Offering pet obedience and behavior modification, customized to support the individual in your dog 🐕
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SO PROUD of Miss Willow and her loose leash walking progress!
We tackled several goals in our short training package, including the esteemed loose leash walking. Willow is a cattle dog cross, which means everything is game to be either chased, or barked at.
Her world is gonna open up SO MUCH now that she knows the expectations for walking on leash with her person.
Koda’s just popping in to say…
Did you know it’s possible to teach your husky mix to “come” when called reliably?
And did you know it can actually be fun, if you’re doing it right?!
Take it from this guy! He was all smiles for our training lesson this week ❤️
This little Dutch boy is working on himself this summer 💪🏼
Dutch is tiny but mighty, and has a habit of fighting his way to be the first people-greeter at the door. Unfortunately for us humans, we don’t love to be screamed at and jumped on during our first steps into the house.
Dutch’s story is more than that, though. His chronic fears have made his life fairly small, and if he were a human, you’d say he has a “glass half empty” attitude.
But this mini Aussie has a dedicated family, and he’s beginning to show all sorts of improvements like taking food outside (he’s never been interested previously), learning a reliable “come” when called, and increased responsiveness to his people. In just a few sessions!
My favorite part of dog training is bringing the hope back into one’s relationship with dogs. Truly something I’ll never take for granted!
Hi! I wanted to share the face behind the business for a change; but I’ll get back to posting dogs ASAP!
Swipe for more details about who the heck Sarah is, what she loves to teach, and how we can help you go from overwhelmed to OVERJOYED with your wonderfully wild dogs 🐾❤️
🚨🚨 NEW GROUP CLASS ALERT 🚨 🚨
Here’s what we are teaching for the beautiful month of May:
LOOSE LEASH WALKING 101:
Let’s master that loose leash walking from the ground up! Teach your dog to walk nicely on leash, work through distractions, and learn how to prevent pulling!
7:15 - 8:15 PM Thursday. May 16th
GETTING THROUGH TO THE DISTRACTED DOG:
This class is all about management: AKA, the missing piece in your dog’s life.
Learn how to channel your dog’s behavior to reach your goals! We’ll cover leash and dog handling, decompression activities, and best practices while taking on the world with your dog!
7:15 - 8:15 PM Thursday. May 23rd
PUPPY CONFIDENCE:
Positively expose your pup to new sights, sounds, and textures to build lifelong confidence in your new companion.
We will also practice handling and grooming to start your puppy out right!
**this class is suited for puppies under 10 months**
7:15 - 8:15 PM Thursday. May 30th
Whether your dog is a newcomer to the drop-in classes or a seasoned doggy student, I’m confident you’ll both take some valuable skills home with you!
These classes do require sign-up before attending; check out the “group classes” tab on my website, theheelingshepherd.com to learn more and sign up!
Classes are held
Drop a 📝📝 below if you think your pup needs to take some notes 👀
Hope to see you and your dog soon! 🐾💛
Happy Friday 🥂
I hope you get to do something you love with your dog today!
📸:
Back from vacation with some leash walking tips!
I have been walking dogs for decades. Before I ran my own business, I trained dogs for a corporate company. And waaay before that, I started out “working” for my mom’s pet care business as a child.
All of this dog walking has taught me a few things. You get pulled down enough and you learn what works and what doesn’t work.
While you’re weeding through allll of the pet parent advice out there, keep in mind that mastering leash walking whittles down to a few key concepts:
☝🏼 Pulling has to stop working! Our dogs pull for a reason: it’s to get where they’re going. When you STOP while your dog is pulling, it changes the conversation. Now, your dog is going to start thinking about what the heck they should do instead to get to where they want to go.
✌🏽 Change directions: your walk doesn’t have to be in a straight line! In fact, point A to point B is exactly where your dog thinks you’re going — why not pull you the whole way?
Instead, when my dog starts to add some tension to the leash, I might even turn around and call them to walk with me in the opposite direction.
Your dog is going to have to keep an eye on you now — who knows where you’re turning next?!
🤟🏿 most importantly, BRING FOOD! When you’re walking a predator on a leash (even if you have a cute 10lb predator!), you have to provide some line of communication. You can pull your dog around by the leash, or you can REWARD the behaviors you like and get your dog choosing to move with you!
Of course we all need leashes, but having the power to motivate your dog with food is a key to meeting their innate doggy needs.
Do your dog’s leash walking skills need some love?
