I can’t even call this an average day because I’m not even sure what an average day is anymore.
#dogtrainer #animals #farmlife #dog #dogs #dogsitter #soloentrepreneur
The flexi lead is great for many things but it’s not a tool for dogs with behavior issues or that you can’t control otherwise.
Retractable leashes are a great transitional tool for off leash training or for a well behaved dog you want to give a little more freedom to without letting them off leash, or for potty breaks somewhere without a fence for a dog you can’t trust off leash.
It’s not your standard walking leash. It’s not the leash you use at the vet or any other public place. It’s not even really a leash. It’s a safety line.
#dogtraining #flexileash #retractableleash #dogtrainer #dogs
Routine is good, structure is better.
Many people hear the word structure and assume it means routine as it relates to your daily schedule.
Dogs like predictability which is why having a general schedule and routine is nice but it’s not super sustainable because life happens and schedules change.
Structure is the consistent rules and expectations around everyday activities. It’s just the way we do things. It provides the same predictability that dogs love so much while creating a stronger more adaptable dog.
If the rules around how you go out doors/gates, around feeding time, around how they meet people and how they’re allowed to behave around them are the same no matter where you are, who is there and what time it is never change it makes life very easy for your dog. Before you know it you won’t have to micromanage and go through the “training” motions anymore because those rules and expectations will just become how they do life.
#dogtraining #dogpsychology #dogtrainer
Formal skills are taught during sessions 📚
Life skills are learned through life.
We don’t go to school and do flash cards just for the sake of knowing what 8x4 equals. We do that so that one day we can calculate how much it’ll cost to buy 4 things that cost $8.
We don’t walk in circles and do leash drills just to learn that drill. We do that drill so that we can take enjoyable walks and do life with our dogs in a safe, enjoyable way.
We don’t practice sitting at the door to be released just so the dog sits there. We do that so when we open the door for a package they don’t go running into the street.
Social media is tough. It’s impossible to show every little minute detail that goes into creating a well rounded, balanced dog. It’s how you are with the dog at any given time. It’s how you play together, lounge together and live together. The 1-2 minute clips you see on the internet are just a tiny part of it. Maybe the least significant because the most significant part is how you handle things as life happens, not when you’ve taken the time to set up a tripod and turn on the microphone.
#dogtraining #socialmedia #dogtrainer
Dogs in the bed: if they have any issue surrounding the bed or guarding in general then, no, they shouldn’t be up there. But if they don’t, snuggle away.
#dogs #dogtraining #pitbull #pitbulltraining #rescuedog #saturday
Fixing reactivity starts miles away from the actual reaction.
Sky is not a fearful or aggressive dog. She’s insecure on leash because her preferred method of dealing with a trigger she doesn’t understand is flight. But when she’s on the leash she doesn’t have that option and defaults to fight (barking, lunging ect). My goal is slowly to change the way her brain chemically responds to perceived stressors while she’s leashed which will eliminate the need for her to physically relieve that tension.
Instead of flooding her with all the things that set her off on leash I’m going to take it way back and present fun, easy challenges for her to do on leash to build up her confidence(mental endurance).
I recently started running again. I could just go out and run until I physically can’t anymore and try to increase that distance. But that’s not super sustainable or realistic. I’m not good at pacing myself so I downloaded an app that made a plan for me and gives me doable interval workouts so that I can increase both my mental and physical endurance in a way that doesn’t cause so much stress that I give up on it all together. It’s challenging but I know I can’t complete it so I’m more likely to keep at it so that eventually I can handle the stress of a full distance run.
Going slow is often the fastest way to reach your goal.
#dogtraining #dogpsychology #husky #huskypuppy #dogtrainer
That means I’m a working owner. If I can still stand it means we’re walking. If I can’t, it means I throw a ball sitting down.
Working dogs don’t take days off. That’s why they were created. 1 cattle dog can do the work of at least 5 cowboys every day of his life for the cost of 2 meals a day and dry place to sleep.
No wonder they make horrible pets. If you take one of these beautiful, impressive, insane things into your home know that you just got the best employee but worst family member you’ve ever met.
I have a horrible cold. I didn’t want to get off the couch. But if I didn’t want him to eat my couch I had to level with him and do something. Even if it was just walking in circles sneezing.
#workingdogs #workingdog #working #australiancattledog #blueheeler #dogtraining #dogtrainer #nodaysoff
The choice is yours 😵💫
I like shepherds. I have a shepherd mix. They’re fun to work with but dang… talk about insecurity, anxiety and neediness.
German shepherds are really cool, beautiful dogs. It’s no wonder they’re among the most popular dog in society. But they’re also the number 1 breed I see for behavior problems stemming from under stimulation of their mental and physical needs.
They vary a lot depending on where they come from. Due to popularity and greed they’re getting over bred and the genetics are weakening. Which is dangerous when you’re dealing with the furry equivalent of a loaded gun.
I know they’re pretty, I know they do cool things, I know the one your neighbor had when you were a kid was a fabulous family pet but these are SERIOUS dogs and if you don’t provide everything they need you could have a real problem on your hands.
#germanshepherd #gsd #dogtraining
Shut your mouth, let your body do the taking 😉
Happy Friday ❤️
#friday #fridayvibes #dogs #dogtraining #relationshipgoals
The goal is not to get rid of the tool the goal is to get rid of the problem.
It is incredibly irresponsible and reckless to let a dog off leash with no means to physically control them. There will rarely be an instance where the dry beef in your pocket is more exciting and naturally attention grabbing as a running squirrel or a dog or a car or whatever. When the reward for doing the instinctual thing is the best possible thing that could happen for them, your only option to keep them safe is to give them a dang good reason not to do it.
The point is that tools are not a sign of incompetence or laziness. It’s sign that you understand what you’re working with is an animal with a brain and instincts stronger than any training you can give them and at times you will need something to override those instincts to keep them and those around them safe.
Almost any dog 50bs+ is faster and can overpower the average human. They’re animals. They’re tough and built to survive without us. If we decide to bring them into our lives it is imperative that we can control and take responsibility for their actions.
I want my dogs and every dog I work with to have the best, fullest life possible. I want them to know what it feels like to run as fast as they can through the woods and do all the things dogs love to do. But we’re going to be smart and safe in how we do it.
#dogtraining #dogsafety #dogs #dogtrainer #reactivedogtraining #reactivedog #thursday
Treat your dog like a dog the same way you want to be treated as a human. If you moved to a place where the norm is to pee outside but no one ever told you that and then they slap you with a $5,000 fine for peeing inside that would feel like a massive injustice. But if you moved in and they said, “I understand that where you’re from they pee inside but that’s not what we do here. I will show exactly where to go”. And they follow through on that but you still decide to break the rule, then yeah, you earned the fine. Dogs are only born knowing how to be a dog. It’s your responsibility to teach them everything else.
