The Mindful Pupper

It happened again, as it does every week, I was out with Detmer and someone started up a conversation and eventually asked how they can certify their dog as a service dog.
Then again in our reactive dog class someone asked how they can make their dog brewery dog.

I'm playing around ways to answer these questions while framing work boundaries (having business cards helps). I try to frame it as 1) have you engaged in this level of training before? and 2) does your dog want to do that? Guaranteed, the responses are how much their dog loves them and will do anything for them.

The nuances are many. The background knowledge and experience those of us who have been doing this professionally for years and work in multiple venues is invaluable to the conversation.

I cannot say if a dog loves someone or not, that is complicated, but I can say that in my experience there are a number of reasons dogs will do things they don't actually want to do. And that is not a long term sustainable dynamic.

So how do you know if they want to? Well that's based on the team, but the training relationship part of that comes first. And that's where I come in. I want to help you build up that training relationship to at least test these goals. I am opening up private lessons again and planning some group courses around environmental stability, trust building, and opt-in (or out) options for service dogs.

I am often accused of avoiding training, when I hide my reactive dog behind a tree or a car, as another dog passes, but in reality I am trying to ensure we continue to progress with training. Not every situation or environment is conducive to learning. In order, to ensure training is successful, we need to prevent opportunities for the behaviour to be practiced, between structured sessions to modify the behaviour. If we don't implement management and we allow our dog to go over their coping threshold and display reactive behaviour, it hinders training progress, regardless of how well the sessions are going. It can be a case of one step forwards and three steps back.

Therefore, if a dog is off-lead, if the dog's proximity is too close or the environment is too distracting, I will avoid that dog, block my dog's vision or lead him away with an emergency cue and treat. I will wait until the circumstances and environment are safe and appropriate for training. Doing this, prevents trigger stacking and ensures my dog is beginning to build up a history of positive experiences with other dogs. Other management for reactive behaviour may include:

- Choosing walking environments carefully.
- Avoiding busy times for dog walkers.
- Blocking visuals in the window or door in the home.
- Eliminating stressors where possible.
- Increasing the distance between your dog and others.
- Changing direction or routes to avoid dogs.
- Scatter feeding as a distraction.
- Having breaks from walks.
- Providing enrichment for decompression.

Management comes in many forms and should be used to address a variety of behavioural struggles. It is a necessary part of training and behaviour modification. Its why we call it 'the magic of management.' It is not the avoidance of training but the preservation of progress! - Holly Leake

Back home with a fully schedule but FIRST I got to temperament test this litter of nuggets.

Spent a few days doing some personal adventuring before headed home after the CU conference.

I’ve been able to do some minor reflection and am looking forward to building on to the talks from this weekend.

In the meantime: this was Detmers longest flight, longest travel, first conference… really the list goes on. She did amazing but when I planned I didn’t account for things going wrong. We rallied so much and were able to hold onto some brains for the trip home.

Keep an eye out for things that we did to help ensure a safe travel day home.

Presentation complete! You all were so nice in the video comments.

This was such an amazing weekend and I am so thankful for the opportunity.

And we are off!
CU in Public this Sunday at www.UnleashTheRainbow.com

Virtual spots are still available! I hear there will be options for interacting and asking questions to the presenters!

Where can you find Control Unleashed, the Resilience Rainbow, AND Service Dog content? At the Unleash the Rainbow Conference coming up this weekend!
Virtual spots are still available!
At UnleashTheRainbow.com

Omg y’all…. It’s happening / almost here.

Finalizing some slides for my presentation for the upcoming Control Unleashed conference. In a few days we will be on our way! First conference for Det.

https://www.unleashtherainbow.com/

I'm getting super excited for upcoming Control Unleashed conference.

I was able to join Flash of Brilliance Behavior Consulting on their podcast to discuss Unleashing Resilience in Service Dog training. We chat about tasking, sudden environment changes, balancing uncertainty and our own disabilities while building resilient working dogs.

