Scout's Honor Dog Training

24/06/2024

😂😂😂

18/06/2024

Does your retriever bring you toys and shoes?

Good news, that’s normal! Retrievers retrieve…and when they don’t have a duck in a pond, they make do with the shoes you left out.

Skadi is a vizsla, a versatile hunting breed used for both pointing and retrieving. She takes after the retrieving bit of that more than the pointing bit, so I am often greeted with presents, whether it be a pillow, a ball, or a shoe I left on in her vicinity. Perfectly normal!

17/06/2024

It’s always important to keep expanding our knowledge, and Loki and I were privileged enough to learn from the wonderful Karen Deeds! Loki is my own personal dog and he’s learning some impulse control!

20/05/2024

Do you live with a Shy Pup? Then I think you'll relate to this ⬇️

How often do you hear...
"Oh but dogs love me" or "Oh, he'll grow out of it" or... "just let him smell me and then he'll be fine"...?
Or you ask them not to stare at your dog but they just can't seem to peel their eyes away. Or they're offering them some food without even asking you?

The fact is, there are always going to be people who are well-meaning but not educated on YOUR dog and YOUR dog's needs.

While I could tell you to just advocate for your dog, it's not always that easy. Sometimes advocating feels vulnerable and icky. So, it's easier to avoid. I feel you, I get it. I urge you to keep trying, in whatever way feels safe to you. 💕

Feel free to download, print, and hand out this graphic or share it with whoever you think needs to see it!

👉 And if you live with a shy, sensitive pup, would you do me a quick favor?

I'm going to post a Google form link in the comments - Will you take a few minutes to share your experience with the sensitive soul you live with at home? I'd super appreciate it!

💕 Much love to you and your pup(s)
Laura Gendron, CPDT-KA, LFDM, FFCP

28/04/2024

Don’t judge reactive dogs.

A couple of years ago someone showed up unexpectedly at a session we were having for reactive dogs.
This was at a large venue we use.
Completely out of nowhere a woman showed up at our remote location and came marching right toward us.
I had no idea who she was and she was walking towards all of us with purpose.
The clients and the dogs were wonderful....calm and everyone put into place what they had been taught (luckily this was our last session so a lot of work had been done previous).
They weren't barking or lunging (always a strange word to spell!). All the dogs attending were amazing as were the guardians/owners.

This person and their energy could have caused a reaction so I matched her speed and walked right up to her to head her off.

I told her she couldn't be here as this was a private class and these were reactive dogs....she asked what a reactive dog was as I walked her to her car.
So I told her, her next comment was....

"Why would anyone want a dog like that" !

Everyone heard her say this.
I told her that was a really rude and insensitive thing to say.
These people love their dogs and often it takes just one incident for a dog to become reactive.
She didn't understand.

I know the difficulties and the judgement reactive dogs face, that also extends to their guardians/owners.

If you are out walking somewhere and see someone struggling with their reactive dog maybe think about how to help the situation rather than jump straight to self righteous judgement.

Can you give them more distance ?
Can you remove yourself quickly and calmly ?
Do they need something specific ? Ask them.
Can you stop your dog staring at theirs ?

If you can....please do BUT as you do this, acknowledge the people holding onto that lead and acknowledge that they are doing the best they can. Give them a small wave or a thumbs up.

Reactive guardians are some of the most dedicated people I know.

ALL it can take is ONE issue to occur and a dog can become reactive.....you could easily be that person at the other end of that lead.

18/01/2024

It can’t just be my dogs 😂

13/12/2023

23/11/2023

Happy Thanksgiving from 3/4 of the SHDT crew.

15/11/2023

I love giving my dogs healthy fresh foods…so if you’re like me, here’s a quick little Infograph on how to safely share thanksgiving with your pup.

15/11/2023

An oldie but goodie. Get creative with these as well, they don’t just have to be peanut butter! We use combinations of yogurt, treats, peanut butter (make sure there’s no xylitol!), fresh fruits and veggies, chicken broth, and even blended up meals!

How do you choose like to enrich your dog's life? Kongs and lick mats are a favorite with the SHDT pack!

01/11/2023

The lack of unwanted behavior does not mean the dog is happy, confident, or trained.

Sometimes it means the dog is compliant. This usually stems from aversive training methods that have made choices scary and obedience the only option. That’s not training. That’s coercion. Sometimes, the lack of behavior IS the behavior.

That’s why learning body language, truly learning body language and not just listening to what’s popular online, is imperative for truly understanding the emotional state your dog lives in.

