Lumen & her Guardians have Returned to Continue Their Training Journey Together👋
A Few Short months ago, Lumen Graduated. I Explained to her Guardians that Lumen would Experience a Mental Growth Period of Independence...the Adolescent Stage! This Phase is Very Normal & Lumen's Guardians want to be Prepared with How to Handle her Changes.
Lumen & her Guardians will Now be Working on More Complex Cues & Longer Mental Enrichment Sessions. Her Guardians have Busy Schedules so Lumen NEEDS Independent Activities Challenge & Occupy her Daily Routine!
This Juvenile Period Can sometimes feel Even More Exasperating than Puppyhood for BOTH YOU & YOUR Dog! YOU Might Even Think of this Phase as Your Dog is being Naughty, Stubborn or Willful! Surviving YOUR Dog's Adolescence Can be VERY Challenging, but it's also an Amazing Opportunity to Strengthen YOUR Bond! Consistent Boundaries, Patient Guidance, Continued Socialization & Training YOU & YOUR Dog CAN Emerge from this Erratic Stage with a STRONGER Connection!
Remember... this Phase is TEMPORARY!
Breathe & Relax🐾
Ms Terri & Your Pups💕
Yardley & her Guardians are Working on a Focused Area for Yardley!
This Focused Area can have MANY Useful Advantages. As Yardley's Guardians get Better at Cueing & Responding, the Applications Will Grow as Needed!
Lessons with Yardley can become Frustrating for her Guardians. Yardley's Attention Span is that of Half-a-Gnat! Yardley can EASILY Forget Something that was Taught a MERE 15 minutes ago. It's ALMOST like Starting from Scratch...Over & Over!
As Yardley becomes More ENGAGED & Responsive to her Guardians, she Will Absorb EACH Lesson More Effectively...over time. As Yardley’s Guardians become Quicker to Cue & Reward her Good Choices, they’ll Begin to see her Responses Grow Steadily...EVEN if it's 1 Tiny Step at a Time!
YOUR Dog's Excitement & that Whirlwind Attention Span make EACH Lesson an Adventure! YOU are Learning that Repetition is YOUR BEST Tool...Even if it FEELS like Starting Fresh Each Time! YOUR Dog's “Half-a-Gnat” Focus can Make the Learning Feel a Bit like a Reset, but with EVERY Little Success YOUR Dog Achieves it Builds Confidence...for BOTH of YOU! With Consistency & Patience YOU are Laying the Foundation for HUGE Progress!
Breathe & Relax 🐾
Ms Terri & Your Pups💕
Manny & his Guardian will now be Focusing on Therapy Dog Exposure!
His Guardian will Continue Working on Leash Skills Aiming for Less Pressure on the Collar. Manny is a Big Dog (Great Pyrenees/Doberman) & his Guardian is Concerned about Losing Control if Manny Pulls! The Guardian's Confidence will Grow with Continued Practice with Manny.
Building Manny’s Therapy Dog Skills will Involve GRADUAL Exposure to DIFFERENT Environments, New People & Various Sounds. Each New Experience Helps Manny Feel MORE Relaxed & Responsive in Numerous Settings. His Guardian’s Approach to Leash Skills Will be ESSENTIAL for this Work because Maintaining a Calm & Controlled Pace will not only Help Manny Stay Focused but also Sets the Tone for a Positive Experience in EACH Interaction! Over Time Manny will Start Recognizing Cues from his Guardian as Signals to Engage, Observe OR Relax... Whether he’s in a Busy Setting or a Much QUIETER Space.
With each Lesson/Practice Session, YOU WILL Gain Confidence in Handling YOUR Dog no Matter YOUR Dog's Size or Strength! Building a Bond Through Consistency & Trust will ALWAYS be the Key to Ensuring YOUR Dog Feels SAFE Through YOUR Guidance...No MATTER the Situation! The Bond YOU Create NOW will not Only HELP with YOUR Dogs Progress but WILL also Deepen the Connection Shared with YOU as a Team! EACH Step YOU take Together Brings You Closer to Your Goals...making YOUR Dog a Calm & Reliable Family Companion!
Breathe & Relax🐾
Ms Terri & Your Pups🫂
Awesome Confidence Growth Theo & his Guardian
Theo is Gaining Confidence with Every Lesson & EACH Time Theo Learns to Face his Fears...he Becomes More Confident! His Guardian Understands that a Calm & Steady Presence CAN Make ALL the Difference.
