Dog training for confident dogs and happy humans! Emphasis is placed on play & relationship building.
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Skypuppy School emphasises engagement, relationship, and play as the foundation of dog training. We prioritise social responsibility and practical skills over traditional obedience. Our mission is to build trust and communication between dogs and their humans by educating owners about their furry friends' behaviour and how to develop a strong bond. Skypuppy School offers small group classes in Canberra and plans to hold private training sessions in 2024 to enhance play and engagement techniques.
Calling all puppers! ๐ New Kindy K9s, a 5-week puppy preschool, is starting August 31 at The Canine Campus in Hume! ๐พ
With a big emphasis on play, your pup will learn engagement games, confidence building skills, fun tricks, and recall foundations. Classes are safe, structured, and limited to just 6 dogs.
๐ฅณ Plus, you'll get handouts and a hand-made tug toy to support your training at home. ๐
Book via our website to secure one of 3 spots remaining!
Why do I run Kindy K9s the way I do?
Because I want to help you raise the dog you want. And I'm thinking ahead.
This means laying strong foundations of engagement, value in you and having fun together!
Kindy K9s is about developing:
๐ Confidence
๐ฅณ Joy in training
๐พ Relationship
A new 5 week class starts August 31st and is for pups under 5 months old.
Word on the street is this guy aced his recent Tricks debut. ๐คฉ๐
From WOW WOW to take a bow ๐ฅณ
๐
Luna has a new take on drag work. ๐ฉท๐
Play the way your dog wants to!
Max the Amstaff pup is giving his best 'I wouldn't dare jump on you' look. Do you believe him? ๐ฅฐ
In Week 4 of Kindy K9s, we demonstrate strategies to prevent puppies from jumping on people. We also talk about why dogs jump and when it's perfectly okay to let them!
I usually keep things light and fun in our little corner of the internet, but I want to get serious for a moment. Please bear with me.
When I started this small business journey, I wasnโt entirely sure what I wanted it to become. I just knew I had the skills and passion to offer group classes that felt different from the restโthe kind of class I would want to attend.
Over the past three years, Iโve experimented with various ideas and services, often asking myself, โWhat am I really doing?โ ๐
Today, it all kinda clicked. I received some incredible feedback from a regular student who said that attending classes has improved their relationship with their dog. That means everything to me.
Yes, we focus on teaching solid concepts, developing skills, and resolving problem behaviors. But if Skypuppy classes are strengthening your bond with your dog, making your everyday life easier, and leaving your dog genuinely fulfilled, then Iโm truly happy. THIS is my goal.
Thank you for shaping this wonderful community. I am so very grateful and I'm looking forward to continuing to offer kick arse classes that unapologetically focus on fun.
Happy Birthday to the sparkliest little ham I know! โจ๐พ๐ฆ Wellington is 3 today!
Welly's amazing family were among the first students at Skypuppy School and I remember meeting him as a teeny puppy! That reminds meโthere might be another birthday coming up soon too! ๐๐๐
Hazel the Cavoodle may be the smallest pup at Kindy K9s, but she's proving to be a little firecracker! Her confidence is growing each week. ๐๐ฅ
Oh hi Buddy!
Buddy did a wonderful job today greeting the other pups politely and then recalling back to his mum. ๐ฅฐ
Meet Larry the toy poodle. ๐คฉ He's a super little guy who's been having lots of fun at Kindy K9s this term. ๐พ๐
Ruben is a young mini poodle who's currently doing Family Dog Foundations. In today's class we practiced Middle. Look at him nailing the brief!
FYI I fully support the choice to train in slippers. Canberra mornings are frosty as! ๐ฅฐ
Encouraging curiosity, and the occasional octopus wrestle! ๐๐ผ๐
๐ Kindy K9s is a fun, 5-week puppy preschool designed for pups under 5 months old.
๐พ The next class starts on August 31st at
This is also how I manage bitey pups! ๐ฌ
๐ฆ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ด๐ด๐ถ๐ฒโ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฟโฆ
๐
I feel like this post has been a long time coming, and I really wanted to detail how and what we have managed to do to support our velociraptor.
