Find Your Zen Dog Training

08/23/2024

If you're not wanting to go through a reputable breeder, please go through a reputable rescue.

We love all the shepherds we get to work with, but so many people don't realize just how much IS genetic.

Throwing two shepherds together without thinking about the outcome can be detrimental, not just with temperament, but health as well.

I get asked a ton for recommendations for German Shepherd breeders.

My personal recommendation is:

-Find a breeder who health tests(hips, elbows, and DM minimum) and who only breeds passing scores. And make sure you can verify them. They should be able to send you a link to the clearances.

-Who titles BOTH the female and male.
I personally want an IGP 1 at least for both(in my opinion, there's no reason to pay more than $1,500 on pups from untitled dog/s). Titling is important because it shows the breeder is dedicated to their breeding dogs. It shows that the dog/s have stable temperaments (in order to compete in IGP, they have to pass a BH, which is a temperament test to see how the dog handles different situations).
And even if you want a pet or a fun sport German Shepherd, still go through a breeder that titles.

-Find a breeder who breeds to a standard. AKC/SV.

-Find a breeder who cares about structure.

-Find a breeder who knows and admits faults in the dog/s and their lines. Why are they pairing those two dogs together? What are they hoping to improve and keep?

-Is the breeder truthful about the temperaments and health of their dogs? What issues have pups had that they've produced? Will they be upfront about dysplasic puppies, seizures, poor bites, aggression issues (dogs and people), history of bloating, allergies, cryptoric males, neurotic behavior, environmental unsoundness, being dirty in a crate, etc. Kennel blindness is a real thing, you don't want to support a breeder who can't see faults in their dogs/lines and aren't actively trying to correct/get rid of whatever it may be.

-Does the breeder offer a health guarentee and contract? Do they stand behind and keep track of their puppies and dogs? What kind of support do they offer? My favorite breeders have a group where all their puppy buyers can join to ask questions, share stories and struggles, and recieve help. That allows the breeders an easy way to follow the puppies they've brought into this world.

-Find a breeder who posts videos and pictures. Yes, a lot of breeders are busy, but they should still be able to find time to snap a picture of their dogs being dogs or videos of them working their dogs! They should have videos of their dogs working readily available.

-Ask for recommendations from multiple past puppy buyers.

-How is their puppy raising process? Where are the puppies raised? What kind of surface are they raised on? Do they work on potty training and kennel training? What are the puppies exposed and desensitized to? What's their puppy picking/placing process like? My favorite breeders don't pick homes till the puppies are at least 7 weeks.

-How do their breeding dogs live? What's the setup like? Are they willing to show you? Send pictures? If not, go somewhere else.

These are just a few of the things I highly recommend.
A great breeder has no problem answering questions. And they should have a ton for you too!
They want to know they're placing their puppies in hands that'll do right by them.

There's a ton of great breeders out there who care about what they're producing and want the best for them.
Remember a breeder should be breeding to improve the breed.
Find those breeders.
You'll be so glad you did.

08/21/2024

Good breeders care about where their pups end up.

They ask questions and want to understand what the life of the pup is going to be like 💜

A Breeder's Hopes

There are a lot of posts out there about how to find a reputable breeder, but not enough is said about what breeders look and hope for in a future puppy owner. The most important point I have to make is this: That for those of us who have invested so much in our chosen breed and our lines, the sale of a puppy is NOT a one-time business transaction, but the beginning of a ten- to fifteen-year relationship between not just dog and owner, but also the breeder and buyer/owner.

I get a lot of short inquiries that go like this: "Is the red merle male available?" I don't know from this if they want a dog just to hang out on the couch with or one that will hike the Appalachian Trail by their side.

I can't answer which puppy is available before eight weeks because I don't place puppies solely by color and haven't evaluated them yet. I understand having a preference (I have my own), but color is superficial. If I placed puppies that way, I'd be getting a lot of them back later.

