Elvis had fun while his people were on holiday!

Puppy Snow Day and Review of Puppy Class Night!

What a fun day! Fluffy snow falling all day! Puppy's First Steps -- making snowy footprints!
Then a great group of puppies and people at puppy socialization class tonight!
Between the snow fun and the play'n train in class I bet they will sleep soundly tonight!
Kinda like this fun loving pup!


Wanda, Babs, Sally and Jack have all done some great homework with their people. It was nice watching your interaction with your people!

We missed Icycle and Niki this class but here are some notes so you can see what to work on this week.

We talked a bit about the difference between learning and testing. Find ways to incorporate training into daily life rather than reacting. http://www.dogstardaily.com/blogs/not-test

Socialization - Keep up the good work. The critical socialization period is coming near an end. Make a checklist of what you still want to expose your puppies to so they will become adaptable canine members of society. http://www.aspcabehavior.org/articles/83/Socializing-Your-Puppy.aspx

Body Language - We observed the pups communicating with each using subtle effective body language. Appropriate interactions were praised. Inappropriate ones were interrupted and then the pups were redirected. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VmWizZueFQ&feature=related . Read up on stress or calming signals http://www.canis.no/rugaas/onearticle.php?artid=1. See

Attention - Last week I asked you to watch your dog out of the corner of your eye as often as possible and when they glance at you and to say "yes" or "good" and follow it with some rewarding treat, toy, praise, game, or activity. Owners said that their dogs were more tuned into them already! The next step we practiced tonight was to ask your pups to "say please" with eye contact before being released to freedom and play and other life rewards. http://dogscouts.org/Indirect_Access.html

Leave It Foundation Exercise - (Closed fist "zen") We used the Reward Marker RM when the dog backed off and stayed away from the treat hand. The reward came from a different hand. A couple of the puppies advanced to eye contact before being rewarded. We also tried "under the foot" zen with a couple of the pups. Great progressions. See what you can work on at home this week! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNAOe1djDyc&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

Dogs NAME - That's my name ... don't wear it out! Reminder of the difference between training and testing again. In a learning situation if you think there is a pretty good chance of your dog responding then say their name and the instant they turn their head say "yes" and then reward that head flick with something really great! Treats, toy, game, or all of the above. In a "test" situation then try to prevent from repeating your dog's name multiple times. Say "hey pup pup" or "Fuzz Wuzz" or maybe just go and get the little wuffie and then make a note to keep working on training and slowly working up the distractions. http://pawinhand.blogspot.com/search/label/name%20game

Hand Target - This simple exercise is actually a key to many more training games. Use high value rewards and lots of enthusiasm for this game in the beginning stages so that it's value can transfer to other exercises and eventually become rewarding in itself! Focusing on you, poliste leash walking, off leash trail manners, meet and greet with people, and plenty of fancy tricks too! http://pawinhand.blogspot.com/search/label/Hand%20Target

By finding ways to incorporate these simple games into your ever day life you dog will look to you more often for interaction and as a provider of the good things in life. You will be your dog's benevolent leader!

Next week I have to remember to get out my camera!!! It is so hard to take my attention away from the puppy fun!!! I did get one short video clip the first night though...

Step One Companion Dog Training Class - Graduation Nov 2010

Thanks for joining our Step One Companion Dog Training Class. It was a pleasure to share training time with you and your doggies! We feel proud seeing everyone embrace our style of training! You wrapped your heads around something different, asked questions and were honest about what was working and what wasn't so that we could help you tweak things along the way.












The attention and reorienting games that we taught you are the foundation for Step Two Classes. "Trail Ettiquiette" (Spring 2011) and "Tricks and Games for Leash Manners" (Next).

Step One- Wk 3 summary

For those who would like a quick reminder of what to practice this week, and how it can be applied to everyday life, here's a quick overview. We'll be showing you how to use the foundation skills when working through moving distractions on Sunday.

You Won!

Remember when you were a kid and you heard or read the words "You Won" it really meant something special to you and you looked forward to your prize with great anticipation? I bet now you are skeptical when you hear these same words and hardly pay any attention to them...

In dog training we use a "Reward Marker". We want our dog to eagerly anticipate hearing it and getting the coveted prize! In order to keep it meaningful to the dog we have to ensure it stays "charged" and ensure that it is followed every time with powerful rewards that your particular dog finds reinforcing in that situation. It is usually used in the learning stages of a new behaviour.

In the later stages of training we use praise, petting, happy body language and intermittent rewards to reinforce behaviours that your dog already responds to. (I hesitate to say "know" as that is a whole different blog post!)

This article will help you understand when and how to use a "Reward Marker".

http://www.hollysden.com/Dog-and-Puppy-Training-Articles/Positive-Dog-Training.htm

Identification ID!!!

