The Complete K9

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The Complete K9

Dog Training and Grooming in the Yakima Valley. Services for dogs. Solutions for owners.
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08/16/2024

Look at all these beautiful colors!!! Now we just need white for us resin artists. 😉

E-Collar Technologies please bring us WHITE! 🤞🤞🤞

08/16/2024

Did you know reading can make you a better trainer?

If your not expanding your knowledge by reading about topics related to dog training, your missing out. Some of the most substantial things we have learned about dogs and how they learn, has been from books.

Here is a small list of our favorites, more will be added but for now, we don't want to overwhelm. 😅
https://www.thecompletek9.org/products/dogbooks

PS: The best way to retain and learn from what you have read is to summerize each page or significant paragraph in your own words. Write that down on a note card, in the margin of a physical copy, or in a notebook JUST for the notes from that piece.

It's amazing how much growth you can experience just from reading. It's been HUGE for us.
Reading about a topic always helps us stay motivated to get out there and learn about our dogs and what we can do with/for them!!

08/10/2024

Lunch today provided by one of our favorite clients!! Thank you Debbie for the Smoked Salmon!!! 🤩🤩

08/09/2024

In Drive vs Out of Drive

Sometimes you will hear trainers speak about "in drive" training and "out of drive" training.

What does that mean?

There are some behaviors that we would like to add enthusiasm too.
Or areas of training where we need more encouragement to get a behavior off the ground.
In drive is when you build your dog's WANT to do something.
Out of drive, is when you teach the dog to comply even if they don't want to.

There is a place for BOTH in our training methods.

Avoiding a consequence doesn't make you like something you hate. It just makes the discomfort a little easier to swallow.

Wanting to do something, and doing something because you are avoiding a consequence bring very different emotions to the table. Hence, the need to be well versed in both aspects and to know when to use what method.

If you have a very crappy boss but you get 100$ when they come around, it doesn't make you like that boss, you just like the 100$ that boss is associated with.

This is why hiring a trainer can offer you so much more than firing blindly in the dark.

Of you spend to much time encouraging certain behaviors when you really need to be discouraging another, won't help you move closer to your goal.

If you have a stubborn dog and it isn't responding to the consequences in a manner that lessons the undesirable behavior, you need to try something else. If you don't, your only creating more of a gap between your dog's understanding of what is expected.

The best time to start training is YESTERDAY, but the second best time is NOW.

Our boys, rolling around in the grass on a cool summer night. ❤️
😊

08/04/2024

Here is a GREAT example of one of the many dangerous things that kenneling your dog can prevent.

If you need assistance with kennel training, we can gladly provide assistance. 😊

WATCH: Oklahoma dog ignites house fire after chewing on lithium-ion battery | Story: bit.ly/46wPxmy

08/03/2024

Here is a GREAT list of resources about HEAT and DOGS.

07/29/2024

Oh man! This a good one. A tired dog is just that, a tired dog. Your anxiety, depression, and angst, doesn't go away just because you are tired.

Being tired doesn't change perspectives. Being tired doesn't turn old habits into new ones. Being tired doesn't imply that you can make responsible choices. Being tired doesn't mean you hate your neighbor any less. Being tired doesn't make it possible to neglect other needs.

A tired dog, is only a tired dog.

IT'S TRAINING TIP TUESDAY!

I heard the phrase yet again today: “A tired dog is a good dog!” This week’s TTT begs to differ.

Here’s an action pic of my best boy, Fox, working out on his treadmill. I am decidedly NOT trying to “tire him out”.

I’ve met with so many dog owners who are advised by family, friends and other dog professionals that their dog’s issues could be resolved simply by giving the dog more “exercise”. These issues might be destructive behavior, dog selectiveness, even aggression towards humans, but whatever the sin, “exercise” seems to always be the all-purpose penance. I’m pretty sure that this belief system became prevalent when a famous TV trainer promoted the mantra of “Exercise, Discipline, Affection” and everyone just heard the first and last words while ignoring the second one: like eating a sandwich made of just bread after removing the meat in the middle. It echoed through the Dogosphere, with daycares everywhere proclaiming that “a tired dog is a good dog!”.

