Off Leash Dog Encounter
I get asked a lot how to handle an off leash dog approaching. Here is an example.
Each case will be different depending on how serious the dog is about making contact. This one wasn’t too serious, but she didn’t give up easy.
9/10 this isn’t a friendly behavior. I will always discourage a dog from coming into my space like this. The only exception would be a wiggly puppy who is clearly acting non threatening.
Key take aways…be the predator and take space. Dont freeze or yield space.
You have the right to defend your space and your dog.
Don’t leave it up to your dog either. This is how you embody leadership in your relationship with your dog.
#offleashdogs #predatorprey
Nyla’s Nail Trim
I got to help Nyla today. Her nails were so long that she couldn’t walk smoothly or correctly. This can create chronic low level pain. She was grumpy during the trim, but you can see what a difference it made and how happy she felt afterwards! It looked like she was floating on her feet!
This ritual at the threshold is a powerful one, which addresses many aspects of training and relationship dynamics. Respect for the handler and other pack members, impulse control and energy management and more.
1. I claim space at the door before opening it. This places me in the leadership position with the pack.
2. I ensure each dog’s energy is respectfully calm (no barking, jumping or pushing into my space to rush the door).
*note: I don’t ask them to sit. This is not important to me because I am looking for a calm and respectful mental state. Many dogs will sit for you and then bolt out the door and totally ignore you after that. That isn’t a dog that respects you or is mentally connected. By allowing them to stand and make choices I get to see if they are ready to proceed to the next step.
3. I maintain control of the space even when the door is open…this is a huge challenge for most dog owners. If a dog tries to move towards the door I close it and go back to step one.
4. The invite. When you have multiple dogs in your home it’s helpful to teach them how to respond to cues individually from each other. This is also a tricky thing because many dogs will try to include themselves when a cue is given to another pack member. Being clear with your hand signals and gestures greatly help with this.
*note: leashes also help you begin this process and control the outcome while they are learning this new skill.
All dogs are capable of learning this skill. You just have to be consistent and clear and don’t settle for less ;)
A great session with anxious Edgar the human reactive doodle boy.
I cover getting a dog engaged with the toy when they are unsure, negative markers, come and stay and body position while people pass by.
Hope you enjoy this fun and upbeat session we had on this cloudy day!
Confidence building with Mr. Ed!
Edgar is obviously familiar with a bath tub and grooming experience. He however is not familiar with this location, this tub, these noises etc. so this is absolutely a challenge for him.
He is nervous with people and dogs. Do not underestimate the power of working your dog through something intimidating.
Also, allowing moments of movement away after accomplishing a step allows Ed to really accept what we are doing.
There Is ALWAYS room for pressure in scenarios. Leash pressure, psychological pressure etc. but this just wasn’t necessary in this exercise as he was building trust and momentum so quickly.
If he wasn’t open to food, pressure and release would be a fabulous way of teaching this same thing!
Tulip working on some self control at a distance. She likes to be aware of everything and try to control her environment, so me asking her to turn her back to another dog is a big deal. She didn’t want to, but with calm guidance and a determined outcome, you can see she began to accept it and relax. This is such good progress for her! Normally she would be baying at them! 😂
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#bloodhound
#dogtraining #lakewildernesspark #maplevalleydogtraining #reactivedog #caninebehavior #professionaldogtrainer #pnwdogs
Just me rambling some thoughts about Gnomes and dogs. 😁
We can’t see what they are capable of smelling…but this was a fun visual example for me to compare what it must be like to be a dog exploring the woods!
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#caninebehavior #caninehumanrelationshipinstitute #hikingwithdogs #gnomietrail #gnomesofinstagram #gnome
#dogtraining #doberman #chihuahua #pnwdogs #pnwfall
Final day of Course 2 at @chrinstitute
These dogs and humans made some amazing connections!
Lots of learning happened in this course!
@ohmydogkel
@alongthebeam
@dreamcometruek9
@kaytlynperin
@jasontate
@the_husky_guy
@chrinstitute
@taketheleaddogtraining
@txhuskyrescue
Pack walk at the end of the day. Kel with @ohmydogkel is handling Bay, who is hell bent on chasing the cows in the next field 😂 this is day two! It’ll be great to see her transform over the next several days.
@chrinstitute @dreamcometruek9 @alongthebeam
@ohmydogkel
@jasontat3
@kaytlynperin
@the_husky_guy
Just taking a moment to appreciate this guy. Stewie came to me over 5 years ago as an obese and angry little dog. He would attack anything that moved, wanted to control the world, and was highly insecure! The evolution he has been through since he moved in with me is pretty phenomenal! His first 6 years of life left a serious imprint (being overly spoiled can create massive bad behaviors too…not just abusive situations), and yet he has adapted to a new lifestyle here. He still has moments where he tests me and wants to control, but those moments are met with clear communication and respect. He is a much happier, calmer and capable little dog now. Even as he is entering into his senior years (11 years old) he is learning to interact even better with others. He helps me in lessons with other dogs in training, he helps in our puppy class to teach the puppies that not all dogs want to play, and there are consequences if they persist. He is also my dedicated alert dog when Amazon delivers another package. 😂
I did not choose this dog, life chose him for me. I wasn’t looking for a chihuahua/min pin mix, but since he came into my life, I have learned many life lessons from him, and I have had the honor of learning how to truly partner with a dog at work. He knows when it’s work time and when we are done. People are always sucked in by how adorable he is, and then they have a hard time understanding why he might bite them if they invade his personal space…truly he is a great teacher of communication, respect of personal boundaries and what it is to be a predator. I love this little guy! ❤️