Over the past week I have had 3 -- yes, three -- phone calls from people who found a dog wandering or lost and called the phone number on the back of the little green Paw In Hand Pet Services tag. In all cases the dog was not far from home or nearby with it's owner and quickly reunited. If you and your doggie are a client of mine I will do my best to retrieve your dog if found and take care of it in the meantime until you can be contacted.

Check your dogs' collar and tags daily. Tags do fall off occasionally ... some dogs are rougher on their tags than others ... right Sophie? ;0)

Please ensure that your pet has a snug fitting collar and that tags are current with at least two different phone numbers. Local Pet Supply Stores can make identification tags on the spot! For travelling you can also get temporary pouches and tubes for alternative contact information.

Having the rabies tag and the municipal dog licence tag on your dog is also important. In case of emergency all the information is available.

Microchips and Tatoos are options that you may want to consider but they are secondary to the first place people look when they find a loose dog ... the bright green Paw In Hand tag!!! My doggie buddies!

xo
Auntie Maren

Trick'n Treat Training!

Happy HOWL-o-ween!


I see training opportunities!

- Doorbell ringing means automatic "go to place"
- Opportunity to accept rushed handling and having costumes adjusted
- Default "Stay" while I open the door...
- "Wait" even with goulish distractions!
- Attention to me gets a treat
- Then a chance to say hi to the trick-or-treaters!
- A chance to check out the candy with their nose is cued by "sniff-sniff"




I am very lucky that my dogs aren't upset by fireworks but I also didn't want to chance it and take them out on the streets on Halloween evening. We had fun at home!


Join our dog training classes and teach your dog some of these foundation behaviours so that next year your Halloween will be happy too!
Step One
http://pawinhand.blogspot.com/p/step-one.html

Great use for your old choke chain...

You won't need it anymore!





Our training methods don't use leash and collar corrections so no need for special "training" collars.

We teach voluntary and default behaviours in our training classes. We put the onus on our dogs to learn what behaviours are needed in certain situations. No need for commands or corrections because the dog learns that there is value in doing what we have taught them.

Curious?
Join our Step One Training class
http://pawinhand.blogspot.com/p/step-one.html




Interesting article on choke chains...
http://www.ipdta.org/choke-chains.html

Mat training for travelling

Teaching your dog to go to their mat, stay on their mat and have calm positive associations with their mat makes going away from home an easier transition!




Early training to love going to the mat!



Advanced training to go to the mat from a distance and stay on it until released:



In our training classes we teach active and passive mat exercises. Mat training is also a good way to proof distractions and get longer stays.
Join our next set of classes!
http://pawinhand.blogspot.com/p/step-one.html

First lessons in hand targeting

Daisy had a sleepover at our house for a few days.
Her owners were in hospital with their new baby girl ... Congratulations!!!

I don't know whether Daisy has ever played the hand target game before or not but she is an enthusiastic learner!



I played around with her for a bit -- tempting her to touch my open hand and the moment her nose touched my hand I marked it with a crisp clear "Yes" and immediately placed a treat in the same target hand that she had just touched. A few repetitions and high value rewards made the game very reinforcing! Movement and happy praise and interaction came along with the package.

Daisy quickly caught on and followed my hand to the left side or right side of my body, in walking position and coming towards me. These positions could eventually have a verbal cue applied such as "side" or "close" for when encountering other users on trails or "heel" or "front". When walking on leash a hand target could also be used in distracting situations to help the dog focus on you. Using a hand target also helps your dog comes close to your body when called.

The hand target itself becomes a reward for many dogs just for the chance to play such a fun game with you.

We teach the hand target as one of the foundation behaviours in our training classes. Join us!

Step One
http://pawinhand.blogspot.com/p/step-one.html

No Barking

Sometimes you just have to have some fun!!!

FACEBOOK Dog Diary

We are on FACEBOOK now!






Check out Dog Diary:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dog-Diary/156614314361954?v=wall

New session of classes:
Companion Dog Training

Your instructors Maren Bruun, Paw In Hand Pet Services
& Kate Mutzke, Fresh Start Dog Training

When: Classes start 6:30pm - 7:30 pm /7:45pm - 8:45 pm
Sundays Oct 17 - Nov 14 no class on Oct. 31
Where: Brennan Park Community Center / Auditorium
Register: $100 / 4 classes, register at https://www.squamishlive.ca/

What to expect: STEP ONE focuses on attention, on and off leash and impulse control
issues. Using Positive Reinforcement, motivation and benevolent leadership.
Covers: Sit/down/stand stays to teach dogs how to settle, and recalls away from
distractions. Working on and off leash through everyday life challenges; from greeting
people politely with four on the floor, to curbing bad habits of chasing vehicles,
skateboards and bikes included. We will also cover appropriate social skills when meeting
other dogs.
Result: Your dog will be eager to follow your benevolent lead whether at home or out on
the trails.
Prerequisite: Enthusiastic owners and their happy go lucky dogs ... those in need of
some training but not with any serious behaviour issues. If you are unsure contact us to
discuss your dog and assess your needs. Age: 5 months and up

*Private sessions available to those working towards a class environment.

