The 1st thing you should train your dog is that you are the most fun person in the world.
This all goes back to engagement. You want to reward your dog for engaging with you, because it teaches your dog that they should look to you for guidance.
Remember, fun and engagement are the most important things you are looking for when you first start out training.
�Have fun, make mistakes, and follow for more tips to get your pup trained.
�#gettingstarted #puppytraining #dogtraining
How you give a treat really depends on the dog, every dog is unique.
Some will gently take the treat from you, other are a little more eager and will bite anything that is near the treat. For these dogs you really want to palm the treat and get your fingers under the dog’s mouth and push the treat back into his/her mouth.
Make a bowl with your hand!
�Follow if you are going to try this out with your pup.
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�#dogtraining #dogtreats
I love seeing my dog’s tail wagging whenever we have guests over, but it’s important to remember that overly excited greetings can lead to jumping and a chaotic situation every time your pup meets a new person.
Taking the time to teach your dog how to calmly greet visitors is key to a happy and safe household 🐾🐶
This means not letting overly excited strangers (or guests) say hi to your dog in the manner shown in this video. �
Follow for more tips and let us know in the comments if there is a behavior you are struggling with.
#dogtrainingtips #calmenergy #guestgreetings
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I love seeing my dog’s tail wagging whenever we have guests over, but it’s important to remember that overly excited greetings can lead to jumping and a chaotic situation every time your pup meets a new person.
Taking the time to teach your dog how to calmly greet visitors is key to a happy and safe household 🐾🐶
This means not letting overly excited strangers (or guests) say hi to your dog in the manner shown in this video. �
Follow for more tips and let us know in the comments if there is a behavior you are struggling with.
#dogtrainingtips #calmenergy #guestgreetings
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If you’re a dog owner, you’ve likely heard the debate about crating - some people swear by it, while others are firmly against it. But the truth is, when used appropriately, crating can be a beneficial tool for both you and your furry friend.
First and foremost, a crate provides a safe and secure space for your dog to relax and unwind. Dogs are naturally den animals, and a crate can simulate the cozy, enclosed space that they instinctively crave.
By providing a crate as their own personal den, you can give your dog a sense of security and privacy, which can be especially helpful if they are prone to anxiety or nervousness.
Crating can also be a helpful tool for potty training and preventing destructive behaviors. When properly trained to see their crate as a positive space, dogs will often choose to relax in their crate on their own, rather than chew on furniture or go to the bathroom indoors.
Crating can also be a useful solution when you need to leave the house for a few hours and want to ensure that your dog stays safe and out of trouble.
If you’re new to crating, it’s important to introduce your dog to their crate gradually and with plenty of positive reinforcement.
Allow them to explore the crate on their own, and gradually build up to leaving them in the crate for short periods of time.
Overall, crating can be a wonderful tool for pet owners who want to provide a safe, cozy space for their furry friends to relax and unwind. Why not create a cozy den for your pup today? They’ll thank you for it! 🐶💤
#kenneltraining #petsafety #cozyden #dogtraining
Training your dog doesn’t have to be rocket science! While there are many theories and techniques out there, don’t overthink it. The most important thing is to keep it simple, stay consistent, and focus on having fun.
Fun is the most important thing because if your dog is having fun they are more likely to engage with you.🐾🐶
#keepitsimple
Teaching your dog a recall is one of the most important things you can do for their safety, and it’s also a great way to strengthen your bond. Imagine having the peace of mind to let your dog off-leash at the park or on a hike, knowing they’ll come back to you when called. That’s the power of a reliable recall!
The key to success is to start small and work your way up. Begin in a quiet, low-distraction area and use a special treat or toy as a reward. Call your dog’s name and back away. When they come to you, give them the reward. Whether you choose their name or a recall word like here or come, be sure to keep it the same each time.
If you choose their name, it’s important to remember that their name means come to me so don’t use their name for anything else.
For example, if you asked your dog to sit simply say sit. Don’t say, “Fluffy, Sit, Fluffy, Sit.” Those are two separate commands.
Using their name to get their attention rather than using it as a recall word will over time dilute it’s power.
Repeat this exercise multiple times a day, gradually increasing the distance between you and your dog, as well as the level of distraction in the environment. It’s important to always use positive reinforcement, so never scold or punish your dog if they don’t come right away.
With time and patience, your pup will learn that coming to you is always worth it. Soon enough, you’ll have a dog who can’t wait to come running back to you whenever you call.🐾🐶
#dogtrainingtips #recalltraining #mansbestfriend
Teaching your dog to walk in the heel position can be a game-changer for your daily walks. By training your dog to walk calmly and closely by your side, you can avoid potential hazards such as traffic, other dogs, and distractions that may trigger your dog’s drive or excitement.
Walking in the heel position can also help to strengthen your bond with your dog. It requires your dog’s attention, focus, and trust in you as their leader. This, in turn, can build your dog’s confidence and create a sense of security because they have a reliable and trustworthy leader.
With practice and consistency, your dog will learn to walk calmly and obediently by your side, making your walks more enjoyable and stress-free.
#dogtrainingtips #heelposition #saferwalks
Does your dog ignore their name? It can be frustrating, but the good news is this is a common issue that many pet owners face.
There are many reasons why a dog may not respond to their name, such as:
They haven’t been trained to recognize it yet
Their name is too similar to other words they hear frequently (such as ‘no’ or ‘stay’)
They have learned to associate their name with negative experiences (such as scolding or punishment)
They are easily distracted or too focused on other things to respond to their name
If your dog doesn’t seem to respond to their name, don’t give up hope! With patience and consistency, you can help your furry friend learn to recognize their name and respond when called.
