What do you see?
A huge part of working with fearful, foster, stray dogs is recognizing subtle body language and movements. Iām not interested in causing an increase in fear or concern, so I observe from a distance and record video often so I can analyze away from the dog. Iām about 15 feet away and outside of Gaterās kennel.
Even though Iām outside and far enough away for her to feel safe enough to do her thing, her looking up to check on me (whale eye) is telling me Iām still a bit too close for her comfort. I left after about a minute and she started to move her ball around toward the front of her kennel. Itās information for next time, so grateful. Now I know to leave the ball and go back about 20 feet. Distance is sooooo important and can make the difference between building trust or causing an increase in fear response. Thereās a fine line and is individual for each dog and the situation.
In situations where Iām trying to humanely catch a dog, there can be a lot of luring with and tossing food involved. Since Gater is still decompressing and is frightened by forward movement, luring with food might be perceived as a threat. Even the gentle tossing of food can be threatening to her. In her current environment, watching her sometimes subtle cues (change in tail carriage, ear position, eye direction, facial tension/muscles, body position, and more) can make or break our relationship. If I miss her cues, donāt recognize what sheās putting out there, or lack understanding of her body language and vocalizations (she does a low grumble or wine when sheās feeling pressure), I could be putting her and myself in a dangerous situation.
Iām not working with dogs to create more fear or pain, but strive to help them feel safe emotionally and physically, as well as keeping myself and my helpers safe while supporting all the learning we are all constantly doing. Iām so proud of Gater for coming forward every day and for allowing me into her wo
Gater has been at @taoshoundunderground for just a few days and was showing interest in meeting her ālittleā brother, Bear.
I love everything about this! Their body language is really happy, relaxed, and playful. Good job pups š
Because Gater is still figuring things out and learning to trust, Iām taking everything really slow with her. Sheās great with other dogs but not sure of people so I donāt want to put her in a situation, even though she would probably have fun, where I might need to interrupt play by moving quickly. Predictable safety is what she needs more than to get together without a gate.
Gater will be spayed and vaccinated on Thursday at @taosvetclinic and ready for adoption in about three weeks. If youāre interested in adopting her, please DM me for an application.
Bear will be ready to go next week, so if youāve submitted an application, youāll be hearing back this weekend or early next week. Iām sorry I havenāt been able to do a whole lot since my hospital stay and should be back to rehoming soon. Watch for the next Coffee and Dogs at @taosjava soon!
Thank you for your patience, understanding, and love youāve shown me while I was down, online classes will resume Saturday, DM me for more info or to sign up!
#cutestpuppy #happypuppyhappylife #cattledogmix #cattledogs #shepherdmix #fastfriends #familyreunion #taosdogs #taosdogtrainer #puppytrainer #positivereinforcement #fearfreetraining #forcefreetraining #taos #taosnm #taosnewmexico #elprado #arroyoseco
šØADOPTABLE PUP ALERTšØ
Jackson, Jack Black, affectionately nicknamed āThe Big Donkey Barkerā is the sweetest boy! He thrives on affection and being with a predictable and gentle person. Heās got big parts and is a bit clumsy but is learning how to move differently as his muscles, bones, and brain grow. We are working on helping him feel safe, body awareness, receiving affection calmly, and making great choices š¤
From his foster, @taoshoundunderground š
āJackson is looking quite healthy after 7 days of consistent meals š He actually looks like a normal XL puppy now š¤
He came to us with facial and head wounds and very thin for his size. He had been running in and out of traffic before finding a kind Police Officer who got him to safety ā„ļø
He is a very sweet boy who enjoys playing with other pups, a good eater, is still learning about toys, and is trying hard to learn how to be around humans without jumping. Heās doing great and is enjoying his training and play dates with Bear and Elliott!ā
If you or anyone you know are interested in adopting + would like to meet this fine young Jackson, please DM me or text 626-673-7978 for the adoption app. He goes on truck rides with me & Iām happy to meet up once your references are checked š
Jackson receives short training sessions with feeding and cleaning but Iām only able to spend real time with him twice a week to work on basic skills and body awareness. Itās not enough but I can only volunteer so much training time. If youād like to contribute to an additional training day for ALL Underground pups, DM or text me at the number above. Iād love to work with Underground pups a ton more, itās just not financially practical ā„ļø
Thank you to all who have been so supportive of what/how the Underground does things. As the founder and main volunteer, Iām extremely proud of HOW things are done. Putting health first before even considering working on behavior is just one aspect of
Love my Beansie on a Monday š¤©
She woke up on š„š„š„ and is all woof about her day š
Sheās 12 and was born deaf and I love all communication š
All three of my pups have been taught to bark on cue and taught an off switch. Even though I *can* control their voices, I try hard not to unless their barking could be disturbing someone elseās peace. They can bark whenever they have something to say and they all really enjoy barking. We also have a ton of fun with their chit chat š„³
How do you feel about barking? Have you taught a bark on, bark off cue? Let me know ššš
#dogtalk #dogspeak #talkingdog #whippets #whippetgood #whippetstyle #funnydogvideos #beansthewhippet #mondaythoughts #dogtrainingisfun #dogfun #deafdogsrock #deafdog #forcefreedogtraining #positivereinforcementdogtraining #taosdogtrainer #taosdogs #taos #taosnm #rvlifewithdogs #rvlifestyle
Thanks for this, @tractorsupply ššš
#screaminggoat #goatlife #goatlove #goatsš #funnygoats #christmasdecorationsš #christmastoys #tractorsupply #bahhumbug #bahh #christmasfun #taos #taosdogtrainer #timeoff #christmasshoppingdone #yourewelcome
Yogi needs to find a foster or a new home and is hanging at @taosjava til noon!
