Brian The Barkeologist

03/30/2024

Brilliant first session with Millie the Border Collie, who has reactivity to guests and passerbies, general anxiety and fear, and some resource guarding. We actually became fast friends!

09/25/2023

Wow thank you so much Richard! Your kind words mean so much to me and I am so glad Finn is doing well!

Fun fact: Finn is the dog that I use as an example when I talk about the importance of controlling perimeter space with territorial dogs. A simple patrol by myself, Richard and his wife around the perimeter of their back yard 180'd his response to passerby's, deferring to us to intervene rather than jumping in himself during a training session. Very smart dog!

If your dog is showing territorial or resource guarding tendencies please don't hesitate to reach out!
(Click the picture to enlarge)

09/11/2023

I blew up my website and started from scratch!

I encountered some elements (including my contact form bugging out) that weren't working since a recent Wordpress update, and it seemed easier to just reset the whole thing. It was quite the undertaking but it's finally done!

To celebrate figuring this thing out I'm offering 15% off any training package for the next week, code: "COOLSITEBRO"

Thank you for your support! It means the world!

Hey, my name is Brian The barkeologist Dog behavior consultant Clients 0 + Consulting Hours 0 + Lectures + Podcasts 0 Dog training has evolved Cooperative Training techniques Beginning with obedience training often backfires: as the dog learns to outsmart the program or percieve your relationship as...

04/04/2023

That look when she catches me catching her snorting the couch

03/30/2023

March has been a tough month, and I believe my price increase may have scared some people off. I went from way overbooked to way underbooked extremely quickly. I know too that the country's recent financial issues, bank collapses, and skyrocketing interest rates may have a role to play in people conserving their money.

I've rolled back the 90 minute intro session to $200 (was $250)
Follow ups have been rolled back to $120 (were $160)
Initial 4 session packages have been rolled back to $499 (was $599)
3 session follow up packages have been rolled back to $300 (were $350)

Thank you for your support 🤍

03/29/2023

I want to thank Mia's mom for her donation to my Chaos & Canines blog!

I have been working with Mia (left) for a while now, probably one of the most fearful dogs I've ever seen. Her mom and her infinite patience has slowly allowed Mia to come out of her shell. We still have a long ways to go, but she's already come so far!

03/25/2023

Finny has come so far!

He is a Bernedoodle with some reactivity and resource guarding issues.

With the help of some concepts from mathematics we were able to identify areas of conflict and stress which were contributing to his behavioral problems. Recently I posted about how human & animal conflict both follow a "power law" distribution. That means if you map the magnitude of all conflict, there are a lot of smaller conflicts and a few large ones.

Which means if large conflicts are happening with a dog - there is a theoretical 10^x more smaller conflicts being missed. With this in mind we were able to examine Finn's daily interactions and identify areas we could change and modify to adjust the conflict curve to reduce the magnitude and frequency of his reactivity and guarding!

03/18/2023

You don't need to go far on a walk to tire your dog out!

When you have a "human goal" like walking around the block, or walking for a certain amount of time, often your dog will pull you towards your goal - and you'll let it happen because hey, you accomplish your task faster. That's how pulling on leash starts! If pulling = forward movement, the dog will pull.

Today, I took Nova out on the long line and I wanted to walk at *her* pace, the pace she needs to go to absorb all the information in her environment. We did not make it very far, and that's okay! The mental stimulation of actually slowing the walk down and taking everything in, with some loose leash and recall training thrown in, was more than enough to tire her out for a looooong nap despite barely making it out the front yard.

When your goal is desensitization, enrichment, and engagement, not distance or time - you will both have a much more enjoyable walk!

03/01/2023

Look at that face!

This post is to congratulate Rey and her parents for how far they've come with her reactivity to guests!

01/16/2023

Vague predicates predict venomous vocabulary!

01/09/2023

Price increase alert!

On the advice of some esteemed colleagues, who are appalled at how low my prices have been for the work that I've been doing...

Starting Jan 16th, initial sessions will be $250 and run for 90 minutes, follow ups will be $160 and run for 60. The 6 session package will now be a 4 session package for $599 flat.

I'm shifting in specialty to complex cases, though I'm still happy to take puppy clients, with an emphasis on preventing behavioral issues rather than basic obedience.

Picture is graphs of how many interpersonal relationships exist per number of individuals. A family with 2 dogs, 2 kids, and 2 parents is *15* separate relationships!

Complex cases require more time & a nonlinear approach in order to unravel & solve. I will also be dedicating more time to content creation and producing resources for other trainers to begin considering a non-reductionist approach to their own cases.

Thank you for understanding!

11/24/2022

Happy Barksgiving!

Please enjoy 15% off any service or package deal with the codes:
"Barksgiving1" for services!
and
"Barksgiving" for packages!

Offer expires Nov 26th 2022!

11/24/2022

Our series of posts is inspired by the awesome book "Meet your Dog" by the fabulous Kim Brophey from The Dog Door

Every dog is as unique as their nose prints but genetics play a big role in shaping their behaviour.
Understanding why our dogs do what they do is the first step in understanding some of those very normal behaviours that we might deem to be unacceptable or inappropriate.

In the run up to Christmas and with Ireland being the puppy farm capital of Europe, we want to share snippets of information to help you make the right choice for your family. Starting with "Which dog would work for me".

