Just about every dog pawrent I talk with, identifies a (dog) behavior or two that they’d like changed.
But rather than jumping right into training techniques, I encourage folks to first get curious. I often contemplate three questions when I notice a quirky (perhaps unhealthy, undesired, or maladaptive) doggo behavior:
1. What function does this behavior serve? Or served for previous generations? Is there a genetic or “nature” reason why this behavior is present? While many of our family/pet dogs may have watered down drives (hot take!), the need for bird dogs to hunt, for bulldogs to bite, and for livestock guardian breeds to patrol, is still present. Is there some way to biologically fulfill my dog’s genetic purpose and channel the quirky behavior into something productive? This is one reason I LOVE play in training.
2. What unmet need may be communicated by this behavior? I think about not just psychosocial or drive needs but also physical needs. Is Fido scooting his butt on the carpet because his glands need attention? Scratching his ear because there’s an infection brewing? Biting when you touch him because he has arthritis and it hurts? Get curious!
3. What outcome has this behavior yielded in the past? What pattern has been created? This comes into play often when we see manners type behaviors persist, such as jumping on guests that gets attention, pulling on walks that results in moving forward on the path, whining that results in petting, refusal to go in the crate that ends up with an extra snack tossed as a bribe. You can’t blame your dog for noticing “when I do X, I get Y” and repeating the pattern to get the outcome he desires. (Pssstttt you can change the pattern!)
I hope you find this look into my assessment process useful!!
❤️ Interested in customized coaching and empathetic teaching on your schedule and within your budget? Message me! Our in person private training sessions begin in March. I can’t wait to meet you and
THIS is the best part of fostering. ❤️
Watching discarded dogs grow in comfort, confidence, and contentment.
Being a part of their journey to find peace.
Helping them trust, by giving them consistency in care.
Working with them to grow and blossom and become the very best versions of themselves - in forever homes of their own.
It’s a privilege and honor that I cherish every day. ❤️
❓Interested in fostering? Message me! I offer online consultations to help you and your dog(s) get ready for fostering. I’d love to set you up for success! 🤗
Let’s go through some skills in the Rest Paws Follow (Play) program! Next up is Play. (Please note that this type of tug game is intended for the family pet and functional lifestyle training - not sports.)
Benefits of play include:
✔️biological fulfillment
✔️ impulse control
✔️ frustration outlet
✔️ resilience training
✔️ hormone balance
✔️ relationship building
✔️ handler awareness
✔️ FUN!!
A few notes:
You’ll notice at the beginning I don’t simply give Liam the tug, I make it move around like prey (ish). (I believe it was Michael Ellis who said, “there’s no such thing as a suicidal rabbit.”) Make the tug exciting and enticing - tap into the stalk portion of the predation cycle.
Ensure your rabbit (tug) puts up a good fight! This is healthy, natural conflict - you may see me increasing tug reach difficulty or tapping Liam’s side. This is the extra fun part, imo!
OUT CONTINUES THE GAME. I say “yes” to indicate “let’s continue,” after Liam releases the tug. You can increase time between “out” & “yes” for impulse control and handler awareness work.
Not all dogs love tug! Bird dogs & retrievers may prefer stalk, hounds may like search, and terriers may enjoy consume. Your dog can still enjoy the benefits of play through scent work, fetch, or other games.
I hope you find this useful!
❤️ Interested in customized coaching and empathetic teaching on your schedule and within your budget? Message me! Our in person private training sessions begin in March. I can’t wait to meet you and your dog(s)!
Let’s go through some skills in the Rest Paws Follow program! Next up is Follow: calm, loose leash walking. I hope you find this useful!
❤️ Interested in customized coaching and empathetic teaching on your schedule and within your budget? Message me! Our in person private training sessions begin in March. I can’t wait to meet you and your dog(s)!
*this is one of many ways to teach leash pressure. We customize our approach to you, your dog, and your goals.
Let’s go through some skills in the Rest Paws Follow program! Next up is Paws: the place command. (This is one of MANY ways that we can teach place.) I hope you find this useful!
❤️ Interested in customized coaching and empathetic teaching on your schedule and within your budget? Message me! Our in person private training sessions begin in March. I can’t wait to meet you and your dog(s)!
Let’s go through some skills in the Rest Paws Follow program! Starting with Rest: crate training. I hope you find this useful!
❤️ Interested in customized coaching and empathetic teaching on your schedule and within your budget? Message me! Our in person private training sessions begin in March. I can’t wait to meet you and your dog(s)!
Four insights that music taught me about dog training ⬇️
1. ✨ S L O W ✨ D O W N ✨ Because if we go too fast, we may miss important details or nuanced elements that are affecting the outcome. And to find the sticky spots (areas that aren’t quite right and need work), we need to slow down enough to assess where they are before we can address them. I wouldn’t speed up my 16th notes to written tempo until I figured out where my fingers were tripping over each other in the second measure - and to find that spot, I need to slow down and assess before jumping into drills.
2. Sometimes all we need is ✨ TIME ✨ (and repetition). Once I find the sticky spot that needs work, I do drills to improve. This might mean taking two notes and figuring out the best fingering combo and repeating just those two notes over and over. Then putting them in the context of the 4 note 16th run, then the measure, then the bar. Reps and TIME build patterns and habits.
3. Build from the ✨ basics. ✨ Before you run, you walk, so start simple and create a solid foundation by being really good at the basic stuff, before adding new skills.
4. Try something ✨ DIFFERENT ✨ and think outside the box. Sometimes we need to try something different to make the learning click. Often I’ll take a run of even notes and create a short long short long pattern, then switch to long short long short, to practice the transitions - before going back to the even note run. New perspectives and ways of doing and thinking can rocket progress light years ahead.
5. BONUS: ✨ BREATHE ✨ and find your center. The millisecond that my breathing gets ragged or off kilter, I lose my fingerings and the center of the note + the line of the music. Focusing on my breathing helps me find my calm, play confidently, and make music (instead of of a bunch of notes). So when in doubt: breathe.
I hope these concepts are helpful in your training! If you’d like more concrete actions to take, message me; I’d
It’s no secret that doodle coats are A LOT of work to maintain. Whether we are boarding or training doodles, ensuring their hair is well cared for, is a top priority.
I asked doodle owners what their favorite products are, ordered a few, and tested them on a couple of doodles (sanitized in between dogs, of course!). And let me tell you: these tools worked great!
For a direct link to the list of products used in this video, comment HAIR, and I’ll send my Amazon list to you!
❤️ Interested in boutique boarding for your pup with care that is tailored for his or her individual needs? Message us! We’re accepting new clients at both in home boarding locations and would love to meet you and your dog.
I thought this deserved a permanent spot on the feed. 🥰
Because our reactive dogs can be:
✔️ silly
✔️ funny
✔️ lighthearted
✔️ joyful
✔️ goofy
✔️ playful
… among many things. They are so much more than their reactivity, their past mistakes, their tough moments.
So, today and every day: enjoy your dog. Cherish the ordinary moments. Savor the good. Celebrate each day together. (And maybe laugh a little too. ❤️)
