Rhody Paws LLC

06/08/2025

Negative Reinforcement ≠ Punishment

Unfortunately for our dogs, there are things they have to do in life that may feel unpleasant. This could be getting groomed, taking medicine, or in Tony’s case, getting into the car!

When we relieve dogs from an unpleasant stimulus, this is negative reinforcement! In other words, we are removing something the dog doesn’t like to reinforce a behavior that we DO like.

Tony has been having fears after being forced to get into a car. When training him to feel more comfortable, we are purposely rewarding him by moving him away from the car when he chooses to be brave and get close!

In this case, the big reward for Tony is getting to get away from the car, not so much getting the treat.

Good trainers understand the 4 quadrants of operant conditioning. This doesn’t mean all should be used in every circumstance, but in this case, negative reinforcement is on our side!

Welcome to Rhody Paws, Tony! 🚗🐾

05/08/2025

Meet Rhett! 🦈🐾

Rhett has sharp teeth. And he likes to use those sharp teeth to play with his owners! Although puppy nipping is a normal behavior, it’s important to teach how to play with humans more appropriately.

Rhett is already off to a great start, and we can’t wait to see everything he learns in the next 8 weeks! 🐶⭐️

01/08/2025

Sunny wouldn’t stop wagging his tail during his first lesson, making it blurry in the photo!

We are so happy to have you too Sunny, welcome to Rhody Paws! ☀️🐾

31/07/2025

Meet Zola the jumping bean!🫘🐾

Zola is a JUMPER. But luckily with some good management & training, we are teaching her how to better spread the love.

And with that big smile, you can tell she has a lot to give! ❤️🐾

29/07/2025

Our next group class starts next week! 🐾🎓

28/07/2025

At Rhody Paws, being kind & fair to our canine clients is of utmost importance.

That is why we are so happy that Bliss & her owner found us! The first “trainer” they had come to their home instructed her to use punitive punishment to stop her frightened dog from barking at things.

You can’t scare a dog into not being scared of things, and even if you could, this is just downright cruel, outdated, and dare we say, abuse!

Just two sessions into our program and Bliss is on the road to recovery, seeking our guidance out on walks when she’s unsure about something, we are so proud of you Bliss! ❤️🐾

15/07/2025

Bear is busy making biscuits! 👨‍🍳

All jokes aside, this behavior is called “nooking”. Normally harmless, nooking can be a way for some dogs to self-soothe. However, it’s important to pay attention to make sure it’s not paired with any signs of stress, in which case intervention can be helpful!

Welcome Bear to Rhody Paws! 🐾

01/07/2025

Lucky for Brooklyn, we have experience training seals 🦭🫡

Welcome to Rhody Paws! 🐾🐶

30/06/2025

Yes, there’s a dog under there! 🐾

Welcome Luna to Rhody Paws!

02/06/2025

29/05/2025

Welcome Spud to Rhody Paws! Spud spent quite a bit of time waiting for his new owner at the RISPCA. We are helping him transition to his new routine with some in-home training!

During his first lesson, we began with the basics to help Spud have more self control when it comes to greeting & playing with people. He has A LOT of love to give and sometimes needs help reining it in!
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28/05/2025

We ❤️ training your doodles! Welcome Maverick to Rhody Paws! 🐾 ☀️
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