Loose Leash Dog

17/08/2023

After a lot of reflection I've decided to stop taking in person clients in Southern Maine indefinitely.

My little family and I are making some big life changes. We are packing up and heading out west! We have an Air BnB with a fenced yard that we will be staying in for several months while we prepare for our next adventure.

I'm so excited, but very sad to say good bye to all of the friends (human and canine) that I've made here. It definitely wasn't an easy decision, but my dog Junior recently got very sick and caused me to do a lot of reflection.

He is all better now, but while he was recovering I felt like I got a glimpse of what the future could be like. He's almost nine and a large breed. I'm happy to say that when I tell people he is nine they don't believe me, but he won't always have this energy. I want to take him on all the adventures I can while he still has the stamina to explore. Rosie of course will be coming!

This was a very difficult decision to make, but I know that I will never regret making the most of the time I have left with my dogs. Thank you to everyone that let me into your homes and trusted me with your wonderful dogs.

19/01/2023

What has your dog taught you?

01/01/2023

Jim and I are meeting up tomorrow to practice looking at dogs. Jim has done well with the stuffed dogs, so my dog Junior will be standing in.
When working with reactivity it's slow and steady that wins the race. We will be starting very far apart. We will be practicing engage/disengage, U-turns, pivots, and more. If we do it right it should be pretty boring!

01/01/2023

Willow worked very hard on walking in heel and building attention this week. When teaching a heel it's important to build it up slowly, but Willow is such a fast learner!
She's not always super food motivated so I use the environment when I can to reinforce her. She loves ice, so we walk around to her favorite icy spots and practice walking in heel near them, then I release her to sniff and dig at the ice as her reward. I can't believe she would prefer that over a piece of cheese, but who am I yuck her yum?
She has come a long way with her reactivity. She barked at two people this week (no lunging) and didn't bark at any dogs. She is tolerating people talking at us much better than she used to. As long as they aren't too close she doesn't normally say anything.
Her dad also let me know that her and her brother have been doing great with their off leash recalls! Way to go Willow! I'm so happy for you!
**omaine

01/01/2023

Happy New Year from Rosie! She tried, but just couldn't make it to midnight.

27/12/2022

27/12/2022

www.shakepaws.com

26/12/2022

Even though Crosby is deaf we still use marker training on our walks. A small shake of his leash is an attention cue and a thumbs up is his marker.

26/12/2022

Let's talk about training and reinforcement!
I use and teach marker training to communicate with dogs and to teach them behaviors. I mark the behavior I like and reinforce it by giving the dog something THEY like.
For reinforcements to work it must be something the dog ACTUALLY likes, not what we think or expect them to like.
Create a reinforcement list by listing all the things your dog actually likes and try to rate them in order of most valuable to least valuable. Anytime you give your dog something from this list take it as an opportunity to strengthen behaviors. Ask them for a behavior first, mark and give the reinforcement.
The list should have everything enjoyable on it, food items, toy items, play, praise, going outside, affection, etc. Most dog parents will find some sort of treat or food item will be at the top of the list, but not everyone will.
Willow is a great example of a dog whose top reinforcement value isn't food.
If you are a close friend of hers she loves praise, affection, and an opportunity to play with her flirt pole. Food would not be at the top of the list, and adding praise to food makes it exponentially more valuable.
However! If you are a stranger (like a vet) the last thing she wants is for you to talk to her at all, let alone touch her or try to play with her. In this situation affection, praise and play would now be aversive (if given by a stranger).
A stranger's best bet to make friends would be to be cooperative with Willow's trusted handler or if she were alone bring chicken nuggets.

26/12/2022

Almost every time I walk Cujo I get at least one compliment on how well he walks. When I tell people his name is Cujo, they always laugh because he does not behave like a Cujo at all.

26/12/2022

26/12/2022

How did your pups Christmas go!?!?

23/12/2022

Can't stress enough! If your dog can't walk on a loose leash inside, how can we expect them to do it outside?

Another Tuesday Tip!

A long hallway is a great place to practice leash skills. You can even practice in your own backyard!

I love practicing without a leash first in the house so you don't depend on it as a steering wheel. When outside, try using a longer leash. We want our pups to WANT to walk near us vs steering them along.

21/12/2022

Cujo is loving the snow and ice! I'm loving that he walks so politely so I can stay upright on all this ice😂

20/12/2022

Hello Fellow Dog Lovers!

My name is Emily. I'm a CPDT-KA certified dog trainer in Biddeford, Maine. I'm taking new clients for private training and group classes!

I love helping families learn to communicate with their dogs, how to walk on a loose leash, and how to achieve a reliable recall!

My Clicker Training Foundations class at the Animal Refuge League is now open for registration! You can view the class description and register here: https://arlgp.org/behavior-training/dog-training/

I'm also offering my Clicker Training Foundations class online! This class is ideal for dogs who can't participate in group classes due to reactivity. For more information about this class or private training please message me.
**omaine

18/12/2022

My friend Hank is finally cleared to resume training since his ACL surgery! This week we will be working building attention, stay, and introducing him to his new sister!

