BarkSide Dog Training

Ever wondered what would happen walking into a backyard with 2 pitbulls? While we made this video as a joke to show how sweet pitbulls are, there are so many people that continue to give them a bad rap. Pitbulls are some of the sweetest dogs we work with! People still believe and say that they are the most aggressive and unpredictable dogs. The thing is, there are no bad dogs, just bad people that raise them. Like and share if you agree ❤️🐾 and share your pitbull facts/ happy stories below in the comments! Did you know “According to the American Temperament Test Society, Pit Bulls pass their temperment test—conducted by a trained handler—87% of the time. That ranks them as 4th best of 122 breeds tested, meaning they are one of the most affectionate and least aggressive dogs.” - ccspca.com #barksidedogsnv #pitbull #pitbullsofinstagram #dogbehavior #dogsofinstagram #dogtraining #renonevada #pitbulladvocate #nobaddogs

Did you know that the 4th of July is the one day of the year that the most dogs run away/ go missing? Here are just a few tips to help keep your dog safe and calm during the 4th of July. Making sure your dog is in a safe space in which they cannot escape is essential. Providing enrichment for them to try to stay calm with all the chaos will help to keep your dog’s focus off of all the noise. Most importantly, as best as we can, we do not want to coddle the dog and give our attention to them when they are shut down or whining. This will unintentionally reward your dog for displaying that unwanted behavior. As best as you can, keep your dog in a safe location and engaged with some kind of enrichment so their focus is off of all the noise. Share with your friends to try to keep all your dogs safe this upcoming holiday! #barksidedogsnv #barkside #dogsofinstagram #dogtraining #dogtrainingtips #4thofjuly #dogsafety #enrichment #positivetraining #goldenretriever #dogbehavior

Zion has a history of being very reactive and aggressive towards other dogs. His mom reached out to us for help on how to handle him and get him to be neutral around other dogs in public. Proper placement and having head control of your dog is imperative when needing to get by stimuli. Showing your dog that you both are on equal terms by having them in a heel position makes a huge difference in their reaction. If we were to allow Zion to get ahead of us and be in front, he may feel the need to lead or protect in the situation. If we were to allow Zion to fall behind us, he may feel he needs to be protected by us and is fearful. We needed to show him that everything is okay and there is nothing to feel threatened by. Zion did absolutely amazing as this was the second time we had met him. The more positive experiences he can have and see that he doesn’t need to be aggressive and reactive will modify his overall behavior around dogs. #barksidedogsnv #dogsofinstagram #dogtraining #dogtrainer #dogbehavior #dogbehaviourist #reactivedog #reactivedogsofinstagram #positivetraining

Jumping! We often get asked how to get a dog to stop jumping. There are several ways to correct this behavior, but in this video we are teaching the dog a way to prevent jumping. Here, we are teaching the dog to give up space, allowing us to walk into them without jumping up on us. Dogs are body language animals. So by us showing them the look of walking into their space and being rewarded for not jumping, the dog will be more inclined to display this behavior in the future instead of jumping. To create this, we use a high value treat or a toy. We hold this up high, almost enticing the dog to jump up. We cannot correct a behavior that is not actively occurring, so we want to try to catch them in the act of jumping. Walking into their space while holding this treat/ toy up will sometimes result in them jumping. However, if the dog backs up and gives space, the object is then used as the reward. This is a simple training task that can be done to help prevent jumping! P.s. Jumping can be a very difficult habit to break. If one person allows the dog to jump on them, the dog will continue to try to jump on everyone out of habit. If trying to break this habit, make sure everyone involved with the dog is on the same page to not allow jumping!

We are in search of an emergency foster in the Reno/ Sparks area ASAP!! Meet Blitzen! Blitzen is a 3 year old American Pit Bull Terrier. He was found in the desert severely emaciated and in need of lots of TLC. He has been gaining weight steadily and is otherwise healthy. Blitzen is described to be very people friendly and dog neutral. He walks great on leash and is able to listen to commands and get by other dogs with ease. Blitzen is described as being extremely friendly and affectionate, and very treat motivated. The Dog House Rescue will fund all costs associated with care and medical. Anyone interested and willing to foster sweet Blitzen, please contact The Dog House Rescue directly at 775-450-0687 or [email protected] Please share this post so we can hopefully save sweet Blitzen ❤️🐾 #dogsofinstagram #pitbullsofficial #pitbullsofinstagram #rescuedogsofinstagram #renotahoe #fosteringsaveslives