Unleashing Assistance Dogs with Paul Grossart by The Brilliant Dog Pod Unleash the Rainbow Conference July 11-14, 2024 https://www.unleashtherainbow.com/ Leslie's Friends of Control Unleashded facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/419113494071244 Everything Control Unleashed page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552025090557 If you'd like t...

Though I won’t be discussing SD assessments in depth at the I will definitely be touching upon some big aspects of temperament for baseline understanding of approaching CU games for the concept.

This awesome episode of Research Bites talks about some great areas that overlap with SD traits and evaluations.

““Where we can't have too much arousal because that interferes with this more cognitive aspects of these executive control skills, but then if you don't have enough, the dog's not motivated enough to engage in the task.”

From Research Bites Podcast: #21 - Dr. Lucia Lazarowski - Odor and cognition, working dogs, resilience and arousal, May 30, 2024
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/research-bites-podcast/id1623088284?i=1000657343428
This material may be protected by copyright.

‎Research Bites Podcast: #21 - Dr. Lucia Lazarowski - Odor and cognition, working dogs, resilience and arousal on Apple Podcasts ‎Show Research Bites Podcast, Ep #21 - Dr. Lucia Lazarowski - Odor and cognition, working dogs, resilience and arousal - May 30, 2024

Where does your dog go in public restrooms?

If you think practicing potty schedule and surfaces for SDs get under looked… we clients talk even less about their own needs and habit when out and about.

I hate public restrooms as much as the next disabled trans human but when we gotta go we can hopefully find a safe place and way to do so.

Short tips:
🚽Practice a specific protocol at home.
🚽Make looking at, walking by, and adventuring into restrooms part of your routine (or save it for days you have that extra spoon).
🚽Take advantage of single stall, “family”, and/or accessible restrooms and make note of location.
🚽Restroom floors are gross, practice a stand-stay just in case.
🚽Last but not least-impulse control games around NOT drinking from toilets! 😂

Miss my in-person workshop Happy Dog Institute earlier this month?

Well you are in luck! Join me and 16 amazing presenter at Control Unleashed Conference. We will be joining forced with the Resilience Rainbow and really highlighting the overlap between pattern games and neuroscience of stability.

https://www.unleashtherainbow.com/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0Oj4mxnGkU9oTK2Z-4Uk9XZnch2B92yBMDrUo7ZM7OTd-Y-BW004W_TOw_aem_eFh_MsG1kiH0atpZi_ufRQ

Control Unleashed Conference 2024 What do you get when you cross Control Unleashed with the Resilience Rainbow? You get the most epic, rainbow-filled collaborative conference ever—17 Instructors, 27 Sessions, and 3+ Days! Whether you're a behavior geek who loves pattern games and neuroscience, a trainer or instructor looking for i...

I'm so proud of these graduates!

I've been co-teaching our Chaotic Canine Class at Happy Dog Institute for over two years and love how much progress we see over the course.

It always starts off feeling a bit slow, but that just means once everyone is ready to add distractions the behaviors we prefer to see are stronger than ever.

Way to go teams!

Congratulations to these recent Chaotic Canine graduates!

We got a little bit excited about the progress and tried a group photo and it worked!

In preparation for my presentation at the Unleash the Rainbow conference I am working with to host a specific workshop for advancing pattern games for more complex environments.

Though this was created with service dogs in mind, the concepts apply to any dog that will be experiencing more unpredictable environments. This includes sport dogs, therapy dogs, service dogs... and any dog that you hope to join you in pet friendly outings and adventures!

Check out my bio for registration options (auditing spots are almost full!)

Working hard preparing for this amazing talk.

