Umwelt Dog Training

09/20/2021

I've always been a big animal guy (and a sad pirate)

08/31/2021

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Hey y'all! Just wanted to share that I was accepted into Julie Naismith's Separation Anxiety Pro Trainer program. I'll be starting the course on October 11th. This'll be a tremendous addition to my toolbox as well as huge confidence boost, as I'll be getting tons of support throughout.


I'm excited to continue learning so that I can serve as an even better resource for my clients.


Thank you to the many families who have already trusted me with their SA cases! I'm looking forward to taking on more.

08/24/2021

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I got to meet this precious angel after being a part of her journey (from afar) for a year and a half.

Very thankful that she ended up with some wonderful folks, who also happen to be great friends.

Also, the tattoo is fake but if you have any (positive) thoughts please let me know.

08/20/2021

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Just a reminder that grooming can be cooperative and relaxing for all parties involved. Skills and items you should have in your toolbox to ensure success:

1. Appropriate grooming items: Make sure you're using the right cooperative care items. You'll want tools that are sized appropriately and ideally don't have a negative emotion/experience associated.

2. Enrichment and reinforcement: Make grooming rewarding! I like Kongs and Lickimats with peanut butter (not very original, but quite effective for Squid). You'll find that training treats may not cut it- strive to provide something higher value.

3. Patience: Baby steps are key when you start working on cooperative care. Celebrate small wins, and try not to push your dog too far in any given session.

4. Consistency: A few short sessions a week will pay off, one long one every month will likely not.

5. Self-care skills and a solid support system: You can't pour out of an empty cup! You have to take care of yourself before you can most effectively help your dog succeed.

As you start to log some successes, you may also explore some more advanced techniques, such as station training and start button behaviors.

Take care of yourself and those around you!

08/18/2021

Sheepadoodle puppy Beppe is a huge fan of playtime, which is not a shock given his age. First-time puppy parents, however, are often surprised by just how MUCH puppies play. They can be relentless! It's important to keep in mind, however, that play is natural, healthy, and adaptive.

Play is, by definition, a voluntary behavior, meaning that an animal engaging in play is an animal having a good day (or at the very least a good few seconds). This leaves the field wide open for learning opportunities- playtime and training time are often the same!

Play and learning are inextricably linked in both wild and domestic species. Engaging in fun behaviors in a low-stakes manner unveils plenty of information concerning relationships, group rules, predator avoidance, and hunting.

The 3 main types of play are as follows:

1. Social play, in which 2 or more animals playfight or engage with one another in some other way. Think of baby elephants intertwining trunks.

2. Object play, in which an animal engages with an object in their environment. Think of a raven toying with a twig.

3. Locomotor-rotational play, in which an animal moves a portion of or all of their body intensely for no clear reason. Think of goats hopping around.

All of these types of play provide a lesson in the long run. The elephants learn about family dynamics and practice the combat skills they'll lean on in the future; the raven learns about a potential tool; the goats practice predator evasion. The fact that these behaviors are fun makes the lessons much more salient and the behaviors themselves much more reinforcing.

Keep this relationship between play and learning fresh in your mind next time you start a training session. Make it fun, for you and your pup!

Also, DM me if you want to learn about the clown class I took in college. It was very play-centric and I remember everything, I promise. This is not a joke and I will happily field questions.

Have fun y'all!

05/06/2021

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Woody and his dad are crushing their work on recall and a few other skills.

Woody is a huge fan of snacks, so chicken treats are a great reinforcer during our sessions. Woody is also a huge fan of rolling around in the dirt, so we took "breaks" in our training to let him do just that.

The "breaks" in this case are not quite that- they are actually an important part of our sessions. Rolling around and getting gross is very appealing to Woody, meaning it's a behavior he's likely to engage in. Because this rolling behavior is more likely and more inherently appealing than a lot of the behaviors we're working on, we can use it as a reinforcer for those behaviors. Woody gets a click and a treat when he performs a great recall, but he may also get a chance to engage in a super exciting behavior!

