Kel Yanosky of Stellar Pets

10/03/2022

Teaching a dog to go to their "place" should be about giving them a safe place that is full of positive associations. While it may look impressive to see a dog at a public event lying or sitting on a platform like a statue, these dogs are often trained not to get down "or else." When you say "place," it should be something your dog GETS to do, not HAS to do. They should respond enthusiastically, and settle easily, because they WANT to be there, not because the floor suddenly becomes lava under threat of punishment.

There's a right way and a wrong way to use this tool.

What about being forced to lay in one spot says mental stimulation to you?

Zero.

While the initial training of a settle can be mentally stimulating (as the dog is learning a new task) anything beyond that is a low energy activity.

Rest is important, I'm not debating that aspect at all, but restricting a dog's ability to move, express themselves or use their primary sense and then call it giving them a "job" is just plain ludacris.

To force rest on someone with the threat of punishment isn't beneficial to their mental health. In fact, it's the opposite of what "giving a dog a job" is intended to do.

How can you help give your dog a job?

Encourage natural behaviors such as:

👃 Sniffing
🚜 Digging
🍖 Chewing
🌿 Foraging
🗑️ Scavenging
🐕 Wandering

How do you give your dog a job that meets their needs?

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📢 Does your dog struggle feeling confident in the world around them? Join my Resolving Reactivity course to learn how you can reshape their perspective. Link in bio!

03/27/2022

Songs are catchy because of rhythm and repetition…. And the way you feel when you hear that song creates a sort of emotional muscle memory…. so when ‘they’re playing your song’ you don’t think about it you just stop what you’re doing and START MOVING!!

I love this analogy because it really traces all the way through a well conditioned emotional response. Think about it . The first time you hear a new release it means nothing to you. A song only becomes your “jam” after hearing several times and while having a great time …. Maybe that one time that you were out with a friend on your birthday, maybe you heard it on vacation in the Canary Islands… Whatever the case there is a strong history there that produces an instant thrill.

SO……. You know your recall training is a hit when your dog’s response is completely automatic!

Quick tips to prevent you from becoming a one hit wonder:

1 Don’t get overplayed! - Don’t nag your dog… when training , use your dog’s recall cue ONLY when you are absolutely sure they will respond. Otherwise, just make goofy noises and go collect your dog. Keep that recall cue strong until you are ready to work around more distractions.

2 Move!!!!! The secret to good recall training is movement. Don’t just stand there with cookies !!! Borrrrrrrring…

3 Genuinely have fun with your dog and be in the moment with them. Isn’t that why we love music?

02/25/2022

Amazing video! Why do we expect them to spend some much of their waking time doing absolutely nothing?

02/23/2022

Does your young dog get enough sleep? Your puppy, teenage dog, or young adult dog may seem "hyper" and so your instinct is to exercise them more and keep them busy all the time, but make sure they also get good quality sleep. If they're under a year old, they may need up to 18 hours a day! Younger puppies even more. So don't feel bad for crating your babies, and just make sure the time they're out is *quality* time spent training and socializing.

Eight month old Kaylee often doesn't regulate her own sleep well and when she is tired she gets over-tired and extra hyper so we actually put her to bed like a toddler. She has routine nap-times (such as now, and as you can see she has gotten a head start), or we give her downtime when she starts acting like a feral hellhound, and she generally crashes within minutes of being crated. She will even *ask* to go to her crate for her nap because she sleeps best there. Yes, Australian shepherds are known for being a busy, high energy breed. But she still has a physical body that operates with the same biology as any other dog and it needs sleep to function. In your efforts to exercise and stimulate your dog, don't forget to also let them rest.

02/21/2022

Hopefully the original message shows with this post. Let's repeat it for the people in the back: your dog doesn't have to be touched just because someone wants to touch them! They get to give consent. That includes you, too, if I'm being honest. But especially strangers. Let your dog have a chance to say yes or no.

Something I've started doing in the last few years has been when someone asks if they can pet one of my dogs I pose the question directly to my dog and then let them decide if they want to approach the person or not.

If my dog says no them I say to the person "No, he doesn't want to say hello, but thank you for asking!"

That's if a person asks.

If the opportunity is not given to us and a person tries to stick their hand in one of the boy's faces I will do a quick emergency U-turn and calmly remove my boys from the person's approach.

I personally do not feel I owe that person an explanation in that situation because my dogs are my top priority.

Although neither of my dogs have concerns about people and being touched I don't want to wait until it becomes a problem either. And frankly, someone reaching out to touch my dogs, even if it is with the best intentions, is disrespectful to them and me.

For me, personal space and the ability to consent to touch are basic needs for all animals. On the whole, dogs put up with a lot from us humans in both passive and direct forms so anything I can do to buffer that for my dogs I will.

How do you handle people attempting to pet your dog?

_____________

02/08/2022

This study found that using aversive methods such as leash corrections can affect the dog's relationship with the guardian. The scientists say, “Together with our results, this suggests it is not the reward-based training in itself that generates a secure attachment, but rather the aversive-based training that may be related to the absence of a secure-base effect.”
https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2020/02/dog-training-methods-affect-attachment.html

Dogs trained with aversive methods are less likely to show a ‘secure base’ effect.

