What would you call this game?
Harvey came up with this game all by himself and it is his absolute favourite thing to play!
The rules are quite simply. Harvey runs to me and waits for me to say "go!" He then runs round like a looney before coming back and waiting for another "go!"
Every so often a stick gets involved. I'm not allowed to touch the stick, but I must pretend to! 🤣
#happydog #gosport #fareham #dogbehaviour #gosportdogs #zoomies #cutedog
Little bit of Monday morning reactivity rehabilitation for you all 🥰🐾
#sciencebasedtraining #trainyourdog #happydog #fearfreetraining #gosport #fareham #dogbehaviour #rewardbasedtraining #dogbehavior #reactivedogtraining #rewardsbasedtraining #trainwithoutpain #dogbehaviourist #rehabilitationtraining #reactivedogs #apbc #fabc #apdt
Here's a few clips from today's session... Can you guess what we are working on?
If you guessed dog reactivity, you are correct!
Here's superstar terrier Fidget absolutely smashing today's session! We practiced parallel walking with the brilliant stooge Syd.
We also practiced a bit of free play and learning to simply have fun in the presence of other dogs.
Fidget did so well and engaged beautifully in a game of fetch whilst Syd wandered past her. Play can be absolutely magical for anxious or worried dogs ❤️🐾
#sciencebasedtraining #trainyourdog #happydog #fearfreetraining #gosport #fareham #dogbehaviour #dogbehavior #reactivedogtraining #rewardsbasedtraining #trainwithoutpain #dogtrainers #dogtrainer #fearfreepets #apbc #fabc #apdt #dogbehaviourist #rehabilitationtraining
Does your dog know a place cue?
A 'place' cue or a 'station' cue teaches your dog to stay in one place. It can be super handy in so many scenarios such as: answering the front door, bringing guests into your home, or when sat eating dinner.
It's important that you proof behaviours against distractions so here's a silly clip of me teaching Travis to stay in place, even when I've clearly lost my mind 🤣
This is a great exercise to teach your dog on hot days like this where physical exercise is limited.
Hope this makes you giggle as much as it did me filming it!
#trainyourdog #gosport #fareham #rewardbasedtraining #gosportdogtraining #rewardsbasedtraining #trainwithoutpain #dogtrainers #dogtraining #dogtrainer #fearfreepets #bestinshow
Good morning all!
This week is an absolute scorcher so I’ve put my hot weather policy in place 🔥I’ll be contacting all those affected to offer alternatives to working outdoors.
In the meantime here’s a little clip from my latest video on ‘loose lead walking’ games! Can you spot the star of the show?
#sciencebasedtraining #trainyourdog #fearfreetraining #gosport #fareham #rewardbasedtraining #trainwithoutpain #dogtrainers #dogtraining #dogtrainer #fabc #apbc #apdt
This video clip is from earlier in the summer but it really makes me smile ☺️
I've been working with Harvey for a good few years now and he is such a fun dog!
These exercises have really helped to build his focus on me when we are out in the world.
Practicing fun little 'tricks' like this is a great technique for teaching your dog to stay focused on you. It doesn't have to be complex or flashy, you could just start with a sit or a paw!
Look at that tail go 🥰
#trainyourdog #happydog #fearfreetraining #gosport #fareham #rewardbasedtraining #trainwithoutpain
#tricktraining #wonderdog #waggytail
Rocco Update 🥹🩷
Here is a short clip of the fantastic Mr Rocco practicing his loose lead walking. Rocco joined my Puppy Start Program and is now a spicy adolescent!
Like most teenagers, Rocco is exciteable, social, strong willed, and likes to do his own thing. He’s a strong lad and pulls on the lead to get to say hello to everyone.
On today’s session we went into the real world and tried loose lead training for the first time. This superstar gent picked it up SO quickly and was able to walk calmly past gardeners across the road.
In his owners words: “he’s actually walking like a normal dog!” 🤣
#trainyourdog #gosport #gosport #rewardbasedtraining #gosportdogtraining #trainwithoutpain #rewardsbasedtraining #dogtraining #staffordshirebullterrier #staffielove
Counter Behaviours
A ‘counter’ or an ‘incompatible’ behaviour is something you teach your dog to do in place of an undesired behaviour.
