Pawsitive Dog Training Unleashed

04/28/2022

04/01/2022

Dakota was practicing her "leave it" skills with an extra special treat and did awesome! 😍

The weather is warming up, which means pups are going to be out on adventures with their humans more and more. Schedule a session and make sure your furbaby has all the tools and training they need to have a fun, safe summer. If your dog has already gone through training (with me or someone else), schedule a reinforcement session!

Booking almost full for the week of the 3rd! Message to schedule now!

11/24/2021

The importance of reinforcing behavior

Reinforcing behavior is very important for dogs of all ages. Over time, you dog may forget the skills they learned if we aren't reinforcing that. As dogs new learn skills, they may forget some of the things they initially learned, or maybe they have that skill down in the house, but not in the backyard, or on a walk. Make sure you work on your training in all kinds of different environments and remember that every time you go into a new environment you start the training over from the beginning. Finding new ways/ games to keep your dog interested while learning new skills or reinforcing old skills will go a long way in their training. For example, say your dog knows the command "stay" very well, but now you want to teach them "place" and you notice now when you say "stay" they go their "place". The best way to work around this, is doing multiple sessions over an extended amount of time, where you work on "stay" and "place" in the same session. That way they learn to understand the difference between the two commands.

In our house, we use a great game to reinforce stay, sit/lay down, and come all in the same game. To start, I use my living room and walk in a big circle. I start with having her sit/lay down, and then stay. After walking several feet away, I tell her to "come". After she takes a couple of steps, I interrupt that command and tell her to sit/lay down, and stay, and the repeat. Sometimes I let her come all the way to me, sometimes I let her only take one step. You can incorporate "place" into this by having them go their "place" after you complete the circle. We also play this game in the backyard or during off leash training time. It is a great way to reinforce behavior while also getting their focus on you.

11/23/2021

How do I get dogs to focus on me?

In training, it is so important to make sure you are more entertaining than the environment you are working in. For example, if you are teaching 'leave it" with a toy in your living room, you may be able to use regular training treats. Whereas, if you are teaching "leave it" with trigger (dog barking, squirrel, car) on a walk, you will need to use high value treats (like boiled chicken, cheese, lunch meat, etc) as well as using a higher pitch tone of voice in order to be more exciting than the environment.

Another thing to keep in mind, is if your expectations for the dog are too high or too low. It is important to remember how your dogs past, age, and information they already know affect their training now. You can give a puppy and an adult dog all the same tools for learning the same thing, but the outcome will not be the same. Like humans, dogs learn in different ways and have different motivators. You may be able to get your adult dog to sit and stay while you walk into another room, but your puppy cannot. This is because puppies are still learning impulse control and how to focus. It is just like how you wouldn't expect your 8 month old child to sit still for an hour, but your 4 year old can. You may also have too low of expectations for your dogs. If you see your dog is quick learner, and picking up new skills fast, you can reinforce that same behavior in new ways. Intelligent dogs will get bored easily when reinforcing behavior they know well if you are doing the same thing over and over. For example, if you are reinforcing a stay behavior, and you always have them stay in the same spot, try having them stay in a different spot. Or have them stay in lay down position, stay in a standing position, etc. There are also so many different tricks you can teach your dog. If your dog is mastering new skills quickly, you can find a lot of new tricks or behavior skills to teach them. Try to find a balance throughout the week of doing reinforcement training sessions, and new skills training sessions.

11/02/2021

Have you ever asked yourself, “Should I crate train my dog?” or “Do I really need to do crate training with my dog if they aren’t going to be in the crate on a daily basis?”
The answer is YES. Every single dog benefits from positive crate training.

“My dog is well behaved and non-destructive.”
“I don’t want to confine my dog ”
“I have heard of horror stories of dogs hurting themselves in a crate and I don’t want to put my dog in a dangerous situation.”

