Pawsitive Choices Canine Training

10/12/2023

Starting today- we will not be taking new dog training clients for the foreseeable future. If we already have lessons in progress, of course we will honor them, but we are going to be taking a long break. Doing too much has left our own dogs/personal lives on the back burner. We are burnt, physically and emotionally and despite our love for dogs and helping people- you can't pour from an empty cup. Our dogs deserve our full attention and we have a lot of goals for them as well.

So, thank you to everyone who has supported us as we couldn't have even a sliver of the succes we've had without you! We are planning on doing a lot of restructuring and hoping to add new services in the spring/summer when we feel we're ready to get back out there.

08/22/2023

Summarizing the world of dog behavior problems and solutions on a single page was a challenge, but we did it!

https://dunbar.info/problemflowchart

Obviously, this is just the tip of the iceberg, but we're hoping it can provide a little clarity to anyone who has a dog behavior problem and feel overwhelmed or confused about what to do or where to start.

If you've been following us for a while, you'll realize that this is not our first attempt. We made a similar flow chart in the past, but it was more complicated and didn't have pictures:
https://dunbar.info/bpfc

For this one, we really wanted to simplify and streamline even more. So much of dog training comes down to helping dogs feel safe and comfortable, helping dogs settle down and entertain themselves without getting into trouble, and teaching dogs to perform useful skills on cue and motivating them so they want to do so, anytime you ask.

If you know how to do these three simple things, you can solve 99% of dog behavior problems!

If you're struggling with a dog behavior problem, we'd love to help, and we'll do it for FREE!

Join the Top Dog Academy today with a free 1-month trial and get access to ALL of our online courses, plus 2 weeks of personalized support from the Dunbars: https://dunbar.info/august2023

You can cancel this subscription easily at any time.

Give us a try!

You'll be amazed at how much progress you can make when you have the right information and the right support.

08/21/2023

Playgrounds are one of my favorite tools for confidence building, agility foundations, reactivity sessions, you name it! Having a dog who trusts his/her handler is one of the most important parts of your relationship and you can start by asking them to balance on weird stuff 😉

08/14/2023

Announcement! 📣📢

Canine Good Citizen prep class will be starting Wednesday, 8/23, 6:45pm at Gargoyle Park in Olean, NY!

Cost is $25 per class, 5 weeks of prep with the 6th week being actual test day for a total of $150. This class is open to all breeds, ages, shapes and sizes of dogs, just shoot us a message if you haven't worked with us before!

Hope to see you there! 😆

07/30/2023

❤️

Get your paws on the best dog sport decals + apparel, shopcanineaesthete.com now! 🛍️

07/03/2023

Excited to announce I am officially an AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator! ✨️😍

My goals for this year include getting both Binx and Harper their CGCA and CGCU titles! What are your training goals this year?

Shoot us a message to inquire more about CGC prep class or testing availability and share your training goals in the comments below! 😆

06/20/2023

Super excited for this! 😆

Calling all high drive dogs and their high drive humans! Registration for FDSA's next one day online conference is now open! We hope you'll join us and this awesome line up of presenters 🙌

Read the presentation descriptions here: https://bit.ly/3ERmoXD

06/19/2023

😉

😉

shopcanineaesthete.com

06/14/2023

Services include Canine Good Citizen test prep and Novice Trick Dog prep! 🤩

Both of these are easier, entry level titles and great ways for you and your dog to build a bond and get your foot in the door with AKC Titles!

Send a message if you'd like more information!

06/13/2023

We are BACK for the summer and offering dog training/problem solving sessions in the Salamanca, NY and surrounding areas!

Spots are limited, so please message ASAP if you are interested. We are trying to stay local (20ish minute radius) but will travel for additional fees.

Let's get to training! 🐾✨️

11/03/2022

Hi everyone! Two announcements:

Facebook messenger is NOT WORKING on my end, please text or call at 716-307-3376 if you need to reach us!

We are no longer accepting new clients for training. We are wrapping things up for the winter months, THANK YOU to all our past and current clients for your support! We'll be back in the spring! 🐾❤️

10/15/2022

10/11/2022

Handsome Schultz sitting pretty! 😍

Schultz started as an aggression consult but we're good friends now. He and his mom have been working hard on impulse control and counter conditioning his reactivity.

Most reactivity issues actually come from a place of fear and insecurity which can be caused by a lot of different things- unclear communication and boundaries, genetics, lack of postive and correct socialization early on, traumatizing events with other dogs/people, etc, the list goes on.

Good boy Schultz! ❤️

09/29/2022

Let's talk about dog parks! 🐶

Binx & I had a session this morning at a local dog park. It was perfect because no one else was there, but we could have potentially ran into trouble depending on who could have been there at that time.