26/10/2023

👻Halloween with Dogs👻

We’re in a really fun time of year. Halloween is in just five days and soon it will be time for Christmas. It’s a time when houses are decorated, kids are at your door repeatedly for hours, and soon, it will be the mailman constantly dropping packages off. For many people, the last few months of the year are really fun and festive.

But for your dog? It may not be so pleasant.

Remember that dogs do not understand the concept of holidays and decorations, so those adorable floating ghosties in your neighbor’s window? Concern. The constant ringing of the bell alerting you to packages on your doorstep? Excitement.

So here are a couple tips to help with the craziness:

1) many doorbells are electronic now and may be changeable. Try picking something new. Your dog won’t have associated a novel sound with “someone’s at the door” so they’re less likely to become excited over the sound. My own doorbell currently sounds like a spooky cuckoo clock…my dogs don’t even know what that sound means!

2) toss treats when your dog sees that blow up Santa that goes up on the street next to yours every year. Start from far enough away that your dog has noticed it but hasn’t become overwhelmed with anxiety yet.

3) teach a “place” that your dog sit and stays in anytime you need to open the door, or use a baby gate to keep your dog away from the door if you need to go get a package.

4) crate train your dog so they can have a quiet, solitary place to retreat during busy, crowded times that inevitably come with the holidays. Utilize puzzle toys and calming toys/treats if needed to keep them occupied and happy. Remember, not all dogs are social butterflies!

Picture: my own dog, Reginn, letting me know that the ghosts hanging from our neighbor’s tree is a little more concerning that fun for him.

23/10/2023

“If I let my dog sleep in the bed with me or get on my couch, will they think they’re at the same level as me in the pack?”

First of all, dogs aren’t pack animals and therefore do not follow traditional pack hierarchy as people often think. So, no. Your dog will not think they’re at your level if they sleep in your bed or get on your couch.

“Will it cause behavior problems? I’ve heard it can cause behavior problems.”

Typically, no. Although if your dog starts to resource guard (which does occasionally happen), then they lose the privilege.

I’ll be honest. As a dog trainer…all four of my dogs sleep in bed with me. We have a routine. They have their favorite spots. And I am never cold.

22/10/2023

An oldie but goodie.

Keep a log! I promise it’s worth it.

17/10/2023

Fun fact:

In Regensberg, Germany, there is a museum entirely dedicated to dachshunds. Unfortunately, I did not have time to visit this museum, but I did meet a lovely little wire haired dachshund named Robert in the lobby.

16/10/2023

Say it louder

30/08/2023

🐶😺 Studies have shown that as little as 15% over healthy ideal weight can shorten the lives of dogs and cats by up to 2 years! Being just a little overweight can accelerate the development of painful joints, lameness, and the need for pain medications to live a comfortable life. It is suggested to check your pet's body condition once a month using this knuckle test. This method is especially helpful for long-haired breeds.

28/08/2023

It’s definitely not “all how you raise them.”

I've heard it, you've heard it, we have all heard the phrase "it's all about how you raise them."

I've been told so many times that dogs who struggle with reactivity or simply displaying normal breed traits, for eg. Guarding, are dogs who have not been loved enough.

The other common saying is "Dogs become like their people." Another big myth that is just not true.

While HOW you raise your pets is extremely important, raising your dog in an environment with a flood of love will not guarentee you a "perfect" dog who never displays normal dog behaviour.

Nature and nurture are both huge components in making up a dog's personality and being.

Instead of focusing on, "was this dog loved enough" as the reason for a dog displaying normal behaviour, ask yourself "what is this behaviour showing me?" "What is the reason for this behaviour?" If a behaviour is displayed, it usually means that the behaviour has been successful at communicating your pets needs in the past, what need was that behaviour communicating?

This is also why it is extremely important to research the breed you are interested in and finding out if that breed is correct for you. This is also why, if you are wanting a pup from a breeder, you make sure that breeder is doing all the health tests, breeding for temperament and you make sure you meet the parents and find out what behaviour issues they have. If you are planning on rescuing a pup, make sure you find out as much as possible about how their behaviour has been at the rescue and if possible, their history.

Here are some other factors that can influence your dogs behaviour.

25/08/2023

For a great time, great enrichment ideas, and a new bonding tool for you and your dog, come give this a go. I will definitely be there and there may or may not be a certain redhead pointer girl going.