๐ฆ Firstlyโฆ biting is a totally natural behaviour in puppies. Given they do not have opposable thumbs, young dogs spend a lot of time exploring their surroundings through their mouth.
๐ฆท There is also the teething period around 4-6 months of age. During this time a puppy will have sensitive gums and show an increase in biting and chewing behaviour. We are definitely in that time frame right now with Maggie.
๐ While it ๐๐ a natural expression of behaviour, there are some things that will exacerbate biting and encourage the behaviour.
๐ฉ ๐ฝ๐ง๐๐๐
While most puppies are going to nip and bite, some breeds can be predisposed to more severe land shark behaviour. Working breeds and meat heads are some of the worst offenders.
๐
๐ผ๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ช๐ฅ
It is illegal in QLD to home puppies younger than 8 weeks of age. However, this is difficult to police and still happens ๐ ๐๐๐ก! Puppies learn bite inhibition through play with their siblings around 6-7 weeks of age. It is not uncommon for those that are removed from their litter mates too early to present with worse biting behaviour than other puppies.
๐ ๐๐ค๐ข๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ค๐ฃ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ
Is the puppy living with other animals and small children? How are interactions with these other household members being managed. Children often cannot help being the ultimate temptation in biting. The run, they squeal, they flap their hands about, basically acting like the best auto squeaky toy ever.
๐ฆ ๐ฝ๐๐ค๐ก๐ค๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐ช๐ก๐๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ
Biting and chewing is a biologically fulfilling behaviour for our dogs, and puppies have a real need to express this behaviour. If you fail to provide regular appropriate outlets for this expression, your puppy will find their own ways to meet this need.
โHow have we addressed chewing and biting in our house?
โ
Acknowledge the factors that are contributing to the biting and plan ahead.
๐๐ฝ We knew that being a Stafford we were likely to have a destructo at least initially. It has been so important to plan ahead.
โ
Consider our home environment and prevent problematic behaviours.
๐๐ฝ Maggie has places that are her areas alone. This includes a puppy pen and multiple crates around the place.
๐ I have never understood the destruction of clothing, shoes or raiding bins etc when those things are simply not an option for her. We set her up for success by managing her space, and ensuring things arenโt left out when she is.
โ
Identifying the times that are the worst and being ready.
๐๐ฝ Typically, the evening at around 7pm is the worst. Maggie engages full velociraptor mode. It is during this time we have appropriate chew toys available for her.
๐คท๐ฝโโ๏ธ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฏ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐ถ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฒ๐ ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ?
๐ค To be honest, Iโve kind of changed my approach. I used to be a hard and fast time out when my previous puppies engaged in inappropriate biting. There were no second chances.
โ๐ฝ What Iโve learnt is that itโs helpful to give the puppy a chance to understand the incorrect behaviour and what the consequences are for making good and bad decisions.
๐๐ฝ If we have her on the couch or bed and she starts being mouthy to the hands, we redirect her to an appropriate toy. If she gives up the toy, and bites hands again, she is given a calm but firm โNOโ and then offered the toy again. If she fails again, she is given time out in her pen and she loses access to us. In all cases bar one, she made a good choice once she had the toy.
๐๐ฝ If Maggie is just being a nuisance, and I can tell she is in a feral mood, itโs straight to the pen. This has been instrumental in blocking her access to us until she calms down.
๐ What I can tell you is that having appropriate outlets for chewing has been the key.
๐ฆด Maggie has a range of soft toys, harder rubber toys, a STACK of various chews ranging in strength and appropriate places to engage with those things.
โ
We have also spent heaps of time managing play sessions and framing her windows of opportunity for silly. This means starting with โREADYโ and ending with โFINISHEDโ. If during play she goes a little too hard and bites me instead of a toy or doesnโt inhibit the force of her bite on my hands, I let her know, and usually end the game.