Caring breeders know that what matters most is whether the potential home is the right match for a particular puppy. The personality and energy level of the puppy matter a hundred times more than its looks. If I place a puppy with someone based solely on color and it ends up being a terrible mismatch as far as the owner's needs vs. the pup's personality, then eventually the novelty of a fuzzy, cute puppy wears off and you have an unhappy owner and an unappreciated dog butting heads.

A caring breeder wants to know you're committed to the dog for its lifetime and will keep in touch with questions, brags about graduation from obedience class, and pictures of your dog along on the family vacation. What you tell me about yourself upon introduction can make all the difference going forward because it lets me know if you are what I, as a breeder, am looking for in a home. It’s more like an interview or a first date rather than a simple business transaction. You are communicating to me what YOU have to offer this puppy.

That future relationship between breeder and buyer is a big part of what makes breeding worthwhile. It can also be what makes it a nightmare if a breeder isn’t selective enough. Breeders need to know you're prepared for and committed to proper training and socialization and that your new puppy will be an integral part of your family for its lifetime. After all, we're letting go of the babies that we've poured sometimes generations of planning into. It's not a decision we take lightly.

In contrast to those window shopping for a specific color, when I get an inquiry that goes into detail about the potential owner's home and family, why they want an Aussie or this particular litter, what plans they have for a future pup (companion, service animal, running buddy, sport dog, etc.), something about their current or past pets... then I get a much better *feel* for whether they might be a good fit, as well as how good they might be at communicating with me in the future. Those things are what matter to a caring, reputable breeder.

I treasure all the wonderful owners who've come along in our three-plus decades in Australian Shepherds. Some have become very good friends. But some have also taught me what I don’t want or what isn’t right for this breed or my dogs. Above all, I want to feel that any potential owner will love and adore that dog not for how many "pretty dog" comments they might get in public, but that they will value the loyalty of that dog, the things they did with it, and the relationship they developed with it, just as we all do with any true friend.

Caring breeders don't just fill orders. They pair you up with a lifetime partner.

08/16/2024

Puppy advice from Leah:

When bringing home a new puppy, these are some of the things I do:

• Hand feeding!
This means 3 to 8 minutes two or three times a day I'm working the puppy for their meals. It can be tricks, behaviours, shaping exercises, recall games, etc. but Every. Single. meal comes from me.
The benefits of working your puppy 3 to 8 minutes two to three times a day? It's huge in my opinion.
You're: teaching them to learn and problem solve, creating a work ethic (they don't get their meals for free. When it's time to work, it's time to work), dedicating time to your puppy, instilling muscle memory for the behaviours, teaching them how to ignore distractions from a very early age, etc.
Save the treats for high distracting areas, not inside your home!

• Setting them up for success!
This means I puppy proof my house. Shoes are picked up, cords are put away, nothing I don't want eaten is left to where they can grab it or reach it. When I'm not able to have eyes on my puppy, they're in a kennel/play pen. When they're loose, they're in an area I have full view of or they're tethered to me on a 5 to 10 foot leash. This allows me to catch whatever they may get into or catch them before they have a potty accident.

• Potty training/kennel training! These two things go hand in hand.
Kennel training is such an important thing for every dog to know (if they have to stay the night at the vet, go to a groomer, if you ever board them, for traveling, to prevent separation anxiety/issues, etc).
I do a lot of kennel games with my puppies to teach them good things happen in the kennel. I work on them understanding they can not come out until they're calm and quiet (if they're let out when they're screaming, they've just learned being noisy gets them out.) I also kennel my puppies when they're taking a nap or past that point of exhaustion where they're being little turds. I don't want the kennel to just mean I'm leaving them, so make sure to kennel them when you're home too!
The kennel is quiet, calm time.
Most puppies won't use the bathroom where they sleep, so the kennel is a great help with potty training.
I make sure to take the puppy out after they wake up from a nap, 10 to 20 minutes after eating/drinking, in the middle of playing, etc. The more you take them out, the less chances they have to go potty inside.