What to bring: Your dog (wearing a plain buckle collar), You (wearing comfortable
outdoor clothing), 6 foot plain leash, walking harness if you use one, scrumptious small
soft dog treats that your dog will jump hoops for, special toy that your dog goes googly
eyed over, and a soft mat.

* Please leave your dog in your vehicle when you first arrive (with leash attached if it is
safe to do so). Bring your gear (treats, toys and mat) to the meeting area.

For more information see http://pawinhad.blogspot.com or call Maren 604.892.4278

Sniff sniff is a "command" you should teach your dog!

I wrote another post a while ago praising the merits of a dog that will "sniff" on cue.
Sniffing is rewarding for most dogs so it can be a command and a reward. If your dog is sniffing then he isn't _________ (fill in the blank ie: gobbling down pooh, running away, barking, etc.)
If you led him to the good smelling spot then you are a good leader in his eyes.
You can be the leader that tells when to sniff and when to pay attention to you ... when to walk nicely on leash and when to take a sniff break ... when to ....
You get the idea!





Sniff is one of the foundation behaviours that we teach in our STEP ONE Training Workshops.
http://pawinhand.blogspot.com/p/step-one.html

Mat Enthusiasm

I was recently helping a family with their dog "Roxie", a Yorkie cross that barks intolerably at the doorbell.
Part of the solution was to train their dog to love Mat Games! This is a short video of Roxie's very first time playing the mat game:
***coming soon***

This foundation skill can be used in helping solve many behaviour problems and also as a way of teaching stay, leave it and ignoring distractions.

See our training workshop information on the next class to teach your dog this and some other useful life skills!
http://pawinhand.blogspot.com/p/step-one.html

Mat training instead of "no begging"

What is the big deal about expecting dogs not to beg? When I walk past a chocolate store I peek in the windows and my salivary glands are triggered and my senses are stimulated and my eyes get round ... why should a dog not have similar reactions to foods that tempt him?
Is it that they shouldn't look? Is it that they shouldn't act upon their impulses to take the food from our plate? Am I allowed to look in the store window? Am I allowed to look and see how much change I have in my purse? To buy? To eat? Chocolate!!!

Why do we expect dogs to have standards higher than those that we set for ourselves?

I consider begging to be a good opportunity to teaching a long reliable down stay behaviour!

Yoga has proven benefits ...

Dogs need relaxation too.
This is Katherine with her dogs Keegan, Daisy and George.

http://championofmyheart.com/relaxation-protocol-mp3-files/

SPCA Paws for A Cause

SPCA Paws For A Cause was held in Squamish on Sunday September 12th, 2010.

Maren and Katherine joined many other people with their soggy doggy friends for the annual event.

Activities included the group walk, dunking for weiners, musical sit, best trick contest, agility and clicker training demonstrations.



Join us next year! http://bcspca.convio.net/site/PageServer?pagename=paws_home

Train with us and teach your dog good leash manners, attention, tricks and the secret to winning the hot dog dunking competition!!!
http://pawinhand.blogspot.com/p/step-one.html

This video should go viral!

You will watch this video from start to finish I am sure!

Artistic, creative and fun for both the humans and the dogs! No suppressed dogs. No intimidation training. If dogs can be trained to perform behaviours like this through positive reinforcement methods then surely we can come up with intelligent ways of teaching them appropriate household manners without using excuses such as "dominance" and "alpha"... Afterall, it's really all just tricks to them!

Below is quoted from Kelly Gorman Dunbar:

Just like the treadmill video for the song “Here It Goes Again”, the video is extremely artistic and very entertaining. However, the best part for me is that it features dogs doing many different behaviors of varying levels of difficultly (but none too challenging on their own) very well, simultaneously in real time. The whole routine was filmed in one piece with no editing. While the routine is very impressive, the dogs are allowed to be dogs and to show their enthusiasm for the work.

It’s clear the dogs are having fun, enjoying working, and are comfortable being dogs, letting their own individual personalities shine through. There is nothing robotic or oppressive in their nature. In other words it’s clear to me the dogs were highly motivated and probably play/trained for the video.

This brief interview with the trainer Lauren Henry of Talented Animals confirmed my suspicions, “"We spent a lot of time playing with them … Each behavior is part of a whole game they’re playing,” she explains. “For instance: the dogs running around people’s legs at the beginning. Riot, the little dog on the left, I would have her go around the chair and then I’d throw the ball. Then I would have her go her around the chair twice, and then throw the ball. And then three times, and then add the person.”