This is an example of Premack's Principle- the idea that more likely behaviors reinforce those that are less likely. The end result is that the not-so-fun behaviors become much more probable!

Premack's Principle is also known as "Grandma's Rule," as it's popular with grandmothers and other caretakers of children. A grandmother might, for instance, say "you can play video games once you've finished your homework." This reinforces the homework-doing behavior and makes it more likely to occur in the future.

I can't remember my grandmother using this tactic, but I can remember her discreetly offering me cash for my Easter candy. She was a diabetic and a very strange lady.

04/26/2021

Thank you to for this amazing new logo! Josh made the design process delightful, and I am ecstatic with the result.

02/16/2021

The muzzle is an irreplaceable tool for trainers and parents, though the prospect of introducing and implementing one can be daunting. Some of my clients have a strong negative, almost visceral reaction when I first suggest one. Muzzles have unfortunately been associated with the idea of a "bad dog" (no such thing), and no one wants to think of their precious pup that way!

This sort of black and white thinking leads to more frustration and, often, an inability to address the main behavioral challenge. Muzzling up is a really useful management strategy, and represents nothing more sinister than a responsible and loving caretaker.

Muzzles are often crucial in working through a desensitization/counter-conditioning protocol with reactive dogs, but are also used to prevent "snacking" off the sidewalk (a form of pica), redirection behaviors, and self-harming behaviors as a result of stress or canine compulsive disorder.

They provide an additional level of security, allowing you and your dog to work through the core issue safely and comfortably. The introduction of the muzzle should be fun and rewarding for your pup, and wearing it should be associated only with good things.

These pups and their parents have benefitted greatly from their muzzles. Your pup might too!

Thanks to Captain's, Tenshi's, and Lincoln's folks, who put in so much work everyday to keep their pups happy and on the right track!

02/13/2021

Look how happy this guy was to get his waffle from

Check them out for homemade dog and cat goodies, as well as locally-made accessories. We'll be heading back soon to get Squid a bowtie. And Phoebe loves the chicken flavor boosters sprinkled on her meals!

01/24/2021

I often hear things like "my dog just needs to sniff EVERYTHING" or "her nose is ALWAYS on the ground."

The reality is that dogs are primed to take the world in through their nose, just as we rely mainly on our eyes.

Imagine complaining that, while walking with your friend is nice, "he just always has to be LOOKING at something!"

All this to say that, when Winston here wants to sniff (and we're not crossing a street), we let him sniff!

Canine olfactory receptors outnumber humans' 50:1, and their olfactory bulb (which analyzes odors) is 40 times larger than ours, proportionally speaking. The end result is a sense of smell that's 10,000 to 100,000 times more sensitive than our own.

This predisposition towards sniffing can (and should) be used in training. Designated "sniff time" can be used to reward less common behaviors that you're working on, such as walking on a loose leash and checking in with you. You should also engage in decompression walks- walks during which you let their nose lead the way in a natural environment- whenever possible. Tough ask in the city, I know.

Next time your pup stops to take a whiff of something, be grateful! It means they're comfortable, learning about their environment, and, most importantly, part of a top-notch family.

Thanks again for being a great pup parent.

01/20/2021

Empathy, always

12/15/2020

Let's talk socialization!

It's really easy (and understandable) to think that socializing your dog is just about letting them randomly greet any pup on the street. There's so much more -and less- to it than that!

Socialization is about building positive relationships with EVERYTHING. Dogs of course, but also skateboards, weird hats, your food delivery person, and those buses on Broadway that are still packed with tourists for some reason.

Socialization should ideally be a series of bite-sized interactions. It's important to keep it as easy and low-stakes as possible!

Odysseus is learning a little bit about this world every day, thanks to his dedicated parents. They understand that everything is new to him- and potentially scary. They're doing his best to get him comfortable enough to potty outside. Baby steps!