You might have grown up with a certain breed that you loved but would that work for you and your life now? How are you going to provide for your pooches very normal behaviours in terms of exercise and outlets?

Where are you going to find your dream dog? Breeder, online, rescue and how can you determine who is genuine and who isn't?

We'll be helping you out as we go and keep your eyes peeled for a FREE webinar to help you make the best decision possible whilst opening up a live Q&A.

11/02/2022

Excited to announce my first blog post, exploring the Edge of Chaos as a model for understanding dog behavior.

Insights from Mathematics can help us plan & execute training & behavioral modification plans

10/25/2022

These days you hear a lot of dog trainers telling you about their way to "fix" your aggressive dog.

The word "fix" feels a bit problematic to me, because it implies the dog is broken. That the dog, by way of failing to perfectly adapt to our chaotic modern conditions with a set of genetic instructions which find less and less relevance, is somehow the one in the wrong. The one who needs to be repaired.

It implies that every dog was born to fit a blueprint, and that's good marketing - because it sets that dog trainer up to then say "use my blueprint". The reason for the behavior's occurrence is of little consequence to the trainer who wields conditioning theories like a child that's stolen their dad's gun.

This is not to suggest that we shouldn't endeavor to help aggressive dogs adapt better to the environments they find themselves in - but words & motivation matters. We must understand the individual dog, from the microscopic to the macroscopic and all the complexity in-between...and we must help them, with empathy for their internal experience. Helping the dog is about the cause for the behavior. Fixing the dog is cold, with emphasis instead on the application of the solution. Dogs are clouds, not a clock with a broken gear.

(Photo: Novabutt relaxing while I was at the Aggression in Dogs Conference 2022)

08/24/2022

08/14/2022

On my way to Indiana for the LEGS In Motion conference, excited to be presenting on such an exciting topic!

07/28/2022

Chloe did a great job today!

She learned how to contain her boundless excitement when she sees another dog on leash.

Her and Nova were able to hang out next to eachother while remaining calm!

Do you know someone who's dog gets a bit crazy on leash at the sight of another dog? Let them know about The Barkeologist!

07/04/2022

Some firework tips to help your pup calm down over these next few days:

1. Ensure your dog cannot escape - access points should be secure in the event your dog panics and tries to run away. If you're outside at all, keep your dog on a leash or long line. Ensure your dog has updated info on their tags should they run away.

2. A box fan pointed at the wall in the direction the fireworks are can help alter the way sound waves are entering the home, this coupled with some ambient noise from a TV or radio should significantly drown them out.

3. Don't ignore the fireworks - nothing makes your dog feel crazier than something very scary happening and you don't seem to notice it. Talk to your dog, "those are just fireworks!". Position your body inbetween your dog and where the sounds are coming from to help them feel safer.

4. Put your dog in a safe place further from the sounds if they cannot handle the room that they're in.

5. Consider counter-conditioning. *Every time* a firework goes off, it's a treat party! Careful not to only throw treats for the ones your dog barks at, ignoring the ones they tolerate. It's important that the firework predicts treats - not reacting to them.

6. Prepare for next year - desensitize firework sounds using your phone or a Bluetooth speaker starting at low volumes, and consult your veterinarian about your dog's firework anxiety.

Happy 4th of July! And good luck!

06/22/2022

The dog sitting in front of you is SO much more than just nature or nurture, breed or upbringing ... Your dog is a unique individual because of his L.E.G.S. (Learning, Environment, Genetics & Self).

As a Licensed Family Dog Mediator, I will help you unravel the complexities of why your dog does what he does. We will assess his L.E.G.S., set realistic goals that will meet your wants and your dog's needs. Together, we will develop a plan using management, enrichment and training.

Contact me today. www.crimsonhound.com

06/14/2022

Nova hasn't quite mastered catching frisbees, nor I mastered throwing, but she does love to do her best!

06/10/2022

Nova can't believe these gas prices either!

In order to cut down on driving, and also to get much needed training to those who have less disposable income now due to inflation:
VIRTUAL SESSIONS ARE NOW $99!

06/01/2022

Happy to announce that I am officially a licensed Family Dog Mediator!
The FDM Community and it's holistic appproach to dogs has inspired me to go beyond certification and double down with licensure.

I am licensed in the Library division, where my relentless pursuit of knowledge can help other FDM's in the online education center.

I want to thank Kim Brophey for starting this amazing movement, and for encouraging my curiosity. I'm ecstatic for the opportunity to present at the LEGS conference, learning from and meeting my fellow FDMs!

05/22/2022

Nova's first boat ride!
Thank you to my amazing clients for this opportunity to celebrate their dog's progress on this beautiful day.
Their boxer Opie was able to successfully walk past Nova and I without reacting, after a long history of dog reactivity. What a huge milestone!

05/03/2022

Happy to announce I will be speaking at the L.E.G.S. In Motion Family Dog Mediation Membership Meeting and Conference, August 15th & 16th - so I will be unavailable for bookings those two days, and during travel.

The presentation is called Why Dogs Are Clouds, Not Clocks - and I will be addressing issues with "reductionism", as well as introducing the concepts of Chaos Theory and how they may be applicable to behavioral sciences.