Off leash training begins on leash! Always keep a leash or long line on your dog when teaching recall. The more you repeat calling your dog and they donât come, the more youâre teaching them that recall is optional. đł
So much about your dogâs behavior, whether newly adopted or to reset their behavior after years of practicing unwanted ones, is rooted in your relationship.
A lack of structure and leadership can lead to an anxious dog who will soon make their own rules without your direction and guidance.
To do a full reset or to start off on the right foot with your new dog, keep them on leash in the house. Teach them to settle and relax in their own calm zone on a place bed as well as in a kennel when you canât supervise them.
Even in the yard, supervise them on a long line. You can practice recall and redirect them from barking at people walking past or the neighbors dog.
If you need support, I offer private and virtual training! â¨đ¤
When you begin a training journey with your dog, give them the opportunity to rest after walks and training time.
When training, I love teaching new normals, and that includes giving your dog proactive down time after working on new behaviors like leash work, recall, place work, kennel training, and structured play. They need latent learning time to upload all of that good information into their brains. đ§ â¨
Training sessions can be short, 10 min here and there. If you donât think you have time to train or walk your dog, check your screen time on your phone. đ I heard that somewhere and wow did that hit!
Listen Linda!
Linda came in hot đĽ to board and train. Chasing trucks, jumping on people, reacting intensely at dogs, and freaking out in the car to name a couple things. đ
She is a wonderful and sweet dog but her personality was just buried in all of the over arousal and anxiety she was spinning in. đľâđŤ
Additionally, Linda is 10.
You can in fact teach an old dogs new tricks.đđ¤ it just will take a lot of consistency and patience. Linda did not feel good at all living that way. In fact, when we started to see a shift, Linda was very unsure how she *should* feel. Sheâs still working through that too. You donât just wake up one day after years and years practicing the same unhealthy behaviors without a little bit of struggle.
My goal with Linda has been to really slow her down. Build engagement. Teach her how to follow on the leash. How to relax on place. And then provide her with a healthier feel good outlet to fulfill her biological genetics. Itâs truly is a balance of teaching a dog what to do, what not to do, and then helping them feel better so that you see true behavior change. Sheâs not being managed with a constant stream of obedience or suppressed. Sheâs being supported and redirected when needed. Sheâs much more connected and cares about the other end of the leash as she seeks guidance.
Are you in the Salt Lake City area and having trouble with your dog? Iâm booking 2024 for private training as well as board and train! Drop me a DM to set up a free consultation. I offer virtual coaching as well. đŤ
Iâve always wanted to provide a way to give your dog continuing education with an emphasis on neutrality and fulfillment in a day care setting, but without all of the wild rumpus that can work against your training plan. Structured Day Camp can support a calmer state of mind vs over arousal issues as well helping to build neutrality instead of creating more leash reactivity when all dogs are associated with party time.
Iâm excited to see this program grow in 2024! â¨
Currently this program is for training clients only. If youâre interested in joining us, drop me a dm!
Thank you to @mo.bad.dogs for hanging out with us recently! đđť
Lexus is anxious and vigilant, and struggles with leash pulling and reactivity. Helping her learn to simply follow, essentially letting me drive, is the best thing for a dog like her. â¨
I always begin training with creating a calm state of mind for the dog. It feels so much better to them! Obedience is wonderful and there is that a place for that, but not until I help the dog learn to be calm. Building a solid loose leash walk with a follow state of mind, as well as conditioning relaxation on a place bed as well as an in the kennel are essential before anything else. đđť
What skill has been the most valuable thing youâve learned to teach your dog that has been a game changer in your relationship?
Products referenced in this video include my Body Language slip leash. Comment with đž if youâd like to be linked to purchase your own!
Itâs đđť ok đđť to đđť set đđť boundaries.
Not long ago during training at a home improvement store, someone asked to pet the dog I was training. I politely said no, but thank you so much for asking. They responded in frustration, âThen why did you bring him in?!â
đŚ
I was really struck with the notion of how offended they were because I said no. đł I personally struggle with people pleasing and setting boundaries myself, but find empowerment by advocating for the dogs I work with and supporting their owners in how to tap into that strength. â¨
While itâs not inherently wrong to want to share the joy of your dog with others, it just may not be in your dogâs best interest or in alignment with your training goals.