Socialization can happen at any age, and should be a life-long process regardless. Your dog is learning whether or not that's your plan. A basic socialization plan is almost always my first step with a new client.

Throughout this, keep in mind that it's our job to keep our dogs safe. So don't go running up to random dogs who might not appreciate that!

11/26/2020

Thankful, today and always, for the opportunity to teach and learn daily. I'm lucky to have wonderful clients and colleagues!

10/27/2020

Pamper your pups, folks.

10/23/2020

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I love love love teaching "relax on a mat" (from Dr. Karen Overall's relaxation protocol and introduced to me by the great folks at


Here Callie is first rewarded for approaching the mat- 2 paws on it is fine at the beginning. We then move on to rewards for increasingly more challenging relaxation behaviors: 4 paws on the mat, then sitting, then lying down, etc.


The reality is that most puppies need help learning to chill out, and most parents could use a sustainable strategy for encouraging these behaviors.


I'm actually quite slow to reward in some instances here. Unless I'm consciously waiting for a new behavior, I should be reinforcing without Callie "reminding" me to. I want to encourage her to focus on relaxing, not on me. P.S- recording yourself during training is a great way to improve your technique.


Also, when teaching this behavior, NO WORDS!! The mat itself is the cue, and should be removed when the training session is done.


This behavior often requires a lot of guidance at first, so reach out for help!


trainer

10/16/2020

Premiering my first purchase. I love it!!

10/15/2020

Prince is in need of some help to get back on his feet! Link in bio.


Thanks to for bringing this to my attention

10/15/2020

10/15/2020

10/05/2020

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Fuzzy boy Artemis has been working through separation anxiety for the last few months. This is one of the most emotionally taxing behaviors to work through with your pup, and is always tricky to tackle. His people have been working incredibly hard on a daily basis to get him comfortable with alone time. This has been paying off for everyone!


As with everything, we take baby steps and celebrate even the smallest successes. I love getting updates on his progress, though we always have to be ready to troubleshoot and adjust our approach.


Artemis is now able to spend about 30 minutes by himself with no signs of distress. When we started training he could only handle a few seconds. Artemis is beyond lucky to have such a great home!

09/26/2020

Treat prep is vital (and made for a solid Friday night in).


Neither Squid nor Phoebe are picky about treats, so I can lump a bunch of different goodies into the "high-value" category.


This pile contains chicken hearts, chicken breast, lamb hearts, and beef liver. For many dogs, each of these would constitute a different "value" of reward. I've had dogs turn their nose up at the stinky stinky chicken hearts and go nuts for crunchy biscuits. Getting to know a given dog's preferences is crucial in implementing a sustainable and effective training plan.


Remember that your dog's response to treats is also a reflection of the situation they're in. If, for instance, they seem uncharacteristically bored by the hot dog you're presenting, it may be because they're stressed or distracted by something (a dog across the street? an approaching thunderstorm? a new odor on your jeans?)


Food is a powerful primary reinforcer (one an animal needs to keep alive and safe), so it's important that you gain a solid understanding of what your companion responds to. Remember that it is also a great source of joy, just as it can be for us.

09/23/2020

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Hamilton is about 3.5 months old and is roughly at the end of his socialization period. Luckily he has a great mom who's been working on getting him comfortable around all sorts of new objects, people, and experiences, safely and effectively.


Socializing early is key, but perhaps more important is keeping your dog's comfort in mind. We don't want to throw every new experience at them and hope it goes well. Instead we should aim to keep them feeling safe and supported throughout the process, so that they know that everyday objects and experiences (hats, umbrellas, aluminum foil, pet shop visits) mean them no harm. These, in fact, should be predictors of good things coming their way.


Ham's mom is actually running out of new things to expose him to- he's been very willing to explore, which says a lot about R+ methods (as well as about Ham and his family, obviously).


