My GoodDogge

09/16/2022

09/03/2022

A dog struggling with emotional regulation is quick to be criticised as "rude", "bolshy", "lacking in manners".

The problem with seeing it from this perspective is the goal becomes about enforcing politeness (from our perspective as polite for us does not necessarily equal polite for a dog!); often with a focus on squashing unwanted behaviours with a corrective technique. Our focus in this case is on what WE want from the dog rather than what is really driving the dogs' behaviour: need and emotion.

Dogs don't need to be sent to etiquette school. They're not choosing to behave "out of line", they've just not got the coping skills yet for what you are asking of them. A huge coping skill we underestimate is the ability to cope with strong emotion, positive or negative! The force of the emotion in the moment is actually more important than the direction it leans towards. Mildly excited or mildly frustrated for example is less of a burden than extremely excited or frustrated. Emotions aren't as black and white as positive = good, negative = bad. What's more of an issue generally is the severity of the emotion and the lack of coping skills and/or very small window of tolerance.

Build on the coping skills, widen the window of tolerance, and ensure a dog is getting their needs met 🐾💜

08/08/2022

It's hot.

04/23/2022

Woof Woof! We have a winner :) Click here to read more about the best mulch for dogs (2022 review).

03/28/2022

Many ways to train...this works.

Need to work on your dog's recall? Here's a fun and easy way to teach your dog to come when called.

03/27/2022

A few things that the everyday dog owner should know when getting a puppy or dog.

The training starts the second you bring the dog home

All puppies and dogs need to be crate trained. The crate should be a place to rest the body and mind. Should never be used as a punishment. Feed some of the puppies meal in the crate and use some of the food for training.

Too much freedom inside the home before the puppy can handle it is one of the biggest and most common mistakes people make. Do not let a puppy or untrained dog roam your home unsupervised. Keep the puppy in immediate view, use a long leash, or crate if you can’t have your eyes on the dog. Freedom is given in small doses as the puppy can handle it without getting in trouble. The goal is to create the behavior you want, not constantly correcting the puppy for what you don’t want. With that being said, puppies must be corrected for unwanted behaviors. Peeing and pooping in the house or crate can’t be corrected. That’s your fault. A puppy is like an infant. They can’t control peeing and pooping like an older dog. Take your puppy out often and get on a consistent schedule. No water or food after 6 or 7pm.

Use food to train. The basics should be taught and practiced daily. First teach the puppy to follow the food. Meaning nose goes to your hand and you allow the dog to push trying to get the food as you slowly move the hand away from puppy allowing the puppy to follow nose pressed to hand. Start using a reward marker like Yes or a clicker. Mark then open hand to give the food. Meaning the verbal must come first, then the reward.

You MUST have a language dedicated to your dog that your dog can learn by you being consistent and applying meaning to the words you use. Your dog MUST know what yes means, but also MUST know what NO means. If nothing comes after those words, yes equals reward for good, no equals correction for bad, your dog will never give meaning to either. Your dog’s name is not a command, or correction. NO should not be your dog’s middle name.

The way you live with your dog inside the home creates the dog, good or bad. If you are with your dog you are training. Are you training for good or are you training for bad. If you have a dog you are a dog trainer. That simple.

Your dog is a dog, not a human child. Constant unearned affection is a killer and creates an unhealthy addiction for both dog and owner. Your dog will love you unconditionally but will never respect you unless you give it reason to.

Your dog does not need dog friends. Your dog doesn’t need to play with other dogs, they need to play with you. Learn to play like a dog understands it. It’s the most powerful motivator and relationship building activity available to you. Mastering food to teach behaviors and mastering play to enhance behaviors and relationship is vital.

The foundation of the basics are a must. A few things that your dog MUST be taught. No exceptions:

First, the most basic of basics, your dog must learn how to be still in any situation. If your dog can’t be still around any distraction, you will never have control.

Recall
Sit
Down
Walk nicely on leash
Out, meaning release anything in your mouth

The place command is fine but actually a newer thing in training and usually over used as doggy jail, to suppress and control the dog due to a lack of obedience. People focus on place but can’t teach their dog to Out. It’s a problem

Learn how positive reinforcement works, and learn to use it properly, not like the big box stores use it. Learn how to utilize negative reinforcement. Paired with positive reinforcement, it’s an incredibly powerful way to create a well trained dog. Very few actually understand punishment so we won’t get into that

This is just the Reader’s Digest version. A small glimpse of what is needed to get started. Getting a puppy is a ton of work. You’re raising a dog not a puppy. What you think is cute at 8 weeks won’t be at 1 year.

Enjoy the process, but training is not optional. If you can’t commit to training and raising a dog properly don’t get a dog. Get a cat.

A dog is a living, breathing, emotional(in their own way) being. Treat them with respect and compassion. Everyday they wake up thinking it’s going to be the best day of their life. Don’t let them down. They think you’re an amazing human. Try to be what they think you are. They’re not here long. Enjoy them to the fullest while you can because it goes fast and you’ll regret not doing so when you had the chance. HAPPY TRAINING

03/15/2022

Daisy @ 17 months
Still needs a tether - 140 lbs with a 6 month old emotion intelligence.

That's OK Daisy. We love you❤

03/15/2022

Socialization- car wash
Lila isn't fazed.