EDUCATE | ENGAGE | EMPOWER

Laying a foundation of behavior and training with your dog so you can move forward with lifestyle dog training. Like a maintenance plan for your dog. We discuss lifestyle training quite a bit on the website and with clients. But what does that really mean? Set expectations early with your canine friend and then hold them accountable to those expectations. In any relationship, with people or pets, I am a firm believer that if you don't set expectations then you cannot manage your disappointments. How can you be disappointed in a behavior that you've never offered an alternative for? Dogs need a guideline and boundaries for what is acceptable. If we give them boundaries and we aren't wishy washy on holding them to those boundaries then we will have a dog who naturally looks to us for leadership. Once a foundation of solid training is instilled in the dog; lifestyle training means that instead of actively "training" your dog; training becomes part of your everyday life. If you've taught your dog the place command, have them place while you vacuum, once they know wait / stay, have them wait for you to give them the command before they go out a door or get out of the car. The things they know (your expectations) are reinforced through everyday actions and activities that don't require much effort from you. It becomes second nature to have your dog do things throughout the day that have several purposes. It makes your dog feel fulfilled to please you. It makes your dog feel secure that you are capable of leading them. It keeps your dog accountable to the training principles you've instilled. It reinforces the structure you want in your home. Teaching your dog the behavior you expect is the first step and affirming it by incorporating it into your everyday life activities is the second. The basics apply in almost every situation and there is always a new way to use something that your dog knows to keep it fresh and fun.

I’d imagine most of us can spend an absorbent amount of time looking at puppies on Tik Tok, Pinterest and Insta. They are so cute it’s easy to forget how much time and effort must be dedicated to raising a puppy into a great dog. Before we got Waylon, it had been 15 years since we’d brought Weechee home as an 8 week old puppy. The memory had certainly faded of what a firecracker he'd been as a pup. The ankle biting, the hair pulling and the night time whining just to name a few. But Waylon was all too happy to refresh our recollections. Getting a puppy or adopting a dog is such an amazing life experience, but it's also important to remember a dog is a living, loving being that requires more than just food, water and pets. We always recommend doing research on breeds to make sure you know what taking care of that specific dog entails and that they will be compatible with the lifestyle and family you have. Once you've done your research and know which dog is right for you then you want to find out how to provide the right structure for them at the beginning of your relationship to set up for future success. So many dogs end up in shelters, have behavior problems, or worse being put down because they once were cute puppies and ended up being more than someone could handle. A little work can go along way to having an amazing relationship with your best fur friend. It's never too early to reach out to a trainer when getting a puppy. The best time to deal with problems is before they begin. Good vibes everyone!

Follow the leader is definitely a game we can play with our dog. After all we should be our dogs funnest and most valuable resource. But having a dog that follows us constantly can evolve into a problem pretty fast. When you become a resource the dog can't function without, separation anxiety is inevitable. This can manifest in a variety of ways. Whining, barking, destroying household items and doors, and endless pacing to name a few. During the pandemic this situation increased exponentially for many pet owners because the amount of time they spent with their dogs increased drastically. It was a very mentally challenging time for all of us and the reality is, the mindset you pet your dog with and the reason you pet them matter more than you might imagine. I believe it was Sean O’Shea that I heard say “you get what you pet”. Petting is a form of positive reinforcement. So when we offer free pets for a dog that is nervous or anxious we are reinforcing that as a desirable behavior. And when we pet our dog because we are emotional and need support, our dog feels that and they will begin to try and overcompensate for our lack of strength. We tend to talk about this a lot but boundaries and structure are amazing tools for avoiding or minimizing separation anxiety. Duration place and crate time foster mental well-being and an ability to settle on their own for your dog. A calm mind is so important for a canine. Loving our dog and giving them their best life doesn’t mean only looking out for their physical needs. We have to educate ourselves and set aside pre-conceived notions and truly focus on what our dog needs to be their best self. - Good vibes everyone

