Sound Connection Dog Training

07/06/2024

🐾 ❤️ A friendly reminder that as temperatures start heating up some of the surfaces we walk on get even hotter. Before your dog's (or cat's) paws hit the pavement, please make sure to check that the surfaces they will be walking on won't cause pain, discomfort, or serious problems.

Learn more about dog paw pads and how to take care of them in any weather, here: https://www.preventivevet.com/dogs/how-to-properly-care-for-your-dogs-paw-pads

07/04/2024

I love supporting adolescent pups!

ADOLESCENCE:
As dogs go through adolescence, it’s safe to say things turn a little topsy-turvy! 🙃

If you’re currently at this stage and feeling like you’ve taken one step forward and two steps back, don’t panic! During this stage of life, there’s a lot going on in their busy little brains.

Here are three facts about the adolescent brain 🧠👇

1. The inhibitory neurons of the amygdala that help to dampen down emotional responses don’t fully mature until the END of adolescence.

2. Communication between the frontal cortex and amygdala, which is essential for skills training, decreases during adolescence.

3. Extinction memory is impaired during adolescence, so if your dog has a bad experience it’s much more likely to lead to a ‘hard wired’ fear memory.

Have patience and compassion as you support and guide your dog through this vulnerable period of brain development.

12/03/2024

https://www.facebook.com/seespotlearn/posts/809631541172873

12/01/2024

The Seattle Freeze is game on this weekend! If you have a small or short coated dog absolutely do not take them for an outdoor walk and medium or large size dogs should be very cautious about how much time you spend outdoors. They trust us to keep them safe. Best to keep them indoors as much as possible.

10/11/2023

Frankie!

06/06/2023

The results are in! And thanks to my wonderful clients, I made the top trainer list in Seattle! Thank you to everyone who supported and continue to support Sound Connection Dog Training- woof!

https://www.sniffspot.com/blog/dog-trainers/washington

23/05/2023

Susan (left) and Robert (right) had their last in person session today as they are moving to New York next week! It’s been an absolute pleasure working with these two wonderful weenies and their parents and I am going to miss them all! Good thing I offer remote sessions 😉 Happy travels and continued training!

11/05/2023

Dog owners are even worse than non-dog owners at interpreting canine body language in interactions with children, according to research.

01/05/2023

Handsome Robert has been working on feeling more confident and comfortable when out and about in the world on walks. We’ve got your back little guy!

30/04/2023

Hey there, Delilah 💜

16/04/2023

This right here- this is a great reminder!

10/04/2023

Meet Willow! This wonderful senior girl is navigating how to feel comfortable around new people in her home as well as seeing dogs out and about on walks. I was so pleased to snap this adorable photo of her as we were wrapping up her reactivity long line lesson. So glad to have been welcomed into Willow’s trusted circle ❤️

21/03/2023

It’s been a few months in the making but through building connection, giving him choice, lowering anxiety and easing his pain, Dutch and I went on our first training walk together without his mom! Yay, Dutchie!

14/03/2023

Body language is so important to learn with our dogs especially when working through a training program. Check out this amazing break down video!

10/03/2023

Dodger is learning many things but the biggest tool has been how to file his own nails. Love this boy!

09/03/2023

Today is the last day to vote! No matter where you are located, please share your support!

Vote here: https://form.jotform.com/230583496723160

08/03/2023

Happy International Women’s Day!

To all my women colleagues- you are an inspiration! Teaching our community how to communicate clearly and without force to our beloved canine counterparts. Cheers to you!

And to all women, cause we rock!

And just a cute photo of loving on Bruni and Benny ❤️

05/03/2023

Meet Kobe the Bernedoodle! This lovely boy has found his forever family and over the past 6 months has learned so many things. From sharing resources with his humans as well as how to greet guests into the home. Every day we learn something new about Kobe and are appreciating how different he is from his sibling, Molly, the Labradoodle ❤️

04/03/2023

Support your fellow pet parents and their dogs ❤️

QUICK TIP!

If you’re out walking your dog and notice someone’s dog is barking and lunging at you, it’s a dog (and likely an owner) who are feeling an incredible amount of stress, anxiety and frustration in that moment. Your actions can make or break someone’s walk.

The best things you can do are:

1. Turn around and walk in a different direction.

2. Stop where you are and back yourself up to create more distance from the dog. This will help relieve any pressure the dog may be feeling and help them be able to disengage from you.

3. Stand behind a visual barrier if you can so the owner can get away with their dog.

The worst things you can do are:

1. Continue walking behind them and ignore the dogs signs of distress.

2. Walk faster toward them to attempt to pass them.

3. Stare at them.

4. Attempt to talk to them.

Remember, every dog has the right to go on a leashed walk. Being aware of yourself and your surroundings can really help someone who is struggling.

01/03/2023

Building connection and support with your dog starts with these!

28/02/2023

Meet Piper the Doberman mix! Isn’t she gorgeous!? She wanted a close up ❤️

28/02/2023

To all my wonderful clients, thank you for helping me be the best trainer I can be! You and your dogs inspire me every day to be even better and teach me more about the human canine bond.

I've been nominated as one of the best positive reinforcement trainers of 2023 through Sniffspot. Sniffspot is a wonderful business that has offered many of my client's and their dogs a safe space to play, train and just be themselves without the added pressures of our urban world. My boy, Spud, and I love Sniffspot and all that it has to offer!

To cast your vote to help me be listed on Sniffspot's top trainer list go here: https://www.sniffspot.com/blog/dog-trainers/contest?utm_source=trainer_contest

Here's to another amazing year of you and your dogs!

