Fitnacity Dog Training

25 Days of Trickmas day 3- Chin This one is a favorite for me! So cute on its own but also can be used to target other items (like the snowman) and teach head down which is great for pics. Also great for teaching stillness and cooperative care behaviors. Let’s see those cute chin rests! Don’t forget to use #fmmtrickmas24 and tag me and Emily @mischiefandmanners so we can share! #frederickdogs #dogtrainer #dogsoffrederick #positivereinforcementtraining #icelandicsheepdog #dogtricks

25 Days of Trickmas day 1- Target Trickmas is here!!!! We start off with some foundation behaviors so you can work your way up to more complex tricks later this month. Today is nose and paw targets! Brimir is demoing his targets with Mr Snowman by being nice then naughty. We also worked on sending to a target at a distance and chaining in a cue (sit) which is helpful for more advanced rally skills. Show us those really nice foundations! Don’t forget to use #fmmtrickmas24 and tag me and Emily @mischiefandmanners so we can share!

Brimir not embarrassing me! Just a reminder that progress sometimes takes time. Growing up helps. Honestly just that it is so nice to see things come together. Buckle up for a long one… Background: Icelandic sheepdogs are herding dogs but they also have the job of barking at hawks to keep them from the flock. Brimir takes this part of his job VERY seriously. Nothing can be in the sky. The Beach is BIRD HEAVEN so it tends to be super arousing location. Previously this meant he would not eat any food. I hardly existed and he would get frantic. It was hard and embarrassing. We have built up a lot of skills that are clicking into place that I teach in all of my classes: 🪶Pattern Games- first thing Brimir had to learn was to be able to take food in new places. This was hard for him when he was jazzed but we used the pattern games I teach in classes to get the concept that reinforcement is available everywhere. 🪶Leash Pressure means Turn Around- having this on auto pilot was key when he wouldn’t take food. Teaching him to follow the leash without a fight in a positive way where he could do it helped when his brain just couldn’t. 🪶Reinforcement History- a huge part of success was working on value in responding to cues when he could. We practiced recalls in the yard, leash pressure games on walks and generally rewarding check ins. This history of being rewarded for these behaviors makes responding much more automatic even when he’s excited. Each dog I have has challenged me and taught me new things. This one has made me question everything (like am I even good at dog training?) but days like today make me glad I kept at it.

A trainer using a flexi leash and the dog is heeling. Gasp. One bonus of teaching leash pressure means turn back to me is that now I can walk peacefully with a long leash. Long lines can frankly be a pain to manage (even for me) so I enjoy a nice long flexi leash for these kinds of walks. Now would I be using this leash in downtown Frederick? Nope. But it’s great for this relaxing sniffy walk. Oh and yes he Chooses to heel with me and check in when he gets far cause of that reinforcement history we built up first!

📦 Side Steps in and out of a Box 📦 Living room fitness at its finest only equipment needed is some recycling! Works the abductor and adductor muscles in the shoulder, increases body awareness and flexion and extension of the forelimbs. This is one of the exercises that we will work on in the Virtual Summer Fitness Class! More info and links to sign up in the bio!

How to drive your Icie crazy? 🦅✈️🚲 On our walk we ended up in a situation that typically would result in a on his back legs yelling meltdown but LOOK AT THIS!! He had one moment of yelling in about 5 mins of all this trigger stacking after a bike came making the vultures fly. Then we moved on and no problem. He ate food! He responded to cues! He chose to disengage! What has your win been this week?

Good boys who have eye drops get crack baby food as consolation.