There are many who, if they passed us on that day, would have thought, because this dog did not bark or lunge at the person or car he saw at a distance…that he was FINE. He may have looked like he was enjoying being on leash in the community. What do you think? Actually, while he may look fine, this is a fearful dog with anxiety. The story of his dog behavior is below. [Read more…] about While He May Look Fine, This Is A Fearful Dog With Anxiety
fearful dog
Understanding Flooding And Learned Helplessness In Training
I had been looking forward to that night for several months, since the day I first heard about the upcoming performance one of my favorite local bands. My friends and I got there over two hours early to reserve our spot, before heading across the street to get dinner. By the time we got back to our seats, the concert area was filled. There was not even space for two more chairs. I could hardly wait for the music to start. Then, in the empty seats in front of us, a man joined his party with his leashed dog. Let’s just say, my long-anticipated evening suddenly got off to an unexpected, unwelcome turn. And that is how I will begin this post that will talk about flooding and learned helplessness as it pertains to dog training. [Read more…] about Understanding Flooding And Learned Helplessness In Training
From The Field: Enrichment Builds Confidence
Sometimes I share stories and photos from the field. And today, I’ve got to share this of dear Alfie.
I love seeing his happy body language in these videos. Alfie is so lucky to have such wonderful parents. When I first met him, he had his tail down and didn’t come to me. He was afraid of a lot in his new world. Getting him to go outside to potty was difficult. Now he not only goes outside, he goes for walks, goes on outings, plays, and loves to learn. New things still scare him but he is showing that less, and recovering quicker. I am so glad to have had the opportunity to be part of that story. The big credit goes to Alfie’s parents whose patience, love, dedication and work have helped him blossom.
Tips For Helping Your Dog Feel Safe
The other day I had an appointment for a dog that would react by trying to escape and hide, having an elevated heart rate, stiffened muscles, lowered tail, inability to take food. As soon as I walked in the door, he bolted from one place to another before running into his crate at the far side of the room and behind the couch arm. I suggested that his crate be covered; and once done, he remained there for the rest of the visit. I did not approach any where near the crate. Instead his caregiver and I sat away from him to talk about what was happening and suggested next steps. [Read more…] about Tips For Helping Your Dog Feel Safe
Helping Olivia With Positive Reinforcement
Empowerment.
I talk about that word often as it relates to dog training (and have written about it too), especially for dogs who dealing with issues of fear, stress and anxiety; and I got to thinking about it the last few weeks. [Read more…] about Helping Olivia With Positive Reinforcement
Why you should never punish a dog’s growl
Because warnings are a GOOD thing, that’s why. If your dog is growling, it has already tried to communicate with other non-aggressive body language that it is not comfortable in that situation; but that communication failed [Read more…] about Why you should never punish a dog’s growl