IAABC Accredited Dog Trainer (IAABC-ADT), Animal Welfare Advocate
(1)
Soo many red flags in this contract! Yikes!
Wow. Please don’t ever sign an agreement like this with a trainer or training company - or ANY service company for that matter.
If your trainer is censoring how you speak publicly about them and the quality and outcomes of their services, you shouldn't hire them.
Such a harsh reality 😢
Humans continue to desperately take the “dog” out of their dog.
I teach my clients how to use breed specific skills or characteristics to fulfill their dog’s needs. If we don’t give them opportunities to do so, they will find other ways to express those needs.
When will we understand this reality?
I am a 21st century dog.
-I'm a Malinois.
Overskilled among dogs, I excel in all disciplines and I'm always ready to work.
Today I get asked to chill on the couch all day everyday.
-I am an Akita Inu.
My ancestors were selected for dog fighting.
Today I get asked to be tolerant and I get scolded for my reactivity when one of them approaches me.
-I am a Beagle.
When I chase my prey, I raise my voice so the hunters could follow.
Today they put an electric collar on me to shut up, and we want you to come back to the booster with a snap of your fingers.
-I am a Yorkshire Terrier.
I was a terrifying rat hunter in English mines.
Today they think I can't use my legs and they always hold me in their arms.
-I'm a Labrador Retriever.
My vision of happiness is a dive into a pond to bring back the duck he shot to my master.
Today we forgot I'm a walking dog and great racing I'm fat and have to babysit.
-I am a Jack Russell.
I can take on a fox a badger and rat bigger than me in his den.
Today I get scolded for my damn character and wish I could turn into a living room dog.
-I am a Siberian Husky.
Experienced the great spaces of Northern Europe, where I could drag sleds at impressive speeds.
Today I only have the walls of the garden as a horizon, and the holes I dig in the ground just for occupation.
-I am a border collie
I was made to work eight hours a day, and I am an unmistakable artist of working with the herd.
Today they are mad at me because, for lack of sheep, I try to check bikes, cars, children in the house and everything in motion.
I am ...
I am a 21st century dog.
I'm pretty, I'm alert, I'm obedient, I stay in a bag...
but I'm also an individual who needs to express their instincts, and I'm not suited for the sedentary life you'd want me to lead.
Spending eight hours a day alone in the garden, seeing yourself a little in the evening when you get home and only entitled to a small toilet walk will make me deeply unhappy.
I'll express it by barking all day, turning your yard into a minefield, doing my needs indoors, being unmanageable the rare times I'll find myself outside....
Streetsavvydogrescue.org
Before -> During -> After
Hope is a new rescue from a hoarding situation in Georgia. She is a boxer mix and full of puppy energy.
Our first session tired her out! She is learning basic life skills while her humans are learning basic management strategies to prevent undesired behavior.
Dogs never bite “out of the blue”
Season 2 of .biscuits is out!! 🙌
I am so excited for you to hear the behavior journey I experienced with one of my favorite and most dedicated dog moms and Rudy’s dog dad .
Rudy is a very special boy and I am so proud of this family for getting through what seemed to be an impossible hill of struggle and doubt. Perseverance, resilience and will brought them to the other side of that hill where they can now live in peace and harmony (as much as an adolescent male will allow, of course 🤪).
Listen.
Subscribe.
Share.
You never know who this may help.
You’ll even laugh after discovering some interesting secrets about us. Hint: mine is 🤧
Click the link in my story to listen to the episode and comment below your thoughts!
Advocating for your dog may include:
Saying no to requests to pet your dog.
Asking people to keep their distance.
Saying no to on leash greetings.
Asking people to call their dog.
Evaluate what your dog enjoys, what makes them anxious, and what they do not like. Then help your dog have more of the enjoyable experiences while preventing unwanted encounters.
Part of preventing unwanted encounters is evaluating if the places you currently take your dog are appropriate for them. Dogs that are afraid of people should not be taken into crowded locations. Dogs that are afraid of dogs should not go to dog parks unless the dog park is reliably empty and you have good enough visibility of the surrounding area to leave before another dog enters.
Truth.
I had a very unfortunate phone call yesterday.
The only thing I will share is that I can’t express enough how important it is for you to know where your closest emergency vet is located and how to contact them.
It could be the difference between life and death.
Exactly!
I don’t care if you think I’m a cookie pusher. (I’ve always loved that term anyway!)
I don’t care if you think I bribe my dogs. (So sorry you don’t understand how positive reinforcement training works!)
I don’t care if you want to yell “who’s walking who” or “would they do that without the treats though” (eventually, any behavior that is no longer reinforced will go extinct. I don’t agree with not paying my dog for a job well done. Also… I never asked for your opinion 🙃)
Here’s what I care about:
- Everyone is happy and safe, including dogs, humans, and cats
- My dogs trust me
- Our relationship is not built on a foundation of “do it or else” coercion
So if you have a problem with me using food with my dogs, generously and with abandon, for their entire lives?
That sounds like a you problem. 👍🏻
Lily Rose is learning foundational life skills while her humans are learning how to meet Lily Rose’s needs so they can live a more harmonious life together.
Do you struggle with your dog’s “bad” behavior? Do you know how to meet his/her needs?
Comment below ⬇️ how you help meet your dog’s needs. I’d love to hear your creative ways.
My sweet friend, Monica sharing really good insight about a human’s expectations of their dog.
