Sugar Tree K9s

01/04/2025

Helping a good trainer on a tragic accident.

Dear Friends, Dog Lovers, and Supporters, If you know Larry Krohn, you unde… Oscar Mora needs your support for Urgent Aid for Larry Krohn's Dog, Dante

12/13/2024

Ground breaking research 👌🤦

Dogs generally pull about 60 per cent harder on a leash when wearing a padded harness compared with a collar, even when the equipment is marketed as “anti pull” – putting the people walking them at risk of injury.

Some dogs – especially smaller breeds – pull with a force more than twice their body weight on the collar, potentially damaging their throats, says Erin Perry at Southern Illinois University.

“It’s really very shocking,” she says. “The dogs are almost choking themselves on that collar repeatedly. But the harnesses in our study just didn’t inhibit pulling in any way, and that’s definitely a wake-up call – especially because of the risk to owners.”

Read more: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2459747-dogs-pull-harder-on-the-leash-when-they-wear-a-harness-than-a-collar/

Image: CBCK-Christine/Alamy

11/09/2024

Many of us are getting comfortable invading our dogs space including putting our face to our dogs. We believe that just because they have never bitten us they like it. Some think that some lickings them is them giving kisses. Context plays a role in if our dogs is telling us "I'm not comfortable" vs "I like it". Lickings isn't always "kissing" then we wonder why kids or adults get bit. Let's learn to read our dogs so as not only create a bond with them but via respect but keep everyone safe.

10/05/2024

DON’T FORCE ME TO BE SOCIAL!
It may be really disappointing and frustrating when our dogs are not the social beings we expected them to be.

Many believe dogs should just naturally get along with other dogs, after all they’re the same species.

Some believe the “unsociable” dog has a behaviour problem that needs to be “fixed”.

Early, appropriately timed and correct socialisation is vitally important, but sometimes despite all of this, some dogs are just not that sociable.

Sometimes this can be improved, especially if the cause is from a negative experience, but genetics, breed tendencies, individual personalities, health and age all contribute to tolerance and sociability, which also change throughout life.

If we, as a human species, don’t get along with everyone we meet, how can we expect our dogs to?

Do we label every person that has an argument, doesn’t make friends with everyone they meet, doesn’t like every other person, prefers not to socialise - as having a problem that needs to be fixed?

Why is it so easy to accept that every individual person is different than to accept that every individual dog is different?

When we have done what we can to improve our dogs’ social skills, we need to accept and acknowledge our dogs for the individuals they are, allow and respect their choice of whether to be sociable or not and never force interactions that a dog is not comfortable with.

09/23/2024

Board and train Nero on her last leg.
Nero came for potty training and being more confident in the world. I've added behaviors to fit her situation and get her both crate trained and potty trained which isn't easy easy with an older dogs. Neurological pathways are stronger in older dogs but they can still learn new tricks. She has been a blast even though somedays we just had to have fun only and play. Here we went to Lowe's so I can actually go shopping. Since it was mid day they're quite a few contracts and work being done. As you can hear the banging and dropping of things. At one point you can see the tail go from wagging to slow wagging. But her recovery and willing to engage is what I'm looking for and she did great. We are also weaning out treats here. Owners will have work to do in buildings trust, leadership through play, consistency in her new language but the sky is the limit for this older dog.

09/23/2024

Training shouldn't be scheduled. Training is a part of life. Board and train Nero and boarder Bear practicing the down. Board and train Nero on her last leg.

09/18/2024

Alot of today's behavior stems from lack of leadership, boundaries, consistency. Once these things are addressed most of these behavior go away. This is why a dog behaves well with a trainer and not with the owner. Because the second a good trainer takes the leash the top things start to happen.