Join in me Massachusetts (or virtually)at this wonderful crossover conference for Control Unleashed and Resilience Rainbow!

https://www.unleashtherainbow.com/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0QryHbU4_6BkGwARiW67juBolkiiio1tF_rXhMV8gXZ0OhRWxyrUSa81k_aem_AdfGJgbU68tkfMAll5g90oHkYnIWaWHykd_KxR0Zyvc8RIXxNvSmuYhmj3HCQmly4PqhM_ad87HmXyMV3BrjdME0

Control Unleashed Conference 2024 What do you get when you cross Control Unleashed with the Resilience Rainbow? You get the most epic, rainbow-filled collaborative conference ever—17 Instructors, 27 Sessions, and 3+ Days! Whether you're a behavior geek who loves pattern games and neuroscience, a trainer or instructor looking for i...

Public Access rights will be extended to include service dogs in training in the state of WA starting June 6th!

Honestly, I have been so back and forth about how to navigate the laws in WA. Though I feel confident about my ability to work with clients to get PA access experience while in the early stages of training, there is always that line we are walking as we progress.

Hoping with these adjustments there will be continued public conversations about when a dog is ready for certain situations, and when they are not.

lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov

Almost 10 years since I started getting into the world of service dogs and it's time for some self reflection on things that I am glad I have improved on.

It's a more text heavy post (Video to come!) but for now, I wanted to write down the main areas I wish I had taken more seriously when I was first getting started.

1) Don't undervalue the settle
2) Practice taking up space
3) Personalize your tasks
4)Assume people will touch your dog

What are things you wish you had taken more seriously OR learned to take more seriously in your dog training journey?

what an amazing visual!

In the SD world we talk about what is appropriate for size/ when it's appropriate to even think about certain tasks for dogs. I think actually being able to get a sense of what that means is really important as well.

Of course this is an average and is dependent on dog.

𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 are found in young dog's bones. They are a place where bone cells grow, mature and calcify. Their main job is growing the length and width of the bone. Closed growth plate (solidifies into bone) means that the bone is done growing. It is the weakest part of the growing bone and can be damaged (fractures, stress injuries), resulting in possible growth deformities.

𝐃𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐣𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬, so doing too much of the same thing is not good with them. It's better to strive for less repetitions/time and more diversity in exercise or training. This does not refer to not exercise pups at all, they need and benefit from various activities and exercises, but there are certainly some things we as dog owners can put some limits to in order to avoid putting excessive stress on their growing structures.

𝐃𝐎𝐍'𝐓𝐬
❌ Long walks or hikes, where your pup is not able to take some rest or go at his own pace
❌ Repetitive starts and stops like running after and stopping for a ball
❌ Jumping off objects (such as from the sofa, or down the higher objects in the environment), repetitive running up and down the steep hills
❌ Repetitive tight turns around the objects, sudden stops (landing after jumps, or to pick up a toy), fast changes of direction

𝐃𝐎𝐬
✅ Instead of doing a 5km walk do two half an hour walks where your goal is not the distance but rather the different experiences your puppy can get exploring different terrains, sniffing, playing, etc.
✅ Find flat or slightly varied terrain to prevent running up/ down the hill, jumping off things
✅ Playing gentle tug, food games; nose work games such as searching for a toy or a treat in the grass
✅ Working on puppy manners and useful behaviours you will need when the puppy grows up (recall, leash walking, settling...)

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫: healthy puppies aren't made of glass, and shouldn't be kept on exercise restriction, but we should use a common sense when it comes to encouraged activities - for example instead of exploiting their natural instincts of chasing, by having them chase a toy until they drop down dead tired, spend rather some quality time with your pups with a variety of different lower-impact activities where you let your pup dictate his pace. This will help your dog grow in a confident, capable and fit young adult. ;)

This week I’m hosting a program dog who has been a bit under the weather.

Because barriers in my house are a normal part of our regular routine, it has made adding in and caring for other dogs super easy!

It’s so important to normalize and utilize separation.

Let's get real for a second.

The world often paints a picture that dogs who live together are best friends and do everything together.

