Teach your dog 🐕 AWESOME recall!!
Recall is a BIG ask of our dogs - leave something you want to sniff, eat, check-out, etc. and come back to me.
And oftentimes, we expect our recall to work out on a trail or in busy parks (like this one) without practicing in our own backyard first!!
There are many ways to build skills for total off-leash freedom, and this fun game builds your dog's engagement AND their recall skills! Nice!
Get excited with your dog and try this game out! Grab some high-value treats and practice moving around and recalling your pup. TIP: The quieter the environment and the higher the value of your food reward, the easier this game will be! 👍
There are other variations to this game and different reward methods you can use. Mister Zeffo sure had fun with this one - give it a try! 🎉
Be sure to share your videos and TAG STC so we can share it 😁 #dogtraining #dogs #fun #treats
STC Training Walks with Nala and Gus!
Nala took over to tell you guys about her training walk from today 😁 🐕
Both these pups struggle with noise sensitivity, fear of objects, people, and dogs, and are working on improving their leash walking skills since their owner is waiting on surgery.
Both pups are very energetic and love training, so lots of progress has been made. They've even managed to get rid of their pinch collars and have become more accustomed to busy stores like Home Depot!
If you think training walks would be a good option for you, please reach out to STC Chilliwack to learn more! We also have a link in our bio 😊
#trainingwalks #trainingtips #boxers #dogtrainer #pets #funtraining #dogs
Holidays with our pets! 🎁
There are many tips and tricks for handling the holiday season with our dogs, but this is just a short clip going over the basics!
Ideally, we want our dogs to feel safe, comfortable and happy.
If at any point your dog's body language begins to seem stressed or over-stimulated, try and change the environment so they might feel more comfortable. Watch for excessive panting/drooling/pacing, avoidant/hiding behavior, "whale-eye," or tail tucking. If you notice any one of these signs, err on the side of caution.
Here are some ideas of management strategies:
🛌 Bring your dog's bed with them to friends' and family's houses
🐾 Practice setting your dog up behind a baby gate or in another room in case they need a break
🐕 Bring some toys and treats if you suspect they might be nervous or uncertain of all the commotion
✨️ Prepare to sacrifice some time with your friends and family to help your dog feel comfortable
ShadyTreeCanines is available to help set you and your dog up for success this holiday season! Let us know if you would like some advice, and we can set up a short virtual call or an in-person training session. Happy Holidays! 🎄 🎁
Week 4 of Cooperative Care 🐾
Yes, I missed last week! Whoops! That's okay because Valen and I still made some great progress!
Now she allows me to touch, scrape, and rub her teeth! 👏 This will all help desensitize her to the scrubbing sensation of the toothbrush!
I really appreciate how filming these weekly updates helps me realize my own mistakes as well! It's like an instant replay in a sports game 🏒
📝 Here are a few key things I note while training coop care:
- I develop clear and predictable communication! I say "Teeth!" and show my hand before I move to touch her mouth so she understands what's coming next.
- I try to give frequent breaks! Adding motion and games that Valen already knows helps release a bit of anxiety associated with desensitization.
- I notice my mistakes! As we move farther with coop care, I want to improve my skills too. It's helpful to record and watch our sessions back so I can correct them in the future!
My cat Maggie got in on some training this week, too 😉 🐈
Week 2 of Cooperative Care ✨️
I love this routine! It gives me some one on one time with Valen (plus our 🐈 Maggie) and helps me notice how quickly her body language changes.
A couple of things I want to point out: try to keep sessions short and fun! Too much pressure can lead to building a negative association with the whole setup. I filmed this while boiling my pasta for dinner 😆
I also was able to incorporate some play at the end! Valen's body language really loosened up when I did that, and it is something I'll be trying more in the future! Always learning 🐶
When working on desensitization like this, progress will look different for everyone. Valen is quite sensitive to touch, so I want to take my time and ensure that she doesn't feel extra pressure or stress from me. She's definitely improved as 2 or 3 times this week she hasn't moved away, lip licked, or side-eyed me, and I've been able to successfully her teeth! 🎉
Furtastic Friday's 🐾 - Cooperative Care Edition
I'll be focusing on posting Valen's Cooperative Care journey over the next couple of weeks, so let's break down what's going on here!
What is Cooperative Care? 🤔
Coop Care is a collaboration between dog and owner. Instead of needing to hold your dog down to trim their nails, we work on changing their emotional response to care while also encouraging them to communicate when they've had enough ❌️
Everything is on their terms - not ours! (patience is key here 😉)
Allowing our dogs to opt out of care allows them to control the pace, builds trust between owners and their pups, and keeps care fun and easy!
The Beginning 🐶
Valen has already been conditioned that the mat and me sitting on the ground is "the beginning" of any Coop Care process we go through. Essentially, I reinforce her when she's on the mat, and she chooses which position she's in for training!
I'm currently focusing on teeth brushing and nail trimming with her, but you can add Cooperative Care to any part of grooming or husbandry!
Coop Care is a neat area of training that I'm still learning about, so stay tuned for more videos like this!
