Focused Choice Dog Training

07/29/2024

Please vote for me:

Help us determine who the best people, places and things are in the greater Lynchburg area.

07/26/2024

05/06/2024

According to nutritionists, dandelions🌼 are one of the top five MOST nutritious plants in the world, beating out broccoli🥦, spinach🍃, and carrots🥕! This superfood is full of prebiotic fiber that’s good for the gut and polyphenols that cleanse the liver, prevent inflammation, and helps manage chronic diseases like diabetes. Dandelions🌼 are also a powerful topical agent for wounds or dry, cracked paws🐾. All parts of the dandelion are edible! Let your dog loose in a dandelion-filled spring lawn—as long as it’s free of pesticides⚠️ and other lawn chemicals—or buy dandelion greens from your grocery store or farmers’ market.

COMMENT “GREENS” and we’ll message you FEEDING DOSAGES🥄 along with the link to our new book where we show you how to use every part of this plant and packed it into many of our recipes including: DIY VITAMIN/MINERAL POWDER, teas, plus how to make your own DANDELION OIL💧 & SALVE to use on hot spots, cracked noses, clean your pet’s ears and much more!

03/21/2024

Using punishment as a method to change behavior has been widely debated in dog training and behavior.

Punishment is avoided by educated professionals in all fields because of its limitations and negative effects.

Here are fasons, grounded in scientific research, why it is NOT advisable to use punishment to change behavior:

1️⃣ Negative Emotional Effects
Punishment can lead to negative emotions such as fear, anxiety, and resentment towards a guardian. These emotions can damage the relationship between the punisher and the individual being punished, leading to a lack of trust and open communication (Skinner, 1953).

2️⃣ Does Not Teach Behaviors
Punishment often fails to teach or reinforce the desired behavior. While it might stop the unwanted behavior temporarily, it does not provide a model for positive behavior nor does it teach the individual what they should do instead (Kazdin, 1987).

3️⃣ May Increase Aggression
Research has shown that the use of physical punishment can increase aggression in children (and dogs). Studies suggest that children who are physically punished are more likely to exhibit aggressive behaviors towards others because they learn to use aggression as a means to solve conflicts (Gershoff, 2002).

4️⃣ Increased Abusive Outcomes
You may have been told that corrections are not abusive, but d punishment is being used with a vulnerable being. Distinguishing between "acceptable" punishment and abuse can be highly subjective and lead to harmful outcomes for the individual being punished (Straus, 2000).

5️⃣ Psychological Damage and Reduced Self-Esteem
Punishment, particularly when harsh and frequent, can lead to psychological damage, including increased anxiety, depression, and a lack of confidence. The more punishment used on a dog, the more likely they are to experience pessimistic outlooks (Casey et al., 2021)

Regardless of what you have heard positive reinforcement CAN and IS used to change behavior - and it is the safest, kindest approach.

When working with a qualified educated professional like myself, I'm going to teach you how to avoid punishment - not how to do it "the right way" - because I know there is no right way.

03/21/2024

Small doggie play day!

03/17/2024

 my buddy, Henry, the black Russian terrier

03/15/2024

Pickles the Sh*tzu 11 weeks

03/15/2024

BFF!!

03/14/2024

AWESOME ARTICLE!!

Dogs behave the way they do for many reasons. They do NOT do things deliberately to be stubborn or ‘naughty’, nor do they aim to assert control. Outdated mythologies and training methods have detrimental effects on well-being and strain the relationship between a dog and their caregiver.

🧬A dog's breed and genetic makeup can play a significant role in determining certain behavioural traits. Dogs have genetic predispositions and breed-specific tendencies that contribute to their behaviour.
Some breeds are predisposed to specific behaviours, such as herding, hunting, or guarding.

The environment in which a dog is raised and lives can profoundly impact their behaviour. Early socialisation, which involves exposing a puppy to a wide range of people, animals, and environments during their critical developmental period, is crucial for building confidence and shaping a dog's social behaviour to reduce fear or aggression.

