Take the Lead Dog Training

New Puppy Parents! Congratulations on that new bundle of fur AND I feel for you. 100%. I just completed a year of puppyhood with Louie. Your dreaming of that new adorable puppy to grow into the best dog ever. That trustworthy dog that you can take everywhere, no matter what the season or where life takes you. Puppies change quickly, in a matter of just weeks and you have to keep up with all those changes in behaviour that are going to occur.... Luckily for you, our Puppy Right Start Program starts January 2nd and is designed for puppy owners like yourself to get new puppies off to the perfect start. Send me a message to get more information on how to get started!

Pretty dam sure throwing a bean bag at a dog in an effort to change behaviour is going to erode trust. Yes, this shit is still being suggested and encouraged by a long time, world wide training franchise. This franchise isn't about using reinforcement to change behaviour. They're all about reacting too behaviour! With all that we are learning about dogs and how they think, this franchise is STILL promoting growling at your dog, throwing bean bags and advising unknowing do...g owners that their dog is being dominant when they are doing natural dog behaviour Please stop throwing shit at your dog and/or growling at your dog in a pathetic attempt to replicate the moma dog . Hey big franchise, making a shit ton of from ignorant 'trainers', aka: franchisees, Catch up!!!

Challenge on my friends. Paws it Forward is hosting a 1 day challenge! Can you help them out?

Last class =more exposure training to weird and new objects in their environment. All doing so we’ll.

Graduation for theses puppies and guardians. Missing Bennie the Golden. All of them are 4 mos+ and changing everyday. Congratulations to another group of great guardians. Lola. Moose. Moses . These dogs know how to pose!

Final Puppy Right Start Class of 2020. Won't be able to forget this year of puppy classes. We're all wearing masks!!! Congratulations to the guardians of these beautiful and confident puppies. Nala. Daisy Mae. Kenai. Oliver.

Fall whistle recalls! I use the Fox40 whistle because they are the loudest whistle. All my dogs learn this recall because they’re off leash allot on our hikes. Truth is your voice doesn’t carry very far AND it’s tough to keep calling your dog for long periods of time. I practice every off leash walk!!! 1. Whistle 2. Reinforce with food toss 3. Cue ‘wait’ 4. Reinforce with food toss... 5. Eye contact 6. Cue the release ok Recalls have beginnings and ends. Recall. Release.

Like a leopard with his prey! Our dogs have needs. They do stuff like rip, suck, bark, nudge because they want something or have a need to fulfill. Louie needs to suck. I’m trying to fulfill that need as best I can. I’ve allowed him to have a couch cover to satiate that desire to suckle. Better than my couch or bed quilt ... Saying NO to a behaviour doesn’t help your dog. Try to understand the need your dog has and fulfill it as best you can. This morning he was needing to tear so I replaced a towel with treat filled toilet rolls. He ripped them up. He was satiated

I've been observing changes in Louie's behaviour the past 10 days. They're subtle in their occurrence but noticeable. He used to come into my office and 'f' with stuff. I couldn't have him in there and get stuff done so I didn't allow him in when I was working. He's a little more affectionate these days...a little! Louie's an independent personality so I won't find him laying on me or rubbing up against me or following me to around the house. But lately, he's been backin...g himself up to me or laying at my feet indicating he wants to be touched. His recall is steadily improving on the trail and in the yard. Our dogs change allot in the early years and especially when they are maturing out of puppyhood but you can miss it if you are not looking closely and noticing those little changes. Behaviour is my 'thing' so nothing goes unnoticed. Sooo......when he wants to be with me in the office after I return home, it's a new thing and noticeable. Nothing more. Just a change in behaviour which is due to maturity. Have you noticed changes as your dog matures?

Do you need to decompress from the week? Look at this photo for a long period of time. Take in all its mesmerizing cuteness. Breath and it’ll all be ok. Rocky!

Are you expecting a puppy in the coming months? I would highly recommend that if you are looking to participate in a puppy class that you register well in advance. My next 2 classes are full (not advertised) and I know my sisters in training whom I refer to, are also FULL. Do not wait to register or you may find yourself out of luck for those early weeks of training, knowledge and help. Private help is available via on-line if you want to get early training started. Ca...ll me or send me an email [email protected] See more

I’ve been away since Sunday morning and returned Monday night. Louie and I haven’t been apart that long so this was an adjustment for him. He was jacked up this morning so mental enrichment (several) was necessary. This morning I set up some search work and empty to toy box game for treats. He’s getting good at this and it’s a great drain for him.

It’s rare but he’s joining me in the office on this snowy morning. Feeling the privilege of his choice.

Working on a Saturday night, but my partner has called it quits!!

Currently working with these 3 beauties.

Puppy class week 1. first things 1st! How to move puppies nicely without pulling and grabbing How to lure The difference between reinforcement and bribery! Both are very different from each other!... Exposure. Exposure. Exposure !!! We introduced new objects to puppies to build confidence and desensitize them. I introduce objects to guardians so they learn the importance of it, how to do it correctly without scaring the puppy and how to do it so their puppy is building confidence. Great group of canines and humans!