He's not quite old enough to know they wrote a whole musical about him. We'll get there.

08/08/2020

Hula hooping!


Popcorn's learning a trick that sister Cookie has down pat- jumping through a hula hoop.


At this point in the process of I'm using "touch" as a well-known cue to get Popcorn interested in the hoop. I'm cueing a "touch" at different points around the hoop. Importantly, Popcorn isn't scared of the hula hoop. She's just happy to be getting clicks and treats!


We're starting off embarrassingly easily, as you always should when teaching a new behavior. While the ultimate goal is for her to jump through the hoop while it's in the air, we first have to perfect walking through it while it's on the ground. This is the first part of our shaping plan. I'll increase the difficulty in a controlled way, being mindful to take a step or 2 back if necessary. I don't want Popcorn to be frustrated or confused, and I always want to end on a high note (i.e with Popcorn "winning" by getting clicks and treats and praise and good things).


Also look how happy she is!!

07/30/2020

07/17/2020

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Some fun cooperative care!


This was a major breakthrough for Cookie, who used to hate getting brushed.


I decided to introduce brushing in a completely new environment- on a chair outside, instead of in the kitchen where she had all her previous experiences with the dreaded brush.


I first paired the brush with her favorite treats, with no actual brushing involved. I wanted her emotional response to the brush to change to a positive one.


Once she was excited about the brush she was willing to follow it (and she loves to jump) so she had no problem hopping up onto the chair.


I did a quick brush followed by a treat and continued in that way. Crucially, I didn't restrain Cookie in any way, and I used her sitting on the chair as permission from her to continue. She was free to jump off, at which point the grooming would stop.


We continued in this way with Cookie gradually jumping off the chair less and less. I was expecting her to jump off once here but she didn't! Baby steps!


This is a huge improvement from the near constant treating at the beginning. She's a bit of a restless girl so seeing only a little shifting of weight is a big deal. I love that she looks forward to brush time now!

07/02/2020

Imagining life from another person's perspective is tough. Our own minds can be hard enough to figure out!


Now consider delving into your dog's psyche. It may seem like a gargantuan task, but canine cognition research has made huge strides to this end in the last few decades. Thanks to studies of behavior, physiology, and neurobiology, we have a clearer picture than ever before of how dogs take in, process, and think about the world. This has direct benefits for dog trainers and parents, but also has broader implications for work in animal welfare and psychology.


I was introduced to the concept of umwelt through the (spectacular) book Inside of a Dog. Put simply, an organism's umwelt is their specific way of taking in the world, limited and illuminated by their senses, morphologies, and brains. Though it certainly varies from person to person and from dog to dog, it is perhaps most instructive in illustrating perceptual differences between species.


While the general principles of research and training hold true across species, the specifics must be tailored to each animal's umwelt in order to achieve robust results.


Simply accepting that your dog's worldview can be (and is) different from your own is the jumping off point for great communication and a stellar life together.


How do you think this ladybug takes in the world? Hop in your magic school bus and get back to me.

05/20/2020

Hi all! Thanks for checking out Umwelt!

This is a pretty new company so I'm ecstatic to announce that I'll be hosting a webinar on clicker training basics thanks to Petminded.

Clicker training is a great way to reinforce and "mark" appropriate behaviors and can be used in behavior modification, general obedience, cooperative care, puppy training- you name it!

Also also, it's not just for dogs!! If they can hear, they can learn with clicker training. And if they can't hear, we can easily replace the clicker with a different stimulus- a flash of light for instance. There's nothing magical about the clicker itself, but I'd like to argue that there IS something transformative about learning the science of positive reinforcement. And so I will argue that!

If you'd like to join on Monday 5.25 at 6pm Eastern, please reserve a ticket at the link below:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/petminded-presents-intro-clicker-training-with-umwelt-dog-training-tickets-105036763788

Join Petminded & Umwelt Dog Training for an Indoor Dog Training Session!