Inquisitive Training

02/08/2024

Finally got some service dog patches for myself! Absolutely adore the Player 1 and 2 patches, perfect for Ira's newest minion. The patches are from 😁

21/07/2024

Today "it" has begun. He stole and ran away with his first of many shoes to come. This is a beautiful mark of aging for many a puppy. That time when they go from beautiful oblivious Angels that bite alot. To beautiful rebellious thieves. You will be questioning how devious your puppy is. They have left all the forbidden objects alone for 2+ weeks, lulled you into a sense of peace. Then in one fell swoop, one singular day they destroy everything you marked as safe.
Welcome to stage 2 of puppyhood. I hope you all did your preparation for this day and are not caught unaware.

21/07/2024

Working on getting the life vest sized correctly before we need it near the water.

20/07/2024

Sized and bought a life vest. Next step paddle board and kayak training! This was his first experience having to try on a new outfit in public. He wasn't thrilled but he thought the tags were pretty yummy. After that we got some bulk treats and he really wanted to take a swim and sample them.

20/07/2024

Introducing puppies to novel objects helps them navigate life bravely as adults. I am just ensuring he won't be scared of Moose skulls. Never know when one could show up out of the blue 🤣. Next step, teach puppy that not all bones are for chewing.

18/07/2024

We are starting to work on adding a quiet cue after barking 😄 he also loves offering to sir pretty because Moose does it and he is modeling after her.

17/07/2024

17/07/2024

Puppy training while arting

17/07/2024

I'm either really good at Multi-tasking Or just being a menace at work

16/07/2024

It is so important to practice grooming and handling often while puppies are little and growing to build life long habits of cooperation.

We practice nail and dremel training about 4 times a week at this stage. Not ever day or time of day is as successful as this but we want to build strong positive associations about life long grooming care. I get a nail done here and there and he gets goodies when he sits still and doesn't throw a fit.

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15/07/2024

One of my most common recommendations, is to teach your dog to bark. It is fun, it gives them an outlet. Best of all, it's the first step to teaching dogs to he quiet! The earlier you start the better your relationship and training with your dog will be. Especially, if they are a breed well known for being vocal.

15/07/2024

Learning good things come to those who wait and do not launch themselves on counters, is pretty rough.

10/07/2024

Day 9 with the little terror Peter who is still awaiting his official name. As we research names he is learning the most important of tasks "book rest" at expert level it will be "ipad rest"
We find this task to be incredibly useful in day to day life with his predecessor Kuba. Often overlooked as just snuggles or mere deep/light pressure therapy depending on dogs weight. But it is so much more.

07/07/2024

Day 6 of puppy. Every day we do short mat training sessions. I am feeding his puppy kibble on the mat while shuffling things around to add back ground distraction within his comfort level to stay successfully on the mat. We aren't using any cues aside from the mat being presented (we have it up at all times unless training for this).
We started it with a clicker to mark success and this time I chose to continuously feed instead.

05/07/2024

We have done many things and started laying a great foundation with the boy.
I really want to emphasize the importance of naps. Regardless of breed and future goals naps are of the utmost importance.
Especially when puppies get over tired, bity, nippy, screamy. It is nap time, sometimes puppies will put themselves to sleep but many times if they are overdone and being naughty. This is time to secure them in a small safe place with good chews, snacks and human company sitting quietly by to give them space to rejuvenate.

05/07/2024

Some great thoughts on why reactivity is an ever growing problem in pet dogs

01/07/2024

Meet the newest recruit to Ira's service dog union as of June 30th 2024. He was born April 24th 2024, current name is Peter (we will see if that changes or moves to a middle name) he was part of RDRR Cairn Terriers Narnia liter 😁. He even has kitten siblings, so is already pre trained to be more cat then dog. He is liter box trained to pine pellets and is doing great using our cats liter box with minimal accidents on the floor so far.
Anna shared with me that he is the youngest puppy they have had to sniff out human ear infections with purpose. So he is already on board with using his sniffer naturally which will mold into some beautiful medical alerts later on! He is an exceptional young pup and we can't wait to share his journey.

15/06/2024

🤯 YOU TOO CAN GET DOG TRAINER RESULTS!

‼️ Read full text here 👉🏼 🔗 https://t.ly/5HabitsDogTrainers

(Thank you to Lisa Mullinax of 4Paws University with Lisa Mullinax CDBC for this great read.)

18/03/2024

My favorite training assistant Sisi working with an adolescent pup in training.

18/03/2024

Do some training so you can get out and enjoy some freedom!

14/03/2024

Don't forget to include your cat during training sessions!

25/09/2023

When we have a dog who is not the biggest fan of strange dogs approaching, especially on leash, it can be really overwhelming for everyone when a lose dog starts to approach. So I wrote out some (a little tongue-in-cheek) suggestions for ways to manage those situations and buy yourself time to escape the scenario.

12/07/2023

Beautiful illustrations and information about what proofing trained behaviors looks like!

We are soooo excited to officially share our handout on the Stages of Training. Thank you Doggie Drawings by Lili Chin for bringing this to life! This handout is used for clients to follow their dog's training progress!
It goes through all the stages of learning:
1. Acquisition (get the behavior)
2. Fluency (add the cue)
3. Generalization (proof the behavior)
4. Maintenance (maintain the behavior)

Edit to clarify:
1. This is FREE for you to use/make copies of for clients, but not the edit.
2. “As taught by Jean Donaldson” refers to Push, Stick, Drop

Thanks for all the support! 🐾💙🐾

12/07/2023

10/07/2023

03/07/2023

Some last minute tips and tricks for helping make the rest of the week easier on your pups

https://grishastewart.com/sound-desensitization-fireworks-thunder/?fbclid=IwAR1DeaOfREhnSdnCT5CcPLp3yhvpZJJv5zxfgcF2XyUyP0e8wCTTHhiVrGQ

Firework noises have been exploding in my house all week. Why? It's part of Peanut's annual fireworks vaccine. Because sound desensitization isn't just a one-shot deal and the fourth of July is coming up in the US. It's so long between firework displays that your dog may not remember the last traini...

02/05/2023

A relationship based heavily on wondering what’s in each other’s mouth.

02/05/2023

Great questions to think about and ask when hiring a dog walker!