Ky has moderate dog reactivity that has made walks difficult for him and his owner. Ky will often bark, lunge, and growl when seeing other dogs. This is one of many steps we take to help a dog with reactivity. Ky needs to be able to see other dogs while remaining calm. Here we are teaching Ky how to redirect focus off of other dogs and show him how to turn his back away from them confidently. In the beginning, why do we often redirect a dog from what it is reacting to? A dog is unable to turn away from stimuli they are unconfident seeing. This process is to help show the dog that the stimuli is not a threat, and we can help start to build their confidence to stimuli they were initially unconfident and/ or threatened by. We allow Ky to see and watch the other dogs, so long that he can do it calmly. If he reacts, or displays a behavior outside of being calm, we redirect focus off of the stimuli. Creating distractions such as treat tossing or asking your dog to hold focus with you is not a solution for managing and treating dog reactivity. All that does is provide your dog with a temporary distraction. It does not teach your dog how to properly build up confidence to manage their reactivity to the stimuli (other dogs in this case). There are many steps to helping a dog with reactivity, this is just one of them for us. Please seek help from trainers that have hands-on experience with reactivity/ aggression, and have the credentials to do so. #barksidedogsnv #dogsofinstagram #dogtraining #reactivitytraining #dogreactivity #rescuedogsofinstagram #dogsofrenotahoe

We want to share Jagger with everyone because he is such a good boy that has been waiting for his furever home for a very long time! In this video, he is spending some time with one of the amazing volunteers @nevadahumanesociety This pup has been at NHS for some time being treated medically and now is available to be adopted. We are hoping we can help find him his furever home. An amazing volunteer at NHS has a few things for everyone to know about Jagger. “Jagger seems to have his basic obedience skills really ingrained. He knows sit, stay, down, shake, heel, and other skills. He is very toy motivated but also enjoys high value treats. He is a great dog that we would love to see adopted into his furever home.” Jagger is approximately 7 years old, but you wouldn’t know it. We believe he would do best in a home without cats, and he would need to meet other dogs in the home before going home with them. Please visit @nevadahumanesociety to meet this lovely boy. #shelterdogsofinstagram #adopt #dogsofinstagram #shepherdmix #bestboy

Fear, anxiety, and stress do not equal aggression. A dog can display aggressive behaviors or reactivity due to these three factors. This dog is displaying aggressive behaviors due to stress. A new environment, such as a shelter, can cause a lot of emotional stress to a dog, as seen here. This pretty girl was very shut down and reactive her first few days at the shelter. With time, patience, and positive reinforcement, she is much more confident and relaxed in her new environment. We would love to thank all the employees, volunteers, and the public for your hard work, care, and time to help these dogs. Please continue to foster, adopt, donate, and volunteer to your local shelters with dogs in need. ❤️ #barksidedogsnv #adoptdontshop #rescuedogs #rescuedogsofinstagram #pitbullsofinstagram #dogtraining #positivereinforcement

Remember the video we posted of this beautiful Malinois a few months ago? This is her now. Her progress is absolutely amazing. We had to take some time off of consistent training due to severe weather. This new footage is after 4 sessions from the prior. Her and her owners have worked so hard and it is absolutely wonderful to see. We could not be more happy and proud for all of them. We want to reiterate a few things regarding this footage: -Canine behavior, no matter how severe, can be worked on and helped (as long this is not caused by a mental health issue or an underlying pain or illness we cannot see). We hope this helps educate and show people that there is help for severe reactivity. Please find an experienced canine behavior specialist who knows how to handle reactivity. -the vocalization at the beginning of this video is not out of physical pain, but due to nervousness with the situation. Once again, the only equipment that are being used on this dog are a soft slip lead and a muzzle for protection. We never use shock or prong collars in any of our training. We are as positive and fear-free as we can be. This is still a work in progress and we will continue to provide updates during this journey. #barksidedogsnv #belgianmalinois #dogsofinstagram #dogreactivity #behaviorspecialist #dogtraining #fearfreetraining #positivetraining

Recall… Recall is an important training tool for you and your dog. Often times, many people expect their dog to come to them when called. If this skill isn’t trained and practiced, your dog isn’t going to understand what you are asking of them. You should be able to recall your dog off of people, other dogs, and in different environments with many different distractions. For safety, it’s best to start with a long leash where you still have control of your dog. When training, try to use your command word one time. While on leash, say your command word once, then bring your dog in to you if needed. Once your dog has come to you, make sure you build up time duration so it does not turn into a check in then go. This is also a good time to work on collar desensitization while your dog is engaged with a treat. Always remember to have fun in your training and be the highest value at all times to keep your dog engaged. #dogsofinstagram #dogtraining #goldenretriever #barksidedogsnv #fearfreetraining #positivereinforcement #recalltraining

