Blog — training

Many people throw this term “leash reactivity” around for the purpose of giving their dog a diagnosis, but what does it really mean? Firstly, your dog is displaying some sort of unwanted behaviors while being restrained on a leash. The “symptoms” of leash reactivity can be: barking, growling, lunging, biting, and even redirecting on the handler. Typically, this is in response to a “trigger” but it could simply be a stimulus that arouses your dog’s drive. So we have a stimulus and a response, but what is the underlying process? It’s different for different dogs, so let’s break it down....

  When I was first learning about dogs from my mentor, he taught me that a dog's temperament is based on their "prey threshold" i.e. what types of prey they are genetically programmed to hunt. So bird dogs have a certain temperament because they are tuned to birds (soft mouth). And you can imagine a bulldog, grabbing and holding onto the bull (hard mouth) and what kind of temperament and drive is required of that particular dog. And so on and so forth, in this way we account for all the different types of hunting dogs and their different types...

  When the Student is Ready, the Teacher Appears Does your dog push your buttons? Do you ever feel an exaggerated reaction to your dog's behavior? Downright triggered? Your most uncomfortable emotions can be activated and mirrored by your dog. Your shadow self might be unconsciously projected into your dog. Your unhealed inner child. Your refusal to accept the truth or the reality of your current situation. One of the simplest practices (not necessarily easy, but straightforward) is to write your dog a letter of gratitude. This can help you process the emotions coming up around your dog's behavior. This...

  Canine Core Method   A positive approach to Drive-Training: We channel your dog’s natural drives into constructive behaviors without suppressing energy We use the primal instincts built into the canine mind to engage, play, and build relationships based on trust Emotional and physical wellness through attention to the WHOLE dog: His nervous system, physical health, mental health, etc. (see Polyvagal Theory by Stephen Porges) Movement-Based Training: Behavior is movement and a dog’s movement is dictated by his drive, therefore, if we engage their drive, we can modify their behavior Relationship-Based Training: The owner is the answer to any stress the...

  Many people are aware that puppies go through a "fear period" where they are particularly sensitive to experiences, and that it is important to protect them from having bad experiences during this time. Did you know that there is a second "fear period" during adolescence? As dogs become sexually mature, they go through another imprinting phase where positive and negative experiences become especially salient to their learning and ultimately end up shaping their personality.      This is a great time to keep training and hand feeding high on the priority list. You will probably see breed traits become...