Aiyon (Alaska Klee Kai) can find the outside world worrisome at times - lots of moving objects and loud noises can make walks scary for him. Enter fellow puppy camper, Goose (Mini Australian Shepherd), to help show her BFF that walks can be fun and that spooky stimuli comes and goes.
The world is less scary with a best friend my your side!
#puppytraining #instinctdogtraining #instincteastharlem #alaskankleekai #miniaustralianshepherd #puppyraising #nycdogtraining #bestfriend
Check out Camper Newman working with Coach Kelley to learn to feel more comfortable in his carrier.
Before coming to camp, Newman really disliked his travel carrier. Since Newman’s mom travels often with her little guy, this made trips a lot less fun and more stressful for both of them.
Here’s a quick overview of the steps Kelley is using to help Newman feel more comfortable and confident about using his carrier:
1. Away from the carrier, Kelley works on Newman learning to lay down and settle on cue
2. Next, Kelley and Jessica work on changing Newman’s perception of the carrier as ONLY a place of confinement, by using it as an agility obstacle. (Pro Tip: Leaving both ends open for escape can make the crate or carrier a whole lot less scary for our dogs)
3. Next, Kelley helps Newman start to learn the motion of going into the carrier and turning around - but with the top open/unzipped so it felt less enclosed
4. Remember those settling skills? At this stage, Kelly starts to use the open carrier similarly to a bed or mat that Newman automatically targets when it’s placed on the ground
5. Next up, Kelley works on zipping the top of the bag while Newman settles inside
6. Finally, Kelley works on cuing Newman into the carrier and briefly closing the bag. Notice that he feels comfortable enough that he’s not trying to bolt out the moment the bag is unzipped.
7. Over Newman’s remaining time at camp, Kelley will continue to gradually increase how long Newman stays in his carrier, and add in the other normal things he’ll experience as part of travel (being picked up and carried around, and so on).
Great job, Team Newman!
#trainingcampnotbootcamp #boardandtrain #dogtraining #dogtrainingtips #traveldog #cratetraining #positivedogtraining #nycdogtraining #nycdogtrainer #dogcoach #dachshund #minidachshund #eastharlem #instinctdogtraining
Just having a little fun with our amazing East Harlem Coaching team during yesterday’s bi-weekly Trainer Meeting. This group of humans blows us away each and every day with their steadfast commitment to their clients, their colleagues, and their careers 🥰🐶🥰🐶. #nycdogtrainer #nycdogtraining #dogtrainerlife #dogbehaviorconsultant #caninebehavioralhealth #instinctdogtraining #professionaldogtrainer #eastharlem
Coming when called (also known as ‘recall’) is one of the MOST important skills you will ever teach your dog (and it’s a skill you should expect to continue to work on and reinforce over your dog’s entire life).
Want to get started working on recall with your young puppy? Here are some quick tips to get you started:
1. Use REALLY good treats (tiny pieces of meat or cheese work best)
2. Choose a special recall word you don’t use at any other time
3. At first, only ask your puppy to come when you are 99% certain they’ll listen to you
4. Give the cue when you’re only 5-7 feet away, and use inviting body language like backing up, clapping your hands, and making kissy noises, to encourage your pup to come to you
5. Don’t accidentally associate their recall cue with the end of fun activities. Instead, try giving the cue when they’re in the middle of something fun, reward them generously, then immediately reengage them in the activity
6. Don’t overuse the cue (seriously, we recall our adult dogs *maybe* 1-3 times per day)
7. Increase difficulty gradually over time. This is an advanced skill, and it’s in your and your pup’s best interest to take things slow!
As pups get older, there are other important foundation skills we work on to build off-leash reliability, but these are great, simple tips to get you started.
Happy Training!
#positivedogtraining #nycdogtraining #nycdogtrainer #puppycamp #puppyraising #puppytraining #boardandtrain #recalltraining #instinctdogtraining
Check out Murphy and his dad executing a PERFECT Arc-By past another dog during a recent follow-up lesson with Coach Oyuki.
Murphy came to stay with us for a board & train Camp + Coaching program to work on feeling more relaxed and comfortable passing other dogs on leash.
This sweet boy made a ton of progress during camp, and his dad is doing SUCH a fantastic job continuing to support and guide him back at home.
Wanna learn how to do arc-by’s and other defensive handling maneuvers to help your reactive dog feel safer and more relaxed on walks?
Click the link below to sign up for our free Leash Reactivity course, or reach out to us directly to learn about our private coaching options. We LOVE helping pups and their people have calmer, more peaceful walks together.
https://loom.ly/qG4MTc4
#trainingcampnotbootcamp #boardandtrain #leashreactivity #positivedogtraining #nycdogtrainer #instinctdogtraining #instinctdogtrainingnyc
Instinct Online School Passes 15,000 Learners!
Milestone Alert!
Instinct's Online School has surpassed 15,000 enrolled learners. Woohoo! Thank you to everyone who has engaged with our content and shared it with others!
