🐶Here is my formerly very #fearfuldog Letty’s newest Expert trick “Hoop Jump Over Back.”
When working with fear, it’s helpful to work on calming activities and behaviors AND confidence building fun behaviors.
🤸For many dogs, tricks=fun!
Having fun and exciting behaviors with a history of #positivereinforcement gives a dog something to do so they don’t notice things in the environment that might make them nervous.
😀 Teach your dog some tricks today!!
#chicagodogtrainer #chicagodogtraining #trickstraining
MONTHS AGO I shared a video of our work in progress on this expert trick “Roll Yourself in a Blanket.” We now consider it done!
🤔 Tricks like this are called “behavior chains” - several behaviors chained together with no other reinforcements or cues given during the chain.
🐕🦺 Service dogs perform chains all the time - like going to retrieve something for their owners.
👩🏫 We often teach chains BACKWARDS. Why? So that the last behavior has the longest history of being positively reinforced. If you get paid $5 to wave, $6 to clap your hands, and $10 to pump your fist, the best sequence to ensure you will complete all three is Wave - Clap - Pump.
📋 This chain was: Go to target (blanket), Down, Take It - blanket corner with her mouth, Rollover while still holding the blanket, Stay in Down.
‼️ One extra training challenge was teaching Letty to hold something in her mouth while performing other behaviors. She would often grab the blanket but then release for the Rollover.
🐾🏆 Out of context I had Letty hold a variety of different objects (Take It) and then do very reliable behaviors like Sit. Spin, Down, and Beg. This is called generalizing a behavior.
⏰ A HUGE factor in teaching more advanced behaviors is the timing of your click or marker. It took time to build duration in Letty’s Take It of the blanket corner.
🐶 These tricks also build on a long history of learning other tricks and behaviors!
🏆😄 Training behavior chains teaches you the human learner so much about training your dog!
❓What is you and your dog’s favorite show off behavior? Share in the comments!
#chicagodogtrainer #chicagodogtraining #positivereinforcementdogtraining #tricksfordogs #dogfun
We celebrate our #rescuedogs every day but let’s give them an extra special shout out today!
❤️ The dogs you see here all were adopted from shelters, or otherwise rescued. Some came from puppy mills, some were puppies from unwanted litters. Many were living in rural Southern states, some were given up my families who fell onto very hard times and made the painful decision to relinquish their pet.
🫶 ALL of them are trainable, loving dogs who have brought their families joy and happiness. As a trainer seeing the potential unleashed that had laid hidden inside a dog who was undersocialized or overwhelmed by #bigcitylife is why I do what I do. It’s such a great feeling.
I love all the dogs and all their wonderful families but today is for the rescue pups!! Consider donating to a rescue, signing up to volunteer, or just hanging out with a friend’s rescue dog.
#shelterdogsrock #shelterdogsrule #positivereinforcementdogtraining #chicagodogtrainer
Thank you, @goddessgrocer, for the decadent Pup Cup!! We hit the one in Bucktown with a convenient walk up window.
🍀☺️ How lucky am I to work with Team Tank!!
‼️❣️He is proof that old dogs can absolutely learn new tricks!
🥗 And his favorite treat? BRUSSELS SPROUTS!!
At 13 years young, he is incredibly engaged in training, learns fast, and is making great progress each and every week.
#chicagodogtrainer #chicagodogtraining #blinddogtraining #positivereinforcementdogtraining
Easy, relatively inexpensive, DIY #CanineEnrichment activity with scavenging and scentwork!
Let’s talk Targeting!🎯
Trainers use this technique to move part of or all of a dog’s body 🐕 in #forcefreedogtraining.
It’s also a great tool for building confidence 🤗 and body awareness.
My pal Nisa had zero choices and was forced to live walked away in a puppy mill before she was rescued by @pawschicago and then adopted by her new family.
🐾 She is finally taking her first steps in a life with choices - but also a life filled with numerable sights 👀, sounds 👂🏻, smells 👃, and surface is to walk on.
🗓️ In just a couple months Nisa has become bold enough to nose target hands, her leash and harness, and other objects. She’s also also habituated to many different surfaces with her paws.