19/08/2023

If you’ve trained with me, you’ve probably heard me say this. For those of you who haven’t…

Every moment you and your dog are both awake, training is happening.

12/08/2023

Dogs have a natural need to explore. Through exploration, an animals' curiosity is enhanced, which has a beneficial effect on energy regulation as well as physical and mental well-being.

Exploration is an inherent instinct in all living beings, and our furry friends are no exception. When dogs embark on journeys of discovery, their curiosity is ignited. And here's the exciting part: this curiosity has a direct and beneficial impact on their energy regulation, physical health, and mental well-being.

📣 Join us for our new webinar, Canine Neuropark®: Predictive Brains - The Science of How Exploration Leads to Confidence & Resilience. Learn how you can optimize your dog's well-being through the power of exploration.

🗓️ Date: Saturday, August 19, 2023
⏰ Time: 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm EDT (USA and Canada)

🎟️ Reserve Your Spot Now! https://behaviorvets.mylearnworlds.com/course/the-science-of-how-exploration-leads-to-confidence-resilience

22/07/2023

Great info and ideas…as always from Stacy!

🛑 FREE FEEDING YOUR DOG: Are you a free-feeder?

Is your dog a picky eater? Guess what - Free-feeding, defined as putting food in the bowl and leaving it until Fluffy eats it all, or until you put more in there - is why you have a picky eater!

WHY DOES FREE FEEDING CAUSE PICKY EATERS?

➡️ If Fido knows food is always available he has no reason to have to finish it right when it's placed in the bowl.

➡️ If Fluffy learns that if she walks away from the bowl that tells you she's finished & you pick up the bowl, she'll learn that food is not always available.

➡️ When a dog learns that food comes 2 x a day & goes away if he chooses to walk away from the bowl, he'll quickly learn that he eats it all then or waits until the next meal.
———

⚠️ Some dogs do not eat well regardless, so when this occurs it's important to seek the advice of your licensed veterinarian to rule out medical reasons for poor eating habits.

Schedule Feeding is so much more beneficial to dogs! This is defined as - you put food in the bowl, if/when Fido doesn't finish in either a certain timeframe (10-20 minutes) or once Fido walks away from the bowl you pick it up so he has no more access to it until the next meal. This happens regardless of how much food is left in the bowl when you pick it up.

From a professional trainer standpoint most dogs that are picky eaters are taught to be this way unintentionally. I see many dog owners add multiple things to their dogs food in an attempt to get them to eat. I've also seen some dogs not finish food because they either don't like the food or they are actually being over-fed (usually unbeknownst to the owner).

Medical reasons aside, all dogs will learn to eat when given their meal if they are properly schedule fed.
———

KEEP IN MIND

🥩 Sometimes you need to add fresh foods to your dog's food: boiled/scrambled eggs, boiled chicken, cooked ground beef, plain yogurt, to name a few. These are not only healthy but variety can help keep your dog looking forward to the next meal.

📏 Sometimes those dog food bags are not a good guide for how much to feed. Use the guide loosely but then watch your dog's waistline. If you cannot feel your dog's ribs when you press in to feel them without trying really hard, she's likely overweight. Cut back on the food a bit, or if she feels too thing or is visibly thin add more.

🚽 Potty training will not go smoothly if you do not know how much or when your dog last ate. Also if your dog is able to eat throughout the day because you free-feed be ready for pooping throughout the day with no set schedule!

🤒 If you don't know when your dog last ate or how much you won't know if her eating habits are normal or not. If you have a dog that eats when you put food down you'll be able to easily tell if she stops eating and that it's not normal. This is a first sign of illness and reason to call your vet. If your don't know this you may not know when your dog is ill because she has no real eating pattern.

🦮 If your dog is able to have free access to food most of the day your dog won't value food much. Why should he? He can get it really whenever he wants. So, to make training easier you also want to be more in control of your dog's eating. So, schedule feed and make food a valued item to your dog!

———
Stacy Greer, CPDT-KA
🐕‍🦺
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
©️ 2023 Stacy Greer
All rights reserved. Feel free to share via the “Share” link to the original post. Downloading for redistribution online or in print form is strictly prohibited.

13/07/2023

✨WHAT TRAINERS ACTUALLY HEAR WHEN YOU SAY “MY DOG IS AN ALPHA”✨

How many of you have ever seen someone you might consider a “control freak,” and thought, “man, that guy is SO secure and confident”?

Yeah, me neither.