Come by and meet him!!
#adoptabledog #adoptables #taosdogs #taos #taosnm #taosnewmexico #taosdogtrainer #pointermix #griffon
āļøš¶Coffee and Dogsāļøš¶
December 9, 8am-11:30am at TAOS JAVAš¤
Coffee and Dogs is a private, local, & safe meet up for fosters and prospective adopters in a coffee house setting.
Are you looking for a dog to adopt and welcome into your family?
Coffee and Dogs might be just perfect for you!
Weāve got 5 wonderful pups looking for their new homes! Watch my feed/stories for their profiles!
We also will have bags of straw from non-profit, Localogy | High Desert Hounds, to give away š¤
Do you need straw to help an animal stay warm? Come by, get your bag!
DM me or text 626-673-7978 if youād like more information.
*puppy models Potato (back) and Apple Pie, enjoying their time at Taos Hound Underground where they were kept warm, happy, and well-cared for until their transfer. It truly takes a lot of teamwork from the community to keep pups safe, especially in this freezing cold weather! š„°
If you need support or youād like to support any of our collective rescue and rehome efforts, please DM me!
Huge thanks to our Coffee and Dogs supporters:
Taos Java
Taos Community Animal Friends
Maria-Grazia Selzer
FurEver Pawz Rescue
Localogy | High Desert Hounds
#coffeeanddogs #adoptables #adoptabledog #communityeffort #taos #taosdogs #taosdogtrainer #taosnm #taosnewmexico #straydogs #rehome #fosterdogs #rescuedoglove
@taoshoundunderground is such a great place for pups to get some warmth, yummy meals, great care, and learn a few skills.
Theyāre only at the Underground for a short time (itās a dog hostel), but what theyāre getting is predictability from the humans, consistent compassionate care, and building blocks for their next stop. Could be a foster, a partnering rescue, an adoptionā¦wherever they go, they have more skills in their puppy back packs than they did when they arrived.
Itās truly such a pleasure to share time with all the pups there and use my education, experience, and creativity to support such an important community effort. Taos has no functional shelter accepting strays, which is a big problem. Taos Hound Underground is part of the solution until the broken system gets fixed š ļø
If youāre looking to help dogs and are interested in becoming part of this unique experience, reach out to them on IG or FBš„°
#taoshoundunderground #animalwelfare #happypuppyhappylife #shepherdmix #rottiemix #winterpup #snowdogs #eatingsnow #happypuppies #taosdogs #taosdogtrainer #straydogs #founddogs #taos #taosnm #taosnewmexico #gratefulness #gratitudedaily
āļøš¶Coffee and Dogsāļøš¶
December 9, 8am-11:30am at @taosjava š¤
Coffee and Dogs is a private, local, & safe meet up for fosters and prospective adopters in a coffee house setting.
Do you have a dog who needs a new home?
Are you looking for a dog to adopt and welcome into your family?
Coffee and Dogs might be just perfect for you!
DM me or text 626-673-7978 if youād like more information. There is an application process and limited space, so contact me soon if youād like to bring a pup!
