The Bryi's Dog Training

04/21/2025

This is great information from the AVMA. As with so many things in life prevention is key for building great choices in dogs and humans.

By stopping and thinking before you interact with a dog you can prevent situations from arising that put dogs into situations that may cause them to feel pressurized, uncomfortable or fear losing something valuable to them.

This means that you don't have to worry about missing the subtle signs that the dog is giving you that they aren't comfortable, that if missed can lead to escalation and a bite.

It also means that the dog is less likely to build up negative associations to humans.

So no matter how well you think you know dogs please, please, please just take a moment to think about your actions. No two dogs are the same and just like humans some are likely to react quicker in a situation than others.

It's National Dog Bite Prevention Week! What is most important to note is any dog can bite: big or small, male or female, young or old. Even the cuddliest, fuzziest, sweetest pet can bite if provoked, so it's important to know how to avoid escalating risky situations and to understand when you should and should not interact with dogs.

Here are a few scenarios when you should avoid petting a dog. You can find more helpful tips at avma.org/DogBite.

04/15/2025

A year ago today Ziva left us unexpectedly. It felt like my world was turned upside down and inside out. My compass that helped me navigate this world was gone, I was lost and needed to find a new way. I felt empty and dull, as If I was jar going through the motions and in the year that’s passed I’ve come to realize I was reverting to the Tracy before Ziva.

You see Ziva was so much more than words can ever express and we had a connection that was special. We do literally all come from the stars and we’ve all definitely been a rock at some point in the span of the universe so I think that sometimes some bonds are simply stronger than others because of the incredible shared history.

In the last year I’vee missed my feral ltrke monkey: none of the other dogs are anywhere near earning the feral title (personally I think that’s something only spaniels deserve). And as the human of a crazy cocker I said it with pride. I never knew what she’d do next and her antics had you on the edge of your seat. She humbled me on a daily basis but would soften the blow with her cute and impish side ways glance. Of course I always giggled when she gave me her ‘hold my pint’ look and I knew someone else was going to fall victim to her antics.

She may have left me physically a year ago but after the gut wrenching pain I realized she really hasn’t left.

Now the fact that her toys are still here, the matress beside the bed so she could get up easier is still in place (now used as a sprawling location by the other dogs, her photos are everywhere, a wear a necklace with some of her ashes and have some of her hair in a little bag on my desk might help me feel better that’s for sure. Yes, this may make me sound crazy but I think there’s more than me that honors and cherishes our dogs memories in ways that only someone else that’s had their own special dog will understand. It took me months to let one of other dogs use her food bowl. The special treats for her eye meds sat in the shelf for so long. Her coats that she wore when it was chillier didn’t get washed for a very long time.

You see grief is strange and it’s personal: it’s never the same and no one else really knows what you’re going through.

Even know when the dogs doing something we’ll comment tell them whether Ziva would be proud or deny ever knowing them. We’ll laugh and say ‘you wouldn’t do that if Ziva was here if they’re being bold’. If they move from our left to right side when treats are being handed out we ask if they’re doing a Ziva as that was a very traditional move of hers!!

So if you’re read my ramblings, Thankyou!! I know they’ve been long and not necessarily coherent but that’s kinda been my year. I’ve found a path, I’m happy and the memories of Ziva still make me laugh and smile more than cry so I’m taking that as a win.

Hug your pups tight, tell them you love them and cherish every minute you have: because we never have enough ###

04/11/2025

National Pet Day was created to encourage us to appreciate the positive role that pets play in out lives and also highlight the millions of amazing animals that are currently in shelters and rescues throughout the country.

Although I think every day is pet day in our house, let's take a some time today to truly appreciate the powerful force for good our pets have on our daily lives.

I'd love to hear how your pets positively impact your life!!

04/11/2025

Enjoying the sun on our evening walk.

Do you and your dog have a favorite time of day for walks?

Let me know in the comments.

04/07/2025

Good information to have on the timing a spay for your female dogs.

Monday Medical Corner:

Ovariohysterectomy, popularly known as ‘spaying’, is commonly performed on female dogs as a means of sterilization and to reduce risk of certain diseases including mammary tumors and pyometra (uterine infection). Recent evidence suggests that delaying this procedure until the dog is more mature (at ~18-24 months of age) offers behavioral, orthopedic, and other health benefits.

