Melissa Marshall Dog Training

09/25/2020

Really great article for these unprecedented times.

Working with them in the wilderness means negotiating countless shifting variables. Sounds a lot like the world we’re living in.

09/23/2020

Resting instead of whining. This is good.

Mornings at home typically bring some restlessness and whining, even after she is fully fed, has had a short play session (all Skye’s play sessions are short; it’s her choice), been outside twice, and worked through some food puzzles.

This morning I tried something different. I started working in the home office standing up instead of sitting.

I figured changing the picture might help. And it did! Well, so far.

Is there something in your dog’s behavior that occurs at regular times you’d like to change?

Change the picture. Change up your routine. Keep your dog guessing during that time.

Comment below and let me know how it goes!

09/22/2020

We love our dogs. We like to hug them, show them how we feel, right?

Does your dog like the attention? Does she like to be hugged?

As a general rule, dogs aren’t as happy as humans to receive this kind of affection. As hard as that is to hear, we would do our dogs a favor by observing their body language and giving them the choice to receive your hugs or not.

I’ve been working on this video for a while. Skye is the most affectionate dog I’ve come across, yet even she can display some signs of being uncomfortable while being hugged.

Note that in the video, I back off a bit after any body language that tells me her space is getting crowded. The fact that she remained leaning against me, showed some happy body language and did not choose to walk away are awesome, and frankly are the main reasons I felt good about continuing.

So think before you hug your dog, and take note of any body language you see that might indicate your pup is uncomfortable:

✅Lip licking
✅Turning face away
✅Walking away
✅Sniffing the ground
✅Whale eye
✅Closed mouth (if unusual for your dog)
✅Stiff body
✅Tail tucked between legs

I’m happy to answer any questions you may have about this video, canine body language or dog training in general.

09/18/2020

Skye eats some of her meals out of a new giant wobbler. After a short time of trying to figure it out, she’s caught on quick and can eat all the food in a matter of minutes.

Just another strategy we use to slow down her eating, as well as calm her - especially in the mornings when her energy level peaks.

09/16/2020

Are you suffering from anxiety or stress? Evidence suggests your dog is, too.

This study reveals, for the first time, an interspecific synchronization in long-term stress levels. Previously, acute stress, has been shown to be highly contagious both among humans and between individuals of other species. Here, long-term stress synchronization in dogs and their owners was invest...

09/03/2020

One of the many skills we are working on with Skye is the ability to stop and check in with us before a walk.

Our front door camera caught us this morning so I thought I’d share.

Though you can’t see all of Skye, you can see how she pulls me at first and I become still like a tree.

I’m not going anywhere until she stops pulling and checks in with me.

Here, there were some very enticing sights and sounds coming from up the block - children playing.

The fact that she was able to check in with me at all is amazing.

So I clicked and rewarded with treats - once I got my stuff together haha.

Then we went on our way.

Does your dog check in with you before walks? You can practice by putting the leash/harness on your dog and just stand in your living room. Once your dog looks up at you, click (or say Yes!) and give a couple of treats. Then slowly move to the doorway, by the open door, and on the porch.

Try it and see if your dog is a bit calmer on your walk.

09/01/2020

09/01/2020

10 Things Your Dog Wishes You Knew

Chirag Patel gives a presentation on 10 things he believes our dogs wished we knew at an event organised by the BCSPCA in Vancouver, Canada.

08/27/2020

08/26/2020

Celebrate International Dog Day with your pups today by spending some quality dog time with them!

This morning Skye and I did some fun obedience training then had a play session with her toys.

Skye hasn’t been into toys much, so when she does finally show interest, I encourage it just as it were a training session.

She gets rewarded with praise and excitement from me (if you don’t look ridiculous you’re doing it wrong) and some good treats when she’s done playing.

It’s also a great way to get some of her ya-yas out before I have to have quiet work at home time.

How are you going to let your dog be a dog today?

08/25/2020

The couple that snores together stays together. No, this was not posed.