Epsilon Dog Training

14/08/2024

If you’ve spent much time on dog training internet you might have seen some debate around whether fetch is safe or not.

Thankfully I am here to offer the most correct opinion.

Just kidding! My views on this topic, like most, are constantly evolving. And if my views change in the future, I’ll update this post.

But for now, here is my professional opinion.

There is a lack of scientific research on the impacts of fetch.

However, I have seen and heard of enough dogs getting injured while playing fetch to make me cautious.

That doesn’t mean you should stop playing fetch. Fetch can be a wonderfully fulfilling form of exercise for many dogs.

All activities come with some risk and we can take steps to promote safety.

If your dog loves to fetch, here are my guidelines for minimizing risk of injury:

🏈 Throw the toy in the direction your dog is facing to prevent twisting
🏈 Play on stable, even terrain with no holes in the ground
🏈 Throw the toy low to the ground to prevent jumping
🏈 Do not let your dog chase a toy down stairs (✋🏻I did this and my dog needed a $3000 surgery to repair his knee)
🏈 Do not play on slippery floor
🏈 If your dog does not take breaks on their own, enforce breaks by putting the toy away and offering a calmer activity such as a treat scatter
🏈 Just because your dog can play fetch for hours a day, does not mean they need to. Less is more!

🌾 Tip for added mental stimulation: hide your dog’s ball in tall grass or a bush so they have to use their nose to search for it! This activity is better for meeting their enrichment needs than repeated ball throwing.

Fetch is great fun, and you could potentially save yourself thousands in vet bills by playing it mindfully.

Practice safe fetch everyone! 🥏

03/06/2024

https://www.thisdogslife.co/cesar-millan-just-celebrated-20-years-on-tv-not-everyone-is-happy-about-it/

Cesar Millan’s influence on dog training is undeniable, marking two decades of shaping public perceptions and practices. But not everyone is celebrating.

10/05/2024

It is hot! Our officers are proactively monitoring parking lots in the Langley area. We’ve already found two dogs locked in cars where the temperatures inside were dangerously high. This can quickly become a life threatening situation.

Please leave your dogs at home or bring them into the store with you if you’re permitted.

If you see a dog locked in a car please contact us at 604.857.5055

10/05/2024

There are a lot of great 'red flag' resources out there, but we wanted to create something short, simple and shareable.

Four easy ways to avoid broker rescues:

1. Do not sign adoption papers or pay adoption fees if you have not met the animal.

2. Do not sign adoption papers or pay fees for an animal that comes directly off a transport vehicle.

3. Do not sign adoption papers or pay fees for an animal unless you can speak to someone (foster home, kennel attendant, etc.) who has personally cared for this animal.

4. Do not sign papers or pay fees for an animal unless the rescue has a clear “Plan B” if this adoption doesn’t work out.

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ℹ️ Meet the animal first and get first hand information. This should not be controversial or counter-intuitive advice. You would never commit to a life partner, adopt a child, or even get a roommate without doing this.

A reputable rescue cares whether you are a match for the animal in their care. They will not pressure you to commit to an animal based on a bio or photo or sad story. You are making a 10-15 year commitment to a living being with unique needs and personality traits. You both deserve some time and information to make sure this is a good fit.

🅱️Have a Plan B. You may want to help an animal and feel ready to adopt. You may be sure you can make things work, but adoptions can fall through for many reasons. Online bios aren’t always accurate and the dog described as “good with kids/dogs” may not be. It may be noisy, or not housetrained, and cause problems with strata or landlords. It may have crippling separation anxiety and you have a job out of the house. Your life situation may change.

A reputable rescue will have a foster program, a foster-to-adopt process, or a matching system with multiple steps: to set everyone up for success, and be a resource if it’s not a fit.

If you are adopting from an overseas rescue without a local representative, trainer, and network of foster homes lined up, this is a red flag.

🚑But the urgency!! Unethical rescues will use a sad story or a sense of emergency to pressure you into ignoring your instincts or skipping the steps above. Urgency and need is all around you – the best way to help is to donate, volunteer, or foster for a reputable rescue, NOT to rush into a long-term commitment to a new family member.

Use your head AND your heart to support ethical rescues. If everyone followed the simple steps above, rescue brokers and puppy mill re-sellers would go out of business.

🚩 Please link your favourite "red flag" resources below!

06/05/2024

Fact or fiction: “it’s all in how you raise them.”

Have you ever been told this? If so, how did it make you feel?

Share your thoughts down below.

✨Send this post to someone who needs to see this! ✨

04/05/2024

Are you new to force-free dog training? Are you not sure how it works or if it will be effective for your dog? Read a short, detailed explanation in my latest blog post linked here!

Force-free is a training methodology that avoids the use of threats, intimidation, coercion, and violence. Instead, it uses a variety of humane techniques to train dogs. Traditional dog trainers use unpleasant methods like leash jerks, pinching, scuffing, shouting, and spraying water. Some of them a...

03/05/2024

Today Schultzy learned to recall in his backyard to a whistle! He also learned how to use his nose and critical thinking skills to solve a problem.

