SweetGrass Havanese

04/25/2024

Here’s a PSA on behalf of all dogs.

Stop correcting your dog for sniffing.

Stop it. Please.

How would you like it if I corrected you for looking around a room? Imagine if you raised your head to look around a new place and I popped you or shoved you or said “HEY! PAY ATTENTION” You’d get pretty upset pretty quickly I’d imagine.

Dogs don’t smell because they are ignoring you or being stubborn. We humans primarily depend on sight, but dogs use smell AND sight to assess their surroundings and communicate. People spend more time interpreting visual data than olfactory information. Dogs are just the opposite.

Dogs devote lots of brain power to interpreting smells. They have more than 100 million sensory receptor sites in the nasal cavity as compared to 6 million in people, and the area of the canine brain devoted to analyzing odors is about 40 times larger than the comparable part of the human brain. In fact, it’s been estimated that dogs can smell anywhere from 1,000 to 10,000 times better than people.

Scent gives information. Smelling is normal. Smelling is necessary and natural. Smelling is relaxing. Air scenting is HUGE for recovering reactive dogs. LET YOUR DOG SMELL!

Correcting a dog for sniffing is one of the worst things I watch people do. It’s another example of how controlling we try to be in our dogs lives. If you don’t want your dog to smell, teach him to focus on you instead for part of the time, and then give other ample times to smell. If he’s pulling you to smell, use a different tool that inhibits pulling but still allows for some nasal exploration. Even better work on collar pressure work too so your dog learns to smell when there’s less pressure! Walks on a long line on a dirt road or in a field for your dog to zig zag back and forth on to smell is MUCH healthier and more tiring for them as animals than trying to keep them within 6 feet of you on a neighborhood walk.

Please accept that smelling is normal and work WITH your dog on it, rather than just trying to suppress it. Just because that blade of grass or tree isn’t interesting to YOU doesn’t mean your dog deserves a correction. Who cares if you don’t walk the extra block - spend those 5 minutes on that one tree if you need to. Your dog doesn’t complain when you watch YouTube videos of kittens for hours or read the news or binge on Netflix, so let him get his scent binge in to.

Happy smelling pups!

10/22/2023

08/30/2023

... and where the dog-human bond can go from here.

08/29/2023

The “ famous “sister and Brother SweetGrass Benny and Bella are enjoying their best life with mom Heather Although they both like to swim Riding on moms lap is much better !!❤️

08/23/2023

Don’t give up on your old dog. Please don’t.

When they can’t walk on walks with you anymore.
When they can’t hold it like they used to.
When their breath smells bad.
When their body starts to fail.
Don’t abandon him when he needs you most. Prepare for this stage early by saving up for dentals and tests and medical care early. Consider how he’ll handle stairs and apartment living BEFORE you put him there. Consider options for incontinence and slippery floors and other dogs in the house. Don’t leave him somewhere and drive away under the guise that someone else will do it. Most times, they won’t.

He will sit in a shelter alone and scared. He will wonder why he is there and when you may be coming back. The stress will be hard on his older body and mind, and he will not have the same ability to adapt and recover like he could at 4 years old.

Please don’t give up on your old dog. I am here to tell you they are so incredibly worth it. They have given their life to try to be everything you’ve asked them to be; this is your chance to give back.

And yes we all love a puppy fix, but if you really want some medicine for your soul, adopt an old dog. Don’t think about your sadness when they leave; think about the happiness and relief you’ll give them when they need it most. It is one of the best things you will ever do.

The old dogs in our care will always know love with us, but we know for many we are their second choice. They’d rather be with their people but we do our best while they are with us. We don’t give up on old dogs, please don’t either.

07/31/2023

I’ve said this before and I’m going to say it again.

I am always, always, on the dogs side first.

No that doesn’t mean I don’t support you or understand your needs. Nor that I can’t help you with them.

It means I also know that the dog has no voice unless I give him one, and so that is my job first and foremost.

The dog did not choose to be here. You chose to bring the dog here. The dog has minimal control, you have plenty. He’s got to live in your world, with all our restrictions, you’re not living in his. The dog did not come with preconceived expectations on your behavior, you did come with those for the dog though. Give him some grace.

The dog is my job. He is my ethical and moral responsibility to stand up for. To protect and speak up for. To coach and guide for. He is my life’s work and my passion. I have dedicated my whole world to helping him in all stages of his life and needs. I will listen to those needs and advocate for those first; before I start picking at what he may be doing “wrong” by the standards of human behavior and expectations. I let him teach me before I try to teach him anything. I won’t suppress him or bully him just for convenience on my end. He is a privilege, not a right.