The other great things the dogs’ performance in this video illustrates is that perfection is not necessary for an impressive presentation and that training can be fun at both ends of the leash. Very cool OK Go, very cool indeed.

To read Kelly Gorman Dunbar's full post and other great dog training advice see:
http://www.dogstardaily.com/blogs/music-video-thats-gone-dogs

Happy Dogs and Happy Humans! Positive Training works!

The scientific principles of positive reinforcement at work ... work that looks like fun though eh!!!?!!!

When dogs are trained through this method they actually want to do what we ask of them because of trust, communication and their relationship with us; their benevolent leader!

Dogs can learn to control their impulses if they are taught that is how they get access to the good things in life.

We promote using management to prevent "mis-behaviour" and then teach "correct" behaviour. Sometimes even getting a chance to misbehave for a moment can be reinforcing to a dog no matter the outcome. Polite social skills with people and dogs are taught in this way.

The behaviours or “cues” that we teach to our dogs are used as a "key" to things in life that they want. This is called the Premack principle and it is the basis for many of the exercises that we teach.

In this way "Obedience commands" can be achieved without any use of force or intimidation. In fact by using reinforcement correctly a behaviour can actually become stronger over time and more reliable in different situations. Over time you need to use “rewards” less and less often because that is how you strengthen the behaviour! Teaching off leash skills is not difficult because it wasn't used as a training tool in the first place.

With control and intimidation methods it is often the force that has to get stronger in order to maintain the desirable behaviour and it has to be repeated in different scenarios. The dogs' desire to "misbehave" hasn't been changed. It is only being temporarily suppressed ... until that time when they know you can’t make them do it or when they want something that they think is better than you have to offer or that time ....

We promote positive reinforcement training because we know it works and have seen it work over and over and over again ... with many different breeds and types and ages of dogs. Sadly I have also seen force and intimidation methods used on dogs and though in some cases it appeared to work to punish the problem behaviour it actually only suppresses it temporarily ... and along with it also suppresses the life in the dogs eyes. Aversive methods also increase anxiety, reactivity and aggression in dogs. What happens when a child or another person is unable to physically dominate a dog? Why can Walruses be trained?

If given the choice wouldn’t you or any other individual rather be with a trainer that uses positive reinforcement than one that uses coercive techniques? Using positive techniques makes the trainer feel better too. Win-win situation all round don't you think!?!


Katherine Mutzke and I team together to bring you Training Workshops such as STEP ONE and NEXT STEP - Out and About.
http://pawinhand.blogspot.com/p/step-one.html


Maren Bruun partners with Eagleview Veterinary Hospital to offer positive reinforcement training and socialization for new puppy owners! Start off on the right paw!
http://pawinhand.blogspot.com/p/puppy-early-learning-at-local.html

WUFF WUFF! Gather Around! A Helicopter!

Time for some Anthropomorphizing !

We were out for a wonderful walkies today. Maren calls them "field trips". Dogs appreciate beautiful autumn days too! We were full of zoom! We were happy to run and play and explore the forest trails. Maren always seems to get her camera out on days like this so we stayed nice and close so we could have a chance of getting our picture taken!



Whenever Maren stops along the trail we know there is a pretty good chance of something good happening. Positive reinforcement works wonders! Kinda like gambling ... if there is even a slight chance of getting a jackpot (the good treats from the left pocket this time?!?) then it is worthwhile to keep trying it out. Lots more stories about that ... but back to today...

So Maren seems to always have us in the corner of her eye at all times. Whenever one of us checks in and looks at her she acknowledges us and then VOILA she says "Yes" and we get some kind of reinforcement ... sometimes a treat, sometimes praise, sometimes a scritchy scratchy, maybe a stick or a chance to run alongside her or play hide and seek in the brush or ... ooops, getting carried away ... it's just good to check in with Maren 'cause she finds fun and interesting and tasty things when we do that!

Our names are also important and worthwhile responding to! Same thing ... never know what kind of fun or good stuff happens after we hear our name. After a while Rocky doesn't bother responding to the name Trixie, or Baxter doesn't both responding to the name Opal, but if thier name is spoken ... instant HEAD FLICK!

Sometimes Maren calls the whole group to come with a whistle. I think there is video of that on the blog too ... the whistle is the BEST! It is always followed by the extra high value reinforcements (fancy dog trainer language but reinforcers can be different depending on the individual ... can't imagine why not all dogs love sticks like me but hey, I guess not all dogs love being petted either ... their reward might just be sweet talkings ...) anyway ... got carried away again talking about rewards! Maren's dog Opal turned on a dime once when a deer bounded away right in front of her ... hard to imagine but the whistle had been sooooo well reinforced and the response was so visceral and automatic that when Maren blew the whistle Opal just spun around and came! We are in awe... but our whole group turned away from a bear about a month ago too so I suppose we're awesome too!

