Misfit Mutts Dog Training

21/08/2024

girlie pops ✨

06/08/2024

To those contemplating the rehoming of a pet, this is not intended to cause shame or guilt, but rather to encourage thoughtful consideration.

It is essential to recognize that there is no ideal home where individuals magically acquire more time or resources. Similarly, there is no farmer in need of an untrained dog, nor is there a rescue organization with unlimited resources and time to devote to every dog.

The reality is that many well-behaved and loving dogs languish in shelters and foster care for extended periods, sometimes exceeding a year, without receiving any adoption applications.

Before resorting to rehoming, it is crucial to exhaust all available options and make every effort to ensure a successful and fulfilling life for your pet. This may involve seeking professional training, exploring alternative care arrangements, or addressing any behavioral challenges.

Remember, rehoming should only be considered as a last resort, and every effort should be made to find a suitable and loving home for your pet.

25/06/2024

07/06/2024

Let's get real for a second.

The world often paints a picture that dogs who live together are best friends and do everything together.

This is just not true. Many many many multidog household utilize management in different situations to allow dogs personal space to enjoy things such as:

- feeding time
- chew time
- play time
- attention time

This. Is. Normal.

Just because someone utilizes management, doesn't mean their dogs don't enjoy each other's company or have fun together. It just means that there are certain activities that they prefer to do on their own.

And I will tell you firsthand that implementing safe space zones and time apart can be so beneficial to the relationship between two dogs.

Think about it-- do you enjoy doing every single activity that you do at home with your spouse, family, or sibling RIGHT there? I don't think so.

So let's normalize management between dogs who live together!!

Do you want to work on your dogs' relationship and/or interactions? Go to my website here to schedule a private consult: perkedears.com/private-training-sessions

03/04/2024

In Maine we have a saying, "hard telling, not knowing."

You can apply this to most all rescue and shelter dogs.

Dogs may be scared of things because they have never seen it before or because they think it's weird or creepy.
It doesn't always mean the dog was abused by it.

Benny thinks the bucket for the cedar mop is kind of weird. He definitely has never been abused by this bucket. It's just a weird sound!

So was your rescue dog abused by a man with a beard or by a broom or in a car?

Rescues, please be mindful that making up abuse stories about dogs doesn't help educate the public and can make you appear not credible.
Dogs are cool. They don't need sob stories.

Hard telling not knowing.

Remember, reinforcers are in the eye of the beholder and scary things or punishments are in the eye of the beholder. Your dog doesn't need to be abused to respect and honor their worries.
You can help them out no matter why they have big feelings.
Benny has a concern about the mop bucket. We can help him out even though the bucket has never hurt him. That's not the important part. The important thing is that he has a worry.

20/02/2024

HARRY POTTER DOG TRAINING

I feel sorry for professional dog trainers.

You see, they are hired to train a dog, but the first thing they have to tell the client is that they are not going to train the dog – they are going train the client to train the dog.

When this is said, there is always a lot of smiling and nodding by the client, but there’s no real comprehension and probably not too much acceptance either.

Even the dog trainer doubts it can really be done.

You see, people are people, and they are difficult to change. When a dog or a dog trainer shows up in a person’s life, that person already has a schedule and it probably does not include 30 minutes, twice a day, of walking the dog.

Is a dog trainer going to be able to win that kind of time and exercise commitment from his or her new client?

Probably not.

Think about how many people start with a gym membership, and how few are still going to that gym two months later. Think how many people start a diet, and how many fall off the wagon.

When a dog trainer shows up at the door of a new client, honesty may be the best policy, but telling a client “you’re fat and lazy and so is the dog, and both of you need to walk two miles a day” may not be the best way to build up a referral dog training business!

MAGIC WANDS

When people hire a dog trainer, they are not looking for a change in lifestyle or a change in values.

They are looking for a magic wand.

And why not?

We live in an age of miracle diets, miracle bras, and five minute workouts to lift and tone the body.

We have instant answers from Google, satellite mapping systems in our cars, and one-minute rice on the stove.

Surely there’s a 10-minute cure for any and every canine problem?

Come on now: What would Hermione do?

Of course in the world of Harry Potter, it was not Hermione that had a way with creatures, it was the game keeper Hagrid, who was never seen to wave a magic wand.

Instead, Hagrid’s magic was of a more down-to-earth kind. He knew that the secret to training animals, from dogs to dragons, was exercise, consistency, earned affection, and simple corrections and rewards.

THE HOUSE AS PRISON PLANET

And what do we Muggles offer up to our canine charges instead?

Tell the truth now. What really happens when we come home from work?

Too often we are both exhausted and distracted. We plop down in front of an electronic screen of some sort – a television set, a computer, or a cell phone. It’s been a mad day, and we just want to unwind between telephone calls and emails that demand a reply.

What about the dog?

He’s fine we tell ourselves.

After all, we buy it the best dog food, we spend a tidy sum on veterinary care, and the dog has a basket full of chew toys. We even put in a flap door so the dog can exit to the yard whenever it wants – no need to even ask.

But, of course, if the dog could talk, it might tell a different story!

Imagine, for a moment, that you and your dog have exchanged roles.