07/24/2023

Please. Can we, for the sake of dogs everywhere, cut the sit?

Yes you read that right.

Stop asking reactive over threshold dogs to sit.

Stop asking fearful worried dogs to sit.

Stop asking over aroused frustrated dogs to sit.

Stop asking puppies straining on leash to go say hi to sit.

CUT. THE. SIT.

Years and years ago I used to think task training (sit down stay wait etc) was the most important thing for our dogs. God, I look back on that and cringe. It was all I focused on. It’s what we’ve been led to believe is a “good dog” How well a dog performs these tasks is a reflection of us as human with them. It’s also our go to, right? It gives a sense of control. If I can just get the dog to sit? No. Wrong. Those kinds of tasks - even if the dog performs them - can lead the dog to just preload before exploding, jumping, pouncing etc.

I look at people screaming at their stressed dog to sit now the same way I’d look at someone trying to help a person having an anxiety attack calm down by solving a math problem.

Over the last decade I’ve realized that while task based training has its place sometimes, and can be awesome for bonding and mental enrichment and definitely helpful in places, it’s NOT the most important thing for dogs in our world today to learn, nor for us to be teaching.

What we need to focus on first is arousal regulation. We need to focus on focus, calming behaviors, confidence and resilience, proper disengagement techniques, frustration tolerance. LIFE skills. We need to hone in on how the animal feels about the stimulus BEFORE we focus on what we ask the animal to perform there. We need to focus on genetic strengths and weaknesses of the individual dog and push and pull on these while working on exposure our weird human environments. We need to focus on downtime, mental enrichment, fulfilling exercise needs in ways that doesn’t encourage hyper arousal. We need to focus on letting the dog mature and what that means and looks like. We need to teach doing nothing before we worry about doing anything. And that’s hard to learn as a human, because we’ve been fed this idea for so so long than OBEDIENCE is what makes a good dog. Nope. Not true at all.

This doesn’t mean I don’t teach sit. I do. But it’s not the first thing I teach. It’s not what I rely on. I also don’t freak out if the dog doesn’t do it. I look at the bigger picture and not the task itself. In the end the relationships I have with my dogs and the relationship they have with me and the world are far more important than a task we’ve become to rely on so heavily being the definition of a “well trained” animal.

Cut the sit, people.

- Helen St. Pierre 7/24/23

07/22/2023

All the feels...or none of them it's important to pay attention to how your pup responds to touch.

06/28/2023

The summer can be one of the hardest seasons for dogs and their humans as it is the season for thunderstorms and fireworks, even on days that don’t usually call for them.

The fourth of July is a holiday where fireworks are abundant and sound sensitive dogs can struggle immensely when exposed to the unpredictable, loud noises that we view as family friendly fun. Even dogs that don’t have sound problems can develop them quickly if exposed improperly to fireworks, which is something that I unfortunately see frequently this time of year. Here are some quick and easy do’s and don’ts to help you and your dog (whether sound sensitive or not) this time of year –

Do – Give your dog a safe place to go during the all the noise. Creating an environment that your dog can go to where the sound is lessened is actually fairly simple. A crate covered with a blanket, a bathroom, or even a dark room with the shades drawn, the basement even, and a fan going with some classical music playing on a Bluetooth speaker are options to help your dog feel secure. You may need to set this environment up ahead of time and encourage your dog to go there.

Do – Give your dog something fabulous to chew on or enjoy during the events. Make it something he rarely gets and that will last a while. A Kong stuffed with peanut butter and frozen is a wonderful option. This can be combined with the safe space you’ve created to not only keep your dog distracted, but also help him pair loud noises with something fun and yummy. Other Kong ideas are found online. Soda pup chews are a favorite here also. You can even do training with amazing treats too during this time. What you want to create is “loud noises = party time for me” in your dogs mind!

Do – Comfort your dog. The idea that comforting your dog when he is scared will encourage fearful behavior is false. Fear is an emotion, not a behavior, and your dog needs your support to feel safe during this time. If your dog is worried, talk to him calmly, give him a massage, or sit and hang out and even read aloud next to him. You don’t have to panic next to him, that certainly wont help, but you can comfort him without worrying it will make it worse. In fact, many clients report their dogs anxieties improve when they are offered support.

Do – Make sure your dog is wearing a collar with tags and if you have to take him out to potty, have him on leash! EVEN IN A FENCED YARD. More dogs get spooked and run away during this time and making sure your dog is secure on leash and also wearing tags is an important safety tip. Try to limit potty breaks to before and after the dusk period when random fireworks may go off.

