West Coast Canine Connections

08/04/2024

Did you guys know that I do agility with my young border collie Crunch? Along with the skills he needs to know for the course, we have extensively worked on "ringside manners" such as focusing on me with intense distractions, not pulling me into the arena, stationing/sitting by my side while he waits for his turn, while focusing, and ignoring other people/dogs. It is a tough skill to ask for a young male dog! But I think that it's essential for both of our performances in the ring!

19/03/2024

Relaxation

We all want our dogs to be able to relax at home, or have an "off switch," but for many dogs this is not natural and has to be trained. Teaching your dog to settle in a variety of situations is one of the most important skills you could teach your dog overall!

08/03/2024

Agility people! Did you know I work on ringside manners? Insuring your agility dog is in an optimal state of arousal before they enter the ring is important for their performance. Too much arousal can lead to less thinking, and poor choices. Not enough (shut down behaviors) can lead to slower/laggy performance and not enough engagement. If you need help with achieving good ringside behavior, contact me!
https://www.westcoastcanineconnections.com/

28/02/2024

Do you take your dog on decompression walks? Popularized by Sarah Stremming, decompression walks are when you take your dog to a quiet environment (ideally off leash in nature) and let them simply be a dog! Sniff, trot, run, explore, etc. I aim to take Crunch on 3-4 per week (depending on activities or the weather!) It is great for their mental health and physical. Dogs deserve "off" time where they are free to do whatever they please. On leash walks provide exercise, but they require lots of mental work (no pulling on leash, engagement/focus on handler, ignoring distractions, etc) and so an off leash decompression walk (or what I call, "doggy meditation") allows the dog to have that relaxed time to just be!

25/02/2024

Did you know? I have an online puppy diary (only $75!) detailing how I raised Crunch from 8-16 weeks old and onwards! It is very thorough and it took me a long time to fully complete. I am very proud of the result and wanted to make something accessible for folks who don't want to spend too much on my private lessons, but want important tips and tricks on puppy raising! Message me on FB, or email me [email protected] to get access!

https://www.westcoastcanineconnections.com/

12/02/2024

Long time no post! I have now relocated to the town of Centralia, and will be servicing the Olympia area as well, and selective parts of WA and OR, depending on my travel schedule. Please reach out to me to see if I cover your area if you would like to work with me!

14/10/2022

Can your puppy settle in public? Rewarding calm settles from your puppy (starting in the house) can prove to be an incredibly important life skill later on that will allow you to bring your puppy many places including outdoor restaurants, concerts, shopping centers, or anywhere else you might want some company. Here Crunch is settling with me in front of a grocery store while dog dad is shopping! Make sure to click the link in my bio to learn more about my puppy and dog training services!

13/10/2022

New blogpost! Everything you need to know when creating a schedule for your puppy!

www.westcoastcanineconnections.com/raising-crunch/things-to-prioritize-with-a-new-puppy

Everything you need to know when creating a schedule for your puppy!

11/10/2022

New blog post on my website! Here I'm sharing my recent training videos with my Border Collie Puppy: Crunch!

Check it out!

https://www.westcoastcanineconnections.com/raising-crunch/training-sessions-master-post

I finally had the time to compile all of Crunch’s training videos and edit them with directions. Here are a few that I currently have. Squarespace only lets me add a certain amount of video footage to one post, so I will continue to make new posts as I create new videos!

24/09/2022

Puppies! They are adorable, funny, floppy, and most certainly a lot of work! Introducing Crunch, my new border collie! I hope to post as many training videos as possible and hope you will follow along on our journey!

05/07/2022

I nearly always walk Lyanna on a long line (this one is 15 ft) even if I don’t use all of the length, because it helps when she is nervous/unsure of something. I can just tell her a release cue and she can walk away from things that make her uncomfortable. For example we were walking on the trail by someone’s house, and a person was using a leaf blower. Now I’ve never seen Lyanna get scared of one but this time she decided she didn’t like it, so I simply said “free” and let her walk further away. After that she was fine! Giving your dog choice and freedom (this behavior does need to be trained so your dog understands) can help so much when most of our dogs already live their lives on leash and don’t have many choices. A leash even just a few feet longer can help!

04/07/2022

Long time no post! Here is Lyanna the Aussie, enjoying a hike in the beautiful sunshine. Decompression walks (allowing your dog to sniff and explore freely without your instruction) is a great way to help your dog lower their stress levels!

17/12/2021

Socialization for puppies, what is it really?

When we get a young puppy, we are bombarded by people telling us "make sure you socialize!" but what is socialization, really? Is it having your puppy interact with dogs and people? In what way should they interact? How much should they interact?

I know that when we first got Lyanna I made a lot of mistakes. I was so worried about her being "socialized" that I might have actually OVERsocialized her (yes this is a thing) by putting her into environments/situations that were too stimulating, instead of focusing on selective experiences that were positive.

Socialization is also far more than just having your puppy meet dogs and people. It is about things such as walking on different surfaces (marble, metal grates, wet grass, etc), taking them to rural environments, quiet neighborhoods, city parks, the bus stop, etc.

Meeting dogs and people is maybe 10% of what you should be doing. Other things include:

-focus around animals 6%
-focus around dogs 12%
-focus around humans 15%
-sounds 15%
-floors 15%
-novel sights 15%
-novel buildings/environments 15%

In my puppy program we focus on what proper socialization is, how to socialize, and focus on insuring that your puppy has POSITIVE experiences and becomes a well-adjusted confident adult dog.

12/11/2021

The importance of sleep!

Did you know that dogs sleep an average of 8-13 hours per day? Making sure your pup gets enough rest is as crucial as it is for us humans. Dogs who are either anxious, stressed, or reactive may have trouble taking naps or falling asleep, which can affect their mood, progress in training, and even health.

One of the reasons I'm a huge advocate for crate training is that it can help encourage dogs who have trouble falling asleep on their own. It may also help if you live in a house with multiple people or other pets, as a chaotic environment can make it difficult for a dog to want to relax. I personally place a blanket over my dog's crate, and that helps her feel like she's safe, and in her own den.

If your pup is struggling with behavioral issues, ask yourself, is he or she getting enough sleep?

24/09/2021

Hi everyone!

It's been over a year now since I've moved back to Oregon, and the overwhelming amount of love and support I've received to this business from clients, family and friends has been incredible! Watching dogs learn, grow, and change for the better has never been so rewarding for me, and helping clients achieve goals such as hiking, camping, and exploring the beautiful Oregon state is even better!

I am so lucky to live here, and so lucky to have such kind, genuine, and passionate clients, who truly want to enrich their dog's lives, and help their family live in harmony.

There have been ups and downs along the way, but all very worth it in the end. So just a giant thank you to everyone!

09/08/2021

It's been a while since I updated this page, I apologize! I have updated my website including my pricing, so feel free to take a look!

https://www.westcoastcanineconnections.com/