🥳🎉👏🏻 Way to go, Team Nisa! We are so proud of you!
#chicagodogtrainer #puppymillsurvivor #positivereinforcementdogtraining #fearfuldogtraining
Teaching your fearful or reactive dog to “Get Behind” is great way to diffuse a situation. We need to let our fearful dogs know we can keep them safe in any situation.
Beating the winter blues with your darn good dog!
HOW TO HAVE FUN WITH FIDO RIGHT NOW (it can be done!)
🥶 Using our time indoors to work out our dog's brain and body is the cure to you and your dog's cabin fever! There are sooo many #dogtricks to try - before you know it, you'll be having even more fun than your darn good dog!
🤹♀️Need more ideas? Sign up for our newsletter for free training tips from our trainers - email us at [email protected].
HOW TO HAVE FUN WITH FIDO RIGHT NOW (it can be done!)
🥶 Using our time indoors to work out our dog's brain and body is the cure to you and your dog's cabin fever! There are sooo many #dogtricks to try - before you know it, you'll be having even more fun than your darn good dog!
🤹♀️Need more ideas? Sign up for our newsletter for free training tips from our trainers - email us at [email protected].
#chicagodogtrainer #chicagodogtraining #canineenrichment #indoordogactivities
Roll Herself in a Blanket - a real achievement for a #bodysensitivedog!
History: Letty loves Rollover, and is great at Take It.
How I broke it down:
1) Letty does many Rollovers on that particular blanket, which is very lightweight AND doesn’t produce static cling (dogs don’t like getting electrocuted during tricks!)
2) Attach a toy she has a history of taking on cue to the edge of the blanket with a rubber band and btw her used to holding it for varying durations.
3) Teach Letty to do various other trick while holding an object in her mouth. I used a doggie dumbbell, a couple different toys, and a knotted up kerchief. I would ask for Sit, Spin, Table, Down, Beg, Stand, Paw Touches, etc. if she dropped the item, I just took a break and then we tried again.
4) A terrific trainer on YouTube (I can’t remember who but if I do, I will give credit!) suggested getting the dog used to the fabric going over them as they rolled by the handler lightly throwing it over the dog as they do the Rollover. I used very #highvaluetreats to reinforce this.
5) I built a good Play Dead while holding the object in her mouth. Letty’s Play Dead has a long and strongly reinforced history. Again, if she dropped the object, I took a break and withheld reinforcement.
6) I also used some Wait cues at times while she held object to ensure she didn’t just drop it. This is the weakest part of the behavior that we will keep working on.
Teaching tricks teaches ME so much of how to improve my own training skills. You know 100% if the dog is struggling or not getting it, you need to look at YOUR training plan and make some changes.
I’d love to teach you and your darn good dog fun stuff like Letty’s chihuahua-stuffed burrito trick!
Sign up for my Trick Dog Training class, Tuesday at 7:30, starting January 8!
Link is in bio.
#trickdog #tricksfordogs #positivereinforcementdogtraining #chicagodogtrainer
#chicagodogtraining
Pre holidays gift: preparing your body sensitive dog for dog sitters and walkers!
The whole process of putting a harness on a body sensitive dog by a relative stranger, or for the first time a dog has had a sitter or dog walker can be really stressful for both the handler and the dog.
A client asked me for help getting their body sensitive small dog acclimated to the process: I was fortunate that I just happen to have a similar dog right here at home!
I created three “alert” cues to give the dog information about what was to happen next. Each cue was taught with positive reinforcement and and consent: if the dog showed any signs of stress, I immediately stopped the process.
You will probably still see some nervous little body language cues from my Letty if you are observant. She has a long history of under socialization and body sensitivity. I know her well though, and can detect when she is still willing to go forward, even in the presence of such indicators.
I added some of her favorite behaviors for her to do while we were working, such as High Five and Touch to further increase the amount of positive associations with a handler and a harness near her body.
#Smalldogs often feel more stress in these situations just because they are smaller! That’s why I used a #klimb platform to raise Letty up to decrease the distance between us.
It also makes it easier and safer for the handler to to move away if the dog’s stress starts to escalate quickly.