You’ll Notice that WHEN Theo Hesitates, his Guardian Simply Pauses Giving Theo the Time he NEEDS to Gather his Courage. They’re Becoming a True Team...Guiding & Responding THROUGH Situations so Theo Feels Safe to Try, EVEN When Theo is Apprehensive!
EVERY Time YOUR Dog Confronts New People, Places Things & Sights, Smells, Sounds...YOUR Positive Guidance Rather than Pressure is ALL that's Needed! This Slower but More Thoughtful Approach Helps YOUR Dog Build Trust in YOU! YOUR Dog WILL Realize that this World ISN’T so Scary with YOU Nearby! It's a Remarkable Shift that Builds Confidence & Reinforces Trust...One Step at a Time!
BREATHE & RELAX🐾
Ms Terri & Your Pups💕
A GrandDaughter & Varekai...
Enjoying one of the Final Few Days of the Door WIDE open & Watching the Wild Turkeys!
How are YOU enjoying these few warm days?
* REMEMBER...We "Fall Back" this weekend! 🕑➡️🕐
If YOUR Dog eats on a set schedule you Need to START Adjusting the time now! Increments of 10-15 minutes to help them acclimate to their NEW Meal Times otherwise you may be facing some HANGRY Attitude!
For example
First Meal Time Sunday 10:30 (Pre Fall Back)
Monday 10:15
Tuesday 10:15
Wednesday 10:00
Thursday 10:00
Friday 9:45
Saturday 9:45
Sunday 10:30 (Post Fall Back)
I'd like to Welcome Yardley & her Guardians to the Breathe & Relax Dog Training Family👋👋
Yardley is a Feisty Young Puppy that is proving to be QUITE a Challenge for her Guardians! Yardley's Outlet to her Frustration Quickly leads to Barking, Nipping & then Some Displaced Playfulness.
Now Yardley's Guardians have NEW Tools to Help Work on her Impulse Control. There has Already been a NOTICEABLE Change between Yardley's First & Second Lesson! As long as Yardley's Guardians Continue to Practice...the Changes Will Keep Coming!
YOUR Dog's Lively Spirit WILL Bring UNIQUE Challenges into Your Life...but YOU CAN Make GREAT Strides in Channeling that Energy Positively! With YOUR Patient Guidance, YOUR Dog CAN Learn to Manage their Impulse Control & "Turn OFF"! As Long as YOU Keep Up with the Lessons YOUR Dog Will CONTINUE to Surprise YOU with Mental Growth & Maturity!
Breathe & Relax🐾
Ms Terri & Your Pups💕
A VERY Quick Millie Update...
This was our Third Visit & the Transformation was Astounding! For the FIRST Time since Bringing her Home...in April, Millie Laid on her Guardian's Lap!🥹💕
Today was such a Beautiful Breakthrough to be a Part of & Witness!
There's Still PLENTY of Confidence Work Ahead, but a Bond IS Beginning to Form!
Breathe & Relax🐾
Ms Terri & Your Pups💕
Please join me in Congratulating June, Manny & their Respective Guardians!
Recently, ALL of them Successfully Completed the 10 Cues Required by the American Kennel Club & have been Awarded their Canine Good Citizen Titles!
Each Team will Continue Training to Fine-Tune Service & Therapy Dog Tasks…
👏💐 Congratulations on Your Individual Achievements! 💐👏
Breathe & Relax 🐾
Ms Terri & Your Pups 💕
After ALMOST a Year (11/2/23) Banjo is doing So much Better when Other Dogs are Visible to him! Banjo's Guardian has been Working EXTREMELY Hard Keeping him UNDER Threshold & Helping him Recover if he Breaks his Threshold!
Some Walks are Still Easier than Others, but Banjo's Guardian is Less Worried about the Surrounding Activities & More Aware of Banjo's Reactions! The Guardian is Prepared to Move Banjo AWAY from his Triggers or Shrink his World if Needed. Banjo is Really Looking to his Guardian for Guidance & Follows with A LOT Less Chaotic Lunging at Other Dogs!
How Long it Takes to Train YOUR Dog Will be Determined by YOU & YOUR Dog! I can't Know How Quickly YOUR Dog Will Move Through Anxiety, Fear, Nervousness or Uncertainty to Reach a More Calm State! I DO Know that YOUR Dog's Extreme Reactivity May Seem Irrational to Others, but if YOU Learn HOW to Listen to YOUR Dog, Healing & Recovery CAN Happen!
YOUR Training Journey WILL Take Consistency, Patience & Time!
There are NO Easy Shortcuts!
