Dog Training in Morro Bay

21/11/2024

Woods puppy classes are the best. Highly recommend

It’s a Puppy Social! Are you looking for a fun, safe space to introduce your puppy to other puppies, people, and new manners and skills that will help them in the home? Sign up now for our Puppy Social Hour, held on Saturdays and Sundays. This class is for puppies aged 10 weeks to 5 months. All puppies must have completed two sets of vaccinations, including Bordetella. Learn more and sign up at WoodsHumane.org/training.

18/11/2024

I don’t want to burst anyone’s bubble but dogs aren’t pack animals. They’re still social animals but not pack animals anymore…

Many dogs would prefer being “only dogs” and many other dogs definitely need to have a buddy. It really depends on the individual dog.

Next time you want to get another dog, ask whether your dog really wants a friend.

17/11/2024

►🙋‍♀️COMPLETE DOG TRAINING SOLUTIONS: •❓🤨 STRUGGLING WITH LEASH TRAINING? 👇 ✅ 6 Weeks to Dream Walks: Step-By-Step Leash Training Program: https://e...

16/11/2024

How to help your back when leash train small dogs and puppies

22/10/2024

21/10/2024

Respect the door. Good video

15/10/2024

What would your dog Google?

01/10/2024

DON’T FORCE ME TO BE SOCIAL!
It may be really disappointing and frustrating when our dogs are not the social beings we expected them to be.

Many believe dogs should just naturally get along with other dogs, after all they’re the same species.

Some believe the “unsociable” dog has a behaviour problem that needs to be “fixed”.

Early, appropriately timed and correct socialisation is vitally important, but sometimes despite all of this, some dogs are just not that sociable.

Sometimes this can be improved, especially if the cause is from a negative experience, but genetics, breed tendencies, individual personalities, health and age all contribute to tolerance and sociability, which also change throughout life.

If we, as a human species, don’t get along with everyone we meet, how can we expect our dogs to?

Do we label every person that has an argument, doesn’t make friends with everyone they meet, doesn’t like every other person, prefers not to socialise - as having a problem that needs to be fixed?

Why is it so easy to accept that every individual person is different than to accept that every individual dog is different?

When we have done what we can to improve our dogs’ social skills, we need to accept and acknowledge our dogs for the individuals they are, allow and respect their choice of whether to be sociable or not and never force interactions that a dog is not comfortable with.

09/09/2024

Forcing a dog to ‘face their fears’ and taking away their control over their own movement is probably not a good idea as the risk of creating a negative learning experience becomes very high.

Luring a fearful dog with food can sometimes work out fine and can sometimes help a dog realize that an object is safe, but it can also create feelings of inner conflict and some dogs will suddenly startle. I would never advise anyone to lure a fearful dog into meeting other animals (including humans) as this can become very risky. Once the food has been eaten, the dog may freak out in being too close and suddenly react with defensive responses.

Offering space, time and social support is my preferred option. Having the freedom, time and space to decide for themselves whether or not to explore and allowing them to process information at their own pace can boost the self-confidence of a dog. Being there for your dog and offering social support can reduce stress and fearfulness. You can be your dog's safe space🥰

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30/08/2024

“Do nothing” exercise

28/08/2024

FACING THE FEAR
There is a common disbelief that comforting a dog that is feeling scared, anxious or stressed will only reinforce, encourage the feeling and make it worse.

This belief is incorrect. Fear is an emotional response and one that a dog does not choose or decides to feel.

An emotion is an involuntary, uncontrolled response that cannot be reinforced.

Punishing fear-based behaviour is even worse than not providing comfort as it creates even more negative associations with whatever the “scary thing" is.

Behaviour and emotions are intrinsically linked in important ways, but they are still not the same thing and require different approaches when they become a problem.

Imagine an intruder broke into your home, tied you up and took off with your belongings. After being freed and getting help, a friend arrives to see how you are.

Your friend tells you that she can see that you’re really anxious and scared but she’s just going to completely ignore you, is not going to attempt to comfort you, sit with you or support you because by doing so she will make you even more afraid and upset. Does that reaction make any sense?

Why should it be any different for dogs that also experience a range of emotions? Why then is it still believed that we should ignore our dogs?

Probably because there is confusion and misunderstanding about the difference between an emotional response - which is an involuntary response and a learned response - which has varying degrees of conscious control.

If we acknowledge that providing comfort and support to a dog that is experiencing these emotions will not reinforce them, do we know if providing comfort will reduce these emotions?

Research on this subject is showing evidence that providing comfort and support in stressful situations decreases a dog’s heart rate, salivary cortisol levels, reduces stress responses and increases calm behaviour.

Ignoring a dog’s emotions because of misinformed advice in the belief that this will change the behaviour is more damaging than helpful.

We need to accept and acknowledge that our dogs are having an emotional response and not a behavioural problem.

We need to show compassion, understanding, be a secure base, a safe haven and provide the appropriate comfort when our dogs need it.