Bravo Dog Training & Behaviour Consulting
399 Mountain Highway V7J 2K9 North Vancouver, BC, Canada

You know what’s hard? Being a dog mom or dad when everyone around you is an expert, especially when your dog is suffering from reactivity. The last thing we need when we are struggling is unsolicited instructions on what we should be doing and a mixed bag of opinions. If it’s not your neighbor it’s a stranger at the park, the guy on youtube with a million followers but no education or evidence to back up their claims, a plethora of books are telling you one thing and ...the next author says something completely different or a Netflix tv show. Sorry, not sorry but I feel awful for my clients pulled in a million directions by folks unqualified to be giving advice. It comes down to sourcing educated and experienced force-free behavior specialists. And, if you don’t know how to find one, source a vet behaviorist via http://dacvb.org and they will point you in the right direction for behavior challenges. Do you feel frustrated with all of the info offered about dog behaviour?

Rosie, darling. Has anyone ever told you how perfect you are? This little Frenchton is a typical puppy, distracted by all the sights and smells in the world. this can be frustrating for the humans but we have to remember the world from their perspective. Time and patience helps everything. Remember who the walk is for

Severe noise aversion, phobias and sensitivities can impact your dogs welfare and well-being. Does your dog suffer from noise sensitivity?

Dogs come into our lives to teach us lessons and encourage personal growth. Often humans are so quick to want to teach their dog that they neglect to realize that we are actually the learner. Open your heart to learning from your dog and the benefits will outweigh any of the curveballs sent your way.

We often attribute human qualities to our dogs. Now, whether this is good or bad is the question. I briefly discuss my thoughts on both sides of the coin.

I wish I could say that there is a revolutionary new magical and groundbreaking new behaviour change strategy that will change a dogs life! Anyone peddling that is surely a scam artist because we know organisms require a well-thought-out strategy and time when it comes to effective behaviour change. I know you might be frustrated. I know you might be tired. Your dog is likely on the same page. As a team, going through the challenges will bring you closer together. In the end, I promise it will be worth it to take the long road.

To my clients who I have assigned auditioning food items to motivate your dog during training sessions.... I fully expect you to do this.

Find It is such a simple concept that often times my clients are surprised they hadn't thought of it themselves. Not only can we use this to increase mental stimulation through foraging, we can redirect our dogs to a job to prevent reactions. This is supplementary to a training plan for reactivity and not the plan itself!

Recall foundations should be looked upon like building a house. We can not frame and build the home without the foundation. 1 work in the home spontaneously without your dog being aware you are setting up training. Tip offs like prepping food or grabbing a treat bag will ruin your efforts. Start with one recall a day for a week and use human food! 2 when working outdoors ensure you show your dog the good stuff before letting them off lead so they are motivated to ...respond. 3 if your dog has high prey drive be realistic about expectations. Your dog may need to engage in squirrel hunting before they can respond to you, they will often recall once they have been able to exhaust some of that natural drive to explore. 4 no matter how long they take to return ALWAYS reward. Dogs have no concept of your agenda or urgency. The best way for you to communicate coming back to you is the best thing ever is to use high value (to the dog) reinforcers! See more

If you didn't catch the newest episode of the Bravo Dog Knowledge podcast check it out. I chatted with @jwdogtraining @juliana.willems about littles and what you need to know! .... on all #podcast platforms

This is summarized beautifully. This is a specific type of walk catering to "reactive dogs" and not directed at dog walkers or group dog walkers/hikers.

This is a very common approach and a question that is asked of us frequently. Continual exposure to something a dog reacts toward (assuming it is a fear response) only perpetuates a reinforcement contingency which often consists of barking and lunging and the scary thing goes away. It also puts the animal in a state of stress that is unnecessary. It can cause further negative associations and damage. Effective training starts with prevention and management. We then move toward training in environments that set the dog up for success to form new patterns of behaviour and emotional responses. Training and behaviour modification take skill and a coach to guide you through this process.

Hey guys It is vital that anyone spending time with your dog, especially unsupervised, is made aware of exactly what you will and will not tolerate for your dog. This includes equipment. If your dog suffers from reactivity issues it’s even MORE important that you have an agreement about how care is given. Things to clarify:... 1 Equipment you permit, get very specific. What if it’s decided without your consent that a muzzle will be put on your dog to stop their barking? Or an shock collar? 2 If your dog is going with groups of other dogs are they transported safely? Jammed into a vehicle with unknown dogs is stressful and dangerous. Are those other dogs safe for groups? Are shock collars/ecollars or muzzles being used on those dogs? Know that the side effects of many pieces of equipment is increased aggression. Do you want your dog spending time in that environment? How many dogs is too many? One person handling multiple dogs is difficult, will your dog get the care you want? 3 What education does your dog walker have? Have they invested in any courses to help better understand the animals they care for? Pet first aid is great but I am talking about dog behaviour. 4 What methodology do they prescribe to? Are they happy to use punishment such as leash jerks, scolding or even pinning your dog if he misbehaves? You have to specifically ask if they would respond that way to their dog, don’t be vague. You’d be surprised that many lovely people still believe this is how to work with animals. 4 Are they using food? If not, why not? A primary reinforcer for dogs is food so if they are not using this when working with animals it’s best to clarify why and how exactly are they reinforcing desirable behaviour? 5 If your dog suffers from reactivity and you are following a training protocol can you ensure they are too? Dog walkers should not be expected to train your dog but at the very minimum should not be making it worse. Clarify again what they are doing exactly when and if your dog reacts. And perhaps consider pausing dog walks or finding a walker that is aligned with your training and specializes in that area. See more