Keep these tips in mind next time you step out on the town with your pup!
We will be out of the office this week (April 22-26th) to work on some home projects.
I’ll do my best to get back to messages as soon as possible, but please expect some delay if you’re reaching out.
Please enjoy this Tigo photo from ❤️
Memphis is a sweet, 6 month old German Shepherd who is working with us to establish some better patterns for greeting guests and walking well on leash, and his people are learning how powerful management can be to guide his learning experiences, especially at this age.
He’s such a smart pup and he’s learning so quickly!
Fun fact about Memphis: his tail is so long that it sometimes drags the ground when he’s standing!
Don’t scroll past this because you think it won’t be your dog.
To love dogs is to respect their innate canine-ness. They move to the beat of a drum that humans have clamored to decode for CENTURIES.
What I know about the dog’s long descendant, the wolf, is that it bites. It bites generously, and sometimes without reason when we’re considering it through a human lens.
And then they evolved into semi-domestic dogs; only considerate of humans as far as our food scraps took them. And that was in the last few centuries. Dogs collected in family groups, and were generally unwelcoming to other animals that threatened their resources.
I have spent years studying animal biology at universities, which ingrained a deep understanding that species-level behavior change takes TIME!
What I know about dogs now informs me that dogs are STILL unwelcoming to threats to their resources.
And dogs still bite.
Some of them bite generously, and it’s something that a subsection of our world still selects for when breeding dogs.
The canine-ness that made ancestral wolves and ancient dogs bite, is still in dogs today.
While we may have watered it down, and our world may have discouraged this in dogs to a degree, the studies don’t lie either.
According to https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6431755/ 80.2% of dog bites occur IN THE HOME, with estimated costs at $400 million USD yearly.
Here’s what I do to practice bite prevention with my large breeds in a multi-dog household:
🐺 all dogs are fed resources separately or with some level of management in place.
🐺 my 4 dogs are not out when I have children in the house. That’s right. Dogs are crated/put away, and I may bring 1 out ON LEASH for socialization.
🐺 I muzzle my dogs for vet visits as needed. I love my vet staff and never want to put them in harms way, even if it’s an accidental injury. Painful dogs have the potential to lash out.
🐺 I understand that if my dog is not feeling well, or feels overwhelmed, they are liable to make more drastic choices.
Just like when humans lash out when our “emotional cup” is full — dogs experience the same thing.
What do you do to prevent dog bites in your home?
What an awesome offering! Reactive dogs can have fun too ❤️
Update: FULL… stay tuned for more opportunities! ❤️
✨NOW OFFERING... 🐕 Private Shopping Experiences!✨
Do you have a dog who would love to be spoiled with their own shopping experience but struggles when around other dogs or humans?
This 𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗗𝗔𝗬, 𝗔𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗟 𝟭𝟮, is their opportunity to do just that! We'll have a 𝟳:𝟬𝟬 𝗽𝗺 and 𝟳:𝟯𝟬 𝗽𝗺 session open for TWO lucky pups in which the store will be all theirs for 25 minutes (siblings are also welcome to join)!
Simply call us at 616-600-6439 to reserve your spot for just $25 (which will be applied as a store credit during their visit)!
*This post will be updated when spots are filled.*
Come join our April dog training classes! 💛🐾
✨April Dog Training Classes✨
Whether your dog is a newcomer to the drop-in classes or a seasoned doggy student, Sarah from is confident you’ll both take some valuable skills home with you! Come for just one, or come for them all!
👉SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 4:15-5:15
Engage: Build a strong connection through eye contact, “yes” work, and learn the foundations of loose leash walking. Lay the foundation for positive communication and cooperation with your pup.
👉SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 4:15-5:15
Explore: Does your dog need a confidence boost? Learn concepts like “Find It,” “Doggy Parkour,” and the “Touch” trick to help your pup get comfy with the uncomfortable. These cues have been hand-selected to build resilience and optimism in your dog.
👉SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 4:15-5:15
Patio Primer: Get ready for summer patios! Establish behaviors like Advanced “Down Stay,” “Place,” and consistent Loose Leash Walking to make your pup the most well-behaved on the pawtio!
Classes require sign-up to attend - check out the “group classes” tab at theheelingshepherd.com to learn more! Spots are limited - save yours today!
Ah, spring! We are looking forward to muddy paws after the winter thaw, longer days playing in the backyard — oh! And more drop-in group classes!