If you want âĄď¸ A calmer, more neutral dog that doesnât pull toward everyone. âĄď¸ A more confident dog that trusts your guidance and direction. âĄď¸ A more engaged and connected dog⌠work on saying â¨no â¨thank â¨youâ¨
While many dogs can be fairly social with strangers, many others donât enjoy handling by people they have no relationship with. Help your dog feel safe and advocated for by your side and politely decline. Your dog is your dog. Itâs ok to say no.
If your not sure if your dog likes pets by strangers, whatâs their body language. Do they shut their mouth tight and stiffen up? Do they lower their tail? Do they show whale eyes? đ These dogs may prefer to explore with their nose but not be touched.
âď¸Ifâď¸ youâd like to allow a greeting to your dog who has no trouble with strangers, make sure you have first gained connection on walks in lots of different environments. Have your dog calm by your side and wait for them to check in with eye contact before you invite them to say hi. Keep it brief and call your dog back to you before you move along.
What kind of dog do you have? An overly friendly or aloof or fearful dog? Does your dog like to say hi to strangers? Let me kn
Quick loose leash walking tip!
Lifestyle training looks like utilizing the time you spend with your dog to reinforce the behaviors you want to see while you build a great relationship! â¨
Find my body language leash online in my shop on my website. DM for training lessons or link to leashes.
Itâs hot out. âď¸đĽ The pavement is lava. Here are some tips to follow so you can still get out with your dog safely during the heat of the day!
Keep in mind, going to dog-friendly stores is a privilege. If you canât walk your dog on leash outside, thereâs some work to do before getting to this level!
Taking out dogs to stores is a great way to practice exposing them to many distractions and having impulse control as well as neutrality.
Common stores that allow dogs to visit include:
Hole Depot
Lowes
Scheels
Cabelas
Old Navy
Home Goods
Always double check with the local store as they reserve the right to not allow non-service dogs.
Make sure you give your dog the opportunity to potty before going in! Carry poop bags and wipes just in case. đđť
#trainingisalifestyle #dogtrainingtips #dogpsychology
đđť Give your reactive, anxious, insecure, or pushy dog direction on the walk over allowing them to dictate and mark everything.
Allowing them to practice anxiously marking things reinforces the state of mind they are in, which sometimes can be frantic if anxious, or territorial after an explosive reaction. For pushy dogs, itâs just plain rude. Also, homeowners likely donât appreciate dogs peeing on their gardening. đ
What IS ok is giving them direction to eliminate and sniff in a spot you designate for them. đđť
If you are struggling in any area with your dog, instead of zeroing in on the perceived issue, take a look at the big picture.
What do you represent to your dog?
Dogs are a reflection of the environment they are in and the leadership they are under.
đđť Tools are the micro.
đĽ Relationship is the macro.
Getting a dog to accept a tool is a byproduct of the bigger picture. Focus on the bigger picture.
#dogpsychology #communityovercompetition #virtualdogtraining #dogtrainingthoughts
My board and train program is highly customized, taking into consideration your goals and your dogs abilities.
The at home environment offers dogs a good opportunity to generalize the things they learn to their own home, like building better habits around the doorbell, cooking meals, and relaxing on place during dinner time.
Your pet dog will join me on every day things like errands and outings as well as hikes and daily walks. Depending on your goals and the specific dog of course! My program is not cookie cutter.
During the program, expect virtual coaching for you with video updates and advice on how to best set your dog up once home as well as a midway session to begin building confidence when your dog returns to you. You still have support once home with follow up sessions and accept to my video library!
Do your research when searching for a program for your dog, and make sure your questions are answered and you feel comfortable talking with the trainer. â¨
If youâre interest in my program, head to the link on my bio to schedule a consultation!
#saltlakecity #petdogtraining #relationshipbaseddogtraining #balanceddogsarehappydogs
Sunny is practicing her cafe manners during her board and train!
Required skills:
â¨Conditioned relaxation from practicing The Art of Doing Nothing (or a rock solid down, but I like the former!)
â¨an understanding of leash communication
Grab your pup and scout out a dog-friendly patio. Respect the laws on dogs and eating establishments and double check before you bring your pup.
đ Scout out a good spot where you can watch incoming and outgoing foot traffic.
âĄď¸ Set your pup up to your inside corner so the servers can do their job and your dog feel advocated for while also having a better chance to stay calm.