It can be difficult to be patient when working your way through behavior problems with your dog. Think about how difficult it is for us as humans to develop new habits and behaviors. Likewise it is difficult for our dog to change their default behavior; especially when they have relied on a behavior or reaction for a long time. Once you are armed with good, solid information for working on behavior problems, patience and consistency will prove extremely valuable to achieving your goal. Your dog will read your emotions similar to how you might read a good book. Staying patient and being a strong, fair leader will prove far more effective than losing your temper with your dog. Many times I've heard the expression "take a breath" or "take a beat" when it comes to parenting your kids. I've always thought it was good advice to take a moment when you are angry so you don't end up saying words you will later regret (with all other people, not limited to just your kiddos). With kids they understand our feelings and we can explain to them why their choices were wrong. We don't have that luxury with dogs. Unfortunately, with our canine friends we can't use logic or rational to explain what went wrong. They don't hold onto information the same way we do either. In the moment when the behavior is occurring is the same moment you have to communicate your pleasure or displeasure. For instance, when you come home and the dog you left loose in the house has destroyed all the pillows, because they have separation anxiety, putting the shredded pillow in front of their face and yelling at them produces zero positive results. They have absolutely no idea why you are mad or what behavior led you to those feelings. It's sad when people throw judgement and shame on people with dogs that have behavior issues. Most of these dog owners are just good folks that are trying to give their dog the best life possible without having a clue how to fix these issues. The battles they face and the emotional turmoil over their dog's behavior or the limitations it may cause in their life, don't need piling on from other people, well-meaning or not. It's okay to get outside help, that specializes in rehabilitating your dog's behavior and it's okay that you can't do it alone. It takes time, patience, and a willingness to make changes, but there is rarely a situation that is without hope. A dog's behavior doesn't change overnight and that's okay. We don't change overnight either ;) - Good vibes everyone

Chilling with your dog at the park can be just as fun and rewarding as playing chuck-it. Your local park can be a fantastic place to work on further proofing commands, socialization skill building, sniffing, playing fetch and other fulfillment activities for your pooch, but it can also be an amazing place to keep building the calm, relaxed mindset you are instilling in your pup at home. We want our dog to have an on / off switch. If you want to be able to visit with neighbors or have a picnic with the family then showing your dog how to relax in the same places they have fun is an essential element. Next time you hit the park take a blanket and a bone instead of a ball. It's good to mix it up. - Good vibes everyone

If we are the leader (and we should be) in our relationship with our dog - we must learn how to properly advocate for their rights. And our rights as a dog owner. Your dog is not public property and having them in public does not give people the right to accost them. Dogs have individual personalities, likes and dislikes, genetics and preferences for behavior just like we do. There are definitely some dogs that are the life of the party, good-time, say hello to everyone, never met a stranger type dogs. But that is only a small handful of the dog population. There are many dogs that tolerate (I didn't say enjoy) strangers petting them or getting in their bubble and then there are dogs that hate it and the more it happens they begin to develop their own, unacceptable, coping mechanisms. Why? Because we are their leader and we aren't advocating for our rights as pet owners. This is going back a couple years, but I had the most unbelievable experience while at Lowe's with Waylon when he was about 6 months old. Waylon is a Great Pyrenees and it's pretty common in these large, livestock guardian breeds for them to be uninterested in the attention of strangers. I had popped in after work to get some lumber for a project at the house and as I am walking through the parking lot, Waylon is on a cross-body style leash, attached to me and walking on heel, while I push this cart loaded down with lumber toward the truck. As we both mind our own business, this woman begins walking toward us and I can already tell she is going to try and pet Waylon. I did a little side step and told her he doesn't like pets from strangers. She literally ignores me and reaches to pet him anyway. As I stepped forward and shifted the leash, Waylon moved behind me to create more distance from her. The woman then became increasingly heated, telling me that something is wrong with my dog and clearly I'm abusing him if he won't let her pet him. I was appalled! By the end of her rant she is quite literally yelling in the parking lot that I am a dog abuser. Staying calm I pointed out to her that if I was abusing my dog, he clearly wouldn't be hiding behind me to get away from her. She then tells me that I shouldn't have him in public if people can't pet him. I explained to her that he was there to be with me and that she didn't have anymore right to pet him than she would to touch my kid, if they were with me, and that she needed to learn some manners because you should never pet someone's dog without speaking with them first and receiving permission from the owner. She continued to rant about me abusing him and at that point I decided that her irrational behavior made it an unproductive conversation so I walked away with Waylon (who she tried to pet again from behind me). While I was loading the lumber into my truck she yelled across the parking lot that I needed to stop starving my dog and actually feed him. Although I continued to ignore her, inside I was seething. Most of us loving dog owners, that would do just about anything for our fur-kids, would be outraged. I called Mike and told him about it as soon as I got in the car and started home. He told me I did everything right and said you can't argue with crazy. So true! But that encounter and others (without the crazy) where people have zero acceptance when you tell them they can't pet your dog absolutely floor me. I have a dog that doesn't like pets from people he doesn't know. End of story. It's probably a personality trait he has emulated from his owner. I don't like pets from strangers either. The unfortunate thing is if I hadn't had a modicum of control over this situation and my dog bit this lady, he and I would have been the bad guys in the situation. Pay attention to your dog's behavior; it will clearly show how they feel about others approaching them. Be respectful of their feelings because that is what good leaders do. If you are mindful of this from the beginning you will save yourself a whole host of problems later. If you don't advocate for your dog, you are diminishing your role as their leader in their eyes. Once your dog feels you are not up to the task of leading them; they will begin trying to control situations and "bad", socially unacceptable behavior is inevitable. When someone wants to pet our three dogs, we give them their release command and tell them it's okay to say hi. If they want to they can say hello and if they don't then they don't. It's as easy as that. (**Note** That works for our particular dogs because they have all been well socialized and know how to behave with manners in a meet and greet.) Ultimately freedom and structure are up to us as the dog owner, but meetings shouldn't be forced. Otherwise your perfectly well-behaved dog that was seemingly harmless may be provoked to behavior that is completely unacceptable. To have and to hold your dog's trust, you need to continually advocate for your rights as a pet owner and remind people that just because your dog is in public; they are not public property. - Good vibes everyone