Here’s what we are teaching for the beautiful month of April:
ENGAGE
Build a strong connection through learning eye contact, “yes” work, and the foundations of loose leash walking.
4:15-5:15 PM Saturday, April 6th
EXPLORE
Establish the building blocks for a confident pup! Teach your dog “Puppy Parkour,” “Find it!” and “Touch.”
4:15-5:15 PM Saturday, April 13th
PATIO PRIMER
Get ready for summer patios! Teach your dog an advanced “down stay,” “place,” and loose leash walking.
4:15-5:15 PM Saturday, April 20th
Whether your dog is a newcomer to the drop-in classes or a seasoned doggy student, I’m confident you’ll both take some valuable skills home with you!
These classes do require sign-up before attending; check out the “group classes” tab on my website, theheelingshepherd.com to learn more and sign up!
Classes are held
Drop a comment below to let me know what skills I should teach next!
Hope to see you and your dog soon! 🐾💛
Do you ever feel like you’ve got a pretty good grasp on your dog’s training, but just need to talk out a few pain points?
Are you a pet owner that does well with taking in concepts and applying them with your own pet?
Or maybe you want to work with us, but you’re not local to west Michigan?
Fear not! We offer virtual dog training consultations starting at $50, aimed to help you reach your at an affordable rate.
As you can see here, our trainers (human OR canine 🤪) will offer insights on how you can live a better life with your dog today!
Reach out to us at [email protected] to learn more about our offerings!
Don’t forget to check out Your Pets Naturally - Grand Rapids for some spring fun, and maybe head in after hours for a drop-in class!
Kato tries hard to stay still for a little photo-op 💛
This 90lb shepherd guy wants to do the right thing, and it’s so easy to see in everything he does.
He and his family have been through a few trainers with some… creative ideas on how to handle his insecurity and reactions on leash.
Needless to say, Kato is learning SO much in just a few sessions, and he’s starting to love walking with his people again.
He DEFINITELY loves the high value treats that I bring him 🤩
Little by little, we will open up your world again, Kato!
These pups are on their way to being ready for patio season ☀️🧺⛱️🍴🌞
We worked on some down-stays, place, and loose leash walking to shape up some polite patio dogs!
If this sounds like something you and your dog might be interested in… stay tuned! We might do it again 👀
This week, though, we have “Chill Out” running on March 16th at 4:15pm — this class is designed for busy bodies! Learn relaxation protocols, reduce
jumping behaviors, and teach “place” to encourage a calm mindset.
And then we’ve got “Engage” on March 23rd at 4:15pm — Build a strong connection through learning eye contact,
“yes” work, and the foundations of loose leash walking 🦋
We’ve got a few spots available in each of these classes! For more information, check out our website at theheelingshepherd.com or shoot us an email at [email protected]
Don’t forget about our Saturday drop-in classes at Your Pets Naturally - Grand Rapids!
More fun drop-in training classes with The Heeling Shepherd happening at our store!👇👇👇
🐾EXPLORE - This class will teach you how to bring out the explorer in your shy/insecure pup. Teach your dog “Doggy Parkour,” “Find it!” and “Touch” for a sure-fire confidence boost!
👉 4:15 - 5:15 Saturday, March 2
🐾PATIO PRIMER - the patios are going to open up soon, guys. Train your dog so they’re the talk of the outdoor patio this summer — but in a good way this time 😬🤣 Teach your pup advanced skills like “down stay” and “place”, and master the art of loose-leash walking.
👉4:15 - 5:15 Saturday, March 9
Spots are limited- save yours today for just $25!
Check out theheelingshepherd.com to learn more - 🔗 in c0mments!
I’m a dog trainer, so you know what my dogs are better at than your dogs?
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
My dogs are not superior or perfect or incapable of mistakes any more than your own dogs are, and I’m just as human as everyone else so of course I get impatient and frustrated sometimes too. I too make mistakes and mess up.
The difference is only in education, experience and repetition and time. I’ve been studying dogs for over 20 years. I live with them and work with them literally all day long. My own, the rescues, the boarders, dogs in classes etc etc. I have a much broader perspective than the average person and as a result my skills are more honed and my ability to decipher things quicker. But that doesn’t make my dogs any less dogs than yours.
My dogs still chew, bark, dig. They still beg when I am eating a sandwich. They can still tangle me up in a leash or p**p in the middle of a parking lot (when I don’t have a bag of course) They still snuggle up with me on the couch or almost run me over in the yard. They have skills that I’ve taught them based on my own experience and education, but they are still DOGS.
