Allison Ruwe Dog Training

07/07/2024

I hope everyone is having a fantastic 4th of July weekend…I know we sure are!

🎆 🇺🇸

04/07/2024

This was such a great conference. I’m looking forward to the aggression in dogs conference in October.

04/07/2024

https://aggressivedog.com/checkout-registration/

23/06/2024

And ecollars and anything else shock related is not a containment system. Especially not for anxious, fearful, and otherwise aggressive dogs. They only serve to make it worse. Monumentally worse.

Know better, do better.

Train your dogs.
Dominance theory is dead.

22/06/2024

04/06/2024

For the ones who go first not to take the lead but to reduce the stress, the surprise pop ups, the pressure. Your dog thanks you.

21/05/2024

COUNTERCONDITIONING CLEANUP: MASTERING THE MECHANICS

There is often a great deal of confusion and misunderstanding when it comes to counterconditioning, and I’m not just referring to dog guardians. Many professionals struggle to fully grasp the intricacies, and I have seen comments from some stating that the timing of food delivery doesn’t matter. (It does, and it matters a lot!) The distance at which we work, the order of events and the timing of the treats are crucial.

It is also important to understand the way in which our dogs learn. In classical conditioning, also known as Pavlovian or respondent conditioning, they learn by associating one stimulus with another. When we address the emotions, therefore tackling the root cause of the behaviour, we pair a trigger with something pleasant to create a positive conditioned emotional response. Operant conditioning is teaching and asking for behaviours, with the dog learning through consequences of their actions, referred to as ABC. There is an antecedent, such as a verbal cue, a behaviour from the dog, and a consequence, such as a tasty treat.

To confuse matters, counterconditioning can be classical or operant, but if we are to take a truly dog-centred approach, we need to fully address the emotions via a classical approach. If we are looking into counterconditioning, it is because we want to undo existing learning which has caused our dog to have big feelings and a negative conditioned emotional response to something.

When counterconditioning, reinforcement should not be contingent on our dog performing a sit, a look, or anything else. The trigger predicts the food, and we feed - that’s it, we don’t need to involve any elements of operant conditioning. If we do not maintain this, we muddy the waters, diluting and slowing down the entire process. Asking for behaviours can be added in later, once we have addressed how the dog is feeling and provided him with the necessary coping skills.

Timing is essential if our dog is to make the associations we intend. When counterconditioning, we must wait until our dog is aware of the trigger before feeding. Wait a couple of seconds, then start to feed, making sure that you don’t block his line of sight. The food must come afterwards to ensure that the trigger predicts the treats, and not the other way around, otherwise reverse conditioning will occur. If the food appears before the trigger, it will become “poisoned” by creating a negative association, because the treats will become a predictor of the scary thing.

Counterconditioning paired with systematic desensitisation is absolutely fantastic for modifying behaviour, but there are quite a few pitfalls, other than those mentioned. Why not check out my two part blog to help clean up your counterconditioning and ensure you avoid those errors!

https://www.trailiepawsforthought.com/post/part-one-a-guide-to-counterconditioning-it-s-both-magic-and-science

https://www.trailiepawsforthought.com/post/part-two-common-mistakes-when-counterconditioning-let-s-supercharge-your-skills

© Trailie Paws For Thought
www.trailiepawsforthought.com

I’m very happy for all of my content to be shared, but please do not copy and paste (to avoid sharing from source), screenshot, or download any part of it. Thank you! 🐾 🐾

19/05/2024

Dear whomever owned Honey,

I adopted your dog. We made room that we didn’t have. We tacked on a 7th dog that we didn’t want. We’re sacrificing things so we can provide her with the environment and enrichment that she needs.

I know that sometimes there are good reasons that people give up dogs, but knowing what I know about Honey, and knowing what you told the shelter about Honey….I’m pretty sure I know why you abandoned her.

I wish you knew how much pain she’s been in. How the shelter stay made her suffer. She nearly lost her mind. Did you know, she was so distraught that she was starving herself? She was skin and bones on the day I met her. I could see nearly every rib. You see, dogs do have emotional lives. There’s so much science behind what we know about dogs today. I’m sure she missed you and her old life terribly. Or, knowing what I know about Honey, I’m sure she’s glad she’s landed here.

They were going to put her down, you know? You know that dream you probably told yourself- I hope she lands with someone who can handle her. I hope she lands with someone who has a farm and so, so many acres to roam. Someone that can help her.

I’m not sure how the stars aligned. But your dog made it there. She’s with those people. Your dog is thriving, despite such a tumultuous past. She shouldn’t have. Statistically she would have been euthanized and bulk cremated. She would have died alone and scared out of her mind.

I almost want to hate you. But I don’t. I’m so glad you failed this dog. Statistically, dogs are usually given up for bogus reasons; lazy reasons.

So thank you. Thank you for bringing me this dog. Thank you for bringing one of the most beautiful creatures into my life. She may have brought so many problems into your life, but this is a life changing dog for me.

Her strong will and zest for life. How quickly she learns and grows. How active and powerful she is. How much of an athlete and how she enjoys to bikejore. She didn’t want to be the way she used to be. No one met her needs before.

