Kates K9 Training

11/15/2023

Eventbrite tickets- https://rb.gy/abdpn4

08/22/2023

I walk an adorable puppy a few times a week. This charming fellow lives next door. They are puppy neighbors. Now I’m working with both puppies on their leash manners, and basics. This puppy started to learn “down” today. It’s so amazing to see his little brain work. I love to get the steps in for these puppies, but I also love to engage them which gets them just as tired.

Double leash because he’s a leash biter and I won’t play tug-of-war . But that’s another story for another day.

08/04/2023

Now that’s a good “down stay”! I never get dog gigs where the dogs are better trained than my own dogs.
I’m watching some very cool employed herding type dogs (they chase off geese professionally) and yesterday I could not help myself and checked out what they knew. I got clear across the yard and they stayed. And I laughed because I didn’t think my dog could do such a thing. It is so rare that I come across a dog and owner that has really put in the time. And clearly these dogs and handler have put in more hours than anyone can comprehend, unless you’ve done it.
So I had to take my dog out today and see if he could match up those Awesome well trained dogs. To be honest, I was really nervous he was gonna fail me.
PHEW! Silo did the thing and stayed while I walked clear across my yard. If you need help getting your dog to hold a better stay, you know where I am.
Pictures of his dogs first, then my dog. If you can’t see the dogs, zoom in.
Thanks for the fun Geese Peace Goose Solutions

08/02/2023

I secretly love walking dogs for owners. I get to drift off in my own little world and I get to train everything I’m handling without having to say a word. When you are handling a dog, you are either training them or un training them. I really do not believe there is an in between. You are either making your pet better or worse. I do everything I can to leave these dogs better than I found them.

07/24/2023

Another day, another doggo. This little guy (in the back) has a BIG personality and reacts to…well pretty much everything. The goal was to pack walk with Bam Bam and we hit that goal. It was awesome that they were chillin this close with no issues. We were asking them to just mind their business and not fixate on each other. Bam Bam is intentionally turned away and put in a down stay. He threw calming signals the entire time. He is a happy go, lucky dog that means no harm and shows that to everybody. We had to start 100 yards away from each other, but we ended feet away from each other and I was able to walk both dogs together. This took patience, and a hour of time, but we ended in a much much better place then we started.

The reason I mainly got into training was to keep rescue dogs in their homes (little man is a rescue ❤️) and to help foster dogs be successful and become adoptable. To help dogs get comfortable in their environment without stress or anxiety. Little man took some big steps today with his little paws. GO HARRY! And good job Bam Bam. 

07/23/2023

This beautiful girl has a big fear of getting in the car. Her mama could not get her to load without a big hassle and 2 people picking her up and forcing her in. Today she had a breakthrough and got in and out a bunch of times. We didn’t go anywhere but we helped her confidence in loading. I gave mom some homework to continue to build her car skills. Go Hazel! You’ll be off on fun adventures soon enough.

07/07/2023

It was a very tough week at the farm. I lost my childhood horse. But it’s always nice to get out for a walk, even if I don’t really want to. Bam bam sure appreciated it. Sometimes a dog is the best medicine.

06/25/2023

My first Rover dog. I’m walking dogs as a little side gig $$ and because I know I can handle dogs that don’t walk perfectly. I’ll keep all my doggos safe, happy, and mentally stimulated. Reactive dog? No problem. Puller or leash biter? No problem. Old senior dog that needs to do his routine? No problem.

06/21/2023

🤪 you’re a trainer, why would you pay for a dog training class 🤪
Because of this. Because I get to work around other dogs that are under instruction. I get to see other novice handlers learn from someone else. I get to work in a different environment that has distractions, we are walking down a dog food aisle for goodness sakes. Have I actually learned anything? Eh, I learned it all in dog school already, but we get to practice with a group and it’s still a huge benifit for Bam Bam.

I also still take riding lessons when I can even though I have been a professional for close to 2 decades, and riding close to 3 decades. Sometimes another set of eyes is a good thing. Being humble allows you to continue to grow.

06/05/2023

I have become so obsessed with how people greet a dog. It is something I’m constantly educating people on. Thanks for this easy to understand picture Pupford!

