Happy Buddha Dog Training LLC

17/12/2024

17/12/2024

If we simply extend our dogs the benefit of the doubt and perceive their behaviour as communication rather than a crafty manipulation tactic, we might enhance our understanding of them and better fulfill their needs.

17/12/2024

Why does my dog ___?

We get this question a lot, especially when it comes to complex behaviors like fear, reactivity, or aggression. And as humans, we want (desperately!) to find a clear label as the reason for this behavior.

We often hear “he must have been abused by a large man who wore hats because he’s so scared of them,” “he dislikes strangers because of his breed,” or “it’s all in how you raise them.”

The truth is that there are TONS of things that contribute to behavior. Not even the best scientists in the world can tell us where a particular dog’s behavior comes from. When we see a fearful dog, it could be due to genes, limited maternal care, or stress in their first weeks of life (or inside mom’s uterus). They could have had a traumatic experience or have a hormone imbalance. They could hurt, have learned associations over time, or even have certain brain structures that grew or shrank to make them more fearful.

So what’s really important to know here?
1️⃣ behavior causes can be very complicated
2️⃣ anyone who says that behavior is all because of learning, or breed, or socialization, or whatever- is misinformed.
3️⃣ in many cases, you’re just not going to be able to identify the “cause” of complex behaviors like fear, reactivity, or aggression. Get comfy with not knowing.
4️⃣ not knowing the exact cause doesn’t prevent us from working on behavior!! We can make educated guesses and use treatment plans and involve vets to help us treat what we can’t easily train.

If you're struggling to figure out what your dog needs, we'd love to help! Visit our website to schedule a behavior consult or reach out for more info!

17/12/2024

17/12/2024

A dog trainer talking holiday safety on TV. Why did his own dog need a shock collar on-set? Shock collars are banned in many places

15/12/2024

The Shock-Free Coalition believes that pets have an intrinsic right to be treated humanely, to have each of their individual needs met, and to live in a safe, enriched environment free from force, pain and fear.
Spread the word: https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/advocacy/shock-free-coalition/

15/12/2024

Extra smart dog 🤓😜

15/12/2024

Rocky not only has a loving family today, he also gets to be a dog...relaxing on the sofa with family, strolling on a beach, and exploring a field.

Congratulations!

14/12/2024

Imagine being hours from being killed for no reason in a Texas “shelter” to finding a loving family in Wisconsin, thanks to the wonderful folks at Desert Willow. Andrea, Milos, Christine, Jill, Cayce, Jeff and Tami...among others, are guardian angels of those who were abused, abandoned and given up for death.

There is room for you to help, in whatever way you can. Rocky can attest to how valuable your support is.

14/12/2024

Thanks to Desert Willow Ranch, Rescue & Rehab...Rocky has his new, loving home :)

13/12/2024

It can be difficult to cope with when your dog's behaviour changes suddenly, and your normally loving happy go lucky dog starts to behave awkwardly, refuses to do things, and perhaps growls or barks when asked to do something or approached.

Pain or feeling ill can have a massive effect on behaviour. Think about how it affects your mood when you're coming down with an illness or have pain that won't go away, and how much more difficult it makes doing the normal things you take for granted. As someone who lives with a chronic pain condition I have needed to take time to consider and understand this, and it has helped me to realise how much pain or illness must affect our companion animals, including dogs.

A change in behaviour occurs rapidly should prompt a visit to the vet for a health check to see if there are any illnesses or injuries as a sudden behaviour change can be a sign that the dog is in pain or feeling unwell.

A good and ethical canine professional will always ask when the dog last visited their vet and will recommend a check up to rule out any medical cause for the new behaviour before beginning to make a plan to help the dog and their people. Trying to change behaviour if there is a health or pain issue will, at best, be ineffective, and it is unethical and unfair to the dog to try training when they are unwell or hurting.

12/12/2024

A note about slip leads: When I work with dogs at Desert Willow Ranch, Rescue & Rehab they are wearing a body harness and I use my hands-free leash.

12/12/2024

https://youtu.be/-ntbwoletjs

Maverick and Goose game to romp and play on the freshly fallen snow.