Creative Canine Club

05/11/2019

🌟Beginner's Life Skills Class🌟

✅ Suitable for puppies, adults, seniors and rescues
✅ 5 week course - £65 - Sunday 24th Nov 11am -12pm
✅ Maximum of 6 dogs per class
✅ Reminder cards and email support

Teach your dog to:
🐕 Be calm around other dogs and people
🐕 Come back when called
🐕 Settle on a bed
🐕 Walk on a loose lead
🐕 Develop self control
🐕 And much, much more!

Please contact me first if your dog is worried by people or other dogs.

For more details go to www.https://creativecanineclub.com/1369-2/

At the Creative Canine Club, we recognise that dogs and their families have different needs. This is why we have dog training programmes or classes to suit you, using positive reinforcement methods. We make sure the classes are fun and pressure-free. Training is games-based and harnesses the desire....

09/10/2019

Looks like an interesting read!

25/09/2019

🌟New workshops for October!🌟

🐕 Recall Workshop - Sun Oct 6th - 11am to 1pm
🐕 Fitness Workshop - Sun Oct 13th - 11am to 1pm
🐕 Puppy Foundation Workshop - Sun Oct 13th - 2pm to 4pm

✅All 2 hour workshops - £35
✅Held at Happy Pets Doggy Day Care Centre, Belliver Industrial Estate, 9 Haxter Close, Roborough. PL6 7DD
✅See www.creativecanineclub.com for more details

06/09/2019

Day 5

Hmmm, not much to see here...

This one's a bit hard to explain - teaching your dog to open their mouth for a tooth inspection. Djambo likes to take my whole hand in his mouth and then carefully drag his teeth over my knuckles, just to make sure he got the treat. A much more pleasant experience with soft-mouthed Poppy. In the video I'm marking with a click when they open their mouth. I've now progressed to touching the top teeth with a finger (without a treate) and I get about half an inch open for a millisecond. Still progress!

06/09/2019

Again, this task isn't about the finished behaviour (which is your dog touching each colour of the target with their nose!) It's about making sure your criteria are clear, so you give your dog a fighting chance to get the behaviour right - if you aren't clear with what you want, how can they be? Anyhow, we started with a nose touch to the black circle. In hindsight I would cut out the circles to help narrow the criteria, so we would set the dog up for success and get there more quickly, rather than spending a lot of time randomly nudging the whole piece of paper.

04/09/2019

30 Days of canine science challenge day 3 - Fast luring with the end behaviour of a rewind (dog reverses around your body). I managed to keep all my fingers and we have the early stages of a rewind. Again - a lot more work to do!

03/09/2019

30 days of canine science challenge - day 2 - Calm luring of your dog with the treat one inch from their nose...without them grabbing it. We still have work to do!

01/09/2019

Day 1. Luring a drop down and a fold back down. Ooh this was interesting!

This task is more about types of luring and the following behaviour. So, in theory, the 'drop to down' is more exciting and higher energy than the 'fold back down'

My GSD has a pop up stand (jumps up from a sit into a stand), which he's fine with. He's not so keen on a jump up from a sit to a drop down. I think perhaps he needs a bit more core strength to give him the control, especially as he has a relatively long back. We gave it our best shot, but not going to push it because he's also had keyhole surgery in his shoulders, so this might be a bit high impact for him. No probs with the foldback down (which he can do without luring).

In contrast my podgy lab (husband's fault and at risk of divorce if I nag him anymore about him feeding her extras *sigh*) has a controlled sit pretty and is quite happy with a drop down and fold back down. She's such a happy girl when working for food!

31/08/2019

Woohoo - starts tomorrow! 🤩

30/08/2019

This is why quick fixes do. not. work.

To change an underlying emotion whether it's fear or frustration or overarousal takes time, patience and dedication.

Aversive techniques like shock collars might sometimes mask the behaviour (although it escalated the behaviour in this case), but the negative emotion is still there :-(

Dax had a tendency to be excitable around children and sometimes jumped up at them so his owner sought professional dog training in Devon.

She was recommended a trainer who used an electric shock collar and although she had some reservations, she trusted him and went along with his methods.

The trainer took Dax and his owner to a busy park in the school summer holidays and let Dax off lead but wearing the electric shock collar with the trainer holding the lead and he remote control for the collar. As Dax approached a child he received a shock to which he reacted badly and bit the child.

The trainer left the scene refusing to give his details and when police spoke to him, he denied being a professional dog trainer , putting all of the blame on the owner. Despite us providing the Crown Prosecution Service with ample evidence that this individual was a professional trainer and was still operating using the same methods, he was not prosecuted.

At trial we argued that the owner had not been in charge of Dax at the relevant time and our argument suceeded as the court found that she had handed over control to the trainer.

Please be aware that dog training is not a regulated profession and anyone can call themselves a dog trainer regardless of whether they have any qualifications or understanding of canine behaviour. We recommend that you ask whether your intended trainer uses positive force-free methods and ask what qualifications and experience they have. And if your instinct tells you that their methods are not for you then trust your instincts.

