On Cue Training

28/04/2024

15/12/2023

As many of you know, we've had our baby and are home resting and figuring out our new norm.

But here's what you maybe don't know:

This pregnancy was very unexpected and we were told it couldn't happen without medical intervention years ago, which we chose not to pursue.

We were living in a camper with three dogs while building our one bedroom home (because we'd only ever need one bedroom) when we found out we were pregnant.

During this pregnancy, we dealt with a cystic fibrosis scare, "advanced maternal age", and gestational diabetes.
All while building our home (out of pocket, so money was tight) and living in a camper with three dogs.

On top of this, during this pregnancy I also found out that Bouci (our oldest girl) has some sort of cancer. This requires meds two times a day, that I couldn't handle through pregnancy and can't handle now while nursing.

She's only 8.

In our first few days home from the hospital, we had to figure out how to be parents, get to the pediatrician due to the baby's weight loss in the hospital and go to Bouci's vet appointment to have her red blood cells checked.

She had been up in her numbers, but at this check-up, she wasn't. She is also experiencing rapid weight loss even though she is being fed more than ever and on steroids. Maybe her numbers will be better next time. Maybe not.

We have had to deal with immense amounts of grief during an otherwise extremely joyful, but scary time in our lives.

It is because of our relationship, our training, and our management strategies that I'm able to hold and feed my son with my left arm, while being able to pet and spend time with Bouci with my right arm.

It's times like these that you clearly see why relationship, training, and management matter so much. Had we not prepared our dogs for baby, my girl might be spending potentially her last days separated from me. Pushed to the back burner so we could take care of this tiny new human. Thank God this isn't the case. Don't think training & relationship don't matter. They matter a lot.

07/11/2023

Dog Bite Prevention Tips:
https://doggonesafe.com/

06/11/2023

No dog needs corrections.

There is never a reason to correct a dog.

When corrections "work" they do so by scaring, startling or otherwise interrupting behavior. They do not teach the dog anything other than potentially to be afraid of us.

So what do we do instead? We as guardians need to do a better job at understanding the motivation behind why dogs do what they do and we need to do a much better job at reading body language, managing their environments and teaching them alternate behaviors when they do something we would prefer them not to.

All of these things are on US, not the dog.

06/11/2023

06/11/2023

BIG BITE preview of our Husbandry 1.0 course that will be available January 2024!!

This course goes through all of the handling techniques that you need from introduction to high-level handling to help make vetting, grooming, and home care easier for all involved.

Cooperative care is such an important set of skills for us and our dogs.

This type of handling and these types of skills are so necessary throughout our dogs' lives and its so important that we put the practice into these areas.

So until January, here's a BIG BITE sneak peak

31/10/2023

I'm getting a bit fed up of seeing this silly idea written everywhere.

Education is education because it's based on tried and tested methods, study and facts.

Educated dog trainers work with the dog when they teach them, because this type of dog trainer can recognise what a dog needs.

They know every dog is an individual and cater their own approach to that.

And if they can't motivate a dog to learn, they develop themselves, they don't blame the dog or change to harsher methods.

They set the dog up for success while gently changing behaviours that need to be changed.

They grow the dog's confidence to cope, which is more likely to promote calm behaviours.

They want to know how the dog feels and how to give the dog agency.

They know that suppression and punishment does not provide the healing process that the dog in front of them needs.

They know that a specific collar or threat does not provide the dog with the freedom from fear or force that they deserve.

What educated dog trainers don't do is permissiveness.

They don't just throw cookies at a dog and hope for the best.

They don't ignore behaviours if they are problematic or dangerous.

Educated dog trainers are scientists, teachers, ethologists and perpetual students. They learn from the science and from the dog.

They are the only dog trainers that you should ever employ. So look for those with understanding, knowledge and who are continually striving to be better educated.

31/10/2023

😊

28/10/2023

"Keeping me safe and keeping me **FEELING** safe are not the same things"

There are so many times that I see owners putting their dogs in situations where they don't FEEL safe. And it's clear to see if you pay attention and educate yourself on canine body language- which, sadly, most people don't. Body language can be very subtle, until it isn't. And when it isn't anymore, we often see it as misbehavior or alarming and respond in a way that intensifies and escalates those feelings that are causing the behavior - which is a bad move.

When behavior related to feelings of the lack of safety come up, I see owners who either respond with a big emotional outburst in kind...or the old "let's get closer, it's not scary! See?! See?!"

Both of these responses are going to intensify and escalate your dog's concerns AND behaviors the next time around. You can't reason your dog out of being scared or uncomfortable just because you don't see why there's any reason to be scared or uncomfortable.

BUT YOU CAN HELP THEM! It's not impossible to do! There's just a right way and a wrong way. And unfortunately, without education, most of us will automate to trying to "help" the wrong way.

Educate yourself on how to help your dog - AND YOURSELF.

They're not giving you a hard time, they're having a hard time.

28/10/2023

Absolutely applicable to dog training