And all of that was achieved with only ONE exercise! 😲 (how is that even possible??)

Schultzy’s guardian also learned how to replicate this training exercise AND how to keep his recall super strong even after I leave!

Do you want your dog to learn skills like this? Are you interested in learning fun and efficient ways to train? DM me or contact me via the form on my website to get in touch!

02/05/2024

Flower power 🌼

28/04/2024

NEW ON THE BLOG

My dog is reactive. Now what?

Read an excerpt:

…caring for a leash reactive dog is extremely stressful. Whether your dog’s issues are with other dogs, humans, bikes, or cars, it’s impacting your ability to enjoy walks together. You feel frustrated, trapped, embarrassed, and you don’t know where to turn to for support. Is this just how things are going to be?

Read the full post here:

https://www.epsilondogtraining.ca/post/leash-reactivity-and-what-to-do-about-it

25/04/2024

Walkies with Jessie’s cousin Violetta!

Swipe to see the CHOMP 🦈

08/04/2024

BC has a broker problem.

These “rescue” organizations purchase dogs from puppy mills, make up fake back stories, and flip them to unsuspecting customers.

Or they scoop up mass quantities of dogs from foreign shelters and import them to Canada with little to no veterinary screening - transporting parasites and disease into our communities.

They don’t disclose past history of aggressive behaviour or flight risk, leading to trauma and heartbreak.

Then they disappear - or feign ignorance, or threaten lawsuits - leaving pet guardians to foot unexpected vet and training bills - or to have no choice but to rehome their dog.

These “rescues” are often operated by unstable and litigious individuals. Which is why I shall not be naming any publicly. More info is available to those who wish to reach out to me privately.

Stay safe, stay informed, and don’t support scammers.

More info on the dog broker crisis:

BC Rescue Watchdog

Rescue red flags to watch out for:

https://justice-for-bullies.myshopify.com/pages/rescue-red-flags?fbclid=IwAR3cXhj3qUiXNXKJC7Mh-dJx3fo8RPY1MmUzrJFOHF8CA2TIw-LzaT5FWoQ_aem_AdJ-qjNMXJgdHTbUok9ryTtaK4RWOTIoYrBtJ6sTs1MyMbMd6tYFJhFUqApDqrEQwh8

Responsible pet ownership starts early, from the minute you source your new family member. Whether you choose a breeder or a rescue, it’s your responsibility to do your research and make a responsible choice.While we would like to believe that any “rescue” has the best interest of the animal a...

04/04/2024

We often have unrealistic expectations going into getting a dog. We think we are getting a cute, fluffy, cuddly little friend who hangs on our every word and is eager to please.

What we end up with is a dirty, stinky, trash-eating goblin who steals food off the dinner table and blows off our recall to harass a local squirrel.

Our dogs possess a lot of qualities that we love, but let’s be honest, some of their behaviours are often at odds with our human needs and desires.

Some “trainers” resort to punishing dogs out of their natural behaviours - but I don’t accept that strategy.

I firmly believe that through education, setting realistic expectations, and utilizing smart management, the vast majority of dog parents can learn to live with their furry friends in harmony.

If you’re at your wits end with your dog’s “doggy” behaviour - or want to prevent problems before they arise - DM me or reach out via the form on my website!

Which of these 7 things does your dog like to do? 😇

03/04/2024

Most pet dogs are anxious, and that could change if we socialize our puppies and breed from less anxious dogs. Read more:

A Finnish study finds that 72.5% of pet dogs show at least one form of canine anxiety..

01/04/2024

Long-Term Resident Spotlight.. COSMO! ✨

Can you believe this oh so handsome and majestic boy has STILL not had much of any interest? Cosmo has been in shelter now since JULY of last year which is far too long for any dog, let alone a husky breed!

Cosmo is truly a stand up guy.. the full package if you will, with beauty AND brains! He is intelligent, obedient (well most of the time) and affectionate too. He can be somewhat naughty at times, but with the help of continued training, mental enrichment and physical activity were such these behaviors will be kept at bay! Some of Cosmo's favorite things include: belly rubs, treats, squeaky toys and playing with his favorite doggo friends!

Cosmo could be your new best friend, so what are you waiting for!? Fill out an application TODAY and make Cosmo's day 🩵 Can't adopt? PLEASE SHARE!

27/03/2024

A great reminder why a vet check should be the first thing checked off anytime a dog is showing aggression!

Submitted by a follower.
What red flags do you see here for a foster home?
What level of support and disclosure should a foster home expect from the organization they are helping?

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Our third foster dog through BARC’s rescue was fostered by my mother after this dog had been left in a boarding facility for months.

We had no history on him, very little information on his behaviour, and he was missing half of one of his ear - but my mother picked him up anyway, trusting the rescue.

She soon called me and told me she noticed a strange behaviour: if her hand got anywhere near the dog's face his lips would pull up and twitch showing his teeth. I strongly advised her to get her foster dog a vet check for his teeth. She reached out to BARC’s but they either never responded or the email got lost on their end. For a rescue that seems to care for dogs you’d think they would make sure to get a hold of us right away when told about a medical issue and need for a vet.

