Medina Swarm Agility & Dog Training

01/24/2025

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01/24/2025

Use both

📣 Anything toys can do, food can do (and probably better).
📣 You aren't a loser if you don't use toys in agility training (or any type of training).
📣 The learner gets to choose the reinforcer, not the trainer.

👂 Listen up! I'm not saying that toys can't be valuable reinforcers in our training, but I am saying that the use of toys should not overshadow the emmense power of ✨food✨ as a reinforcer.

1️⃣ Toys inherently add conflict to training, I never have to get the food back from the dog.
2️⃣ Before I can even begin to develop toys as a reinforcer, I have to work towards cooperative toy play that is not loaded with conflict and that is built on things my dogs actually like. I always develop the same skills with food first anyways, so I can get to using it as a reinforcer much more quickly than a toy.
3️⃣ Many dogs enjoy toys recreationally and don't find them reinforcing and therefore they won't engage with them during training.
4️⃣ Toy play is hard for people to learn as well - it's a skill balancing all of the things: the right amount of give/take, not over-powering them, learning how much "fight" your dog likes or doesn't like, etc.
5️⃣ Food is SO much more efficient than toys. When I'm training with a toy, a 7-minute video is about 90 seconds of "work", the rest is play and recovery from that play. When I do the same number of reps with food, that video is about 2 minutes long!
6️⃣ I can have the same delivery with food as I do toys, and while it does require some additional training, I can also make food just as arousing as a toy!

💡 There is a massive range in natural toy interest from no interest at all to an extreme level of interest, and everything in between. I always weigh the dog's natural interest and the amount of time it will take to create a cooperative and enojoyable relationship with toys against my goals and needs of that tool as a reinforcer.

01/23/2025

Join us for our first CPE Agility Trial of the year this weekend, January 25th & 26th. We're planning some fun things!

***Superbowl Themed Potluck
***Wear your favorite jersey or team shirt
***BEE Bucks for EVERYONE (good for discounts on future trials)
***For more information, check out the premium here -->https://cpe.dog/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/AG01252025OHMedinaCountyCPE.pdf

01/22/2025

Let us help you!

It may be cold outside, but with adequate preparation, you don't have to let winter stand in your way when it comes to dog training.

01/20/2025

Black Ice: The Silent Troublemaker
Careful out there this morning! Black ice is hiding on untreated driveways, sidewalks, and roads, just waiting to catch you off guard. Drive slow, walk cautiously, and save the fancy moves for the dance floor…not the pavement! Stay safe!

01/20/2025

Ready to try something new with your pup? Or sharpen up some old skills? Our February agility classes are now available for registration! www.medinaswarm.com

01/19/2025

We love our clients!

01/19/2025

💡Understanding your dog's threshold is incredibly important when managing their reactivity and anxiety levels. It helps you determine the optimal distance or intensity at which to expose your dog to triggers that cause their reactivity during behaviour modification exercises. Helping your dog by keeping them emotionally below ‘threshold’ can create a more manageable and comfortable environment for your dog, which allows them to remain calm and responsive.

When the concept of “going over threshold” is brought up, people often envision a dog barking, snarling, or displaying aggressive behaviour. However, it is important to recognise that “going over threshold” means crossing over into an emotionally distressed state, which may manifest as shutting down, freezing, exhibiting overly excitable behaviour, or becoming so distracted that there is a loss of connection.

⚖️Pushing a dog beyond their comfort zone (threshold) can lead to heightened anxiety, fear, and potentially aggressive behaviour. It is essential to respect and work within their threshold levels to ensure their emotional well-being which in turn will help facilitate effective training and behaviour modification.

When a dog is over threshold, they are primarily reacting rather than thinking – they are in a fight-flight, freeze, fidget, or fawn state. Their emotional and physiological responses are heightened, making it difficult for them to ‘listen’ or respond to cue’s. They may be too overwhelmed or focused on the perceived threat to process information effectively.