Letty has strong Sit, Stay, Wait, Stand, and Up behaviors which helped. Not everyone needs all these cues in place before working on this acclimation process.
Best part about this training? To reach to the success you see in the video, it just took one evening of a handful of mini sessions!
*Letty has not typically worn a harness much in the past before making this video.
Questions? Shoot me a DM or schedule a free phone consult with us by heading to our website. Link in bio.
#chicagodogtrainer #positi
Shhhh! Don’t tell the dogs we didn’t stay under threshold at the #aidc23 Cocktail Party!
@michaelshikashio @npo_caawt #dogtrainersrock #positivedogtrainer #cooperativecaretraining #chicagodogtrainer
We are in 🐶 💝 with our photos from last Friday’s shoot with @mlukasmedia!! He’s ridiculously talented, sweet, fun, generous, and popular with the dogs!
DGDC has a tremendous support system in Chicago and we have to thank @mygirldogdottie @michelemc13 @brookchelle @kristynsays @kwk1639 @felvlife for bringing their gorgeous dog models Brooklyn, Churchill, Dottie, Letty, Manny, and Michelle to the lakefront bright and early.
@bokehliciousness @jlhdogtrainer @joanmariedauber @tobyletty312
#chicagodogtrainer #chicagodogtraining #looseleashwalking #perfectsits #durationdogtraining #chicagodogs #chicagorescuedogs #reactivitytraining #separationanxietytraining
What can you do to build your puppy’s confidence while also helping him to relax with all the buzz of a big city around him?
As an #urbandogtraining pro, I like to say, “the city is your dog’s parkour course!”
In this video I use #handtarget skills to move Levi on an upside down feed bowl plus an uneven stone garden border. You can see after the 3rd attempt, Levi’s tail wags increase with his success!
After a nice break I pulled out his Magic Mat and we both settled down for several minutes. To help him remain relaxed, I did some nice #dogmassage and practiced audible #deepbreathing. Ahhhhh…..a relaxed pup is a happy pup!
You can use carpets, yoga mats, bricks, books, and more as surfaces for your puppy to navigate.
If your puppy shows signs of stress, always take a break and take it slower, reinforcing any engagement with the new surface, even if it’s just looking at it or sniffing it.
BONUS BENEFIT! Great work for the core 😀🐶🏋️♀️
#puppytraining #chicagodogtrainer #positivedogtrainer #privatedogtraining #inhomedogtraining
Levi started Day Training with me only two weeks ago at a little over 3 months old and already has a fast automatic down on his “Magic Mat” - a towel I’ve created high value in for Levi. When he sees it come out, he trots right over to it and lies down!
This is part of training a puppy to settle - a skill I often see lacking in adult dogs. The good news is that it’s never to late to train this behavior!
How did Levi learn this so quickly? Well with Day Training I come in twice a week to train your dog and then we have a Transfer Session at the end of the week when YOU learn how to keep this darn good dog progress on the right path.
Progress is quicker with Day Training and is great for the busy dog parent and for those who have urgent goals to achieve.
Day Training clients also get two Follow Up sessions after the main 4 or 5 week training package is complete.
Have questions about Day Training? Send us a DM or click on link in bio to fill out the website form.
#chicagodogtrainer #chicagodogtraining #chicagopuppytraining #positivereinforcementdogtraining #trainingcalm
Jordi’s first time with the @blue9petproducts Klimb platform. I mean - what confidence!! I love using the Klimb for building duration and distance for stationary behaviors like Sit. I also love challenging the dog’s agility by guiding them to spin and perform other tricks.
Jordi is a 5 month old Bernedoodle who started training 6 weeks ago and is crushing it. His parents are very committed: they’ve put in the time so Jordi will grow up to be a darn good dog when they move out of state. I’m so honored they chose me to help them start their training journey with Jordi.
Got your hands full with a very smart but also VERY energetic pup? I’d love to help! Link in bio to fill out the website contact form or email me at [email protected]!
#puppytraining #bernedoodle #obediencetraining #housetraining #cratetraining #chicagodogtrainer #chicagodogtraining
Fun with darn good small dogs!
