Eight Below Dog Training

06/10/2022

06/10/2022

These pumpkin treats are simple to make with four ingredients or less.

15/04/2022

The last time I posted this it went viral 🤯

It rubbed some the right way and some the wrong way with lots of different opinions about my opinion ... and I still say the same 💁‍♀️

It seems that the ultimate goal for dog owners is to have a dog they can bring to a dog park because that must mean their dog can tolerate and deal with anything 🧐

And I wonder why that's so important?

I understand that many owners with this as their goal in mind, doing it with the best intentions, assuming they’re doing the right thing and are improving the quality of their dog’s life. And for a small amount of dogs, it can be a great experience.

But…

If you have a dog that doesn't really enjoy other dogs, you don't do your dog any favor trying to get him to a point where he can "tolerate" being at the dog park...usually it's quite the opposite and you'll lose your dogs trust that you got his back.

Or if you have a dog that enjoys playing really rough, why is it so important that he can "play" with the miniature doodle at the park rather than finding him a personal play mate that is on his level?

There's many reasons why I don't bring my dog to a dog park regardless of how well tempered and balanced my dog would be...the environment is just way too uncontrolled.

It's like going to a night club, you never know what to expect LOL

The fact that the majority of dogs are dog selective, meaning they prefer a more social circle than having to hug and kiss every stranger they come in contact with, is just another one.

But one of the big reasons I don't bring any dogs there is, because it really is a very unnatural environment for dogs and if you'd like to understand more about this, read my article on that topic on my website blog https://www.k9possible.com/single-post/2016/04/05/why-dog-parks-are-unnatural-how-to-properly-socialize-your-dog

11/04/2022

Problems with "adopt don't shop"

What comes to mind when you hear “adopt don’t shop”? Many people in the advocacy community are also involved in rescue. They encourage adoption and aim to dispel myths about rescue dogs being undesirable pets. This is great work and often it's where people are coming from with the "adopt don't shop" messaging.

But while “adopt don’t shop” comes from a positive place, it can also cause division in other areas of our work, and cause people to feel alienated when we should be working together.

Dog breeding is a contentious subject, and some people might object to our position on this, but please bear with us and keep an open mind.

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On one end of the spectrum is the belief that all breeders are the bad guys and are ultimately responsible for unwanted pet populations and breed specific legislation.

In the middle are people who believe that pet owners should have the right to choose between an ethical breeder or ethical rescue, and that both can and should exist.

On the other end of the spectrum there is a belief that rescues are so focused on “saving” dogs that they are simply recycling poorly bred, unhealthy, and dangerous dogs into the community, and contributing to breed-specific crackdowns.

Our position is that the world needs a healthy balance of ethical breeders and ethical rescues. Both should be held to high standards with respect to the dogs they are placing in the community. Both should work hard to set their dogs up for success and ensure they don’t end up in the shelter system or causing harm to the community.

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Ethical breeders aim to produce dogs with outstanding accomplishments, health, functionality, and temperament. They will screen all new owners thoroughly, support them in providing for all their training and care needs, and take the dog back if the placement doesn’t work out.

Ethical rescues aim to make a good match between a dog and family. The dog should have adequate an temperament assessment, foster hold, and veterinary screening before being placed in a home, and the rescue should offer ongoing support to the adopter. The rescue should take the dog back if the placement doesn’t work out.

See how maybe – just maybe – we may have more in common than we think? Both ethical rescues and breeders do this for the love of dog and that should be the only focus.

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At the end of the day, consumers need to take responsibility for their decisions. If people support unethical rescues because they didn’t do their research or only paid attention to a sad story on a website, they are part of the problem. If people buy dogs off Craigslist out of convenience, or take home a pet store puppy because they feel sorry for it, they are part of the problem.

If we cut off the demand for poorly and unethically bred animals, there will be less financial incentive to keep producing them. The result? Fewer unwanted litters, relinquished pets, and pets that take up considerable resources as they are recycled back into the system.

