Bark-Talk Dog Training

01/09/2025

YIP OF THE WEEK:
Tips for when you encounter a Reactive Dog...

Taking your dog for a nice walk to a park, store or restaurant is good for both of you. BUT, it can become really stressful when encountering another dog that exhibits aggressive or reactive behavior. It causes both you and your dog to become anxious and stressed which may lead to your dog developing behavior/reactivity issues.

Things to do:
-Catch your dog being good!!! Reward the check-ins with you.. when he looks at you. Reinforce in all sorts of situations and environments.
-If need be, do a U-turn or move to the side. Create distance. Calmly. "Let's go this way!" in a happy voice. Try to keep the leash loose and yourself calm or your dog will feel your anxiety. Find whatever distance you need for you and your dog to remain calm while watching what's going on around you.
-It's not always a good thing to let your dog meet every person or dog you encounter. Training them to disinterested and keeping focus on you (not everything going by) is key.

26/08/2025

Happy National Dog Day! ❤️🐶

24/08/2025

10/08/2025

YIP OF THE WEEK:

Is Your Dog Going Through Adolescence?

Like teenagers, some dogs will have a noticeable change of behavior between 6-24 months of age. They may start to act out, not listen as well or show more independence. Physical and hormonal changes may make them misbehave...chewing things, barking, not listening, backsliding on training. Oftentimes it can be due to frustration and boredom.
What to do?
-Catch them being good! Reinforce desired, appropriate behaviors.
-Continue to have lots of snuggle time if/when your dog wants to be affectionate. You may notice more independence and less snuggling. Don't force it if he's a little aloof.
-Play and have fun together...walks, fetch, sniffing, play hide and seek, find it, do some training, mental exercise.
-Continue to have social interactions with other dogs and people.

Not all dogs have this change in behavior but if it happens, don't take it personally. It's just a phase.

02/08/2025

YIP OF THE WEEK:

Is Leash Pulling a Problem?
It's not necessarily the dog...it might be you! If your dog pulls, fixates on something (another dog, person, squirrel, deer) you might then fixate on your dog's pulling and pull back against him even harder. You won't win this battle and by doing this you're definitely not teaching your dog to walk calmly with his attention on you.
-Pulling your dog back encourages your dog to pull even harder against you.
-Jerking the leash may even cause injury.

What to do?
-Teach your dog to keep attention on you...a solid "look or watch me" is critical to your relationship with your dog. You want him checking in to make sure you're doing ok and he's doing ok. His focus on the walk, even though he's enjoying the world- all the smells, sights and sounds- should be on you.
-Teach him how to disengage from something he's reacting to.
-Take him out to just watch the world without any concerns.
-Let him have time to just be a dog and sniff on a loose leash.
-Keep a loose leash on your walk. A tight leash signals directly to him that you're anxious and he becomes more nervous or reactive.

It may take a lot of time and patience but you and your dog can learn to enjoy walks together.

26/07/2025

YIP OF THE WEEK:

HEAT STROKE DANGER!!

Heat stroke in dogs (and humans) is a life threatening condition that can happen VERY quickly. It often leads to severe organ damage and death.
Dogs wear a fur coat so with all this high heat and humidity, if you're extremely uncomfortable outside your dog will be suffering even more. So, if you're thinking of just a quick little walk or run, you may want to think again. Dogs can't perspire like we do. They only have some sweat glands on their paw pads and rely primarily on panting in order to cool down.

If you suspect your dog has heatstroke get him to the vet IMMEDIATELY!!!

-Heatstroke occurs when a dog's temperature rises to or above 104. Normal temp for dogs is between 100.5 and 102.5.
-Signs of heatstroke include very heavy panting and maybe drooling, bright red or sometimes discolored (grayish) gums, sometimes vomiting or diarrhea, weakness, confusion and collapse.
-Dogs most at risk are those that are older, short muzzle breeds, overweight dogs, those with a thick or dark colored coat, those with underlying respiratory or cardiac issues...BUT, it can happen to young healthy dogs with this extreme high heat and humidity.
-To prevent this from happening, stay indoors in a cool environment when it's really hot and humid.
-If outside, stay in the shade and provide lots of water. Limit outside time.
-Avoid exercise even if it's just a slow walk. Your dog is suffering more than you are in this heat.

Stay safe out there. This is crazy hot!

12/07/2025

YIP OF THE WEEK:
To Pet or Not to Pet?

We all love to snuggle with our dogs and pet them. It's soothing for us. But does your dog enjoy it as much as we do? Sometimes yes and sometimes no...not all dogs like to be petted at all times so it's important to pay attention to the cues/signs your dog is giving you. There are probably a lot of times he'll come up to you and "ask" to be touched, pet and scratched. If he relaxes and leans into you or even climbs onto your lap, you know they want the attention and to be touched. But, at other times he may back away and may just not be in the mood. Respect that. It's not personal!

06/07/2025

YIP OF THE WEEK:
I hope everyone had a safe and fun holiday weekend!

TICK SEASON IS HERE! Ughhhh.....What to do?