She’s both the most difficult and most spectacular dog I’ve ever known. She was only difficult because of how she was let down by humans.

And she’s nothing like the shell of a dog she was.

So thank you.

Sincerely.

12/05/2024

As my mentor and friend the iconic Bob Bailey says “The main reason for failure in dog training is people expect too much of the dog and not enough of them selves.” Maybe the training you’ve put into your dog up to this point hasn’t worked, maybe the input you’ve received from experts so far hasn’t worked, that doesn’t mean there is no solution...it could mean you’ve been looking in the wrong places or trying the wrong approaches. To make it a perfect trifecta, three amazing quotes in one post, I’ll add one more from the late great Wayne Dyer “Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change.“ Dogs really are amazing when we give them the chance to be!

10/05/2024

Exciting things happening here!

We will be experiencing a rebrand as “Silent Creek Training LLC” here shortly!

In addition to holding a B.S. in Animal Science from the University of Illinois, Allison will soon be credentialed as PCT-A from PPG. Just have to wrap up with some video submissions.

🤔What is PCT-A?
It’s a credential as a Professional Canine Trainer- Accredited.

🤓How do you obtain this?
I took a knowledge assessment exam in ethics, canine behavior, and learning theory, etc. And am in the process of submitting videos that assess my skills in training and coaching.

❓Why did I choose PPG?
Their ethics. And stance against prong collars, chokes, and shock collars in training.

👩‍💻 Fun fact: Allison also holds a separate B.S. in biomedical engineering and a M.S. in mechanical engineering.

29/04/2024

25/04/2024

List of scientific articles about the implications of using
punishment in training
1. Study by DEFRA (UK Department of the Environment and Rural Affairs) into the use of
shock collars and punishment based training
https://banshockcollars.ca/pdf/Defra_Study.pdf
2. The Welfare Consequences and Efficacy of Training Pet Dogs with Remote Electronic
Training Collars in Comparison to Reward Based Training
Jonathan J. Cooper, Nina Cracknell, Jessica Hardiman, Hannah Wright, Daniel Mills
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0102722
3. Electronic training devices: Discussion on the pros and cons of their use in dogs as a
basis for the position statement of the European Society of Veterinary Clinical Ethology
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1558787818300108
4. University of Lincoln
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0102722
5. Dr. Karen Overall
https://banshockcollars.ca/pdf/Karen_Overall_Journal_of_Veterinary_Behavior.pdf
6. If You're Aggressive, Your Dog Will Be Too, Says Veterinary Study
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090217141540.htm
7. Applied Animal Behaviour Science
Volume 132, Issues 3–4, July 2011, Pages 169-177
Training methods and owner–dog interactions: Links with dog behaviour and learning ability
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168159111000876
8. Journal of Veterinary Behavior Volume 9, Issue 2, March–April 2014, Pages 58-65
Effects of 2 training methods on stress-related behaviors of the dog (Canis familiaris) and on
the dog–owner relationship
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1558787814000070
9. Journal of Veterinary Behavior Volume 19, May–June 2017, Pages 50-60
The effects of using aversive training methods in dogs—A review
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1558787817300357
10. Implications of using punishment in training
https://www.dogwelfarecampaign.org/implications-of-
punishment.php?fbclid=IwAR1QJg1SRrSA-reWvsRGTIIKXGvB1HiCqsOD522UTg-
f6hAYCoSznRl_f3c

11. Companion Animal Psychology
https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2017/04/new-literature-review-
recommends-
reward.html?fbclid=IwAR2BrtRa6rPa3xeGrm2sqdAwpZT2c5IsYhBDbSMMP2gPQio69uWvRpt
DBU4
12. Companion Animal Psychology, Zazie Todd
https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2018/06/study-outlines-reasons-to-
ban.html?m=1&fbclid=IwAR0YRt5-_MkeGs3L3tcK1VYWjxgtV5qkkFIcMA2F7Wzh-
0xI6tXzLv3Id
13. Companion Animal Psychology
https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2020/07/positive-reinforcement-is-
more.html?fbclid=IwAR2GP7hovvmrIGI6qtDxknqTs2AnSMVgT4Kda8Wi7wcLqdLaqifaqMwH
EXA
(contains links to other studies)
14. Frontiers in Veterinary science
Efficacy of Dog Training With and Without Remote Electronic Collars vs. a Focus on Positive
Reinforcement ORIGINAL RESEARCH article Front. Vet. Sci., 22 July 2020 |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.00508
15. PDF DOCUMENT
Anita Miles
Pathologies of the Dog Associated with using Choke Chains (a project submitted
To the European School of Osteopathy) (Just click on the symbol to open)
Anita Miles
Pathologies of the Dog associated with the use of choke chains.pdf
16. Helen McKinnon on May 19, 2013 at 12:57 pm said:
Dr. Dodds Says:
“… the thyroid and salivary glands are superficially located just under the skin in the upper
part of the neck. The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ just in front of the larynx
and trachea, and the mandibular salivary glands are found on the side of the face just below
the ears. Thus, they can be easily injured by trauma and sudden pressure forces (as could
occur from the slip ring and chain of metal collar, and a metal prong or hard braided leather collar). A harness or “gentle leader” type collar is preferred these days, especially
for strong dogs that like to pull and lunge out when on a standard collar and leash.
W. Jean Dodds, DVM
Hemopet / NutriScan
11561 Salinaz Avenue Garden Grove, CA 92843
http://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/41645121585/dog-collars-
thyroid
http://www.hemopet.org/index.php?option=com_newsfeeds&view=newsfeed&id=1&Item
id=62
17. Article written by Linda Lombardi on Fear Free Pets website
https://fearfreepets.com/electronic-collars-versus-positive-
reinforcement/?fbclid=IwAR1BLFSmJ02q7coF-iLEOefXK1mMUCBHU52ob0CeDeNvGf5CCq-
3nNqqtlI
18. Dog Training Requires Respecting the Deep Emotional Lives of Dogs Exploring the
affective dog behavior approach. Dr, Mark Beckoff
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/animal-emotions/202202/dog-training-
requires-respecting-the-deep-emotional-lives-
dogs?fbclid=IwAR3DvJCLup60WiDyzuV2m4MJBBJo2eQK508Kt1nR4CkI0b6kVWEg6RdG2GQ

