Pawsibilities Dog Training LLC

07/03/2024

With the holiday weekend almost here, many owners are anticipating a stressful few days for their pets who are noise sensitive. Please consider these tips for handling the 4th:

⚠️Safety First! ⚠️

✔️ Ensure your dog is wearing a well fitted collar that has either tags or your phone number printed directly on it, even if your dog is microchipped. This ensures your dog is returned to you as quickly as possible if they slip out.

✔️ Use gates or other methods to block your dog from accessing your door, especially if you have guests present. This is a very common way for dogs to get out, as your guest will be less aware of your dog than you.

✔️ Consider crating or directly tethering your dog to you.

💡Calming Tips💡

✔️Engage your dog in some of their favorite activities like play or training, or offer a special item such as a stuffed Kong, puzzle toy, snuffle mat, or raw bone. This ideal for puppies experiencing their first 4th. Make it positive!

✔️ Use ambient background noise.

✔️ Act normally! Your dog takes cues from you. If you respond to their fear with excessive fawning and a high pitched voice, your dog does not read that as comfort- they often read it as nervousness from you. Convey calmness and confidence to your dog.

✔️ Address behavior, not emotion. If your dog is normally not allowed to climb into your lap on your couch, that rule should still apply. If your dog is holding a stay or a heel in spite of visible concern, reward them! If they are listening to you, even while startled, they are a good dog. Reinforcing good behavior does not reinforce fear.

🎆Be proactive about 2021🎇

✔️ Noise sensitivity can often be mitigated or entirely eliminated with training, based on your dog’s age, history, and temperament.

✔️ In cases where training or conditioning has low efficacy, discuss other calming options with your veterinarian.

Remember, our dogs’ responses and security are ultimately our responsibility. Set your dog up to be safe and successful!

04/01/2024

⭐️🌟⭐️We ran this special a couple of years ago with moderate 👀 success... for today only we're offerring a spousal training program special!

We can train your spouse to:
-Take out the trash before it's overflowing
-Find things that are right in front of them
-Stop to ask directions
-Finish that honey-do list before being asked
-Have coffee ready first thing every morning just the way you like it
-Ignore your credit card bills (but still pay them)
-Always have chocolate on hand
-Master the art of "yes, dear" sans eye-rolling
-And stop bringing random animals home (haha just kidding about that one)

Depending on the feedback we receive we may add child training to our programs!

02/21/2024

Where can your training take you? All the way to the stars! I’m excited to tune in tonight and see one of my most dedicated students appear on this special airing tonight on CBS.

01/24/2024

I’ve said it and said it and said it- let that baby sleep!

Tired.
Your puppy is tired.
The most common call I get for puppies is that the puppy gets out of control at times, and is biting the owners. I used to laugh and think "how could a tiny puppy be such a tyrant?". But then I saw it, time and again. It's not hard to fix. Typically ignoring the puppy won't stop it, squealing OW won't stop it, holding the dog's mouth shut won't stop it, and for sure the stupid alpha roll won't stop it.
You let the puppy get far, far too tired and didn't put it up, then it gets all wound up. Puppies need 20+ hours of sleep a day. Get your puppy out of the crate or exercise pen, potty it, feed it if needed, and play with it for a bit. Then put it back in the crate. If the puppy falls asleep within 5 minutes it was tired. Let puppy sleep an hour or two then get it out again and repeat the cycle. Puppies shouldn't be left out to get all worked up, and practice pottying in out of the way places, and shred your possessions. Put the puppy up. A lot of the nipping will just go away as the puppy matures. If you're in Dallas Fort Worth area and you need a plan and help with your new puppy contact me.

08/28/2022

Absolutely correct, and in the state of Illinois it is illegal to sell a puppy under 8 weeks old.

From Dogs Decoded

I STILL NEEDED MY MOM - THE CONSEQUENCES OF TAKING PUPS TOO YOUNG
The early life experiences of pups are so vitally important and extend through to adulthood, influencing physical, emotional, mental and social development.
There are still so many “breeders” that allow pups to be taken away at 6 weeks. Uninformed people just accept this “tradition” without question and are often unprepared for the fall out this may cause. Just because a pup may no longer depend on mom for food, doesn’t mean they are ready to leave the security of their family unit and are ready to cope emotionally in a new home. A 6-week-old pup is still reliant on mom and littermates to learn appropriate play behaviour, impulse control, tolerance to frustration, bite inhibition, self-confidence and develop social skills that will help them become well-adjusted adults.
Scott and Fuller’s influential 1965 book about the social development of dogs recommended that 6 to 8 weeks was the best time to remove a pup from mom and littermates. The “ideal time” in this context was the best time for the human’s benefit and not the dogs (usually financial benefit). Thankfully, through science-based evidence, we have learnt so much about dog behaviour and development since then and our focus has changed to what is best for the dog, not the person. Research shows that waiting until a pup is at least 8 weeks is far less likely to result in any emotional trauma and resulting behavioural challenges.
We live in a broken world where having to care for or rescue pups much younger than 8 weeks is often unavoidable due to various circumstances. In these cases, we do the best we can for them. This post is not about this kind of situation, it’s about spreading knowledge, creating understanding and encouraging people not to support breeders that allow their pups to leave before at least 8 weeks.

07/13/2022

“But my dog plays with a laser pointer, and he’s fine!”

I’m going to tell a story.