Using a lure to help create loose leash walking. Consistency with your dog and having fun in training makes all the difference! #barksidedogsnv #dogsofinstagram #dogtraining #looseleashwalking #fearfreetraining #adoptdontshop #rescuedogsofinstagram

This is one of two Belgian Malinois dogs we are working with. Both dogs are heavily unsocialized and have never been around any other people besides their owners. The dogs’ reactivity is based out of fear and not aggression. We want to make a few things clear about this video: -we are sharing this video to show that there is help with severe behavior issues. These types of behaviors are not something that your average trainer can help you and your dog with, and can unintentionally make your dog’s behavior worse. Please find an experienced canine behavior specialist to help you and your dog. -this dogs vocalization is NOT from physical pain. The dog is vocalizing due to nervousness and fear. The only tools being used on this dog are a soft slip lead and a muzzle for protection. We never use prong collars, shock collars, or any other type of fear based tactics or tools. We are as positive and fear free as possible in these scenarios. -what we are accomplishing with the dog is creating a new way of thinking around people and strangers. We are showing the dog that new touch and association is not a threat and that any reactivity is unacceptable. -this is a VERY slow process. A severe behavior case like this can take months to create a new way of thinking for the dog. We are continuing ongoing work and training with the dogs and their owners. They are all doing an amazing job as a team and we will keep you updated with the progress of these beautiful dogs. #barksidedogsnv #belgianmalinois #dogsofinstagram #dogreactivity #behaviorspecialist #fearfreetraining #dogtraining #positivetraining

135 pound stranger and dog reactive mastiff. This dog’s family has gone to two different professional trainers in the past. One of the trainers used shock collars and prong collars on this dog, and was unable and unwilling to try to handle or get near him. This was our second time meeting him, and our first time handling the dog. This is the first time that this dog has been handled or touched by anyone outside of the home. What this dog needed was to be shown a new way of thinking and that people are not all threats with confidence building and positive association.

Cowboy is a pup we have been working with for a while now. He has learned lots of new tricks and is excited to show you some of them! He has mastered “look” and “sit”, and he is getting really good at “heel” and “drop it”. Cowboy is available for foster @nevadahumanesociety Reno. #barksidedogsnv #dogsofinstagram #dogtrainer #adoptdontshop #fosteringsaveslives #pitbullsofinstagram #shelterdog #volunteer

This dog was displaying an aggressive kennel presence and needed to be shown a different way of thinking when seeing people near its kennel. This dog was reacting this way out of fear, NOT aggression. Creating a new way of thinking and showing this dog that we are not a threat can help reduce this kennel presence and behavior. This behavior is not the dog’s fault, all she needs is to be loved and shown a new behavior. #barksidedogsnv #dogsofinstagram #adoptdontshop #shelterdog #dogtraining #doghandler #reactivedog #rescuedogsofinstagram #fearfreetraining

Rescued is our favorite breed ❤️ These dogs all had severe behavior problems that were worked on to ensure they got their furever homes that they deserved. #rescuedismyfavoritebreed #barksidedogsnv #pitbullsofinstagram #dogsofinstagram #dogtrainer #positivedogtraining #fureverhome

These shelter pups at the Nevada Humane Society wish you a tail wagging Happy Thanksgiving! #adoptdontshop #barksidedogsnv #dogsoffacebook #dogsofinstagram #renonevada #shelterdog #rescuedismyfavoritebreed

Basic obedience using hand signals withBella Thorn 💕🐾 When Bella Thorn first came to the Nevada Humane Society, she had reactivity issues. Bella was uncomfortable with handling, would charge cars, and suffered from hyper-arousal. There was a point in time in which no one could take her out of her kennel to walk her due to her behavior. I spent time working with her extensively on these specified issues and over time she gained confidence and patience while learning basic obedience. She has been in her furever home since February and is still doing great. #dogtraining #dogsofinstagram #dogtrainer#reactivedog #dogobedience #renonevada #pitbull#pitbullsofinstagram #rescuedogsofinstagram#adoptdontshop #barksidedogsnv #fearfreetraining