Empower Dog Training

26/08/2021

Veterans are a step closer to receiving the mental health/medical care they deserve!

Rory Diamond, CEO of K9s for Warriors, says for the first time in American history, the VA can pay for service dogs for veterans with PTSD.

05/05/2021

Have you ever described your dog as hypervigilant? If so, give this podcast a listen! It happens to be by two of my favorite trainers, Hannah Branigan and Leslie McDevitt.

https://hannahbranigan.dog/podcast/135/?fbclid=IwAR3r2wpL-R4t0l4hjsZA1eMazBkCailD64MNbGYDXW7iVCPBA9sIy_I5cn0

Podcast #135: Helping Hypervigilant Dogs with Leslie McDevitt Drinking from the Toilet: Real Dogs, Real Training · #135: Helping Hypervigilant Dogs with Leslie McDevitt Guest: Leslie McDevitt Leslie McDevitt, MLA, CDBC, CPDT-KA, is the author of the internationally popular Control Unleashed series ...

04/05/2021

Unfortunately, it's not just "all about how you raise them". Breed sure isn't everything but it does matter. Did you know the corgis have been bred to herd cattle? That means they are meant to spend the day working physically and mentally. No wonder they get bored and destructive after a day home alone!

https://www.facebook.com/RotNDogTraining/photos/a.779707338747034/4185842564800144/

I cannot stress enough about researching a breed before you acquire the dog. Knowing WHY a certain breed was created in the first place can help you understand and prepare for specific behavior challenges that you may face in the future.

For example, this is Appa, a young Central Asian Shepherd (aka CAS). The CAS is a livestock guardian dog. They were bred for generations to protect livestock, such as sheep and goats, from predators. This means that they were selectively bred to accept “their circle” and nothing or no one else. In order to perform their job, they have to be observant of the environment and notice even the slightest of changes. Any CAS who failed at their job, would not be bred. Any CAS who succeeded at their job was bred to pass those genetic traits down. It is literally in their DNA - especially from breeding lines where the focus is still for working lines. You cannot remove or change genetics in a dog!

🧬

What does this mean for a CAS who is purchased solely as a pet? They will likely become protective of their home and yard, they will likely be wary or untrusting to strangers and other dogs, they may be hyper vigilant, and they may be more prone to resource guarding. Getting a CAS and expecting them to act like a golden retriever is a grave mistake. Early training and socialization is imperative, especially since they are usually 100lbs plus. Yet sometimes, you can do a ton of socialization as a puppy, and still end up with these genetic traits once they hit adulthood - around 3 years of age.

If you’d like to learn more about your chosen breed, or future breed, including what they were bred for and what behavior challenges you may face, I highly recommend the book “Meet Your Dog” by Kim Brophy.

Knowing your breed is the first step in responsible ownership.

03/05/2021

ALL DOGS ARE GOOD DOGS

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialShoebox/photos/a.85326341565/10154340332216566/

Guess that answers that question.

03/05/2021

⚠️⚠️NEW CLASS ALERT⚠️⚠️

Does your dog lunge and bark when he sees other dogs on walks? What about squirrels, bikes, or children playing? If so, this 10-week hybrid course might be perfect for you!

The course is a combination of private training (three hours of one-on-one instruction, customized training plans, and access to the trainer and exclusive content) and group classes (two mini-class sessions with only two dog-handler teams & four full-group class sessions with six teams) for real-world practice.

The course is $350. All sessions will be individually scheduled aside from the four full-group class sessions in Ferndale, MI on Thursdays at 7:30pm.

To learn more or sign up, click here: https://www.empowerdogtraining.com/hybrid-group-class

If you are interested in the course but are unable to register at this time, please click here to take a survey so I can best accommodate you: https://forms.gle/44ZNEz2zXZmiu2BB8

Photo of Mr. Darcy on his perch for tax:

01/05/2021

And finally, part 3! If dog breeds were people:

https://www.tiktok.com//video/6954487570776575237

jonny devaney () has created a short video on TikTok with music original sound. | If dog breeds were people part 3! | German Shepherd | If dog breeds were people pt 3 | Bernese Mountain Dog | ...

29/04/2021

YES PLEASE

28/04/2021

There's a part two! If dog breeds were people:

https://www.tiktok.com//video/6954356615843712262

jonny devaney () has created a short video on TikTok with music original sound. | Reply to | Samoyed | If dog breeds were people pt 2 | Great Dane | ...

27/04/2021

It pays to be to be patient, structured, and positive with your training. Just look at how much progress was made here!

https://fb.watch/55PnU1F8V9/

26/04/2021

If dog breeds were people - part 1

https://www.tiktok.com//video/6954100043574021

24/03/2021

I know it's already bolded in the graphic below but I'll say it again: PUPPIES ARE A LOT OF HARD WORK

Today is
Puppies are adorable, but they're a lot of hard work.

Puppies require 18-20 hours/day to sleep as they're developing. They easily tire out or become overstimulated. If your puppy becomes overstimulated or doesn't have enough sleep they will increase mouthing behaviours, which they also do as they're teething and exploring the world. Puppies aren't being naughty when they mouth/nip, it is a normal behaviour that indicates that they're not comfortable, being mishandled, are overtired, are unable to think (over the threshold), overstimulated, their gums hurt from teething and so much more.

