Force Free Oregon

11/05/2024

For people getting the shirts/hoodies scammers on their business page, Facebook has added an option in the settings & privacy section to allow you to screen any comments that tag someone before the comment goes live on Facebook.

31/07/2023

Reposted from

19/07/2023

Huffman K9 in Canby is already bad news because they use aversive tools and training techniques, but now it's come out that the owner Jensen Huffman has a disgusting "sense of humor".
It's in everyone's best interest to stay far away from this guy.

24/04/2023

Posted •

15/04/2023

Posted •
Find your moment of Yes! helps you communicate by telling your dog what works. Catching those moments of what you like - and reinforcing them - builds behavior patterns. Otherwise, dogs just do dog stuff.

Great work, and !

26/03/2023

A TALE ABOUT TAILS
A wagging tail doesn’t always mean a happy dog.
It’s commonly believed that a waggy tail means a happy dog, but that isn’t always the case. Whether it’s long, short, curly or straight, the tail is a very important communication tool.
Before we try to learn the language of a tail, it’s important to recognise that the neutral or natural position of a dog’s tail differs between breeds. Beagles may naturally hold their tails pointing straight up, while Greyhounds and Whippets, naturally look like their tail is held between their legs. Pugs and Bostons have tails that coil up against their back and may not wag at all.
A wag to the right generally indicates that dogs are happy or excited, while a wag to the left is usually from uncertainty, fear anxiety or other negative feelings. This makes sense from a neurological point of view because each side of a dog's brain controls opposite sides of his body. The left side of the brain controls emotions like love and attachment while the right-side controls feelings like fear or anxiety. So, when a dog is happy the left side of the brain causes the tail to wag right and when a dog is not happy the right brain causes it to sway left.
Besides communication, the tail also functions as a rudder when swimming and is important for balance, especially when running as it allows for fast turning without falling over.
When we understand the function of the tail and how important it is, it’s difficult to comprehend why many owners / breeders chose to dock a dog’s tail. Some observational studies have shown that there are a higher number of aggressive incidents involving dogs with docked tails. This is not surprising, as an important communication tool is missing. Thankfully this inhumane and cruel mutilation practice has been made illegal in many countries.
Have a look at what your dog’s tail is doing in different situations. It’s so interesting to watch (at least for me!) and can tell you so much about how your dog is feeling.

24/03/2023

Repost from
You wouldn't do it to your child, so why do it to your dog? A sentient, emotional being that has the cognitive abilities of a 2 year old?

16/03/2023

Posted • .plus.dogs THE FACTS ⚖️

Behaviour is communication and that communication could very well be "I'm not feeling great".

When dogs have a sudden change in behaviour such as reluctance to be touched, routine disruption or signs of aggression (growling, snapping, biting) it is always best practice to have an examination by your vet first. Internally and externally. Note any changes in your dog's mobility and digestion especially as these areas have been highlighted in a recent study as probable causes for aggression.

Even a trial of medication for suspected illness or injury can help to assess if your dog's behaviour is related to an unseen condition. Your behaviourist should work in conjunction with your vet to help ensure your dog is physically healthy before you begin work on their mental health.

12/03/2023

Our co-founder Rebekah ( ) is relocating to Indiana to pursue a new career at Perdue University!
Rebekah was a familiar face at many of our public events, the creator of many of our original memes and the driving force behind our website redesign. Her dog Astrid was a model for many of our cooperative care and muzzle pictures and videos.
Rebekah will continue to help us out virtually and is in the beginning stages of working on some muzzle training webinars.
We'll miss you, Rebekah!

08/03/2023

Posted •

The use of aversives in dog training is the result of trainer frustration.
Frustration occurs when an animal is presented with a situation that they are unequipped to handle. In dog training, this happens when a trainer is presented with behaviour that they don’t understand and as a result, they misdirect their frustration at the dog.