29/08/2019

Always worth remembering, despite what folk might say - you cannot reinforce fear...

There is a common misconception that fear can be reinforced. It cannot. Fear is an emotion.

“The confusion here is the conflation of the word reinforcement with the concept of strengthening or worsening. You can definitely strengthen fear. You can always make it worse. It’s just not through the process of reinforcement. You don’t make fear more likely by “giving a reinforcer” after it is triggered. In fact, you most definitely can click and give a cookie during barking or lunging and watch it reduce, because the process involved there is classical, and the behavior will reduce! I’ve done it a million times. We do it in shelters a lot, feeding the barking dogs so they’ll reduce their barking. 🙂

Fear based behaviors are not “chosen,” but are “reactions,” and they are changed via classical conditioning rather than operant. Feed fear reactions and they will reduce (or nothing will happen, because the dog is too [over threshold] for putting that together). Clicking/feeding fear, even fear expressions, does not increase it.”

- Dr. Amy Cook, Applied Animal Behaviorist and instructor for Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

27/08/2019

A snapshot of some simple fitness foundation exercises that you can do with your dog at home (without the assistance of expensive inflatables!)

These exercises can help keep them fit and injury free.

And don't be deceived by the duration positions on a stable surface - there are many things to look for here - and it is hardwork for the dog to maintain!

Learn more at ***Creative Canine Conditioning & Training Classes***

(*note - all the food is out of Djambo's dinner ;-) )

26/08/2019

Always learning....🤓🐕

During September I am taking part in the 🌟30 days of Canine Science🌟 with over 1200 other dog trainers! It's an awesome way to polish mechanics and brush up on the science.

🎥Filming my efforts is a key part of this, so stay tuned for some *potentially* interesting footage 🙈😁

https://mailchi.mp/e65412971eea/its-here-30daysofcaninescience?fbclid=IwAR09uUIdJKtI0h-zy5Hq-pc0oWviYoVjS1vyegKYuX8sUqwGZuxsGxxDyGg

22/08/2019

🐕New classes starting in September!!🐕

As well as.....
✅Puppy Classes
✅ Life Skills
✅ Recall Workshops

We've got something a bit different 😮

🌟🌟🌟 Creative Conditioning & Training!🌟🌟🌟
Where the focus is on fun, fitness, conditioning and performance, along with a sprinkling of advanced life skills. And a free training platform for you to keep to practice at home!😮

Why not see if there's a class to suit you at www.creativecanineclub.com ?

13/08/2019

(Apologies for the heavy breathing and rustling waterproof trousers in the video!)

Working on a rock solid release cue is so helpful when you're looking for a reliable stay or asking your dog to keep their position. Djambo has just been asked to sit. What he wants more than anything is for me to give that release cue so he can chase me while I run away and throw his ball (note I don't really run in this video because running, videoing and chucking a ball is hard - I'm also mindful of the other dogs in the field ;-)) I ask for a down to make sure he's listening and then release him. Djambo's normal response would be to charge full pelt at me as I throw his ball, but my body language is weird due to filming and I didn't want to throw the ball at the passing labradoodle who was doing very well at not engaging with us :-)

09/08/2019

The gorgeous Brambles showing what a calm, confident girl she can be 😍

08/08/2019

Love this

I’m not impressed by perfection.

I’m not impressed by obedience.

I’m not impressed by endless down stays or heeling dogs void of joy or recalls by way of fear avoidance.

I’m not impressed by quick fixes.

I’m not impressed by any fixes that place compliance above wellbeing.

I’m not impressed by power and control.

I’m not impressed by coercion.

What impresses me is compassion.

I’m impressed by kindness, patience, and humor.

I’m impressed by dogs with opinions who aren’t afraid to be their true selves and people who make that possible.

I’m impressed by relationships built on reciprocity, cooperation, and consent.

I’m impressed by teaching that’s informed by what’s most ethical and humane, not just by whether or how quickly it works.

I’m impressed by joy.

I’m impressed by imperfect people loving imperfect dogs…just as they are.

I’m impressed by every single person who each day chooses compassion over perfection in a world that tells us otherwise.

01/08/2019

New Perfect Puppy Classes starting Tuesday 13th August, 7 to 8 pm! 🐕 Games-based training to teach your puppy foundation life skills, including focus, recall, self-control, positions (sit, down, stand), bed games and much, much more! 🤩 For more details, see https://creativecanineclub.com/dog-training-classes/

20/07/2019

Away last week helping out at Devon Dogs for one of their filming events (it means I get an opportunity to work with a range of dogs and meet lots of other dog trainers :-) ). It also meant I got to play with puppies 😍

10/07/2019

For puppy classes, life skills, recall workshop or 1 to 1's, all at 10% off if booked during July.

10/07/2019

New blog post! Tips to help reactive dogs (and their owners) when other dogs approach.
https://creativecanineclub.com/blog/strangers-not-welcome-5-tips-for-managing-a-reactive-dog-when-another-dog-approaches/

Control your own dog’s body language This can have a big impact on what the approaching dog does. Don’t get me wrong, just as with humans, there are dogs who have no concept of personal space and think all other dogs are to be engaged with. But there are other dogs who are a bit …

09/07/2019

Love this...learning to observe your dog is key. And once your dog feels safe, we can help them become confident.