đ Practice during times that arenât super busy to build confidence â¨
đđť Bring a pad if desired for your pup to lay on and some bites of food to reward engagement or use yes work to help your dog settle.
Bon appetite!
/disclaimer: if your dog would hate this, leave them home. If you donât have good control of your dog and the basics nailed, practice on your front porch first and then the park at a picnic table or bench./
Marker word training can do more than mark your dogs obedience positions.
Creating a communication system is the first step in training. Creating meaning between your body language, the leash, and your words helps bridge a gap in communication for your dog and you.
Yes Work in particular can:
đ reinforce engagement (looking to you)
đ§đťââď¸ Help a dog emotionally settle (when conditioned to reward relaxation signals)
âđť Interrupt a dogs negative behavior or fixation like in the video Murphy grabbed a clump of grass.
Disagreeing with your dog and teaching them the meaning of leave it and no is equally important and how I was follow thru if the dog didnât âyesâ out of that situation.
Itâs about balance. â¨
I said what I said đ
Some call it mailman syndrome. Itâs when a dog practices barking and âsuccessfullyâ makes the trigger move away. It has the same reinforcing effect on leash or out your window.
A behavior can be (accidentally) reinforced by the dogs instinctual response. If we donât do anything to change it, it will become more heavily ingrained.
Dogs that struggle with insecurity are especially subject to developing this behavior and grow a false sense of confidence. What is really needed is leadership and clarity. You can start by teaching a loose leash walk at your side or slightly behind you, keeping your dog leash in the home and working on building calm on place, in the kennel, and through behavioral downs.
Reach out if you need help! Booking 1:1 training and virtual coaching in February and March. â¨
Sharing this piece of a session with Bruno. He is an adolescent lab in my board and train program. Asking him to follow on a short leash was very frustrating for him. Heâs into every sniff and really would drive into leash pressure to get where he wanted. This a great reminder that no matter what âtoolâ you use, your dog wonât understand it until you take the time to teach them.
My favorite way to teach a dog to follow is through long line work. You can learn so much about their personality and drive. Bruno is a pretty high prey drive dog. Meaning he is very motivated to move forward toward scent and visual temptations - with very little regard about whoâs at the other end of the leash! The strength he could pull with was intense!
Each day we have a long line session to help him come into a follow state of mind. Iâm not forcing it by boxing him in, giving him no room to choose. Thereâs only one right answer, but Iâm helping him find it by practicing this exercise.
15â slip lead sold in my shop
Technique learned from @cheri_wulff_lucas
Recall!
Getting your dog off leash reliable starts on leash!
Recall is a great testament of the relationship you have with your dog. When training, itâs definitely not where I start! I start on the walk, in the home, and in the small moments through the day within the relationship I have with the dog.
Reliable recall is the assurance that I have a good relationship with my dog. However, if we donât have a way to follow through our request, our dog will simply learn that itâs optional. I donât want to start in environments that are too challenging, where distractions will be more valuable. Letâs be honest, weâre not always going to be the most important thing to our dog!
Start with a long line in a quiet area and practice, calling their name, giving them a chance to respond, and if they donât, guide them with the leash and then reward them when they get there, even if it was tough.
Using a long line to communicate follow through and then layering other tools like the E collar are great ways to get there, but you have to start with the relationship!
Let me know if you need help getting there!
#CanyonsCanineTraining #RelationshipBasedTraining #BalanceDogsAreHappyDogs #OffleashLife #LongLineTraining #SaltLakeCityDogTrainer #UtahDogTrainer #BalancedDogTrainer
#becausewetrained #structureequalsfreedom
Reliable recall is the cherry on top of a good relationship, rooted in more than just repetitions.
From how you communicate in the home, going through the door, out of the car, on the leash, and lastly, when you unclip the leash.
I always coach my clients to build relevancy back with their dog when they inevitably loose it. Our dogs are animals and instincts rule when things like cats, squirrels, food on the ground, or other distractions present themselves. Itâs through the hard work put in on leash that builds the understanding of what follow through looks like and how to make a rewarding choice.
#canyonscaninetraining #offleashlife #dogpsychology #ecollartraining #minieducator #balanceddogs #saltlakecitydogtrainer #slcsogtraining #boardandtrain
