Sue Thibedeau Companion Dog Training

19/01/2023

Sadly, well-meaning guardians are sometimes given outdated, dangerous advice to sequester their puppy inside until they've had all their vaccines.

This is not the most up-to-date advice from behavior professionals and vets who specialize in behavior, yet many vets, rescues and breeders still give this guidance.

Yes, your puppy can go out before all their vaccines. And if they don't, they're more likely to develop a fear of being outside.

If you've missed that critical window (3-16 weeks) and your dog seems afraid of the outside world, there are still ways to help them. Read more in this week's blog post: https://rescuedbytraining.com/2023/01/16/fear-of-outside/

23/06/2022

If you're putting your hands on your dog and doing so is stopping their behavior, this is most likely going to lead to fear of you and fear of your hands.

Tapping them on their nose for play biting, jabbing them in the neck with your hand or spanking their butt all are versions of hitting a dog. Some may seem less severe than others but if it's stopping the behavior, the dog finds it scary or painful.

When introducing something painful or scary, dogs will develop associations. They will develop associations with what is directly causing it but potentially other things in the environment. This means your dog is likely going to fear you and your hands. Fear is also easily generalized so it can lead to fear of others and fear of their hands.

What should you do? Focus on teaching your dog what you'd like them to do. There are lots of qualified trainers out there that can help! There are also lots of unqualified "trainers" out there who offer outdated advice like hitting your dog. Be sure to ask questions when interviewing trainers.

24/05/2022

20/04/2022

There are lots of trainers and pet owners out there that are still recommending the stick.

If you're looking for help, you can trust that we will only use the carrot.

We love the fact that we're able to help change behavior without having to hurt or scare dogs.

08/02/2022

Another great post on the role of management in eliminating problem behavior. This one by a brilliant colleague, Jessica Ring, owner of My Fantastic Friend.

Are there quick fixes for dog behavior problems? Check out my latest blog post!

https://www.myfantasticfriend.com/2022/02/08/quick-fixes/

08/02/2022

Using management to solve a problem is not cheating.

Let's talk about window barking and how to manage it!

Living on a busy street in Montreal, we are faced with the constant sight of dogs, people, deliveries.. you name it!

Any of which may cause my dog to react; sometimes multiple times per day or hour!

Window film has been a life saver for us, not only does it make cute rainbows on the floor 🌈 and allows the light it but it has stopped the barking!

Part of dog training is management and setting your dog up for success.

Looking out the window is not always enjoyable when faced with dogs or people they'd like to greet but don't have access to. As humans we can rationalize this but for dogs this barrier of seeing their friends having fun outside without the possibility of joining can be frustrating and stressful.

Window film can also be helpful for dogs who may find these triggers scary!

While window film is not the only thing you can do, it is a personal favorite of mine.

Other things include:

•limiting access to the window at rush hour

• keeping your dog busy while in that area

•teaching them to touch or recall away from the window

18/01/2022

I hope you'll enjoy this post by a very talented trainer and writer, Patricia McConnell and be inspired to work on something with your dog.

January has been designated “National Train Your Dog Month” by the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), and hey, why not? (Check out their free videos, by the way, good for them.) Those of us in the north of the northern hemisphere are getting cabin fever anyway, so why not think of ...

27/07/2021

I’m at my son’s soccer tournament… but WHERE are my dogs?
They’re NOT here.
What!??? Why!!???
You’d probably think as a dog trainer that my dogs would go everywhere with me, right?
Actually… no.. they don’t.
😳😳😳😳

So, why don’t they come?
Well - basically because they wouldn’t enjoy it - and that‘s #1 for me.

Cam would be too hot, and Zig would be SO stressed with all the people (and dogs) here. Helping him to ‘just cope’ would be a full-time job. So I respect him and don’t force it (even though I’d love to have a little buddy with me here).

If you want to help your pup in public- here are my 4 suggestions…

1. Definitely learn to read your dog’s signals to see how they enjoy being in different situations.

2. If you have a social butterfly that loves nothing more - enjoy! Just be sure you have enough hands to focus on your dog as well as the kids - it can be tricky!!

3. If you have more of a wallflower or pup that has a tough time on the social scene - that’s TOTALLY ok too! Don’t feel bad leaving them home with something fun/delicious to entertain them if you KNOW they wouldn’t dig it.

4. If you can - start young!! If you want a dog that LOVES to come to games, take them with you - make it fun, and feel free to call it quits when they’ve had enough. And when I’m doubt - call a certified +ve trainer to help you out.

01/06/2021

Here's some great advice from a Jackie Johnston, Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer on preparing dogs to be left alone again as life returns to "normal".

As the world starts to open back up, it's time to start thinking about how your dog might handle this sudden change in routine. Check out my blog on how to prepare your dog for alone time: https://www.believeinyour.dog/blog/preparing-your-dog-for-post-pandemic-alone-time