Dream Dog Adventures in Training

30/08/2023

These updates make my heart happy!

"Took Sadie to Kitchen Kettle Village near Lancaster on Saturday. It was very full as a half dozen tour buses were there.

She met at least three dozen people who stopped to pet her and at least three dogs.

She did great walking and keeping slack in the leash. Many people complimented me on her behavior for a nine month old pup. 🤗"

28/08/2023

This should keep her busy for awhile! 🤣If you'd like to add this kind of annoyance (I mean brand of enrichment) to your dog's feeding schedule, here's the one I bought:

KADTC Puzzle Toys for Dog Boredom and Mentally Stimulating,Slow Food Feeder Dispenser,Keep Busy,Replace Pet Bowl,Puppy Brain Mental Stimulation Toy Level 2 in 1 Small/Medium/Large Aggressive Chewers L https://a.co/d/6VYnygf

14/02/2023

12/12/2022

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner! 7 Tips to Start Training your Dog Faster Using Gambling

When was the last time you gambled? Did you win? Did you lose? Did the chance of winning big keep you motivated to continue playing?

Did you know that dogs love to gamble? Yes, they do! Dogs respond to excitement and novelty just like humans do. They love the rush of adrenaline, the intrigue, and the chance to win big.

Incorporating some of the principles of gambling into your training can be one of the most effective ways to get your dog to stay focused on the task at hand. Not only is it easy to do, but your pup will learn happily and with enthusiasm, resulting in faster learning and better retention of lessons. Plus, it's a great way to surprise and motivate your pup, making it a win-win situation!

Here are some important points to get you started:

1. They must initially win EVERY time. If you still need to lure your dog by putting the treat in his face and moving it slowly to get him into position, then your dog will need a treat every time. You will know that you can make the treat reward variable when you say the command and your dog knows what that command means. If you still have to help your dog understand what you are asking then continue treating each time he completes the task. You really need to get that command solid!

2. Use a variety of rewards in one session. Sometimes you will pet, praise, play, allow your dog to sniff, or treat. Only use what your dog finds rewarding. This is different for every dog.

3. When using food rewards, be sure to mix it up. I prefer to use a cookie-type treat, kibble, cheese, real meat, and soft dog treats in my treat pouch. Your dog will not know which tasty morsel is coming next... and the intrigue is extremely motivating!

4. Use more valuable rewards for more challenging behaviors and withhold rewards for mistakes. For example, when working on sit/stays inside or in a less distracting evironment I will use the lower value treats more, but reward for a really solid or enthusiastic stay. If the environment is more distracting, (say at a park) I will use higher value like real meat or cheese. I will especially use the tastiest morsel if the dog successfully sit/stays when another dog is walking by.
For the best results, be sure to keep them guessing!

If the dog breaks the stay before being released, then no reward is earned. I will ask them to try again. If the dog fails three times, I will make it easier by halving the difficulty of the distraction (if I am creating the distraction) or by moving twice as far away from distractions in the environment.

5. Varying the exercise just a bit can help to increase focus and add an element of intrigue. To keep things interesting, I sometimes offer a treat before releasing the dog from a stay, and other times after the release cue. For an extra bit of fun, I'll sometimes run away after saying "free" and have the dog chase the treat, or I'll throw the treat. Most dogs absolutely love this!

6. Vary the difficulty of the exercise to keep your dog optimistic. Once an exercise is fully understood, gradually increase the difficulty by getting closer to or further away from a distraction. Alternate between easy and more challenging repetitions to keep your pup engaged and motivated. This will help your dog understand that he can win.

7. Jackpot Them! Reward your pup with a jackpot when they perform a task with extra enthusiasm, speed, or focus! Celebrate these moments with enthusiastic praise and reward them with treats like you're dealing out cards - I usually give about four to five in a row. Not only is it super fun for your dog to win, but it's just as rewarding for you to deliver that huge reward.

Allowing your pup to win big and adding an element of surprise to your training sessions is an effective way to keep them engaged and eager to learn more. Will I earn praise, a kibble, or Yay! cheese? Incorporating a bit of gambling into your training routine encourages your dog to keep trying for that jackpot. Your pup will look forward to learning and earning, and you'll love how much fun gambling injects into training.

Not sure where to begin training your dog? Are problem behaviors causing frustration at your house? I am here to help!

26/08/2022

To all of my clients and their pups! 💗💗💗

22/05/2022

My delightful clients yesterday. Can you guess their names?

08/03/2022

What is leadership, and why does your dog need it?

In a nutshell, leadership is the ability to guide and influence others in order to achieve a common goal. It's safe to assume that, in a group of individuals, there will always be at least one person who rises to the top and provides structure so that the group does well.

When the leadership role is open in our families, the dog often assumes this role for the entire home. When this happens, your dog will decide how she wants to handle things. This then opens the door to all sorts of behavioral issues.

Clients have often heard me say, "Whatever your dog decides to do, you probably aren't going to like it." Without clear leadership many dogs become anxious. Anxiety creates movement and general nuttiness. So you have a dog that makes decisions based on poor thinking and instinct. If your dog is allowed to make all of the rules she will serve herself.

Most of my clients are allowing their dog to be the decision maker, but then they are unhappy with the results. What people are actually saying to their dog is, "I do most of what you want but listen to me." It makes no sense! It doesn't work! Structuring your relationship that way is soooo confusing for your dog. You can't have it both ways.

And this is where leadership comes in!

A leader provides guidance, sets boundaries, and determines the best course of action. A leader establishes herself as the authority figure, and in doing so, provides a sense of stability for her followers. Dogs need this!

Here are 3 keys to helping you become the leader your dog needs:

1. Be consistent with your commands. Your dog should know that when you say "sit" or "stay" it means the same thing every time. If you said it, your dog must do it.

2. Ignore attention seeking and give attention when your dog is not asking for it. If your dog can tell you what to do then who is in charge of who?

3. Control resources. Waiting until you give permission to eat, go through doors, and get on furniture builds self-control and makes you look more in charge and less like the servant in your relationship.

Leadership is about freeing your dog to live her best life. It's about providing guidance and structure so that your dog can feel secure and happy.

If you're having trouble with your dog's behavior, consider if there might be a leadership issue at play. When you provide leadership, your dog's behavior will improve drastically!

20/02/2022

Sometimes it truly does take a village to make a dog's dreams come true. This dog touched me like no other. She and her adopted mom were really struggling when I met them, but they had the most magical transformation. I'm so glad I got to do my part in helping her live her best life. RIP and fly high, Thelma Girl, you win!
https://www.facebook.com/215648471883981/posts/4797277443721038/

29/01/2022

Today was the day! We had a super 1st lesson in which Libby began to learn to be more civilized. 😁

24/01/2022

4-month-old Thor showing off his sit/stay for food skills!

31/12/2021

I just want to express my sincere thanks to all of my clients for the opportunity to work with you and your amazing dogs this year. I can't tell you how incredibly blessed I have felt! Happy New Year! 🥳💗🐕

10/12/2021

Snickers Hears a Who! This little pupcake is becoming civilized and learning all of her basics. She's a delight to work with!

24/11/2021

Train a solid stay and get all of the pretty pictures.

22/11/2021

Had our last lesson with Wyatt and Goose. These brothers have come such a long way! They were fighting with each other and one of their moms got bit. The fights have stopped and they are loving their walks now. Their progress has been so amazing to see!