Toilet training needs to be a consistent routine. A puppy's bladder is not yet fully developed, and what goes in always goes out and fast!!

According to a 2019 PDSA study on dogs and exercise, puppies need 5 minutes of exercise per month of age twice a day. So 1 month = 5 minutes 2x= 10 minutes.
https://www.pdsa.org.uk/taking-care-of-your-pet/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/exercising-your-puppy

Too much exercise as a puppy can lead to joint damage. Provide your puppy with enrichment sessions as outlets and also to create positive associations to different textures, sounds and objects that they'll experience as they age.

Puppies need training to learn calmness, leash work and alternative behaviours that maybe we don't find appropriate like jumping and to help them with handling for future life situations like grooming and the vet.

Puppies are wonderful, adorable and cute but are oh so much hard work. If you have a new puppy and need to learn the foundations, check out our Puppy Power courses online or in-person!

22/03/2021

Sure it takes education and it takes practice but you don't need to be an expert or a pro to do the following and see results. Try it out!

https://www.facebook.com/LewisNichollsDogTraining/posts/2873076089647930

20/03/2021

🐩SPOILING YOUR DOG🐩

Let's talk about what that really looks like...

Some of you may recognize these graphics but now that I have some new followers AND have the accessible version available, I'm bringing this back.

https://www.facebook.com/110268407190660/posts/163584865192347/?sfnsn=mo

Accessible version on blog: https://www.empowerdogtraining.com/post/what-does-spoiling-a-dog-really-look-like

19/03/2021

Let's be real, I know a lot of you - myself included - could benefit from this! Just because you love dogs and don't mind jumping, doesn't mean your friends feel the same way. Especially with muddy paws involved! Don't worry I need to train my own pup so I'll be creating some videos to help you all out with hyper greeters soon!

https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/blog/hyper-greeters-dealing-with-dogs-who-jump-up-extreme-edition?fbclid=IwAR2_IZx2J-oJqr4SgES5rsQ3FYAFeDiYjgW46gEB-fWF0L5zqlzbTlVutw8

Some dogs don't show normal, thinking behavior patterns when they are in the presence of new people, because they are "hyper greeters." In the presence of new people, they go over threshold.

18/03/2021

Do you have a dog that lunges, whines, and/or barks, when seeing other dogs (or squirrels, kids, or strangers) while on walks? If so, your dog may be reactive. This is something we can work on!

I will be posting some content in the upcoming weeks to give you some ideas on how to help your dog. In the meantime,

Here are some exercise alternatives when you just don't want to deal with the stress of a walk and neither does your dog:
https://www.k9turbotraining.com/post/10-exercise-alternatives-for-reactive-dogs?fbclid=IwAR16cL-yXW9xJKQPAc2MNEc2mJdzdLM5U7mIFgpBAsMZ0I-bHhqr3PB1KFM

Here are a couple of low-cost courses that will teach you the most useful skills when dealing with reactivity:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pattern-games-in-urban-environments-tickets-146488016601?aff=efbneb&fbclid=IwAR3QMGb_TKaBUUu34ho9fFomVkMyhLsF1IG4FXnSjCKqNKiWIu0xWxCpskI

Instead of going on neighborhood walks with our reactive dogs, we recommend these 10 alternative forms of physical and mental exercise! 1. Enrichment walks Take your dog on leash to a new place, such as a field or the woods, where there are no other people or dogs around and let them explore. Allow....

16/03/2021

Touch is one of the most underrated behaviors you can teach your dog. It has so many possible uses in everyday life!

If you have any other ideas on ways you can use “touch” please comment below. If you end up teaching your dog, I’d love to see a video in the comments too!

Warning: The video below may be small on mobile.

On my website, I have a blog post where I go into more details on why it is useful, have longer videos, and teach HOW to train the behavior!

The blog post also has larger videos and a transcript of everything in this video for accessibility.

https://www.empowerdogtraining.com/post/touch-nose-target-fun-new-behavior-to-teach-dog-how-to-and-why

09/10/2020

08/07/2020

If your boss told you he would stop paying you, would you keep showing up to work? Would you continue to show up on time and put in 100%? Sure, we all volunteer from time to time but none of us like to work for free. Neither do our dogs. Find what is reinforcing to your dog and provide that.

When you call your dog to you, she is going to think of the rewards that came with that word (probably "come") in the past. If she knows there's a good chance she'll get something out of it, she'll gamble. She'll run back to you. If she thinks "come" = "the fun is over" then it is unlikely she will listen. Minimize the risk. Reward your dog.

06/07/2020

Watch this video and enjoy the cuteness that is Jahi. Then, watch it again and listen to the way Kyla says "touch". Can you hear that she almost sounds the exact same every single time? It's incredible!

Dogs do not understand English. Dogs understand our cues. Being sure that our cues are performed consistently is critical if we want a consistent response to our cues.

There's a reason Kyla's training business is called ACUITI. Check out her page for more great content and more Jahi cuteness.

