Wanted to give a HUGE shoutout to @pebblecreekanimalhospital! Earlier this ,week, we took one of our rescues in training, Patrick, in for an annual exam. It was, far and away, the most PEACEFUL vet appointment ever!
You may have seen the video we posted last week of his unusual gait, so he was also getting some x-rays done to take a look at that. Due to his intense generalized fear, Patrick was going to be sedated for his exam. We came into the hospital and Patrick instantly did not want to walk any further. The tech gently and patiently coaxed and coaxed him until he got onto the scale, and then they set us up in a room with some blankets for him to rest on.
After he got quite a bit of time to decompress, the vet came in, and talked to me for a bit rather than immediately greet Patrick. She carefully watched his body language, moved slowly, and let him know what she was doing while she touched him, then listened to his heart and lungs. She set up for him to be sedated via an IM injection in the room with me, where he was comfortable.
The techs came in with the injection, waving off a third person who was coming to assist because they didn't want too many people to upset him. While he laid next to me, the tech moved in stages over to his back, where she gave him the injection, and then they quietly left the room. Patrick drifted off to sleep peacefully, having not moved since the vet's exam because he was so comfortable and didn't feel threatened.
The time, patience, and consideration that went into this guy getting a routine exam was exceptional! I cannot put into words how happy I was with the appointment. Honestly, this is what I'm used to in zoos: this is how we do our exams. When it comes to small mammals, there is always a good deal more restraining, stress, and guilt as the animal is afraid. I have never had such a GREAT experience at a vet, and cannot say enough about how wonderful Dr. Borderieux and her staff were with this sensitive, scared guy.
If y
Is your dog a resource guarder?
Resource guarding is a label used to describe dogs who growl, show their teeth, bite, or otherwise ward off advances towards them while they are in possession of things of value. This can be food, toys, a spot on the bed, or even a favorite person.
Let me offer some relief-THIS IS NORMAL DOG BEHAVIOR!
We utilize an exercise we call “Positive Pairing” to help mitigate resource guarding behaviors. Ginger showed some early signs of being uncomfortable when approached while she was enjoying a large Whimzee. So, we spent LOTS of time pairing my approach with something BETTER THAN the Whimzee.
The results: this. I approach, and Ginger looks up to see what I have for her! She even goes back to her chew and then immediately looks at me, because she associates it with something positive I have to offer!
Need help with resource guarding behavior? Schedule a FREE Discovery Call with us and tell us about what’s going on: https://empoweredbehaviorandtraining.youcanbook.me/
Happy #TrainingTipTuesday! Today’s tip is that enrichment can be a really helpful part of a successful training program.
Noble is heartworm positive and it’s unsafe for him to get out his energy by running and playing. High-energy activity is high risk for him while he is undergoing heartworm treatment, so it’s important that he is able to expend his energy in other ways.
Noble is learning a variety of enrichment activities that challenge his brain, which should help give his brain some activities while his heart has to rest!
Unsure if virtual training is a good fit for you and your dog?
“When I heard about this training using Zoom, I was skeptical, but I was ready to try anything. This is the best thing I have done with a dog with problems, and I would recommend this to anyone who has ‘a problem child!’ Kudos to Empowered Animals and Emily!!”
Meet Dakota, a rescue lab who just could NOT get adopted! Despite her senior age, Dakota had no lack of energy when it came to expressing herself! Dakota expressed her displeasure at the neighbor’s dogs by charging and barking at them through the fence, sometimes even at the neighbors, and by pulling on leash whenever she saw a bird or other animal.
Dakota’s foster mom did fantastic with her, and Dakota was finally adopted!
If you are unsure if virtual training is a good fit for your needs, schedule a free call with us to talk about it!
#tbt to that time I helped with a Gharial training session! Gharials are critically endangered crocodilians. This crew has learned to separate for feedings. Each croc comes to their assigned seat (indicated by tapping with the tongs) and once EVERYONE is in their seats, they get fed. This ensures each animal gets the right amount of food, and that everyone eats peacefully together. As you can imagine, if someone eats faster than the others, it could lead to him or her trying to bully another croc out of their meal!
All animals are really smart if we just take the time to learn about them!
#croctraining #crocodile #animaltraining #positivereinforcement #tampadogtrainer
Confession: I fully forgot to post for #TrainingTipTuesday so here I am, a day late! Let me explain why I forgot, because it's the basis for today's tips.
