Make your playtime valuable

Playtime can be an incredibly valuable time for you to build your relationship with your dog… if you take the time to set it up.

In this video, Scout is helping me demonstrate the difference between passive and enriching playtime. Anytime we can get our dogs to be mentally and physically engaged, they will get more out of their time with us. We can also use this time to incorporate impulse control and basic commands! This was our morning training session, but Scout was having so much fun, she didn’t even notice!

How much are you feeding your dog?

Let’s talk about portion sizes. How much is your “scoop” of food? A scoop to you might be 8 ounces, a scoop to me two overflowing cups, and a scoop to the guy down the street might be a handful.

In order to make sure that your dog is getting the proper nutrients that it needs, we really need to be looking at portion sizes on the food label. This will show you how much to feed your dog based either on your dog’s weight or kcals per serving. Here’s a more in-depth explanation from the Cummings Veterinary Medical Center: https://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2016/11/what-are-these-numbers-nutrition-math-101/

Don’t guess how much to feed your dog. Age, breed, and activity level are all factors when determining how much to feed your dog. Just like humans, dogs need the proper nutrients to fuel their day. But too much food, and you will start to notice weight gain which could lead to decreased energy, joint pain, and a multitude of other health issues.

If you’re not sure, ask your vet. They know your dog’s health history and will be able to give you the best advice to keep your dog happy and healthy.

Building focus with food

Is your dog easily distracted? Does she ignore you whenever anything catches her attention? Start having her work for her food! This will teach her that you are valuable and worth paying attention to. Plus, you’ll be able to get lots of repetitions in for any new skills that she’s working on. It’s a win-win!

Does your dog really know “sit”?

I often hear people say: “my dog knows how to sit, so we can skip over this step”. But can your dog sit in a variety of situations, for different people, and around lots of distractions? Your dog may know how to get into a sit, but that is just the first step to teaching a solid command. Once your dog knows how to sit, teach them how to do it anywhere, anytime, and for anyone. Then repeat that for every command that they know. Yes, it’s a lot of work. But the results are well worth it. If you want a dog that you can take anywhere, you need to take the time to develop solid behaviors.

You get what you pet

Have you ever heard someone say “you get what you pet”? We’re talking about your dog’s energy and behavior.

Petting is incredibly rewarding for your dog. When you pet your dog, you are essentially telling her that whatever she just did or is currently doing is good and earns her a reward. So if you pet your dog when she is panicked, jumping, barking, or whining, you are telling her that those behaviors will get her your attention. And if she gets your attention through these behaviors, she’ll start doing them more often.

On the other hand, if you pet your dog when she greets you calmly, sits quietly while you make dinner, and patiently watches the mailman walk past, then she’s going to understand that calm behaviors earn your attention.

You can influence what behaviors your dog exhibits simply by choosing when you pet your dog. If you are struggling with your dog’s behavior, start paying attention to when you pet her. You may just find that you are unknowingly rewarding her for behaviors that you don’t want.

Hank vs. the vacuum: an underwhelming story

Hank struggled with the vacuum when I first brought it out, so I wanted to turn this into a teaching moment because lots of dogs struggle with this. However, this fast learner only needed one correction to understand that he couldn’t chase the vacuum. So the video itself is underwhelming. You won’t see a big transformation or any huge learning moments for him. But we do go over lots of important information and strategies on introducing your dog to new distractions in their environment, which is why I felt that this video was still worth posting.

Does your dog struggle around vacuums, brooms, doorbells, etc? Then this video is for you!

Step three for the place command: distractions

We’ve shown you how to introduce your dog to the cot, how to layer in the e-collar, and now we’re going to show you how to start adding in distractions. This step is really what we’re all working towards, but don’t forget to start slow with our first two videos to make sure that your dog has a good understanding of the place command before moving on to this step.

Anytime you’re teaching a new command, start inside in familiar environments with low distractions. As your dog shows they understand the expectation, then you can add bigger distractions and in more challenging environments. Remember, this is all about making your dog successful, so start slow and don’t add on until they show you they’re ready.

Work hard for the big rewards

I love those ears!

This was such a sweet moment in Molly’s training that I wanted to share with you all. Molly came in pulling at the end of the leash. And I mean PULLING. As in, you better not let go of that leash because she did not want to be attached to you. She was interested in everything but you.

We’ve been working so hard on teaching her to prioritize us over the environment. She’s been learning that there is a time for sniffing and playing, and there is a time to hang out by my side. Her leash skills have come along so nicely that it’s like she’s not even there at times. She will choose to sit next to me outside instead of chasing every scent in the air. She offers eye contact freely.

We pulled all of this together and went on a nice long walk yesterday. We paused for a break at the pier, and Molly calmly and willingly sat by my side to take in the refreshing breeze. There was no pulling, no whining because she couldn’t chase the ducks, no jumping to go say hi to people that walked by. You could see how relaxed and comfortable she was. To outsiders, this would have looked like an insignificant moment in our day. But to Molly, this moment was huge and I’m so proud of her.

This is what training is all about. The hard work. The long hours. The frustrating moments when you feel like you have no idea what you’re doing. It’s all leading up to something beautiful. Keep going – your dog will thank you for opening up their world!