29/01/2023

This is Gus ❤️

Gus’ parents have been working diligently to support him through reactivity training these past few months and today he absolutely blew us all away with his skills and confidence while training with fellow training client and their pup. Way to go, Gus and fam!

17/01/2023

Meet Mack (more white on his face) and Jack the Bernedoodles!

29/11/2022

Spud absolutely LOVES the snow! Share photos of your pups enjoying the snow (or their preferred activity if they aren’t into it!) we love seeing your pups!

11/11/2022

Would you give your dog behavior medication? I’ve seen some incredible transformations when dogs were medicated for their chronic fear or anxiety.

24/07/2022

Management is key to success! Let me hear you say it in the back! Management is key to success!

14/07/2022

Laser pointers and dogs don’t mix!

“But my dog plays with a laser pointer, and he’s fine!”

I’m going to tell a story.

Years ago, I evaluated fairly young (under two) dog for their problems with light fixation. It was very severe- the glint of a ring off the floor, a camera flash, and so much more. Any flicker on a surface sent the dog into a frenzy.

Months prior, they played with their dog with a laser pointer. After one session, the dog paced and whined for over an hour after they put it away. After two sessions, the dog began light chasing, causing severe damage to their carpet, and they realized the huge mistake they made.

We set up some lessons. And days before their first lesson, they called to cancel. The dog had chased the reflection of car headlights across their living room and went straight through their large picture window. The dog did not survive its injuries.

The story is one that has haunted me for years, and while it’s the most extreme incident stemming from laser pointer play I’ve personally seen, it’s not remotely the only dog I’ve seen with severe issues from it.

In the wrong dog, playing with a laser pointer, flashlight, etc., can trigger behavioral problems shockingly fast in only a small handful of sessions.

“But my dog loves it!”

Your dog may love it, but make no mistake, that is a matter of luck and nothing else. There is no lack of great toys out there to play with your dog that don’t carry such extreme risk.

If I handed you a box of 100 dog treats, and said “your dog will love 99 of these treats, but one of them could cost him his life”, would you still give one to your dog?

Please do not expose your dog to laser lights or similar devices for play.

08/07/2022

All of this!!

I spend so much time working with people and their reactive or aggressive dogs, learning how to help them and work with them, but I also try to show people with NON reactive dogs learn how they can help them too. I truly believe if we work together as a collaborative society of dog lovers we can help every dog live their best life. Here are some things I try to teach every human and dog team, and I’ve actually found these are good preventative tools too.

1. Stop letting your dog have on leash greetings with other dogs. Even if they are friendly. Teach your dog when they are on leash you are the best thing they can focus on! This will minimize their conditioned excitement every time they see another dog and help them not pull, lunge or move towards a reactive dog who doesn’t want an interaction. Also, the more you do let your dog meet dogs on leash, the more frustrated and aroused your dog can get when they see them and then reactivity can develop. NO leash greetings all around is a much healthier way to teach your dog(s) that the world out there is great but you’re even better to focus on!

2. Silence your dogs tags. I started doing this a few years ago when we started camping. I realized that the jingling of my dogs tags walking was a huge trigger for many of the dogs in their campsite, and as a result, they would bark and scream profanity at my dogs walking. This made their walk stressful too. By minimizing the noise, I’ve greatly improved my dogs walks and I know I’ve also helped a lot of reactive dogs not get triggered for the umpteenth time that day.

3. Work on a bombproof recall. And then work on it some more. And then some more.

4. Only let your dog off leash in places that are allowed. Even if you think no one is there. Even if it’s just for a second. Just. Don’t. Do it. It’s not fair and it sets so many dogs and humans up to fail. Want a place to let your dog run? Look at Sniffspot.com

5. Respect muzzles, give me space vests, and people saying “no” It is super hard to take a reactive dog out in public and have confidence. The more we give space and respect the better these teams will do! Don’t make judgements or stare or insist on saying hello because you hope to be the exception. Just tell them they are doing a great job and keep going.

6. Don’t let your dog stare. This is a BIG one we work on in all our classes. We teach humans how to position their dogs so they don’t stare at other dogs. I work hard on teaching my dogs to not stare at other dogs on leash and you can too. This is more subtle than not leash greeting but it can be just as helpful. Teach your dog to acknowledge there’s a dog there, but then move on, or turn around and not face them. For many reactive dogs there is nothing more triggering than a goofy adolescent dog staring at them across the road. I swear they scream back “WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?!”

7. Confine and safely manage your dog in the car. Dogs hanging out of windows, barking and lunging in the backseat, or moving back and forth in the car are problematic because 1. It’s not safe and 2. It’s teaching THEM terrible behavior and 3. It’s very stressful for reactive dogs trying to walk down the road. My dogs are crated in the car; or tethered or use a calming cap to reduce their own stress and the stress of dogs that may walk past.

8. Offer to help. Ask the person what you can do to make it easier or help them? More space? Or moving back and forth? Or just continuing on your way. Some people struggle to find others with NON reactive dogs to practice with, so having help makes a big difference. Speak up if you see someone putting them down. Warn someone with an off leash dog that there’s a dog there that needs space. Help them the same at YOU would like it if it was you and your dog.

Reactive dogs are not broken: and they aren’t abnormal either. Reactivity honestly is now becoming more normal than NON reactive dogs, so we have to all work through this together. And it boils down to respect, understanding, courtesy and lots of reward based training.

We can do it gang.

-Helen St. Pierre