06/07/2020

If you don't want your dog to bolt out the door whenever it opens, you can teach her to back up or go to her crate when the door opens. If you don't want your dog to jump on guests, you can teach her to sit nicely. If you don't want your dog to bark you can teach her to grab a toy instead. Our dogs don't understand English and they certainly are not mind readers. Let's help them and teach them what we want them to do.

03/07/2020

Day 4: Another easy and free way to feed your dog. All you need is a towel!

Note: If your pup is likely to destroy fabric and you would not like this behavior, this is not the toy for your pup. Additionally, if you decide to allow play, your pup should be supervised at all times during use to prevent ingestion.

02/07/2020

This one is simple and free!

Note: If your pup is likely to destroy cardboard and you would not like this behavior, this is not the toy for your pup. Additionally, if you decide to allow play, your pup should be supervised at all times during use to prevent ingestion.

30/06/2020

The perfect activity for your dog while you are watching TV or trying to get a workout in!

29/06/2020

Do you have a dog that seems to never run out of energy? Remember, mental stimulation is just as important as physical exercise! This week, I will be posting toy demo videos with various interactive toys - both homemade and storebought. Today's post demonstrates how to fill and use the Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff Snoop toy.

PS - I recommend enriching feeding as a supplement to physical exercise, not a replacement. I also suggest teaching dogs how to relax and will demonstrate that in future videos.

26/06/2020

17/06/2020

Independence day is coming up and summer is generally a time for fireworks and other loud noises. Due to this, there is typically a significant increase of runaway dogs on and after Independence Day.

Even if your dog couldn't care less about fireworks, the fear can still develop later in life. Fortunately, there are steps you can take now to prevent that fear from developing.

Below are several resources to help your dog with stressful sounds. You can also create a personalized training plan with the help of a qualified trainer.

https://www.patriciamcconnell.com/theotherendoftheleash/things-that-go-boom-in-the-night?fbclid=IwAR3nrD08gpi6GQx060Dhbf7PnDEiDLY-X8UCybigBr2n7XICVgmkIbYQuBM

https://illis.se/en/eliminating-firework-and-thunder-phobia-in-dogs/

https://positively.com/dog-wellness/dog-enrichment/music-for-dogs/canine-noise-phobia-series/?fbclid=IwAR3VvPaMKpnQH81IwTlrTZ_q5dq7cjXqGk1jd87ZOA8ASwW6ysVNSm0neJQ

04/06/2020

If you are active in the dog world, here are some tips on becoming a better ally. Even if you don't participate in dog sports or take your pup to any classes, this can be helpful for white people in general.

The article says it best but the main points are important enough to read twice: listen, show up, increase visibility, increase opportunities, and pay for services.

I am often the only person of colour at a dog show, or trial. Have you ever wondered what that’s like? There has been some conflict recently in a dog training community that I consider myself…

18/05/2020

A more accessible version compatible with screen readers will be available on my website soon. In the meantime, please contact me if you would like an accessible version of this information.

12/05/2020

08/05/2020

In my training to become a certified professional dog trainer, I learned that it helps to think of our dogs as a little more like humans. This information shouldn't be just for trainers though. It is important for anyone living alongside dogs to understand their body language. Dogs are frequently communicating even when we may not know it.

Put it this way, if some stranger is standing too close to me and I don't like it, I may start by looking away (when you see the whites of your dog's eyes or other signals like lip licking) to see if the person would take the hint. If the stranger didn't take the hint, I would probably say something like, "Please move away" (dog growling). Lastly, if the person was still in my space, I would try to leave and if I was up against a wall I would potentially have to yell (snap) or push the person away (bite).

If we miss all the initial signs that our dog is uncomfortable in the first place, that is a problem. If we punish our dog for growling, we're taking away their voice. Dog bites almost never come out of nowhere. Let's listen to our dogs and keep them safe so they don't have to try to do it on their own.

27/04/2020

If you wouldn't bet at least $100 that your dog will still come to you when in the same field as an army of deer with burgers strapped to their antlers, please keep your dog on a leash. It can be a long leash - just be sure to have control of your dog at all times.

16/04/2020

UPDATE: I am resuming in-person training with precautions. Virtual training is still available.

Due to the virus, I am not training in client's homes at this time. However, I am offering virtual training sessions that are just as effective, if not more effective, for many behavioral issues! Please reach out if you are interested in a consultation. Limited scholarships are available each month for those who cannot afford full-priced services.

*WEBSITE COMING SOON*

15/04/2020

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now." - Chinese Proverb.

It's never too late to help your dog reach her full potential.

The image reads: "Saying your dog doesn't listen just because... ...is like saying your car doesn't drive just because. Your car might be lacking gas. Your dog might be lacking repetition and reinforcement history. Don't complain - train." It has a black and white Border Collie and the logo for SPIRIT DOG Training.

02/04/2020

I challenge you on your next walk to not only allow your dog to sniff, but encourage it!

There are other ways to encourage sniffing outside of walks too! For example,
-Scatter your dog's kibble in the grass
-Hide your dog's kibble in a rolled up or folded towel

Can you think of any other ways to encourage sniffing?