Meet Stompy! A typical, spicy chihuahua who does not like strangers. Additionally, Stompy is not a fan of his ears being touched, even by his owner. This combination means getting Stompy to a vet appointment while keeping everyone safe is quite challenging. Sessions with Stompy consist of muzzle training in a more unique fashion. Here we created a system that allows his handler to use two hands to help Stompy acclimate to not only the muzzle, but also seeing and feeling hands above and around his head and sensitive ears. Stompy and his handler are doing phenomenal. We always want to muzzle train at the dog’s pace, not our own. We also want the muzzle and all training to be a pleasant experience for the dog!
Sometimes (a lot of times!) training involves thinking outside of the box to help owners reach their goals. This system is simply a tamper with a muzzle zip tied to it! We could have specifically built something for this but I personally find that the easier you make the process the more likely you are to practice and be successful. Check the comments for a few more videos of Stompy’s progress as well as his recall away from a distraction. In this case, peanut butter!
Edit to add: Stompy’s muzzle is currently too big. We are waiting on a better fitting model!
2023 was a great year for DK9. I am incredibly humbled and honored to have had the opportunity to work with so many amazing dogs and owners!
Proud is an understatement for how I feel about Zuess and his owners! Zuess is an extremely nervous dog and his owners wanted to be proactive in ensuring Zuess’ safety. This is our second round of training sessions together. Basic obedience was a focus in the first round. This time, muzzle training was a major focus. This was our last session and as you can see Zuess is happily wearing his muzzle! We’re not totally at the final phase of wearing it out and about comfortably but we’re close. Additionally, putting the muzzle on is something Zuess does voluntarily (see video in comments)! This is not a training process you rush. Every dog is different with muzzle training and handlers should always go at a pace that’s comfortable for the dog; rushing can result in slowing the acclimating process and generate an aversion to the muzzle.
There are many reasons a dog may need a muzzle. It’s not always due to aggression. To learn and see more dogs living their best lives with the aid of a muzzle check out The Muzzle Up Project
Puppy class started today on #nationalloveyourpetday and what could be more fun?!❤️
Take a look at this! Dodge is a rat terrier that had a very low tolerance for visitors and could be pretty reactive towards them, i.e. barking, growling, showing those pearly whites, etc. We’re a little over half-way through our training and I’m floored with not only the progress Dodge has made but also by the dedication his owners have towards his training.
What many people and owners don’t realize is that what often causes a dog to be reactive towards visitors starts before the visitors actually walk through the door. I usually call these triggers. These triggers might be the doorbell ringing, car doors shutting outside, knocks on the door, or excitement in one’s voice when answering the door. The list is unique to each dog and household. For Dodge, we discussed what his triggers are and started our plan with learning same basic obedience commands such as target and station (a safe place). We played engage/disengage games so Dodge could learn how to properly interact with things that make him nervous, we worked on remaining calm through his triggers, and we discussed being an advocate for his feelings. Dodge is not a dog that always enjoys new people approaching him for pets and that is absolutely okay and should be something we respect for any dog.
We have already learned to remain calm and quite while knocking on the door. Now we’re taking his training a step further. In this video, we are turning the noise of knocking into an audio cue for Dodge to go to his safe place. His safe place provides multiple benefits. It’s associated with treats so it’s not only safe but fun! It’s also away from the door to create distance to aid in remaining calm when guests arrive and for guests to feel more comfortable that the dog is not right in front of them growling and barking when they walk inside. Dodge is advancing beautifully❤️.
I took quite a number of videos of Lucy but this is one of my favorites! Lucy has learned that when Mom stops during a walk, that’s a visual cue for her to sit. No verbal command needed! Then, Mom is able to smoothly transition into a stay right away. Bravo!
Wally has a wonderful “leave it”, a great tool to use to prevent your dog from going near something dangerous or just something you don’t want your dog to have. In this video, Wally was able to ignore his favorite toy, the ball, even when it was bouncing right next to him! You can see how badly Wally wants to get the ball but he held back. Working on this command starts with working with objects the dog already shows little interest in, and then working towards those that might be a dog’s favorite. It takes patience and practice!
All sessions have been canceled for this evening! We hope you were able to enjoy the snow as much as my crew did!
Also, a little bit of a teaching moment here with this video. I often get clients that send me videos of their dogs playing and asking if it’s too rough. It’s always a case by case situation but many times if the play is mutual, both dogs are just fine. You can see how rough Axel and Daphne get with one another but their body language shows that it’s a friendly, mutual play!
Cyphus probably ranks in the top 5 for most improved dogs I’ve ever worked with. In his first session, he pulled so bad his owner had to hold on to something to keep him from dragging her down. She even had shoulder pains. Take a look at him now! It’s a huge improvement! He even aced the trust exercise and staying while his owner walks around him. His owner should be proud of herself and of Cyphus. They both did an amazing job!