Dogs’ reproductive cycle is different than that of humans’. A dog’s estrous cycle includes multiple stages. The best known phase is proestrus/estrus or when the dog is in “heat.” This is the phase where the dog ovulates and can become pregnant if she is bred. This phase lasts about 3 weeks on average. The dog then enters diestrus – the phase of pregnancy. What is interesting about dogs is that the hormonal profile in diestrus is the same whether the dog is actually pregnant or not. During this phase, estrogen declines and progesterone rises (secreted from a structure called the corpus luteum [CL]). Progesterone is the hormone that maintains pregnancy. Diestrus in dogs lasts about 2 months – the average duration of gestation when the dog is pregnant. At the end of diestrus, the CL essentially dissolves or becomes inactive and progesterone levels drop. If the dog is pregnant, this change is part of the process that triggers the birth of the puppies and onset of lactation and maternal behavior.

After diestrus, the dog enters anestrus which is a period of hormonal quiescence. In the dog this lasts on average about 6 months as the typical complete estrous cycle in dogs is about 7-9 months long.

If a dog is spayed during diestrus, the precipitous drop in progesterone can mimic whelping and trigger the onset of maternal behavior – including maternal aggression. Since the dog does not have puppies, dogs may begin to guard other objects and show aggression toward humans or other animals. In rare cases, this aggression has persisted long term.

Since there is no benefit to spaying a dog during diestrus, we recommend that dogs be spayed during anestrus to prevent this possible complication.

04/03/2025

I created this quite a few years ago but it's as true today as it was then.

Dog reactivity has come to be viewed by many as meaning a dog that is struggling in particular situations or even day to day life and exhibiting behaviors that doesn't match with their humans view of acceptable behaviors.

My Forest is a 'reactive dog' so I understand how stressful this can be for dog guardians. It can be isolating, you may need to grief for the experiences you thought you were going to get to share with your dog and come to terms with what you can do together.

It's stressful for you but its also stressful for your dog. They don't want to be scared of their own shadow, be over stimulated by the slightest movement or terrified at any sudden noise. Life throws our dogs just as many curve balls as it throws us, so it's important to give both yourself and your dog grace as you navigate your way together in this crazy world.

04/02/2025

It's National Walking Day so its the perfect opportunity to grab your best buddy and head out on the trails today!

Tell me about your favorite walk with your dog.

04/01/2025

Lara is a very loyal dog when on a walk in her own unique way. What I mean by this is she is loyal to the person in front. She loves being at the front and isn’t always very gracious about how she gets there🤣

When she’s out front she can be ever so attentive but should you stop and someone else move into the lead you will be forgotten about in an instant.

Some people might find this annoying but to me it’s just part of her personality. I know if I was doing training when out with other people being at the front of the walk will make it easier for her. If we then moved behind others, in the simplest explanation it would be like adding in distractions. She would want to surge ahead and we would need to work through that. In fact I would probably lower my criteria slightly as I was increasing the difficulty.

I think It’s a great example of how simple day to day changes that we minit not even consider can cause strugglees for our dogs.

Thats why I love this photo: Lara was so attentive and engaged with Simon and it was great to get a photo that captured it so well: and once I moved passed him I was the only person in her world!!!

Does your dog have some unique characteristics? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!!

03/28/2025

There's so much conflicting information on puppy socialization available that it can be hard to know what to do! In truth socialization is going to look different for every pup because they are all individuals with different personalities.

I like to think of socialization as setting your puppy up for success. They need to experience different environments at a pace that's right for them. A great way to start this process at home before they are fully vaccinated is introducing them to new experiences using ball pits and balance paths. These introduce them to new sounds and textures. It builds in body contact and little surprises as things move about. the most important thing is that your puppy has control so if it's too much they can take a break.

There's things we may also need to do such as reducing the number of balls in the ball pit or shorten the length of the balance path.

Socialization is a wonderful opportunity to build and strengthen the bond with your puppy whilst learning more about there personality which will ultimately help you in tailoring the training best suited for them in the future.

03/27/2025

Spring has definitely sprung and if you're like me you are looking forward to getting some photos of your dogs in the spring flowers.

