Wise Dogs

19/06/2024

I hope all is well with you and your pups! I'm heading out of town for a few days. Please send all inquiries to [email protected] and I will get to you when I get back on the 24th!

09/06/2024

I had an amazing time at K9 Lifeline! We not only had the opportunity to handle dogs and practice some socialization techniques, but we also had the opportunity to handle and ride camels! I was also lucky enough to gather a bag of camel fiber that I will work on spinning later this year.

05/06/2024

Here are just a few of my wonderful recent day training pups that I wanted to share with you all; Penny Lane, Delilah, and Atreus!

26/04/2024

This is a lovely video demonstrating how different harnesses will impact your dog's gait. If you are in need of a new harness, consider the Balance Harness https://www.blue-9.com/collections/balance-harnesses

13/04/2024

Do you want to take your dog to pet friendly patios this summer? I love getting work done outside with my dogs in between sessions. It's a great opportunity to reinforce good habits and our connection!

Here are a few things you should consider before taking your pup to a pet friendly patio.

☀️ Familiarize yourself with the environment before you take your pup. This will help you confirm that it is dog friendly and plan out your training.

☀️ Prepare your dog ahead of time for these outings! Your dog should have a solid foundation of behaviors such as Heel, Place, and Stay around distractions before you consider taking them to your local pet friendly patio. Practice their skills around the neighborhood and in pet friendly establishments so you are both feeling confident in your connection!

☀️Don't forget to reward your dog for good behavior and bring more food rewards than you think you will need!

☀️ Practice getting your dog to lay down and stay close to your body, under your legs, and under chairs and tables. You want to be able to tuck your dog away so they won't get tripped over or stepped on. Consider bringing a mat, blanket, or bed for your dog to rest on.

☀️ Always be prepared to advocate for your dog and set them up for success. Don't let strangers interact with your dog without permission, and don't allow other dog owners to let their dog run up to greet your dog. Your dog can easily feel cornered if they are sitting with you at a table, and become fearful or defensive when approached.

12/04/2024

Management is something of a dirty word in animal training. It is often viewed as a cop-out. It's something you do when you can't "train" an animal well enough. And there are a lot of discussions around how “management fails”, often as a means to discredit the use of management in behavior modification strategies. But the truth of the matter is that management is a key first step to behavior change in any species. This includes humans.

When we are trying to make different choices in our own life; such as eating a more balanced, and nutritious diet, the first thing we do is implement management strategies to facilitate those changes. We make sure to give away the foods that we know don’t serve our new goals, or stop buying them from the store. If we are looking to engage in less screen time we set timers and screen time limits on our devices. If we are hoping to spend more time engaged in exercise to benefit our health, we might sign up for a sport, work out classes, or even designate a gym buddy to go with us to encourage us to develop and maintain those habits. We utilize management in our daily lives to help us make positive changes, or maintain certain necessary behaviors. We pack a lunch the night before, so we don’t spend extra money on eating out. We set a budget to help us save for a rainy day, or a vacation. We set up management strategies in our own lives, and never think twice about it as a form of ‘failing to change behavior.’ We absolutely see it as a necessary and fundamental part of behavior change. Hell we have entire careers dedicated to “management.”

So why do we treat management solutions as a less-than option for animals? Why do we expect dogs, horses, or cats to simply change their behavior with out first modifying their environment to facilitate that change?

In learning the sequence of events is : Antecedent. Behavior. Consequence. This refers to how learning occurs with in the brain. That is that the antecedent of a behavior is everything from a cue (“Sit”) to the environment in which it happens, these proceed the behavior (the dog sits) which then prompts the consequence of that behavior (a reinforcer is given for the dog sitting.) In behavior modification the antecedents are often less about verbal or concrete cues, and more about the environment in which certain behaviors occur. A dog who struggles on leash with other dogs present, who over reacts and becomes reactive or presents with aggressive behavior, our first step to helping them is to stop putting them into situations where those things occur. This is management. We alter the environment (we chose to walk at low traffic times, or in areas with minimal others present etc) to better serve the dog’s learning to manage their emotional overload in a more desirable fashion. If we have a cat who becomes aggressive towards new people in his home, the first thing we do is provide that cat with a quiet , comfortable space away from company that he can be in to avoid perfecting his ninja cat attacks on our visitors. This is managing the environment to avoid rehearsing the undesirable behavior. Management is a vital part of behavior change, using it is not a failure to “Train the animal”, it’s a key component to ensure they are able to learn new behavior patterns.