For example: if you have a dog that stares,barks, or pulls towards things like cats, other dogs or traffic, a good counter behaviour is to teach them to look at you.
If your dog can orientate away from the distraction and look at you, you have a much better chance of avoiding the unwanted behaviour.
We practice this skill several times on each walk and have practiced it hundreds of times over the last few months.
9/10 times I ask the boys to look at me when absolutely nothing is in the environment. I always reward them and this has built a strong habit and a quick response when I ask them to look.
By practicing a skill repeatedly it builds up the chances that it will work when you need it to. A bit like learning the fire drill before the building is on fire! 🔥
#trainyourdog #fearfreetraining #gosport #fareham #dogbehaviour #rewardbasedtraining #gosportdogtraining #dogbehavior #reactivedogtraining #trainwithoutpain #dogtrainers #dogtraining #dogtrainer #fearfreepets #puttheworkin #staffordshirebullterrier #staffielove
📣Babies and dogs! 📣
Bringing a newborn home can be a very stressful time for everyone in the family, including our dogs!
Babies come with new smells, new sounds, and often a lot less attention is available for our canine friends.
Nellie and Ronnie's owners are due to welcome a grandchild into their family soon and, like any responsible dog owner, they are making sure to fully prepare them.
Like most boxers Nellie and Ronnie are bouncy, jumpy and inquisitive. So we have been working to teach them the value of relaxing and staying on the floor.
We are using a baby blanket with a sneaky phone concealed within playing the sound of a baby crying. This helps make our training realistic and allows us to prepare the dogs for the real deal!
Aren't they doing brilliantly?!
#trainyourdog #gosport #fareham #dogbehaviour #rewardbasedtraining #gosportdogtraining #rewardsbasedtraining #trainwithoutpain #dogtrainers #dogtraining #dogtrainer #fearfreepets #sciencebasedtraining #boxerdogtraining #boxerdog #apdt #apbc #fabc
Here’s a short clip from the fantastic session we had with Aldo the Romanian rescue! 🐾
Aldo and his family signed up for my Gold Behaviour Modification package as he has been struggling with reactive behaviours.
Aldo is fabulous with dogs off lead but can become frustrated when he is on lead and can’t say hello. He also is fearful of strangers.
In this clip we are practicing remaining calm and ‘checking in’ with his owner when people and dogs pass by.
On our previous session Aldo would lunge and bark at dogs across the park but his family have worked diligently with him and now, 6 weeks on, this distance has halved!
What a super team! 🥰🐾
#sciencebasedtraining #trainyourdog #gosport #fareham #fearfreetraining #dogbehaviour #rewardbasedtraining #gosportdogtraining #dogbehavior #reactivedogtraining #trainwithoutpain #rewardsbasedtraining #dogtrainer #fearfreepets #romanianrescuedog #rescuedogtraining
"But what if my dog isn't food motivated?" 🤔
This is something I hear a lot from owners when discussing how to train their dogs.
There are many reasons why a dog might not be motivated by food and it's important to unpick these reasons carefully and not just disregard a dog as 'non food motivated'.
Your dog might be confused about what you are asking them, the training environment may be too hard for their current skill level, they might be too overwhelmed in the situation to eat, or food may have been used as a sneaky lure to get them to do something they didn't want to in the past. There's a whole host of reasons your dog may not want to engage with you for food.
However, food doesn't have to be the only reinforcer you work with. Nelly the boxer absolutely LOVES to work for toys!
Here we are practicing recall, impulse control, a drop cue, a sit cue and a wait cue all in one session!
I'm in the office today answering your enquiries and writing up reports for my clients until 6pm. I currently have a 3 week waiting list for training and behaviour, so if you would like to find out more, don't hesitate to get in contact today!