My mother reached out a second time and they replied asking for photos of his teeth. One rule as a foster for BARCs is that you don’t bring a dog into a vet without permission from the rescue. This slow emailing back and forth continued for weeks and months. His teeth got so bad that they became infected and caused swelling on half of his face. At this point, my mother and I did not care about the rescue rules as this dog was in severe pain and we brought him in. The vet wanted him rushed into surgery within a few days because of how bad the infection and obvious pain were. The surgeon took out years of dental trauma and broken, sensitive teeth, so many teeth that there was a possibility of breaking his jaw. Once he healed from the surgery he was a different dog, free of dental pain.

Right before this foster dog was about to get adopted by a close friend, we all got a disturbing message from the dog's former adopter telling her not to adopt the dog and that he should be euthanized because of how dangerous he was.

BARC’s had failed to tell us his history which included two serious bite incidents, one to someone’s face and hands, and another to someone’s knee. This resulted in one lawsuit against the former adopter. His history also included dog fights which left him with one half ear, and scary behaviour directed towards a child. None of this history had been given to us prior to fostering him.

We then learned we were not the only people who were not given his history. He was adopted by another family after the first bite incident and after spending a couple of months at a "board and train" with "trainer" Al Mcgaw, who was eventually raided by the SPCA for abuse and neglect.

The real problem, and the very likely root cause to his behaviour, was the fact that our foster dog was in extreme pain for years under BARCs care.

What makes this even more disturbing is that according to emails and records, vets had advised BARC’s to do a sedated appointment to get teeth checked and a pain assessment THREE years prior, because during an initial vet check they weren’t able to touch his mouth.

BARC’s ignored this advice and adopted him out anyway. Our foster dog spent three years in extreme pain without proper medical care, endangering many people and dogs and enduring months of unethical training at the hands of Al Mcgaw, paid for by BARC's.

That's right: they were willing to pay an abusive trainer for a "board and train" but not for a straight-forward vet screening.

When we shared our story and warned against their unethical practices via social media, BARC's threatened police action and verbally assaulted us over email.

30/01/2024

Hanging with my friend Scout 🩵

04/01/2024

You may have noticed that at AWLA we do not use terms such as “alpha” or “dominant/submissive” dogs…and that’s because those concepts have long since been debunked! These theories were…

31/12/2023

What are your 2024 predictions?

28/12/2023

Animal trainers possess no magical skills or abilities.

We cannot read your dog’s “energy.”

We can, however, observe their body language and make educated guesses on what they might be feeling.

Animal trainers cannot communicate telepathically or “energetically” with your pet.

We can, however, influence their behaviour with tried and true principles of learning.

We don’t need to look to supernatural explanations for things we have robust real world understandings on.

Dog training is no more magic than car repair, horticulture, or parenting.

This isn’t to knock anyone who finds magic in their daily life, or even animal trainers who offer spiritual services alongside science-based training.

This is to bring awareness to (and call out) animal training that eschews science in favour of nebulous, unproven concepts. Especially those that harm animals in the process.

Avoid the energy-readers, and stick with a trainer who actually knows their stuff.

It’s an applied skill that anyone can learn. You don’t need to be special.

28/12/2023

⭐ NEW ARTICLE POST ⭐
Tiny Terrors: Why Do Toy Breed Dogs Have Such An Aggressive Reputation?
By: Abbey Johnson CPDT-KA, FDM

“Ankle biters. Napoleon complex. Small dog syndrome.”

How often have you heard phrases and labels like these when describing toy breed dogs out in the world who struggle with fear, reactivity, or aggression? It’s no secret that small dogs have accrued themselves a pretty poor reputation in the public eye, with most people stating they’re more scared of a Chihuahua out in public than they are of a larger, more stereotypically “aggressive” breed. But, it’s not often that we stop and ask ourselves WHY we see this phenomenon happen. Should small breed dogs be behaving this way in such large numbers?

Read the entire article here ⬇
https://bit.ly/47vez4B

20/12/2023

Schultzy in the rain

30/11/2023

Lala enjoying her river walk!

29/11/2023

Control is a vicious cycle. As Alfie Kohn writes, “control breeds the need for more control, which then is used to justify the use of control” (Punished by Rewards, pg. 33).

When we attempt to assert our power over another sentient being, a struggle inevitably ensues. Control will fail. And then we feel like we’ve failed.

Sometimes what we need is the same thing that our dogs need - less control, and greater freedom to express ourselves. To relax. To have fun. To enjoy each other’s company unconditionally.

This is often easier said than done, of course. Especially when we are living with dogs who have heightened emotions and behavioural challenges, we need to ensure safety and sanity.

This is where my favourite training tool: management, comes in. By using smart management strategies, we can greatly reduce the need for control, and finally break free of that pernicious cycle.

To learn more about how to implement management to improve your relationship with your dog, DM me or click the link in my bio to visit my website where you can fill out a form to get in touch!