The Power of Pawsitive Training

11/23/2023

Happy Thanksgiving

01/12/2023

My American bulldogs enjoy rough play and it can look and sound like a fight. This is a short video of them playing, notice their body language, role reversals, and mutual pauses.

11/28/2022

An important tool to have in your training tool box is an emergency recall.

An emergency recall is different than your regular recall and should only be used in emergencies or during emergency recall training.

I like to use a whistle for an emergency recall cue because it is loud, different than all other cues, and the sound carries.

Remember, a reward jackpot is always given after an emergency recall. You want the emergency recall to be associated with great things and higher value than chasing after the neighbors cat.

11/11/2022

Pancake thinks training is just a fun game, he is very enthusiastic and enjoys learning new skills.

Seeing how much Pancake enjoys learning is one of the many reasons why I love R+ training.

Training shouldn't be stressful or frustrating, it shouldn't cause pain or discomfort.

Yes, as the owner/trainer we can get frustrated or stressed when our training isn't going to plan. When that happens we need to take a step back and make adjustments to our training plan to help our dogs succeed.

11/08/2022

Pancake loved getting loose out front and running to all the neighbors houses, one time he even ran into one of the neighbors backyards. It was a fun game for him and any chance he got to escape he took it.

Living in an area with hawks, coyotes, and bobcats who could easily kill a small dog, I got very worried when he would play this "fun" game... fun for him. He also is a hunter and loves to hunt for rodents and rabbits, we have many around our property waiting to be chased by Pancake.

I'm working with Pancake on his off leash skills and teaching him "go home", so he knows if I say "go home" he goes to the garage door and waits for me. I'm also working on an emergency recall for him using a whistle.

Today was a true test because I unhooked him from his leash farther away than usual. This was not accomplished in a day or a week.... This has taken time, patience, and small steps to get to this point. We still have a ways to go with his training but I am so proud of him ❤️

10/28/2022

The weather has finally cooled down 😁 Lady gets to enjoy her walks again and of course when walks start back up so do the comments from people. One of the comments I hear all the time is, "I would never muzzle my dog, I want my dog to be ready at all times. How will your dog protect you?"

💢Never underestimate the power of a muzzle punch!

Lady doesn't like dogs invading her personal space. We walk past many homes without fenced in yards or past homes with escape artist. All the dogs, who have run up on us, are friendly and curious. I muzzle Lady to protect other people's dogs from getting seriously injured by her and to protect Lady from being blamed and labeled dangerous.

If an aggressive dog happened to run up on us, it is much easier to try and control one pair of teeth than two. Most people won't come near me when I am walking Lady... They much rather try to come near me when I am walking Tank, my stranger danger American Bulldog 🤦‍♀️

A curious dog that runs up on us could respond aggressively in response to being snapped at or bite by Lady. A muzzle punch is confusing and when it is from a metal muzzle it hurts. Ask anyone who has been muzzle punched by a metal basket muzzle to show you their bruises.

Lady has muzzle punched a few dogs, each time the dog yelps and runs away with its tail tucked between its legs. She gets her point across clearly and without the situation escalating.

A muzzled dog is still a good dog and there are many reasons to muzzle train. Muzzle training, like all training, takes time and patience. The muzzle should be a positive thing.

Lady is comfortable and confident in her muzzle. Walks are enjoyable and stress free now.
I don't worry about what dog is going to get out this time, so Lady doesn't worry ether 😁 we are connected by a leash and she can feel if I am stressed or worried.

Lastly, it's not Lady's job to protect me. It's my job, as her owner, to do what I can to protect her. Which means keeping her from biting another dog.

08/29/2022

Coming up with a logo is proving to be a challenge. Trying to decide which logo I like best is almost impossible, since I love them all and my pups are perfect models.

Deciding on a name for my dog training company was way easier. I knew it had to have the word "Power" in it, my goal is to show the world Strong Powerful breeds can thrive with force free positive training.