This is just not true. Many many many multidog household utilize management in different situations to allow dogs personal space to enjoy things such as:

- feeding time
- chew time
- play time
- attention time

This. Is. Normal.

Just because someone utilizes management, doesn't mean their dogs don't enjoy each other's company or have fun together. It just means that there are certain activities that they prefer to do on their own.

And I will tell you firsthand that implementing safe space zones and time apart can be so beneficial to the relationship between two dogs.

Think about it-- do you enjoy doing every single activity that you do at home with your spouse, family, or sibling RIGHT there? I don't think so.

So let's normalize management between dogs who live together!!

Do you want to work on your dogs' relationship and/or interactions? Go to my website here to schedule a private consult: perkedears.com/private-training-sessions

Working with an adolescent service dog (in training) has giving me a lot to think about and fine tune when it comes to workability, and her feelings of safety in different environments. We can definitely see the effect of puberty and adolescence on the prefrontal cortex which brings to light common issues of "impulsivity", getting distracted easier, and making some "interesting" choices.

Text excerpt from"The Stress factor of Dogs by Kristina Spaulding": "Finally, stress impairs the function of the prefrontal cortex. Outside of scientific circles, the amygdala seems to get a lot more attention than the prefrontal cortex, but the prefrontal cortex plays a critically important role in fear and fear-related symptoms. One of the primary jobs of the prefrontal cortex is to regulate other brain areas. The prefrontal cortex helps regulate emotion, including fear and aggression (Siever, 2008). If the prefrontal cortex is damaged, it is less able to hold back strong emotions, leading to increased emotionality and impulsivity."

Ever encountered that reactive/aggressive dog on your stroll or at the shelter, struggling to find a home? Check out image below from "The Stress factor of Dogs by Kristina Spaulding"

Exploring a book that delves into internal dynamics, revealing how stress impacts outward behavior. Opting for shock or pinch collars doesn't address the root issue; they merely suppress behavior short-term, potentially creating a more dangerous stoic dog in the long run. Let's prioritize methods that genuinely benefit our pets' well-being. 🐾 Advocate for Vet Behaviorists first then trainers committed to our pets' welfare!

Beware of trainers suggesting shortcuts that may neglect the deeper needs of our furry friends. Ask if our approach supports their mental and internal well-being. Not all battles are visible, and L.E.G.S. offers a fresh perspective. Is your trainer embracing modern methods, or stuck in old-school ways? Check if they follow balanced(R+/LIMA) or neopopo approaches as a sign to caution yourself.

Grateful for today's research and courses, enabling continuous education to deepen understanding!

"but when do we get too..."

Is one of the most common questions we get, especially involving reactive or shy dogs. There are definitely milestones to look forward to in all training plans. But it's important to start slow so that everyone can build in strong foundations and resilience.

Our training plans focus on your dog as a whole. We want to see flexibility, stronger recoveries and, confident problem solving from everyone involved. It's important to slow down to get there, so that when it is time to include triggers back in, it's not a big event.

Accessibility: light tan dog is a purple ruffwear harness lays on grass staring at a distraction in the distance. The green grass and trees are blurred in the background. White text displays the quote "a reactive dog's progress may be slow, but each step forward is a testament to their resilience."

Wow friends! When did this happen?!?

Celebrating everyone who tries to create moments of mindfulness in their dogs journey!

Feedback from coaches, feedback from your dog, feedback from the environment. What are your favourite, or most helpful ways to unwrap it?

Personally, I like to sit back and make a list of what occurred so I can spend time thinking about separate pieces and what I change I can make in the future.

How are you at unwrapping feedback?

In Dog Training is a broad topic that is super important to me. Here are a few tips that I have found helpful in my own experience as well as with clients.

Top text read "limitation to cognitive functioning can be a barrier to making progress with your dog. Here are just a few tips and tricks." Centered Left is a lavender circle outlined in peach. Inside is a line image of a brain and reads "cognitive issues and dog training" From there lines connect a thin back circle to 5 different bubbles with the below talking points.