A more accurate statement might be that “a tired dog is a -tired- dog, and that means he might be slightly less of a pain in the ass when you pick him up after your day job” but that doesn’t fit well on a business logo.

There is so much emphasis on physical exercise for dogs that it sometimes sounds as though owners are conditioning Olympic athletes rather than trying to give their dogs a little fun. I see potential clients who routinely run, swim and hike with dogs who drag them when on leash and run off on them when off leash. Dogs who spend every weekday going crazy at a daycare and every weekend running themselves silly on a beach. They’ve consulted wishful-thinking trainers who try to solve issues of overarousal by creating a -different- type of overarousal (no, Mrs. Smith, simply whipping a flirt pole around in the living room is -not- going to teach your out of control Patterdale Terrier to stop jumping on guests). The dogs are constantly in motion, always being stimulated until they finally collapse at the end of the day and the owner sighs in relief that he has successfully "tired his dog out".
I have two problems with this:
1. Is energy such an enemy that we have to squeeze every last little bit out of the dog as though he's a tube of toothpaste? Shouldn't a dog's level of energy act more analog (a dial) and less digital (a switch)?
2. -Did- the owner actually succeed in "tiring his dog out"?

The first issue is easy to understand: dogs, especially big powerful dogs like the Dobes, GSDs and Corsos we see so frequently here, can be rather a "lot" when they are revving high. Trainers often encourage lots of exercise to help curtail behavior problems like anxiety and destructiveness in the house. And some of that may even help a tiny bit. But expecting your dog to be a slightly more interesting houseplant indoors while encouraging him to go full tilt wildman outdoors can be counterproductive. After all, if you teach him that everywhere outside of your house is his world in which to run, play, and chase constantly, without a corresponding level of actual training you are setting him up to ignore you in that environment. How many of you have a dog whose recall command is OK in the living room but virtually nonexistent when he's cut loose in the woods? No surprise there, after all: outdoors is HIS world, remember? You and he are operating on the “ON/OFF switch” model but I bet he doesn’t even have that great of an “OFF” switch when you really need it. Sure, he's getting “exercise” but he’s also learning that the expression of his energy is completely independent of you and that the faster and crazier he goes, the less influence you actually have over him.

But at least you “tired him out”, right?

I’ve got bad news for you, kid.

Why does someone go to the gym?
To get fit.
To build stamina.
To become stronger.

Wait a minute: you mean you don't go to the gym to -get tired-?

Think about how you feel after a jog or a workout, rather than exhausted, you may feel energized. You may want to cool off and rest briefly, but the big picture will show that you will have a higher threshold for the exertion each time you do it. This is what we do with our dogs when their main source of exertion is physical. They may be tired in the immediate aftermath of the exercise, but they usually keep requiring more of it to get less tired. Meanwhile, they become physiologically addicted to mindless play, independent of their humans.

Now think about how you feel after completing a more "mental" task: studying for an exam, doing your taxes, taking a piano lesson. It can even be something more recreational: doing a crossword puzzle, creating a piece of art, building a model. You don't feel "exhausted", but you probably feel -sated-. As a musician, after I work on learning a new piece of music I tend to want some downtime. Maybe TV, maybe listening to a podcast, maybe even just doing a low-key chore.

Most humans consider it a healthy lifestyle if there is a nice balance of both physical exercise and mental exercise. A day in which I go for a long, brisk walk -and- finish up a behavior consult report -and- pick up my bass guitar is a very satisfying one indeed. Our dogs need that same balance.