07/23/2022

One of my favorite lines from the book Bones Would Rain From the Sky by Suzanne Clothier, is, "Incapable of deceit, unable to understand the future, the dog lives in the now and expects that we will meet him there."

Tank is fearful of strangers. If I was to use harsh corrections everytime he barked or growled at a person, he would be justified for his reaction to people and possibly become more vocal about keeping people away.

Instead, I listened to him and I understood that him barking and growling was because he was scared and uncomfortable. I took him further away from the scary people and showed him he can trust me to keep him safe and that I will listen to him.

Tank is still scared of strangers, but he can now be near them without reacting. Because he knows if he gets overwhelmed I will listen to him. I won't punish him for growling, I won't force him to let someone touch him, I won't yell at him for barking, and I won't label him Aggressive or dangerous. He is Tank the amazing, smart, silly, loving, loyal, and fearful American Bulldog.

07/21/2022

One of the issues in the dog training world is focusing on the unwanted behavior, not the reason behind why that behavior is happening.

If you focus on stopping problem behavior, you aren't helping your dog learn what behavior is more appropriate. And you may, unintentionally, reinforce a behavior you don't like by trying to correct or stop an unwanted behavior.

Dogs aren't out to take over the world or to dominate their owners, dogs do what works for them to meet their needs and wants.

Understanding a dog's needs and wants is an important step to understanding why a certain behavior is happening and how to help the dog learn a more appropriate behavior for living in a human world.

If your dog loves to dig, because it's a breed bred to hunt rodents, providing your dog with a dig box will meet your dogs need to dig and will save your garden. It's a win/win for the dog and owner. No punishment or harsh corrections needed 😁

07/21/2022

Have you ever been so focused on something that you didn't hear your spouse/friend/boss/family member telling you to do something?
Once you realize someone is talking to you, do you ask them to repeat what they said? Do you apologize for not hearing them? Do you say sorry I didn't hear you my mind was focused on this interesting thing?

Just like people, dogs get distracted and focused on many different stimulus and may not hear you the first time. Dogs don't speak our language, but they do communicate with us using body language. Let's change how we treat dogs and build a better relationship with our furry companions.

07/19/2022

This is Emma the amazing Poodle. She is perfect in every way, but sometimes she reminds her owner she is still young and a dog.

Dog training involves training the owner how to communicate with their dog, how to read their body language, understand a dog's needs and wants, to help owners see the world in a dog's mind, helping the dog live in a human world, and to build a relationship on trust and understanding.

We expect dogs to learn our language, but we don't try to learn theirs. Dogs are always trying to communicate with their owners, owners need to learn how to listen. A relationship isn't built with force and fear.

07/18/2022

When it's too hot outside to run around and get out excess energy, food puzzles are a must. Dogs need physical and mental exercise.

07/15/2022

Want something interesting to listen too? Check out this audible original.

https://www.audible.com/pd/Decoding-Dogs-Inside-the-Canine-Mind-Audiobook/B08FXRKSK3?source_code=ASSOR150021921000R

Check out this great listen on Audible.com. They might be our best friends, but we often have no idea what they are thinking. Peer inside the fascinating world of the mind of the dog with associate professor of psychology Ellen Furlong of Illinois Wesleyan University.  Ever wonder how the sam...

07/15/2022

Yes, we may slip up and use the wrong word here and there. But, being aware of the words we use and the meaning behind those words is very important. We can't change if we don't try.

Listen in at the dog park and you’re likely to hear all kinds of words used when people talk about their dogs. By tuning into what they’re saying, you can get a pretty good idea about the way they view their dogs, and what kind of relationship they have with them. Here are some terms to listen f...

07/15/2022

All dogs should be muzzle trained using positive reinforcement. You may never need to use the muzzle, but providing your dog with a positive association to a muzzle could help your dog feel confident and comfortable if you are in a situation where you need a muzzle.

07/15/2022

Tank showing how any dog, big or small, can learn using positive reinforcement training. Teaching a cue and then using that cue in real life can be a challenge. I'm here to help owners bridge that gap.

07/15/2022