But...the Work YOU Do WITH YOUR Dog Will Feel SO Good!
Don't Try to Control...Just Be Part of It!
Breathe & Relax🐾
Ms Terri & Your Pups💕
Graduation Congratulations to Lucy & her Guardians 👏👩🎓
Lucy Loves when the Grandkids Come to Visit, but the Guardians were Concerned about her Excitement. The Guardians Learned how to Engage Lucy by Exercising her Body & Mind to Bring Down her Lively Behavior!
The Guardians' Grandchildren are VERY Animated & are Learning HOW to be Around Lucy (Different from their Own Family Dog). The Guardians are Happy with Lucy's Progress & also Realize that Continued Practice & Lesson Repetition will Only Help Lucy's Interactions with Smaller & Younger Family Members!
No Matter how Calm, Tolerant or Well-Behaved YOUR Dog is...NEVER should a Child be Left Alone with YOUR Family Dog! YOUR Dog is an Animal & a Child can have Unpredictable Interactions with YOUR Dog! It Takes a Split Second for an Accident to Happen! Your Dog CAN Learn how to be More Careful & Gentle Around Children! But a Child also NEEDS to Learn HOW to be Around YOUR Dog! YOUR Dog is Allowed to Sleep Undisturbed, to Eat Uninterrupted & to Lay or Sit Nearby Without becoming a Child's Jungle Gym! Not ALL Dogs Enjoy Being Hugged, Poked or Prodded & Children Need to Learn these Facts! Dogs & Children Need to Be & Feel Safe...
Breathe & Relax 🐾
Ms Terri & Your Pups 💕
Congratulations to Poppy & her Guardians on Graduation! 👏👩🎓
Poppy & her Guardians have Learned so Many NEW Cues & now they can TRULY Enjoy their Walks Together! Her Guardian is also EAGER to Explore NEW Enrichment Ideas to help Poppy Burn Off that Extra Energy...Especially in the Evenings.
Poppy's Guardian had been Using Puzzles to keep Poppy Occupied, but it Quickly became Clear that those DEFINITELY weren’t Enough! With each Speedy Completion, Poppy would Lose Interest...Leaving her Guardian Feeling OVERWHELMED with the Responsibility of Keeping her Entertained. It’s been Exhausting for them to CONSTANTLY Pour their Energy into Poppy Without Leaving ANY Room for their Own Lives. Mix in a HUGE Dose of Guilt for Leaving her Behind...it’s been Quite the Challenge!
Quite Often it Feels like YOUR Life Revolves around making sure YOUR Dog is CONSTANTLY Engaged or Entertained...Leaving LITTLE Room for YOURSELF! It’s EXTREMELY Important to Remember that Enjoying Life with YOUR Dog Means Striking a HEALTHY Balance! YOUR Dog Thrives when YOU Offer Enrichment, Love & Structure, but they also NEED to Learn HOW to Rest & Relax (Turn OFF) just like YOU Do! Life ISN’T about being “at the Beck & Call” of YOUR Dog 24/7...it’s about Creating Robust Boundaries where Both YOU & YOUR Dog can Flourish, WITHOUT GUILT, & Live Fully!
Breathe & Relax 🐾
Ms Terri & Your Pups 💕
This is Sarge...Just a Short Week Later!
Sarge & his Guardians met me Outside for this Lesson! We checked in on the Past Week's Activities & Progress for a Few Minutes...then it was Time to Walk.
Sarge Walked with his Guardian but was Extremely Concerned with my Location & Proximity! After Some Time, I was able to Walk NEXT to the Guardian & Sarge Remained Less Anxious (but STILL Concerned). I Explained that Sarge NEEDED a Break & Time to Decompress/Reboot.
When We Resumed the Walk Again, I Coached the Guardians on how to Transfer Sarge's Leash to me...Calmly & Slowly, then Step Backward to Follow Sarge. Continuing to Engage Sarge's Brain & Move Forward Changed his Behavior Toward another Person Walking him. The Guardian Completed the Walk & Sarge Remained Calm! What a Transformation!
Changes in Your Dog's Behavior can take Time! YOU have an Idea of what YOU'D like from Your Dog, but YOUR Dog & ONLY YOUR Dog can Make that Choice! You might Want to do Therapy Work, but if YOUR Dog doesn't Feel Comfortable Around People...it Won't Work! Anxiety, Fear & Insecurity Take Time to Change & Heal! Be Patient...
Breathe & Relax🐾
Ms Terri & Your Pups💕