In addition to the playdates and freeform running around that he gets, what sort of tasks are you giving your dog’s brain to tackle? Asking for "micro obedience" around the house, teaching him a trick that morphs into a useful behavior, turning your long walks into intermittent periods of heel and sit and down, all of these are things that will help your dog "tire out" in a healthy way. Rather than flattened out from physical exhaustion, he can be settled and calm while still being present as a family member.

None if this is advice to stop exercising your dog, but it is a chance for you to think about ways to get that mind of his just as conditioned as his body.

So why is Fox on a treadmill? Like his owner, Fox is getting older. My own restricted mobility makes jogging with him impossible. But he is still very fit as a six year old Doberman and I want to keep him that way. Because I expect him to perform athletically in the training we do, he needs to have very good stamina. I am not exercising him to make him tired, I’m literally doing the opposite! Earlier in the day Fox and I were working on some obedience stuff: not only the usual brief positional drills but also some “extracurricular” retrieves and directionals. That was his “brain workout”. I can attest that when Fox steps off of his treadmill after twenty minutes or so, he is decidedly -not- tired and will often jump back on and wait for me to start it up again. But after our training sessions, he is usually much more laid back and content to just chill out in the office. I try not to anthropomorphize but he definitely seems like he feels accomplished after we spend time working on skills.

Provide that mix of both physical and mental exercise for your dog and watch him become something way better than “tired”, watch him become -balanced-. And a balanced dog really IS a good dog.

See you next week, and Happy Training!

07/20/2024

Toby is one of our favorites!!

07/19/2024

Is your dog bored and would greatly benefit from having a job?

We will be offering a Mantrailing group here soon (in about a month.)

It will be a drop in type group, geared towards fun and enriching tracking activities.

This is not for sport. It will be for fun and for giving busy dogs a beneficial outlet. Stay tuned!!

Mantrailing has traditionally been an activity used to assist in the hunt for missing persons. However, it is growing in popularity as a dog sport.

07/18/2024

SOME anthropomorphism is healthy.
Emotions are made in dogs the same way they are made in humans. Our biological needs ARE different but our social needs are quite similar. Sometimes it's beneficial to think about what YOU would do in a situation in order to better understand where your dog is coming from.

07/12/2024

And you can use those hormones/good feelings to speed up training. We mean more to dogs than most realize. They where CREATED to love us.

07/10/2024

This is why you should boundary train! 😬

07/07/2024

There is alot of CONTEXT to body language. And alot of "adaptation."

It's not always as it seems.

07/06/2024

It's so fascinating how dogs have learned how to "talk" to us.

07/05/2024

Casually putting feelers out.

Have you ever wanted to learn how to train Personal Protection Dogs?

This world isn't getting any safer and we want to see more responsible training of Protection Dogs.

We are looking for someone who:

✅️ Is very self motivated and capable of continuing learning on their own.

✅️ Knows dog very well or at least wants to know dogs very well.

✅️ Isn't afraid of real bites, protection work is risky, there will be accidents. This isn't for those who are afraid of dogs.

✅️ Is very reliable, sometimes we train durring the week, sometimes we train durring the weekend. If you cannot make it, say you cannot make it, if you can, I expect you to.

✅️ Is okay with being yelled at by a girl. I try to be as respectful as I can but with high stakes, can come high nerves and there is no room for mindless foolishness.

✅️ Is hoping to become a professional decoy, we can help you get started on your journey.

✅️ Gender doesn't matter but be prepared to bring the pressure. Men usually are better at challenging stress threshholds.

✅️ Is open to paying for continued education (if it's something you enjoy and want to persue.)

I have experienced dogs and green dogs that I offer for practice. I have all the beginning gear that is needed.

If this sounds like something that interests you, feel free to reach out.

07/03/2024

What a beautiful groom!!!

06/29/2024

Mr Guapo!! He is such a sweet man, I love his zest for life. Such a bulldog. 🥰

06/28/2024

🥰🥰🥰🥰

06/28/2024

Summertime Bandana fabrics. It's always so hard to choose!! We love the oddball ones so much!!