• Rewarding their engagement!
I reward them for giving me attention. You acknowledge my existence, you get paid. This teaches them I am fun! Which is always my goal with my dogs. I am more fun than that moose, that person, the cat, the squirrel, the bike.
I do this in a neutral setting to start with, so my backyard/front yard. Then I move it to different locations: a pet store, a parking lot/park, a dog friendly store, etc. The more you reward them for checking in and being with you, the more they're going to WANT to be with you.

• Recall games!
What happens with many puppies is we give them too much freedom, freedom they have not yet earned, and we call them. Sometimes they come, sometimes they don't.
So puppies are learning right away, that coming is an option. And when they do come, nothing good happens.
If your puppy doesn't come when called, and you don't have a way to make it happen (a leash) you just set your puppy up for failure.
So what I do is I spend a TON of time rewarding them for coming and making it happen the first time I call them (so they're almost always on a leash).
I do games where I have someone hold them and get the puppy excited then I run away. Puppies naturally want to chase things, so I can use that to my advantage and create a game out of it. This game creates some frustration as they're being held back and when they get to you, you want to make it a BIG party. Coming to you is the best thing ever!

• Confidence building exercises!
This can be exposing them to different surfaces (cardboard boxes, elevated platforms, surfaces that move, tarps, materials that are metal or slippery). I reward them for interacting with or investigating anything new. I teach my puppies being curious/brave pays off.
I also work my puppies in a ton of different locations around a ton of people. I want them to be confident in all kinds of situations. And I want them to know how to ignore people, dogs, noises, and distractions as well.

These are just a few of the things I do with new puppies. *This can also be applied to all dogs*
So get out and play and interact with your puppies as much as you can.
A puppy with no foundation doesn't pick up on things nearly as fast. They're easily distracted or frustrated, they have less desire to work, are heavily people/dog fixated, etc.
To us, that's just not fair to the dog.

So take a few minutes a couple times a day and do anything with your puppy. Shape different behaviours, teach tricks, work on recalls or manners. I don't care what and neither does your puppy.
The learning and bonding itself is so crucial to creating a wonderful dog.

07/29/2024

07/29/2024

💥 CLASSES 💥

Starting the beginning of August!

Do you have a puppy or dog that:
👉 Barks and can't listen when something exciting is around?
👉 Plays the catch me if you can game?
👉 Doesn't listen until you repeat the command multiple times, if even then?
👉 A new puppy or dog that you want to start off on the right track, but you don't know where to start?
👉 Is nervous in new settings and want to build their confidence, but aren't sure how?
👉 Needs a job or something to do?

Classes can help with those!

Classes are $150 for a six week class set, meeting once a week.

Anchorage classes are Wednesday evenings.

https://fyzservices.as.me/AnchorageClasses

Valley classes are Monday or Thursday evenings.

https://fyzservices.as.me/ValleyClasses

For all of our services, check out our website
www.fyzdogtraining.com

Find Your Zen strives to help improve your relationship with your dog through reward based, blanaced training methods. We do group classes, private lessons, board and train, and a day training program.

07/28/2024

Thi

Let’s set the scene. This may become a bit sensitive for some, and I apologise in advance.

You’re out somewhere. You might be at a restaurant, a bar, a public park on a sunny day enjoying the sunshine with your family. It may be that you’re on your way home from work or trying to catch the bus. You’re just minding your own business.

Suddenly, a person comes straight up to you. They give you anxiety. What is this person going to do? I don’t know! The person is walking with a friend and the friend sees you’re a bit anxious and calls out to you saying “Don’t stress, she/he’s all good!’’ But they keep approaching you. And when they finally reach you they randomly hug you. Touch you. Walk circles around you. Start talking to you. Don’t let you leave.