When consuming dog training content, on social media, YouTube, etc, I ask you to consider this:
Forget what the trainer is saying. What is the DOG saying.
I just saw a sponsored post from a local trainer showing their "off-leash" (euphemism for "dog wearing a shock collar so the human doesn't have to deal with a leash") dog training in a home improvement store. The caption read something like "Wow, look at Fido! After his two week board and train he's already off leash heeling around all of these distractions!" Etc. Etc.
But you know what I saw? I didn't see a "focused" dog training in public. I didn't say "wow!". Instead, I saw a doodle, walking with a crouched posture, ears held close against his head, and tail held close to his body. He was in "heel" position wearing his electronic shock collar, and the owner was marching onward, shock collar remote in hand, while her dog did everything he could to stay within the permitted range and avoid getting shocked (or "stimmed" as they like to call it). His movements were jerky and uncomfortable, and he looked around anxiously the whole time.
This was not the body language of a happy, relaxed dog. This was the body language of a dog who was genuinely experiencing terror. And there he was, being proudly paraded around by a trainer claiming a well trained dog after a $3,000 board and train program.
I cannot express this enough: a lot of dog trainers make a lot of money by selling quick fixes and magic collars. And they'll tell you "the dog is fine", "the dog is being over dramatic", "he'll get used to it", even if that's the furthest thing from the truth.
When you are consuming media put out by dog trainers, always ask yourself this before believing what is said: what is the dog saying?
There is no bigger compliment than the one I receive when a brand new client feels I’ve educated them enough to never want to use this barbaric tool ever again. 🙌
This was surrendered by a pet parent of a Dutch Shepherd.
Those shelters would be over saturated! 🙊
Just imagine!
Helping humans understand their dog’s behavior is my favorite part of this job.
Our dogs don’t have a choice where they end up but we can give them the life they deserve when they do end up with us.
Remember: you have a living, breathing, sentient being…not a robot. Accept them the same way you would your child.
in 2023, let's try to practice more acceptance. This doesn't mean that you can't simultaneously work toward whatever behavior goals you have for dog. It just means that you will ruminate less and loosen your grip on whatever expectations you had about them.
When you do that, you'll start to really see your dog for the beautiful, unique, and perfect being that they already are.
Fantastic breakdown of body language during play.
THIS is why the dog industry must be regulated! So scary there are people who are uneducated enough to assert pain is the only avenue to train dogs.
Not only is this wrong, it is boldly unethical.
The ones suffering are the dogs and the pet parents who pay thousands of dollars to jeopardize their relationship with their dog while imposing emotional and psychological damage to the animal.
This has to stop. 🛑 ✋
"𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘰𝘨𝘴"
A direct quote from another trainer's comments on one of my posts. Which exemplifies why it is 𝘴𝘰 important that you do your research before you hire someone to work with your & your dog. Because, in an unregulated industry like dog training, ethics and methodologies vary widely.
So look into a trainer's methods. Do your homework. Understand what they will, and will not, do to your dog. Make sure you understand & are comfortable with their approach. Make sure you are happy that it's a good fit for your dog. Ask questions if you're not sure.
Do your due diligence; because your dog can't.
“Scoot your boot” is the name of the game. Obedience has no place in helping a dog regulate their “big” emotions.
Barking IS communication!
Check out my friend and colleague, Holly talking about the relationship between dogs and children and creating safety for both.
Dog trainers online shiver when they see it.
Yes, I will shop for your dog if you’d like!
If you want a dog that stays out of trouble, it’s key to provide adequate opportunities to play with toys. My rule of thumb is an overflowing toy bin.
When choosing toys you want to select a variety of options - squeak, crinkle, soft, long, burrow, etc so you stimulate the different aspects of natural dog behaviors.
My favorite stores to shop for dog toys are , & because they don’t break the bank and you won’t be upset if your dog destroys them…which, btw - is completely normal!
Happy shopping!
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Say what….You don’t need a shock collar or prong collar to train leash skills?!? #feelinsassy #trainhumane #trainwithoutpain #proofisinthepudding #dog #dogtraining #explore This is Hope, she’s a 10-month old Rottweiler/Pit mix.
You have your puppy’s entire life to teach him how to sit. You have his first 16-18 weeks to show him the world is a safe and happy place. Giving puppies positive outcomes during the early stages helps build confidence and resiliency for unpredictable situations that will inevitably occur later in life.
Give them more in 2024.
If your dog does not sleep enough, cortisol spikes that occur during stressful situations will not adequately recover, leaving residual stress. Residual stress reduces tolerance and coping skills for additional stress. Allowing your dog to rest uninterrupted is critical to restore hormonal balance. An adult dog should sleep at least 50% of their day and puppies are recommended to have at least 18 hours of sleep per day; however if stress is involved, that time should be increased. Help your dog decompress, if necessary, by providing an activity that allows sniffing, licking or chewing until they feel calm enough to rest. #sleep #stress #recovery #dog
Watching a puppy explore novel items will always be one of my favorite parts of this job. My clients learn how to socialize their puppy and that always includes exposure to novel foods. Remember, food is food. There is no such thing as “human food” so give your dog that carrot, blueberry, apple, broccoli, banana, zucchini, etc and avoid those toxic foods such as grapes, chocolate, & onions. #socialization #positivereinforcementdogtraining #puppy #puppiesofinstagram #dogtraining #explore
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