1. Remove the tick as soon as you find it on your dog (or yourself!). You can use your fingers but using tweezers is best. Try to grasp the tick's head close to the dog's skin and pull straight out using steady pressure. Be careful not to leave the head embedded. I flush them immediately. You can save the tick in a sealed container if you want to show the vet for any reason.
2. Clean the area with soap and water. You can also use an alcohol wipe.
3. Do a thorough tick check to make sure there aren't any more - on your dog and yourself!
4. If your dog is on a flea/tick preventative and you're finding a lot of ticks on your dog, you may want to talk with your vet about changing what you use.
5. Ticks usually have to be attached for a little while before transmitting diseases but they all have different rates of transmission. You may want to schedule bloodwork especially if your dog starts acting "off" - lethargic, feverish or stiff/lame.

16/06/2025

YIP OF THE WEEK:

Do you have a new puppy? How do you deal with all the "issues" that come with it-potty training, mouthing, chewing, jumping, barking...and more. As a new dog owner, you might feel overwhelmed at times. Frustrated, upset, and you may even question "what have I done getting this new puppy?" HELP!

I often tell my clients that introducing a puppy into your home would be like dropping me out of the blue into another country where I don't understand the language, customs, expectations or how to appropriately behave. This is what you've done to your new dog-he has no idea what's happened except that all of a sudden he's away from his mother and siblings where he played like a puppy plays- mouthing, biting, jumping, chewing, and has landed in your home where he's expected to behave more like a human with your set of rules and expectations. How does he know what to do? He doesn't!

Understanding this with an empathetic mindset, you have to show him. Stay calm. Take a breath. Set reasonable expectations. Be consistent. Teach. Train. Be patient. Be kind. Be his mentor.

07/06/2025

YIP OF THE WEEK;

Mental exercise and stimulation is critical to keeping your dog happy and healthy. Dogs (and humans) need physical AND mental exercise. A bored dog won't be happy or well balanced and will ultimately start displaying unwanted behaviors such as chewing or destroying things, barking, increased anxiety or bothering you all the time for attention. Most dogs sleep(nap) on average for 12-14 hours a day! Puppies and senior dogs may rest a little longer. So you don't have to be stimulating or playing with your dog all day.
-Training is an important way to provide mental stimulation. 5 to 10 minutes , 3 or 4 times a day (or, as it happens, meaning when your dog is near you while you are busy, when you're about to go out the door, get into the car...ask for a look, sit, wait, down)
-If available to you maybe do a class together such as agility (I've done it and it's a lot of fun!).
-Make sure your dog has a lot of calm, relaxed sniffing time on your walk. Loose leash and let him be a dog...sniff everything and let him lead you a bit.
-Change up your path on your walks...go to new places once in a while like a park or a different neighborhood. Even just going in the opposite direction on your walk is new and unexpected!
-Train while walking....every once in a while ask for a look (or always catch it when he looks at you) or a sit or down.
-Walk with friends and/or other dogs.
-Play with your dog-fetch, tug, hide and seek, find it...
-Give your dog meals using puzzle toys, licky mats, snuffle mats, kongs (stuffed and frozen is great).
Find ways to have fun together!

31/05/2025

YIP OF THE WEEK:
Thinking of getting a new dog?
You can either go to a shelter/rescue organization or to a responsible breeder. Either way, both should spend a good amount of time and help with an assessment to help you find the best fit for you, your family and the dog. Make sure the whole family goes, especially children, to be able to observe the dog's behavior with kids...noise, sudden movements, etc. You would want a dog that's comfortable with all that if that's your situation.

What else to look for?
-Does the dog seem shy or outgoing? A shyer dog may take a lot more time and patience to train. No fault of theirs, just anxiety that needs to be accepted and worked through.
-Can the dog do a simple "look" or "sit"? If they get it pretty quickly, it MAY indicate the dog will be easier to train (but not a guarantee!).
-Does the dog seem curious? Does he want to interact with you and the family? Will he play with a toy? Not all dogs know how to at first. Once playing, does he get overly excited? Jump, mouth you? Or does he respect your space?
-Does the dog shed a lot? Do you care?
-Find out a little about the breed and personality traits.

Take your time. This is a decision for the next 10 years or so. If it doesn't feel right, take a breath and go to another place. No rush. Most often, you'll know when it's the right fit.

23/05/2025

YIP OF THE WEEK:
Is your dog anxious or fearful?

Fearful behavior is a sign that your dog is feeling distress. It's his response to something that's uncomfortable or unfamiliar. Often loud noises (fireworks, thunder) or sometimes something in the environment around you such as quick movements (bicyclists, scooter, cars, runners) , other dogs, different people, sounds or even textures under their feet. It could be anything. Respect it. Manage it.

Common signs of fear in a dog are:
-Body language with tail tucked, ears flat back or a low slung body.
-Trembling, panting or drooling
-Whining or barking
-Yawning or licking lips
-Running away or pacing
-Aggressive behavior

Things you can do:
There isn't one magic way to calm your dog's anxiety. It may require doing multiple things and may take some time..
-Using a snug "shirt" may help him feel calmer
-Behavior modification and desensitization training involves you working consistently with your dog to help him feel more comfortable and calmer with his surroundings and all the things happening. Work with a trainer or behaviorist for help with doing what's best for you and your dog.
-Medication may be recommended by your vet if it's really bad. Anxiety that becomes overwhelming for your dog will impact his and your quality of life.