So back to today ...
Oh, actually one more thing ...

Us dogs that have been hanging around with Maren for a while know the Gather Around Routine well. She stops. We gather around. Polite is right! Don't sit too far away but pushiness doesn't pay off either. If some dog tries to push another dog out then the other dog gets a treat. If some schmuck tries to hoard the treats then he gets pushed outta the circle (simply stepping into another dogs space works wonders). Some dogs are worried about other dogs coming close but even they soon learn that there is no threat there ... if a dog comes close then the treat rate actually goes up. Cool! I learned that one! I actually like other dogs getting into my space now! And, the longer you stay sitting, the higher your chances of more coming your way. Don't have to yell at us to stay! We like that idea! Then the ultimate reward ... give eye attention to Maren and then she leads us on the next part of the adventure!!! Arf Wuff Arrrooooooooo!

Twice today we encountered a motorcyclist. I don't know who heard the loud vroooming noise first, Maren or us dogs, but the sound of a motorcycle has become emotionally conditioned to mean good things to us. Maren moves off to the side at a wide part of the trail (the start of the Gather Around Routine that I just told you about.) Some of the dogs that have been doing field trips for a while actually turn to look at Maren at the first sound of a motorcycle ... or bicycle for that matter ... no yelling and compulsion or aversive training techniques needed to stop a bike chases ... but that's for another blog entry ...

So today ... yes, back to today again ... Dogs are sometimes said to have a sixth sense but Maren swears she didn't consciously hear the helicopter coming ... she had the camera out and was videoing us playing the "Name Game" when suddenly it was almost overhead ... and LOUD!

We had played the "Gather Around" game with the motorcycle earlier in the walk so the routine was fresh in our memory. Noise + Maren stops = Gather around and have the extra good treats from the left pocket and happy praise and take turns and make eye contact and then be released to romp and adventure some more!

Moral of the story?
"Why check out or chase or worry about a motorcycle or helicopter or whatever the case may be ... when Maren leads us confidently aside and makes it worth our while!" We trust our leader and take our cues from her!

Dog Star Daily has a lot of good advice and hey, here is that fancy word!
http://www.dogstardaily.com/blogs/what-anthropomorphism

Some of the training games that Maren uses with us are taught in her Training Workshops. Check out http://pawinhand.blogspot.com/p/step-one.html

Thanks for growling?!?!

The front page of the Whistler Question on Thursday September 2, 2010 had a picture of a dog that was taking part in a recent WAG fundraiser. The dog was in a crowded room at the k9 Wine and Dine event along with other four and two legged guests in a hotel banquet room type setting. The dog was dressed in a shirt, seated on a chair at a table, and was being hugged by two children that were family members -- and then made to pose for the camera. The dog was obviously stressed as could be seen by his facial tension, ears held back, whites of eyes showing, tongue lip licking, mouth pulled back, avoidance and that was without seeing the rest of the body! How far would this dog go sending "help" signals before someone noticed and helped him out of an uncomfortable situation. Maybe his owners never considered that just one more stressor could put their usually easygoing dog over the edge. Was he really fine or was he only worried about the camera? Was it the last drop that overflowed the bucket or was it the many small drops before that? Would this dog bite? Maybe, maybe not.... How do you feel when you are stressed and then faced with more and more stressors? Have you ever "snapped"?

This video is well known amongst dog trainers. Watch it carefully. Did this dog "suddenly bite out of the blue"? Watch for early warning signs that the dog is uncomfortable. If we educate ourselves on recognizing the early warning signs of stress in our dogs and help them get out of situations we can prevent unnecessary risk and possible injury. You may be able to help teach your dog to find their way out of a situation but sometimes it is up to us to step in before things escalate. If your dog is growling you may have already missed some subtle cues. Don't punish the growl. Watch your dog closely and help them before they feel the need to growl.



This is a highly recommended article by respected professional dog trainer and author Pat Miller. Pass it on to anyone you know with a dog!
http://www.peaceablepaws.com/articles.php?subaction=showfull&id=1282173843&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&type=Pat

If you are already seeing multiple stress signs in your dog you may want to consider some professional help. Contact us at maren@pawinhand.com or 604-892-4278

Dragonflies, Dogs and Life...

The other day I was out hiking with a group of dogs. We were near a pond at the edge of the forest. I had a lot on my mind over the last few days trying to educate the owners of a new puppy as to why aversive methods of dog training were not only cruel and potentially harmful but not even effective in the long run. Over the last few months I had also been entwined with changes in my dog service business and career. Contemplations of mid life changes were mixed in there as well.



