Buddha's Basics Dog Training

09/30/2022

Are you communicating with your leash, or restraining your dog? As leashes are law and keep our pets safe in many circumstances, it’s important to be as clear as possible with what can otherwise be considered a barrier.
🐾
🐾
🐾

09/16/2022

Are you being clear? Many folks seek out training because the lack of clarity has reached such a point that the human is frustrated and the dog is confused.
🐾
A dog is going to make a decision that most aligns with their motivations and wants, with the information they’re given.
🐾
Providing clarity and motivating rewards for the behaviors you’re looking for can reduce most challenges with behaviors.
🐾
🐾
🐾

09/02/2022

Health is the first thing I ask about when speaking to a potential training client. Has your vet cleared or addressed any health issues that may be present? Things like arthritis, hormone imbalances (think thyroid for example), sterilization, recent surgeries, and just general physical discomfort can show as behavior issues. It’s important to address the physical, as well as the mental, when embarking on any training journey.
🐾
🐾
🐾

08/26/2022

In honor of let’s talk about the Layered Stress Model. I first learned of this model from and . When we meet ALL the needs of our dog—their needs rather than our perception of their needs—behavior challenges tend to go down. OR the source of these challenges becomes more apparent, so we can truly address the issue. So over the next few weeks, we’ll talk about those areas of the Layered Stress Model.
🐾
🐾
🐾

06/20/2022

When taking my dogs out to run in a field in the middle of town, a close encounter with a coyote isn’t immediately at the forefront of my mind. Which has proven to be foolish this evening.
🐾
I will never stop saying it: ecollars save lives. When a mama coyote ran across our path and Bushka tore after her, I was able to immediately recall her. Lives saved? Bushka, the mother coyote, and her litter that was saw down the road that wouldn’t have survived without her.
🐾
So train your dog. It could literally save lives.

11/27/2021

It’s Small Business Saturday and I just want to say THANK YOU to all my clients and those that have supported me in my first year as a business owner. Also thankful for these 2 idiots that are just thankful for food off our plates and sunning spots.

11/05/2021

Button, Gizmo, and their household have joined BBDT for training! Gizmo is a gentleman but can be rather pushy with his love. Button has been guarding her food from others in the home, which isn’t fun for anyone.
🐾
They will both learn about place and self soothing without their humans’ constant affection or management.
🐾
Once everyone has the same expectations and is communicating with the same language, we’ll see a huge relief of stress from this wonderful home.

09/30/2021

Power stance! Meet Oakley the mini aussiedoodle. His people want to set him on the path for future CGC skills and possible therapy work.
🐾
This smart little guy is a bit unsure of the world so we’re building his confidence during his imprinting period.
🐾
Remember it’s never too early to start training. Use this time to lay the foundation for the adult dog you want. Unfortunately they don’t stay this tiny and cute forever.

08/15/2021

This is what putting the work in looks like. Journee and Saturdae’s family signed up for virtual puppy lessons earlier this year. Here they are asleep on place so their family can vacuum in peace.
🐾
Training is a lifestyle change, just like getting a dog in the first place is a lifestyle change. By practicing skill like this frequently, the whole family is prepared for pretty much anything.
🐾

08/09/2021

Hey big man! Cosmos has only been with his family for a couple months.
🐾
They reached out for training in the perfect window: they’ve gotten to know him but he hasn’t had time to practice unwanted behaviors with them.
🐾
With training, we will help Cosmos and his family have clear expectations, boundaries, and strengthen their relationship.
🐾
I can’t wait to see Cosmos’ growth over the next few weeks. Watch this space!

07/30/2021

Not every part of training is sits and downs. Relationship is a huge factor. Imagine a random person coming up to you, demanding that you sit on the floor. I know I’d be throwing some side eye.

But if that person were to instead engage you in a conversation—hi how are you how are things today—you’d probably be more willing to engage with them.

Relationships can also change. Whether by some event or just over time, interactions with our dogs fluctuate daily. We all have excellent days and terrible days.

It’s important to know your dog and know when to push the training and when to take a break and just play. Take a walk with no expectations. Sit in nature with your dog and just BE with them.

Having your dog trained not only teaches you how to have more control with your dog but also to have more understanding and when to take a break.

07/20/2021

Distance. Duration. Distraction.
🐾
So Jojo knows sit. But does she maintain sit of I take a step back?
🐾
Can she hold sit for more than 5 seconds? 30 seconds? More?
🐾
If I throw some treats to the side, will she go for it or hold her position?
🐾
Jojo’s owner mentioned trying to do yoga around her was next to impossible. Guess what? Downward facing dog looks like an invitation to play! So while I practiced my Sun Salutation, Jojo practiced her down. And we both had a great session practicing mindfulness.