#coffeeanddogs #adoptables #adoptabledog #communityeffort #taos #taosdogs #taosdogtrainer #taosnm #taosnewmexico #straydogs #rehome #fosterdogs #rescuedoglove
*puppy models Potato (back) and Apple Pie at @taoshoundunderground ā„ļø These two were found in a box at Taos Plaza, scooped up by a police officer, vetted by Dr. Holly Johnson through @fourcornersanimalleague, picked up by me @the.real.life.dog, and brought to the Underground where theyāve been warm, happy, and well-cared for. It truly takes a lot of teamwork from the community to keep pups safe, especially in this freezing cold weather! š„°
If youād like to support any of our collective rescue and rehome efforts, please DM me!
š¶Vocal dogs can be so fun! š„³
My husky and whippet guardian friends can have full conversations and I, personally, love dog chatter š¤©
Barking, howling, or chatter to the point of annoying household members or neighbors is a different story and itās one of the top five reasons I get called.
āHow do I get my dog to stop barking?ā is a main question for many clients. In my experience, managing the environment for barkers is first, then when they arenāt practicing the barking as much, we can start to teach a different behaviorā¦something more desirable like instead of standing on the back of the couch yelling at passersby, letās try barking once or twice and then running to a mat or dog bed where thereās something to chew or shred. The reinforcement happens while the pup is on the mat/bed, not while barking.
What is reinforced will continue. When we reward our pups for the alternative behavior the undesirable stuff typically starts to lessen. Sometimes it happens quickly and sometimes it takes building a history of reinforcing what we like.
šHereās an additional pro tip: Choosing an incompatible behavior can sometimes speed up the process. If we are trying to get a pup to stop barking, most dogs will stop if they are chewing or shredding and away from what triggers the barking. Thatās considered an incompatible behavior. Just like a jumping dog is less likely to jump if we ask for a four on the floor behavior or trick BEFORE the jumping starts and reinforce with what that dog finds most rewarding (food on the floor or in a lick mat or snuffle mat, for example).
I actually taught all three of my pups to ātell meā their stories and also let me know when they are āhungryā so they get plenty of opportunities to bark and carry on when itās a good time for me and the neighbors š They also have a stop cue and I immediately ask for an incompatible behavior like chill on a bed while ripping cardboard.
What are some ways youāve b
šThis is the most important quality in a dog trainerā¦Ethical treatment of animals & humans!
Answering the ? I was asked (see Reel):
Privacy+media release. Clients can choose NOT to allow their dogs/sessions posted on social media. I honor them!
Story time:
When I was 19, I moved out and got my first dog (first dog of my own) and I took a group training class. In that class, I learned how to control my dog by āpoppingā the choke chain, pushing on his hips to make him sit, and āalpha rollingā him when he didnāt āobeyā. That dog and I had a terribly broken relationship and he tried to bite me twice. I was afraid of him. He was afraid of me. I loved him so so much but was being taught in an inhumane and unethical manner.
Sadly, that pup passed away at two years old from a parvo variant (he never tested positive). His name was Monkey and he taught me who I did not want to be. Iām still heartbroken & have regrets about Monkey š
Every dog whoās come into my life since Monkey has been treated with humane kindness and has helped me form who I want to be and am. Not just my own dogs, but dogs Iāve worked with over the years, as a Pet Care Pro (in and out of a vet setting), Dog Walker, and Trainer. I love my job, love dogs, and couldnāt imagine using those same controlling and ego driven methods I was taught at 19.
That was the early 90ās, dog training has come far since then! Correction: ethical, humane, training has come far. Grateful for those who paved the way so that we can have all the current info at our fingertips! We know different, we do different, right? š¤·āāļøHopefully!
My mentors/colleagues Iāve chosen to work with and I are always learning from each other, animals, training orgs we support, etc. Part of learning is looking at the ethical side of how we teach clients, their pups, and treat others.
šAs trainers, how we conduct ourselves behind off cameras is in direct relation to how we treat dogs/teach people.š
šDo you know this about your dog?š©
What are your dogās āmust havesā?
Complete this sentence:
If my dog doesnāt get to ________, at least (this often) __________, they might feel _________ which might result in behaviors like __________.
And what are your āmust havesā?
Complete the sentence again but replace my dog and my dog might feel with āI donātā and āI might feelā.
Are the results similar? Something to think about š¤š«”š¤
Iāll go first:
If Vinney doesnāt get to run off leash at least once every other day, he might feel frustrated, bored, & antsy, which might result in behaviors like excessive barking, whining, extra mouthy, and being too rough with his brother.