With the proper training, the dog sees their crate as a safe space, not a confinement. It is also extremely beneficial, even if you don’t plan on using it everyday, because if your dog needs to go to the vet, goes to the groomer, or even if you go on vacation and choose to board your dog, they will likely spend time in crate. During those times, you'll be at ease knowing your dog is comfortable in the crate.

Message me today to start crate training !!

10/17/2021

October is Pit Bull Awareness Month

“Pit Bull” is an umbrella term for several dog types that descended from bulldogs and terriers. Pit Bull dog breeds consist of American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Bully, American Pit Bull Terrier, and so on.

15-20% of dogs in shelters are Pit Bulls.

40% of Pit Bulls in shelters are euthanized each year.

Pit Bulls face more abuse than any other breed.

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At least 85% of Pit Bulls pass the temperment test, placing them 4th of 122 breeds tested.

In the early 1900's, Pit Bulls were known as "Nanny Dogs" because they are so kind and trustworthy around kids.

Pit Bulls were not bred as guard dogs because they were too friendly.

Contrary to popular belief, Pit Bulls don't have locking jaws, and they don't have the strongest bite. German Shephard's and Rottweilers have a more powerful bite.

Let's show some extra love to our Pitties this month. Dakota here is 19.7% American Pit Bull Terrier and it's also her birthday this month! 🥳

10/07/2021

Halloween Safety Tips for Pets

- Teach the command "Stay". By teaching stay, you are lowering the risk of your dog escaping while handing out candy to trick or treaters.

- Microchip ! In case of an accident, EVERY pet should be microchipped and the info should be up to date in order to get your baby home to you quicker.

- Use a harness and leash. Your dog can and will slip out of it's collar if scared. With an excess of children and vehicles, it is important to make sure your dog is secure.

- Keep anxious pets inside. Halloween is an exciting holiday with children in costumes running around, yelling, and laughing. For you and the kids, it's a great time! Unfortunately, it is an overstimulating environment for any dog, but a dangerous situation for an already anxious dog.

- Keep candy up and away! Chocolate is poisonous to dogs. At the least, it'll give your dog a stomach ache. At the most, it could kill them. If you suspect your dog has ate chocolate, monitor and take them to the vet if you notice any excessive diarrhea, vomiting, or abnormal behavior.

- Make sure your dog is supervised around all decorations.

Always remember, not all dogs like to dress up for Halloween. It is important to remember to respect your dogs boundaries and keep them comfortable and safe during this exciting night. Should you decide to dress up your dog, it is important to find a costume that fits properly, does not limit movement, or block their sight/ breathing.

Have a safe, fun Halloween !

10/05/2021

Leave it

Leave it so important in training and one of the first things I work on. To teach leave it, find what motivates your dog. Most dogs are food motivated, but some dogs are more toy motivated. In this example we'll use a treat.

To start, show the dog the treat and hold it in your palm in front of their nose. Close your fist when the dog goes for the treat. You dog will likely sniff, lick, and paw at your hand. As soon as you're dog looses interest, say " Leave it " and reward. Do not use the command " Leave it " while your dog is still interested in the treat until you think they understand the concept of the word.

Once you're dog is able to leave the treat alone in your hand, you can expand your training. Drop the treat on the floor (cover the treat with your hand until they lose interest). Then drop several treat on the floor.

Now, do it all over from the beginning, but outside. Then on a walk, at the park, in the car, etc. Keep in mind, everytime you train in a new environment, you will likely have to start your training from the beginning as your dog is over-stimulated in that new environment and is not used to training there.

Once your dog has truly understood the concept of "Leave it" you can transfer it to ANYTHING you want your dog to leave alone.

10/01/2021

Welcome to Pawsitive Dog Training Unleashed! I work to help humans and dogs get the tools they need to properly communicate with each other. I strictly use positive reinforcement and lure training to help you train any behavioral problems that may arise. Meet and greets are required before any training sessions are booked. Parent participation encouraged! Please message this page or email me at [email protected] with any questions you may have, or to set up a meet and greet. I can't wait to meet you and your furbaby! 🥰🐶