๐ฆ With careful management, you can be on a win. I donโt want to jinx myself, but we have managed to prevent Maggie from chewing inappropriate items like the house, furniture, clothes etc.
#๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐๐จ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐ ๐ข๐
๐ข Show Up and Train is on again this coming Saturday 3rd August between 10.30 and 11.30am
๐ I'll be working my own dog, come hang out and do a little DIY training session with me! I'll most likely be playing with some scentwork ๐๐ง
The OG class! ๐
This team ๐
Today's environment threw a heap of challenges, not in the least the wind, soccer balls flying around, birds, bikes and kids!!
Well done for getting out amongst it everyone! The handlers did an incredible job of reading their dogs and working with them, which for me is the whole point. Relationship before obedience!
A blast from the past! ๐ฅ It's Milo practicing his social responsibility amidst the distractions at Queanbeyan Town Park. ๐ค๐ค
Join me this Sunday afternoon for an SR skills focused casual class in Queanbeyan. It's perfect for teams looking to tackle real-world training challenges. Only one spot left! Oh yeah, and there will be some spring pole fun! ๐๐ช๐ฝ
P.S. Saturday classes are fully booked.
This looks like fun and relatively easy to sign up and participate in! I'd LOVE to see some Skypuppy students having a go! ๐คฉ๐ฅโญ
To coincide with the 2024 Paris Olympics, ARF and the ACT Companion Dog Club are partnering together to put on a special event. The ARF Olympics will be a mock Trick Dog Trial to allow all dogs, no matter their background or temperament, to experience a trialing environment for the sport of Trick Dog in safe conditions.
Visit https://fosterdogs.org/arf-olympics/ to find out more about this great event!!
Big views, wide paths and enough novel distraction to make it challenging without being overwhelming.
We are so lucky to have spaces like this in Canberra. ๐ณ๐ฅฐ
Catching the last of the days Winter Sun with the Street Cred gang ๐
Foundations are about building confidence, a strong bond, and a love for doing things together.
๐ฅ In Family Dog Foundations, we start by developing genuine motivation through play and rewards. We find out what motivates your dog and engage them in a way that makes them want to pay attention to you.
๐ฅ Clear and meaningful communication is essential. Key aspects include smart leash handling, conditioned markers, and clear windows of opportunity.
๐พ With young teenage dogs, progress can often feel inconsistent, like two steps forward and three steps back. Thatโs why Family Dog Foundations is designed for dogs aged 5 to 18 months.
๐ฅฐ Group classes are kept small to provide personalised support and feedback, helping you to better understand your dog and how to best train them. This will look different for each team, I don't buy into a one method to rule them all approach and don't believe you should either.
๐ซ๏ธ Tomorrow's winter weather is predictably wet, cold and windy. ๐ง๏ธ
๐ Luckily, Skypuppy students will be training indoors ๐๐ฅ
๐ถ New Family Dog Foundations kick off at 9.30am. ๐พ Continuing Foundations is on at 10.45 and Kindy K9s puppy preschool starts at 12pm. ๐พ
๐ฅ All classes are full! Emails will be coming at you soon with details for new students.
๐ It's also a Street Cred Sunday weekend! No rain for Sunday afternoon hopefully - where should we explore??
๐ข New Family Dog Foundations classes available to book now for August/September.
โ ๏ธThis will be the last opportunity for new students for 2024! This foundation class will not be offered in Term 4.
๐ถ Each class is limited to just 4 dogs to allow for personalised attention.
2๏ธโฃ Two class options scheduled in Hume. You can book Saturday at 9.30am or 10.30am.
๐พ Best suited to dogs aged 5 - 18 months and is an ideal follow up to puppy preschool. Book online now to secure a spot.
From tentative paws up to happily jumping on new objects. ๐ช๐ฝ๐พ
Building confidence IS reactivity training! I wasn't expecting any of this from Milly today but she blew me away with her willingness to try. ๐ซถ๐ฝ
Milly. Absolute little legend. ๐คฉ
Another great post on what puppy socialisation is and isn't.