I've been working for about a week now on getting some of the rescue dogs I work with scheduled and set up to be seen by veterinarians for a variety of issues. Luckily, the rescue is VERY understanding and trusts me when I tell them that I think something is off, and they don't hesitate to get the dogs the help they need. This makes my job easier, because I really can't train a dog who isn't well. It's super important that they trust my observations, because most of these guys are currently only showing behavioral symptoms.
Think about trying to learn something new when you don't feel well, especially if you are someone like Patrick, who is afraid of EVERYTHING! Patrick is learning to conquer his fears, but our trust-based training means that he must feel he has the full ability to opt out of anything he is afraid of.
Recently, I noticed Patrick's gait seemed a bit off while he was walking away from me. You can see a tiny wobble in this video, and you can notice that his hocks are bent pretty low. Hind leg weakness is something that is not uncommon in a senior dog like Patrick, but it's of course something we want to take care of! Patrick has a prescription for some x-rays, a new firm bed to sleep on, and some help getting up in the morning in the meantime!
It can be frustrating for pet owners to hear that their dog needs to be seen by a vet for a behavior problem. However, it is our ethical responsibility as trainers to ensure that our students are set up for success in learning, and that means ruling out any discomfort!
If your pet experiences a sudden behavior change, treat it like a symptom and get a clean bill of health from the vet! This may mean not just a physical exam, but bloodwork, x-rays, or other diagnostics which will be determined by your vet when you describe the behavior you are seeing.
Sometimes, it’s important to give the new kid the lay of the land. Peer to peer communication can be the most effective. *No, we don’t have a new puppy! Ginger was staying with us for a board and train while her folks were on vacation!#kidsandpuppies #tampadogtrainer #tampapuppytrainer #puppytrainer #dogtrainer
We want to know: who here has adopted a rescue pet?
Tell us your pet’s story!
When is the best time to teach good behavior? While it is happening, of course! Today's #TrainingTipTuesday tip is to reward your new dog or puppy while they are doing behaviors you'd like them to do!
Puppyhood is ROUGH for humans. We think we are getting a cute, cuddly bundle, and then we quickly discover that we actually have a cute cuddly bundle that constantly gets into everything. This is the RISKIEST time for creating problem behavior. Why? Because it gets our attention!
Puppies want, more than anything, to have FUN! If you come running and make a scene whenever they dump the bathroom trash, swipe a pillow off the couch, or nail you in the back of the calf while you are working on the computer, you run a very good chance of reinforcing the exact behavior that is driving you nuts.
It can seem counterintuitive, though, to praise, reward, or give treats to a puppy who is laying quietly, playing nicely with a toy, or chewing a bone. You may not want to interrupt them when you FINALLY catch a break, but NOW is the time! Come running for the good stuff!
What about the bad stuff? We'll talk about that next time!
#puppytrainingtampa #tampadogtrainer #PuppyTraining #templeterracedogtrainer #templeterracepuppytrainer
PREVENT Behavior Problems by DOING NOTHING!
WATCH CLOSELY to see how a behavior problem is avoided by DOING NOTHING!!
Did you notice how Ginger started to chew on the blanket and nothing was said to her? Then she carried on and went to do something else? SO MANY behavior problems are created by jumping in unnecessarily and intervening when a puppy is investigating something.
When you jump in, even to say "no," "stop," etc., it provides attention following an undesirable behavior. If you were, ignoring your puppy and working on the computer, like I was in this video, ANY attention can be positive, even if you don't intend for it to be.
In this case, what behavior problem did I avoid? A puppy who learns to get into trouble to get my attention when I ignore her! If I had done anything, I can guarantee that she would have revisited that purple blanket and insisted on messing with it. Continued responses on my part would have shaped tugging, dragging the whole crate around, and generally causing havoc. She would have quickly learned to begin this behavior as soon as I sat down at my computer.
Instead, she just never touched the blanket again because it just wasn't that interesting-back to the tail chasing!
#puppytraining #puppytrainingtampa #tampadogtrainer #goldenretriever #puppy
Don't forget to register for tonight's FREE Zoom event! If you are interested in emergency prep for your pets, make sure to join us tonight at 7pm EST for our Empower Hour!
DM or email us at [email protected] to register.
Hi everyone! This Saturday, we'll be hosting a special Empower Hour. We'll be talking all things storm prep. Just after an event like this is often the time we feel the most motivated to get things in order so we feel more prepared for a next time. We'll be talking this weekend about exactly how to be prepared, and we'll also have the opportunity to share ideas with each other.
Our event will be held over Zoom, and registration is required, but it's FREE! DM or email us at [email protected]. We'd love to see you there!