27/02/2023

Posted • Mindful Mutts came about because I had worked in dog daycares and couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

Everything from tightly putting grooming muzzles on all day when dogs were barking constantly, to dogs playing with their prong collars and shock collars ON in their pens, and dogs hiding under risers for 10 hrs… soiling themselves in fear. After I left the last one, I participated in one SPCA cruelty investigation.

With the realization that dog daycare is only growing in popularity… I decided to hold off on my preferred career in dog training to educate myself the best way I knew how- with literally no guidance aside from Google- and facilitate a Low Stress daycare based on the teachings of the late Dr. Sophia Yin. “Be the change you want to see in the world” and all that- complaining was getting us all nowhere so I put my money where my mouth is and invested everything I had to get things started.

Year after year I learned more about what works and what doesn’t- how to do better. I tightened our screening process regularly. Upgraded my own education as often as financially possible. Placed every penny we made back into educating both myself and our team… yet everyday there’s more to learn and I’m okay with that.

I realize it upsets people when we have to decline your request for daycare, especially when your dog has plenty of dog friends, I want to remind everyone why we are here.

Most dogs don’t want to be in, let alone *need* daycare. Whether this makes us unpopular or not- that’s the truth. It doesn’t mean there’s anything WRONG with your dog, in fact it usually means they’re perfectly normal.

17/02/2023

Everyone should take advantage of this free seminar!

Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt a little alone or overwhelmed with your dog training. You and almost every single other dog parent out there (trainers included!)

Having a successful relationship with your dog and overcoming difficulties together comes down to three main things:

1. A level of trust and connection between you and your dog (and this doesn’t appear overnight!)

2. Taking training at your dog’s pace, regardless of how quickly or slowly others might be moving & understanding WHY you are teaching certain skills

3. Accessing good quality support from professionals with the emotional wellbeing of your dog at the forefront of everything they recommend to you

If you aren’t seeing the progress that you might like, it’s likely that one (or more) of these is missing...or the different pieces just aren’t quite put together right just yet.

If you’d like some help to figure it all out and start moving forward with your dog’s training and your relationship together, then register for this free online event. We can’t wait to see you in there:

https://conference.kindnessisessentialnotoptionaldogconference.com/malena

14/02/2023

Hot topic:

Why positive reinforcement might not always work for you:

A lot people have said, I have tried that method before, but it didn't work for me.

Positive reinforcement works for everyone and all species. But there is a trick to it and the infographic below can help you figure out why that method didn't work for you in the past.

03/02/2023

Posted • I have a challenge for you: Each day, make an effort to meet your dog's species-specific needs.

You will be surprised at how you start to see their behavior differently.

All that pulling to the light post? It might actually be an unmet need for sniffing.

Shredding up your brand new throw pillow? It could simply be an outlet for dissecting.

Getting into the garbage? You do share your home with a scavenger!

Meet these needs in ways you can live with and you may be surprised by how much those behavior "problems" go down.

18/01/2023

How prong collars actually work according to physics. A long read but a good one!

(Spoiler: no, they don't "evenly distribute pressure". Yes, they hurt)

The topic of prong collars can be controversial and emotive; this article will discuss some of the mechanics of prong collars, dissecting erroneous or misleading claims so you can make a more informed choice when selecting equipment for your dog.

16/12/2022

Thank you, New York!

The new law, designed to target commercial breeding operations decried by critics as "puppy mills," lets pet shops work instead with shelters to offer rescued or abandoned animals up for adoption.

15/12/2022

Reposted from Friendly reminder that you do not owe strangers access to your dog.

Whether a dog appears “friendly” or not there are plenty of reasons why someone might say no thank you to an interaction with a stranger, these are just a few.

Never feel bad for advocating for your dog, yes it can be awkward or uncomfortable at times but as their pet parent they are counting on you to advocate for them and you know what’s best for your dog.

06/12/2022

I saw a post on social media the other day written by a trainer looking to hire an apprentice. In the job description, they mentioned not to apply if you’re afraid of being bit.