If I donāt get to have one full day off, at least twice a week, I might feel overwhelmed, antsy, and anxious, which might result in behaviors like freezing, grumpiness, shutting down, and avoidance.
Our dogs are sentient beings and itās so important to consider how they might be feeling if their needs (physical, biological, species, breed, emotional) arenāt being metā¦just as much as we would consider how we might be feeling when we donāt get what we need.
Does this mean ONLY meet your dogās needs? Nope. But it does mean that we can integrate meeting our dogās needs in with meeting our own. And, a lot of the time, I find that when I meet my dogās needs, mine are also met. Just being conscious of the household needs so if we see certain behaviors, we can adjust because we understand why those behaviors mightāve shown up.
It might sound complicated, but if we break it down into those two sentences, we can start to understand the importance of considering the needs of the entire householdā¦all people and all animals, individually.
If youād like support or guidance in this area, shoot me a DM and letās chat š„°
Canāt wait to see how similar your pupās and your needs are! Drop them in the comments š or DM for a private conversation
š¤©Hereās how to get a nice recall over timeš
I recommend starting inside without distractions and use what your pup finds rewarding to reinforce every time they turn toward you or come to you. I donāt call my dogs when building this foundation but I play the āname gameā using their names or their recall cue separately from working on their recalls. DM for more info on engagement.
For their recall word, which I integrate as we progress, I pick a cue word that is easy and clear. Some use fun words like cookies, egg, baconā¦hmm all food š You can pick whatever word you want as long as you teach your pup what it means.
Once I have engagement inside without distractions = my pup is coming to me, I switch rooms or add distractions, then start over. Reliable engagement + building more reinforcement history = I go outside, close to home, with few distractions and start over. Then, once we are good there, I go a bit further and attach a long line and start over. Last step is to go to a private fenced area where Iām fairly confident there are no other dogs and only ask for engagement when we are close to each other. I use a long line. I do this because Iām building up reinforcement history and the cue in a really hard environment and I want my dog to be safe + win easily every time for a long while (forever is goodš).
Iāve spent 3 months to two years building a solid recall with various dogs of my own and clientās dogs. There are many factors that go into working on this. If youāre looking to get a more reliable recall and youāre not sure what the next step is, letās chat! Send me a DM or ask me anything in the comments.
*Safety Tip: Unless youāve taught your dog to come away from big distractions + come to you quickly, please keep them on a leash/long line for the safety of your dog, wildlife, other dogs, & people. We canāt know how our off-leash dog will affect another being and just because a guardian of an off-leash dog says it
Puppy Socialization ā”ļø Confidence Building for their future!
Thatās just ONE SMALL PART of why itās super important to start working with pups as early as just a few days old. And if you donāt get your puppy until they are 8-12 weeks old and youāre getting your pup from a breeder, consider asking them what they do with the pups before they go to their homes. A really great resource for puppy socialization is @nicholberrygoldens š¤©
Want to know exactly what āpuppy socializationā is and how it works? Check out the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior position statement on puppy socialization. AVSAB.org
From the AVSAB statement:
āThe Primary and most important time for puppy socialization is the first three months of life. During this time puppies should be exposed to as many new people, animals, stimuli and environments šas can be achieved safely and without causing overstimulation manifested as excessive fear, withdrawal or avoidance behavior. For this reason, the American Veterinary Society
of Animal Behavior believes that it should be the standard of care for puppies to receive such socialization before they are fully vaccinated.ā
Todd and Oso are 14 weeks and havenāt had any exposure to anything leaving them with positive associations until they came into foster care at 12 weeks (a week and a half ago). Their foster and I have been working hard to help them feel safe and show them how awesome humans and other dogs can be, as well as helping them understand crates, ex-pens, care rides, dropping things, being picked up, and trading. Nothing huge but these pups are learning constantly right now! Predictability in every day life has been essential š
Do you have any questions about puppy socialization? Drop them in the comments or DM me for a private conversation šš¶
#puppytrainer #puppiesoftheday #cutepuppies #puppysocialization #socialization #happypuppyhappylife #taosdogs #taosdogtrainer #taos #taosnm #taosnewmexico
š¬Dog Trainer Confession Timeā¦
When working with my own or client dogs, one of the things I am careful about is whatās coming out of my mouth and how much Iām talkingā¦most clients are surprised when I hardly say a thing to their dogs.
Iām big on giving a pup time to figure things out, capturing + marking + reinforcing desirable behaviors theyāre already offering, having zero expectations, and not inserting my voice where itās unnecessary chit chat.