However, as temperatures rise it means you are more likely to come across a snake when out and about as they become more active.

That means you need to pay more attention to where you and your loved ones are walking/sitting/standing to get those awesome photos.

We don't want your day out to become memorable for all the wrong reasons.

I do highly recommend joining this group as they are very informative and provide up to date information should you ever need it. https://www.facebook.com/share/g/14sw1qiboqv/

Watch your step and stay safe!

03/26/2025

As we get into the warmer and sunnier months (I know its relative), we are more likely to wear hats and glasses and its important to remember that this can be make some dogs more anxious as your face is hidden or shaded. It's also a reason why dogs may react to a bearded men.

03/25/2025

Life can be hard, it can be a struggle BUT sometimes the greatest lessons in life can come from our dogs!!

Give yourself permission to take time for yourself and focus on the things that bring you joy!

03/13/2025

Perfectly said!!

Some things to remember.

Rewards are great. But they have to be good enough for the dog to want to do the thing that got that reward again and again. That means it’s reinforcing. Treats aren’t always the best reward for lots of dogs. Positive reinforcement isn’t treat training.

Punishment isn’t always a ‘bad’ or scary thing. Anything that reduces a behaviour is by definition punishing.

Dogs are much more likely to pick up on your body language than anything verbal initially. Focus more on your movement.

Bad experinces might not be the cause for your dog’s fear. If someone is scared of spiders we don’t usually assume they had a bad experience with them. But if a dog is timid around a certain person we jump to the conclusion something bad must have happened. This isn’t usually the case. Sometimes we just don’t like what we don’t like.

Genetics matter. We don’t see bulldogs herding sheep and we don’t see huskies guiding the blind. There’s a reason for this.

Health significantly impacts behaviour. Pain and aggression go hand in hand. Eating a poor diet and being slightly overweight will also negatively affect your dog’s behaviour. Similar to us.

Training never stops. We call it dog ‘training’ not ‘trained’. Being healthy and in shape is a life long pursuit that requires daily habits to be practiced long term. The same is true for dog training. Maintaining daily habits and practices is key.

There is no one way to train a dog. We have goals/ a destination and it’s up to us how we choose to get there. Efficacy and ethics will guide our journey.

It’s a short ride. Enjoy it whilst you can.

www.thinkdog.nz

03/13/2025

How do you know when your dog is ready for a training session?

Well one way is to use Fast Fire Focus or as I like to call it Can You Eat?

It’s a pretty simple question to remebebr right?

All we are going to do is count out ten small treats and attempt to give them to our dogs in quick succession. If they can’t do us in the treats we it’s a good indication they’re not in the right head space for training.

They may need more time to sniff out the location, they might need to go potty, they may be anxious or overstimulated by the surroundings or their focus is taken with something else.

Whatever the reason, stop, assess and rethink your training. That could mean moving to another location or a greater distance from a distraction (people, dogs, squirrels, bikes etc)

Once you’ve modified the arrangements try again. If they can focus on taking the treats then you’re in a much better place to start your training session.

As time goes by and you practice your skills you can add in distractions. Nell’s showing just how awesome she is in the video but you need to add in distractions at a pace that’s right for your dog.

Don’t rush the process and the results will come.

P.S. making humans run around in small circles can lead to dizziness🤣

In this exercise we ask one simple question 'Can you Eat?'If our dogs can't focus enough to take a piece of food, they aren't going to be acle to focus on tr...

03/12/2025

Help your dog work through distractions.

There are times when we may need to help our dogs work through distractions on a walk and having an object to target is a great option.

But what happens when you don’t have anything you want to put on the ground: well having a foot target may be the solution you’re looking for!!

Check out Nell smashing her training this afternoon.

03/11/2025

Lara enjoys her morning run but she also loves to kick back and relax especially in the perfect spring afternoon!!

It can take time for your dog to learnn how to chill out and relax on their own. They can be awesome when they’ve got somethig to do but switching off and doing nothing can be hard especially for the working breeds.

Do you need help building your dogs off switch so they can truly relax and get the rest they need or have they prefected it?

Comment below or share a pic and let me know how zen your dog is!!

03/06/2025

Someone’s got their power pose on!! Lara is looking ready for anything.

Lara likes to run to keep fit: what’s your dogs favorite way to keep active?