So, with compassion and change on the forefront of my mind I made a discovery that brought with it more than it may have at another time in my life. Ahead of me on the dusty trail I saw a large blue dragonfly ... motionless. My first thought was that it was dead and I would collect it for my nature display. When I picked it up however, I discovered that it was still alive and I felt an instant surge of compassion. Compassion for a dragonfly. Was it hurt and beyond recovery? Should I put it out of it’s suffering?



I held it in the palm of my hand and stared at it’s iridescent beauty, totally mesmerized. Watching dragonflies in flight, riding the breeze and hovering can easily put me in a contented trance but staring into the many faceted depths of the eyes of a living one is ... is ... well, I can honestly say that my life changed that day.



Dragonfly behaviourist I am not, however as I observed the dragonfly in my hand it was apparent that it had been injured in some way, quite possibly it’s neurological system. It’s legs sporadically twitched and a few times his wings readied for flight but with erratic ineffective movements. A couple of times it’s body made odd contortions. I took photos of it with my camera phone as I considered whether there was a chance that the dragonfly was temporarily stunned and may regain function or whether it was kindest to help it quickly to it’s death. It didn’t seem to get worse or better. I carried it for a while in my camera case.



Some time later I took it out and again held it in my hand and observed it. Similar body movements to before. Then it’s wings started to quiver and vibrate more and more rapidly until the amazing insect flew out of my hand! ... and sadly landed once again on the ground. I quickly scooped it up so no dog would harm it and I felt the time was right to end it’s life. No sooner had I decided when once again it flew off ... I’d like to say that it flew to freedom but in an instant as fast as I could have done it myself, a dog snatched him and quickly ended his life. I was stunned but ...



What does this experience have to do with dog training and behaviour? As I watched the dragonfly I thought of compassion and understanding and what is normal behaviour for a species.

Coincidence? One of my all time favourite mentors, professional dog trainer and seminar presented is Sue Ailsby. She had a very compassionate and understanding style with dogs. Her website is called Dragonfly Llama. Check out http://www.dragonflyllama.com/index.html



Another one of my all time favourite dog trainers is Suzanne Clothier. She is author of the excellent book "Bones Would Rain From The Sky -- Deepening our Relationships with Dogs". It is available at the Squamish library as well as at my favourite dog book supplier www.dogwise.com Check out Suzanne's insightful articles on understanding dogs http://www.flyingdogpress.com/



And... some interesting symbolism about dragonflies. Verrrrry interesting indeed....

http://www.dragonfly-site.com/meaning-symbolize.html

http://www.whats-your-sign.com/animal-symbolism-dragonfly.html

Trailiquette

My daughter and I hiked up the Chief today and were of course accompanied by our doggie hiking buddies Opal and Trixie. (I just realized I have to do a post to introduce them properly!) Quite a few people commented on how well behaved our dogs were. I thanked them but made a point of mentioning that we do continually work on it.

Dogs are allowed off leash on the Peak Trail. I want to help ensure that they always are.

Trail Etiquette is a subject that has always got me very emotional. I remember when I was a child, seeing an article in a magazine "A World Without Dogs". It showed a photo of an empty beach. It had a great impression on me. The article mentioned that not everyone loves dogs but if dog owners were responsible and kept their dogs under control and picked up their waste that then people could share public places harmoniously together. When people let their dogs off leash and allowed them to jump up on and greet people, run over their towels at the beach, barge into children and rudely ambush shy dogs regardless of the other dogs and owners signals then dog will be less and less welcome in public places. Obeying signs is of course respectful too. I brought water for my dogs so that when we got to the creek where a sign was posted "Please keep dogs out of water ... drinking source for campsite" they weren't tempted.

Today it was important that my dogs stayed close to me. It was important that they didn't bark at people and that they moved to the side or waited at crowded parts on the trail. We only met a few other dogs today. The owner of one had the dog by her side and under control and said something about it not being good with small dogs. I respected that and ensured I had Trixie under control. Her dog was also under control. Respect. The other two dogs we met were sociable and respectful and again under verbal control of their owner. The dogs all had appropriate dog greeting behaviour and went on their way. I saw no dog feces on the trail either!

There is room on the trails for us all if we take some common courtesies. Please don't take your dog off leash in public places if you don't have good verbal control. Please train your dog. (on our hike today we used attention, targeting, mat work, wait, shadow handling and lots and lots of Premack principle with distractions such as chipmunks) Please appreciate that not everyone or every dog for that matter wants to visit with your dog. Learn about dog body language and teach your dog to respect others' as well.