We all care about animal welfare and advocating for breed-neutral legislation. When we talk about these issues, we suggest that judgements about rescue vs. adoption be largely left out of the equation. Legislators paint all of our dogs with the same brush anyway: BSL rarely makes a distinction between well-bred, poorly-bred, ethically rescued, or unethically rescued dogs.

Let’s keep our conversations constructive and focused on our common goal!

09/04/2022

Stop creating abuse stories about your dogs.
Aggression is most commonly a product of genetics and a lack of training.

18/03/2022

13/03/2022

"How do I get my dog to stop growling?"

This question is everywhere- from social media forums, to emails to trainers, to chats between neighbors. Perhaps we can frame the question to:

"Why is my dog growling?"

Our dogs have limited options to let us know they're uncomfortable. Growling is one way of communicating and quite frankly, is normal. A dog who growls is using the tools they have at their disposal to communicate a message. So, instead of looking to suppress the growl, look deeper. What is your dog trying to tell you, and more importantly- how can you help them?

13/03/2022

Stress....Our dogs are certainly not immune from it. Just as we have stressful times in our life, your dog has the same.

If your dog isn't particularly bothered by cats or loud cars one day...and the next day it is very reactive, it could be "trigger" stacking. This can happen very quickly on a walk.

Your dog may have different "triggers".
Some dogs may dislike crowds, motorbikes, heavy traffic etc.
While they may have been "ok...ish" hearing a motorbike on a walk yesterday, today they are already on edge from being barked at by a strange dog.....this means your dog is MORE likely to react to the motorbike they were "ok" with yesterday.

Don't avoid these triggers.

I know it is very tempting to take your dog to different parks or walk in a different area.....however, your dog needs to be exposed to these in a positive way....usually with distance and positive reinforcement.

The more positive exposure to these triggers that make your dog uncomfortable, the less and less likely they are to react. This is a process though. If you need help with this consider a trainer.

13/03/2022

"He's afraid of X, so he must have been abused by/with X."
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In rescue, a lot of dogs come into care with unknown histories. Many of these dogs present with specific or generalized fear and anxiety.

It can be easy - so, SO easy - to attach a story to their behavior. In fact, it's becoming increasingly common for people to adopt dogs BECAUSE of their story. The more tragic, the better. 🐕

The problem with this is that it tends to freeze dogs into their neuroses. Their owner becomes so attached to the story, so emotionally invested, that they themselves cannot move past it. When the owner gets stuck, so does the dog.

Then the story becomes an excuse.

He's aggressive to the postman because one must have abused him.

He's leash reactive to other dogs because he was a 'bait dog'.
He runs from us when we grab the fly swat because someone has hit him with it.

In most cases, these behaviors are caused from a lack of exposure in the critical period of "socialization". Their inexperience and lack of exposure can present itself as fear, anxiety, stress and aggression; mechanisms they develop over time to cope.

But what exactly caused their rescued dog’s behavior is irrelevant. It's a fool’s errand to try to figure it out; an addictive oxytocin-fueled quest to justify a lack of action.

He's afraid of men? Make men = good things.

He runs from the fly swatter. Pick the damn thing up and throw the dog a handful of steak a few times. See what happens. 🥩

When we adopt a dog, we're making a commitment to BETTER their life. Holding on to their past is doing the opposite. Show them they're in a better place by overcoming their problems, not nurturing them.

Are you in need of help training? Give us a shout!

📲509.281.3015📲

📧[email protected]📧

💻www.nwbdogs.com💻

09/02/2022

As professional dog trainers, our job is to tell clients what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. Due to the rising popularity of the Belgian Malinois, we're receiving more and more inquiries asking us to help "fix" these dogs as they mature into adults. They're biting house guests, chasing the children, and getting into bar fights at the dog park.... and their families are feeling hopeless and frustrated, realizing they bit off more than they could chew.

