4 on The Floor Dog Training, LLC

05/29/2025

It's been awhile since I've posted anything. We took on 6 chickens this spring, so there's been quite a bit of training happening here. Coming when called (recall) is a great skill to teach even in another species. I'm the snack dealer 😁

05/01/2025

I can relate 🤪

05/01/2025

Thank you The Timeless Dog, LLC for this important message.

04/19/2025

There's no good or bad behavior, it's just behavior. We as humans decide what we think is good or bad. This is where training an alternative behavior is nessesary.

REDEFINING BAD BEHAVIOUR

“Bad” behaviour needs to be redefined as information and communication.

When we think of a behaviour as bad, naughty or disobedient, our natural human response is to stop it, fix it, punish or suppress it as quickly as we can, so it doesn’t happen again.

When we redefine behaviour and look at it as a form of communication, as an emotional response or expression, it helps to change the way we think about and react to it.

Think about a child that is acting out at school. Maybe throwing tantrums, bullying other children, cheating, fighting or displaying some other type of “bad” behaviour.

A teacher or parent wouldn’t just label that child as “bad” or behaving badly. The reason for the behaviour would be looked into so it could be understood, acknowledged and addressed.

Bad behaviour is very often an expression of a need for help that should not be ignored.

If we do this for children, why not for dogs?
Just like us, dogs are sentient beings with a range of feelings and emotions and their behaviour is a form of communication.

“Bad” behaviour can provide us with important information as to what we need to address.

Looking at “bad behaviour” from a different perspective, helps us to acknowledge that a dog is struggling and provides an opportunity to investigate and address the cause.

Listening, understanding, acknowledging, meeting needs, perhaps managing or making changes to the environment is what “fixes” bad behaviour and promotes wellbeing.

04/19/2025

“Littermate syndrome” gets tossed around like it’s a scientific fact. But spoiler: it isn’t 🚨

What is real? The very predictable challenges that come from raising two adolescent brains at the same time. In practice, it can feel like three times the work.

Calling this a “syndrome” mislabels a training issue as a medical one, which gets in the way of actually solving it. In reality, it’s just predictable fallout from raising two young dogs without intentional, separate training.

Sibling pups (or even just two dogs that spend a lot of time together) bond hard. If you don’t proactively practice solo time, they can melt down the second they’re apart, and tune you out when they’re together.

Try teaching “sit” while your students are busy wrestling. You probably won’t get very far.

Separate, short sessions are mandatory if you want either pup to learn anything.

As their hormones kick in, best buddies can even morph into “frenemies” 😬 But proactive behavior work will help you communicate clearly, notice potential conflicts early, and keep minor spats from becoming major fights.

To be fair: there are upsides. Built‑in playmate, consistent enrichment, and the sheer joy of watching a friendship bloom between two animal companions that you love.

If you find yourself in this situation, trick is stacking the deck so the benefits outweigh the headaches.

Understand that 2x the dogs = 2x the work. You can’t expect one of your puppies to “help” take the load off of raising the other.

My advice: in the beginning, walk, train, and cuddle each dog separately every day. Your bond with each dog is the antidote to codependency.

Supervise play, manage resources, and consistently step in before roughhousing escalates so your puppies learn how to take cues from you even while they’re feeling rambunctious.

This part cannot be overstated: If you want to succeed, you MUST commit to training each dog one-on-one.

Rest one pup with an amazing chew while you work the other. Then switch. Everyone learns to chill alone. Everyone gets focused time where they can actually learn without constantly being distracted by their sibling. Both dogs will learn quickly and feel satisfied - and you will, too.

Bottom line: adopting littermates isn’t a moral failing, but it is a SIGNIFICANTLY bigger project, and you have to treat it accordingly in order to succeed. If you have the bandwidth and a solid plan, you can absolutely raise *two* rock‑star dogs.

If you’re on the fence, start with one pup. You’ll be glad you did. Take the time to nail their training, and then add a second dog once the first is a confident, well‑adjusted sidekick.

