My Sensitive Tyke, LLC

19/03/2025

Not misbehaving, not being stubborn, not being bad. No one can learn in moments of distress. This includes our dogs. Learn ways to help your dog when they are feeling anxious. Not by training them, let’s help them 🩷

WHEN TRAINING WON’T WORK

There is a common misconception that reactivity, anxiety or fear related behaviour can be “fixed” through training alone.

Barking, lunging, reactivity, aggression, constant hypervigilance - as though danger is waiting behind every corner, hiding or cowering away at the slightest trigger or sometimes shutting down completely are all signs of a nervous system that’s in overdrive and is unregulated.

This behaviour is not a training issue - it’s not bad behaviour, disobedience, stubbornness or some other type of negative label, - it’s a nervous system issue.

Although dogs and people have remarkably similar social and emotional brains, this doesn’t mean that dogs are able to think like we do, or have the words or means to process what is causing their stress or trauma.

When stress is not released, it remains stuck, keeping the nervous system in overdrive or in survival mode.

When a dog or a person is stuck in this state, the brain isn’t able to learn new things or learn to behave in a different way.

This is why trying to “train away” anxiety, fear or reactive type behaviour does not work. We first have to work on the nervous system.

Here are some links related to this subject that provide more information on how to help dogs that are struggling -

How to identify and remove triggers that keep a dog stuck in a cycle of stress and anxiety - Annie Phenix
https://phenix-dogs-canine-behavior-experts-llc.kit.com/7-steps

Creating a healing environment - podcast by Dr Laura Donaldson
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dr-laura-donaldson-compliance-is-not-cooperation/id1708279785?i=1000693042973

Trauma Informed Dog Training – Book by Sally Gutteridge
https://www.amazon.com/Trauma-Informed-Dog-Training-Professionals/dp/B0DS4T1W8M

What does it mean to be Trauma Informed - Dr Laura Donaldson
https://www.icbdogs.com/product-page/laura-donaldson-what-does-it-mean-to-be-trauma-informed

Ace Free Work – helps the nervous system relax, reset and rebalance
https://www.allpetseducationandtraining.com.au/ace-free-work.html

08/03/2025

Meet Joe! He is a new pal of mine. Sooooo cute and funny! 😁 He is a smart little guy, working with him and his dad is such a pleasure. See you both again soon!!

07/03/2025

My Sensitive Tyke is now offering four different in home four week classes. Puppy, Puppy Two, The Basics and “all new” Field Trip Class. This is a great option for those who prefer more personalized instruction. These classes will help you navigate your dog’s progress and development, build confidence, and help prevent common behavior problems.
Lessons are 60 minutes in length, once a week, for 4 weeks.
Training sessions are designed to take place in the client’s home or at an outdoor location of the client and trainer’s choosing. For more information and details please visit https://mysensitivetyke.com/classes

07/03/2025

A very interesting article… Something I talk with students about a lot lately.

Not long ago, dogs were valued primarily for the jobs they performed, such as hunting, herding livestock, and guarding property, all of which required boundless energy and a wariness of strangers. But “as more city dwellers adopt pets, and cultural shifts have led dogs and people to spend more time inside, some behaviors that made dogs appealing to our ancestors have become maladaptive,” Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods wrote in 2024. A dog wary of strangers is tough to take for a walk, for instance, and gets consigned to a fenced-in yard where it can’t spend its energy. https://theatln.tc/YWRfWeSv

“Dogs have gone from working all day and sleeping outside to relaxing on the couch and sleeping in our beds,” the authors write. “Thousands of years of domestication couldn’t prepare dogs for this abrupt transition.”

Dog owners have attempted to correct for this by picking a hypoallergenic breed, a smart breed, a breed that is supposedly good with children—but the main thing a breed usually tells you is what your dog will look like.

“Service dogs are the exception and the answer to the domestication puzzle,” Hare and Woods write. “For more than a century, service dogs have had to sit quietly in a café, calmly negotiate the stress and noise of urban life, and interact gently with children. They can do this not because they are smarter than pet dogs, but because ... service dogs are uniquely friendly. Unlike most pet dogs, service dogs are attracted to strangers, even as puppies. And increasing friendliness seems to have changed these dogs’ biology, just as it did thousands of years ago.”

“We believe these changes are the early signs of a third wave in dog domestication,” the authors continue. “If dog lovers shift their demand from a dog’s hair color and tail length to their comfort with strangers and new places, this friendliness could quickly ripple through the population and become amplified with each successive generation … A breeding program that prioritizes a friendly temperament could show results within just a few decades.”

In the meantime, as the third wave of domestication gets under way, humans must continue caring for the pets they have now.

🎨: Fine Art Images / Heritage Images / Getty

19/01/2025

Meet Giorgi! Giorgi started his four week puppy class and is doing great 😊. Giorgi decided that when class was over a game of tug with the teacher bag would be a fun way to end the day! 😂. He is a fun little fella ❤️ oh puppies!

18/01/2025

FRANNIE!! This pup might be the happiest dog I know!! Fran and her mom have been working hard and WOW have things improved🤩 So proud of you and your wonderful mom!! See you soon! Can’t wait!!

