The Derpy Dog Coach

02/28/2022

If you have a smart puppy or dog who also happens to have a ton of energy keep reading!

Mental stimulation is incredibly beneficial for all dogs but especially dogs who are very smart, and have tons of energy, but it is often forgotten about! Without enough mental stimulation (and exercise) dogs can and will find their own activities to satisfy this need. Their ideas are usually not human friendly. 😅

If your dog is destructive, barks a lot, can’t settle down, gets into things you rather they wouldn’t then they might need more mental stimulation.

10/24/2021

Sometimes training is simple and looks boring! But I promise you it’s anything but that.

Off camera there is a dog park, people and dogs getting in and out of cars, cars driving by, and even an airplane overhead. Not to mention all of the different smells!

My criteria is simple here. I am rewarding them for maintaining calm behavior even with all of the different distractions. They actually chose to lie down on their own without any prompting from me!

This is perfect because I’m future situations where we are stationary with a lot of exciting things going on in the environment I would love for their default behavior to lie down and calmly observe the environment or watch me!

10/13/2021

Training with your dog in public places can be a great way to fine tune their skills once they’re pros in your home and around your neighborhood.

Keep in mind that new places = new distractions, so you might have to lower your expectations at first. But after a little time, and a little practice they will be ready for more challenges!

08/04/2021

Another post about management and the use of pens! This is Ruckus a 1 year old Malinois who in general has great house manners and does well with potty training. But, at times he can be a little bit over excited around other dogs.

The pen is used to help Ruckus practice relaxing when in the presence of other dogs during down time. Eventually we will fade this out but for now it is really helpful, as you can see Ruckus is pretty happy relaxing with some of his favorite toys!

07/31/2021

Let’s talk about shelter dogs! There are a few things to consider when bringing your newly adopted friend home.

1. They are probably exhausted. The shelter environment does not promote relaxation, the noise and extreme stress that these dogs are under cause them to miss out on valuable sleep. Expect your shelter dog to spend a while catching up on some much needed rest.

2. They don’t know that this is permanent. It can take anywhere upwards of a month for shelter dogs to realize they are staying somewhere and begin to settle in. Expect to see your shelter dog’s personality develop slowly as time goes on. This is when you may also see behavior issues develop as they grow more comfortable in their environment and trusting of their people. This process of settling in and decompressing happens at different rates for different dogs. Give them time to adjust and take things slow.

3. Start training right away. A lot of shelter dogs come from situations where they received little to no training, and probably didn’t have great experiences with people. Training is a great way to build a relationship with them, give them structure, and help both of you communicate with each other. Structure, and clear communication can help your shelter dog feel more confident and comfortable in their own skin, and in their new home. It is also a lot easier to get ahead of and prevent issues than to work undo them once they become a problem.

07/30/2021

Good leash walking skills can make all the difference when you have your dog out in public! Teach your dogs to walk nicely on leash without pulling so you can both enjoy the experience! If your dog needs help learning how to walk nicely on leash I can help. 😁

07/15/2021

Training sessions don’t have to be long drawn out chunks of time where you work on everything your dog knows! Fitting a few minutes of training here and there while you go about your day to day is actually really beneficial, and much more doable for the average person!

Mochi and I spent a few minutes today working on duration and distractions with her mat while I put groceries away. This was great because she stayed out of the bags and wasn’t underfoot while I moved around the kitchen to put things away. I rewarded her for her patience every few seconds in between unpacking grocery items.

Let’s train your dog now!

07/13/2021

What does your dog do if you take them out into public? Many dogs are distracted and paying attention to their owner is an impossible task. This can be frustrating for both you and your pup!

Let's change how your dog acts in public with training! We can take your distracted dog and turn them into a focused, relaxed, and well behaved dog in public, and anywhere else you need them to be on top of it.

07/04/2021

It’s never too early to start training with your puppy!

Training early on can help prevent many behavior issues that make living with an adolescent and adult dog later down the road so much more pleasant!

Prevent fearfulness, reactivity, separation anxiety, and much more if you start as soon as your puppy comes home!

07/02/2021

Mochi update 🐶 She has been with me for her board and train since Monday afternoon. I am proud to report that she has had ZERO accidents (even with the rain yesterday and this morning). She is responding to a sit and down hand signal and is working on perfecting the verbal sit cue. She is mastering the “touch” (hand target cue) as well as name recognition! AND she can spin both directions as well as “shake” or give paw! What a good girl Mochi!

06/30/2021

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06/29/2021

It’s hot out! 🥵☀️🔥
Cool your pup off with some homemade pupsicles!

Here’s our recipe:
1. Chicken
2. Sardine broth
3. Blueberries
4. Kibble
5. Baby Carrots
6. Water

Spoon some chicken, sardine, kibble, and blue berry mixture into an ice cube tray. Stick the baby carrots in, and then top with water! Freeze and give to your pups after a walk, play, or training session!