16/12/2022

Hello Everyone!

I've decided to postpone my online Marker Training Level 1 class. Several of you reached out expressing interest but wouldn't be able to fit it into your holiday schedule. The first class will now be Tuesday, January 10th at 6:00 PM. My group classes are normally $175, but since this is my first online session I'm offering a discounted price of $100.

This class is ideal for dogs or humans that get too overwhelmed to attend a in person group class. Every session will be recorded so you and your family can watch as many times as you need!

Check out the lessons we will cover and message me to secure your spot!

Marker Training Level 1 Syllabus
Week 1: Orientation. We will cover:
What is Marker Training?
Charging the Marker
Attention Cue
3 ways we can teach new behaviors
Week 2: 3 Ways to teach behavior intro exercises
Hand Target (intro to recall)
Target Stick
Week 3: Following a Target
Distance Hand Target (recall level 2)
Place/Bed
Week 4: Cues, visual vs verbal, when to add cues, and which one.
Sit
Down
Building attention around distractions.
Week 5: Polite walking
Stay
Week 6: Problem Solving unwanted behavior
Leave it
Drop it

15/12/2022

"Just a generation ago if you went near a dog when he was eating and the dog growled, somebody would say, 'Don't go near the dog when he's eating!, what are you crazy?'
Now the dog gets punished or put to sleep !

Back then, dogs were allowed to say, NO.
Dogs are not allowed to say no anymore!!!

They can't get freaked out, they can't be afraid, they can never signal 'I'd rather not.' We don't have any kind of nuance with regard to dogs expressing that they are uncomfortable, afraid, angry, or in pain, worried, or upset.
If the dog is anything other than completely sunny and goofy every second, he goes from a nice dog to an 'AGGRESSIVE' dog."
- Jean Donaldson

Listen to your dogs people, they are trying to communicate with you in the only way they can !

15/12/2022

09/12/2022

Jim has been improving so much with his reactivity! We recently practiced with my stuffed friend and he did really well. It also gave us some great information to work with.
We have also been practicing watching (from a distance) people get off the bus. He's been doing so well disengaging from triggers and engaging with the handler that we've been able to introduce a "go sniff" cue into the mix. Now when he does engage/disengage repetitions if we notice a lack of tension in his body we are cuing him to go sniff instead of doing an engage/disengage loop. I like this cue because sniffing helps our dogs relax. Sniffing also communicates more polite intentions than staring at another dog and can help deescalate if the other dog is stressed or reactive.
His parents are experienced with reactivity and are great at managing their expectations and making observations. They have recently made some amazing progress with having people come to the house! One day they took him to a Starbucks drive through and tried to train. He had some reactivity but they were able to manage the situation. I'm sure you know what's coming next. Jim got a pup cup 😄. They took him again a few days later and the car was silent. His parents took note of that and now when people come over they leave a tiny solo shot cup and can of whip cream outside the door. Jim is definitely starting to feel different about company coming over ❤️
Way to go with Jim and Family!!!

07/12/2022

I'm not much of a selfie taker, but when my best friend Junior wedges himself next to me for a rainy afternoon snuggle I couldn't resist ❤️

07/12/2022

Sephora has been doing great in her training! We work together several times a week. We've been working on polite walking, sit, down, stay, recall, and drop it. She's an enthusiastic learner, but is at a tricky age where she gets bored easily so we make sure to switch tasks when she starts getting frustrated.
**omaine

05/12/2022

Hello Everyone!

I'm excited to announce that I will be hosting Marker Training: Foundations online! I will be teaching the same curriculum as my in person classes, but tailored for the online experience.

For my first run through I'm offering a discounted price of $100 dollars. Classes will be held on Tuesday nights, starting on December 20. Time to be determined. There is max capacity of 6 dogs. You can see the syllabus below. Message me to reserve your spot and ask any questions in the comments below!

Marker Training: Foundations Syllabus

Week 1: Orientation. We will cover:
What is Marker Training?
Charging the Marker
Attention Cue
3 ways we can teach new behaviors

Week 2: 3 Ways to teach behavior intro exercises
Hand Target (intro to recall)
Target Stick

Week 3: Following a Target
Distance Hand Target (recall level 2)
Place/Bed

Week 4: Cues, visual vs verbal, when to add cues, and which one.
Sit
Down
Building attention around distractions.

Week 5: Polite walking
Stay

Week 6: Problem Solving unwanted behavior
Leave it
Drop it

20/09/2022

Teaching one of my favorite classes tonight! Clicker Training Foundations: Polite Walking

15/09/2022

You might have the best intentions but dogs aren't programmed to understand that.

Contrary to popular belief, they can't tell the good guys from the bad guys.

They can only guess if something is safe or unsafe. And even if it seems clear to you which is which, it may not be to the dog.

08/09/2022

I hope I love life as much as Crosby does when I'm his age ❤️
**omaine **o