Bushey K9 Training School

20/06/2025

18/06/2025

The 5 Second Rule you should actually follow!

Surface Temp/Heat Chart here--> https://bit.ly/3TIQ0tM

18/06/2025

What questions should we ask when training our dogs or teaching them anything (anything at all)?

Dogs live in a human world. We have to teach them to live in that world in a way that is kind, effective, and meets their needs. The starting point for our dogs lives is that we decide almost everything for them. We decided to breed them, to adopt them, to take them places, wamgat food they eat, where they sleep, what activities we do and so on.

Given this, it's imperative that we deeply consider what we do with them in relation to the behaviours, skills and habits we both develop.

1. Is this necessary? Not everything we do with our dogs is absolutely necessary, but it's a great starting point to determine whether we should or shouldn't teach it.

2. Does this enrich our dogs' lives? Do these activities provide mental, physical, social, emotional enrichment?

3. Is there any downside for the dog in this? It the activity night tick number 2, but if there's a downside, we might reconsider..

4. Is there an alternative activity/behaviour we can teach which meets 2 but has no, or less downside?

5. Is this for us or the dog? Confirmation shows are solely for tje human, as far as I'm concerned. Exaggerated breed standards are for human fancy. Oversized mastiffs, bulldogs, pugs, dachshunds etc are good examples of this. Dobermanns and Boxers where heart conditions are accepted as being "part of the breed" are another. All competion in dog sports is for the human, the sport itself, not necessarily so.

By considering these, and more, we put our dog's welfare at the forefront of what we do with them.

Can you think if any other questions I may have missed?

I know this post may be provocative (provoking thinking rather than emotional reaction is the goal). Long held thoughts, views, and beliefs may be challenged. If you have questions, please ask, I'll do my best to answer but I'd ask that you think about what I've written rather than using logical fallacies, those get tiresome and I have little time for them (they've been fault common of late).

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13/06/2025

Our new dog walking chart for the upcoming heat spell..🌡️ Please share! Thanks! CWA

14/04/2025

27/02/2025

How to prevent resource guarding from puppyhood a and beyond

1. Puppy/dog proof your house - keep all items which may be attractive to your dog out of reach. These include anything with our scent - hairbrushes, dirty laundry, shoes, etc. Pretty much everything you don't want your dog to have.

2. Give your dog plenty of enrichment toys, and interact with your dog while they have them. We may not play with our dog with toys in the house. If your dog learns you interact with them when they have a stolen item, but not a legal item, they may learn to steal stuff in order to get time with you.

3. Leave your dog be while eating. There is no need to fuss over them when they are. Just leave them be.

4. Slightly contradictory to point 3, drop high value food (cooked chicken for example) next to your dog's bowl while they are eating (and leave them be). They'll learn that you approaching them means good things. And leave them be, no petting them for "being good" in this instance.

5. Teach a drop or trade. This is not done by saying or shouting "drop it" at increasing volumes. If your dog has something they're not supposed to have, don't chase or get angry. Put some treats down next to them. If they drop it, praise, more treats, gently pick up the item, don't grab for it.

"But will that not teach them to steal stuff?" If we're doing point 1 well, no. If we do the training properly, no. Even if we do, it's better than the alternative of snapping or biting.

6. Listen to the move away or growl. If they do either, they're telling you they need more space, don't escalate. Use your big human brain to work out how to resolve it without violence.

If you're needing help with resource guarding, please get in touch. We have both in person and remote options to help.

26/02/2025

How to teach your dog to resource guard - a blueprint

1. Don't puppy proof your house. Leave dog attractive objects like shoes, food wrappers, hair brushers, the laundry basket etc easily within your puppy's reach.

2. When puppy takes one of these objects, immediately shout no, quickly move into puppy's space and grab it out of their mouth. Don't do any training teaching them to drop or trade objects.

3. If pup starts running away from you when they have taken an object you don't want them to have, corner them, grab them and remove it. Remember to verbally scold them for all of it.

4. When puppy starts to growl, verbally chastise them, and still remove the object. Remember not to do any training teaching them to drop or trade. Ensure all your verbal "commands" are done with aggression and volume.

5. Be surprised when your dog starts guarding spaces such as beds, couch etc and shocked when they start trying to or actually biting you. This usually starts happening in as adolescence begins, around 4-5 months.

Bonus points for taking your dog's food bowl away while they are eating to show them you can, and for petting your dog, playing with their ears or feet, and sticking your hand in their food bowl while they're eating.

Double bonus points for everything you do to show the dog you're the boss and for completely disregarding any genetics.

Almost every dog we work with who shows aggressive behaviours around objects or spaces has been subjected to this or a version of this. So much of it comes from terrible historical advice people have been given.

Tomorrow, I'll break down how to prevent it.

If you're needing help with this, please get in touch, we can help.

27/01/2025

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24/01/2025

Take care later and check your fencing, before dogs go out x