We understand the appeal. They're beautiful, athletic dogs with hilarious personalities and they're smart as can be. Videos of their impressive training and abilities regularly go viral on the internet. Done correctly, you'd be hard pressed to find a more loyal breed. But these dogs are not without extreme challenges that can make them completely unsuitable for the average home.

For those of you that know us, you know that we are incredibly passionate about the breed. For those of you that don't, a little background on us. Lisa Lucero won the USA Mondioring Nationals in 2021 with her Malinois, Hero; and competed in Romania in the International competition with him in Oct. 2021 - placing in the top 15 in the world. She has been in the Malinois breed for twelve years, with her third competition dog of the breed. Shaina Zimmerman won the MR1 Nationals in 2019 with one of her Malinois, Atom, took 3rd place at MR3 in 2021, and has two dogs currently competing in Mondioring and French Ring. Both have also been involved in rescue and placement of the breed, as well as puppy selection and rearing for some of the top breeders in the country. Shaina's female Malinois just had a litter of puppies for a well known kennel, and she is currently raising one of those puppies until he is placed in an appropriate home. Prior to Malinois, Lisa and Shaina both competed with working line German Shepherds. We have titled in AKC and ASCA Obedience and Rally, in addition to protection sports. We have trained with the best of the best in the country, and in the world. The point is, we have extensive breeding and training experience with Malinois.

We aren't going to sugarcoat what it takes to be successful with a young Malinois in a pet home. One of our well-respected colleagues, that we refer to for private lessons and group classes (since we do not offer those services) has decided to refer out all Malinois inquiries that come in as she has had almost no success helping people with these dogs as pets. The breed has gained exponentially in popularity since the rise of the public's exposure to them. Unfortunately, this has led to many more of them being bred and put out into the world - from those in shelter situations, to those being purchased from working line breeders, to those being bred by less scrupulous breeders looking to cash in on their popularity. It's easy to find breeders regularly mixing Malinois with Dutch Shepherds and German Shepherds, touting them as the perfect family protector and companion, selling them to ill-prepared families. They are a truly singular breed in their needs, and in how their brains work. Even those from the very best breeders require a completely different type of life and training than most trainers offer, or most homes are willing to provide. While we do not subscribe to the theory that Malinois need hours of intensive training and exercise every day, we do know that they need more structure and understanding of training theories and genetic behaviors than most homes are willing to learn and implement.

Malinois are purposefully bred to be a bit neurotic, with a lot of drive, suspicion, and aggression. This can be a hard balance to get right, as genetics have a huge influence on behavior and despite the most thoughtful of breeding, the result can be undesirable. Some Malinois like dogs. Some like people. If you're lucky, you end up with a dog that likes both (we call this a UNICORN)... but most often, they dislike both. And that doesn't make them a bad Malinois.

No matter how social a Malinois is (or appears to be), dog parks and daycare are not appropriate outlets for their energy. These dogs are obsessive -- of their toys, their interactions, and their environments. Putting them in situations where they are able to obsess over dogs, people, and items will inevitably result in behaviors such as barking and lunging on walks, aggression due to possession of their toys, running off after dogs while off leash, etc.

Any interactions our own dogs have with other dogs and strangers are well thought out, and for the benefit of the dog. This is not a breed to hang out at a backyard BBQ with intoxicated houseguests who don't understand high drive dogs. Even sober overzealous greeters can get into trouble with a Malinois. (HAIIII PUPPPY!)

While I am not saying owning a Malinois is akin to a tiger that needs to be kept in a cage, I am telling you that they require a much higher level of obedience control, and coaching other people how to interact (management) than other dogs in order to be mentally well adjusted, happy dogs, to prevent dog fights, and bites to people. Even an accidental bite can have devastating consequences for a dog and it is our job to respect this breed for what it is, and for what it isn't, and to avoid and/or intervene in bad situations. While we can help our clients get rock-solid obedience training, direct them to appropriate training outlets, and help them live the best life together, we cannot, and will not, help them make a Malinois what they are not (a Golden Retriever, by example). It is not possible, and it would be unprofessional and unethical for us to take a clients money promising to do so.