I call this the Cesar Milan Effect - too many people who have been watching too much Dog Whisperer and now assume that regularly being bitten by the dogs you’re working with is a regular and respected part of the job.

Y’all, it is not. At least, it shouldn’t be.

In another post written by a dog professional who has worked with many, many reactive and aggressive dogs over the last 10 years, she explained the scenario of her first bite, which just occurred a couple weeks ago.

The trainers I respect the most, who I see making lasting and effective behavior change with their clients, are the ones who are not being bitten with much frequency, if at all.

When it does happen? They’re embarrassed. They’re confused. They’re looking for medical explanations. They’re playing it back in their heads, over and over, trying to figure out what sign they missed, however subtle.

A trainer bragging about being bit, how big the dog was who bit them, how they taught that dog a lesson after they were bit, how they put the “fear of god” in the dog…

That tells me they missed the signs, or worse, they simply didn’t care about the signs. It tells me they don’t believe dogs are allowed to have feelings, including fear or panic. It tells me they aren’t teaching their clients how to stay safe, either.

Being bitten regularly isn’t a sign of how credible (or tough, or professional, or skilled) your trainer is. It’s just a sign they ignored the signs.

30/11/2022

On this , we want to highlight the amazing rescues & charities on our list!
offers free/low-cost training and other resources to pitbulls and their families.
Safe Dogs By The River offers free/low-cost training to low-income and houseless individuals, as well as fosters dogs in need of a new home.
rescues dogs from high-kill shelters in California and other Southern states and finds them homes here in Oregon.
rescues dogs from high-kill shelters in Texas & Mexico and finds them home in the PNW.
Please consider donating to any one of these amazing organizations!

16/11/2022

Reposted from The use of aversives in dog training is the result of trainer frustration.
Frustration occurs when an animal is presented with a situation that they are unequipped to handle. In dog training, this happens when a trainer is presented with behaviour that they don’t understand and as a result, they misdirect their frustration at the dog.

07/11/2022

"There is no way I would be touching a wolf, fox or coyote using the methods I learned back in the 60s and early 70s because if I did, I'd either be dead or they wouldn't come near me.
​Dogs and horses are about the only animals that you can punish who will forgive you for it so they seem to take the brunt of it and that's a shame. Just because you can do it doesn't make it right."

- Ken McCort

18/10/2022

Reposted from One of the commonly cited reasons for using a shock/e-collar is that it can give us “Off Leash Freedom”. The idea being that dogs can recall with it while off leash, even in dangerous situations.
“Off Leash Freedom” is not really freedom for our dogs when there is the constant worry and anxiety about when the next shock is coming.
Dogs also have the ability to push through the pain of a shock/e-collar if they really have to and still not respond. There are many cases of dogs that push through the pain of an invisible fence shock collar to run off and not go back. Hence, it’s not a guaranteed 100% recall. Nothing is 100% guaranteed with our animals.
But being off leash in walks doesn’t have to be our end goal. When we think about a dog being off leash and free, the benefits that our dogs can:
- Sniff, mark, and engage in other natural, enriching behaviours.
- Move their body freely and comfortably.
- Interact with other people and dogs without tension from the leash.
However, these can also be achieved with being on a well-fitted, non-restrictive harness and a long line (yes even with interacting with other person or dog, which is a conversation for another day).
With a long line we can:
- follow our dogs to where they’d like to sniff or mark
- move with them at their pace as best we can
- keep the leash loose so there’s less tension
- teach them to untangle the leash from under their legs for more comfort
- still work on having a great recall with cues that aren’t a shock/“stim”
We can also look at our dogs being off leash in certain safe (and legal) contexts too. For example, in rented enclosed fields or SniffSpots.
Whenever you desire to have your dog off leash in public and not secure/enclosed places, consider how beneficial it is for their welfare and whether i

10/10/2022

Reposted from Lots of things are under our control with a touch of a button—lattes, directions and messages. Buttons provide instant satisfaction. They’re addictive.