10/03/2024

I love kicking off the spring season with new Day Training students! Day Training is a great way to improve your dog's walking skills, recall, and a lot more. We can arrange a complimentary day training assessment if you're interested in finding out if Day Training is right for you and your dog.

Pictured is Zoe. We are working on building her confidence outside so she can go on fun adventures this summer ☀️

24/11/2023

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving! I am so thankful for everyone who has trained with me over these last few years. Many of you have never worked with a trainer before, or you have been let down by trainers in the past, and I am honored to be given the opportunity to teach you how to live a more harmonious and fulfilling life with your dog.

Pictured is Peppa, who is one of my recent day training students. We worked on basic training (heel, place, stay, and recalls), building her confidence, and teaching her how to walk nicely on-leash. Training in a busy city environment can be tough on shy dogs, but her family now has strategies that will help Peppa feel safe and confident in new places!

21/06/2023

Happy Wednesday everyone! I just wanted to let you all know that I'm heading out of town to go camping, but I will be back next week and I will respond to all of your inquiries then.

06/05/2023

I had a ton of fun answering everyone's questions and meeting so many amazing adoptable dogs today! Orphans of the Storm Animal Shelter is an incredible shelter and I hope you will consider checking them out if you're looking for a new furry family member.

30/04/2023

https://aggressivedog.com/2021/11/23/is-it-a-kiss-or-a-dismiss/?fbclid=IwAR3G6srf9rq8nFe4uj77rfl6Ru79btAaAyWGPdSuvwF4kJ29JkIksMp9_IE

“We just don’t understand why he bit her out of the blue! He always gives her kisses! He loves our daughter!” These are the very words I heard repeated over and over through our Family Paws Dog & Baby Support line that led me to dig deeper. So frequent is this type of call and […]

25/04/2023

I love how day training allows me to get to know your dogs and take their education to the next level. I have been working with a lot of leash-reactive dogs lately, and I love seeing them make progress every week. They aren't just learning how to quietly walk past other dogs (or whatever other distraction that bothers them!), but they are learning how to be more confident, secure versions of themselves.

Luna's leash reactivity has dramatically improved since her first day of training. I showed her family what they should do to manage her behavior while I train her, and then I showed them how to handle her when they encounter dogs on their walks. We advanced the training each week, and now they don't have to cross the street when they see other dogs!

06/04/2023

Let sleeping dogs lie.....literally

04/04/2023

"Do you have experience training deaf dogs?"
Yes, I do! Training a deaf dog isn't difficult because they can easily learn hand signals. In fact, many dogs that can hear learn hand signals faster than verbal cues!

If you are looking for a rescue dog, don't pass on a dog just because they are deaf. This is Nala, a rescued deaf dog who was able to overcome her dog reactivity just as well as her hearing counterparts.

27/03/2023

How was everyone's weekend? Maci and I had a weekend full of learning with the Freedom Dog Training Academy. Trainers should always strive to learn more to better help the dogs we work with. This weekend was a deep dive on relaxation skills. Maci *loves* food to a fault, but here she is chilling out with food scattered on the floor.

07/03/2023

I have been noticing more dogs being walked with muzzles on. It is okay if your dog needs to be muzzled, but be sure to use a basket muzzle rather than a soft muzzle.

31/01/2023

I take notes and track my day training dogs' progress, but even that can turn into a valuable training opportunity. These pups are learning how to settle when I look like I am not paying attention to them. They quickly figured out that the best option for them is to relax on their bed.

"Doing nothing" is an important skill that most dogs need some help learning, but it is pretty easy to teach if you put in the time and patience to show them the way.

06/01/2023

I am so thankful to have the opportunity to team up with several rescue and shelter organizations. I can't help but get inspired by the endless compassion that they have for their dogs.

Don't get me wrong, I love working with dogs from all sorts of backgrounds, but it is fascinating to see how a dog can change as they go from the shelter into a new home (and sometimes they get returned and adopted several times before finding the right match!).

I occasionally get the luxury of learning what they were like in their first home, but it's usually a mystery. Instead of wasting energy wondering what happened to the dog, I look at who the dog is today, and focus on helping them feel secure and fulfilled in their new home.

When we fixate on the dog's past and feel pitty for them, it's harder for us to be present with them and show them that the world is a good place! Now is your chance to show them how to be a part of a healthy family system. Play with them. Show them that the world is good. Give them the boundaries that they need to be successful. This is the ultimate way to give them a new lease on life.