PAWsitive pet training and pet services

Nice one.... good way to look at it.

Done both. The former beats the hell out of the latter.

What an amazingly beautiful october day!!! Days like this make me feel so lucky to be able to do what i do. Thank you to all my clients for their continued support 💞

Just a very general guide to helping nervous dogs to relax around others.
Having strangers in a home (or outside in yard) can be very confronting for nervous dogs. They don't understand why this person has suddenly appeared and the visitor may also be nervous ....which their dog will absolutely pick up on.
The quickest way to get dogs to relax around people is to ignore them.
Eye contact for many nervous dogs is extremely threatening.
I like to use my peripheral vision and may give a small glance or two.
Please note this is for adults...children are a whole different area that requires extra caution.
If you feel in anyway uncomfortable doing this.....stop and walk away. Nervous tension will only work against what is trying to be achieved.
If any aggression has ever been indicated by the guardian/owner please don't attempt this, it is best to seek help.

Body language is key to all of this. There is no rush and it can take many visits for some dogs to feel comfortable.....and if you have a nervous dog and someone doesn't feel comfortable enough to attempt this...respect that....it wouldn't make anyone at ease.

Is it "cheating" to use food in training? Shouldn't the dog just do whatever he is asked? After all, dogs live to please us, right?

https://positively.com/contributors/thats-cheating/

Lickable food toys can help with lots of issues, the big one being anxiety.

Why licking can actually be GOOD for dogs Why licking can actuallybe GOOD for dogs

A nice summary of recent updates to what we know about puppy socialization. As Zazie Todd emphasizes, it is most important to ensure the puppy feels SAFE while being introduced to people, other puppies, and the world. This morning on my puppy walk we had quite a party, with chicken and cheering, when he investigated a sewer that had water rushing beneath it (OK, and I cheered him on with stories of balloons and how they all float down there 🤡🎈).

From reisner behavior services**

3 Things Everyone Should Understand About Puppies How the socialization of young puppies affects later behavior.

6 Ways To Prepare Your Dog for Fireworks Starting TODAY - eileenanddogs There are things you can start doing today to help your dog who is afraid of fireworks.

Finally a nice walking day!!

It's dog bite prevention week. Do some light reading, get educated and help others if you see people letting children behave badly around dogs.
https://todaysveterinarypractice.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2016/05/TVP_2016-0506_DogBites.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3rFdg_ETdxEJqSIRcs-L83K5q44I2bAgN-YQmc2cwh6-cIwcWBuWOr_sA

todaysveterinarypractice.com

I have several clients who appropriately desensitized their dog(s) to wearing a muzzle. It saved their digs lives and kept them safely in their home.

Repeat after me. Muzzled dogs are NOT BAD DOGS.

Muzzled dogs have good humans.

Muzzled dogs can have more experiences because they are managed. Their quality of life is INCREASED because of the muzzle.

Muzzled dogs can still have treats.

Muzzled dogs are not miserable.

Muzzled dogs are muzzled for ALL KINDS OF REASONS. Not just aggression. Maybe they eat too much stuff off the ground and get sick. Maybe they play too rough. Maybe they over correct when startled. Maybe they want to eat squirrels. Maybe they need to learn better social skills. Not all dogs in a muzzle have a bite history, some have them on to prevent that in the first place. Sometimes the muzzle is more for the HUMAN than the DOG because it allows them to feel more confident. Big dogs, small dogs, and all breeds and sizes need muzzles sometimes. It is not a breed specific tool.

Muzzled dogs are GOOD DOGS WITH GREAT HUMANS who are setting their dog up to not fail. Judging a dog in a muzzle and their owner is the same as judging someone for wearing a helmet. They are choosing safety and being proactive and it takes WORK to get your dog to a level that they are happily working and walking around in a muzzle so kudos to the humans and dogs I work with who put that time in to better their dogs lives.

If you see a dog in a muzzle, don’t stare, don’t ask rude questions, just say “nice job, great looking dog!” And carry on. Believe me, you will have just made that humans day.

Written by Helen St. Pierre if you share please give credit. No Monkey Business Dog Training

What is Resource Guarding?
In short, it's when a dog displays defensive behavior to keep another dog, person, or animal away from an item (usually food) or space.
https://positively.com/contributors/what-is-resource-guarding/

My dogs are going to be so happy this week!! The love it when i get my act together. Just because they are well behaved doesn't mean they should not get the enrichment i speak so highly of

I share these in hopes others read and pass along for education purposes so that no parent has to go thru this great loss. 😰

In today's dog bite news, a terribly sad reminder that infants should not be accessible to unsupervised dogs, during either day or night.

This baby was in an electric rocker in the parents' bedroom. As always, these stories are highlighted with the hope that future, similar tragedies can be prevented. A few thoughts:

1. Dogs of all breeds, mixes, types and sizes can fatally injure an infant. It does not matter whether the dog is young, old, male or female, "good with children" or has no history of aggressive behavior.

