Pawtential Dog Training

01/01/2026

18/12/2025

Session/Day Six of teaching Koda to weave through my legs.
And let’s try weaving while we walk!

Look at the progress! Koda is learning to focus with the ball present. And in a new environment. I’m beginning to replace food with the ball.

The reinforcements used in training sessions in order of value approximately have been:
1) fried salmon skin
2) soccor ball
3) GF beef sausage
4) dried liver
5) praise
6) pats/sweet talking

I used medium value food initially (sausage, liver) to train the foundation skills.

Highest value reinforcements can trigger an emotional state that interferes with focus, memory, learning. They are of value once muscle memory of foundation behaviour is in place.
Then we will be working on speed and reps to strengthen and build the end result.

We have four days left!
Keen to see how much more we can achieve!

17/12/2025

Great progress! Session Five and weaving between my legs is flowing well.

This session I experimented with changes to rate of reinforcement (how often reinforcement is given) and types of reinforcement.

Balls can’t be introduced too early when teaching Koda something new as they are too high value to her and she loses the ability to think. They are a distraction. I decided at this point to bring out her ball and sure enough she couldn’t follow my instruction. I was using sausage to reinforce but it wasn’t enough to keep her focus on me while I had the ball in my hand.

And then I brought out the fried salmon skin!
I didn’t think anything could override a ball for Koda. The speed with which Koda weaved between my legs increased.

A great training session thanks to fried salmon skin! Koda practised focusing in the presence of a ball and she practised weaving at a faster pace.

Choice of reinforcers will impact progress and outcome!

16/12/2025

Decided with just ten days left together to see how far I’d get teaching Koda to weave between my legs.

See first video for sessions one and two. It’s shows how I get started.

In session four I reduced the rate of reinforcement and was asking for three weaves before reinforcing.

I’m aiming to set up for success even when changing criteria. So I’m careful to ask for what I’m confident Koda can do. Therefore only the behaviour I’m wanting gets repeated and strengthened.

14/12/2025

Expanding on Koda’s agility jumping skills.

We practised jumping 180 degrees with two jumps. We challenge this skill by gradually moving the jumps further apart.

We also practised the beginnings of a serpentine where eventually there are three jumps navigated moving away over the first one, back in towards the handler on the second then out away from the handler on the third jump.

Less than 10 days left looking after Koda before she moves overseas with her family. Will make the most of our time left!

13/12/2025

My housesit job with Koda finishes December 22nd. Ten days away.

I’m going to see how far I can get teaching “weave between my legs” in that time.

My training approach is known by many words such as force-free, fear-free, positive, reward-based, choice training.

The aim is to teach an animal to want to do the behaviour we request. As opposed to an animal doing as we request out of fear as to what might happen if they don’t!

Force free training results in a happy, confident dog that’s busting to be asked to do something as there is always something amazing coming to them as a result.

04/12/2025

Such a good feel when a dog chooses you over anything else in the environment 💜
Hanging out together doing slow and still.

I like when I’m in that mode of being present.
There’s space for noticing, observing and connecting.

The magpie in the tree was there alone for a lengthy time. Head tucked in. Had me wondering if it needed help.

Tiny spider covered in spikes? I assume for ptotection?

The daisies I planted and forgot about.
Fun to see they were thriving despite neglect.

Huge mushrooms! Edible? 🤔

24/11/2025

mindDog assists mental health sufferers to train and certify psychiatric assistance dogs.

These dogs assist people with mental health disorders whose lives are often severely compromised by anxiety and fear.

With their mindDog they are able to travel on public transport, access public places and take part in social activities which have been closed off to them.

mindDog enforces force free training only

21/11/2025

Mat Training with Rennie!

A jumpy start. Not unusual in a young dog. I stay calm. I don’t respond with negative noises. My tone of voice remains encouraging and reassuring. I want Rennie to fully enjoy training with me.

Rennie caught on quickly as to what behaviour would get her a piece of beef sausage!

First step is to encourage onto the mat. I don’t add more than that to start. She can choose to stand or sit. She starts to adopt a sit position and because the treat is delivered when she is sitting, she believes that’s what she needs to do.

I then introduce lying down on the mat and because she gets the treat when lying down, it gets easier to prompt her to take up this position. It’s a position that encourages relaxation.

The mat becomes a place of comfort, safety and rest time. She has freedom to leave. She chooses to stay as I’ve built value into the mat.

14/11/2025

Frankie and Koda are helping me put together videos showing some beneficial skills to teach dogs in a multidog household. It’s fun having a household of dogs. I have plenty of experience with this environment. Experience also when it comes with conflict and stress.This video shows me practising mat work. I would normally start with each dog on their own. Frankie has done mat training and Koda just a little. I wanted to see if we could all work together. You can tell which one is Frankie. I’ll work with Koda some more at her home on our own. Frankie belongs to the house where I normally live. I live in Koda’s house with her while her family are away. I highly recommend mat training. The goal is that each dog is able to have their own spot for downtime, free from another dog invading their personal space. It becomes a place they seek out for comfort, safety, rest, solitude and to bring arousal levels down.Watch our progress and observe the benefits unfold!

10/11/2025

I’ve been introducing Frankie and Koda very carefully.

Koda is a 4yr old, friendly, bouncy dog who doesn’t always recognise another dogs “no” or “that’s too much for me”. She can be confused by these signals.

Frankie has an unknown history. She is suspected to be about 11yrs. She has shown a “short fuse” when it comes to other dog’s behaviour. She can leap to “p___ off” bypassing the more polite “No” canine signals. Although definitely improving over the years.

Some behaviour I took note of in these videos that helped me assess how they are progressing in their relationship….

- Both Frankie and Koda’s rigid stance
- Koda ‘shaking off’
- Piloerection (hair standing up on Koda’s shoulders and lower back)
- Let’s sniff!
- Koda body blocking Frankie
- Frankie moving slowly around Koda
- Frankie’s floppy bouncy arrival to me

If you want to know what these behaviours were communicating to each dog and to me, ask in the comments!

01/11/2025

Koda and I share a love of balls and any game we can come up with revolving around them. This is our newest.

How many juggles from the right hand can I get in before Koda sends the ball back to me.