What would you call that? Harassment? Assault in severe cases?
How would this make you feel?

Now, after the initial shock you find your courage and you ask the person to go away. Leave you alone. But the person doesn’t stop and instead touches your arm or your hair. “Oh come on, we’re alright. I’m not doing anything bad I’m friendly! Just let me be around you.’’You get upset and might push the person. Shout at them. If you’re a bit more of an assertive person you might punch them. Who knows.
Then the person and the friend get upset. Well? WHY are you here then? What are you doing in this public space if you don’t like being around other people? You have no business to be here, minding your own business in this park with your family without allowing me to sit with you, play with you, touch you, talk to you. Actually, you know what you should do? You should be more social! You should go more often to random groups of people.

_______
Do you see what I did there?
If you thought any of the above situation is not okay (and I sure as heck hope you do), then why do we think it’s okay to let dogs run up to strange dogs and say ‘It’s okay he’s friendly’?

What we do in the dog world is the exact opposite what we should be doing. We label the harassed dog as aggressive and the harassing dog as the victim.

Dogs have emotions. They have feelings. They have their own characters and personalities. There are many, many dogs that are not interested in making new friends or being with dogs they don’t know they can trust.

And sure, some dogs love playing with other dogs. Those are the extraverted dogs. Just like we have people that LOVE hugging or love making new friends even as adults, but to be honest.. how many of those people do you know? I think if you put it into a % its lower than the people that rather just are with their select group of people and be left alone by random strangers in public spaces.

So don’t assume the dog your dog is running towards on the beach, is willing to play with your dog. Being in a public space means you need to have your dog under effective control. And if you can’t call your dog back, it should be on a long line until you can.

——-

In case you’re interested.. after quite a few requests I made a video version of this blog as well.

Your dog is NOT friendly, he's harassing others
https://youtu.be/YlWf02MHKCo

07/26/2024

Classes starting soon!

07/18/2024

One puppy is hard, two is way harder.

I got a call at 7 in the morning from a new dog owner, she got a pair of littermates from a labradoodle breeder at 8 ½ weeks old she doesn’t know what to do and she is in tears. They are only 8 months old, but she is at her wits end.

Her puppies, two littermates have already begun to show the severe symptoms of littermate syndrome.

They have started fighting to the point she has to take one of them to a 24 hour vet to get stitched up, but if she tries to keep them separated they panic, scream and are heart breaking desperate to get back with one another.

It’s not very often that you find something that trainers, vets, shelter workers and reputable breeders all agree on, but the canine industry is becoming progressively more aware of the dangers of taking two puppies. So much so this has even been given it’s own name… Littermate Syndrome.

I think littermate syndrome can be a somewhat misleading term, because it can lead people to believe that only puppies from the same litter will suffer from this syndrome.

What are the symptoms of littermate syndrome?

It is difficult for them to form a bond with a human and the human is often the odd man out in the relationship.

What’s wrong with that you ask? Well one of the things that makes dogs so lovable is that they are socially motivated to hang out with their people. It prevents them from being motivated to please you.

Dogs often suffer from severe separation anxiety from their littermate. Even if separated from a short time 2-3 minutes the dogs may scream and even self harm to get to the other dog. They have such a strong bond with their littermate that nothing else matters. They often are unable to recover the other dog passes early in life.

There have been studies that show a hindered social development with people and dogs in littermate pairs raised together. It is guessed that this is probably due to their dependency on one another and their inability to bond with things outside of their littermate. They are unable to truly be socialized and each dog only becomes ½ way socialized.

Littermates raised together are often unable to learn basic skills like manners or obedience. Think of all the nuisance behaviors like barking at other dogs, pulling on leash, door bolting, basic skills that most puppies master before 7 months old.

Now pair that with not being able to teach sit, down or stay; because your dog is fixated on it’s littermate.