07/17/2021

Hey y’all! Time for that introduction. My name is Maya. I’ve been working with dogs for nearly a decade in a variety of settings, from daycare to board-and-train. I could watch dogs communicate with each other all day. They are fascinating!

But really we’re all here to learn how we as humans can communicate with our dogs. When we condition and use basic obedience reliably, we can use that to create a common language with our dogs. I want people to be able to understand their dogs better. Isn’t life easier when we’re all on the same page?

From puppies to seniors, all dogs deserve training. Hit up the website to learn more about the training programs Buddha’s Basics offers and find peace through training.

06/21/2021

Dog trainers get creative. I’ve found it very difficult or expensive to buy new gear over the last few months. So thank you to Leerburg for having extra Herm Sprenger prong collar parts on hand and Katie's Buckles for providing and easy open clasp to make things simpler for the owners. I find people are less likely to use a new tool if it’s hard to use. These extra parts are good way to use up all those extra links, too!

05/24/2021

I know y’all need a puppy face in your life at all times. Today, we met Milo at a hardware store to continue his imprinting program. He and his owner learned how to navigate meeting new people, he heard a power saw, and climbed on all the flooring. To say this little guy is fearless is an understatement. Time to put the brakes on this little engine!

05/17/2021

Teach ‘em young! Milo is growing up fast. He’s a confident lil guy who is quickly getting himself into trouble. Time to introduce place! He’ll now have his space to learn to be calm while other things happen around him. His family will also have the peace of mind that he can be part of things without chewing the rug or eating something dangerous. We ended this session today with him dozing off while we discussed training plans.

04/19/2021

Bailey started our Homeschool program today! As a typical Boston Terrier (emphasis on the terrier), Bailey has a lot of energy in her little body. She also has been struggling on walks in the neighborhood—getting bullied and intimidated. She’ll learn how to self soothe, that walks can be calm and relaxing, and that her people will defend her from those rude neighborhood dogs. You got this Bailey!

04/17/2021

Princess and her littermate, Coco, started lessons with Buddha’s Basics today! They are from the same litter but they each have their own personality. While both interested in food when training, Coco will literally fly for tugs as Princess chows down. Their owners will learn how to use these motivators to their advantage as they raise these beautiful girls.

03/29/2021

Littles can do it too! Often people don’t invest in training for dogs under 20 pounds because picking them up solves their problem. BUT it’s not solving anything, it’s likely worsening things. All dogs thrive on structure and training and clear communication. Grace Kelly here has been getting her way for a while. Now we’re building her confidence (and leveling it a bit) by giving her a better way to communicate with her person that isn’t jumping and shriek barking. Welcome to the family, Grace Kelly! Peep that precious underbite 😍

03/06/2021

Could not be more proud of this boy! Beau and his family graduated today. Training is a lifelong practice that we incorporate into our lifestyle but now he and his family have the skill set they need to grow together. Amazing job y’all.
#

03/04/2021

Spring time -> beautiful weather -> prime training weather. Enroll in training with us during March and April and get 15% off any training package, from virtual to puppies to homeschool. Contact us today!

03/02/2021

Tenzin wondering how he got roped into this training malarkey.

Beau and Tenzin have different issues and different solutions. Beau is dealing with insecurity and learning that not every human that approaches the property is a threat.

Tenzin has never met a stranger and thinks every human should be petting him at all times. He lets the whole house know when he is lacking affection.

So Beau gets lots of engagement while Tenzin gets far less and learns to self soothe.

Different strokes for different folks.
#

02/15/2021

Sometimes there are distractions or obstacles that we don’t really plan for, especially in dog training. When these happen, work through it. Whether that’s removing you and your dog from the area, or on this case, rewarding him for sticking through a really surprising distraction. Beau held his down on place. I waited for him to settle before releasing him and resetting him back to down on place. Strong work, Beau!

02/03/2021

Welcome Ginger to Buddha’s Basics! Ginger is new to her family and is still figuring out the routines of her new life. We’re going to give her some new confidence in herself and her new fam.
🐾
Her family needs a consistent way of communicating with her so they can also have the confidence and security to be able to leave the house. That’s where ecollar training comes in.
🐾
The misconception that ecollar is only for highly aggressive dogs is a dated way of thinking about this tool. Ecollar, combined with structure and consistent training, brings balance to dogs. Whether they’re fearful and sensitive or boisterous and obnoxious, this training brings calm confidence to so many lives.

