Just in case no one has told you lately 🥰
Don’t you wish your dog would dutifully tolerate all of the nail trims, brushing, and upkeep that they require?
Why don’t they get that it’s good for them?!
When I’m handling my dogs for necessary tasks like nail trims, I like to keep in mind the fact that it’s NORMAL for dogs to dislike these things. However, most of us can teach our dogs how to tolerate uncomfortable things, and we can of course do our best to limit the discomfort and fear in our sweet companions.
So, here’s what I like to keep in mind:
⚖️ Safety is priority.
If your dog has any inkling to be fearful or aggressive for their nail trims, brushing, etc., it’s incredibly important to use a muzzle during those times.
There’s no shame in needing a muzzle for your dog. In fact, you’re going to go into that nail trim a LOT more confident in your safety with this in mind. We all deserve to feel safe with our pets.
Get a well fitted basket muzzle and learn how to make your dog comfortable in it. (Note: slip muzzles look gentler, but they physically limit panting and can interfere with a dogs ability to regulate heat when worn for longer durations. They’re not my first choice if we have other options)
⚖️ Predictability is your friend. And your dog’s friend.
When you bring out the scary nail clippers, predictability will be your greatest ally in helping convince your dog that handling is nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
To foster predictability, I use a starting cue (“Let’s get your nails cut!”) and an ending cue (“all done!”) to make it really clear that the task is beginning, but it is temporary. Over time, this predictability helps your dog shake these events off — which means less stewing, and less fear next time nail trim day rolls around.
I also trim nails in the same location, with the same tool, and always reward after my all done cue.
⚖️ Baby steps.
This one’s simple. Rome wasn’t built in a day. The worst thing we can do
‘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 🐶
