Ivy and Olive are two sh*tzus girlies who are suffering from some really common issues in small dogs - extreme fear, reactivity, and lack of confidence. They’re fearful of new people, spooked by most sounds or new things, and reactive to people inside and out of the home. The barking was so intense that it made it nearly impossible to have people over unless olive (the main barking culprit) was in her crate. Obviously that solution isn’t ideal long term. After two sessions we’ve made some awesome progress and it’s only up from here!!!!
One of the most important commands that nearly every dog owner struggles with - recall. Why is that? Here are a few possibilities:
- you only call your dog to come inside
- you only call your dog when it’s time for the fun to be over
- you seem angry or frustrated when you call your dog
- you’re only ever calling them when they show interest in something
- you don’t reward your dog consistently for coming to you
- you have not practiced your command enough for it to be reliable
- you have no way of reinforcing the command
- you have not generalized the command to enough scenarios
Okay so now we know a few reasons WHY your recalls might suck - But what can you do about it? Step one is to get yourself a long line and practice, practice, practice. If your dog is not consistent with their recall, you should NEVER give the command if you have no way to reinforce it. This just teaches them that coming when called is optional. So have your dog on leash, use high value food, keep a positive energy, and lower your criteria for a while. Slowly add more challenges and watch your recall flourish!!!
I think almost any one would tell me that their dog hates the rain. Why do you think that is? And does it matter? Our dogs tend to feed off of our reactions to things. Considering this, it would make sense that most dogs hate rain if every time it’s raining we run inside from a walk squealing, make quick potty breaks instead of walks, or we refuse to join them outside. Now does it really matter if our dogs like the rain? Not really, but it’s a great confidence booster and helps with potty training too. So go have fun and get a little wet with your dog. I promise it won’t kill you!!
Impulse control and relationship building. I cannot stress enough as to how working on these two things alone can single handed my eliminate almost all of your behavior problems. If your dog has learned to not act on their impulses and to always checkin in with your for guidance on how to navigate a situation, it leaves very little room up to chance and will strengthen the trust and bond you have with your dogs. In this video my dogs have on zero training tools or restraints. They simply understand the expectations of the command that they are in and trust me enough to keep them safe and provide information despite a stranger entering our space. Obedience is so much more than creating a complicit little soldier dog. It helps provide clear expectations and communication and reduces frustration between you and your dog. Happy training!!!
Moose recently wrapped up a 2 week board and train with us and boy did he make some progress!
This big guy came in for a handful of pretty intense nuisance behaviors that were driving his family crazy and making life at home miserable. Demand barking, counter surfing, stealing items around the house, and pulling on walks. Finally, enough was enough and his family decided it was time to train.
The whole family committed to the process and went all in with him. He’s been home for a few days now and while the transition back home will need some time to be “perfect”, they are already in love with their new and improved dog. I am so excited to watch them all grow together through their new relationship!!!!!!
Teddy has been doing private lessons for a while now and it can be tough for his mom to find new challenges for him! Today at the park, we worked on recalling him off of some super fun food and he did amazing!!! These two have put in so much work over the past couple years and it shows. It’s been so fun to see the confidence in both teddy and his owner BLOOM since we’ve started training.
Teddy, as sweet as pie, can get really worked up when he sees any of his furry friends on tv. During our last lesson we spent some time hanging out to work on counter conditioning and helping him feel a little more confident while the tv is on. Normally up on two legs and yelling at the screen, after just a few minutes, he was able to sit calmly near his mom and watch a very educational nature documentary 🤓
Nash came to us for training after having been excused from daycare as well as displaying reactive behaviors on walks. During his sessions, we have been working on improving his owners leadership, building both his confidence and hers, and improving his obedience. After a couple of weeks of training, it was time to get him back into social! He was hesitant at first, and the session was slow. But he was able to safely meet a new dog while having his boundaries be respected. As an insecure dog, having your limits be acknowledged and respected is a HUGE step towards rehabilitation. We will continue to work on these things and he will only continue to grow. We love to see it!!!!