Sharing your life with a different species is work. There’s no magic trick to it that makes you both suddenly have the exact same needs and wants and behaviors that synchronize. Just as there isn’t that in successful SAME species relationships. It. Takes. WORK. It takes thoughtful planning and proactive decision making and management. The only difference between me and you is that I’ve been doing this work a lot longer and have learned through the years. I’ve also learned to appreciate just how short their lives are, and how fleeting these phases can be, so I embrace the crazy while I can, because I know the ache I will one day feel when it’s gone.
So many amazing dog/handler teams in our “Do More Together” class yesterday!
From the tiniest of terriers to the greatest of Danes… all under one roof, working toward their 🥰
Don’t forget that our “Explore” class runs next Saturday at 4:15 PM, and we still have a few spots left!
Looking to get out and work with your dog?
We’ve got some classes coming up these next few weeks!
DO MORE TOGETHER - Master the basics that empower you to live more LIFE with your dog! Teach your pup how to “come” when called, “stay” when you need it most, and “heel” on command!
This class starts at 4:15PM this Saturday, February 24th.
EXPLORE - This class will teach you how to bring out the explorer in your shy/insecure pup. Teach your dog “Doggy Parkour,” “Find it!” and “Touch” for a sure-fire confidence boost!
This class starts at 4:15PM Saturday, March 2nd.
PATIO PRIMER - the patios are going to open up soon, guys. Train your dog so she’s the talk of the outdoor patio this summer — but in a good way this time 😬🤣 Teach your pup advanced skills like “down stay” and “place”, and master the art of loose-leash walking.
This class starts at 4:15PM on Saturday, March 9th.
These classes do require sign-up before attending; check out the “group classes” tab on my website, theheelingshepherd.com to learn more and sign up!
Classes are held
Hope to see you and your dog soon! 🐾💛
Happy Valentine’s Day!
inspired us to go all out for a v-day shoot 😍
What a better way to represent the day of love, than with the creatures that show it unconditionally 💛
Kora is a Great Pyrenees, which is a breed known for aloofness, independence, lack of food motivation (from handler), the list goes on and on.
Basically, their ideal life is to be put in a field with a flock of animals to protect.
Kora, however, doesn’t let her breed hold her back. Kora is working on leash walking and confidence, and she’s learned how to chase treats, tune into her mom, and is always interested in some people loving.
Kora is a testament to the notion that Nature (genetics) should always be in the conversation of our training approach, but that we can always NURTURE the behaviors that we’d like our dogs to strive for, regardless of breed.
Thanks for being the best girl Kora, and always making my lint roller work overtime after our sessions! ❤️🐾
To tell the truth, Luna has never successfully been behind a gate before, away from her mom. It just hasn’t worked for her. As a puppy, she would paw at the gate until her feet were raw.
As a dog lover, owner, and trainer, this means a lot of things. It means that management can’t happen for door greetings, for dining in peace, for having “human only” activities. This behavior can make a lot of things very hard.
It means that Luna has a really hard time turning “off,” and in that, she can make it harder for her family to find balance.
All of that to say, Luna and her mom have been working their tails off over the last few weeks.
Lifestyle changes, supplemental changes, delving head first into a new training plan…
And here Luna is. She calmly snoozed on the ground after her first successful experience being gated away with “duration.”
That was a week ago. Since then, Luna’s mom tells me that she has caught Luna casually sleeping behind the gate — finally letting herself relax!
Your dog’s path may not look the same as your neighbors, or your friends. And that’s okay. Don’t judge a goldfish on her ability to climb a tree.
This little goldfish, though, is learning how to thrive and we are SO proud of her! 🌳🐾
The interest that we’ve gotten for these group classes has been OVERWHELMING.
When I was in the planning stages, I knew I wanted to do something that made dog training just a little more accessible, and a little more convenient for pet parents in Grand Rapids.
A few months in, and EVERY SINGLE CLASS has filled completely. Feeling the love big time over here 🥰
Enough about that. We are adding some new class options to the chat!
Want all the benefits of a group class, without the pressure of a rigid 6-week commitment?
Introducing NEW drop-in lifestyle classes!
Each 1-hour class aims to teach you and your furry friend a few new behaviors that have the power to make life with your dog easy. Swipe to take a look at the drop-in classes we offer, and scan the QR code or reach out to us at theheelingshepherd.com to sign up!
