Pawsitive Pups

Pawsitive Pups Pawsitive Pups offers basic dog obedience training and puppy obedience training for the Winthrop are

06/18/2021

The owner of this pup asked to record me working and I was excited for that chance.

The Frenchie and I are practicing sit-stay-come with distractions. The owner has been practicing in the apartment and he was doing really well, so we decided to practice outside. The pup handled the many distractions which included birds, other dogs, and a busy restaurant while doing the cues he was being asked. This is just phase one of outside practice.

Just before this video, he saw some friends and managed to practice some cues while his friends were just a few feet away.

Practicing with no distractions until they are able to do the cue 100% of the times asked is a great starting point. Then distractions and/or changes in the environment can be added to help increase the success of the cue. It is best to practice a new cue with as few of distractions as possible and then add in distractions.

Oh how the roles have reversed. Still need to get those hugs in with Augie. Only a 5 month difference between these two ...
05/27/2021

Oh how the roles have reversed.

Still need to get those hugs in with Augie. Only a 5 month difference between these two pictures. I love my big boy and watching him succeed in his training goals. His owners are constantly setting up new goals for him to accomplish and he is beating them.

This big boy’s success is one of my many reasons for why I love what I do. I am so proud of all my owners and their dogs for going above and beyond in order to help their dogs live happy and healthy lives.

Training isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. I have to tell myself this all the time.

Heading back to work?? Consider a Snuffle MatThis one is homemade and relatively easy to make, but you can always buy on...
05/27/2021

Heading back to work?? Consider a Snuffle Mat

This one is homemade and relatively easy to make, but you can always buy one. They have different types, styles, and levels of difficulty.

A snuffle mat is great for mental stimulation and can be used as a starting point of tapping into your dog’s nose capabilities. All you do is sprinkle food - kibble or any treats you’d like to hide - and let your pup sniff through the mat to find all his treats.

Phin uses this for when I’m leaving him alone as a way of combating any chance of separation anxiety. He loves it and is content to sniff through it.

With everyone heading back to work, this is a great way to help your dog used to being left alone for short periods of time. It is great for short periods of time and can be used in combination with frozen stuffed kongs and treat dispensing toys.

Consider all your options in addition to consulting a trainer to set your dog up for success!!

04/16/2021

I love watching Phin catch the scent as I narrated this whole part. He definitely enjoys searching for his food especially on days where the weather isn’t the best. This activity is great and can be made more difficult. This one is still pretty easy (containers are opened and in plain sight). It can be made more difficult as your dog masters this level.

He’s not hound and doesn’t have any scent hound in him, but he’s definitely food driven and eager to eat dinner.

I recommend all my friends try this out at some point just to see how their dogs do. I would love to see them!!

04/07/2021

The past two nights, I have been having Phin go and find his food in smaller bowls throughout the house. Since he’s not used to this activity, I made it pretty easy by putting them in not hard to spot locations and leaving the containers uncovered.

This way of feeding your dog allows for a mentally stimulating activity while letting your dog tap into his nose power. Nose work can be fun for all involved.

Augie practices safety when he goes for a ride. Attached to his harness is a dog seatbelt. This helps to ensure that Aug...
03/29/2021

Augie practices safety when he goes for a ride.

Attached to his harness is a dog seatbelt. This helps to ensure that Augie doesn’t jump out of the window and to keep him safely in the confines of the back seat. Way to be a good and safe pup Augie!!

Please research or ask for recommendations for what would happen work best for your type of vehicle. Dog safety is important!

Here are a few alternatives to a dog seatbelt to consider.

1) There are other ways to make sure your dog is secure in your car. If you don’t want your dog roaming your car, a crate or a form of a crate can be placed in it can be placed in the backseat of your car or, if you have a hatchback type of vehicle, the crate can be placed back there. If you don’t have a hatchback vehicle, put your crate in the backseat, not in a flatbed or in an enclosed trunk (cars have these type that I’m referring to).