If you haven't already, check out our free and super-low-cost course options, including our game-changing Nature-Driven Nurture course ($19.99) and our popular Leash Reactive Dog course (Free).
AND...Stay tuned for our free Life Skills course, which covers our 4 key life skills for fun, freedom, and a peaceful life together: leash skills, off-leash skills, patient & polite skills, and settling skills. Coming Summer/Fall 2022!
https://onlineschool.instinctdogtraining.com
Check out Private Coaching client Meadow & her parents showing off their recall skills during a session with Coach Val!
.
Teaching dogs to respond reliably when off-leash can afford them SO many more opportunities for freedom and fun, and it can be truly life-saving.
.
Keep up the fantastic work, Meadow & family!
.
.
#positivedogtraining #offleashtraining #nycdogtraining #instinctdogtraining
Camper Juno Practices Doorway Manners!
Camper Juno is a sweet, energetic adolescent with LOTS of zest for life. Part of her camp included working on patient, polite behavior around thresholds. Check out how fantastic she did practicing her "Wait" cue at the door with her owner during her go-home lesson!
.
.
A note about position: You'll notice that Juno remains in a stand position when asked to 'Wait'. This was the position that helped Juno feel most relaxed and comfortable during this exercise (a 'Sit' created added anticipation, and she was more likely to launch excitedly forward out of the sit upon hearing her release cue). Other dogs will absolutely do better waiting in a Sit position, and still others in a Down. Listening to the dog, and choosing the position that helps them feel most relaxed while waiting, makes for a more efficient, effective, and enjoyable learning experience for all involved!
#trainingcampnotbootcamp #adolescentdogs #impulsecontrol #nycdogtraining #instinctdogtraining #eastharlem
Check out Camper Barkley working on her “go to bed” cue!
One important component of teaching a solid ‘go to bed’ cue is ensuring the dog feels enthusiastic about laying down on cue (because, go to bed involves chaining together a targeting/"go to the spot" cue, a “down” cue, and a “stay” cue).
To help increase Barkley’s enthusiasm for the Down cue, and to teach her to respond to a verbal cue instead of needing a lure, Coach Trina started by rewarding speedier lured responses VERY, very generously. After several very tasty repetitions, Barkley started to preemptively plop herself into a down position as soon as the luring motion was started. This made it easy to add in the verbal cue just before the luring motion, and then fade away the lure entirely.
The result: a big leap forward in Barkley’s “go to bed” proficiency! Next up: building duration and adding distractions!
(As you can tell by Barkleys wonderfully ‘lived in’ appearance, this training session took place shortly after an incredibly fun and messy romp in the play yard with friends. Next up…a nap, then bath time! 💤🌧)
#positivedogtraining #trainingcampnotbootcamp #samoyed #eastharlem #instinctdogtraining
When part of your alumni camp includes learning new tricks for fun 🥰. Check out Camper Hercules and his dad practicing together during a go-home lesson!
#corgilife #trainingcampnotbootcamp #positivedogtraining #dogtrainingnyc #eastharlem #instinctdogtraining
Camper Annabelle practices disengaging from other dogs during a camp training session.
.
Coach Oyuki is using a snuffle mat as part of reward delivery to a) facilitate lower arousal levels (sniffing/snuffling for the treat helps Annabelle stay more relaxed vs. taking a treat directly from Oyuki’s hand) and b) encourage engagement in a simple, healthy natural displacement/avoidance behavior around things Annabelle finds concerning.
.
Keep up the great work, Annabelle!
.
#trainingcampnotbootcamp #dogtrainingnyc #naturedrivennurture #leashreactivity #positivereinforcement #borderterrier #nycdogtraining #eastharlem #instinctdogtraining
Puppy Camper Bronson practices polite greetings with new people, with help from Coach Maggie 🐶❤️.
Keys to success:
✅ Puppy needs met before training (potty break, exercise, sniff time and chew time)
✅ Environment set up to facilitate learning (treat jars accessible, clicker on hand, leash dragging)
✅ Helper humans behave in a way that makes “good choices” easy (hands held low as a target, calm voices, short bouts of petting on side/back)
Great job pup & people!
#naturedrivennurture #puppycamp #puppyraising #puppytraining #puppymanners #nycdogtraining #instinctdogtraining
Our dogs’ worlds are dominated by olfaction (smell!). Providing them with lots of opportunities to sniff and forage - especially in natural, outdoor spaces when possible - is, without a doubt, one of the most impactful and beneficial natural behavior outlets we can provide to our dogs, no matter their age, breed, or behavior issues.
Instinct Alum Frito is a Sensitive Soul who loves doing regular nosework sessions with her mom. Using her nose in this way helps her to feel instinctually fulfilled, builds her confidence (“I’m really good at this!”) and puts her brain and body in a state that is more receptive to learning and feedback.