15/01/2025

Meet handsome Hank! We started our four week Basic One class today. This sweet boy and his dad did really well! Love this dog!

14/01/2025

Hi all! 🥳Happy New Year!
I had a very busy year in 2024. I want to thank everyone who reached out to me for help with their amazing pups and dogs!

My biggest success in 2024 was my four-week in-home puppy classes. If you are thinking about getting a pup or recently brought a new puppy home, please check out my class options.

https://mysensitivetyke.com/puppy-training

These classes are a great way to start things off right with your new family member.

How One-On-One Puppy Training Works

The Sensitive Tyke offers a four-week, one-on-one puppy training encounter for those who would like a little more personal attention. This is a great option for shy pups who need a little more time and space, or for those who prefer more personalized instruction. This training will help you traverse your new puppy’s progress and early development, build confidence, and help prevent common behavior problems. This puppy class is designed for pups 2 to 6 months old.

If you have any questions, please PM me!
Thank you!!

Modern Reinforcement Based Dog Training

03/01/2025

The gang is all here! From left to right, Sheldon, Sadie, Piper and William ❤️ Love these pups! Always a lot of fun. Keep up the great work Sheri!! 👏👏

24/12/2024

Happy Holidays to you and yours 🎄

08/12/2024

My new cute friend Rocket 🚀. He is amazing! Smart seems like a silly word to describe this pup, perhaps brilliant is better 😁. I love this puppy! See you soon buddy, can’t wait! PS! Rocket’s mom is doing an amazing job as well.

28/11/2024

To make sure everyone has a happy and healthy Thanksgiving 🍁

Dog friendly Thanksgiving! Do you know what foods are and aren’t dog approved?!

💻 http://www.olk9spokane.com
📞 509-481-9223

17/11/2024

This week’s graduates are Rosemary, Griffin, Eric and Finn!! They all finished their four week Puppy2 Class with flying colors, great job 👏. Finn (yellow lab) took this class a few years back when he was pup and wanted to be there to show his new little brother how it was done! I had such a wonderful time with this lovely family. Thank you Rosemary and Eric!! Can’t wait to see you all in a couple of weeks for Basic 1!

12/11/2024

Congrats little man Johnny for passing your four week day training program!!🥳🎉🥳🎉. You are one very special pup! Thank you Nicky for working with him and helping Johnny be the best pup ever! Also thanks for being my video creator! 😊

07/11/2024

Happy parents and their amazing puppies! Ernie and Pippin both passed with flying colors this week and graduated from their Puppy2 Class!! I had such a good time with these students, both the humans and puppies. They did their homework and a wonderful job at helping their pups to learn so many new things. Great job everyone!! Keep up the great work!! I am going to miss you all!!

02/11/2024

Meet my old pal Finnegan and my new pal Griffin! I have known Finn since he was a little puppy. Griffin is his new little brother who started his Puppy 2 Class and is doing great!! Finn is also brushing up on a few things and loving the training snacks🦴 Rosemary and Eric, aka mom and dad, are doing a great job! 👏 See you all next time!

01/11/2024

🐶 Chloe had her first puppy class today. She is a cutie, sweet, silly and everything she is supposed to be! We had so much fun. 🤩

01/11/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/191tTCDbKY/?mibextid=ox5AEW
An oldie but a goodie! For all of you who love your dogs ❤️

My husband is a musician and occasionally asks me to listen to a song or watch a video. Last night was one of those occasions. I was right about to sit down and snuggle with my dog and really didn’t want to watch the video, but he asked me to please come over and listen. He said , “this is how I feel about Cleo,“ that got my attention!
 He hit play and  my heart filled up with how wonderful this little video and song was. I immediately thought of all my clients, friends, and family, including my husband and I, who have a dog, that to the neighbor or passerby, may cause a bit of caution of or even fear. Sometimes it’s because of his breed, sometimes it’s his behavior, and sometime, it may be a little of both.
 You see, I have an amazing, adorable, sweet, smart dog, but he can also be a reactive dog. He has stranger danger. He can be reactive to other dogs on leash and is terrified of children. He is also 60lbs and a Pitbull mix. I think is adorable, some folks might not see him that way.
 Cleo and I work hard every day on his fear issues, and I am happy to report he is doing SO well. Taking a walk and seeing things that use to freak him out, now mean something good will happen, like a yummy treat or a calming “that’s a good boy.”
 I am a dog trainer and I don’t take dog behavior personally. I know what to do and how to help dogs, but I would be lying if I said it doesn’t sting when someone judges my good dog, and only sees the way he looks or perhaps a moment of fearful behavior. I do understand that it looks bad, I really do, but it still hurts, because I know how wonderful he really is.
 So, this little song is for those of us who love our dogs that might have some issues. I hope it gives you strength when you are feeling badly about something your dog may have reacted to, or when someone says something about the type of dog you have and judges them unfairly.
 For those of you that struggle with your dog’s behavior, please reach out for help, a good certified, reward-based trainer can help you and your dog with no judgement; just understanding, knowledge and kindness.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=v1vfWjRxo1Y