2. This behavior is most likely predatory. Dogs may have no history of defensive aggression, resource guarding, aggression to children or fearful behavior -- but they are still predators. As abhorrent as it is to say so, to some dogs, human infants are not that different from other small animals such as squirrels, especially with the movement of a rocker. It's not surprising that this dog was described as a well trained, non-aggressive family pet.

3. Please remember that leaving a baby unmonitored while the parent sleeps is no different from leaving the baby alone in a field. If parents choose to keep an infant in a family bed, bassinet, rocker, playpen or shallow crib, the dog should be *securely* separated during the night and nap times. The dog can be securely gated or shut out of the bedroom, or crated.

4. Repeated motion devices for babies, such as jumpers and rockers, can be scary to dogs or might trigger a predatory response.

Please do not post critical comments about the parents, who clearly had no idea this was a risk. Our hearts go out to the family.

[If you choose to share the above comments with the article, you may need to copy/paste manually. Please include attribution to fb.com/ReisnerVetBehavior ]

German shepherd kills 2-month-old baby girl in Hampton; police say parents awoke to movement on bed Police have not released the names of the baby or her parents. A Hampton police spokesman said that there are no charges pending.

Why "Choice" is the Critical Key to a Great Dog | Susan Garrett's Dog Training Blog The ItsYerChoice Game is the key building block to everything I teach in dog training. With ItsYerChoice, doing what YOU want, is going to be your dog's idea!

Cats need environmental enrichment as well!

Cone of Shame Episode 49: Your Scratching Post Isn't Enough (HDYTT) | DrAndyRoark.com What counts as "enrichment" versus what is just basic necessity for a cat? When a cat owner is convinced that their cat has all the "enrichment" he can

Is Your Dog Anxious or Just Bored? Many people return home to a household of destruction and mayhem, and their first assumption is that their dog suffers from acute separation anxiety. Sometimes this can be the case, but in many cases, boredom is the culprit.

Interactive Toys Interactive toys should be central part of your canine enrichment plan. Not only are they fun for both dog and owner, they provide much-needed mental and physical stimulation, even when you have to leave home. Interactive Chew Toys Chew toys are an excellent way to help puppies cope with teething as...

For all you small dog owners out there, food for thought. Just because you CAN pick up a small dog doesn't always mean you SHOULD. Think about how terrifying it would be to be swept off your feet and dangled 20 feet in the air!

I'm Little And Adorable. Don't Make Me Bite You. - The Other End of the Leash I’m little and adorable and I might bite you. Because you pick me up and sweep me into the air when I least expect it and it scares me and I hate it and no matter what I do I can’t seem to stop 2-legs from doing it to me all the time like some […]

Very busy day! But full of a bunch of cuties!!

Another great article from victoria stillwell. So many are against using food with dog training, But this is the best way to deal with fears and anxieties. as food releases dopamine, a feel good chemical in the brain

Using Food in Dog Training While each dog is different and some may be turned on by praise, play, toys, or other rewards, very often food is that primary motivating force and can be a powerful tool for shaping new behaviors and helping anxious, fearful and aggressive dogs.

If you've been taught to reach out your hand for a new dog to sniff, PLEASE STOP!‼️

⚠️The sniff test – reaching your hand out for a new dog to smell -- is, unfortunately, a badly ingrained habit that society has been taught as a way to introduce yourself. Because when you reach out towards a dog, you are using your body pressure AT them, giving them no time to assess whether you are safe and whether they require further investigation to pick up your information.

⚠️ You’re forcing an interaction of a relationship that hasn't had time to develop. And to some dogs, this is quite rude and the reason many snap at or bite people. 😬This can also cause a lot of behavioral issues because of layered stress due to forced interactions.

⚠️ If they are on lead, they have nowhere to go if they are sensitive to spatial pressure, so they can end up shutting down, shying away, or snapping at your hand to make you back off. This is an example of how a dog is now using pressure to turn off pressure & make you back off so they aren't so stressed.

⚠️ People think by offering your hand, it can give the dog time to sniff to know you're friendly... they can sniff without being forced to sniff your hand. Their noses are far more superior than ours, so they don't need close contact forced upon them to smell you.

⚠️Some dogs might not want to know you. You have no relationship with them and that's perfectly fine. They aren't your dog, so you don't need to touch them or steal pats for your own satisfaction.

🤔 So…what’s the right way to meet a dog?

✅Ask the owner if you can interact with their dog. Not everyone wants strangers to touch their dogs.

✅Stand up straight & relaxed, with your hands at your side.

✅Ignore the dog & talk to the owner.

✅Don't stare at the dog or try to force an interaction by going in for a pat. If the dog wants to know you, it will come up to you and sniff around. They will usually move away and then come back for a second sniff.

✅Some dogs will bunt your hands and wag their tails, which are good signs that you're likely an accepted new friend. Give them a few slow pats down their back (NOT THEIR HEAD) and then stop.

🐶 Is the dog happy? Has it accepted your interaction? This will determine whether you can give it more pats. And it's a more stress-free option for dogs and a better way to develop a good level of trust, especially with fearful dogs & aggressive dogs, without a bunch of negative side effects from forced interactions.