These classes are a great opportunity for those that could use more practice around distractions, or dogs that may have just a few quirks we’d like to improve!
The price of Lifestyle Drop-Ins are $25 each, and payment is accepted prior to class starting. Classes will be held at Your Pets Naturally - Grand Rapids. Who knows? Bear might even make an appearance
If you’re worried that your dog may be reactive or unsure in a group class setting, please send us a message and we can help guide your choice.
Each class will accommodate a maximum of 6 dogs, and vaccination records are required for all canine participants! To stay mindful of doggie flu season, all equipment will be sanitized between dogs, and we will continue to stay up to date on best practices via Veterinary professionals.
Hope to see you there!
Let this be a good omen for your Friday.
Great class for reactive dogs!
Walker, MI
49544
http://www.theheelingshepherd.com/, http://linktree.com/theheelingshepherd
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Does your dog have a weird thing? My dogs get a lot of choice in life; as much as I can give them. And Sunny chooses to suckle on her toys with it. She always has. Of course, she has her stray dog ✨baggage✨, that I speculate inspired this soothing, calming behavior. She has performed this ever since she came to me, at about 5-6 months old. Almost a year later, she still suckles like she’s a wee pup. Her eyes go dead pan, and sometimes she falls asleep like this. As dog owners, I love to celebrate the individualism in these pups! They are really their own “people!” Does your dog have a weird thing? I want to hear about it in the comments!
‘Tis the season for an egg drop challenge! In our drop-in “Engage” class, there seems no better way to test your dog’s engagement than carrying an egg on a spoon while you walk your dog… right?! These teams BLEW ME AWAY and surpassed every challenge I threw at them (including a barking German shepherd at the finish line!). Alas, Basil and Zettie came out victorious with some incredible engagement skills, and a new @fluffandtuffdogtoys toy! Honestly though, everyone won in this class! We had so much fun with this class, and are adding more classes to the schedule soon, so stay tuned! Huge shoutout to @yourpetsnaturallygr for allowing us to take over the store with our training shenanigans 🐶
How to medicate a sneaky dog…. Isa has always been too smart for the straight and narrow, and I often hear from owners who feel the same thing about their own dog. “I’ve tried pill pockets, hiding it her food, even covering it in peanut butter and she ALWAYS finds it!” The problem lies in trying to “outsmart” these wicked smart dogs. Instead, I like to let Isa know what’s happening, and make it painless enough that she finds it tolerable. This is what “pilling” a dog is. It’s not for every dog, but you may hear your trainer, vet staff, or boarding attendants reference pilling dogs who otherwise wouldn’t eat their medication. Isa just had a pretty major surgery, so administering her pain meds and sedation is paramount in her long term health plan. So, you’ll see in the video that I start by putting the meds into a little deli chicken burrito. You can use a pill pocket, cheese, whatever suits your fancy. Isa is a chicken girl. Then I take my non-pill hand and put it over her muzzle, slightly lifting her head and opening her jaw. Quickly, my pill hand goes alllllllll the way to the back of her mouth, and I just want to lay the chicken pill on her tongue in the back there. Afterward, I gently close her mouth for a second, so she doesn’t try to push the pill out of the side, or save it until I’m done, then defiantly spit it out. I’m sure you don’t have to wonder how I learned to avoid that 🙄🤣 Anywho, I want my dogs to opt into things and love working with me. But I ALSO want to administer these medications as quickly and painlessly as possible (we do 4 rounds of medicine administration per day right now!) so getting comfortable “pilling” the dog in this case is the kindest and least frustrating for all parties. If your dog struggles with fighting medication, this may be a great tool for your toolbox!