06/02/2023

When I’m training for owners, I ask “what behavior do you want to work on”?

For my personal dogs jumping on people is a big NO. Dragging me around on a leash is a NO. Rushing through doorways is a NO. But those are not NOs for everyone. For some people digging is a NO, but for me it’s a YES! He’s a farm dog, this burns energy, he’s having fun, I laugh hysterically at how deep he goes in minutes.

It’s your dog. You get to pick the accepted behaviors and commands. Carry on. I’m
Not judging you and what you allow. Just let me know. I’m on your side.

05/27/2023

The second dog of the day was a rescue. King Arthur was adopted one month ago and came with some behaviors like separation anxiety, stranger danger and a bit of leash reactivity. We talked about the first steps of working with the SA, then we went on a small pack walk on a very busy day and passed lots of dogs successfully. Great job today 👑 Arthur!

05/27/2023

Great job working on a loose leash walk mom! Little Fitz was a freight train but this happened in one session. We introduced the gentle leader today to help with the pulling. Now they just have to keep up on the homework.

05/26/2023

Pack walks are my favorite. Dogs have an instinct to walk together and this forms a positive relationship between everybody. I am their leader. This is a totally pleasant experience for them. They get a little bit of exercise and a lot of mental stimulation. We got to practice a few commands along the way as a group, this picture didn’t happen by coincidence. I can bet my dogs are gonna be a little happier today. That will make me happier too.

05/25/2023

💥Bam Bam💥 has been with me for one month. It is remarkable what one month of training can do if you dedicate yourself just a little bit.

I posted a video when I first got him on some of his MANY bad behaviors due to lack of boundaries and training. Bam is now the second best trained dog in my house. considering he is still under 1 he is extremely well behaved. He has a lot of basic commands down, and he is working on some harder commands. He has respect for thresholds, he has a good routine, he is my perfect little companion.

05/19/2023

This is an awesome and easy to understand visual on reinforcement. I had to learn about this in dog training school, and I wish they had had this in the book.

✌️Breaking down the four quadrants:
Not all clients can understand the four quadrants of learnt theory, so this is the ‘simple’ version for them to understand how their dog learns and perceives stimuli.

This would not be aimed at academics.

Our job as trainers is to help our clients understand how the dog 'thinks'. If our client has a basic understanding of how the dog's brain works then they can apply the appropriate training methods in the behaviour modification program given by the trainer.

Clients don’t always understand how the dog processes environmental stimuli, so, this is aimed to simplify it for them as they are not trainers. The idea is to help them understand how their dog ‘thinks’ so they can help their dog and avoid doing things that can potentially do harm.

🤓In psychology, an aversive is an unpleasant stimulus that changes behaviour through negative reinforcement or positive punishment. Using an aversive immediately before or after a behaviour will most likely reduce the behaviour from happening again in the future. This will also depend on the intensity of the aversive as well as how the subject responds to it.

🤔Understanding how your dog learns and processes the world around them can be tricky. Desired behaviours that are reinforced will become more likely to occur, and behaviours that are not reinforced will become less likely to occur, hence you hear trainers say, reward the good behaviour and ignore the behaviour you don't like.
This is known as the Four Quadrants of Operant Conditioning.
+ (Positive) means to ADD( + )/ INCREASE the stimuli.
- (Negative) means to SUBTRACT ( - ) / DECREASE the stimuli.
Positive Reinforcement (+R): This is when you add something pleasant to the situation AFTER a behaviour, to INCREASE the likelihood of that behaviour happening again in the future.
E.g. When your dog sits you give them a treat/toy or when the dog is walking nicely on a lead you verbally praise and give him a treat. Pretty much anything your dog does that you like, and you reward with something THEY LOVE.
Negative Reinforcement (-R): Negative Reinforcement is basically a threat/intimidation. This is where something that the dog finds unpleasant doesn’t happen so long as the dog 'behaves'.
E.g. The sound the chain makes before you jerk the lead as the dog has made the association of the sound the chain makes that follows with a jerk, and you don't jerk the lead as long as the dog walks next to you.
Another example can be using a shock collar to train your dog to stop barking. The shock occurs when the dog barks (+P) and, when the dog is not barking the stimuli of the shock does not take place (-R).
Negative Reinforcement happens when you take your finger OFF the button. You are TAKING AWAY and stopping the stimuli from happening.
Positive Punishment (+P): This is when an unpleasant stimulus is ACTIVELY applied to the dog DURING OR IMMEDIATELY after a behaviour, to try to REDUCE the occurrence of the behaviour happening again in the future. Something unpleasant will be from the dog's perspective.
E.g. An intimidating sound, shock, or anything the dog finds unpleasant when he barks. Actively pressing the button of a training device when he does something you don't like that causes pain or distress.