I think we need to be careful not to swing too far towards exposing pups to experiences they aren't ready for. Remember in this important socialisation critical period that bad experiences stay with them too, and it might not always be obvious what future issues you're creating by overwhelming your puppy.
But it's so SO very important to get them out and about seeing the world. Please don't wait until they are fully vaccinated before you do so.
โ ๏ธ โ๐๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ถ๐๐ปโ๐ ๐ณ๐๐น๐น๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ?!โ
๐
I can not tell you how many times over the past 5 weeks a random member of the public has stopped me to inform me that my puppy is not fully vaccinated. I mean, I book the appointments, so really youโd think I should know ๐
๐ Let me tell you why I donโt really care.
๐ง A puppyโs first critical learning window is from the age of 3-16 weeks. During this time, they are making rapid and lasting associations between themselves and the big wide world around them.
โ๏ธIt is vitally important that we expose our puppy to a variety of novel sights/sounds/situations within this window of development in a fun and positive manner.
๐ฑ For puppies that have negative experiences at this age, the lesson learnt will most likely be permanent and have an impact on future behaviour.
โก๏ธ The best way to create confidence and avoid teaching your puppy to be overly excited by everyone around them, is to practice indirect exposure.
๐ This means going places where they can watch people and other dogs without meeting them face to face.
โ
As they watch the things going on around them you should be marking and rewarding them for calm behaviour.
๐ The best experiences involve brief positive exposure to something new - sound/place/sight/sensation etc.
๐ You donโt always have to leave your house to practice positive exposure.
๐กYou can set up a puppy safe obstacle in your backyard.
๐ถ Play the soundproof puppy app during play and/or meal times.
๐ต๐ปโโ๏ธHave a friend or family member dress up in something strange.
๐๐ฝ Youโre only limited to your imagination, but remember to keep these experiences brief and positive.
๐ฅ I have shared a stack of Maggieโs exposure experiences.
๐ฌ At all of the places we have gone, my puppy was not riddled with canine cough or parvovirus.
๐ฆ One of the main reasons people avoid taking their puppy out until it has had its final vaccinations, is due to the fear that the puppy will contract a deadly disease.
๐ Donโt get me wrong, disease prevention should be a serious consideration, but when we act with common sense these risks can be managed.
โ
๐๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐ท๐ฆ๐ต
Your vet will be the one that is on top of outbreaks in your area. Ask them directly if they know of any suburbs that are best avoided at that time.
โ
๐๐ท๐ฐ๐ช๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ ๐ฅ๐ฐ๐จ ๐ต๐ณ๐ข๐ง๐ง๐ช๐ค ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ด
The dog park is an obvious one, but many public parks and ovals are probably being regularly used by dog owners. Depending on the local conditions, parvovirus can live in soiled areas for anywhere from a few months to a year.
โ
๐๐ฐ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ท๐ข๐ค๐ค๐ช๐ฏ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฐ๐ค๐ฐ๐ญ๐ด
Ensure your puppy receives the appropriate vaccinations at the right times for their development. If unsure, consult with your vet.
โ
๐๐ง ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ฅ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฃ๐ต, ๐ค๐ข๐ณ๐ณ๐บ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฑ๐บ.
Your puppy can still have valuable experiences from your arms. If you are out with your puppy and unsure whether it is safe, carry them.
๐ค While physical health may seem a more immediate concern for our puppies, we cannot forget that long term behaviour problems can also wind up having deadly consequences for some dogs.
๐๐ฝ Early positive exposure training during a puppyโs critical period is very important for their developing minds and future behaviour.
๐ฆ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป - ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐.
โก๏ธ The word socialisation gets thrown around a lot when talking about puppies.
๐๐ For many pet owners it conjures images of dogs playing with other dogs. For this reason I generally refer to early critical training as positive exposure experiences instead.
๐
๐ฝโโ๏ธ In all the places we visited, not once did I encourage Maggie to interact with other random dogs we encountered.
๐ฉ She has only ever met familiar dogs that we know and can control.