All too often, dogs are surrendered to the shelter after biting someone who unintentionally forced an interaction that made the dog uncomfortable. Please share this important information to prevent well-meaning humans from getting hurt and pups from losing their homes!

*Thank you to Eureka Dog Services for sharing this great information!

Victoria stillwell always has such great articles!

Canine Fear of Children It is very normal for dogs to be scared of children or one particular child, especially if they have not been raised with children or have been teased by them in the past.

Using Food in Dog Training While each dog is different and some may be turned on by praise, play, toys, or other rewards, very often food is that primary motivating force and can be a powerful tool for shaping new behaviors and helping anxious, fearful and aggressive dogs.

5 WAYS YOU MAY BE PUTTING YOUR KIDS IN DANGER AROUND DOGS - The Family Dog Chances are, yes! … and NOT because you’re a bad parent, but because sadly, dogs are SO OFTEN misunderstood. While we're flooded with "training" tips for dogs - there's not much easily-accessible info on really seeing the world through their eyes.

Another great article. This one, about that "crazy" hyperactive dog

OVER AROUSAL:
One of the hardest things for people to understand in their dogs:

"Oh, he's just so excited!"
"He just loves other dogs."
"He needs discipline!"
"He's trying to be the alpha!” (Which isn't even a thing)
"He needs to know it's unacceptable and he’s not the boss!"

However, what people don't realize is that this behavior is a sign of underlying stress. This overarousal is due to the surge of stress chemicals in their body (from excitement, frustration, fear) and that makes it incredibly hard to think clearly, stay still and retain information.

Add to this an uncomfortable training collar, or continually hitting the end of the leash, an owner who jerks the leash, a barking dog, or a loud environment, and you've got the perfect storm for a dog who started as slightly frustrated and is now a full blown chronically anxious dog, or a dog who is very friendly, but suddenly just bit a dog/child/person.

Most people try to teach using positive reinforcement WHILE their dog is over aroused and don't find success, or get frustrated and try to scold or physically punish a dog, adding to the stress they already have. If you see these behaviors, think to yourself, "My dog can't handle this situation" and just move your dog further away. Distance is your friend. Exposure to the situation at a distance they can think clearly is the fastest way to get the results you want, and then you can begin to move closer, once they have the skills. Build on success, not failures.

We don't put 16 year old new drivers on the busiest highway at rush hour to learn to drive. We start on side streets, and build skills, number of cars and speed as they can handle it. Treat your dog the same way!

Your dog isn't giving you a hard time. Your dog is having a hard time and needs your support and guidance, not your frustration.

WELL, WHAT DO I DO IF MY DOG DISPLAYS THESE BEHAVIORS THEN?

First, do not punish, leash correct or scold, or try to control your dog physically. This causes the dog to disengage from you even further. Just leave the situation. They clearly are struggling and need help.

1. Figure out the triggers that cause this behavior. Then, temporarily stop those from happening, or manage them until he has better skills to handle it. Management includes leashes, gates, crates, different paths to walk, stuffed kongs, stopping dog park/doggie daycare visits, etc.

2. Lower his every day stress. Increase mental stimulation and proper exercise (not stress inducing, but stress-lowering). Prevent him from seeing triggers, and give a better enrichment regimen that uses his nose first and foremost. Make sure all of his needs are met (mental, physical, social, biological) by using the Hierarchy of Dog Needs. The most important is the safety and trust aspect.

3. Teach a calm, relax on a mat behavior, beginning at home with no distractions:

Relax on a Mat:http://www.dogsandbabieslearning.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Relax_on_a_mat.pdf

Karen Overall's Relaxation Protocol PDF:http://joyfuldogllc.com/jd/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Relaxation-for-Approach.pdf

4. Begin applying this mat behavior to different environments - I call this "Watch the World Go By". Sitting off to the side and hanging out on a parkbench, far enough away that the dog sees distractions/triggers, but is not overexcited or overaroused by it. This is desensitization. Some people like to give a peanut butter Kong or high value chew. This is counter conditioning.

5. Over time, as the dog becomes more desensitized to these triggers and you've moved closer, you can begin a training game like Engage/Disengage: https://www.choosepositivedogtraining.com/single-post/2014/07/01/The-Practice-of-SelfInterruption-The-EngageDisengage-Game

This is a process because you're teaching a dog's brain how to relearn how to handle the world. That means undoing the current experiences he has, and building new ones. In order to promote calmness, a dog must be actually calm. This is an emotion, NOT a behavior. Calmness is built over time, and always when the dog is already calm and underthreshold.

And lastly, check out this culmination of MORE stuff you can do if your dog is highly stressed, reactive or overaroused: https://stacythetrainer.blogspot.com/2017/04/stop-walking-your-dog.html?m=1

Need more ideas or tips? Feel free to message me! 😁

This is a wonderful article that should be the main goal in any training program!!

Why Dogs’ Happiness, Not Obedience, Is What Counts When we focus on making dogs happy, it’s better for them and us.