Tigo tackled the Tulip Festival of 2023! We had a wonderful time out in Holland, MI celebrating spring’s arrival. Festivals and parades can be SO overwhelming for our furry friends, so creating a plan to help them stay calm and cool can be the difference between relaxing… or regretting. Latigo got so many drive by pets, exposure to novel sights and sounds, and saw SO many other dogs enjoying the day. He was kind enough to share some tips that helped him be the proper gentleman that he is. Having a background of consistent training was absolutely essential in making this a great trip for everyone! Train so you can do more with your dog! 🥰
Are you looking for those lighter shirts and sweaters in your closet, and coming up with nothing? Well, I have news for you! For the first time in our years of business, we’re offering THS merchandise 🐾🌞 Follow the “THS Merch” link in our link tree or go to bonfire.com/store/theheelingshepherd and get to shopping for the perfect spring t-shirt or sweater! What better way to support the local dog trainer you love, am I right? 💛
The Heeling Shepherd personal pups got to break out of the city minutia for a little enrichment action!Scatter feeding, hunting for food, “go find it”, whatever you want to call it — this practice is awesome for giving your dog some calm, focused brain exercise. At home, this usually involves scattering treats around the living room, but all this open space was a great opportunity to take advantage of nature’s snuffle mat! I love this because: 🐶 it can be a great way to burn off some extra steam while reducing overstimulation and explosive feelings or behaviors 🐶 it’s an awesome tool to keep your dogs close while other dogs/people/cars/geese(in our case) are passing. 🐶 it can help your dog switch from using their eyes (which is typically what reactive dogs jump to!), to using their nose for something productive! 🐶 it’s pretty low effort on the human’s part, relative to the value it provides to our dogs. In other words, it’s quite an accessibility-friendly way to fulfill your dog! Take five minutes to try this game out for yourself! And let us know how it goes! 💛🐶
Such an awesome pupdate from Alex and Freddie! Huskies are notoriously independent, and Alex has truly put in the hard work to build a trusting, reliable relationship with Freddie. Now, Freddie can do what a husky does best; run like hell!
This is the super fun part of training! Chris was kind enough to share this awesome video of Harley getting the zoomies while practicing recall training 😍 The secret to recall? Your dog has to learn to walk before they can run. So before we jump to off leash work, I always recommend a long leash or flexi leash (sometimes for weeks!). The goal is to build a reliable behavior *before* throwing them in the deep end. Does this dog look familiar to you? That may be because she’s Latigo’s full sister!
I love owning dogs that are well cared for. That includes training, diet, and plenty of grooming. Brushing hair and teeth, trimming nails weekly, bathing as often as they roll in mud, and making sure they can feel their best is all a part of that. So I present: Nail Trim Sunday! It’s not always a Sunday, but usually a weekend, and always when I have the time and patience to go at their pace. Teaching cooperative care looks different for everyone, but for me it looks like this. Isa has never loved her nails being clipped, so my goal with Latigo was a tolerant, ultra-handleable dog. When I learned about puppy meditation, it became a cornerstone of my puppy training, and the benefits seem to be endless. The product of all of that puppy meditation is this: My 80lb, working line, adolescent German Shepherd lays in my lap (as best as he can), and patiently waits while I clip nails, check teeth, and give him a little look-over to make sure nothing is out of place. Not only has this practice given me a dog that is incredibly tolerant, but I’m also able to detect problems and abnormalities almost immediately (think cracked nail, chipped tooth, new lump or bump, tick, etc.). I realize that this is not my most glamorous look 😬, but my goal is to show the value of early intervention with restraint training and cooperative care. Overly-long nails are painful, unsafe, and in my opinion, the most overlooked form of slow neglect. Do yourself a favor that will pay off for the next decade, and teach your dog how to handle regular grooming and maintenance.
We have fun here! 💛 With all these confused snow flurries, it sure is nice to look back on the year.
