My Fantastic Friend

08/28/2024

Do you have a dog who waits until you’re gone and then raids your kitchen, immediately and systematically, in a series of counter-top skirmishes? Nothing on the counter is safe: utensils, dirty dishes, whole loaves of bread, that cheese platter Aunt Tara brought to your birthday, a dish of g

08/20/2024

Gus and Pippi get their teeth brushed before bed!

Did you know brushing your dog's/cat's teeth is important for their health? Poor dental health affects the whole body AND behavior. Don't worry, most of us don't do it or don't do it enough! But today's a good day to start. Here are just a few tips.
-This toothbrush Diego is showing off is my favorite and preferred toothbrush for dogs. It has a large and a small end with soft bristles. You can get this toothbrush at PetSmart or Chewy and probably most of your local pet stores (it's basic!). I use the large end for Diego and the small end for Myles. Perfect!
-Make it easy to remember! The easier a task is for us to remember and actually do, the more likely we are to make it a habit. Put your toothbrush, toothpaste, and treats where you plan to brush teeth in an easy to see/easy to remember spot. Maybe you place it all in the bathroom and brush your pets' teeth right before you brush yours. Maybe you place it next to their food and brush their teeth before breakfast (my current routine). It becomes part of the feeding routine AND makes breakfast the delicious reward after having teeth brushed (but you can also give a snack!).
-Teach muzzle handling/lip lifts first! Teach your dog/cat it's great to have their lips lifted and mouth handled first and separately from toothbrushing, then introduce the toothbrush and actual brushing slowly and incrementally.

Once your dog/cat is comfortable and brushing has become a happy habit, it takes hardly any additional time out of your day for a HUGE healthy payoff. Brush those teeth!

08/18/2024

Fear is easy to come by and difficult, if not impossible, to undo in many cases. Below are several ways dogs become fearful:

👉 Genetics
👉 A stressed mother during pregnancy (affects offspring)
👉 Maternal behavior
👉 Early environment (missed socialization)
👉 Bad experiences

We can help dogs by going at their pace and never being the source of their fear. ❤️

Alt text: A black and white dog on a yellow patterned background. Speech bubble says, “Fear is easy to come by and difficult, if not impossible, to undo.”

07/26/2024

"While everybody applauds the impulse to reduce fear, anxiety and stress in dogs; excitement of the kids on Christmas morning variety, of the crazed laughing with friends variety, of the dogs racing around or unpacking a puzzle toy variety, is not bad. It’s good."

From the archives.

https://www.academyfordogtrainers.com/blog/intensity-isn-t-bad/

07/19/2024

“In general terms, when we provide dogs with what they need, it means they have good welfare and they are happy. When dogs have what they need, they are less likely to have behaviour issues, and they are more likely to have a good relationship with us. So instead of thinking about obedience, we should think about happiness. Everyone loves their dog. And I think everyone wants their dog to be happy too.”

Instead of asking, “How do I get my dog to obey me?” we should ask, “Is my dog happy?” and “How can I make them happier?”

07/14/2024

I was updating some older blog posts and came across this one. And since today is a sunny day, it's seems worth sharing again. Reward-based methods aren't just for sunny days and easy dogs and puppies. They are for all dogs.

07/07/2024

I wanted to give a quick update as to why I haven’t been as active on this page. My local shelter, like many others, is understaffed and underfunded. (And that’s an understatement.) Despite that, they do a great job in caring for the dogs and cats and working with the community. They provide the animals with more than just the bare minimum of food, water and shelter. They provide medical care, enrichment feeding, training, walks, play, foster placements, and days out of the shelter to decompress, just to name a few things. It’s honestly amazing they do what they do with their meager resources.

How do they do it? Mostly through volunteers and donations.

So, that’s where I’ve been spending much of my time, outside of my client work. I volunteer frequently, and I love it! It can be difficult, emotional and draining. It is also fulfilling, uplifting and meaningful.

For the time being, I’m referring more complex behavior cases out to trusted colleagues and taking on fewer clients in general. I’m still taking virtual clients for basic skills, and I’m continuing to work with existing clients.

