Have you ever been told that your dog should always walk beside or behind you, never in front? If so, do you remember the reasoning behind it? I’d love to hear about your experience! Hit reply and let me know. Some common explanations include: Ensuring your dog knows you’re in charge Keeping your dog in a submissive position There are also more practical reasons, such as: Allowing you to position yourself between your dog and approaching people Maintaining a shorter leash for better control I...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Is it wrong to treat your dog like a small furry human? Well... No.. but also Yes, when it compromises a dog's wellbeing. I love my dogs. Hell, I love your dogs. I love so many dogs =) I have relatives that might talk about how I love dogs TOO much. And yes, I treat them like they are people some of the time. Dogs are sentient beings. They have feelings and emotions similar to the ones we feel. While their minds may differ in certain ways, we all thrive on kindness, love, compassion, and the...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
What is your dog's play style? Does your dog like to play with toys? Chase games? With other dogs? Or maybe not at all? For many dogs, play comes naturally. For others, particularly for anxious or easily over-aroused dogs, we can teach them to play. When we play and when our dogs play, our bodies are practicing how to get out of scary situations without all the cortisol and stress that comes with an actual fight or flight situation. Here is a video of J playing with a toy. She LOVES LOVES...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Wait! Wait! Don't send the hate mail just yet! It is ok, and for many dogs, important that you be able to say "No" to your dog... but we don't need to use the word no. "No" does not mean "No, or else..." Instead, can you say these things to your dog? No, we aren't playing right now. No, you can't go visit that person/dog right now. No, that food on the coffee table isn't for you. No, you can't have the treat in my pocket. And, you don't actually have to use the word "no". I tend to use softer...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Even with a great training plan, but without the supporting foundation pieces you may not progress. There are many pieces of the puzzle that makes your dog who they are. Here are two of the common ones I see missed in a training plan. Is your dog getting enough sleep? Do they know how to just chill and have a rest day? Can you drink your mornign coffee or eat a meal in peace? This one piece is missing for a lot of reactive dogs. We keep them busy, keep them enriched, keep them tired.. but we...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Do You Ever Feel stuck? Do you feel paralyzed? Does fear of making mistakes hold you back from even trying? Are you overwhelmed trying to remember all of the things you're supposed to watch and all of the things you're supposed to do? You matter! You and your dog are a team. I'm sure you've heard that we need to break behaviours down into small pieces that our dogs can learn. We break skills and games down into pieces to set our dogs up for success. Don't forget to do that for yourself as...
2 months ago • 1 min read
5 Things Successful Dog Trainers DON'T Do! I hope you've enjoyed the top 5 things NOT to do and have some things to think about =) I'll soon be releasing a talk on this on Something To Trot About, so if podcasts are more your thing, check it out. If you missed one, here they all are: #1 - Assign Blame #2 - Blindly Follow #3 - Train According to a Recipe #4 - Isolate Yourself or Your Dog #5 - Compare to Others The 5th very important thing successful dog trainers don't do, or at least try not...
3 months ago • 1 min read
5 Things Successful Dog Trainers DON'T Do! Have you been following along with the series If you missed them. you can find all of them and more tips here. It is important to put effort into our training plan of course, but also into identifying habits that might be counteracting or impeding our training progress. #4 - Isolate Yourself or Your Dog When we have a dog who struggles, it is easy to just stay home. And, to be fair, if that is the decision you make, that is ok too. Sometimes the...
3 months ago • 2 min read
5 Things Successful Dog Trainers DON'T Do! Welcome back! Did you catch Tip #2? Today's tip is very important, and often is why individual or small group training is more effective than reading a book or following an on-demand online course. Feedback from your trainer, specific to your dog's challenges will help you understand your dog and progress more quickly than on your own. You are only as good as your worst habit. #3 - Train According to a Recipe Successful, effective dog trainers don't...
3 months ago • 2 min read