01/26/2022

🙌 We always take our mat. If your dog has been conditioned that a mat is a fun, safe place to be it's especially great to have as it lowers stress levels even more.

01/21/2022

"The training of “Schutzhunde”, or protection dogs, involves being able to control when a dog ends an attack, by tugging briefly on a “pulling collar” to restricts the animal’s airway. The logic is that if a dog’s aggression, considered necessary for the apprehension, is not controlled, it could cause serious injury or death to the perpetrator."

I am not sure it's fair to represent all of Schutzhund this way, objectively, but that being said, if all that stands between your dog and "death to the perpetrator" is "restricting the dog's airway" to make it let go, I would argue that this is NOT a dog that is under control at all. In my professional opinion, if you had to take 49 dogs off duty because they cannot safely do their jobs unless you can choke them out, then they are not safe enough to interact with the public in this type of work. I do appreciate that they were removed from duty; it was the responsible thing to do. I do not believe that would have happened here in the States, where police K9s are often put in compromising positions and pay a harsh price for itl later.

Method used to control dogs while making arrests illegal under new animal rights law

01/15/2022

Thank you to everyone for the outpouring of support! We will be transitioning this page to reflect the changes that are being made, so if you see the name change at some point, don't be alarmed! The page remain up and be a source for information. Don't worry, even if Stellar Pets is closed, I'll never stop being a dog trainer and behavior advisor, even if I'm not doing it in the same capacity. I've got to look after my health but it's my hope to continue helping the community's people and pets in another capacity.

Refunds were all sent out on Tuesday; they should be processed soon!

Thank you once again to everyone. ❤️🐕

01/12/2022

It is with a heavy heart that I must let everyone know that we are permanently closing. I have struggled for most of my life with anxiety and depression, but only recently have I been diagnosed with PTSD. It makes a lot of sense now that I know it. Unfortunately, some of my biggest anxiety triggers are directly related to the running of the business, and the best thing for me right now is to step back and start the healing process. It has been a great pleasure to get to know all of you and your dogs over these last 2 years. I'm proud of all of you and what you've been able to accomplish with your dogs.

01/06/2022

OUT OF OFFICE:

To those of you who have tried to reach us this week, please bear with us! Our lovely office assistant has been out with a terrible sinus infection (thankfully negative for COVID but that's only a small comfort when you feel so terribly ill!) and I am unable to answer your calls and return your messages myself just now due to some personal health issues as well- cold-like symptoms and started a new medication this week that has wreaked some havoc on my sympathetic nervous system. We appreciate your understanding. We hope to get back to you as soon as possible.

12/31/2021

Dear Stellar Pet friends and family, we end 2021 with a state of the business notice. This year some great things happened- we found our new home at Donaldson's Crossroads, joined the Chamber of Commerce, and we made some great headway in growing our business. We had so much fun with our first Howl-o-ween party, and we're working on new and exciting partnerships for next year.

It's a little misleading from the name and the use of the royal/professional "we," but Stellar Pets is mostly just one person behind the scenes, yours truly, Crystal. I do have some help from my amazing husband and part time assistant and best friend Allison, but I'm the only one providing professional services here and when the dog trainer/behavior consultant hat comes off it's me updating your social media, the website, the bookkeeping, paying the bills, doing graphic design, cleaning the toilets, planning the events, schmoozing businesses, and coming home to run a household, take care of my own pets, cook dinner, try and maintain a social life, and live with chronic physical health issues, PTSD, and ADHD. These latter things have gotten extra problematic over the course of the last two years and so I'm putting out a gentle reminder that while I am nearly the whole business, the business is not the whole "me," and so if we're not able to call you back right away, schedule you within the next week or two, if I have to reschedule an appointment because of a disabling migraine, inability to focus, panic attacks, or if we have to schedule a week off from private sessions to play catch-up, it's because this attention to personal needs is also taking care of your needs, as it keeps the business running. At the end of the day, I really want to thank every single person that has shown me the kind of empathy that I strive to put out there to you and your dogs and cats every day. YOU are why and how I can keep doing this. Have an incredible new year, we will see you there.

12/31/2021

Due to some unfortunate circumstances, our guest trainer had to reschedule the start of our scentwork classes until March 17th- more time for weather to warm up and the sun to come out!

Sign up for classes today at www.stellarpets.net/book-now. If classes fill, we will add more. If your dog is beyond Beginner level, please reach out as we can add Intermediate and Advanced levels as well if the interest is there.

12/29/2021

Dog (or you?) struggling with training? Break it down!! It's so much easier to take a journey in a bunch of smaller steps.

The importance of smaller steps.

12/19/2021

We are SO excited to have C-WAGS Scent Work Judge Susan Wetherell with us teaching Intro to Scent Work after the New Year. After the ball drops, we will get the ball rolling with this fun sniffy sport and will be offering higher levels as well. This is such a fun and low-pressure sport to play with your dog and any age and training level can get involved. If you just need to try something new with your dog, this is for you! Register at www.stellarpets/net/book-now!