If you asked me to name the single most important thing you can do for your dog, it would be this.

Keep your dog feeling safe.

This is not to be confused with your dog being safe, or whether or not you think your dog is safe. This is about keeping your dog *feeling* safe. Which means identifying what your dog finds stressful or scary by learning how to observe and read their body language to recognize when, where, and under what circumstances they feel uncomfortable, and doing whatever you can to avoid those situations.

This can mean that your dog never visits another dog park.

This can mean that even though it’s a beautiful Sunday and you’d love to have brunch on a patio of your favorite restaurant with your dog, your dog stays home.

This can mean that you politely (or not) decline requests to pet your dog.

This can mean that when children come over your house, your dog is in another room with a yummy Kong.

This can mean that you walk your dog during quiet times of the day.

This can mean that you drive your dog to walk them in a different area.

Whatever it means for you and your dog, keep your dog feeling safe.

You are your dog’s best and only advocate. You are what stands between them and the rest of the world, a world where dogs are set up to fail every day with often heartbreaking consequences. This doesn’t mean that we don’t also actively and *humanely* work to help our dogs feel more comfortable and confident in this world, but it does mean that until they do, WE HAVE TO KEEP THEM FEELING SAFE.

Our dogs are relying on us, it’s our job to have their backs.

09/07/2019

If you're looking for some great food, made in the UK, with loads of choice and high quality ingredients, take a look at https://kitaskitchen.com/?s=Dog+Food&post_type=product Also free delivery in Plymouth, Ivybridge and Saltash :-)

27/06/2019

Excellent post from another Pro Dog Trainer!

🐶🤔❓Are you training your dog for the Premier League or Sunday League?❓🤔🐶

For those that don’t know me, I play football every Tuesday, religiously. I have done this for years. You’d think by now I would be able to kick a ball straight or occasionally dribble around someone standing still in front of me, but I can’t. I play football like a sweaty bambi with 4 left feet on an ice rink (why is it called a rink anyway?).

There’s a very good reason I’m still useless at football, and that’s because (aside from my 2 left feet and complete lack of fitness) I don’t train outside of my weekly 5 a side shambles. If I wanted to get better, I would need to break it down, I could learn to dribble around objects, pass while moving, learn to shoot and build my fitness, all separately and with lots of time spent on each way before I ever got into the pitch.

I would be training for the game, rather than trying to train in it. That way, I would have the foundations, the skill and the ability to play, rather than looking like I was lost in the leisure centre.

We need to do the same for our dogs. When they are making bad choices, fearful, anxious or struggling with a certainly situation, we must step back from it. We need to break the skill they need to deal with that situation into small sections and work with them to build these small skill sets that come together to make a great choice in what was previously a difficult situation.

Only then will we really be setting our dogs up to play in the premier league! If we try to train our dogs in these uncomfortable situations, you will always have struggles, always have flaws, always lack a certain skill set and always be stuck in the Sunday league.

17/06/2019

Interesting!

16/06/2019

Superstar Spaniels at puppy class, learning to be calm on a boundary/bed and confident with novelty 😍

15/06/2019

So true...

09/06/2019

Lots of new things happening at Creative Canine Club!

* Puppies classes
* Life skills classes
* Recall workshop
* Reactive dog classes
* Chat with the trainer

Contact Tracey on: 07712801990
or
Email:[email protected]
or
Book through: www.creativecanineclub.com

08/06/2019

Lots of new things happening at Creative Canine Club!

* Puppies - Sat 15th June 4-5pm - 6 week class
* Reactive dogs - Fri 21st June 7-8pm - 5 week + 1 to 1
* Life skills - Thurs 20th June 7-8pm - 5 week class
* Recall workshop - Sun 23rd June 11-1pm - 2 hour class
* Chat with the trainer + 30 min talk - Wed 26th June 7:30 -8:30pm

03/06/2019

If anyone has come to one of my training sessions and would like to join the student group, please search us out and ask to join (I have tried to send invites, but I think they might be stuck in some obscure FB folder somewhere 🤔)

My aim is to have a supportive group where people can upload videos/photos of progress and also ask for advice.

The group is 'Creative Canine Club Student Group'

See you there!

29/05/2019

And this is why I love games-based training :-)

28/05/2019

The gorgeous Koba at puppy class on Sunday - such a calm confident boy 😍

Sunday 2nd June - Pay as you go puppy classes on Sunday 4 to 5 pm https://creativecanineclub.com/dog-training-classes/

Sunday 9th June - Training clinic 1 to 3 pm for recall/pulling on lead/barking at dogs etc. - 2 spaces available - https://creativecanineclub.com/training-clinic-for-any-problem/

20/05/2019

Working boundaries for breakfast while I'm in my PJs (don't worry, I've spared you the horror!)

18/05/2019

Djambo prefers to work for food than have it on a plate - it's why ditch the bowl works so well for him https://creativecanineclub.com/blog/ditch-the-bowl/