#naturedrivennurture #naturaldogbehaviors #enrichment #nosework #dogwellness #caninebehavioralhealth #instinctdogtraining #nycdogtraining
🚨 Brave Dog Alert 🚨
.
Private Coaching client Shayna finds city stimuli pretty overwhelming, which means she struggles to feel safe and comfortable on her daily walks.
.
Look how AMAZING she looks during her most recent lesson! Shayna’s progress is a great example of teamwork: Coach Maggie provides guidance and support with implementing confidence building exercises; Shayna’s human Gloria does a wonderful job following through and being a consistent source of safety on walks; and vet behaviorist Dr Levine of Animal Behavior Clinic of NJ has been invaluable in providing Shayna with behavior med support to make the learning process more effective and daily life less stressful.
.
We love seeing this girly look so confident and collected outside in the city. Keep up the great work, Team Shayna! ❤️
.
#caninebehavioralhealth #caninebehaviortherapy #behaviormodification #confidencebuilding #fearfuldog #nycdogtraining #nycdogtrainer #instinctdogbehavior #instinctdogtraining
City Socialization through Play 🌇💕
.
Puppy Camper Bernie the Boxer is having a blast playing with Camper Phyllis the Lab in our street-facing front yard. In addition to having a great time, both of these pups are getting some fantastic exposure to city sights and sounds - you can see Bernie take note of the siren initially, then go back to playtime with his friend. This is one of our favorite ways to socialize pups to city stimuli: we provide them with opportunities to engage in fun or relaxing activities, with city sights & sounds as the backdrop rather than the main event (just as we want it to be in their everyday lives as urban dogs).
.
#puppysocialization #urbandogs #citysocialization #trainingcampnotbootcamp #dogplay #dogfriends #nycdogtraining #nycboardandtrain #boardandtrain #eastharlem #instinctdogtraining #boxerpuppy #labradorretriever
Our free online school has officially surpassed 10,000 enrolled learners! If you haven’t already, check it out and sign-up for 100% free, self-paced courses on topics like leash reactivity, impulse control, managing dog-and-kid households, and dog enrichment activities. And stay tuned: we’re rolling out some fantastic new courses later in 2021 and early 2022! Sincere thanks to everyone who has already signed up to learn kind, practical ways to live happier, more peaceful lives with their canine family members. https://onlineschool.instinctdogtraining.com.
.
#dogtrainingforeveryone #freedogtraining #freedogbehaviorhelp #positivedogtraining #instinctonlineschool #onlinelearning #helpandhope #instinctdogtraining
Helper Dog Will is vacationing at Club Instinct while his parents are in Canada. This boy loves his daily boarding routine of flirt pole sessions, sunbathing & pool time, enrichment puzzles, and Care team snuggles 🥰.
.
🎥: @mads_zad
.
#caninebehavioralhealth #dogboarding #nycdogboarding #helperdog #pitbullmix #brindleboy #dogpool #eastharlem #instinctdogtraining
🚨 Brave Dog Alert 🚨
.
With a little help from Camper DZA, Camper Frank is learning that other dogs of all sizes can be pretty neat. This sweet, brave little guy actually offered his very first PLAY BOW yesterday during a socialization session with another one of our (smaller) camp pups. Secrets to success for Frank: safe, slow exposures with helper dogs that we know are chill, pleasant, playful and super responsive to other dogs’ requests for space, AND creating scenarios where it’s easy for Frank to move away if he’s had enough.
.
Keep up the great work, Frank! And thank you DZA, for helping a fellow canine learn to feel more confident about navigating through the world. 💕
.
.
#trainingcampnotbootcamp #confidencebuilding #dogsocialization #boardandtrain #positivedogtraining #behaviormodification #greatdane #helperdog #dachshund #nycdogtrainer #nycdogtraining #eastharlem #instinctdogbehavior
Camper Smoots is learning to feel comfortable wearing a muzzle. This sweet boy can be cautious of novel objects, but really likes the sound of the clicker (click = yummy treats and safe, happy circumstances). Here, he gets clicked for simply targeting the muzzle on his own, then Coach Samantha rewards him by feeding through the muzzle. At the end of each rep, she tosses a treat away so he gets a little break and has the option to re-approach for another rep if desired. Great work, Smoots & Sam!
.
.
.
#muzzleupproject #muzzletraining #trainingcampnotbootcamp #boardandtrain #positivereinforcement #behaviormodification #frenchbulldog #nycdogtrainer #nycdogtraining #gooddog #instinctdogtraining #eastharlem
Coach Val is having a little fun with Camper Steele :) . Fun, simple activities like this nose targeting exercise have been a great way to encourage Steele to readily offer behaviors and be an active participant in his learning. Keep it up, handsome boy!
.
#touch #nosetarget #trainingcampnotbootcamp #boardandtrain #positivereinforcement #pomsky #goodestboy #caninebehavioralhealth #nycdogtrainer #nycdogtraining #instinctdogtraining #eastharlem