Integrity : the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness. Defining this within the confines of working with animals is essential. This is a quality one should look for in anyone working with you or your animal family members in the quest to change behaviour. At the very minimum the Five Freedoms need apply. What are the Five Freedoms?... The belief that all animals should enjoy, as a minimum, five essential freedoms, which were first described by the Farm Animal Welfare Council of the UK: Freedom from hunger and thirst Freedom from pain, injury and disease Freedom from distress Freedom from discomfort Freedom to express behaviours that promote well-being Comment below if you agree... See more

Whistler people! Alpine Dogs has some awesome classes, do not miss out

The bar is really low for pet care overall... no regulations or standards are mandatory. Please don’t trust reviews or a friends testimonials. Typically folks like me know the worst and the best, we see clients who have fallen victim to certain caregivers, we are privy to knowledge the average person won’t be. Ever wonder why I don’t have a list of businesses on my website? Because I do not refer businesses based on reciprocal referrals, I send individual recommendations which can change depending on feedback. Over the years many businesses have tried to work with me and it’s very obvious which ones are looking for business. I refuse to compromise my standards for referrals, we are talking about your family member here and their care is what matters not a dollar.

Amazing step towards humane training!

Congratulations to our Thursday #puppy grads! @tesstrains

Your tone of voice is more important than you think regardless of your intention. Often my clients tell me their dog looks guilty after they've done something they don't like however, it is the humans tone of voice which results in the dog becoming fearful and looking guilty. Even if my dog is on the middle of chewing a hole in the couch you'd better believe I'm going to use a happy tone to interrupt the behavior because my dog will stop immediately and come away from wh...at they are doing. I've conditioned a cue to mean come away from that and you'll be rewarded (for coming away NOT chewing.) This then gives me the opportunity to evaluate the situation and provide my dog with some thing to chew that is acceptable and manage and prevent future incidents. It also ensures I keep my composure so that the situation doesn’t just become the human yelling at the dog for something natural and normal that they are doing without providing an alternative. See more

In case you needed it like I needed it.

Join myself and Tess! Have I mentioned we are in Canada?

Share and tag your favourite rescue group. We talk about resources to help rescues transition to force-free policies and partner with the right trainers. Podcast linked in our bio search Bravo Dog Knowledge on all platforms.

Hey guys It is vital that anyone spending time with your dog, especially unsupervised, is made aware of exactly what you will and will not tolerate for your dog. This includes equipment. If your dog suffers from reactivity issues it’s even MORE important that you have an agreement about how care is given. Things to clarify:... 1 Equipment you permit, get very specific. What if it’s decided without your consent that a muzzle will be put on your dog to stop their barking? Or an shock collar? 2 If your dog is going with groups of other dogs are they transported safely? Jammed into a vehicle with unknown dogs is stressful and dangerous. Are those other dogs safe for groups? Are shock collars/ecollars or muzzles being used on those dogs? Know that the side effects of many pieces of equipment is increased aggression. Do you want your dog spending time in that environment? How many dogs is too many? One person handling multiple dogs is difficult, will your dog get the care you want? 3 What education does your dog walker have? Have they invested in any courses to help better understand the animals they care for? Pet first aid is great but I am talking about dog behaviour. 4 What methodology do they prescribe to? Are they happy to use punishment such as leash jerks, scolding or even pinning your dog if he misbehaves? You have to specifically ask if they would respond that way to their dog, don’t be vague. You’d be surprised that many lovely people still believe this is how to work with animals. 4 Are they using food? If not, why not? A primary reinforcer for dogs is food so if they are not using this when working with animals it’s best to clarify why and how exactly are they reinforcing desirable behaviour? 5 If your dog suffers from reactivity and you are following a training protocol can you ensure they are too? Dog walkers should not be expected to train your dog but at the very minimum should not be making it worse. Clarify again what they are doing exactly when and if your dog reacts. And perhaps consider pausing dog walks or finding a walker that is aligned with your training and specializes in that area. See more

Olde English Bulldog! Is she not the cutest!??? Guess the breed!

Some of our amazing grads! Well done!

One Aussie or two? Double the trouble but double the cuteness! We are working on settling when guests come over.

This abuse needs to stop. Add your name. Please share far and wide. Don't think his methods aren't be used locally because I see so many dogs after they are broken by people taking money for this abuse