Ahimsa Dog Training

03/04/2025

28/03/2025

🐾 Things You Know That Aren’t Going to End Well… 🐾

When raising a puppy, some behaviours may seem funny or harmless at the time, but they can lead to serious issues down the line. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

1️⃣ Chasing your puppy with a brush, hoover, or other object – This can create fear or reactivity towards household items, making grooming or cleaning a nightmare.

2️⃣ Playing with your hands as toys – It might be cute at first, but it encourages mouthing and nipping, which is harder to stop as they grow.

3️⃣ Allowing rough play with children – This can lead to accidental bites or injury when the dog gets overexcited or doesn’t understand boundaries.

4️⃣ Letting your puppy jump up on people – It may be adorable now, but it becomes a bigger issue with a fully grown dog.

5️⃣ Being inconsistent with furniture rules – Letting your puppy on the sofa sometimes but not others creates confusion and inconsistency in training.

6️⃣ Feeding from the table – This encourages begging and can lead to food guarding or resource issues.

7️⃣ Laughing when your puppy growls or resource guards – This accidentally reinforces the behaviour, making it more likely to escalate.

8️⃣ Allowing excessive barking at doors or windows – It may seem harmless, but it encourages territorial or reactive behaviour that can be hard to stop.

9️⃣ Unsupervised play with large or boisterous dogs – This can overwhelm or scare your puppy, creating fear or reactivity towards other dogs.

🔟 Over-exciting your dog indoors – Encouraging wild play inside makes it harder for them to learn how to settle calmly.

1️⃣1️⃣ Pulling your puppy away from new things – Instead of letting them investigate, this can create fear or uncertainty around new experiences.

1️⃣2️⃣ Using their name as a punishment – Saying “Rex, NO!” teaches them to associate their name with negativity, making recall less reliable.

1️⃣3️⃣ Skipping proper socialisation – Missing the critical socialisation window can lead to fearfulness or reactivity later on.

1️⃣4️⃣ Letting your puppy greet every dog or person on walks – This encourages overexcitement and frustration when they can’t greet everyone.

1️⃣5️⃣ Playing tug-of-war incorrectly – Allowing your dog to “win” without rules can foster possessiveness and poor impulse control.

✅ Training Tip: Consistent boundaries, positive reinforcement, and proper socialisation lay the foundation for a well-balanced, confident dog.🐕😊

Which of these have you accidentally done with your dog?
Let us know in the comments!

Best wishes
Allan Ritchie MGoDT (MPDTI)

28/03/2025

Letter from a dog. 🐕
Be cool, always. 🙏😊

“Dear Human,
I see you.
Not just with my eyes but with my whole being. You may not realise it, but every time your heart beats a little faster, I feel it. When your hands tighten ever so slightly on my lead, I sense it. When you breathe differently, I know.
You may smile and say, “It’s fine,” but your scent tells me otherwise. Your muscles betray you. I can feel your energy shifting, and I carry it with me.

You see, I live in a world of sensation. Your voice is only part of what I hear.
I hear the tension beneath it. Your body language speaks louder than words. I watch your posture, your eyes, and the way you hold yourself. I even catch the subtle chemical changes in your scent when you are nervous or afraid. My nose is built for this—I can detect fear and stress hormones in your sweat and skin. And when I do, it shapes how I feel.

When you are anxious, I become uncertain. When you are afraid, I may feel the need to protect or flee. And when you are tense, I wonder if there is danger nearby. Your feelings change the way I experience the world. I’m not trying to be difficult when I pull on the lead or bark at something you can’t see. I’m just reacting to what I feel through you.

I know there have been times when I embarrassed you. Maybe I lunged at another dog, jumped up on a stranger, or barked too much. You held your breath and worried about what others thought. I felt that too. And because I love you, I tried to match your energy—I either got big and bold or small and unsure. Either way, it wasn’t helpful.

But here’s the thing, dear human: I don’t need you to be perfect. I just need you to be calm. When you breathe slower, so do I. When your shoulders relax, I trust that we are safe. When you move with quiet confidence, I follow.

Please, when you are nervous, remember that I don’t need you to control me with strength—I need you to lead me with clarity. When you feel unsure, help me by being steady. I look to you for reassurance, not through words but through the energy you carry.

If you are feeling uncertain, that’s okay. I understand. Just take a moment. Breathe. Stand tall. Move deliberately. Let me see that you are okay, even if you have to fake it at first. With time, I will learn that I don’t need to carry the weight of your worry. You will be my calm. And I will be your calm in return.

With love and loyalty,
Your Dog”

I hope this helps some folks understand a little more about our dogs’ world.
Best wishes,
Allan Ritchie MGoDT ( MPDTI)

24/03/2025

Tennis balls have become one of the most popular enrichment toys for dogs. They are cheap, easy to throw, and dogs love chasing after them. However, what many people don’t realise is that tennis balls can pose serious risks to their furry friends. While they might seem like the perfect toy, tennis...

07/03/2025

Help Keep Kids and Dogs Safe!
https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/resource/tips-for-parents-and-dog-oners-to-help-keep-kids-and-dogs-safe/

06/03/2025

With Let them eat cake – I'm on a streak! I've been a top fan for 6 months in a row. 🎉

05/03/2025

Basic Skills Class... think strong recall skills, impulse control, strengthen your human canine connection

Basic Skills Class... think strong recall skills, impulse control, strengthen your human canine connection

Basic Skills

Basic Skills classes offer you ways of building engagement with your dog, and strengthening your human canine connection. We use the skills to lay strong foundations that teach them the behaviour you would like to see. Reward based training will help you build a strong relationship with your dog, and earn their cooperation, and help them learn quickly. This is confidence building for you and your dog.