Overstimulation can cause all kinds of unwanted behaviours as it overwhelms their senses and can lead to hyperactivity or erratic responses. For example, if a dog is exposed to loud noises, multiple people, and various stimuli all at once, or on a daily basis, they might exhibit excessive excitable behaviour, poor impulse control, become agitated and exhibit behaviours like jumping, barking, or pulling on the leash, as their senses are overwhelmed by the excessive input.

Previous experiences and learning consequences can influence a dog's behaviour. Traumatic experiences, in particular, can lead to fear, anxiety, or aggression.

How a dog is trained and educated by their caregiver or handler can significantly affect their behaviour. Consistent, positive reinforcement-based training can lead to desired behaviours, while harsh or inconsistent methods can result in confusion or fear.

A dog's health, including their physical and mental well-being, can influence their behaviour. Illness, pain, or discomfort can lead to changes in behaviour.

A dog's emotional state, including fear, anxiety, and excitement, can affect their behaviour. For example, a fearful dog may display unpredictable defensive reactive behaviours or might avoid any encounters and run away trying to hide. While a confident dog may exhibit playfulness and a relaxed demeanour.

A dog can become frustrated and destructive if their mental and physical needs are not met. This dog, full of pent-up energy and boredom, may become frustrated and exhibit poor impulse control. In their frustration, they might resort to destructive behaviours, such as chewing furniture, digging up the garden, or incessant barking. This destructive behaviour is often an expression of their frustration and an attempt to alleviate their built-up energy and mental stress.

The type of diet a dog receives can significantly influence their behaviour, with high-quality nutrition promoting better energy levels, mood, and overall well-being, while poor diet choices can lead to issues like irritability, hyperactivity, or digestive problems.

As dogs age, they may experience canine cognitive decline, which can manifest as changes in memory, learning, and behaviour. This condition can lead to increased confusion, disorientation, and altered social interactions in older dogs.

It is really important to understand that each dog is unique, and their behaviour can vary widely, even within the same breed. Dogs use body language, vocalizations, and other forms of communication to express their needs, emotions, and intentions. Understanding a dog's communication cues is essential for interpreting their behaviour.

03/14/2024

It’s either black or white!!

03/14/2024

I just booked "Pilates Reformer L 2/3" from Iron & Grace Pilates and Fitness!

03/13/2024

Anddddd COCO!

03/13/2024

Outside weather! Yay

03/09/2024

03/09/2024

Love!!

03/01/2024

Olive and Owen! Shelties

01/22/2024

Animal Behavior Wellness Center is looking for dogs to enroll in a clinical trial investigating an oral supplement and its effects on separation disorders. Please share!

Does your dog experience behavioral issues when you leave the house? Does he/she tremble, vocalize, pant excessively, or become destructive? Has your dog been diagnosed with separation anxiety? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, please contact us about enrollment in our double-blinded, placebo controlled, fully funded study. This is a completely remote study, so you don’t have to worry about bringing your dog into the clinic and adding to his/her anxiety.

This study provides you with a high-resolution, Wi-Fi enabled, audio/video recording device for use during the study to capture and send behavioral videos to Dr. Eng for evaluation. As part of our thanks for your enrollment, you will keep the recording device and receive a *$200 Amazon Gift Card at the completion of the 30-day study.

Scan the QR code or visit https://www.abwellnesscenter.com/clinical-behavior-trial for more information. Thank you for helping to promote the behavioral wellness of our best friends.

Animal Behavior Wellness Center
Treatment. Training. Compassion.



11230 Waples Mill Road
Suite 125A
Fairfax, VA, USA 22030
888.438.0788 ext.1

06/07/2023

Riley and Kota

05/29/2023

Charlie, Archie, keelie and Mackie

05/29/2023

Yeah, you’re finally home mom!!!!

04/29/2023

A MAJOR change will see a common pet accessory banned after it was dubbed “cruel and unnecessary”. And animal campaigners are celebrating as their whopping 10-year fight has finally pai…

04/11/2023

Heidi and Cinnamon

04/10/2023

Camo the Frenchie here for his first lesson!

04/03/2023

Maggie, Huck, Luna and Jaxs

03/09/2023

You can intimidate a dog to do anything, that's not true learning and it's unfair if not inhumane to the dog, which the dog may have damage