#sciencebasedtraining #trainyourdog #fearfreetraining #gosport #fareham #dogbehaviour #rewardbasedtraining #gosportdogtraining #rewardsbasedtraining #reactivedogtraining #trainwithoutpain #dogtrainers #recalltraining #dogtraining #dogtrainer #boxerdog #boxerdogtraining
The art of doing nothing! 🤔
I had a lovely holiday away from work last week and, for the most of it, I spent it doing nothing!
Whilst this was an easy enough task for me, for our dogs this skill doesn't come naturally! In fact many dogs don't have an off switch and struggle to do nothing.
Some dogs can get frustrated or perform behaviours to get their owner's attention when the owner isn't doing anything with them. This can manifest as barking, jumping up, mouthing or even stealing items.
Teaching your dog to do nothing is such an important skill and is often overlooked!
Here's the wonderful Travis practicing just that!
I'm back to work this week so if you have been waiting for a reply I'll be in the office this evening and will respond ASAP!
#dogtraining #dogtrainer #dogbehavior #dogbehaviour #gosport #fareham #hampshire #gosportdogtraining #lifeskills #terrier
A bit of cuteness for your Monday! 🥰
Here’s the lovely Odin practicing his loose lead walking as part of my Puppy Start Package. My Puppy Start Package covers all the basics to set you off on the right foot! 🐾🐕
Please note if you are looking to book, it’s very busy at the moment! I’m currently taking bookings for the beginning of November onwards.
#dogtraining #dogtrainers #gosport #fareham #gosportdogtraining #puppytraining #samoyed #samoyedpuppy #rewardbasedtraining #fearfreetraining #rplusdogs
How does your dog cope at the vets? 👩⚕️
Many dogs struggle during a visit to the vets and can’t cope with being handled or examined. This is an area of training I’ve worked on with Luna since she was a puppy.
I’ve taught Luna lots of handy cues to make examinations easier for her and remove some of the stress that they can bring.
If your dog struggles to be handled or is worried at the vets, pop me a message and lets discuss how I can help you both!
#sciencebasedtraining #trainyourdog #happydog #fearfreetraining #dogtrainer #trainwithoutpain #fearfreepets #FABC #apbc #vet #veterinary #veterinarymedicine #cooperativecare
Updates like this are the reason I get up in the morning 🥰🐾
When I first met Trixie (black staffy in the video) at the end of 2020 her guardians were really struggling with her behaviour. She was a chronic tail spinner, did a lot of jumping up at guests, and was reactive to other dogs.
This week her mum sent me this video of her playing beautifully with the neighbour's puppy. Trixie's mum has reported much less tail spinning, and can now predict the triggers for this behaviour. The entire family have worked on teaching Trixie not to jump up. AND not only will Trixie ignore strange dogs on walks, she now has two new dogs friends, both of which live next door to her.
I have to admit I shed a little tear when I saw her far she had come. All of this has only been achieved by Trixie's dedicated owners. Every step of the way they have advocated for her and helped her learn. From instructing guests to ask Trixie to sit first before saying hello, to explaining to strangers how to introduce their dog to Trixie in the way that is best for her.
I am so, SO proud of this family ❤️
#trainyourdog #happydog #sciencebasedtraining #fearfreetraining #gosport #fareham #dogbehaviour #rewardbasedtraining #gosportdogtraining #reactivedogtraining #trainwithoutpain #dogtraining #dogtrainer #staffycross #staffylove
Here’s a little clip of me working on some noise reactivity with my own shepherd Luna 🌙 When Luna was an adolescent my housemate managed to set our toaster on fire (don’t ask). This in turn set off our fire alarm and since that moment Luna developed a strong aversion to high pitched beeping. ⛑
If she heard anything similar to a fire alarm she will react strongly and run laps of the room and alarm bark. The other day whilst I was scrolling Tik Tok she heard this sound and had a meltdown!
Today I used the same Tik Tok to work on some noise desensitisation with her. I started with the sound low enough that she could hear it but didn’t go over threshold and react. Each time I played the sound, I fed Luna cheese 🧀
After a few repetitions of this, Luna started to relax at which point I introduced an alternative behaviour; going to her bed. Every time I played the sound, I asked her to go to her bed and rewarded this with more cheese. In a short amount of time I was able to play the alarm loudly without Luna reacting.