Join our STEP ONE Training Workshop to teach your dog some foundation behaviours and then move on to our Out and About Workshop:
http://pawinhand.blogspot.com/p/step-one.html


Dog Star Daily article:
http://www.dogstardaily.com/blogs/mind-your-trail-manners

Cat crashed our training session

My cat crashed the training session with "Annie" the Red Bone Coonhound / Plott X puppy and her owners but it was a good lesson on how to deal with a distraction.

Rescue at Sea!

We had some silly fun at the lake today ... and here is my feeble attempt at video editing...

Just for fun puppy stuff...

Fun in the dust and the dirt!!!



Fun in the nice clean water!!!



Some more "serious" puppy training blogs will be coming soon but I just wanted to put up some lighthearted fun videos first!

But ... do know that training IS FUN too!

Adventures of Hero!

Hero arrived 48 hours ago. It's been very very busy! I was going to write about the first 24 hours but now 48 hours have gone by!

...sounds like the start of a post that I wrote on June 21st eh?!?



Hero joined the doggie field trip adventure with the Paw In Hand gang. His dog social skills are very good. He isn't bold but he isn't fearful, he reads and reacts well to the other dogs signals and is quick to show appeasement postures. He explored but checked back in with me (and was reinforced for that of course!) His energy and stamina was good for an moderate 1 1/2 hour trail walk.

Two thunder clap yesterday while we were out on the trail with the dog group. Hero did notice the first one -- stopped and hesitated. I reacted with some jolly routine time and had a treat and happy voice party. Positive association with new stimuli.

Swimming! I didn't ask his mommy if he had been swimming before. Today we took him to the off leash dog lake and he went right in and swan to fetch a lilly pad. Relaxed swimmer! Then lots of fetching of sticks and floating Kong toys!
Another stimuli which may have been new to him was a motorbike ahead at an intersection on the trail. It was far away enough that none of the dogs got particularly arroused to again, gather round for jolly routine and treat party. Association hopefully made: new stimuli equals check in with human leader and good things happen.

Hero could quickly learn to play "keep away" with toys I think. I can see it in his eyes and when his body just slightly slows and stiffens when he has a valued possession. Trading toys instead of taking them from him will be a game we will play lots.

Wow, does he gobble his food when it is in a food dish. The kibbles were gone so fast I hardly had time to look at his body language to see if he might show any concern about any people approaching is food bowl. Regardless, it is always a good idea to do resourse guarding prevention exercises with a puppy and for that matter, with any dog throughout their lives. People coming near your food bowl are actually good news! Surprise goodies coming ... not to take your dish away silly puppy.

He may be eating most of his meals divided into training rewards, and find-it games or in busy-toys anyhow...

Crate Games. Hero only used a crate for a short while when he was a puppy. I plan to reintroduce him to it as he already resisted slightly to going into it. I didn't push him much ... a gentle nudge just to see ... then we played a few in and out games and fed him dinner in there. More crate games tomorrow. Tonight he is tethered beside my bed on his mat.

Ah yes, mat games! His owner wants him to learn appropriate dinner table manners. Is it still called begging if a dog is laying down on his mat while you are eating? Two feet away? Ten feet away? More on this later too!

Housetraining ... all good!

Two resident cats. Hero must have met a feline somewhere before and learned a prickly lesson ... he gave them a wide berth the first time he saw them!

Vehicles are good places to curl up in and settle. They take you to good places and they are good to sleep in after a fun outing too. Chewy stick instead of seat belts is not a bad idea though just in case.

Chewing ... needs to be re-directed occasionally but age appropriate and especially for a Golden Retriever which is an orally motivated breed.

Nipping and biting is a concern for his owner but I've only seen it once or twice so far. Hero quickly learned my body language -- when Maren stops and stands still with her hands in neutral position then sit in front of her and wait for further guidance. Yup! Sometimes treats, sometimes, petting loving, and sometimes a chance to play toy time!

Doorway manners ...
Come when called ...

More coming in the next few weeks!

Maren tired ... must sleep while puppy sleeps... ZZZZZzzzzz.....

HERO!

Here we go again! Didn't I learn from last time? Taking a puppy into our household is soooooo much work ... what was I thinking (again)!?!?

Okay ... this time it is my sister-in-law's puppy so I kinda had to say yes. But, I am such a sucker for watching dogs learn -- especially puppies! Little cuddly sponges!

Hero is a Golden Retriever. He is now almost 18 weeks ... 4 1/2 months old. He came from a responsible breeder. His mommy got him at 8 weeks of age. She has been following the advice from the book "After You Get Your Puppy" by Dr. Ian Dunbar. And yes, we have spoken on the phone a few times for late night support sessions!

I met Hero briefly when he was 8 weeks old. First impressions were good.

My impression in the first hours getting to know him is that he is a fairly mellow puppy. He had just been traveling and visiting for a few days before arriving at our home so he may also be somewhat tired and overwhelmed as well.