This can be anything THE DOG finds scary, painful and unpleasant.
Shouting at your dog when he does something you don't like.
Smacking your dog the moment he does something you don't like.
Squirting your dog with water when 'he's done something wrong'

REMEMBER: IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK IS OK OR NOT OK. IT IS WHAT THE DOG PERCEIVES AS FRIGHTENING AND NOT OK.
Negative Punishment (-P): This is when something rewarding or of value to the dog is taken away or withheld from the dog to try to reduce the occurrence of a behaviour happening in the future.
E.g. Denying the dog a treat/ toy/ attention and only giving it to him when he does something you want.
If your dog constantly jumps up at you. You don't respond or give your dog attention until he stops jumping.
You hold the dog's food/ treat/ toy until he stops jumping or offers you a sit, then you give him the ball or throw it for him.
These four principles can be used in different combinations to get your desired behaviour. This is how you change or eliminate behaviours you don't like.

E.g., you can use positive reinforcement and negative punishment in combination:

When your dog walks nicely on a loose lead, you immediately reward him with food or something wonderful (+R); when your dog starts to pull, you stop immediately, and hold the lead so the dog can't move forward by removing what he wants to do as moving forward is his reinforcement (-P).
Some combinations are obviously kinder than others, and some combinations inflict pain and can be extremely distressing to the animal.

Intimidation and consequence training does work however, my answer to unkind and inhumane training is just because you can, doesn't mean you should!

Ask yourself, is it worth the risk of your relationship with your pet as well as the risk of their emotional wellbeing?

05/09/2023

Leash pullers

05/08/2023

Let’s talk about dogs and kids.
We have been told our entire lives that dogs are man’s best friend. Just that saying alone humanizes dogs. So, we get a puppy or dog and bring it into our house, with our family, and then set human expectations for that canine. It’s just unfair and sets the dog up for failure without training and boundaries in place.

We first have to be completely aware that we are housing a different species that speaks a different language and uses their noses and mouths to navigate the world.

For kids to live safely and peacefully with dogs there needs to be rules. Some good basic rules for the kids are
1. Don’t touch the dog when they are eating or chewing on a bone
2. Don’t touch the dogs when they are sleeping or escaping to their safe space
3. No climbing on the dog
4. No roughhouse play with the dog
5. A common phrase in my house is “where is your energy level kid”?
6. NEVER pet strange dogs, there is no benefit. But always risk of a bite.

Your dog also must have some training and impulse control. Some good rules for dogs around kids are
1. No jumping
2. Only allowed on furniture when invited
3. No resource guarding food/toys/furniture/people
4. Great bite inhibition- being cautious of what they put their mouth on
5. Knowing their safe space, like a crate, and utilizing it for alone time

This is my kid and her dog Oliver. Ollie was raised in my house, with my kid. She was 3 and he was 8 weeks. Now she’s 8 and he’s 5. We have never had a bite, we have never had a problem. He sleeps under her bed to keep the monsters away. His size is a bonus because even if he does jump, he can’t knock her down. Ollie does not go on furniture, he has great control of his mouth, he does not guard resources against humans, and he has patience and impulse control. All of these things were influenced and not left to chance. And even with all these safe guards in place, I am still very aware that he is a dog, with knifes in his mouth, and a limit to bu****it, and I make sure my kid knows this too. I say “all dogs can bite” and she defends Oliver, but I remind her that he’s still a dog. Teach your kids to have great respect for dogs. Teach your dogs to have great respect for little humans. When you have a good family dog, there are a million good reasons to coexist with man’s best friend.