It’s no wonder why some people resort to perceived push buttons—choke chains, prong and electronic (shock) collars. Punishment can have an immediate result, often the cessation of a behavior like barking. It’s easy and feeds the need for speed.

What this push-button mentality doesn’t account for is the baggage being created. Unlike machines, dogs are emotional beings like humans. The ways we teach them matters. Studies show push-button methods like remote electronic collars are less effective in changing behavior than reward-based methods.*

Dog parents often trust people who call themselves trainers. They need help with concerning dog behaviors. They are looking for answers.

Science-based trainers never guarantee behavior. Components like genetics, history, age, breed, sleep quality and environment play roles. So does dog parenting.

Although a button to turn off a child’s temper tantrum would be convenient, we know many elements factor into that behavior. The same goes for dogs. There’s no simple button to press to stop emotions.

Modification and management provide alternative behaviors while the practice of undesired ones diminishes. Learning happens in an air of safety.

With threats, trust breaks. And, there’s no button to fix that.

25/09/2022

Reposted from Always strive to be W.I.S.E.R.⠀

16/09/2022

Reposted from Sometimes I look back at my pre dog training days and think “Ignorance is bliss”.
When I first started studying dogs and their behaviour, I was intrigued by all the things I had been ignorant to—as many dog owners are—for most of my life.
I was fascinated by the amount of information that could be learned from a tongue flick, the carriage of a tail, the position of the ears, a paw lift...even when and how sniffing occurs, and the way a dog positions their body.
Once you understand that every one of these behaviours is as intentional as the words we chose in conversation, you gain a little insight into a dog’s world. You gain the opportunity to bond with dogs and earn their trust. To feel that connection when they realize that you understand what they are trying to say.
It is both a blessing and a curse that this skill doesn’t have an off switch. That now that you know, you can’t unseen it.
The hardest thing about being a dog trainer is wanting to be the interpreter for every dog I see that is trying to communicate and is being misunderstood or ignored—whether it’s when I’m driving down the street or scrolling through Tik Tok.
As much as I wish I could fix this problem and break this language barrier for good, change happens by educating one owner and family at a time. Like everything in life, when we know better we do better. And we can’t know better unless we are taught better. This is why I take my role as a dog trainer and educator very seriously.
My job is not to teach owners how to get their dogs to do stuff—though that is a small part of it. My job is to teach owners so that they know better, and to help them so that they can do better.

06/09/2022

We're so excited to announce that our co-founder 's interview with is now live!
Lorenzo joins Michael on his podcast The Bitey End of the Dog to talk about the human and dog relationship, including a conversation on consent-based training.
Michael is a leading expert in Dog aggression, and we are so proud of Lorenzo for being featured! We even got a shoutout!
Link to listen in our bio!

06/08/2022

We're at Green Dog Pet Supply for Fremont Fest until 4 today! Come on by!

05/08/2022

Join us tomorrow at Fremont Fest! We'll be there from 10-4 in front of Green Dog Pet Supply with Underdogs Rock Rescue !

05/08/2022

Ready for advanced skills with your reactive pups? This class is being taught by Lorenzo will also be speaking on the Bitey end of the Dog podcast.

Reactive Rover: Real Life, IN-PERSON CLASS, at our facility in NW Portland! 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳
4-week class; starts August 15th @ 6:45PM PT.
⭐️⭐️ Read on for info about prerequisites for this course⭐️⭐️
We are super excited to open our training space back up for group classes! In order to register for this class, you and your dog MUST be either a) graduates of our virtual Reactive Rover: Homeschool class, OR b) you must have equivalent experience and skills from working with a private trainer or taking an appropriate reactive dog class elsewhere (if you fall in the latter category, email [email protected] with details about your previous learning in order to be approved for the course)
Register here: https://synergybehavior.dogbizpro.com/public/registration/events.aspx?event=1444