We don’t know where he’d be if she hadn’t adopted him or where he’ll end up if he fails this rescue home. She loves him and she loves having a companion. She expressed that she would like to eventually teach him to pick items up for her to help her with her disability. My very first recommendation for this team was a prong collar. I don’t recommend prongs too often but, in this case, I felt that it would be the safest piece of equipment for both the dog and the owner. I grabbed a prong that I have and set about teaching her dog to walk on a loose leash by my side. By the end of the first lesson, she was able to take his lead and confidently walk with him for the first time since she got him. There was no coughing or gagging, his owner was never pulled off balance. It was a beautiful moment and a huge step towards their new partnership.
We need to stop focusing on equipment so much. If you are considering a piece of equipment that you’ve never used before, find a trainer who is familiar and can help you. The end result is a happy, healthy dog and owner and many years together.
Train the dog that is in front of you. Sometimes that means deciding which training tools will best get you to your goal.