1st birthday spent in the 5’ver. V.cherie Holmes

Remember when he was afraid to put his head in the toy bucket? Now I use it as mental enrichment puzzle. I toss treats in the full bucket and Louie has learned to take everything out so he can reach the treats. Clever boy! It’s great to see how a dog will problem solve. It’s also building his patience.

Birthday boy living the life in the 5’ver. What we put up with. . It’s all about keeping him happy and satisfied. It’s a full time job

Following the sun!

Yesterday, on our afternoon walk, Louie indicated trouble was in our environment. His nose smelled it and his serious bark indicated we were not alone. Sure enough, a bear and 2 cubs scrambled down the gulley and up the other side and sat on a log, watching us. I've learned his indication signals over the last couple of months with cattle and now bears. Body alert -up on tops of his toes Hair up or not (piloerection)... Growl, bark (deep bark) Running back (or towards) then back away from the threat Louie is often alert in the environment he is in so now I look for more cues from him that there is more going on. Dogs don't lie! The best part about Louie indicating when he smells trouble is that he moves away from it. No chasing. He runs in the opposite direction and only moves forward with me if I choose to do so. That's why he doesn't carry the bear spray! He'd happily leave me behind!

Next Puppy Class begins October 24th-11:30. Registration opens Tuesday, October 6, 12pm. For puppies 10 wks up to 14 wks.

Hey! This! Reactive dogs can play too.

There are spots open in the Life Skills 2 class. Begins Tuesday Sept 29th. (last Life Skills 2 for the year). https://taketheleaddogtraining.ca/group-traini/life-skills/

Break over! Back to work! Taking breaks help me reset my mind and ‘shake’ out the unimportant stuff so I can focus on what matters; Personally and professionally. Mountains help me accomplish that. .

Going back to Louie and his nail clipping video and our current training protocol. This sure looks familiar. Reinforcement comes in any fashion and the fact that a recipient wants something good to happen (scratching) is what makes IT reinforcement. The recipient chooses. Read the attached comments. Could we give our animals a little more choice in their life? They really don't have many choices. ... This horse is not tethered in any way. He can leave any time but history has told him he is safe and that standing and allowing the trimmer to touch him is worth it. He gets a scratch!

Sardines (in water) and yogurt. So much smoke means no walks and not much outside time. So I’m ramping up training time and occupiers. He can’t sleep all day and I need to get some work done. I place a blueberry in the bottom of the baby Kong before I put this tasty mixture inside and freeze. A dollar store ice tray is also great for making frozen treats. And sardines are beneficial for health. Stinky but worth it!

Put an end to the excessive interactions between puppies and human and puppies and dogs!!! Here’s why!

Nail Clipping: This has been a work/training in progress over the last 9 months. I’ve never videoed this and I’m now just seeing what Louie looks like when my back is turned. There are a few ‘cues’ that are trained separately in order to do nail trimming. Then I put them all together when it’s nail clipping time. I do nails once per week. Of course, body handling and foot/toe handling early is also part of making nail clipping successful. ... This can be done. There are many ways to teach a dog to be ok with nail trims and you can put an end to the stressful visit to the vet or groomer. 1. Be patient. 2. Reward allot and use high value food. 3. Build trust....Allow them to say ‘No’. AKA: Concent! Remember: Force NEVER builds trust!!!

Class registration opens tomorrow at 12pm. Puppy Class Life Skills (its back!) Life Skills 2... https://taketheleaddogtraining.ca/group-training-classes/

Positive Transformations Class has been completed. All the dogs in this class were 2nd hand dogs. They all came with issues and their guardians are committed to giving them a better quality of life. They've sought out help and will continue to do the work but now they have more knowledge, understanding and skills to help themselves help their dogs. So much progress in and outside of class. I really enjoy working with committed people! (Becky is missing for the last class)

We gain confidence and increase our self esteem by DOING! Dogs are the same. With patience and kindness for ourselves and the right motivation, we can try something that makes us uncomfortable. With each action and success we gain a little or maybe we gain allot but we gain something that will make it just a little easier next time. For me, one example is teaching. Nervous as hell yrs ago and full of doubt BUT I’m more confident now. ... Dogs need the same patience and achievements to gain confidence. Expose them. Set up the challenge but make it easy, have great motivation and you’ll see small or great success. New toy buckets are a little scary. Louie: You want me to stick my head where???

.For those of you with elderly parents in private or gov care home or independent living, there is now a survey out that allows you to have your say. I've posted it here. In my opinion, what the government has implemented and what these gov and private facilities are continuing to implement is tantamount to cruelty. While I am for all the precautions taken to keep the spread from occurring, it seems to me that #fraserhealth is throwing the baby out with the bath water. There ...is collateral damage to these restrictions and people in these homes and facilities (my mother included) are paying the price. I won't give you information on my mom's situation in an effort to protect her privacy and I don't think hers is a worst case scenario because I know there are others suffering more than her but something needs to change and soon. I'm willing to wear a hazmat suit but something tells me #fraserhealth with have an issue with that too!! This is the link to the survey and if you find yourself in this position of frustration #senioradvocates is asking you to share your voice and fill out the survey. Stay safe

Some of my loves, past and present. Happy National Dog Day