Typically, when someone describes their dog as an “alpha,” they then describe behaviors like policing playing dogs, becoming upset if another dog or a person gets loud, demanding dinner at a certain time, becoming upset when routine is changed, rigorously enforcing rules and routines the dog has come up with, bullying other dogs at the dog park, or yelling at another dog or person across the street. I hear, “well, she’s the Queen and she tells us what she wants!” And she is telling you what she wants…but what is she actually saying? Let’s break this down.

1) “I need dinner right now because it’s exactly 6pm” = “I need a strict routine to maintain predictability and become upset when things don’t happen the way I’m expecting.”

2) Bullying dogs at the dog park = “dogs scare me and if I am rude, hopefully they will leave me alone” OR “I don’t like the elevated arousal levels and I don’t like chaos. This park is too much for me”

3) creates rules and enforces them rigorously = “I need things to happen a certain way because I know I will be able to handle it like this. This way doesn’t cause me stress”

When someone says, “my dog is an alpha,” a dog trainer hears, “my dog is insecure.”

And that’s not even getting into the fact that Alpha Theory has been debunked for decades. We won’t get into that…at least not today 😉

03/07/2023

The boys LOVE a good day on the farm. Giving pups a big, open space with all these new smells is a spectacular way to reduce anxiety, work their brains, and broaden their horizons. The open fields are particularly beneficial for Thor, who is blind and can confidently run around without worrying about running into obstacles.

24/06/2023

Super excited to start teaching Lily her puppy skills!

23/06/2023

Of the four dogs in my house, only two of them actually enjoy being out in out in public around people. The other two would really prefer not to...and that’s okay!

KNOW YOUR DOG & BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF

Not all dogs will be ok with . . .
⚽️ going to your kids’ soccer games
🍽 eating out in public underneath a restaurant table
🎄 hanging out at parties at your house
☕️ chilling while you have coffee at the corner cafe
🏕 going camping with you

Activities such as these require . . .
✅ a lot of tolerance
✅ the ability to not become anxious
✅ the ability to be ok in an over-stimulating environment

🥧 Some dogs can do this with ease.

🐕‍🦺 Some dogs can do this with help and proper training.

❌✂️ Some dogs are not cut out for this at all.

🔹 This is all about knowing your dog and understanding body language.
🔹 If your dog shows signs of stress, do you know what that looks like?
🔹 Are you good at removing your dog when she is stressed?
🔹 Do you have your expectations in check?
🔹 Don’t be unrealistic and be sure that your wants are in alignment with what your dog can actually do and handle.
––

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Stacy Greer, CPDT-KA
Copyright© 2023

16/06/2023

✨Body Language Myths✨

Unfortunately, myths and misconceptions dominate many aspects of our lives...and dog ownership is no exception.

Body language is hugely misunderstood by most dog owners, and misunderstanding body language contributes to the number of dog bites reported every year. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had someone say their dog gave no warning, or there was no reason for the dog to bite, and then when we dive into the circumstance or I see the dog myself, and it turns out, there were actually lots and lots of signs.

Majorly misunderstood signals include, but are not limited to:

🐶 tail wagging (indicates arousal, not happiness)
🐶 growling (deescalating, not aggression)
🐶 kisses (often appeasement, not affection)
🐶 belly showing (deescalation, not belly rubs)
🐶 shame (fear of impending punishment, not actual shame from their behavior)
🐶 the list goes on...

Here is the aggression ladder, a series of distance-increasing behaviors of varying levels, indicating how likely a dog is to bite.

Disclaimer: these behaviors are interchangeable and individual. Dogs will favor certain behaviors more than others, and these behaviors may not occur in this exact order. If you see these behaviors, give the dog more space and investigate the environment to see what may be causing the dog stress.

16/06/2023

North Texas is also going to be super hot, so be mindful of when your dogs are outside, make sure they have plenty of water, and avoid concrete if at all possible!

13/06/2023

There are many reasons I dislike retractable leashes, but here are the highlights:

1) often break, especially with larger dogs.
2) reduces control the handler has over the dog
3) many handlers have been injured by the cord slicing through legs, arms, even fingers.
4) unwieldy handles make it more difficult to maintain proper control of the leash itself
5) leash laws often specify how long a leash can legally be to remain compliant. Retractables are often several times longer than leash laws allow.

This one is for you

12/06/2023

With a heat advisory issued for North Texas, it’s important to familiarize ourselves with the signs of heat stroke in our dogs and how to handle it.

Our original plans for the weekend included a hike with Reginn, but we’ll be hanging out inside and in the pool instead.