๐ค Not only are there big risks for disease transmission from dog to dog, but there is also the potential that your puppy could have a negative social experience.
๐ When your puppy first comes home there should be a heavy focus on creating new and novel experiences, including taking them to places where they can safely view the world and all of the weird and wonderful things in it.
๐ช๐ฝ Bolstering our dogs genetically inherited traits with good training is super important.
๐ง We should be considering the effects of nature and nurture, rather than constantly asking ourselves which of the two is more important.
๐๐ฝ Giving your puppy a variety of early positive experiences gives them the best chance at developing into an adult that will have the kind of mental resiliency to navigate the human world with minimal stress.
#๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐๐จ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐ ๐ข๐
Scentwork fun with Watson.
Basil, his mom, and his littermates just arrived two days ago. They are in the care of a friend who does amazing work rescuing and rehoming working dogs.
It's tough being so young and already needing emergency vet care. It's also tough asking for help, so give this post a share or consider donating if you can.
***HELP US SAVE BABY BASIL***
Thank to your help, we were able to save our injured Mumma and her little Herb Pups, and they into care yesterday.
Unfortunately little Basil is a very sick puppy. He has a large abscess across the left, and underside of his face. This is putting pressure on his eye and jaw. He has a raging temp of 40 degrees.
Our vets have admitted him and are starting him on fluids and IV antibiotics immediately. He may need surgery tomorrow on the abscess, depending how he goes until then.
- Update - no more donations are needed at this time! Thank you so much for your generous support! -
We need to raise $2000 to help treat Basil and get him well again. Can you spare anything towards our little manโs treatment, please?
You can donate by clicking on the โdonateโ button on this post.
Via PayPal to [email protected]
Bank transfer/deposit to the Commonwealth Bank -
Name: Dogs4Jobs
BSB: 062533
ACC: 1022 1920
Ref: Basil Appeal
(Please email [email protected] for a tax receipt if using this method).
You can donate using cards via https://www.givenow.com.au/dogs4jobs where you can also set up a recurring monthly donation to help us save more dogs, all year round.
Could you also please share this post far and wide to help us reach our goal?
We will update you on Basilโs progress tomorrow morning ๐ค๐ผ๐ค๐ผ๐ค๐ผ keep him in your thoughts ๐ถ๐พ๐
This is my dog Stevie. She's a 3 year old Bernese Mountain Dog who takes her job of alerting stranger danger very seriously. And if you're Stevie, anyone who's not family is highly suspicious.
This is not something we need to 'fix'. Berners were originally bred to be general purpose farm dogs, and part of their job would have been to alert bark. So I'm ok with her doing what feels right, she's not wrong here. But I'm also not going to let my 45 kg dog lose her s**t every time we have someone visit. Enter the "off-duty" hack from
Today we needed to have a tv repair guy come into our house. So when the doorbell rang and Stevie immediately went into barking mode, I simply said "it's a visitor" and I then grabbed this giant lamb neck bone and led her out the back to her crate to enjoy it. She felt like she did her job and I told her she's now "off-duty". ๐๐ฝ
The bone is from .culture.emporium and it worked a treat! ๐
I hope your Friday has been fantastic! It's the weekend! ๐ฅณ
โญ Show Up and Train is on tomorrow morning between 10 and 11.30am
๐ I'll have some suggestions for those who want ideas, but remember this isn't an instructed class. Come hang out and DIY training around the distractions of others.
๐ซถ๐ฝ This is a free session for regular Skypuppy School students
๐พ Remember no on-lead greetings and give others plenty of space.
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Skypuppy School posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
What does "engagement" really mean? ๐ฅ For me, it's about showing interest and wanting to be involved in whatever is happening. ๐พ We often think of this as the dog paying attention, and it might look like that. But true engagement is more than just focus or ignoring distractions. It's about your dog interacting with you because they want to, not because they have to. ๐ Engagement is relational, and it should feel easy. But like anything that looks easy, it actually takes practise and lots of reps. We can't expect it without building it.
