Play with a purpose
We see so many people struggle with getting their dogs to listening when the worlds gets more exciting, whether it's another dog they encounter on a walk or hike, or so wrapped up in playing that they've tuned out the world around them (includeing us)!
Here we have Cyrus practicing his impulse control as he hangs out in a down, while we throw his favorite ball, waiting for us to give him the green light before he can dart out and fetch it.
Not only that, but when he bring the ball back to us we use his "out" command to have him release the ball and disengage from it. This not only helps prevent conflict or resource guarding, as we are never taking anything from him, but even teaches him that the quicker he lets go of the ball, the quicker he gets to play again!
By integrating play into our training sessions this way, we get a faster and stronger "down" as well as "out" as he learns that the best shortcut for him getting what he wants (to play) is to listen to us!
The more we test our dogs against bigger and bigger controlled distractions, they better they'll do when we come across the tests real life throws our way!
Rainy days don’t have to be filled with dogs with plenty up energy getting into trouble as they search for an outlet.
Not only are tricks a great way to stimulate our dogs minds and bodies when we can’t be as active with them out and about, but they can be a pretty big help around the house!
Cyrus loves to fetch, even if it means grabbing me a drink from the fridge instead of a ball!
The best part? He even remembers to close the door!
What’s your favorite trick to do with your dog? Let us know down in the comments below!
Something we talk about all the time is Play With A Purpose and how we can training into our playtime!
Structured play is a great way to ensure our dogs still listen to us even when they’re really excited or distracted and a great way to role play for those big moments like seeing other dogs or critters when you’re hiking off leash!
Here’s Cyrus enjoying an afternoon workout while we mix up some obedience training into playtime with his favorite toy, ball on a rope!
How do you guys like to play with your pups? Tell us in the comments!
Today was our monthly pack-walk and boy did these guys have a blast!
With the warm weather other people were out in full force with their dogs able to help out and provide plenty of distraction for these pups!
We love our pack-walks as a great way to families to practice their training together. Not only is there strength in numbers where folks are much less likely to let their dogs (on-leash or otherwise!) from rushing up on our dogs, but it’s always easier for dogs to be calm and relaxed around other calm dogs!
So proud of all these pups and their great owners for doing such a great job and helping their dogs enjoy an even bigger world!
Walk Safely
We are always focused on the safety and success of our dogs when it comes to training. One of the things we are constantly doing when we are outside is watching other dogs, reading their body language and, most importantly, their leash.
While our dogs might be in a heel right by our side, we always want to keep in mind how long that other dog's leash might go, and make sure we're safely outside of that range.
Whether that other dog is friendly and overly excited or not, it doesn't take much for that explosion of excitement and arousal to become the wrong kind of explosion. Even two perfectly social and friendly dogs can end up in a scuffle when the leash is tight and the dogs get more frustrated, or scared and feel trapped.
Every dog has a line in the sand where it's Fight, Flight, Avoid or Accept. If they feel uncomfortable and feel like they can't leave, that's where we'll see a lot of dogs choose Fight as a way top advocate for themselves.
Instead, we advocate for them and create space so they learn they don't have to worry about that scary stuff. We keep other dogs away so they can relax and enjoy the walk. This helps them not only remain calm in the face of those bigger moments but put their faith and trust in us.
We see scary moments like these all the time when we're out in public, sometimes they turn out alright, and sometimes they end up a lot worse. Whether your dog struggles with fear, over-excitement or anything else, create space for your dog to make those moments where you have to pass by those challenging distractions that much easier. And, if you have a happy-go-lucky dog, give everyone else that same wide berth just the same. Your dog might be socialable and friendly, but you never know what someone else might be struggling with.
Have you had any struggles or close encounters like the ones Roxy braved during her field trip to Rockwood Hall? Share your story with us in the comments below!
Roxy Starts Her Recall Training
Roxy's halfway through her training now and she's already started to make some big changes! This little lady has a lot of energy, and can be pretty fiesty and independent when she's on a mission, whether it's because she sees a critter she wants to chase, or another dog that gets her riled up and excited.
Like most dogs, having a reliable recall is one of the most important skills Roxy can have. As Roxy's progressed through her training we've begun to challenge her more and more to listen and defer to us for guidance and direction by taking her on field trips to practice all of her training.
Here you can see us working on integrating her remote collar into her recall practice on-leash. The remote collar is a phenominal tool that allows us to communcate with our dogs at a distance much like how we use the leash to give them guidance in those moments she might struggle. While Roxy still has a long way to go, you can already see she's faster than the leash can help her and it wont be long before she doesn't need that safety-line at all!
Meet Josie!!!! This adorable little Golden Retriever puppy is certainly going places!
Her owners want to give her the best life they can and couldn’t wait to dive right into training!
In additional to all the games we are doing with Josie to give her proper exposure to all sorts of things and ensure she becomes a calm and confident adult, we also went over some games to lay the foundation of our ability to communicate with her and give her guidance when she struggles!
Here we are playing The Name Game with little Josie to lay then groundwork for all of her obedience training so that she can work for her food rather than trying to bribe her to behave!
We can use people as great distractions to play the name game to help Josie learn that people are good and give her good things, but nothing is as good as mom and dad and to come back when called. The first time, every time!
Stay tuned for more of Josie as she grows with us, this little gal is going places!!
We just had our first lesson with Samson!
This cute, high energy dude can be a little rough around the edges. While he certainly has no shortage of enthusiasm and excitement, it often leads to Samson being more uncertain and reactive, especially depending on how people respond to his behavior.
At three years old, Samson has been to a reactive rover class in the past. He still pulls on the walk, barks, growls and lunges at dogs, jumps on people, rushes the door and will bark and even growl at company on the rare occasion people even come over!
We jumped right in to teaching him the language of the leash, and introducing him to the place command. This will help form the foundation of all our training with him where he learns how to self-soothe, decompress and relax.
Stay tuned to watch Samson grow and thrive while we help build his confidence and teach him to slow down and relax so he can enjoy the world even more!
