Shine on Dog Training

01/08/2023

13/07/2023

Splish splash, we hope it’s not a bath! 😜

25/01/2023

Transitioning from Alaska to Florida… it’s a very hard life for these two! 🤷‍♀️🤩😇😎

29/10/2022

Happy 8th Birthday to our sweet Lilly Bear!! It’s only 18 degrees here today and after running around in the snow she says she’s ready to snuggle in front of the “fire”! We love her so very much! 🥰🎂🎁

16/10/2022

Lazy Football Sunday with Leroy! 🤩

03/10/2022

Hiking in Alaska… 🤩🥰

28/02/2022

Seriously, Malinois are an AMAZING dog, but please don’t get one because they’re cool… they are a serious working breed, and if you don’t give them a serious job, or at least exercise, they will not be cool anymore, they will be a nightmare 🙏

23/01/2022

Do your dog a favor, and buy them the blue toy!!

27/12/2021

Some dogs will never be comfortable around children, but every dog can reach their limit when you haven’t taught your child how to treat a dog! Teach them to never approach a dog they don’t know, and always be gentle!!

25/12/2021

Merry Christmas from my puppers to yours!!

13/12/2021

Daddy, just tell me what you want me to do!!

27/11/2021

SO MUCH THIS!! Not every dog wants to meet you!

🛇 Use your Manners! 🛇
The Sniff test - Stop doing that!
The sniff test - a badly engrained habit that society has been taught, without a clear understanding of what they're actually doing.

🚩When you reach out towards a dog, you are using body pressure AT them, giving them no time to assess whether you are safe & whether they require further investigation to pick up your information. You are forcing an interaction of a relationship that hasn't had time to develop. To some dogs, this is quite rude & the reason a lot of dogs snap at or bite people. This can cause alot of behavioral issues because of layered stress due to forced interactions.

🚩If they are on lead, they have no where to go if they are sensitive to spacial pressure, so can end up shutting down, shying away or snapping at your hand so you back off. This is an example of how a dog is now using pressure to turn off pressure & make you back off so they aren't so stressed.

🚩People think by offering your hand it can give the dog time to sniff to know you're friendly... they can sniff without being forced to sniff your hand.Their noses are far more superior than ours & they don't need close contact forced upon them to smell you.

🚩Some dogs might not want to know you. You have no relationship with them and that's perfectly fine. They aren't your dog so you don't need to touch them or steal pats for your own satisfaction.

🤔 If you are meeting a dog, what should you do?
⚠Ask the owner if you can interact with their dog. Not all people want strangers touching their dogs. Especially strangers who you are unlikely to see again.
⚠Stand up straight & relaxed, with your hands at your side.
⚠Ignore the dog & talk to the owner.
⚠Don't stare at the dog & don't try to force an interaction by going in for a pat. If the dog wants to know you, it will come up to you & sniff around. Usually they will move away & then come back for a second sniffathon. Some dogs will bunt your hands & wag their tails, which are good signs that you're likely an accepted new friend. Give them a few slow pats down their back (NOT THEIR HEAD) & then stop. Is the dog happy? Has it accepted your interaction? This will determine whether you can give it more pats.

🐶This is a more stress free option for dogs & a reason why in consultations we can develop a good level of trust, especially with fearful dogs & aggressive dogs, without a bunch of negative side effects from forced interactions.

10/11/2021

This is hilarious!! But on a serious note, it is extremely important to educate yourself about the breed of dog you think you want. 😇

13/10/2021

Just an opportunity to share some of what I do with my dogs. Begging is a huge issue that a lot of clients want help with, but it’s really quite simple. Don’t feed your dogs when you are eating, and give them a requirement (like laying down, or going to place) while you are eating, and your life will be much easier!

25/09/2021

My version of optimism!! Life is always better with dogs 🐕 😎🤩

23/09/2021

I have a dog that loves everyone, and a dog that would prefer that strangers leave him alone. ALWAYS ask if you can greet someone’s dog… and dog owners it’s okay to tell them NO!!

19/09/2021

Lilly says I’m not a CAT, I’m a Dawg!!

19/09/2021

Snuggle time is always important!! Leroy loves his Mommy 🥰😇

15/09/2021

Always encourage your dog!! It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give corrections when needed, but always end on a high note! It’s your responsibility to make them feel safe!

07/09/2021

After traveling over this holiday weekend, I thought I would say a few things about taking road trips with your dogs. It’s very important to expose your dog to riding In the car from a young age, and make sure you are taking them on small rides to do something fun, not just when you need to go to the vet. I actually encourage clients to take their dogs to the vet office in between actual appointments and just bring them in to let the staff pet them and give them treats. This way, they associate the vet office with good things, and not just the misery of being poked and prodded. I found myself in the unfortunate and stressful situation today of being stuck in traffic for an extended period of time, but because I have acclimated my dogs to being in the car, it wasn’t a disaster like it could have been! As always, feel free to ask any questions you might have, or tell me about your travel stories!

26/07/2021

Introducing dogs to children has been on my mind lately, so I thought I would say a few things. We all want our dogs to adore and protect any kids they are around, but the reality is that it’s never that simple. There are some dogs that are made to be around kids, and there are some that just aren’t comfortable around them. Everyone hopes their dog will be that “special” one, but the truth is no dog should ever be left alone with a child, no matter what! I currently have a dog, Lilly, that is great with kids, and another, Leroy, that is very uncomfortable when it comes to toddlers.

Leroy is NOT A BAD DOG just because he doesn’t understand and is uncomfortable with children… it’s my job to understand the best way to set him up for success, and very young children make him nervous and protective. And that’s okay 🙏🙏

The most important thing we can do is realize the limitations of our dogs, and instead of punishing them, look to build on the positive scenarios we can control.

Please start early with your children to teach them how to interact with a dog, and to NEVER approach a dog they don’t know!! Every dog will bite if they are pushed too far, and it is our responsibility to teach our children how to treat dogs!

26/07/2021

I would love for everyone to ask me questions about things they need help with for their dogs!!

02/07/2021

Punishment vs. Correction

Many people were raised to “punish” their dogs when they did something wrong. For example, the puppy peed on the floor while you were gone, so dad spanked him with a rolled up newspaper and rubbed his nose in so he could “learn”.

Here’s the problem with this approach… unless you catch the dog in the act of doing something wrong, your punishment later has no meaning. They can’t understand what you are mad about, and all it ends up creating is fear and anxiety about when the humans come home, and can also lead to serious aggression issues!

Instead, I use an approach I have labeled “preventative maintenance” where we do our best to control the environment and set our dogs up for success instead of trying to fix something after it happens. I strongly recommend crate training your dog from a young age, for the same reasons you don’t let your toddler run around the house unsupervised. When we can supervise, we look for moments to use a mild correction and then show our dogs what we want them to do instead! This creates a relationship of trust and understanding that can be built upon in all future scenarios! Feel free to ask questions if you need help with a situation, and Shine On!!

27/06/2021

Non verbal communication. Leroy is a back talker 🤷‍♀️ but instead of continuing to ask him verbally, I use my body language to make it clear this is not a negotiation

27/06/2021

One of the biggest mistakes we make as owners is constantly using verbal commands to communicate with our dogs. As humans, most of our daily interactions require us to talk to each other, but telling your dog to sit 10 times in a row just teaches them to ignore you. Instead, I can show you how to physically communicate to your dog what is expected of them, without harsh punishment, but through a series of exercises to increase your understanding of each other.

26/06/2021