Today I had to run to the local nursery during lunch and took Higgins with me. About mid-way through our meandering we picked up a stalker. Our stalker's name was Vinnie and although he was incredibly interested in Higgins; Higgins had very little interest in him. Vinnie was next to a potted palm, curled up when we first spotted him. Higgins gave me a little look like "do you see that"? After that Vinnie followed us around the entire nursery and Higgins, glanced at him a few times, but mostly ignored him, choosing to give me his focus. We talk a lot about proper socialization in our videos and on the blog and this is a prime example of why having a dog that is properly socialized is so important. Higgins accepted the cat was there and continued to offer me the behavior he has been trained to give. He didn't need to investigate or make a fuss about the cat; he simple accepted it and moved on. I'd call that a win! - Good vibes everyone

It's become somewhat of an urban myth that if you exhaust your dog through exercise or play that they will be too tired for the bad behavior they are exhibiting. As an owner we may start feeling guilty that our dog's bad behavior is our fault because we simply don't have enough time to spend the hours our dog needs every day to feel fulfilled. I am imagining myself pushing a giant red buzzer that says Wrong! Exercise is not going to eliminate bad behavior, like barking, growling, lunging, pulling, etc. What is going to mitigate bad behavior is implementing structure and boundaries and then sticking to them. When you have a child who's acting out; you don't enroll them in more sports or arts programs to cure the problem. When working with a dog, it is the same. You must address the root of the problem and work from the bottom up. The goal is to do life with a calm and relaxed dog. At home, at work like Waylon, or wherever the day takes you. Then you can play with your dog and exercise with them free of unhealthy mindsets and for the right reasons. To have fun with your dog!! - Good vibes everyone!

Growing greatness is the recurring theme in Daniel Coyle's book The Talent Code. In the opening chapter, aptly called "The Sweet Spot" he discusses the work of Robert Bjork, the psychology chair at UCLA. He quotes Bjork as saying, "We tend to think of the memory as a tape recorder, but that's wrong. It's a living structure, a scaffold of nearly infinite size. The more we generate impulses, encountering and overcoming difficulties, the more scaffolding we build. The more scaffolding we build, the faster we learn." It's truly a fascinating idea and thought provoking in the context of training your dog. Scaffolding continuously builds on the parts that were laid down before, which is what we strive to achieve daily with lifestyle dog training. Encountering and overcoming difficulties, properly done, builds a dog's confidence and paves the way for them to have solid socialization skills. Many reactive dogs act from a place of fear and uncertainty so self-confidence is an important part of a dog's development. Their confidence in their owner / handler is paramount, but that's a whole separate post. ;) Start small, lay the foundation, and then continue to add pieces onto the solid structure you've built. The more scaffolding we build, the better and faster our dog will learn. When we focus on creating a healthy relationship with our dog we build engagement. The more engaged they are with us and the learning process; the easier it will become to lead them. As we layer our scaffolding we will eventually reach the sweet spot in dog training. Incorporating the needs of our dog into our daily lifestyle. - Good vibes everyone!