06/27/2024

Dogs LOVE flirt poles. When playing with them think PREY. Act like it's a prey item. Prey doesn't jump into mouths. It RUNS and jumps AWAY.

We make our own out of a Lunge whip, paracord, and a piece of fabric. We.do recommend the DIY Lunge whip version if you have a supper fast or supper strong dog. Ours is going on 7 years old now. 😊

If you would rather buy your own, you can purchase one using our affiliate link and help support our small business at the same time!

Here's our link: https://www.thecompletek9.org/products/caninefitness

06/26/2024

Do you ever wonder what our favorite products are?

We have compiled a list of affiliate links for all of our daily "go tos." From kibble and grooming tools to fitness and exercise!

Check out the Cani-Sports gear, we plan on having an introduction workshop (of some sort) covering Cani-Sports sometime this summer, keep an eye out for that. If you've always been intrigued by mushing, you'll love Cani-Sports!

Dog Training and Grooming Products recommended by The Complete K9.

06/25/2024

Huskys are underrated. We absolutely love them. They just have high physical needs. Get the bikejoring, urban mushing, or canicrossing, they will be your best friend for life!!

Check out the untapped potential in our local shelters! These guys need jobs!!

06/25/2024

We know training is an investment.
We are now accepting Afterpay as a payment option!!

Train more, smile more! 🌞

Address

108 Moxee Avenue Unit 2
Moxee City, WA
98936

Website

http://thecompletek9.org/

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Videos

Mogni choosing us over the environment. 🤌

This is how we train our dogs to be pros at getting up on objects. ⭐️ Shaping by Marker Training This is showing and rewarding the dog for every desirable action. In this case, it's getting up onto the table and staying put. We ALWAYS use a release marker because Mogni is learning a default stay. We make sure to tell him when the behavior is over, until then he is expected to stay in position. NO is our non reward marker, meaning, no reward, try again. This is "In-Drive" obedience. ⭐️ Pressure & Release We think this is an important step to proofing many obedience behaviors. You can use all sorts of pressure. In this video we are using leash pressure. Leash pressure is applied, once he gives to pressure, it is immediately released and he is praised. We still use certain markers such as our non-reward marker and our end-behavior marker. This is "Out-of-Drive" obedience. This is important because your dog will be expected to preform some behaviors whether they want to or not. Notice how Mogni leaves the behavior sooner here than he did with the shaping. It's different when they have to preform when they aren't given incentive. He is also a little more apprehensive here. Creating clarity even while stressed is a very important part of proofing behaviors. #gsd #markertraining #obediencedogtraining

Almost caught me a GSD puppy!! To bad he got away!! The Complete K9 #rescuedog #adoptorshopresponsibly #gsd

Here is Mogni's first liver drags! This was just for fun but so far he would be a GREAT candidate for lost pet tracking!!! What makes a great lost pet tracking dog candidate? The biggest trait is being very well socialized and being ok with other dogs and cats in countless situations. He knows how to use his nose well and he's got the socialization part down! #rescuedog

It was just a couple of us at Puppy Class yesterday so we took the liberty to do something fun and enriching!! We did Liver drags!! This is an easy and low pressure way to introduce some tracking and a great enrichment activity!! It's often said that the nose is the way to the brain when it comes to dogs, nose work of some kind is a great way to build confidence, reduce stress levels, and add some desensitization! Both Waffles and Mogni had a BLAST with this activity!! They both would love some kind of nosey job! I'm so glad we get to keep the gang (the GSD puppies) together for play dates!