You will learn how to teach your dog

great loose leash walking skills

skills/games to help build a solid recall

help your dog learn to work with you around distractions

work on impulse control

teach them to keep four on the floor

learn how to work on calm behavior in your home, and when you are out and about

dogs will learn to respond to cues even around distractions

There are five classes, one per week. Written instructions are provided so you can follow through with the training. Each class is 45 minutes, and is packed with fun and focused exercises.

Date: March 11 - April 8

Time: 8 pm

Cost: $200

Location: Rupert Community Center
24 Ch Shouldice, Alcove, QC J0X 1A0


These classes are for dogs who are friendly with other dogs and humans.
I offer private training for dogs who are easily overwhelmed by the environment, other dogs etc

Please email me at [email protected] for more information and to register.

Class cancellations/changes: please note that we reserve the right to change the location and/or date and/or time of the class if operational needs require it (ex: inclement weather, class size, illness, etc.). However, we will do our best not to make these changes unnecessarily.

05/03/2025

PUPPY K CLASS

I'm offering a young puppy class aimed at getting your pup off to the right start. We will cover strategies to help with puppy nipping and mouthing, and the witching hour!!!

We will focus on safe socialization and building engagement with your pup as well as learning new skills to provide strong foundations for the behaviour you would like your pup to learn.

Leash walking skills

First steps towards building a solid recall

Games that teach important skills

Calm behaviour

We use reward based training techniques and games. Reward based training will help you strengthen your canine human connection and earn your pups' cooperation. This will help them learn new stuff quickly, and build their confidence.

Come on out and have fun working/playing with your pup!

Pre-Requisites: None
Age: 12 to 18 weeks
Vaccinations: 1 x DHPP (or a letter from your vet)
There are five classes, one per week. Written instructions are provided so you can follow through with the training. Each class is 45 minutes, and is packed with fun and focused exercises.

STARTING DATES: Tuesday, March 11 - April 8
Place: Rupert Community Centre
24 Chem. Shouldice, Alcove, QC J0X 1A0
https://g.co/kgs/gxNcK7N

Please email to register for the classes. [email protected]

These classes are for dogs who are friendly with other dogs and humans.
I offer private training for dogs who are easily overwhelmed by the environment, other dogs etc

Class cancellations/changes: please note that we reserve the right to change the location and/or date and/or time of the class if operational needs require it (ex: inclement weather, class size, illness, etc.). However, we will do our best not to make these changes unnecessarily.

01/03/2025

I stand with Ukraine

26/02/2025

Stunningly beautiful day....

26/02/2025

PUPPY K CLASS

I'm offering a young puppy class aimed at getting your pup off to the right start. We will cover strategies to help with puppy nipping and mouthing, and the witching hour!!!

We will focus on safe socialization and building engagement with your pup as well as learning new skills to provide strong foundations for the behaviour you would like your pup to learn.

Leash walking skills

First steps towards building a solid recall

Games that teach important skills

Calm behaviour

We use reward based training techniques and games. Reward based training will help you strengthen your canine human connection and earn your pups' cooperation. This will help them learn new stuff quickly, and build their confidence.

Come on out and have fun working/playing with your pup!

Pre-Requisites: None
Age: 12 to 18 weeks
Vaccinations: 1 x DHPP (or a letter from your vet)
There are five classes, one per week. Written instructions are provided so you can follow through with the training. Each class is 45 minutes, and is packed with fun and focused exercises.
DATE: Tuesday, March 11 - April 8
TIME: 7pm
Place: Rupert Community Centre
24 Chem. Shouldice, Alcove, QC J0X 1A0
https://www.rupertcommunitycentre.ca/

Please email to register for the classes. [email protected]

These classes are for dogs who are friendly with other dogs and humans.
I offer private training for dogs who are easily overwhelmed by the environment, other dogs etc

Class cancellations/changes: please note that we reserve the right to change the location and/or date and/or time of the class if operational needs require it (ex: inclement weather, class size, illness, etc.). However, we will do our best not to make these changes unnecessarily.

23/02/2025

Don't be afraid....those of you who are experiencing the sharp teefs of your baby sharks help is available

Here are a few ideas

*this is perfectly normal behaviour for your pup, it's how they interact and learn about the world. Also it's painful for the human so here are some ways to address it

*be sure that your pup is really well rested
(puppies need up to 20 hours of sleep per day to be well rested) This helps keep those youngsters brains in their head's and helps them learn calm behaviour. *humans ought to be well rested and show calm behavior too....

*have some interesting toys and chews to offer them whenever they start to use you as a chew toy. If pup is unable to redirect to a toy they are over stimulated and need a quiet time with good chews and likely a nap...... *Hand play will encourage your pup to chomp on you!!!

*avoid chasing games as these will encourage your pup to grab you, or your kids!!!

I offer two puppy classes, Early Days Puppy for wee ones 8+ weeks that covers all things related to preparing for the arrival of your new family member, potty training, socialization, puppy nipping and mouthing, enrichment, etc

Puppy K Class is a group class for puppies from 12 - 16 weeks of age. We work on socialization, learning loose leash skills, recall, and games to build engagement.

+trainer