Dog Training & Behavior Tips
When Dog Training Isn’t Enough - a Dynamic Dog Case Study
The case study of A, a 2.5-year-old Feist mix, illustrates how persistent behavior issues often have deeper, underlying causes. Despite extensive training, A continued to struggle with aggression, pulling on walks, and inconsistent eating. A key observation of A's unusual hind-leg skipping led to further investigation. This was when a Dynamic Dog Assessment, an approach that considers the whole dog's physical health, behavior, and environment, revealed subtle discomfort signals that changed A’s life.
How Pain Can Lead to Undesirable Dog Behavior (And What You Can Do About It)
We explore the often-overlooked connection between pain and undesirable behaviors in dogs. It provides a comprehensive guide on recognizing the subtle signs of pain, such as changes in sleep patterns, mobility, and social interactions. By understanding how pain can impact a dog's behavior, owners can take proactive steps to improve their dog's well-being. The article includes practical advice on tracking symptoms, consulting with veterinarians and Dynamic Dog Practitioners, and managing pain effectively.
Drawing from a personal story about Oakley, my dog who overcame a severe spinal infection, her story emphasizes the importance of listening to what our dogs are trying to tell because their behavior always has a deeper story.
How To Write An Organized and Effective Dog Training Plan
Just like any other professional, dog trainers need to have a solid plan in place in order to be successful. This means having a clear understanding of your goals, what you and your student need to do to achieve them, and how you will measure progress along the way. While every trainer's approach will be slightly different, there are some essential elements that should be included in every dog training plan. In this blog post, I'll share some tips on how to write an organized and successful training plan that your students can stick to. By following these guidelines, you can set yourself up for success and ensure that you're providing the best possible experience for your students and their dogs.
How Old Does My Dog Need To Be To Start Training?
Training a dog can be a rewarding experience for both you and your dog. If you are using positive reinforcement-based methods, puppies can begin learning simple cues such as “Sit” and “Down” as soon as they can eat solid foods. However, basic obedience training is just the beginning. Dogs of all ages can learn new tricks and behaviors. That saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”, couldn’t be more wrong. The bond between you and your dog will only grow stronger as you continue to train together over the course of your lives together.
What's In Your Mouth!? Why Dogs Run Away When They Have Something In Their Mouths
It's happened to the best of us: you're minding your own business when you see your dog out of the corner of your eye, running away from you with something in their mouth that they definitely shouldn't have. Whether it's a pair of your favorite shoes or the remote control, it can be frustrating trying to get them to drop the item and come back to you. But why do they run away in the first place?
The First Steps To Managing Aggression in Dogs
Anyone who has ever owned a dog knows that they are capable of exhibiting a wide range of emotions, from happiness and excitement to fear and aggression. Unfortunately, even the best-behaved dog may exhibit aggression under certain circumstances. If your dog is exhibiting aggressive behavior, it is important to take steps to manage the aggression in order to keep both your dog and those around him safe. The best-laid training plans start with the management of the dog’s undesirable behaviors to prevent further reinforcement. In this blog post, we'll discuss three strategies for managing aggressive behavior in dogs: using training equipment like muzzles, rearranging the environment for success, and preventing your dog from practicing undesirable behaviors.
Puppy Training: Building Confidence In Your Puppy
Building confidence in our dogs is overlooked. We believe that all dogs will be friendly, sociable, and happy-go-lucky. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Dogs of this nature are hard to come by these days. The odds are usually stack against us when we first get our puppy.
Husbandry Training: Conditioning Your Dog to a Harness
Need a step-by-step process to get your dog to wear their harness comfortably? If your dog is growling, fleeing, or biting when you attempt to put on their harness, using positive reinforcement-based husbandry training could be the answer to your problems. Follow the steps in this article to help your dog love their harness!
New Products In Stock for Fall!
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are offering shipping to our current and previous students with their usual student discount on dog toys, treats, leashes, and more from our store! If you need products for your pup shipped to you fast that you know your trainer gives the seal of approval, this is a great way to do just that. Below is a list of the items we currently have in stock, our student pricing (without shipping cost or tax included), and some information about each product.
COVID-19 Update from the Faithfully Yours Team
This is a COVID-19 update for students who had their program paused due to COVID-19, re-scheduling for your private programs starts Nov. 1st, 2020 for January 2021 private session dates!
You guys are getting first pick of the dates before we open enrollment to the general public again on Dec. 1st, 2020 for January 2021 sessions. So, make sure you get in touch with us when you are ready to restart your program by using the contact form at this link.
Please keep in mind, restarting your program in January 2021 means you will be asked to wear a mask during your session and that sessions will be held outside only with our staff wearing masks.
Teamwork As A Trainer: Overcoming Negativity in Teams
We have finally reached the end of our Teamwork for Trainers series about the takeaway for pet professionals from the Ferrazzi’s book, “Leading Without Authority” (2020). The final chapters of the book included several gems about overcoming negativity within team settings, which is something all pet professionals will experience at some point in their careers; whether this is with students or other professionals. Gossip, negative remarks, and bringing down others is something everyone will fail victims to dishing out and receiving at some point throughout their career.
Teamwork As A Trainer: Importance of Co-Development
As we near the end of this blog series, as I was reading in Ferrazzi’s book, “Leading Without Authority” (2020) we are following for this series, I wondered when we would reach the topic of positive reinforcement. Any experienced animal trainers know how important reinforcing desired behavior is, but they also know about the positive effects on psychology in both animals and humans. And finally, that chapter has come!
Photo Credit: https://puppyhero.com/breed/nova-scotia-duck-tolling-retriever
Teamwork As A Trainer: Collaboration Success In Training
Life, however, doesn’t just give us people we agree with, and sometimes there will be a good reason for us to need to peacefully collaborate with people whose ethical stances are different from our own. Even in professional debates and conversations at conferences, there is a chance for each person to input their opinion into the conversation for review by the group.
Teamwork As A Trainer: Building Trust As A Dog Trainer
As professional animal trainers, trust is a colossal part of our job whether we are aware of it or not. We need the trust of the animal so, we can function as a team with the animal and we aren’t injured. However, we also need the trust of the human-side of the equation. The animal’s owner must trust in our opinion, expertise, and ability to provide the results they are asking for in a humane and effective way.
Teamwork As A Trainer: Knowing Your Broader Team
The dog’s owner, vet, vet behaviorist, doggie daycare, pet sitter, and anyone else interacting with the animal on a semi-usual basis is on our broader team. We must consider if what they are doing is working for us or against us and how we can extend what Ferrazzi describes as “care, concern, commitment, and camaraderie” to everyone on our broader team to accomplish our common goal; a happy, healthy animal the owner can live with (Ferrazzi, 2020).