01/29/2021

Do you run your dog everyday? Multiple times a day? Do you hope that if they’re tired, those behaviors that drive you bananas will lessen or stop? We’ve been told for years that “a tired dog is a good dog”. But are they really? Are you on your best behavior when you’re tired?
🐾
A tired dog is just a tired dog. If they haven’t been taught what their expectations are, what their boundaries are, those behaviors are still there. The lunging on walks, barking at everything, jumping, getting in the trash, digging in the garden, those behaviors are all still there.
🐾
By walking your dog all the time, without expectations, you’re still putting the effort in anyway. Why not make it beneficial for both of you? Every dog benefits from training.

01/26/2021

Does your dog follow you around the house? Get under foot while you’re trying to make dinner? Just generally seem anxious? That’s where tether training comes in! Tether training on place allows your dog to be part of things while working on their impulse control. It’s their meditation. We all need moments throughout the day to just chill. Sometimes we need someone to tell us it’s time to chill. Believe me when I say this will do more for your dog than that 3 mile run every single day.

12/31/2020

Structure. Where do we start? Where do your dogs exist most of the time? At home, most likely. Dogs thrive with structure and routines, just like we do. When they know is expected of them and where their boundaries are, they are more likely to succeed in the environment. It is our responsibility to create and follow through on those expectations. “Place” is the most simple and clear way to establish your expectations in your home. I encourage calm behavior inside—naps, sun bathing, more naps. Y’all can go buck wild outside but inside is for calm energy. “Place” gives them that consistent spot that is theirs. They get to still be part of whatever you’re doing without being underfoot or wandering from room to room (check back for a post on that). “Place” is a cot or bed with a raised edge to give clearly defined visual boundaries. Once taught, it becomes their meditation spot, their lily pad, their zone where they can relax. This helps feed the calm. Whether your dog struggles with hyperactivity, neurotic tendencies, anxiety, or is just too friendly for their own good, all dogs need their own space to just…BE.

12/28/2020

Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season. Did you get that puppy you’ve been wanting for years? Maybe decided to adopt an adult dog from the humane society? Get off to the best life together with a training package. It’s never too early to start learning with your dog.

12/23/2020

Do we train our dogs for their benefit or ours? I’d say yes to both! Teaching your dog what your expectations are and getting on the same page together. Teaching a calm state of mind and giving them structure not only helps reduce their anxiety in our wild society, it helps us as their handlers feel more confident in ourselves. A side affect of training is being able to take awesome photos. Let’s get you and your dog off to a fresh start for the new year!

12/14/2020

Let’s talk tools!
•
Flat collars, martingales, prong collars, gentle leaders, e-collars, starmark, easy walk harness, standard harness, slip leads. They ask a dozen people which tool they think is the best, you’ll get a variety of answers. Truth is, all tools have pros and cons. All tools can cause harm if that is your intention. Flat collars can damage a dog’s trachea. Prong collars—if improperly sized and left on for months and months—may cause irritation. Easy walk harnesses change the whole gate of a dog and affect joint function. Our society in the states determine which tools we should use based on appearance rather than efficacy. A gentle leader seems nice (it has “gentle” in the name!) but it actually applies the most pressure of any tool. Even if the dog isn’t pulling, there’s still a band resting on their most important and sensitive tool—their nose.
•
Now, prong collars may look like medieval barbed wire but they are truly one of the safest tools I’ve ever worked with. Is your dog brachycephalic? Prong is the safest for their breathing. Does your dog have a partially collapsed trachea? Prong is the safest option. The structure is specifically designed to evenly distribute pressure. Prong collars allow people to walk their dogs with pinkies out. But brand is everything: Herm Sprenger is the strongest, safest, and the only one that properly distributed pressure.
•
E-collars: we’ve come a long way since the original remote collar. It had 2 settings—on and off. High quality e-collars today have 100+ levels to work with. That means I can communicate with my dogs on stimulation levels that I can’t personally feel. E-collars, specifically E-collar Technologies, use a stimulation similar to a TENS unit (used primarily in medical care to relieve or reduce pain). The benefits of training with an e-collar are endless. First and foremost, the freedom it allows my dogs to have plus the peace of mind that I can call them back at anytime is priceless.
•
Disclaimer: you can’t just throw any of these tools on and expect a perfect dog. All tools require training and conditioning. Contact a professional trainer when introducing a new tool.

12/14/2020

12/14/2020