A huge rottweiler, intact mastiff, reactive rescue dog, and about 30 other dogs with various temperaments and behavior problems walked into a field. And what happened? Not a whole lot. Just dogs existing together like they should. 🐕 This is beautiful work, and we are so excited to get home and get moving on bringing large field socialization to West Michigan 🐶
FREE SHAPING: What is it? Free shaping is a style of teaching behavior that is totally let by the dog and the choices they make. Unlike luring (where you guide the dog around with a treat), free shaping involves as little help as possible from the owner, and instead lets the dog use their creativity and try to figure out which behavior will warrant a reward. In this video, We start with the food beside me (just breakfast), and I have a clicker in hand. There is a bowl flipped upside down that Polly can interact with if he chooses to. The target behavior for this session is two paws on the bowl. I wanted to share a Polly video instead of using the shepherds because he is my least confident, hardest to motivate dog. In the beginning, he trots around in anticipation, then you see him stop and think. There’s a brain in there after all I guess. Two feet hit the bowl, and click! He figured it out. Because food is Polly’s love language, he can just pop up on the bowl all day long if it means food is coming. Mid way through, you see him start to predict that food is coming and run off the bowl too early. No reward comes, and he has to work to fix his error. Once he does, he gets a jackpot reward of the whole bowl of food! Let me throw a scenario at you to highlight the differences between luring and free shaping: Every day I drive home from work and use my GPS to get there. In about 3 weeks, I finally feel confident in making my way home on my own. Now alternatively, maybe after the first couple days driving home, I lost service on my phone and had to figure my way back on my own. I’m paying attention to every sign, every exit, anything that can guide me. Guess what? After 2-3 days of that, I won’t need a GPS for that trip anymore. When we let learners sift through the ups and downs of figuring out a behavior, that behavior is engrained quicker, and your dog will offer it excitedly, because they made up the idea (ring a bell, moms and dads??) Not
Lincoln 💛 . As mentioned previously, Lincoln struggles quite a bit with necessary grooming. We’ve tackled leash walking trims, and restraint techniques, and now we’re tackling the bath tub 🛁 Lincoln’s family uses @chowhoundpet for their bathing stations (which are really awesome!), so that’s where we went for this practice. It’s likely not the actual bath that Lincoln hates, knowing him it’s more likely to be the metal steps, maybe a sometimes slippery floor, etc. So we’ve worked him up with lots of confidence, and are now applying it to the bath tub. This was his first session being asked to interact with the scary thing, and it’s totally reward based here. I’m using the leash to guide him or control space as necessary, and letting Lincoln control his access to yummy food. Having a marker system that the dog trusts is so important here. Lincoln knows my games, and knows what he’s got to do to get what he wants. And most importantly, he knows his trainer wouldn’t put him in harms way 💛 Pardon my puppy-talk voice, little guy loves the engagement 😆 Seeing his confidence grow every day has truly been a pleasure, and I will miss this guy when he graduates from my program.
A little #throwbackthursday and a training tip to complement it! Your dog is derived from dogs that once did a job. For Latigo, that means herding. For bloodhounds, that means following a scent. For retrievers, guess what? Retrieving. Whatever your dog was made for, letting them express their natural drives and motivations in a healthy way can lead to a better relationship with your pet. Here’s my cute little puppy practicing his sick herding skills on a Jolly Ball. Allowing him to express these skills allows him to be a better pet and working dog when I need him to NOT be herding. I can’t make your bloodhound not sniff, or your herder not herd, but I can help you find ways to let your dog express that in a healthy way. When those needs are met, you can layer over more appropriate expectations with greater success! Happy training y’all.
Rosie previously lunged at dogs and people alike on walks. When she’d greet people, it was always with two paws up — a little exuberant for most people! Unlike a lot of the dogs I work with, Rosie is too friendly for her own good! 🤣 Rosie is two weeks into her Home-School Program and is building some beautiful neutrality around dogs and people she passes. She’s also worked hard on keeping her feet on the ground when she’s greeting people. This was Rosie’s first session working with another dog in such close proximity, and although she’s interested, she rocked it! We love to see a loose leash and a happy family 💛
Freddie finished her offleash program! I think it’s safe to say that she enjoys her new freedom ❤️ . . . . . #dogtraining #dogsofinstagram #ecollartechnologies #happydog #dogtrainer #dogtrainingtips #westmichigandogtraining #westmichigandogs #husky
Anyone in The Heeling Shepherd family have little performers? I have always wanted a singer in the family, and Latigo is killin’ it 💛
180 degree turns with Latigo! If you’ve walked with Latigo and I at all, you may know that he doesn’t have a lot of formal loose leash walking experience yet. This is purposeful, as I have really focused on building him up, making him confident and handler oriented, rather than a perfectly obedient dog at this age. Working on the 180 turns today teaches Latigo that forging ahead is not successful, and every time he tries, his plans get changed by a turn in the opposite direction. As you can see in the video, each turn helps him back into position, right beside my leg. I’m not really popping him on the leash, or waiting for him to follow my lead into the turn. Rather, I’m turning around and moving forward with the expectation that he’ll fall into step. So many owners struggle with walks, and it inevitably falls back on the dog who will no longer get that outlet and time to bond with their owner. Try some 180 turns, and get out and walk your dog this weekend 💛 . . . . #dogtraining #dogsofinstagram #ecollartechnologies #happydog #dogtrainer #dogtrainingtips #westmichigandogtraining #westmichigandogs #theheelingshepherd #germanshepherdsofinstagram #gsdpuppy
Kelley's Heart to Heart Pet Adoption Center
Remembrance Road NW
