Always Pawsitive Dog Training

The Greensboro NW3 Trial, although extremely rainy and cold, was a fun one. Rock and I got a surprise 1st Place in interiors (2 searches), and a qualifying score! One more Q to move to Elite!

Let's work on Relaxation!

Great graphic and even better advice.

Credit:

Shop local! If your pup needs some new toys, tasty chews and treats (try the baked goods) shop at your local Durham Oliver's Collar!!!

As retail becomes more difficult to operate in the new normal where employees leave for a gig economy and customers prefer an at home click and ship option, I am forced to truncate my hours. Please support local. Every week. In some way. Thank you so very much for your support.

These dogs really are everywhere.
They are often mislabeled as friendly by the guardian/owner as that is how they are seen by them.....They barge right in to "play" with other dogs the second the lead is taken off, before then they are straining, bursting out of their skin to get to whatever they are desiring at the time....and allowing dogs to do this is half the issue.

This behaviour has been rewarded by the "play" and fun of interacting.....Why would they behave any other way around other dogs?
They are not friendly.
Dogs do not consider these dogs friendly either.
Why?
These dogs take no time to assess the situation, their energy is off the charts and they immediately assert themselves into play, and demand interaction from other dogs.

They cannot read cues, or they completely ignore them when given by other dogs.
Reading other dogs play styles is non existent.
Focusing on you or redirecting is impossible.
There is absolutely no impulse control or emotional self regulation.

These dogs are often seen at a dog park running from dog to dog in a hyper aroused state and they often have an almost manic appearance, all of this causes fights, injury, stress and is a direct causation of reactivity occurring in either dog.

I have used the term "socialisation" but socialisation is NOT play....it never was....it is about calmly accepting other dogs exist through controlled exposure.
That calmness allows self regulation, allows reading cues from others and impulse control is practiced.
As a society we have a twisted view that socialisation means dogs play with all other dogs....and they should get on.
The reality of TRUE socialisation is the opposite.

If you do have a dog that has these issues...you can help (but if you reach out to a good behaviour modification trainer, you will save yourself years and years of issues).

Teach engagement with you in ever increasing distractions.
Practice and learn calmness....it is a skill.
Manage the environment for calm and limited exposure at a distance....and reward calm.
Praise and reward when they look away from the other dogs....that IS praise worthy.
Mental enrichment with these dogs helps everything.
Learn the body language of your dog (and others).

You are not alone in struggling with this behaviour, it is very common.
Take a chance that your dog CAN behave in a different way, they just need to be shown how by you or a great trainer.

Limit where and when they can practice this behaviour......and most important dog parks and meeting endless other dogs will do nothing but fuel all of this behaviour.

You can send a message directly to Always Pawsitive Dog Training.

Kirby started her training as a hyped up, jumpy, nippy, frustrated teenager. She is now focused and calm so both she and her owner can relax and enjoy their time together!

Very happy to hear that the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior published a study that scientifically proves that physical punishment to train a dog is not needed and if fact has lasting long term negative effects on dogs.
https://avsab.org/why-you-need-to-reward-your-dog-in-training-according-to-the-experts/

It's hard to resist the cuteness of a baby Corgi! 9 weeks old and already learning great foundations for life as an amazing dog.

Having a reactive dog can be stressful, but imagine the stress your dog is feeling! I am seeing more and more reactive dogs nowadays and we always start with a week or two of what I call "Stress Detox".
If you have a dog who has become anxious, stressed, or reactive on their walks, give us a call, we can help!

If your dog is struggling with anxiety or reactivity, the best place to start your training is with something we call a “cortisol holiday”.
Whenever a dog is stressed, their body releases stress hormones like cortisol. These hormones are designed to do things like increase the heart rate and blood pressure, and ensure the body’s cells are fueled with energy. This means that a stressed dog is ready for action; the famous fight or flight.

Acute stress is useful for preparing an animal to deal with a threatening situation, but chronic stress can be very detrimental. If a dog is entering a stressed state frequently, the stress hormones will begin to build to higher and higher levels. Many reactive dogs have become stuck in a pattern of an ever increasing build up of stress hormones, without the chance to return to normal in between. While the dog is bubbling over with so much stress, it’s very difficult to make progress with reducing their reactivity or anxiety.

To kick-start your training, plan out a period of at least two weeks where you systematically reduce or eliminate stressful events in your dog’s life. Start by making a list of your dog’s triggers; situations that cause them to go into fight and flight mode. Work your way through the list and brainstorm ways to avoid each trigger, or at least lessen their impact on your dog. For example, if one of your dog’s triggers is the sight of another dog, you could change the time of day or location of your walks to avoid encountering any other dogs, or even avoid walks altogether during the cortisol holiday and replace them with mental and physical enrichment at home. If your dog is triggered by the sight of people walking past your house, you could attach some frosted glass window film to your front facing windows. If your dog is reactive to noises from your neighbours you can play some white noise or a radio to muffle the triggering sounds. It won’t necessarily be possible to eliminate every trigger, but the more you can avoid the greater the benefit to the dog.

Once your dog has completed their cortisol holiday, they’ll be in a much better place to start working on learning to relax around their triggers.

If your dog struggles with anxiety or reactivity a professional behaviour consultant can assist you to develop a training plan to help your dog learn to be confident and relaxed around their triggers. The goal when working with these dogs should always be to address the emotion underlying the behaviour, rather than just trying to stop the symptoms.
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Check out Beacon Dog Training’s upcoming seminar “Stress & Anxiety In Dogs: Helping Complicated Canines” running on Wednesday 1st September at 6:00pm at our Carrara, QLD facility: https://www.facebook.com/events/165859538814964

Julep is such a gem and just finished her Reactive Rover Program! She has a bit of 'stranger danger' and is working through seeing new people without getting overwhelmed and barking. She also used to constantly pull on the leash, but can now go on walks with loose leash and has learned to pay more attention to her owners when out.

**Calling All Doggie Models**
We are updating the website and looking for some new pictures of your wonderful pups!

Please post your favorite photos of your dogs, especially those action shots like playing their favorite game, practicing their training skills, even those pups behaving badly pics.

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