Instead of a dog living in your house, you are a small child that has come to live in a cave inhabited by four or five dogs. You are an only child, and the cave is attached to a small yard. You were brought to live in this cave when you were only two years old, and ever since that time you have only been able to communicate with other humans on those brief occasions when you have been allowed out on a short leash.

Now here’s a question: Would you be happy? Would you be fit? Would you know the language of humans? Would your mind be fully developed? What kind of adult would you be if you were raised in these same conditions?

Do you see the parallel? The wonder is not that some dogs are discipline problems, but that almost all of them are not as crazy as bed bugs!

When dogs deprived of exercise, socialization and instruction act out and are brought to a trainer for remedial work, their owners are almost never looking to be part of a drawn-out process that will cost a lot of money and extend over many weeks or months. Instead, the average owner is looking for an event; a quick incantation or party trick that can be repeated in two or three sessions, after which order and calm will be restored.

THE MAGIC STARTS WITH YOU

But are there really such tricks in the world of dog training?

Yes and no.

Yes, there are specific solutions for narrow and specific problems.

That said, the most important part of dog training has never been a secret any more than eating less and exercising more has been “the secret” to losing weight.

The most important part of dog training is active, consistent and focused participation by the owner in the education of his or her own dog.

The magic does not start when you hire a trainer. The magic starts:

▪️When you exercise the dog every day.

▪️When you pay close attention to your dog and communicate consistently with it through well-timed rewards and signals.

This is not to say that there aren’t tools, and that many of them aren’t great.

Every dog catalog and magazine is packed with ads offering up various types of collars, halters, and leashes. Every bookstore is packed with dog training guides promoting clickers, hand signals, e-collars, food rewards, ball rewards, scent-training, and every kind of freshly-potted canine philosophy.

But no device or method matters if the owner does not have the self-discipline to show up everyday to actively work with his or her own dog.

This is Hagrid’s secret, and it’s not one you can buy in the magic shops in Diagon Alley.

05/12/2023

02/11/2023

I’ll let you know in 2-3 months 😉

03/07/2023

I have a very good boy up for adoption!! He’s 7ish years old, in good health, good with everyone including kids. He lived with multiple young kids previously without any issue at all! Right now he can be reactive to dogs on leash apparently but I actually haven’t seen much of that. I have him around a lot of dogs in close proximity but it’s a structured setting so far. What I see is a generally insecure and nervous dog who needs some confidence building and trust in his handler. I think he could live with and enjoy another mellow, non confrontational dog if he was allowed a slow integration. Right now I’m saying no cats due to his prey drive but I’ll dig more into that with more time. He’s great in the house, good in his crate, a very easy keeper. This is genuinely a sweet, good dog and he deserves a forever home. I would like him to go somewhere in southern New England so I can help you with training should you need it.

If you think Pablo could be the right dog for you, email me! [email protected]

04/05/2023

We forget this about our small business or service professionals a lot, don’t we?

When we take to the keyboard to dismantle their hard work and dedication? When we call and leave vicious or rude voicemails? When we scream in the reception area or waiting room about cost? And not just with our animal care professionals, all small businesses working hard every day deal with this stuff almost daily.

We are human beings. Mothers, fathers, sons, daughters. We get sick, we have bad days, we have children at home who need us and deserve rest and peace just as much as anyone else. Just because we are easier to reach now, phone- text -email- messages- etc, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take time for ourselves and walk away from that sometimes.

Last night I lay with my daughter as she fell asleep. I’ve been working 7 days a week now for the last 5 weeks and yesterday was my first night “off” in forever. I never get to do bedtimes. She snuggled in close, fell asleep. I took this picture and put my phone down and even though it was buzzing and buzzing and buzzing, I let myself just relax in the moment of being just mom. No problem I needed to solve, no emergency I needed to tackle, just holding my baby, listening to her breathing, and she was as grateful for me there as I was to be there. Everything else can wait, I just need my baby right now.

Small business owners are human too. We need support and kindness and empathy the same way you need it when you come to us needing help. It works both ways. You may get frustrated or overwhelmed, but that’s not an excuse to take it out on the professional you’ve called to help you. The pet industry right now is DEEPLY overwhelmed, understaffed, underpaid and under-appreciated. All of us are doing our best. Treat us kindly please.

19/01/2023

“I believe the most ethical thing to do is to prepare a horse’s brain and body for balance, and to prepare them for the world. That is my belief-

Could be the most ethical thing to do is to leave them alone entirely? Who am I to say? I am simply a human, in a messy world, with probably questionable ethics most days as most humans.

My point here is not to criticize the use of or non use of these training tools. My point is to say beware the label, because once we label the box, the box closes, and it closes on others who are outside of it too.”

What does ethical horse training mean?

Ethical is a very subjective term. I haven’t met anyone training in a way I’m opposed to who said they were training unethically. Nobody wakes up and thinks, I’m gonna screw up my horses life today! (Well, very few people). Most people believe they are doing the right thing. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t be doing it.

What does ethical mean?
Bit less? The bit less bridle, too, has access to many delicate facial nerves and sensitive skin. Hands that pry on a head via the tongue or facial skin are still prying on the head, locking the neck and back
so is bit less inherently more ethical?