How many dogs do you have? How far apart in age are they? 🤔

Sources below! Join the Dog Training Revolution at zakgeorge.com 🙌

“There’s No Scientific Reason to Believe Littermate Syndrome Exists”
by Kayla Fratt, IAABC Foundation Journal
https://journal.iaabcfoundation.org/littermate-syndrome/
This article argues that “littermate syndrome” lacks scientific backing and that the behavioral issues attributed to it are more likely due to inadequate training and socialization practices.

“Littermate Syndrome”Penn State Extension
https://extension.psu.edu/littermate-syndrome
This one acknowledges the absence of scientific literature on littermate syndrome but notes that anecdotal evidence from professionals suggests behavioral challenges can arise when raising sibling puppies together.

“Understanding Littermate Syndrome In Puppy Pairs”Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
https://today.tamu.edu/2023/09/28/understanding-littermate-syndrome-in-puppy-pairs/
This article discusses potential behavioral issues in puppies raised together, such as separation anxiety and fearfulness, and emphasizes the importance of individual socialization and training.

“What is ‘Littermate Syndrome’?”Veterinary Partner - VIN
https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?Id=11564754&catId=102897&pid=19239
This source explains that while “littermate syndrome” isn’t a recognized medical condition, the term describes behavioral challenges that can occur when two puppies are raised together without proper individual attention.

“Littermate Syndrome in Dogs: Fact or Fiction?”Mad Paws Blog
https://www.madpaws.com.au/blog/littermate-syndrome/
This blog post asserts that there’s no scientific evidence supporting littermate syndrome and suggests that observed behavioral issues are more likely due to the challenges of raising two puppies simultaneously, and provides some tips for avoiding issues.

“Littermate Syndrome”Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Littermate_syndrome
The Wikipedia entry gives an overview of littermate syndrome, notes the lack of scientific consensus and highlights that the behaviors associated with the term may result from environmental and training factors rather than sibling status.

What is your experience? Tell me in the comments!

04/02/2025

Excellent message, thank you Shay Kelly MSc - Understanding Dogs

03/07/2025

It can be tempting in our training to skip the little steps.

It’s great to have faith in our dogs but if we stick to small steps, it’s so much clearer to them what we want.

The result is getting to the end goal faster with a much more solid behaviour.

02/01/2025

Thank you Wholistic Pet! Even dog sensitive dogs deserve the chance to visit a pet store. If you have a dog sensitive dog, this is a great opportunity for your pup to enjoy a shopping experience.

Our first private shopping experience with Nova was a huge success, private message us to book yours today! 😍😍⁣
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01/29/2025

Do you have a dog reactive dog and wish you could bring him or her to a pet store? Wholistic Pet in Bedford NH is offering an opportunity to do just that. This is really exciting!

Message us about setting up your session☺️⁣
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12/07/2024

I'm tired of being told that my repulsion for punitive and aversive training is a lack of knowledge or skills. I'm tired of being told that my 7 years of studying, qualifications and experience working with dogs couldn't possibly stand up to the Facebook expert.
I'm tired of being told that force free training is limited and that it only works with some breeds. I'm tired of seeing friends and fellow force free trainers being accused of abuse because they refuse to defend those that would abuse dogs in the name of training.

I choose not to use aversives because I know how they work and their purpose. There is no magic or skill involved, it is designed to be unpleasant and its purpose is to intimidate, control and suppress. I choose to avoid punitive training because of my education and experience. Countless studies demonstrate the harm that aversives inflict and how they impact learning and welfare. Force free training is being used worldwide with a variety of species. If it works with gorillas, tigers and crocodiles, it works with any dog breed.
We will not empathise with abusive dog trainers because we do not want to give them a platform, whereby they can destroy even more dogs. We have plenty to learn from qualified trainers that do not compromise training ethics.

Qualified dog trainers shouldn't have to compete with trainers that only care about tik tok videos and forced compliance. Every force free trainer could use aversives with the same outcome. We choose not to because we understand the consequences and prioritise welfare and long-term results over followers and profit.

-Holly Leake

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09/14/2024