Hereโs how Watsonโs session went today: ๐พ We walked to the oval with one rule: donโt pull on the leash. The occasional good smell or piece of roo poo makes this a bit challenging at the start. To remind Watson pulling doesn't work, I stop and he has to come back before we move forward. ๐ฅณ Then, we had a play session (what youโre seeing here). Distractions today include two malinois, a soccer coach setting up, kids arriving โฝ and MOAR ROO POO! ๐ฆ๐ ๐พ On the way home, we took our time, sniffing around and occasionally snatching some roo poo because good things come to those who wait! ๐
Today's scentwork game with Watson. Initially he thought he was searching for food, we have played lots of those games before. Once he worked it out he was on it. ๐๐ฝโญ A few handling mistakes from me but hey, I'm human and I don't think Watson noticed! ๐
This was just a few minutes of our 45 minute walk, but I think it's the part that worked Watson's brain the most. And I think he had fun too. @messyc
Watson and I did a little training at the local shops this afternoon as part of our walk. This is the entire session, minus about a minute at the end that I've cut because some lovely school kids stopped to chat, and they didn't know they were being recorded. I did use them, to allow Watson to greet them once he had shown some nice control. ๐ When I'm hanging out with a dog, it's important to me that if I'm asking for their attention, they are also getting it from me. I also want them to be enthusiastic about us working together. What does Watson's body language tell you about how he feels? #attitudeiseverything @messyc
An unedited snippet from my session with Watson tonight. The brilliant toy is from @wildhundeau and Watson rates it 12/10 - would play again.
Training solid foundations doesn't have to be boring! Skypuppy classes are fun and engaging for both dogs and their humans, but we definitely take learning seriously. ๐ง ๐ฅณ ๐ฅ Creating motivation ๐ฅ Developing clear communication ๐ฅ Personalised approach, because every team is unique. #onesizedoesnotfitall #learningtogetherthroughplay #FamilyDogFoundations #community #raisingdogs @thecaninecampus
Spent about 45 minutes out with Watson today, mostly moving around and sniffing. Here's a look at the 5 minutes of focused training we did in real-timeโmore than enough! Have you considered adding a short training session to your daily walk? Itโs a great way to engage their brain and strengthen your bond. If distractions are too much, 5 minutes of training at home works just as well.
The second video, where I discover Watson doesn't like being stepped over but is a big fan of touchy bitey face ๐ Initially we stayed pretty still to help the little dog go past, they were behind us a lot of our walk and weren't having a good time. You can see me step on the lead to manage Watson just in case and I was also ready to make space if needed. I've been hanging out weekly with Watson for what must be a couple of years now! It's such a privilege to be trusted with the care of your pets and I really enjoy spending time with them. I'd love to take on more Play & Train clients, but my current availability just doesn't allow it. ๐ฅฐ Side note the sunset at Googong tonight was pretty amazing.
The first of two unedited videos I'll be posting with Watson. I'd like to pretend it's for authenticity and sh*t but to be honest I just can't be bothered splicing it and adding cool music. So if you've been wanting to see me work in real time enjoy! ๐ Watson was working on his Down Stay and I was working on clear markers. I think he's got it! I'm a work in progress. The Flexi may not have been the best tool here, but it's what I chose and I stand by it. ๐
Just got home from the brilliant @clearcaninetraining workshop hosted by @thecaninecampus We had such a great day learning from Sheronika, a teacher who's so generous with her time and we got a lot from our working spot. I'll be doing a post about that over on my personal account @miku_skypuppy We also loved seeing @bentoandbilliethebordercollies @kobe_the_bordoodle and @ace_thepitweiler showcase their beautiful work. It's not easy to stand up and literally ask a coach to critique your training in front of an audience. It takes trust in your coach (Sheronika you are amazing) and it takes a good deal of bravery. Well done to all the teams ๐๐ฅ I was inspired to come home and try out a little handling mechanics on Deebs. I just love this dog and her enthusiasm to work @vevey_bernese
Today the teams from our first SR skills class met to run through a mock Social Responsibility test. They all did brilliantly! It also gave Miku and I the opportunity to run a SR again, it's been a while. Greetings are still a challenge because she's so keen to meet people (and steal their treats ๐ ). We also need to revisit fronts and tidy them up BUT overall I'm very happy. Thanks @nanarandr and @llauraggg for helping out. โค๏ธ I don't expect or even want my dogs to appear "perfectly trained" They are mammals, not robots, with their own thoughts and feelings and I think people put waaay too much emphasis on obedience just because we can, without asking why we ask dogs to sit, heel and stay. Of course it's important that I have control and I do want to create reliable behaviours. But not at the cost of their trust. #motivationmatters @miku_skypuppy
I love taking advantage of a busy environment! But for many dogs this would have been too much. Lots of movement, noise and smells. Asking for focus here, where the dog is ACTUALLY comfortable and not just locked into obedience behaviours is a lot. Watson "hold my beer" ๐ช๐ฝ
Watson ๐ค We often do little exercises that require him to show control around the stuff that excites him, in this case it's the @wildhundeau fleecy tug toy in the bag.