Years ago, I evaluated fairly young (under two) dog for their problems with light fixation. It was very severe- the glint of a ring off the floor, a camera flash, and so much more. Any flicker on a surface sent the dog into a frenzy.

Months prior, they played with their dog with a laser pointer. After one session, the dog paced and whined for over an hour after they put it away. After two sessions, the dog began light chasing, causing severe damage to their carpet, and they realized the huge mistake they made.

We set up some lessons. And days before their first lesson, they called to cancel. The dog had chased the reflection of car headlights across their living room and went straight through their large picture window. The dog did not survive its injuries.

The story is one that has haunted me for years, and while it’s the most extreme incident stemming from laser pointer play I’ve personally seen, it’s not remotely the only dog I’ve seen with severe issues from it.

In the wrong dog, playing with a laser pointer, flashlight, etc., can trigger behavioral problems shockingly fast in only a small handful of sessions.

“But my dog loves it!”

Your dog may love it, but make no mistake, that is a matter of luck and nothing else. There is no lack of great toys out there to play with your dog that don’t carry such extreme risk.

If I handed you a box of 100 dog treats, and said “your dog will love 99 of these treats, but one of them could cost him his life”, would you still give one to your dog?

Please do not expose your dog to laser lights or similar devices for play.

07/01/2022

Reposting this one as we go into the holiday weekend! You can’t control the world around you, but you can take measures to keep your pet safe!

With the holiday weekend almost here, many owners are anticipating a stressful few days for their pets who are noise sensitive. Please consider these tips for handling the 4th:

⚠️Safety First! ⚠️

✔️ Ensure your dog is wearing a well fitted collar that has either tags or your phone number printed directly on it, even if your dog is microchipped. This ensures your dog is returned to you as quickly as possible if they slip out.

✔️ Use gates or other methods to block your dog from accessing your door, especially if you have guests present. This is a very common way for dogs to get out, as your guest will be less aware of your dog than you.

✔️ Consider crating or directly tethering your dog to you.

💡Calming Tips💡

✔️Engage your dog in some of their favorite activities like play or training, or offer a special item such as a stuffed Kong, puzzle toy, snuffle mat, or raw bone. This ideal for puppies experiencing their first 4th. Make it positive!

✔️ Use ambient background noise.

✔️ Act normally! Your dog takes cues from you. If you respond to their fear with excessive fawning and a high pitched voice, your dog does not read that as comfort- they often read it as nervousness from you. Convey calmness and confidence to your dog.

✔️ Address behavior, not emotion. If your dog is normally not allowed to climb into your lap on your couch, that rule should still apply. If your dog is holding a stay or a heel in spite of visible concern, reward them! If they are listening to you, even while startled, they are a good dog. Reinforcing good behavior does not reinforce fear.

🎆Be proactive about 2021🎇

✔️ Noise sensitivity can often be mitigated or entirely eliminated with training, based on your dog’s age, history, and temperament.

✔️ In cases where training or conditioning has low efficacy, discuss other calming options with your veterinarian.

Remember, our dogs’ responses and security are ultimately our responsibility. Set your dog up to be safe and successful!

10/16/2021

Posting a rare personal brag here, but one I’m quite proud of. And even better news, now that I’m back, yes, I will be scheduling the rest of the month and potentially opening up for a small number of local new clients.

I am beyond honored to announce that Fae was awarded the Rally Victrix award at the GSDCA National Specialty this week.

The Rally Victor or Victrix award is given to the GSD with the highest combined score in Rally Master, Excellent, and Advanced rings with no more than three points lost across all classes and no lower than 98 in any single class. Fae’s total score was 299 out of 300, also earning her the high triple qualifier and high combined awards.

Fae becomes the fifth GSD to earn this title, and the second GSD to earn it who is also breeder handled, owned, and trained.

She also won the High Triple Qualifier and High Combined awards at the Regional Specialty trial on Thursday.

And to add one more brag on this special dog- both trials were conducted at the National Equestrian Center. Fae has never encountered horse arena footing or odors before setting foot in the building on Thursday. I am immensely proud of her attitude and work ethic.

07/01/2021

💥With the holiday weekend almost here, it’s time to prepare your dog for a safe 4th of July weekend💥

✅ Make sure your dog is wearing identification and that your microchip registration is up to date.

✅ Adjust your dog’s normal schedule a little earlier so you can have your last evening potty break early and get your dog secured inside promptly.

✅ Take your dog for long walk, play with them, and practice any obedience/tricks/skills earlier in the day so both their body AND mind are tired by nighttime.

✅ Use white noise like a fan or TV to dampen outdoor noise .

✅ Have a special chew, puzzle game, or new toy on hand to occupy your dog.

❌ Do not force an untrained dog to be exposed to fireworks to “get them over it”. Risk of traumatizing your dog or losing them entirely is very high. Noise proofing is for trained dogs under qualified guidance.

❌ Do not leave your dog unsecured if you have guests walking in and out of your home, or if you won’t be home.

❌ Do not behave distressed and upset yourself at your dog’s response- what our brain perceives as “comfort”, a dog may read as you also being nervous, increasing their stress. Be calm and confident. Your dog takes their cues from you!

❌ Do not give higher doses of medications, combine medications, or give human medications without the approval of your vet.

⭐️⭐️Please DO be proactive about your dog’s noise sensitivity and discuss a training plan to help them be less stressed next year! Many, many dogs can have their fear of loud noises reconditioned with time and patience. ⭐️⭐️