šØEmergencies and š„³reinforcing recalls are the two exceptions. Confession 2: I donāt always have food so I build other types of reinforcement into training. Throwing Vinney a pawrty every time he shows up, sometimes getting food, sometimes play, sometimes sending him back out, and sometimes lots of pets and praise. He has learned that he ALWAYS gets something crazy amazing when he hangs with me because Iāve used all of his favorite forms of reinforcement to build a strong history ššš
Not saying not to talk at all, just using our voices as +interrupters, cueing behaviors (after taught, I mostly use cues as a little reminder if they get stuck or to strengthen a specific cue like recall, not to tell dogs what to do), marking what we like, and as part of reinforcement (throwing a pawrty) for big things like recall and potty training.
So, even though I say, āLetās try not to talk to your dog so much.ā A LOT, there are exceptions like big pawrties for big things and kind reminders/interrupters to help our pups if they happen to get stuck. All dogs do get stuck, like us š¤·āāļø
What do you think about talking during training? How do you use your voice? Are you filling your sessions with chatter or are you pretty quiet?
Let me know ššš
š¤©šWhen my dog surprises me by coming back instead of chasing a cat I didnāt see. I actually said, āGo ahead, Vinā, which means do what you want, go wild. š„³
This is the second time this week he had opportunity to chase a cat while off leash and he didnāt. Second clip, watch to the very end and youāll see it. I stopped recording because I thought for sure heād chase the cat. He was so focused on sniffing, he didnāt even see it until it was out of the field. He just watched.š
Lucky lucky kitties!šGood, good boyššš
š„µItās hot, the dogs š¾ are bored, I need to workš¼ā¦
Enrichment box time! Beans gets two little ones because sheās wild! The boys each get a bigger one. They are a bit more civilized š¬
Loaded the boxes with @pupford beef and salmon treats + dry food wrapped in packing paper, freeze dried turkey neck pieces, more Pupford treats and more dry food.
These pups just need to shred and toss things around and this is what Iāve got sitting in the cupboard.
Enrichment doesnāt need to be fancy, expensive, or complicated. Do what fulfills your pups and doesnāt cause any stress for the humans.
When Iām not meeting my dogās needs by giving them things like this to do, their behaviors show it. When Iām meeting their needs, their behaviors show it. When Iām meeting their needs, my needs are also metā¦I need quiet & calm so I can work. This gets the job done for the entire householdš
How do you keep your pups fulfilled and do you find that when you provide those things their behavior allows you to do what you need to do? Just curious! Drop your thoughts in the comments ššš
(See 1st comment for a Pupford discount code and Enrichment group info)
š„āļø Who else is hot? And why is this dog under a blanket?!š„µš³
We have our ac set for 75Ā° so itās actually cold for @ryderthewhippet š„¶ and his bed is where the air hits coldest.
I actually am asking the question: How much rest are our dogs getting? Regardless if itās hot or cold, are we focused more on āwearingā them out or fulfilling actual needs? Are we offering balanced days?
The video I posted yesterday showed snippets from two different days, two different runs, and the total time in the field was less than 5 minutes each day. @vinneythewhippet has a race car engine which means heās a sprinter, not marathoner. He doesnāt, physically or mentally, need more than a good 30-45 second sprint at a time with some sniffing, peeing, and visiting his buddies. If I asked him for more running, he might give it to me, but heād be completely depleted which is not good for his body or mind.
Too much is too much, whether we are talking about training (you know, ājust one moreā that Iāve been guilty of for sureš„“), exercise, downs, āplaceā, food, travel, sports trials or practicesā¦too much of anything isnāt going to give our dogs what they need and can have affects on behaviors we arenāt ready for. Too much exercise can lead to health or mobility issues, being overtired = behavior changes, or maybe our dogs quitš¤·āāļø
Food for thought on this Turdsday. And a question: Am I asking or offering or doing too much in one area and not enough in another? Is there a different balance that might work better for my dog? Does my dog need more rest or brain games and less exercise?
My goal for today is to not be a turd or step in one as my girl @beansthewhippet says to her people. Looking at how Iām balancing my dogās days will hopefully keep my turdiness to a minimum šš©
Share your thoughts in the comments or for a more private conversation, DM me š¤©šš„°
š¾š«Cringe worthy vet visitš¢ šØForcing conflict onto a patient who is afraid š¤¦āāļø See comments for full captionā¦
