A Pawsitive Alternative Dog Training

22/07/2024

This week’s enrichment idea.

08/07/2024

This weeks enrichment card.

01/07/2024

This is a simple fun enrichment activity that can help with their need to play when it’s too hot to be outside.

25/06/2024

This week’s enrichment idea. This is a great way to fulfill a dog’s digging instinct and keep your yard intact at the same time.

17/06/2024

Starting a new weekly feature. Every Monday I will be posting a mental enrichment game for you and your dog. Here’s this weeks:

30/05/2024

FYI, Northwest Pets has NutriSource training treats on sale this week. 50% off!! $5.20 for the 14oz salmon treats.

30/04/2024

I am matching up to $500 donated by my clients (both former and present), friends, and followers to Take Me Home Dog Rescue. Click the link below to learn more about TMHDR and to donate!

Help A Pawsitive Alternative Dog Training's champion efforts for Idaho Gives 2024

29/04/2024

Idaho Gives has started! As a business, I regularly give back to multiple rescues throughout the valley but typically don’t solicit donations from my clients; however, I am reaching out today and asking you to consider making a donation to Take Me Home Dog Rescue. I will be matching client and followers donations up to $500 in cash and services — comment on this post (or message me) with your donation for matching purposes. Both of my dogs, Sir Winter Fartsalot and Lady Laena Barksalot, owe their life to Take Me Home.

Take Me Home Dog Rescue is a foster based rescue that pulls dogs from overcrowded shelters, many of which are facing euthanasia, and brings them to the Treasure Valley where they are placed in a foster home. At that point, they address all the dogs needs — medical, spay/nueter, vaccinations, and even training when needed. In April their veterinarian expenses where $5900 with the two biggest expenses being a senior chihuahua with bladder stones and a puppy that broke with Parvo right after arriving here. While there was no hesitation in giving these dogs the care they need, they can only continue with the help of donations from our community.

To donate: https://www.idahogives.org/search?query=take+me+home+dog+rescue or

https://www.idahogives.org/p2p/369309/paul-kline-daeece33-9dfd-4700-a8ed-3d1c078d79a8

All donations are tax deductible and 100% of the donations go to the dog’s care.

Winter, Laena, and the hundreds of other dogs that Take Me Home Dog Rescue has provided a new life for thank you for your support.

05/12/2023

Mental enrichment should include impulse control and decision making followed by a reward/motivator. Enzo loves balls more than food!! He may not work for his dinner but he will work for his ball.

07/11/2023

 what’s harder than getting your ducks in a row? Getting three dachshunds, and an Italian greyhound in a row!

09/07/2023

06/06/2023

Every interaction you have with your dog one of two things is happening. Either you’re training your dog or your dog is training you.

20/04/2023

Got the best compliment I could get today from one of my clients. “This wasn’t the type of training I was expecting, you taught me to have a normal life with my dog rather than roll over and shake.”
While tricks are a fun part of training, they are not problem solvers. Learning how to communicate your expectations to your dog in way that they want to meet them and then raising the distraction level at a rate that your dog can be successful is the key to having a normal life! When I met Rogue he was a tornado who thought everyone he saw was his personal play toy. Today we walked through Kleiner Park within 3 feet of people without jumping up or pulling. At the end of the session Rogue was rewarded when he remained calm as someone approached and gave him attention. Great job Rogue and Jolon! Rogue is a 100 lb one year old puppy so being calm is hard work for him.

18/04/2023

Great information and visual on trigger stacking.

TRIGGER STACKING – WHEN BEHAVIOUR HAPPENS “OUT OF THE BLUE”
We’ve all had those days when nothing seems to go right and one negative thing after another happens, leaving us feeling wound up, stressed and ready to explode at the next unsuspecting person who asks us something. This “unsuspecting” person may even think we have an anger management or behaviour problem when the truth is that we’ve just had a really bad day and don’t usually behave like this.
Dogs are no different and a behaviour that seems completely out of character or happens “out of the blue” is often due to “trigger stacking”. A trigger may be anything that increases a dog’s stress levels and has a negative impact on their emotional/mental or physical state. These may be small things that seem insignificant to us, but are adding to an increasing “stack” of things that may end in a “trigger”. When stress levels reach a certain point, the next stressful event, however small, may cause a reaction that is completely unexpected.
Instead of focusing on a particular behaviour and seeing it as a problem that needs to be stopped, take a step backwards, look at the bigger picture, look at events, circumstances or environmental factors that may have played a role in causing that behaviour.
Being aware of potential stressors and allowing your dog time to relax, unwind and decompress can often make all the difference between “normal behaviour” and a behaviour that seems completely out of character.

22/01/2023

Let’s talk muzzles. I get a lot of questions when I post a pic of Winter wearing his muzzle. Is he a vicious dog? Does he have a bite history? NO. It is nearly a tool in our toolbox that keeps him safe. He gets nervous if a stranger enters his bubble uninvited. He loves other dogs. I can walk him in a public area and he ignores strangers and does not need to be muzzled. I go to the vet and a stranger (the vet) needs to be up close and personal, he needs to be muzzled. He loves his muzzle! Sometimes we wear it on our way to doggy daycare (his favorite place), we also wear it on the way to the vet (his least favorite place) and as a result he is not stressed when we arrive at the vets. Muzzles do not say “dangerous dog”. It’s a tool like a leash that keeps your dog safe and when treated that way, your dog can love their muzzle. We use leashes and fences to keep our dog safe, a muzzle is no different.

19/12/2022

It’s about planning for worse case scenarios. Winter is a perfect passenger in the car but if I was in some sort of accident and he panicked I don’t want him running scared down the freeway. I always tether him in the car and in addition to the tether I leave his regular leash attached to him but not tethered so first responders would have something to grab onto.

21/11/2022

Do you want pictures of your dog with Santa but your dog (or you) is uncomfortable goi g to a public place like the mall? This year, Santa will come to you!! For a $20 donation Santa Paws will come to your house and pose with your pup for photos (your camera/phone). All donations will go to Take Me Home Dog Rescue, Inc. Email me at [email protected] to get on my schedule. Please provide your typical availability and address.

31/10/2022

Do you have a plan for tonight? Even the most laid back dog can become overwhelmed and stressed on Halloween — an endless parade of people in weird costumes carrying scary things at your door. Stress can cause the fight or flight instinct and either option can have disastrous results for your dog. Monitor their body language and have a secure “safe place” for them. If it’s to much for them, turn of your lights and shut down for the evening. While it may be fun for you to see the kiddos in their costumes is it worth putting your dog into a scary position?