Through systematic desensitization (gradual exposure therapy), and counter-conditioning (changing an emotional response) techniques, you can help raise your dog's tolerance levels towards a stimulus that causes emotional distress over time. By carefully managing their exposure to triggers and pairing it with positive experiences and rewards, you can help them develop more resilience and confidence, allowing them to handle challenging situations with greater ease.

Mardi Richmond MA, CPDT-KA describes it as: -
“Consider the threshold of a front door. When you cross a threshold, you move from one space to another. A behaviour threshold is a similar concept; it is when your dog crosses from one emotional state to another. If you spend time with a dog that is concerned about other dogs, you have probably witnessed the moment when he or she moves from seemingly okay into out-of-control behaviour. That is going over threshold.”

When a dog is over threshold, teaching them new behaviours or trying to modify their behaviour becomes challenging and would be inappropriate to do at that moment in time as they are not in the right frame of mind for learning to take place. Their heightened state makes it difficult for them to learn and retain new information. It is important to bring the dog back to a ‘sub-threshold’ state before attempting any training or behaviour modification.

✏️Furthermore, thresholds are not fixed and can fluctuate. Unlike physical thresholds like a front door, emotional and behavioural thresholds can fluctuate depending on various factors. These factors include the dog's current state of arousal, the environment, previous experiences, and the specific trigger or stimulus.
Having awareness of the dog's threshold levels and being vigilant in their behaviour and responses is crucial for effective management and training.

Adjusting the distance, intensity, or duration of exposure to triggers based on the dog's threshold can help create a more conducive learning environment and prevent the dog from becoming over threshold.

01/19/2025

Due to the forecasted frigid temperatures, Medina Swarm classes are canceled on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. The building will be open and safe, but traveling in these conditions can be dangerous. Safety for you and your pups is of utmost importance. Please stay safe and warm, and makeup classes will be scheduled soon.

01/19/2025

Check out our membership options today! Membership is open to those that are training with us or joining our trials! www.medinaswarm.com/join

01/17/2025

Shout out to our newest top fans! 💎 Frances Leiby, Deborah Petrey, Glenda Russell

Drop a comment to welcome them to our community!

01/17/2025

Dangerous temps coming:

In freezing weather, you can protect your dog's paws from frostbite and hypothermia by:
Applying paw balm or petroleum jelly: Before walks, apply a thick layer of balm to create a barrier that prevents snow, ice, and salt from getting between your dog's toes. You can also use paw balm after walks to soothe and moisturize their paw pads.
Using booties: Put your dog in booties when they will be walking on very cold surfaces, on ice, or in snow.
Limiting outdoor time: Limit your dog's time outdoors when temperatures drop below freezing.
Examining their feet: Always examine your dog's feet when they come back inside.
Keeping them warm and dry: Keep your dog warm and dry with a weatherproof coat.
Keeping walks short: During extreme cold, keep walks short.
Wiping off their paws: After walks, wipe down your dog's paws to remove any ice, salt, or chemicals.
Being aware of conditions that impact temperature regulation: Conditions like heart problems, low thyroid production, or diabetes can impact a dog's ability to regulate temperature.

01/16/2025

Please beware of puppy mill deceptions

You can be anyone you want online.
So can puppy mills.

John Kowal is a perfect example of that. Kowal holds a New York state license and was found to have 3 critical violations in 2024. A quick search of his phone number shows us that he is selling puppies on (at least) 10 different websites that are all breed specific- making it seem as though he is a small, specialized breeder.

Kowal, of course, makes no mention of his violations or his identity on his websites. We also have evidence that he is brokering without a USDA license.

Read more about our latest investigation here:
https://bailingoutbenji.com/whats-in-a-number/

01/16/2025

Medina Swarm classes are canceled today! Stay safe & warm friends!

01/15/2025

Baby, it's (still) cold outside!🥶❄️ Share these tips with a fellow pet parent to help your dogs brave the long winter months.

01/14/2025

It's National Dress Up Your Pet Day! Let's see those cute doggie costumes!

01/12/2025

Lots happens after a show. Secretary doing reports and ribbon inventory. Jackie did vac of hair and salt. Then we had to mat wash to get residue up