A little snippet of control around a toy from Watson's walk. It was less than 5 minutes, but it was more than enough for both of us on my return to work today. #playwithyourdog I'm feeling much better today and I'm grateful I'm still testing negative for Covid. All going to plan I'm looking forward to the weekend and running classes on Saturday. Thank you for all your messages - I'll be checking my emails tomorrow and getting back to everyone who's waiting to hear from me xx
Supporting people to best support their dogs is where I see my role, and this will look different for each lesson and for each team. If every one of my sessions looked the same, I'd be failing you and your dogs. That doesn't mean I don't work on the same concepts with each student, I absolutely do. But the application of clear communication, smart management, engagement, aspects of play and biological fulfilment will be different for each individual. This little video is about 20 minutes in real time and was taken in the second half of a recent 1-2-1. I'm so proud of how far this team has progressed in a few short weeks.
A bomb proof recall requires lots and lots of reps. I love treat chase games for getting in some quick and fun recall practise, especially if you're training on your own. So if you want a dog that comes when called, don't put down a bowl of food for free tonight. Grab that meal and use it for 5 minutes of training instead.
Our communication matters and clarity is super important. The sounds we make and our physical cues are constantly being picked up by our dogs. If we are smart and consistent with them, we can build a common language. Miku and I were playing around with some SR positions this morning. At the start you see her holding a down as I throw a ball in front of her. At the time, I thought she broke the down BUT watching it back, I said "goood" right before I threw it very close to her. Good tells her keep going, I'm bringing reward to you. I usually use a food reward here BUT I wonder if she thought the ball was the reward coming at her and I'd given her permission to break the down and chase it?? Food for thought for me. Maybe she was just excited and broke position. What do you think? Other markers you hear me using here are: "Uh uh" which is feedback that the behaviour is incorrect. "YES" tells her to come get rewarded directly from me. "GET IT" sends her away from me to get a reward. Markers or bridges as they are sometimes called, are a fundamental concept in dog training. These should sound familiar to regular students. Right from the start we use these same markers in class and if you're not using them with intent, it's likely your dog is working out their own communication system anyway. The actual words don't matter, it's the consistency in how we use them and what consequence or emotions we condition them to have.
Someone's been doing their homework over Summer โญ
Collar conditioning gives you another way of bringing your dog's attention back to you. It can be a very clear message to tell your dog to come to you if they get stuck on something in the environment. It's like a "leave it" and recall rolled into one clear physical cue. We talk about this in lessons so I thought it would be good to show you how I use this foundation skill myself. I've slowed down parts of this short video so you can see what I'm doing with the lead and how Styx responds. I want my dogs to feel good about the equipment we have to use. I don't want them to feel conflicted about their collar, so I generally choose to not use leash corrections as a form of punishment. A collar pop is not a punishment event. How do you think Styx feels about this? You can see the whole mini-session at my personal Insta @miku_skypuppy
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