Littermates often have a love hate relationship, while they are super bonded they often escalate with one another due to their hindered social development. While some littermates never display this, more often than not this is the norm. Oftentimes this results in dangerous and aggressive behaviors between the littermates in the home.

Dogs with littermate syndrome have been shown to focus on training and their handler as poorly as a dog who has been completely isolated during their first 6 months of life. You wouldn’t isolate your puppy, so don’t hinder their development with another puppy.

Can it be prevented?

Theoretically yes, but in practice it’s nearly impossible. In my 15 years of training animals I have only seen this effectively avoided in one situation.

In this case she knew of littermate syndrome before purchasing the two puppies from an overfilled rescue and she tried to only adopt one, but the rescue insisted it would be easier to take two and wouldn’t do the adoption any other way.

So, how did she prevent it?

She signed them up for two totally separate training classes on different nights of the week, kenneled them in separate rooms, took them on separate walks, did 20 minutes of training apart for each dog daily, and only gave them 1 -1 ½ hours of playtime together daily.

Can you imagine? Adding triple the work of puppy raising to your daily schedule with the kids, job and other responsibilities you already have?

In recent months I have seen two pairs of littermates adopted… lab mixes and goldendoodles. I was sad to see this, but the shelter workers spent hours explaining the proper way to raise them, risks of littermate syndrome, and the work that would be involved. The adopters where absolutely convinced they were ready. One couldn’t bear to break up the puppies the other had two kids and wanted a puppy for each explaining that they would have their needs met. At 6 months the doodle family already has two puppies with irreputable behavioral problems and has rehomed one. The Labrador mixes owners also ran into similar issues around 8 months they are currently deciding if they can handle keeping both. However, even with rehoming both dogs will never fully recover, even if they are able to make progress.

TAKING TWO IS A HUGE GAMBLE and ultimately the puppies may pay the price.

07/17/2024

Mr. Frankie is SUCH a cutie 😍

He's here for our board and train program to work on confidence, recall, and other basic obedience.

Keep an eye out for a video of him coming soon 😄

06/28/2024

I've had Brody for 11 days and the amount of progress he has made is so fun to see.

His previous owner brought him to a group class and Brody was a wild child.
Loud, hard to get focused, excited about all the dogs.

With him and his wife being an older couple and Brody being a young, energetic husky, he realized they weren't the right match for each other.

Brody is going to spend a few more weeks learning all the things and then will be searching for his perfect match 💜

He really is SUCH a sweet, smart boy.

We're really enjoying him being here.
And his new family will have to be dedicated to his learning and will need to continue training with us.

Keep an eye out for more videos 😉

06/28/2024

If your veterinarian, groomer, or dog trainer suggests your dog could benefit from weight loss please don’t take it personally. Keeping dogs healthy is the responsibility of each of these professionals. Talking to your vet to confirm the suggestion or to ask for safe weight loss program for your dog is the best thing to do. Excess weight can lead to a number of health issues like diabetes, hip pain, and pancreatic issues. Help your pet to be as healthy as possible for as long as possible! 🥰

06/27/2024

💥 Hiking Drop In 💥

For those that have been asking, here's our first hiking class of the year!

We have a drop in for THIS Sunday 6/30

This is for current and past clients 😄

https://fyzservices.as.me/hiking

For everyone else, if you're wanting to work with us, we have group classes, privates, limited board and train spots, daycare/day training 😄

You can find more information on all of our services here
www.Fyzdogtraining.com

06/27/2024

THIS IS NOT A DRILL.

06/26/2024

Jim week two of his board and train 😄

He's learning all the good things and is making really nice improvements in all the areas 💜

He's a really eager, sweet boy who enjoys his training sessions.

Keep an eye out for his next video!

06/25/2024

Smol dog posse.😁

(Left to right: Bruno, Pippie, Leo, & Penny.)

06/25/2024

Roxy, Raven, and Bruno playing with the flirt pole at daycare today.