Flop those ears! 🐰

Thecompletek9.org

We are accepting 1 or 2 new training clients!! Visit Thecompletek9.org or message us to get started!! ✅️ 🌟 Aggression & Reactivity 🌟 Basic - Advanced Obedience 🌟 High Energy Management 🌟 Prey Drive Management 🌟 CGC Training & Testing 🌟 Public Access Training 🌟 Problem Solving - Jumping, pulling, barking. 🌟 And More!! We have comprehensive and fully customizable programs to be sure you actually meet your goals and STAY there. With us you don't buy SESSIONS, you get as many as you like, as often as you'd like. Then you get unlimited follow up support covering everything we've worked on. You also get all tools needed to get the job done. ✅️ If you are serious about meeting your goals and maintaining them, we may be the perfect match for you. Train more. Smile more. 🩵

3 HUGE common mistakes to avoid when working on your recall. 🚩 Your reward isn't valuable enough. You need to be more valuable than your surroundings. If your dog isn't excited to come to you it will show. Use higher value rewards in the beginning and create a reward "event." Throw a party! Play, have fun. Your dog will love it! 🚩 Not staying in the reward phase long enough. You need to keep rewarding until there is a transfer of value. When you start to become more valuable than the surroundings can you afford to go to a random reward schedule. The idea is to create a strong association with your recall so that your dog feels those endorphins and excitement when you give the command. 🚩 No follow through or consequences for not responding. They don't get to opt out of recall, that would be a huge safety issue. If you give the cue and there is no response or a very lack luster one, be sure to have a leash, E Collar (with proper conditioning) or long line to make an obligation. Once I give the cue, you don't get freedom, period. Make sure your dog is not too over their threshold for this. If they are over their threshold and "seeing red" it's not a good time to recall and high pressure corrections may be totally unfair to the dog. Avoid these mistakes and you will see improvement in your recall. Reach out to a professional if you need more assistance. ❤️ #dogtrainingtips

Oh Malinois. 🤣 #workingdog #dogtrainingyakima #Malinois #tervuren

Toby's coat was soooo long today! Making his blow dry EXTRA satisfying! His owner's keep him in great condition!

Just some low key fun catches. Amber is already almost 7 months pregnant! We can't believe we will have another brown dog lover in The Complete K9 family. 💪 #dogtrainingyakima #workingdogtraining #belgianshepherd

Marty here aced his loose leash walk! We are working on minimizing the leash as a communication tool in order to move closer to an off leash heel. What this video doesn't show, the tiny dog trying it's hardest to get his attention on the other side of the fence. We did drop a treat, he didn't let that freebie go unnoticed. 😅 Stellar job Marty! We are so proud of him and his owner's dedication to his education! 👏👏 #looseleashwalking #dogtrainingyakima #greatdanesofinstagram

If you haven't yet, meet Bane. He is our oldest "Malinois." The correct term for a long coated Malinois is "Tervuren from Malinois lineage." His parents were traditional short coat dogs as well as his grandparents. He has been a challenge and a blast at the same time. He is a very powerful dog when working but wasn't always so engaged. Engagement didn't come naturally to him, we had to build every speck of it. He taught us so much about how to build the WANT to work. You have to be a team with a singular goal. 🤎 For what's it's worth, you CANNOT create a perfect picture of active engagement with corrections alone. Thank you Bane, for being a tough and challenging dog, making us better trainers. 💪 #dogtrainingyakima #belgianshepherd #workingdogtraining

Our old man showing his age. #belgianmalinois #belgianshepherd #fluffydog

We LOVE blow drying long, mat free coats! This girls mom does a great job brushing!! Way to go!! #doggrooming #doodlepuppy #groominglife

We love October! 🎃 🧙‍♀️ Get on our schedule or start a payment plan before October 31st and receive $100 off any of our Training Programs! * Problem Solving * Basic Obedience * Advanced Obedience * Equipment Included * Convenient Scheduling * Results Based - not limited to a set number of sessions, you receive as many as you need. Visit our Training page at Thecompletek9.org to get started! Train more, smile more. Train more, smile more! #dogtrainingyakima #obediencetraining #ecollartechnologies