DON’T – Take your dog to the show! It can be tempting to bring your dog with you to the big show and watch with you. I highly recommend not making this choice and leaving your dog at home. Your dog has no concept of what is going on and the loud unpredictable noises can create anxiety that lasts a lifetime. Leave him home, he’ll thank you for it.

DON’T – scold your dog! Yelling at your dog for shaking, panting, whining, or showing other anxious behavior will not help but will actually make him feel worse. Not only does he think the world is ending, now you’re upset too!

DO – try other things. Thundershirts, calming supplements, flower essences, pheromone collars and even medication for some dogs are necessary at times.

DO - Talk to your veterinarian and a certified professional trainer NOW on what they would recommend if your dog is really struggling. This is a much more common problem than you may think and there are other options! Having relief handy immediately rather than waiting is much better in the long run for both you and your dog. Don’t wait to call. As always, NMBDT is here to help too.

PLEASE SHARE if you like but give credit - Helen St. Pierre, No Monkey Business Dog Training

06/23/2023

06/04/2023

Trying to fit a square peg in a round hole is a thankless task. Choosing a breed without taking account of the job they’ve been bred to do is likely to lead to conflict and frustration for both ends of the lead.

Humans have created dogs which have a strong tendency for certain behaviours - to hunt, to scent, to chase, to herd, to guard. Just because most dogs now live with us as pets rather than working dogs doesn’t mean that those traits have disappeared.

So getting frustrated or annoyed when your pet collie herds or your pet terrier digs isn’t fair. They’re just displaying the very behaviours that we created them to display.

Choosing the right breed for your lifestyle is key to creating a harmonious relationship with your dog. Otherwise you’re trying to fit that square peg in that round hole.

Forget looks. Set aside how much you love that breed. Use your head, not your heart, and think about which breed would be a good match behaviourally for you. Or, if breed is non-negotiable, do your research and understand what changes you will need to make to accommodate your dog’s needs. And if you can’t, or won’t, make those changes don’t get the dog.

Breed is about behaviour. Breed matters.

05/29/2023

There are lots of bad and even dangerous trainers out there. Here’s how to find a qualified training and behavior professional.

05/19/2023

Littermates Zoey and Augie visited each other today for the first time since they all left SweetGrass with their families last August ! There’s nothing as much fun as spending time with your brother and sister Great effort Everyone !!! ❤️❤️

04/30/2023

Dogs all over England are smiling today. As of Feb 1st 2024 remote electric (shock) collars will be banned in England. Thank you to everyone who campaigned for 10 years to get this done! The dogs thank you!
https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/media-centre/2023/april/cruel-electric-shock-collars-banned-in-england/

04/30/2023

Here’s Miss Chloe The only girl and 7 brothers from the Downton Abbey litter 6/28/22She has kept her amazing dark red color Pretty pretty gir❤️

03/30/2023

03/14/2023

THE DOWNTON ABBEY CREW AT 9 months ….CHASE, ZOEY ,GILLY, AUGIE, and COPPER

03/09/2023

BRAIN UNDER CONSTRUCTION!
The challenges of teenage dogs
There’s a saying that parents who have gone through the teenage years with their off spring will relate to - “Parents with teenagers understand why some animals eat their young!”

Many dog owners are unaware that dogs also go through a teenage stage and are frustrated and unprepared for the changes this brings. It’s a sad reality that this is the age that many dogs are surrendered to shelters as their owners no longer “like” the way their dogs behave, can’t handle them and give up on them.

The teenage brain is going through many changes. Think of it as being “rewired”. The rewiring process can cause some parts not to work at all or only work sometimes. Some parts work too much with too much current and new wires cause unexpected results.

There are many similarities to the changing human teenage brain. There’s a valid scientific reason why car insurance premiums for young adults under 25 are more expensive. The brain is not fully matured – irrational decisions, risk taking, poor choices and accidents are more likely to happen.

Be patient, understanding and most of all consistent with your teenage dog. Don’t give up on them. They are feeling just as frustrated as we are. Being aware of what is happening in their brain as it develops to full maturity helps us to be more accepting. Remember that this is just a phase and it will get better.

03/09/2023

12/19/2022

This is SweetGrass Zoey,the only girl from the Downton Abby litter She is approaching her 6 month birthday and adored by her family ❤️🎄

12/12/2022

SweetGrass Zoey in all of her cuteness