One on one time is super important in a daycare setting. We love being able to do whatever the individual dog benefits from most. Though these guys are wild and love to chase, it's also important we work on self control and obedience at the same time.

06/24/2024

Hey everyone, someone has created a fake page of ours..

Please don't click on any links that are sent if you're tagged in a post.

We've been blocking and deleting as fast as we can.

If we've missed one, please tag us in the post.

06/24/2024

We had an outing with four of our personal dogs and two dogs that have boarded with us for years.

All six dogs are e collar trained, only two are wearing them during this trip.
Our four boys have fantastic recalls, whether on e collars or not, but the majority of our outings, they do wear their e collars. You just never know when you may need that backup.

The e collar has given ALL these dogs my absolutely favorite thing-freedom. Freedom to be dogs, to run and play-unrestricted.

Angel(black doodle) and Zulu(white doodle) are our boarding dogs. Both their owners came to us for help, with one of their biggest issues being bolting whenever they could.

This is extremely scary and dangerous behaviour.

It's also limiting to have to keep them on leash all of the time.

After weeks of building solid foundations with them both, teaching them how to learn and engage, and that recalling is fun, but also mandatory, that's when we did our e collar introduction. Only after they knew what was being asked.
And only with high quality e collars.

During our three hours of running, swimming, pictures, and playing-neither of them had the e collar used. They came every single time they were called, and they got paid for it(seriously, never stop paying your recalls)!

At this point, the e collar is just backup. Backup if a moose pops out from the trees or a rabbit goes running by, or whatever the real world may toss out at that moment.

None of the dogs are worried about being corrected, not wanting to leave us, or shut down.

These are six e collared trained dogs, and this video shows just how happy they are with their freedom 💜

If you're needing help, set up an evaluation today 😄

https://fyzservices.as.me/

06/21/2024

Who's this??

This is Brody, our new foster pup 😍

He'll be staying with Leah for the next few weeks to work on his excitement when he sees people and dogs, learn manners, obedience, and off leash skills.

He's a sweet, young husky who's going to need some active owners.

He loves working for food and enjoys toys, so he's going to be a blast for someone!

Keep an eye out for when he becomes available 💜

06/20/2024

"My dog doesn't like car rides."

"My dog hates the vet."

"I can't cut my dog's nails."

"S(he) won't eat her food unless I add a little [human food] to it."

"My dog hates other dogs."

"S(he) will *be fine* once s(he) gets used to you."

"My dog is afraid of [thing/place/person/etc]."

"My dog hates the crate."

"My dog can't be left alone."

With precious few exceptions, all of these things are completely avoidable, so they never happen or can be fixed with appropriate effort.

The reason these behaviors appear is because owners never thought they needed to condition the dog to accept these things. At the very first sign of protest by the dog, the owner stops whatever they are doing and the dog registers that protest makes what the dog doesn't like, stop.

The next time the owner reenacts the same scenario, the dog doubles its effort, perhaps even quicker, and the owner stops again.

It doesn't matter what it is, what the dog's takeaway from each encounter, is when I fight, I win.

It could be as simple as holding a puppy, or putting equipment on the dog.

Owners make these things a struggle and heavily reinforce the dog every time they allow the dog to escape or avoid consequence for refusal or failure.

By the time the dog is a practiced adult, there will come a time where these things will need to be done, and either the owner, a veterinarian, some other caregiver, will be the recipient of a fair bit of fury when the dog exercises his memory of fast refusals at the first whiff of conflict, weighing in at adult weights, and having formed adult opinions.

It doesn't take much to prevent these things, but folks have their work cut out for them when they try to remediate these issues after they have been hardened by lack of conditioning.

Your dog is more than capable of learning how to be confined, restrained, groomed, approached safely by strangers, travel, etcetera.

What stands in the way of where you are now, and success, is knowing what to do, how to do it, and the effort necessary to get it all done.

We're here when you're ready.