Pictured: Adoptable dog Sly enjoying some time in the baby pool.

06/26/2024

I cannot wait for this book!

Isn't this the most gorgeous cover?!! I am beyond thrilled to share it with you. I was delighted when I heard that Belle Wuthrich--the same person who designed the covers for Wag and Purr--was working on the cover for Bark!, and I think she has excelled herself with this one. Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog is available for pre-order now from all good bookstores and from Amazon https://amzn.to/4cAKSSt Bark! will be published on 1 October 2024 in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and on 17th October 2024 in the UK. Let me know what you think of the cover!

06/24/2024

“Behavior happens (or doesn't happen) for a reason. It's our job to determine what that reason is.”

I'm willing to guess that the majority of your read this and thought something along the lines of "some trainer," or, "what a disobedient dog."
I get it.
What dog doesn't know how to sit? It's one of the first skills most folks teach their new dog.

Here's the thing.
My dog doesn't refuse to sit because he's stubborn, OR disobedient. It's not because he was poorly trained, or wasn't taught to "sit" in the first place (he actually learned this behavior VERY quickly.)

My dog refuses to sit because he is physically unable to.
My poor dog has arthritis in 4 out of his 4 limbs, which makes flexing certain joints difficult and painful to do. If you ask my dog to sit, he won't do it, because it hurts!

I share this with you, because I think it is so important if our dog fails to perform a behavior that we don't default to anger or punishing the dog for their lack of compliancy, rather, we stop to ask "why?"

* Is this behavior improperly trained?
Maybe my dog doesn't fully understand the behavior or the cue you are using yet, and are not sure what you are asking of them.

* Is my dog overwhelmed/distracted?
Is the environment too stimulating or distracting for my dog right now? Maybe we're in a park and my dog is observing kids playing for the first time, and is too distracted to properly respond to my cues (this suggests further training/proofing is required!)

* Is this behavior within my dog's physical limitations?
If I have done a thorough job teaching a behavior, proofing it around a variety of distractions, and my dog still won't perform the behavior, I want to determine if there is an underlying cause preventing my dog from being successful, such as pain.
Fun fact - many dogs experiencing pain DON'T walk with a limp! Your dog may appear to move normally, but can be suffering from an underlying injury or discomfort. It's best to schedule a vet check to rule out any health issues.

Before you label your dog as "stubborn" or label them as "disobedient." make sure you've done your due diligence investigating why your dog may be struggling in the first place.

Behavior happens (or doesn't happen) for a reason. It's our job to determine what that reason is.

06/22/2024

My dogs love taking online classes with Joan at The Dog Abides, LLC!

✨ Summer Sparkle Sessions! ✨

Single session, live online group classes are now open for registration! I’ve added a few to my schedule, more coming soon! For starters, we’ve got:

Get in a Box

Kickback Stand

Fabulous Fronts

All sparkle session classes are 35 minutes via Zoom, $29 each. For more info, visit my website and check out the Sign Up page!

https://www.thedogabidesllc.com/scheduling

Thelma, Coralie, and Miles insisted that they all fit in this canvas box! 📦😍

06/21/2024

Adoptable Sly has a blast in the pool! This guy loves the water. It’s a great form of enrichment for him. His discovery of the pool ended up being a big breakthrough. Another was learning via positive reinforcement training. He could do things that made other good things happen for him! Next came toys. Previously, it seemed there was no point to those objects. Now he plays with toys gleefully. Sly is so full of joy and enthusiasm! He is available at Madison County Animal Services - NC.

Pictured are Sly’s sweet face and his impressions of a bear and a seal.

06/19/2024

The sky booms are coming! Call your vet today about situational meds so your dog doesn’t suffer through the fireworks season.

Alt text: Colorful fireworks graphics on a red background with a plaid bottom border. The text reads, “The sky booms are coming! Call your vet today about situational meds so your dog doesn’t suffer through the fireworks season.”