We will have to practice this exercise many more times before it becomes habit, but reducing reactivity doesn’t have to be complex and you don’t have to use force.
I still miss that toaster 🤣😭
#trainyourdog #sciencebasedtraining #fearfreetraining #gosport #fareham #dogbehaviour #rewardbasedtraining #dogbehavior #reactivedogtraining #trainwithoutpain #dogtrainers #dogtraining #dogtrainer #germanshepherd
Today I’ve been filming a video on how to teach a retrieve for a friend of mine. I decided to use Syd as my demo as this is something he hasn’t done before.
10 minutes of practice and he’s cracked it! 💪😍
#trainyourdog #happydog #fearfreetraining #gosport #fareham #dogbehaviour #rewardbasedtraining #rewardsbasedtraining #trainwithoutpain #dogtrainers #dogtraining #dogtrainer #learningshouldbefun #cleverboy #pomeraniansofinstagram
When working with dogs that show fear reactive behaviours, two of the most important things we can do for them is offer them choice in their lives, and learn to read their body language.
In this clip I had taken Jupiter out for a training session and, after a walk around the field, he had jumped back into my car. I asked him if he wanted to come out and continue and he very clearly said no.
His "no" may not be all that obvious at a first glance. But notice how he turned his head away from me, closed his mouth, and licked his nose. These are all subtle signs that a dog is feeling concerned about what we are asking them to do.
Now, in this scenario, there was no pressing need for me to get him out of the car. I could have insisted he kept going and used force to get him out, but this would have taken away his choice. It would have also taught him that if he tries to subtly communicate to me when he is unhappy I don't listen.
Unfortunately a lot of 'reactive' dogs learn that subtle communication is ignored and then resort to more intense communication as this is what gets them heard!
In this scenario I gave Jupiter a choice about his environment and listened to his answer. By doing so, I helped him learn he can trust me to keep him safe.
There are times when it's not safe to allow your dog to make a choice, and there are dogs who struggle to make appropriate choices at first due to their previous learning. But by providing safe opportunities to have agency over his life, I'm helping make Jupiter's world a less scary place.
#dogbehaviour #reactivedogtraining #trainwithoutpain #dogtraining #fearfree #dogcommunication #fearreactive #sciencebasedtraining #fearfreetraining #rewardbasedtraining #dogtrainers
Often my clients say to me "oh your dog must be so well trained! "....And I usually answer with a laugh! 😂
One of Luna's biggest struggles has been learning to live with our cat Ron Ron. In the beginning she found him very exciting and would chase him when he ran. She also struggled with sharing our attention, and would get anxious if we gave him a fuss or tried to play with him.
Over the last two years I have been slowly working with them both to improve their relationship. I have done a lot of counter conditioning to help change how Luna feels about Ronnie, and we have recently started operant conditioning to teach her to do certain behaviours in his presence.
The main cue I have asked her to do is to settle. If she is settled on the floor she can't be chasing him. This is what's known as an incompatible behaviour. I have also taught her a hand touch as a way of getting my attention and feeling 'included' when the focus is on Ron Ron.
Alongside this, I've done a lot of confidence building with Ronnie the cat to encourage him to want to be around her, and most importantly to feel safe around her. ♥️
This has only been possible with a consistent training plan and bucket loads of management to prevent unwanted behaviours.
#sciencebasedtraining #trainyourdog #happydog #fearfreetraining #dogbehaviour #rewardbasedtraining #dogbehavior #rewardsbasedtraining #trainwithoutpain #dogtrainers #dogtraining #dogtrainer #germanshepherd #germanshepherdtraining #catbehaviour #cattraining
Does anyone remember that scene from Jurassic Park with the velociraptors?? 🦖🦕🤣
#WelcomeToJurassicPark #clevergirl #cleverboy #recalltraining #terriersofinstagram #terriersdoingterrierthings #borderterrier #sniffsniff