05/07/2023

Happy Sunday! Get out and walk your dog on this beautiful day! They will love it and you won’t regret it. That’s my training tip for the day!

04/30/2023

I am about to foster fail 💥Bam Bam💥. I have been doing a Slow introduction to Silo, the cattle dog. I need to make sure they can live together happily. These young dudes are high energy, easily excited, with a big pray drive. They both love the same games and are little wild teenage boys. I am a referee. The same way that teenage boys need a referee in sports, these young gentleman need me to make sure things do not over escalate. They played really fair, and the only time I had to call timeout was when BamBam displayed his mounting and hu***ng behavior. Silo will absolutely not allow that. I let Silo correct him, but I did call a time out when I thought he had disciplined the young guy enough.

I did not get my dog a dog. I got myself another dog. It is highly recommended to not get a second dog if your first dog is not trained and behaving the way you want them to. Silo is on his way to being fully trained. Most people would say he is very well trained, but I have high standards. Getting a second dog to burn off your first dogs energy is a novice move. You will end up with two untrained dogs, and twice the problems.

All of my dogs get solo time with me. Reed loves his long line walks in the park. Oliver is an early bird and comes to feed the horses with me at the barn. Silo loves an intense training session and game of fetch in the side yard.💥 bam bam 💥 has been doing lots of car rides with us to get acclimated to our family life. They also get lots of pack walks and pack time that is supervised. But I never got my dog a dog.

It sounds like a lot. That’s because it is a lot. So if you do not have the time and dedication to train more than one dog, don’t get a second dog. Put all your energy and effort into making your dog the best it can be. Don’t get your dog a dog.

04/29/2023

Welcome to the dog house! Today was a big doggo day.

Congrats to Fitz for joining the Butz family today 🎉 Thanks for having me over for a puppy 101 class with the whole family!

Congrats to 💥 Bam Bam💥 for officially meeting the resident pack and unofficially joining our family here at the dog house. I’m collecting herding breeds because they are addictive and I fell in love.

What’s puppy 101 class? I will help you start off on the right foot with your brand new puppy and the family. Everyone needs to be consistent. We went over playing the name game, potty training and puppy socialization. We talked about nipping bad habits like mouthing, and jumping and chewing on inappropriate things. The family agreed on a marker “good boy!” For when Fitz deserves a reward, and he’s behaving correctly. I am on speed dial for them with whatever questions they have as first time puppy owners.

I also fit in teaching 22 students to ride horses today 😊 I love my farm life 🥰

04/28/2023

Y’all know I love my herding breeds so how could I say no to my newest foster?

Herding breeds are not for beginner dog owners. They all come with fully installed instincts. These dogs need a job. And they have to learn serious self control. If you can not harness that energy for good use, and give your dog hours of mental and physical stimulation everyday, then get a companion breed. Ive heard that they make dogs without this drive, but I have never had one 🤷🏼‍♀️. Bam Bam was abandonded and I could bet it has to do with him doing things he was bred to do.
Humans have spent our whole civilization breeding dogs to do specific tasks. Now a lot of those tasks are less needed. But look how cute he is! AND that’s how he ended up in a home where he did not belong.

04/24/2023

Silo is working on a new trick. This was our second session. The first session was minimal. Today it clicked. And this is why I love cattle dogs. They are so smart and willing and motavated. I did not give him one cookie for this. He can train 100% off a stick as reward.

04/22/2023

When an owner does the homework and commits, they get to see results. Every interaction with your dog either builds good behavior or tears it down. Bravo to this owner for putting in the work.

These dogs have lived together for years peacefully. A few months ago they had a fight that resulted in a bad injury. They have been living great, but separate lives since.

They may never live together again, at least unsupervised or with any resources. But we have built to where they can walk together with two handlers. Today we did a pack walk. And it went great due to the months of training and ground work put in by the owner. Maybe they will be able to pack walk with one handler in the near future which will take a load off the owner by cutting his steps in 1/2 or being able to give the dogs double.

04/13/2023

Threshold manners are easy to teach and make living with these sneaky shorties so much more pleasant. Who likes to be knocked down by their dogs walking out the door? Who likes their dog whipping past them without permission? Who likes chasing their loose dog around the neighborhood ? That nonsense is for cat people.