Let Them Sniff Dog Training

03/25/2024

Scientists measured canine brain waves to shed light on language learning.

03/18/2024

Yes! Listen to your dog and set them up to succeed.

03/13/2024

Today I worked with Sadie and her mom on ignoring other dogs in the area and settling in an exciting place. She did a fantastic job!

03/11/2024

01/22/2024

I love talking about dog enrichment! It’s so important!

12/09/2023

Thanks for coming to group class today! We had a great time at a new location and everyone was fantastic.

10/28/2023

Fun classes today dressed up in costumes!

06/30/2023

06/13/2023

There are a lot of different reasons for your dog's behaviour, intentional vindictiveness or naughtiness isn't one of them.

All behaviours have a function. They serve the individual in some way. Behaviours are the observable actions of any number of underlying environmental and internal processes. Assumptions are not only unhelpful, they are potentially damaging and neglect to address your dogs' reality.

Step back and take a moment to observe what your dog is telling you. If you need help, reach out to a certified and qualified professional.

04/22/2023

Contrary to popular belief,
you do not need to excel at dog training or even really enjoy it.
Your goal might just be to make your life with your dog better.
That's a lot. That's enough.

03/20/2023

❤️

03/19/2023

It was a poodle-y work day for me! Two of my pretty girls Bailey and Maven.

03/09/2023

Like chimpanzees, bees can learn specific strategies for opening a puzzle box and accessing a reward inside by mimicking the behavior of their trained mates

03/08/2023

Agreed. I’m here to bridge the communication gap between human and dog!

As a dog trainer, my job is to help owners understand what their dog is doing and why. It can be tricky sometimes to see a dog that is expressing what it wants or needs, and seeing how that dog gets dismissed, ignored, or is misunderstood. Mostly this comes from a lack of communication and education or “help” coming in the wrong form.

What I see as a dog trainer vs what an average dog owner may see is often very different.

🐾The “super excited” dog that is always bouncing off walls and “overly happy”; I see stressed and doesn’t know how to relax or calm down

🐾The “aggressive” dog that lashes out at people; I see insecure and has said “no” to many times to people and this is the only way they get people to listen

🐾The “inappropriate” dog that is reactive and barks/lunges/screams/bites at the leash/redirects; I see improper socialization especially during the critical development stage of a puppy and/or hasn’t had their space advocated for

🐾The “troublemaker” dog who just “doesn’t listen” and counter surfs, chews things, jumps, gets into the trash; I see a bored dog with no structure whose looking for some kind of outlet

This isn’t to call people “bad owners” or to place any kind of blame. It’s my job and my responsibility to help both dog and owner understand each other better. To educate and to help both canine and human be able to live happier lives together🙂

❗️Your dog isn’t GIVING you a hard time, your dog is HAVING a hard time❗️

ft. Aengus in all his handsomeness

03/07/2023

This is Hugo. You said that a cup of coffee was the most important part of your day, and he took that personally. 13/10 (follow on Instagram)

03/05/2023

Can we all admire and appreciate how adorable Bailey looks after getting groomed?! Look at her purple toes! She is always adorable but I really love how she came out this time.

03/04/2023

Everyone congratulate this little cutie on passing her STAR Puppy Test! Love getting to work with Venus and her mum and I am very proud of how far they’ve come!

03/04/2023

😹😹😹

03/03/2023

Everyone say hi to Ravioli! He had his first lesson today. He is so smart; I can’t wait to see what he can do. He also has a pretty awesome name.

03/02/2023

Yes!! Dogs only know what YOU teach them is acceptable. We need to be responsible and show our dogs what is expected of them clearly, consistently, and kindly. ❤️

Puppies love to jump for greetings, playfully bite your hands and more. It may be cute as a pup but every time you laugh at her, play with her while she’s doing these behaviors as a pup you are reinforcing the behavior. Greetings, don’t happen unless all 4’s are on the ground, trade up w a toy when she’s playfully biting your hand and do give her play time w other dogs where she can playfully bite.

03/02/2023

Foster and nurture your dogs’ ability to cope with stress, handling, and just let them learn to be a dog for a little while instead of expecting a robot to “bark” commands at. (See what I did there? 🤪)

Puppies are not supposed to be “obedient”, focused, patient or calm…that’s a houseplant you’re thinking of… 😂

Different areas of the brain, so different abilities, develop along different timelines in young puppies. Puppy’s behaviour can provide us with insight about how development is proceeding. For the brain to develop normally, it must be challenged, experiencing appropriate feedback from puppy’s world.

But here’s the problem. These processes are time dependent. The brain must be exposed to certain types of challenge, providing feedback from their world, at particular developmental stages.

The puppy’s behaviour informs of where they are in terms of development, and we must respond accordingly with appropriate challenge to support and enhance that development.

While teaching and learning is certainly important for young puppies, concentrating on our human constructs and expectations, such as ‘obedience’, is not a good use of our time. We have limited time to make sure we support puppy in developing complex skills and tendencies through appropriate exposure.

There are many contributors to these processes, including puppy’s genetic background, and related effects, early exposure, particularly that in puppy’s first five weeks, and clues from the behavioural tendencies of related individuals.

This early work we implement in puppy’s first weeks and months are among the foundations upon which your dog’s adult behaviour is built. We get the payoff months and years later.

We take an enrichment approach to behavioural development, which is often different from “socialisation” lists, puppy classes and play groups.
Just like children, puppies need time early on (their first weeks) to develop skills that will support them throughout life. Prioritising ‘academics’ at this time misses the mark.

If you were hoping to have a patient, obedient, focused, non-biting, appropriate toileting and chewing, calm wee-beastie, a puppy may not be for you 😉…and if you wish for those things in an adult dog, prioritising behavioural development with appropriate challenge, social & environmental exposure in their first weeks is where you start.

03/02/2023

Lol

🥵

03/01/2023

Great walk and lesson with sweet baby Venus and her mum ❤️ We got to have a nice, calm and controlled dog greet with a sweet older black lab. Trying to keep Venus’ experiences very positive at this stage in her life.

02/23/2023

How cool is this!

02/21/2023

They tend to understand though!!! 🐶❤️

Yup, even to other animals!