Same as going into a dog friendly store, or on a trail where lots of other people walk their dogs- you never know what you might run into. Off leash dogs who have no business being off leash, people who approach your dog without asking, dog aggressive dogs, you name it, the same thing can happen at a dog park.

If you choose to go to these kinds of places, keep in mind BOTH of the pie charts can be true, depending on the situation and how prepared you are to advocate for your dog. I like to use dog parks for training purposes only, like sticking outside or in the parking lot to proof obedience with the distractions of other dogs, but I only let my dogs inside off leash when no one else is there.

Prevention is key to a lot of behavior problems, be wise about where you take your dog for socialization.

09/29/2022

09/15/2022

I made a post about exercising puppies a few days ago …
And there were so many responses from dog owners who said they did “everything wrong” with their puppies (by jogging with them, playing a lot of fetch with them, making them jump for frisbees etc).
I know *exactly* what it feels like to realize that what we did in the past was not ideal.
It’s a sinking, dreadful sense of having messed up with no possibility to go back and have a do-over.
It was not my intention to give anyone that feeling, but now I see how it turned out that way.
And I just want to say:
We have all been there. (I sure have been there!)
In fact, I am pretty certain that there will be *many* future occasions at which I’ll realize I should have done something completely different.
Both in dog training and in other aspects of life!
I know that everyone reading this had the best intentions if they were over-exercising their puppy.
If that is you: You did the best with the knowledge you had.
Now that knowledge might be different but that doesn’t change that you were doing the best you could.
I know it is easier said than done but please don’t beat yourself up about doing things “wrong” in the past.
I have so many reactivity students who regret punishing their dog for reactive responses … so many puppy owners who regret not approaching socialization differently … so many owners of resource guarding dogs who regret how they tried to teach their dog to give up items.
Again: Yes, they maybe didn’t objectively do the “best” thing.
But they all did the best with what they knew at the time! They all tried hard and they all wanted the best for their dogs.
That counts for so much.
I am convinced that in 10 years I will look back at some things I do today and think “ah yes, well I didn’t know better!”.
(In fact, it would be pretty sad if that wasn’t the case and I wouldn’t learn anything new in the next decade.)
Everyone makes mistakes with their first dog. And their second dog. And probably every dog they’ll have.
First dogs get the most mistakes - every future dog benefits from everything our past dogs have taught us.
Please don’t beat yourself up about those mistakes.
They were all part of the journey and part of who you are today!
You did the best with what you knew and that counts for a lot.

09/07/2022

Flirt poles are a great way to proof your "leave it" command as well 😉

Looking for a fun backyard game to satisfy your energetic pup? Get a flirt pole & let the fun begin!

Flirt poles are basically a long stick with a rope attached, and at the end of the rope is a "lure" (toy). Rather than throwing a ball back and forth, the flirt pole allows your dog to use their natural instinct to chase and chomp! Remember to play it safe when using this toy - only move the lure in one direction, don't zig-zag back and forth. Luring the dog to move erratically can cause injury. Use large, sweeping motions to help the dog run straight while they chase.

Like any other game, make sure to let the dog win! The lure is the reward here - let them catch it and get back to playing. Flirt poles are also a great way to practice your "drop it" cue! You can get one here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0042I5G2I/?ref=idea_lv_dp_vv_d

09/07/2022

Get out and TRAIN! 🤩

Original post from Training

09/06/2022

A big part of responsible training is keeping things clear, concise and consistent for your dog. One of the most common problems is repetition: telling the dog the same verbal cue over and over until they eventually get it right. Just like Charlie Brown's teacher (wah wah wah), repeating the same cues to the dog turns into white noise.

When giving your dog a verbal cue, practice patience and just say it once. Give them time to respond - if they don't, prompt them using a hand signal or use a food lure to guide them into position.

Having trouble communicating with your pup? We can help! Schedule a consult here: www.evolveddogtraining.com

08/31/2022

Do not under any circumstances stop trying.

08/31/2022

Winnie and Nova, two beautiful pups learning how to be neutral in new places with their friends around! ❤️

Socialization isn't all about playing and making friends- it's focus in new environments, focus around other dogs or other distractions, and most importantly, neutrality! Even the friendliest pups struggle to be neutral in exciting situations and practice makes perfect!

Winnie and Nova are lucky to both have awesome dog moms and they've been making amazing progress! 🙌🐾

08/30/2022

08/29/2022

‼️Canine Good Citizen Prep Class will be starting within the next couple weeks!‼️

Dogs will be tested at the end of a 6 week course. All ages are encouraged to sign up- although dogs have to be at least 1 year old to take the test, the class is good practice as well!

Tentatively class is planned to take place Sunday evenings and location will be announced. Please message us with any questions or if you're interested! 🐕‍🦺🐾❤️

https://www.akc.org/products-services/training-programs/canine-good-citizen/

https://www.akc.org/products-services/training-programs/canine-good-citizen/akc-star-puppy/

08/29/2022