Working dogs minds and creating a valuable command for safety at the same time. Teaching a dog the "middle" command can far and away be one of your most valuable resources beyond just having people think you and your dog are mad impressive. If your dog goes places with you this can be a space command that puts them where you need them in a crowded or tight place. My favorite place to use middle is during check out at the store or in a public restroom. Waylon in particular doesn't like people in his personal space and hello! Big, white, fluffy beautiful, magnetic dog (biased, me? Never.) Everyone wants to pet him. Having a direction for him to follow that keeps him where I have control of him, I can see him and, he is focused on what I am doing allows me to manage a situation where I have no control over the external factors. If you teach the dog to sit in the middle position, which really comes most natural, make sure you are mindful of where the dogs tail is. We almost had a shopping cart roll over Waylon's once. You can also teach this as a stand, unfortunately, with Waylon's height I would be riding him like a pony if he stood between my legs. Teaching this command is pretty simple. If they love to learn, you can use one of your dogs meals to get some reps in each day or if they are a harder sell, use a higher value treat they will work for. When teaching this kind of behavior you don't want to use anything that makes your dog hyped up or over-aroused as dog trainer's like to say. One way to teach this command is to lure the dog with food to go between your legs from front to back. With the dog directly in front of you, lure them through your legs to get them to begin understanding what you want them to do. Once they grasp that you want them to go through your legs, begin to toss the food (from the front) between your legs and have them go get it. This puts them in the prime spot for beginning to teach them middle. Now you will bend over slightly and lure them with the food to come through your legs from behind. Depending on your desired end result of sit or stand, will depend on what you do next. If you want them to stay in a stand, make sure you keep your lure even and steady until their head and shoulders clear your legs then mark and reward. If you want to end in a sit, once their shoulders begin to clear your legs you will pull the food up slightly to continue to lure the through and then sit, then mark and reward. This should begin to happen in one fluid motion. Not asking for the sit during this command keeps the sit waters from becoming muddy. Our primary goal is to keep all our windows and commands clear for the dog. Practicing this and other tricks / commands for a few minutes every day is a great way to keep that working dog mind busy and satisfied. Side benefit - you now know an awesome way to feel confident your dog will stay safe and out of trouble while you check out at the pet store. - Good vibes everyone!

How much praise you should give your dog to reinforce and reward good behavior is a delicate balance. When you are giving praise to reward good behavior you want to use your higher pitch "happy" tone. The amount of praise completely depends on the dog and what you are trying to accomplish. When you are training you want to reinforce the good behavior, without elevating the dog's arousal. If you go to far the dog will become over-excited. If you are in the middle of a training session you will diminish that calm focus they are giving you. Also, when you are in the house, you want to be mindful of always offering positive reinforcement for the behavior that you want (hopefully calmness lol). When we train a Belgian Malinois, our level of praise will most likely be very short, just a simple "good girl" or "good dog"; when we train with a dog that is difficult to arouse we usually praise with more intensity because we try to keep him / her in a more motivated "working" state of mind. Be mindful of how your praise affects your dog when you are working with them and you should have better results with your dog's ability to learn. - Good vibes everyone

Don't just chose the first dog trainer that comes up when you search "dog trainer near me" and I'm not saying that because it probably isn't us ;) Dog training is a delicate balance of training the dog and educating the human. It should never be a process where you, the dog owner, are uninvolved and don't know what steps are being taken to help correct your furry friend's challenges. Especially because there are trainers out there that will use horrible methods to get quick results from your dog. You want to find someone who truly has a passion for helping dogs & people, understands how important behavior is for long-term success and can show you their own dog (or a client's) that they have trained. Training should deepen the strong bond you have with your dog. When possible it should be fun, out of the box, creative and customized. One of the perks of living with a dog trainer is that everything, even the box from a new chair that gets delivered, becomes a fun and entertaining game for the boys to play. They love to work and learn, whether they are "in the box" or out. - Good vibes everyone and happy Friday!