1) Break down goals into 3 actionable steps. Ex. no pulling = engagement, treat for distractions, hand targets.
2) Practice skills without your dog first. This includes timing and mechanics
3) Set a timer for each exercise or session and stick to it.
4) Prioritize teaching your dog to take breaks, either through games or providing enrichment puzzles.
5)Make your own "stop" cue.Pushing too hard can lead to exhaustion and avoidance later. Come up with 1-2 cues your body does, and take a break.

Share tips that have been helpful to you in your process below!

Well after a little under a year of studying, practicing, and making instructional videos.. I am officially a Certified Control Unleashed Instructor!

Those new here might not know that continuing education (learning and practicing skills) is something very dear to my heart, especially as Dog Training and Behavior remains an unregulated field.

This isn’t me but my friend Sarah will be holding CGC opportunities close to Seattle this weekend.

Need AKC testing for CGC or trick titles?

I'll be testing in Renton, WA this Sunday at 3:30, comment TEST below for more info or to sign up!

Things that we and our dogs have in common? Nervous system responses in the face of stress or danger.

We talk about emotional thresholds in dogs, and that's just how we (as trainers) explain these biological responses happening.

Another reason we might be asking you to feed your dog during a stressful time is to assess if their body is able to digest food... it's not just about providing distraction (but sometimes can be).

Credit to Deb Dana author of Poly Vagal Theory in Therapy

I'll be doing Canine Good Citizen testing at Happy Dog Institute January 28th!

Feel free to follow this link for registration
https://happydogins.dogbizpro.com/Public/Registration/Index.aspx

We have a few more spots left in our CGC testing workshop January 28th!

We welcome anyone testing with a purpose or just wanting a short opportunity to practice these skills with their pups. We will have 2 testers performing the tests.

ID: text describes a short summary of the main skills required for CGC testing such as sit, down, stay, sitting while strangers approach, and loose leash walking. Each core area includes a small visual example of a dog performing these skills.

DECOLONISING DOGS SERIES - #2.

Colonialism puts (certain) humans at the top, as “superior” to all other beings. All other beings should listen and comply to what we think is right for them.

The way this mindset seeps into our lives with our dogs is in the way we observe their behaviours and tend to categorise natural behaviours as “bad” and behaviours that comply with what we as humans demand as “good”.

Dogs engaging freely in their natural behaviours like sniffing p*e, marking, digging in what we see as “our yard”, rolling in something smelly, displaying excitement towards a stimulus they like, etc., get seen as “undesirable” or “too wild”. We see these as behaviours we have to limit so that they can be “obedient” and “balanced”.

On the other hand, dogs that keep quiet, don’t protest, and comply to the commands of their humans, even when doing so out of fear, are seen as “calm”, “well-behaved”, “loyal”, etc.

Even worse, there can be this idea that dogs who engage in their natural behaviours and aren’t “fully trained” aren’t “living up to their full potential” and we must expect and demand more of them.

We have to remember that our dogs’ natural behaviours, their interests, and their relationship with nature are all valid and something to be admired. They are not bogged down by this idea of achieving what we deem as “more in life”. Given the choice, they choose joy, and that’s them living their “full potential”.

While we have the responsibility to keep dogs in our lives safe which may mean at times limiting those choices, we can still acknowledge that we’re doing so because of the world we live in and then do our best to provide them the choice and outlets for natural behaviours as much as we can.

“Our dogs, our kin, that are allowed to live their lives with less colonial forces placed onto them choose joy a lot more it seems.” - Mel LAB: Ludar Animal Behavior & Consulting


ID: On a light beige background, a drawing of a pug looking dog has a sp*ech bubble near his head that reads “Decolonising Dogs #2. Appreciate natural behaviours over obedience and compliance to the human-centric idea of what’s considered “good”.”