To drive it home, here is a good post from a breeder friend of ours that has gone viral numerous times over the years:

"For those that need to hear it....MALINOIS BITE!
MALINOIS BITE !!
MALINOIS BITE !!!
MALINOIS BITE !!!!
No, there’s nothing ‘wrong’ with them. They are bred this way. They do this from 5 weeks on. They also have lots of energy, are very reactive, very pushy and usually carry quite a bit of aggression. They are not known as ‘tolerant dogs’. They don’t care if that’s your kid’s toy. It’s theirs now. P**s off!
They are not like German Shepherds. They are nothing like your Rottweiler you had years ago that you got to sit and stay. They are not Lassie. They are not Rin Tin Tin. Just stop with that.
They jump like REALLY well. See all those cool videos online of them doing crazy parkour s**t? See all those high walls they scale? Your stupid fenced in yard is a joke. I watch 5 month old Malinois puppies that can climb 6ft fences no problem. These are very athletic and agile dogs. There are reasons they are securely confined when not closely supervised by responsible owners. This is one.
And here comes the ‘well, if they are so terrible than how come you have them?’
Well, guess what? I’m a professional trainer. My life revolves around training dogs. I literally eat, breath and sleep this stuff. Everyday. 24/7. It’s an obsession and a lifestyle. I have the need for a breed that matches that intensity. If I didn’t, you bet your ass I wouldn’t have Malinois. In fact, I started out with other breeds first. I went out to sport training clubs and was a dedicated member for years before I got a Malinois. I spent lots of time around the breed with professional trainers before getting my own.
If you’re still romanticizing about getting your own Malinois after reading all this. Fine. Do it right. Don’t be a schmuck and just go out and get one from the first jerk drooling to sell your naive ass a BYB puppy. JOIN a training club. Spend LOTS of time around them. Learn how to actually train a dog using your brain instead of jerking it into a sit. Get a proper set up. Make sure you have several REPUTABLE breeders lined up. Make sure you know exactly what you’re getting into. Then take the plunge and hopefully enjoy the rewards of dedication and planning. Or don’t...because you found out this isn’t for you and you can’t commit. No shame in that.
The point here...don’t make a round peg try to fit in a square hole. Don’t make a selfish, uneducated decision because you are impulsive and don’t care if another living being suffers due to your crap choice at the time. The safety blanket for this breed is gone. Yes, that’s right. The Malinois rescues are overwhelmed. The shelters are getting owner surrender and stray Malinois left and right. They are now on the blacklist for many insurance companies and landlords. It’s not slowing down. Nobody will want your Malinois when you finally decide that maybe you made a mistake. So keep that in mind when admiring that pretty brown hero dog with the black mask."
-Stephanie OBrien
Loucyn Malinois

15/12/2021

Examples of flooding:

-Taking your hesitant puppy to the dog park to socialize
-Letting everyone hold your small dog who isn't fond of being picked up
-Taking away a guarding dog's food to show him you'll give it back
-Holding your dog down to trim their nails, and then delivering treats
-Walking right past another dog to help convince your reactive dog nothing is wrong
-Letting your dog with confinement phobia "cry it out" in a crate

If we're working to expose our dogs to help their confidence, fear, or reactivity, that's great! But we've got to be careful that we go at our dog's pace. There's a chance the outward expression of our dog's distress might stop, but I promise you it's not because their confidence went up.

Instead, you might see increased fear, decreased confidence, and aggressive behavior pop up over time. If our dog learns that their fear is not acknowledged, they're going to have to get louder to have their "NO" be known, and that might include growling or biting.

Slow work can be frustrating, but the confidence your dog gains will pay off over time.

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14/12/2021

Stay VS Wait
The importance of a difference

Hello all!
Two of the most crucial commands each dog owner can teach are stay and wait; but don’t those sound like the same thing? Why waste time with two commands?