Try practicing in a quiet, distraction-free environment at first, and gradually build up to more challenging environments like parks or busy streets.
When practicing recall training, it’s important to use positive reinforcement and reward your dog when they do respond to their name.
This can be as simple as giving them a treat or a belly rub, but the positive association will help reinforce the behavior and make it more likely that your dog will respond to their name in the future.
Remember, every dog is different and may require a different approach to training.
With time, patience, and a little bit of effort, you can help your dog learn to recognize their name and become a more responsive and well-behaved pup! 🐶👂
#dogtraining #recalltraining
Dogs can be reactive for a lot of reasons.
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�When we say reactive we mean a dog that overreacts to a stimuli or certain situations. Aggression and reactivity are not the same but reactivity can lead to aggression.
Still with us? Both are usually driven by fear and can also be caused by lack of socialization at an early age, or a lack of training to control their impulses.
�In most cases, a dog on a leash can become reactive due to their inability to create space between themselves and the stimuli. They’re left to last resort efforts like barking, lunging and sometimes biting or nipping.
On a leash, your dog can use their voice to tell a stimuli, “Get back, you’re too close!” or “Hey come closer to me!” After carefully observing your dog’s body language, you can learn the difference in barks.
Another sign of fear or discomfort in your dog can be their decision to look away from the stimuli. Dogs take eye contact seriously! If you see a stimuli like a small child for example come up to your dog and they’re looking away from that child, advocate for your dog and create space between the stimuli and your dog.
If you find yourself struggling on a walk with your dog due to reactivity, we can help.
#dogtraining #reactivedog #dogonleash
The ability to move your dog, is an important skill a lot of owners don’t think about when first training their dog.
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�Controlling space or using space is a great way to communicate movement to your dog.
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�As you see in the video, I can get Shadow to back away from me when I move towards her and come near me when I back away from her.
Shadow is a “finished” or well trained dog so she isn’t jumping all over me. But invading the dogs space to move them away or making space to entice them to come towards you will work with an untrained dog as well. For instance, standing in a door way or blocking it will communicate to your dog to not go through it. Similarly, using you body to walk towards them can help them understand to back up.
Don’t forget that dogs are more of a tactile species than a vocal one. So using things like slip leashes, clickers and space can communicate a lot more to your pup than your words.
#dogtraining #dogtrainingtools #dogtrainingtips
Two dogs meeting on a leash can be a stressful situation for both pups involved. ����
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�This is because a dog doesn’t have free range of motion on a leash meaning there is a barricade or a border that wouldn’t normally happen in the wild. So if they don’t like the dog they are meeting or feel scared, there is not a good way for them to get away. They’re ultimately forced into a situation that almost always turns into a cluster f***.
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�Additionally, leashes activate the opposition reflex especially for dogs walked with just a flat collar or worse, a harness. Your dog’s natural instinct towards pressure is to push or pull against it. Humans have the same reflex, if a friend pulls on your arm, you don’t go down for the count - you pull back!
You pull on the leash causing them to pull harder and then you add the stimulus of another dog. This is a recipe for disaster.
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�So what can you do when Sally is waving you down from across the street asking, “Can my dog say hiiiiii?”
Say: No.
Say: No thank you, my dog is training.
Say: Not right now!
And for the love of Dogs if you have a reactive dog that’s working through aggression or leash reactivity please decline with assertion! If the person is coming over despite your warnings, try to create space for your dog by getting in front of your dog or waving your hand “No” to make it clear to them or walking away from the situation.
Show your pup when is the right time to greet others so they understand not to pull and lunge toward any dog they see on a walk.
#dogtrainingtools #dogwalking #dogtraining
When it comes to dog training, you’re never really done. You’re just getting started!
�Once you have reached fluency in all the basic commands, you can move on to teaching your dog fun things like tricks or even special commands like relaxing you on a flight or calming you when you’re anxious.
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�Whether you move on to advanced stuff or not, you should always reinforce the basics at least a few times a week.
This will continue to strengthen your bond. Imagine stopping after you learned your alphabet?
Now that you have the understanding to train new behaviors with your dog, discover what their natural interests are and find ways to use these interests to guide them to new skills.
For example, if you have a dog that is always sniffing, teach them to find specific smells. If you have a dog that’s obsessed with squirrels, maybe squirrel stalking is a new hobby of yours now.
Obedience is just the beginning of learning to appreciate all of your dog’s unique qualities so why stop now?
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#dogtraining #dogtrainer
Using a clicker allows you to consistently communicate with your dog. When we talk to our dogs, the tones of our voice actually change and our dog can pick up on that. So using a clicker helps keep things consistent for our pups.
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It also allows us time to bridge the gap between giving our dog a command and giving them a reward or treat.
My favorite clickers are the ones that you can wear like a ring. It’s one less thing to worry about dropping or losing.
#dogtraining #dogtrainingtips
Often times we forget that in the wild dogs had to work for their food. So when we set a bowl on the ground and say eat your food..it is like a rabbit laying on its side and saying hey come eat me, that wouldn’t happen in the wild!
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�It is an unnatural experience for your dog and can cause unwanted behaviors in them like trash diving and scavenging.
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�Hand feeding your dog can also improve your relationship with them and their ability to engage with you as well as listen to you because you are now vital to their existence.
It doesn’t have to be every meal but at least one will make a world of a difference.
#feeding #doglife #dogowner