06/07/2024

Stuffed, frozen trachea. Navy Bean LOVED this and lasted it a long time. Wrap the bottom of a trachea chew in foil. Then fill and freeze, removing the foil prior to giving it to the dog (of course). This one was layered parfait-style, alternating a wet food/pumpkin/dry food mixture with a Greek yogurt/PB mixture.

06/04/2024

Useful info on preparing your dog for fireworks (and thunderstorm) season.

Fourth of July is right around the corner, which means the dreaded sky booms are coming. 🎆 Fireworks season can be such a tough time for many dogs. As for puppies discovering new sounds for the first time, fear prevention from the get go is critical.

Check out my newly updated blog post about "bacon booms" and other tips for surviving fireworks season with your dog.

https://www.kindogbehavior.com/post/bacon-booms

Start preparing now!

05/27/2024

This is a great class from Lizzy and the Good Dog People! Check it out.

Imagine your dog EXCITED to come when you call them! I've got you covered. 🙌 My highly-rated class Recall for a Meatball starts again on Wednesday, June 19, at 7 pm EST. Registration is open! https://www.thegooddogpeople.com/classes

Recall (coming when called) is an essential life skill that can give you and your dog greater freedom while you explore and enjoy the world together!

* This supportive class fits dogs of all ages and breeds/breed mixes.
* You don't need any prior training experience!
* Classes typically meet for 45-60 minutes.
* Recordings of each session are available in our online class space if you need to miss a week or prefer a self-guided experience.
* We meet for five fun weeks via Zoom.
* We won't train during our sessions, so you don't need to bring your dog to class. (Unless you want to! Dogs are always welcome!!)

05/24/2024

Check out Bryson's submission for his Trick Dog Performer Title! Congratulations, Cheryl and Bryson. You are an amazing team!

Fun trick training can be a great form of enrichment, providing both mental and physical exercise.

05/23/2024

Bryson earned his Trick Dog Performer title! Check back tomorrow evening to see his video submission.

Thank you to The Dog Abides, LLC for evaluating his submission 🥰

05/22/2024

Just a few things Navy Bean and I have been doing this week. She’s a smarty pants.

05/17/2024

Pippi LOVES cleaning out the remnants of Greek yogurt from the container. She usually gets a little yogurt on her eyebrows. It's very cute. Gotta love free enrichment!

05/17/2024

05/10/2024

Pippi’s physical therapy as enrichment, and Gus joins in!

05/08/2024

"And we can take heart that reward-based methods are better for animal welfare in two ways: they avoid the risks of stress, fear, and aggression that are associated with aversive methods; and they give the dog positive experiences that contribute to good welfare."

A great post by Academy graduate Dr. Zazie Todd of Companion Animal Psychology, from the archives.

https://www.academyfordogtrainers.com/blog/the-double-advantage-of-reward-based-training/

05/03/2024

It’s enrichment for me this week! I visited the ASPCA Behavioral Rehab Center as part of an animal behavior and training conference I’m attending. And of course I’m learning a lot in the conference sessions and meeting other animal behavior professionals.

04/24/2024

Gus worked on his “nibble” trick this morning.

04/23/2024

Gus is learning some just for fun tricks while Pippi does her physical therapy.

04/18/2024

Gus and Pippi love watching the world go by! This is excellent enrichment.

04/12/2024

Adoptable dog Navy showing off her skills with Tug-of-War! Tug is a great cooperative game that burns mental and physical energy. We had a blast playing this game together!

03/26/2024

Yay, Lizzy’s class for coming when called is coming up! Check it out 😊

GOOD NEWS! Recall For a Meatball starts next Wednesday, April 3, at 7 pm EST! Train your dog to come when called using proven methods! The class is FUN, accessible, effective, and efficient, using only force-free training. Perfect for learners at every skill level, even trainers take the course! Our small group meets live via Zoom for five Fridays. If you have a scheduling conflict, no problem! Each class recording is available for you to watch when you can. If you're fostering for a shelter or rescue, use FOSTERLOVE when signing up to save 20%. If you're a senior human (age 65+) or have a senior dog, use code SENIORLOVE to save 10%! Sign up here: https://www.thegooddogpeople.com/classes