Wild Ones Dog Training

Need a bit of encouragement? Dog training can be hard...we all come across something we don’t like or don’t know how to change, or perhaps just hit a wall with a behaviour. And often, all the hard stuff comes at once! ... Choose your hard...focus on the most important or sometimes the challenges you can overcome first and once that hard becomes easy, move on to the next. It’s ok not to work on everything all at the same time. Do what you can. That’s more than good enough. Hope you have a great week

Do you take your dogs for walks with other dogs? And if so, do you have a plan? I had such a lovely walk with these three dogs yesterday and Prudence Rowley! So many things to enjoy - great company, gorgeous scenery, bright sunshine on a crisp morning and of course, our dogs. The two on the left are Prue’s (Abs and Crash) and Cash is on the right. These guys hadn’t met before. Cash is intact so he hasn’t met males other than those in his house before (I’m extremely careful) ...All these dogs are good with other dogs and have good social cues and body language which was important for me for Cash’s first meeting of another male because I wanted to ensure it was a success. They were on leash for the first 100m until they’d sniffed each other’s pee, then each other, and when they were calm we let 2 off leash first. As that went well, we let the the third off too. And then they were acquaintances! They noticed each other but didn’t pester, they listened to their mum’s as we practiced their recalls, they checked in regularly, they went off sniffing on their own but also together. By the end of the walk invitations to play and run were being offered and accepted but all very politely. I’d say that all in all it was a huge success! But if it hadn’t been, we had a plan. Happy Sunday everyone!

How old does my dog need to be before I can start playing with Pullers (and toys)? This is a question I hear a lot, and the answer is you can start as soon as you get your puppy home! if you're getting a purebred dog from a reputable breeder, chances are they started teaching your puppy about toys or at a minimum exposed them to toys. Initially you don't want to do too much. Remember your puppies are growing and their joints haven't fused, but start early with getting them in...terested in bringing toys back to you and tugging. Then the next question...but what if my puppy doesn't want to or won't...tug/retreive, etc.? If you have a puppy that isn't fearful of the toy, then they will love it in time and can learn all these skills that make play a productive too for us too. Like anything, toy play takes time - give them time and don't give up!! Are you struggling a little to get your puppy to engage? PM me or drop a question in the comments. And if you have a video clip of what you're doing and are willing to share...even better! This picture is Cash when he was still tiny! I started him on Pullers before anything else

Hi there! I don't think I've ever formally introduced myself, so welcome to Wild Ones Dog Training. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Christine Harris and I’m a dog trainer come dog toy (Puller!) sales person and here, you’ll learn tips on teaching your dogs to play and get stronger and fitter with Pullers, and overall how teaching play and impulse control can lead to a better life for BOTH you and your dog. As well as a few tips on how I live with my dogs, and ...how you can have the life you’ve dreamed of with your dog too. Aside from business, I live just outside of Vancouver, Canada with my fiancee, Brad, and our dogs, Cyd (Mal), Inga (GSD), Lemmy (Mal) and Cash (Mal) (in order of seniority!) and when I’m not helping people and their dogs, or spreading the word of Pullers far and wide, we spend our days quite calmly these days. Brad is a COVID long hauler as they call it, so life has changed quite a lot for us over the last 6 months. We still enjoy the odd Netlfix show, but whereas we used to live a very active life with our dogs, they’ve learned to be more accepting of less outside time with us, and more inside cuddles and attention. Brad is a wonderful photographer, and we enjoy exploring the BC countryside with our dogs and when possible, all sorts of travel! As you can see, you’ll get a glimpse into my life AND business on this page! Now tell me about you what do you do and what’s your favourite non-work-related hobby?

For the fun of it

Let's talk about leashes... Every dog has one and is expected to know how to 'use' one, i.e. behave in a certain way when a leash is attached to their harness or collar. I think most owners do attempt to teach their dogs what the desired behaviour is, but we, the owners are seldom taught what we are supposed to do, the purpose of a leash from our perspective, and how to properly use one to effectively communicate with our dogs. What does a leash 'mean' to you? for me, it is... a tool for the following: - connects me to my dog in order to keep my dog safe; - it is a tool for communication: no tension (loose leash) = good and we can keep going together; tight leash = this isn't working for you, and we're going to stop here until you try something else, ideally figuring out how to create no tension. As the person on the other end of the leash, to effectively use this tool for communication, there is more that one needs to do and be aware of. The following are TWO that I consider most important, and if we can keep these in mind, will help to change our interactions with our dogs while on leash. 1. Be conscious of the tension in you hands!! Have you ever heard of the term soft hands? I think it may be a riding term, but I first heard it from Sylvia Bishop, the competition obedience trainer and absolute master of communicating with dogs. We communicate not only with the leash directly but also with our hands and how we hold the leash. So as SOON as your dog is doing what you want it to while on the leash, soften your hands. This helps to communicate that 'good' that I mentioned earlier. The timing is important! Soft hands effectively marks the desired behaviour. 2. Remember not to use your leash to move the dog - by this I mean, don't drag your dog from point A to point B by the leash. Think of a better way. As an interim measure, ask them to follow food, or a hand target, or the movement of your body, and then think about how to train it outside leash walking time. There are so many other ways and yet most people default to using a leash. So, when you're walking your dog today, pay attention to these 2 simple things and see what happens!

I love this piece - it relates to both dogs and people. A simple mantra - be kind to yourself, to others and your dog. Being kind isn’t weak. Know this and don’t let others and their comparisons ‘shame’ you into feeling or being any other way.

Most of the calories in a raw diet are from meat which has optimal protein, high moisture, and low carb content that promotes a healthy weight, muscles, skin, and joints. #PetObesityAwareness

Just an average day with our Pullers! I’m often asked...why 2? - there is a set of activities and exercises based on two PULLER rings. This technique (see clip) does LOTS of great things...... helps you exercise your dog quickly and efficiently; reduces conflict - lots of dogs want to keep ‘their’ toy when there is only 1 can significantly improve the understanding between the dog and the owner and thus relationship. They are unique!! the only dog toy/training tool that is sold in pairs. Questions? Ask in the comments below of DM me

I feel very strongly about this topic which I have no doubt will be unpopular amongst some. There is absolutely no need to take one’s dog to dog parks. Teach them to be neutral to other dogs? Yes. Have one or two dogs they are ‘friends’ with - also fine. But dogs (largely) have been bred to be companions to people. If you choose to get a dog, take your side of the contract seriously, learn how to play with your dog and fulfill their needs without the aid of strange dogs in a dog park.

Beautiful morning for tracking! Such a great way to start the week - with nature #happymonday

Don’t forget to PRAISE your dog! Everyone wants to feel loved, safe, appreciated, special and that includes your dog. Most want to know that we are pleased with them. Unsure? Go and praise your dog genuinely and add some petting...did your dog wag their tale, relax their body, look up at you adoringly? ... Biddability is something I value in a dog and something I think should be bred for, but even for dogs who aren’t that seemingly biddable, this can be trained...by conditioning food and praise. Train when your dog is hungry. I usually train for 5 minutes or so before meals. Then in training, praise first then food (treats) and while they are eating, continue to praise. Do this enough and you will classically condition praise to elicit the same response as food on its own. This is one of the tools you can use to reduce treats in training and life and create a dog that works for you. It doesn’t happen over night but neither does a trained dog!! So you have time. So next time you silently click and treat, remember you have a sentient being in front of you and why not work with that?