2) If you want to keep your dog in the way back of a hatchback but not in a crate, secure a pet barrier and put a bed back there. An alternative for those who drive cars or flatbed trunks is to get a front seat screen to keep your dog in the backseat and out of the front row. No one wants a backseat driver.

3) A dog hammock can be used in the back seat of your car. This allows your dog to roam but not go under the front seats. This can be used in addition to the seatbelt and the front seat barrier.

Find what works best for you and your dog. There will be positives and negatives with each option, but what works for you and gives your pup the most security in your car is important.

This is a follow up on the progress of the big boy, Augie.Not in the same day as the previous picture, but about a week ...
03/22/2021

This is a follow up on the progress of the big boy, Augie.

Not in the same day as the previous picture, but about a week later, we went for a drive in his sister’s car. As you can see, he didn’t hate it, but he relied on treats and sitting on my lap the whole time.

Progress takes time and isn’t a sprint. If you have a goal for your dog, you should start with high level incentives to help them enjoy the task. Decrease those high level incentives to only the best of the best and give a lower level incentive for a basic task. Example would be getting into the car the first time ever (give high level incentive) verses the 10th time (give lower level incentive). You want this task to become a part of basic life, especially if you are planning on taking your dog some place that isn’t in walking distance.

What isn’t pictured: Augie is sitting on me.

Spent some time training with this big handsome boy this weekend. As you can see, he was definitely ready to be chauffeu...
02/15/2021

Spent some time training with this big handsome boy this weekend. As you can see, he was definitely ready to be chauffeured around.

In reality, this was a huge step for him. He hasn’t been a fan of car rides since he got car sick a few months ago. We are spending some time getting him used to the cars and going for rides. Additionally, we will be adjusting as we go in hopes we can prevent him from getting car sick.

But, for now, him and I will hang out in the back of the car, discussing the weather and who likes playing in the snow more while getting him used to the cars the owners have.

Taking a moment to remember the summer while it is snowing out.Summer time snack: frozen blueberry and squash cube. Phin...
02/07/2021

Taking a moment to remember the summer while it is snowing out.

Summer time snack: frozen blueberry and squash cube. Phin loves these treats for after a walk on a warm summer day. Great cool off treat and one that isn’t eaten often.

One could use peanut butter, but Phin can’t have peanut butter. He also enjoys frozen mashed bananas in this same form.

As I continue to pursue becoming a certified dog trainer, I continue to count my hours. But, I look back and see all the...
01/29/2021

As I continue to pursue becoming a certified dog trainer, I continue to count my hours. But, I look back and see all the owners that I’ve helped and all the dogs that I’ve helped.

I love helping owners with obedience training, but I love helping dogs to become the dog they can become. I love helping timid dogs come out of their shells. I love helping those wanting to learn.

01/22/2021

Back when Cai was my one and only client. We spent so many Sundays together for 6 hours. One snowy day, we went out in the snow to practice the cue “come”.

How can he not get distracted by all the snow, sounds, and scents?!

It takes time, but this was done by practicing with no distractions and then increasing the distractions and the value of the reward. In this case, no reward was given aside from more play and praise. He did get distracted at times, but we were still working distractions with the cue when it was recorded.

It was almost time to go back inside, so practicing calling him to me and releasing him and repeating allowed him to learn that just because he has to come to me doesn’t mean the fun is over just yet.

Whenever I leave and know I’ll be gone for a while, I take some of Phin’s puzzle toys (specifically the Chinese take-out...
01/17/2021

Whenever I leave and know I’ll be gone for a while, I take some of Phin’s puzzle toys (specifically the Chinese take-out box as seen) and stuff some treats and some smaller toys in them. This is great to help him get use to me leaving and helps with his separation anxiety. He loves it and enjoys opening the box and pulling out the dumplings and his chipmunk.

If your dog doesn’t have a full range, is kept in a kennel, or you are ok with the dog potentially dirtying some areas, a frozen stuffed kong is a great option.

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Winthrop, MA
02152

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+16179670061

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