25/04/2024

Another fantastic day bikejoring with Honey!!

24/04/2024

Happily a professional member of PPG. You should join!

Here are some tips to help you determine which PPG professional membership is the right one for you.

24/04/2024

I signed! Will you?

Please take a moment to visit the Shock-Free Coalition and sign the shock-free pledge. Thank you!
https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/advocacy/shock-free-coalition/

17/04/2024

I have more videos to share but I’ll try and keep it to a minimum.

Honey used to panic. Flip out, bark like mad, unresponsive to me over new objects and was so afraid of things she didn’t even know how to like step up onto a dog cot or even do stairs. As few as 5 stairs and she’d jump all of them to get onto our deck.

Today is the first day that she’s seeing these brand new dog balance objects. We’ve done so much work over the last four months to generalize getting onto or in random objects, that she took right to it. We’ve gone really slowly and only recently have been engaging with unsteady objects. Of course, I still support the objects so they can’t get away from us and truly scare or hurt her.

It really goes to show how far R+, differential reinforcement, and counter conditioning can go! They can change your dog (almost) completely.

Honey is/was an extremely fearful dog that foster failed with me. She was, probably 100%, guaranteed to be BE. She is under the care of a VB; I am also a dog trainer of 13 years (I used to think it was 11 but looked back and I started in 2011. 😨 Time flies.)

11/04/2024

"As a certified dog bite prevention educator, I can tell you that dog bites do not just happen out of the blue as many seem to believe." -Debbie Sheridan of Debbie's 4 Dogs
Read more about Dog Bite Prevention Week:
https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/pet-owners/pets-and-their-people/pets-and-their-people-blog/dog-bite-prevention-week/

11/04/2024

AR Dog Training will be in attendance. Will you? 🙂

10/04/2024

This is the most beautiful analogy. 🩷🙌🏼

Waiting is a skill, we as adult humans get frustrated with long queues and wait times.

For our dogs, it’s a skill that needs to be mastered too and we can help support the process by making the waiting just as reinforcing as the going.

20/06/2017

Deadly Trust

Deadly Trust

One of my early clients tragically lost her dog. He was a sweet boy.  Very responsive, a dream to work with and the owner did her work. We had discussed safety, using leashes on walks, etc. over ou…

25/03/2016

BARK

BARK

They're the peanut butter to your jelly, the Netflix to your chill. 

27/02/2016

So proud of how much Mila has improved during her weeks here. Mila is a very intelligent dog.

I'm happy to see people like Erin and Reggie who take strides to improve their relationship with their pooch!

Training with a professional is a small part of the battle. I'd estimate about 90% of the improvement in their own home will be seen with in home lessons.

Contact me today for information on how in home training can drastically change your relationship with your canine!

08/02/2016

American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA)

February is Responsible Pet Owners Month - thanks to all of you responsible pet owners out there!

07/02/2016

Rushing through the door is not fun, even if you have just one dog.

Here are my guys learning to be patient and listen for their name.

06/02/2016

Mila is a two year old Giant Schnauzer here with us for one month of professional training.

I am excited to see where our adventure takes us!

06/02/2016

Daily exercise is crucial to having a well mannered and balanced dog.

Heavier exercise is a requirement for very high energy breeds, like the Australian Cattle Dogs and Giant Schnauzer pictured here.

We use weekend trips to various parks to help get the edge off and clear our minds. Today we visited Buck Creek State Park for a two hour stroll.

06/02/2016

Allison Ruwe Dog Training

28/01/2016

Not your every day trip to the store! Manners are key to managing a multiple dog household.

26/01/2016

Allison Ruwe Dog Training

AR Dog Training now officially offering in home dog training in Urbana, OH and Marysville, OH, including surrounding areas. Contact me for further details and rates.

Specializing in behavior problems and all around manners. Can also develop show skills in obedience and agility.

Some tricks are for fun and some are USEFUL! :)