The difference is that when we tell a dog to stay, we want them to STAY. We don’t want to create this expectation that they’ll be allowed to break their stay at any point, as they’ll anticipate the release. In an emergency situation, a stay can be the difference between knowing where your dog is, and having to hunt for a pup that may have broken their stay for one reason or another.

I always like to teach my dogs that stay is a permanent command, and that I will come get them when it’s time to break. This means that they won’t inch towards me or move in their stay, and that they will wait for me. If something happens and I need to move away from my dog for any length of time, I’ll know where to find them.

Wait is the opposite; it’s a command to let them know they will be moving or called to me, and to just hold on until given the right command. It’s a good thing to teach for loading/unloading with cars, in/out of the door to prevent doordashing, and help with recall practice!

Each one can be so much fun to train, and are vital to living happily with your dog!

14/12/2021

30/11/2021

As another “dog movie” makes it’s way to the theaters, let’s not forget how many trained dogs it takes to produce one movie.

Marley an me: 22 yellow labs.

Cujo: 5 St. Bernards, one Rottweiler, one mechanical head, and a guy in a dog costume.

Turner and H***h: 4 Dogue De Bordeaux.

Max: 5 Belgian Malinois.

My Dog Skip: 6 dogs.

Homeward bound: 4 American bulldogs
4 Golden Retrievers

If you want a dog like one that’s in a movie, you better adopt the a whole litter because it’s never just one dog!

30/11/2021

“These two boys are from the same parents, boy on the left was paediatric neutered and the other has stayed intact. As you can see, the development the right pup has compared to the left is undeniable, from his skull width, to his chest and shoulders.
This is the development pups will lose out on when desexing before full maturity.”
Credit - Bunny French.
You can view the full article here https://www.facebook.com/100000652508503/posts/4829274297104273/?d=n

30/11/2021

After a LONG leave, we’re finally back!

15/12/2020

Photos from back in Texas! Playground equipment can be a great way to build confidence in your dogs, and a good tool for exercise!

Photos taken by Erin Cass!

08/12/2020

AKC’s Bailey’s Irish Coffee, otherwise known as Tiger! Tiger is registered with AKC’s Canine Partners program and obtained his novice title through Do More with Your Dog in June! His certificate and ribbon arrived on June 17, 2020.

08/12/2020

Hello everyone!

My name is Sydney Nicole Bailey, and this is the start of my dog training business. At the moment, I’m not set on taking clients, as I want to train my own dogs for sports and title them.

I got into dogs and dog training two years ago after the passing of my cat and the unplanned adoption of my first personal dog! I had been looking at breeders for service dog prospects before I started to volunteer at my local animal shelter. During my first day there, I met the dog I ended up taking home with me. He was beat up after a dog attack and had spent two months in a small city shelter, so his time was almost up. I’m not sure what it was, but I was drawn to him and ended up taking him home the next week.

He had to be evaluated for reactivity, but he showed the desire and temperament for service dog work. Since program dogs can be very expensive, I had no options but to owner train! I started watching one YouTube video after the next, joining as many dog groups as I could, asking experts and fellow owner trainers for advice when I was stuck. Two years later and my shelter bully mix is a strong, hard working service dog that makes me proud every day!

I’ve also added two other dogs to my home; a Belgian Malinois and an American Pitbull Terrier - Dogo Argentino cross. My Dogo mix is deaf, while my Malinois is a rescue from overseas. Both have offered me new and unexpected challenges, but I firmly believe they’ve strengthened me as a trainer.

My current goal is to title each dog up to AKC’s champion trick level, have each dog pass their Canine Good Citizenship tests up to Advanced and Urban, and title in their respective sports!

My goal as a business is to make the day to day dog owner happier with their companions! Be it helping the disabled with medical equipment, helping a family with the basics, modifying behavior to take a dog off of death row, or setting a dog up to start sports, I want to be able to offer a variety of services!