Spurless? Much damage is done by the unaided legs of the highly educated and not so educated, in their grinding and kicking and squeezing- the leg that believes it is going pick up the rib cage and back by endless, driving leg is too, doing what they believe to be ethical.

Food rewards only? Liberty? You can still food reward a horse into something they aren’t ready for, just as with excess pressure, without addressing the root problem, and you can still drill a horse at liberty into submission. It happens all the time.

Am I against bitless, spur less and so on? Of course not. I’m certain there will be those triggered by key words who can’t or won’t read context - but pry your brain off the trigger for a moment and stay with me-

These words alone carry us a badge of honor, an air of superiority, that allows us to stop looking and thinking and learning.

It is very human to label, and once one is labeled as ethical, people draw like moths to the light of an easy word that many like to dance around.

But what is ethical actually? That is very subjective isn’t it?

I believe the most ethical thing to do is to prepare a horse’s brain and body for balance, and to prepare them for the world. That is my belief-

Could be the most ethical thing to do is to leave them alone entirely? Who am I to say? I am simply a human, in a messy world, with probably questionable ethics most days as most humans are-

My point here is not to criticize the use of or non use of these training tools. My point is to say beware the label, because once we label the box, the box closes, and it closes on others who are outside of it too.

As always, I am not here to tell you what to do, but to stir your mind a little, and let it settle where it feels right to.

Here is a photo of me riding a horse with no bit, no spurs and a helmet on (me, not the horse ) and barefoot (the horse, not me) so you can do with that information what you will

19/01/2023

Hi friends! If you or anyone you know, in the general Providence area, is unhoused with a dog and they are in need of gear/warm clothes for their dog (think jackets, collars, leashes) please email me. [email protected]

18/01/2023

That’s it.

May the softness we desire in our horses flow so deeply within ourselves that anything in our presence feels safe. This is leadership.

14/09/2022

Dear people,

There is no advantage to buying a service that advertises as "no cages" when it comes to your dog.

"Cage free" grooming or boarding may sound nice, and absolve you of your guilt for having to confine your dog, but I'll be honest; crates are used to maintain a level of safety as a care provider.

You would be surprised how many animals are injured, lost or killed while in the care of "cage free" care providers.

It only takes once.

Would you really like that 'once' to be your dog?

It's not an advantage. Trust me.

Also, if you think these services exonerate you from having to teach your dog to accommodate a crate, it doesn't.

That surgery it needs from having eaten a pair of underwear or your granny's dentures is going to require a vet visit.

Guess what?

The dog will have to be crated.

Guess what else?

Unless you can provide around-the-clock concierge care, your dog will need to be crated during recovery as well.

"Crate free" is a great marketing tool, but it's such a risky proposition.

It's your dog, it's your choice, but just remember- actions have consequences and these fly-by-night 'gig' hucksters aren't as skilled, knowledgeable or prepared as they would have you believe.

Thank you for coming to my Ted talk.

01/08/2022

There is such a fine line between doing right by the customer and doing right by the horse. If I do right by the horse, I throw out any time frame, any pressure to get anything done, and ride or work the horse I have in front of me, as he needs exactly and nothing more.

This might mean we don’t ride for a long time, or we don’t canter for a long time. Or maybe we ride on the second day. It all depends, there is no need for it to be anything other than what works for the horse.

If I do right by the customer, I remember they are spending good money on results. I remember how much it takes for them to get a horse over to me, and how much trust they put on me to take care of their needs. Not every client has endless money, and just because they can’t afford an open ended training deal doesn’t mean they don’t care about their horse’s wellbeing or want me to rush with him.

Finding that line every day is a delicate dance. I sometimes wonder if it’s ethical to train for the public at all, with an exchange of money divided into periods of time, two things that are both enemies of ethical training. But the world needs ethical trainers, so how do we do a good job for both horse and client?

Part of it I think involves finding the right kinds of clients, who are willing to put their own work in. Even if the pocket book is thin, a little elbow grease and willingness to try new things goes a long way.
I don’t have any easy answers, just a lot of questions that keep me up at night.

18/05/2022

When mom and dad are away, the boys will play 🕺🏻🕺🏻

16/05/2022

Also had a local celebrity visit last month. Puck. 🖤

16/05/2022

Brandy did training two years ago, her main issues being attacking her brother and some big time containment phobia. Now she’s having a slumber party with her brother while her parents are away. She’s still being such a good girl. I missed her, she’s a favorite. (Don’t tell.) 💕

16/05/2022

Rufus 🥺❤️

27/12/2021

29/09/2021

I took a huge step back from social media when I went through some personal losses and then I found myself a lot less stressed out, so I never really stepped back in a public way, and now I’m realizing it’s been years since I even posted to this account! But don’t worry, I’m still here training all the dogs and consequently posing them on inanimate objects and very blessed to still be doing what I love well over a decade later. 100% of my business comes from personal referrals and that’s a blessing in itself because it allows me to take this type of passive approach to social media in the first place. So thank you for the unwavering support, referrals and trust. Love y’all and your dogs. ✨🙏