See what the next couple of days brings....

(to help you after you get YOUR puppy ... here is a free download of Dr. Ian Dunbar's excellent book!)

http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/dog-star-daily-declares-january-shelter-dog-prevention-month

Look at the BEAR! Playing games?

Field Trips out with the Paw In Hand doggie group are never dull!

There was a nice brown black bear waaaay across the other side of the logging clear cut ... too far for the doggies to make the effort to investigate but close enough for them to notice! My own dog Opal has played the "Look At That" training game with other distractions before but this was the first time with a bear! All these "mock" scenarios in training were a good learning tool because in real life experiences we usually have less control over the situation. A couple of the other dogs in the group that day played a good preliminary round at the LAT game. Notice a few Auto Check In eye contacts and some Name Game as well.

Good example of how trained foundation behaviours can be used in real life situations. If we encounter a bear again then they have a history of reinforcement of checking back in with me and hopefully will choose that option automatically because of all the training we've done rather than act impulsively...

Impulse control! Back to that again! My favourite training ingredient coming up again and again ...

Come to our Step One Training Workshop and see how to teach your dog impulse control!

http://pawinhand.blogspot.com/p/step-one.html

Mat Games in real life

Katherine and I took our doggies Keegan, Opal and Trixie for a swim down at the boat launch this afternoon for some fetchin' and splashin' fun!



Then we headed for the downtown park to dry off in the sun on our blankets. Putting our Mat Training Games into real life situations. The doggies noticed people and dogs go past in the distance and were calm on their mats. We got some work done! Those mat training games paid off.



But then ... an irresponsible dog owner passed by on his bicycle with his dog off leash, crashed our party and stole one of our dog's chewies. Whether the dogs was friendly or not was not the issue ... whatever breed it was wasn't the issue ... (well maybe not a major one) but the dog came up uninvited to a picnic and didn't respond quickly to the owners cues to come or to drop the chewie. Grrrr... Luckily I have benefited from anger control methods and meditation ... and our dogs have benefited from practicing the "Car Crash" or "Dog in Yer Face" games ... We do a lot of exerices from Leslie McDevitt's excellent book "Control Unleashed"

http://controlunleashed.net/index.html

See our Training Workshops and learn exercises that can help you in situations such as these.
There may even be a reactive dog class coming soon!

Yippee Yahoo ... Dried horse POOH

Katherine and I were so excited today to find some dried up horse pooh! Not toooo fresh to be overly tempting (to the dogs) -- but not so old that there was no good smell left to it either!

Why would we be so excited to find dried up equine dung? It was a great training opportunity! That's why! A chance to train our dogs to focus on something and to reinforce the "SNIFF" cue!

If a dog is sniffing then they aren't ________ (fill in the blank: eating, running away, rolling in it, etc.)

The chance to sniff something wonderful can also be used as a life reward. Wuffie come! Good come -- sniff this! Yay! If you are the finder of the good sniff substance then your dog will think they better keep a closer eye on you on the trails 'cause you are the finder of amazing discoveries. Share the experience! (well, okay -- maybe just the excitement of the experience)



Normal dog/dog greeting behaviour is usually initiated by the dogs sniffing each other. For some dogs that need help learning appropriate social skills with other dogs, reiforcing a sniff cue can help the process.



In our STEP ONE workshop we teach how to put sniff on cue. Join us at least once and give us a chance to show you how this seemingly crazy concept can help you and your dog!

http://pawinhand.blogspot.com/p/step-one.html

Look at Kooper!

No harsh commands, no leash yanking, no choke chains....

Just attention, default behaviour, self control, life rewards, positive reinforcement...

Watch Kooper from the moment I open the front door and greet him -- all the way to the van for doggie field trip time! Like an excited child at the amusement park ... using Grandma's Law to get the behaviours we want ... or in dog training we us the Premack principle.

Get rid of collar and leash corrections. No more yelling commands. Join a STEP ONE Training Workshop to see what it's all about.
http://pawinhand.blogspot.com/p/step-one.html

CYNOPHILIST

Definition: (noun) A dog lover or fancier

ie: A good many cynophilists are willing to spend hundreds of dollars a year on their canine friends.


How about dogs that spend hundreds of dollars on themselves???





Why do we give so much for our dogs?

A dog is the only thing on this earth that loves you more than he loves himself.

Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw)

I have found that when you are deeply troubled, there are things you get from the silent devoted companionship of a dog that you can get from no other source.

Doris Day

Agreeable friends — they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms.

George Eliot

Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened.

Anatole France

I can't think of anything that brings me closer to tears than when my old dog — completely exhausted after a hard day in the field — limps away from her nice spot in front of the fire and comes over to where I'm sitting and puts her head in my lap, a paw over my knee, and closes her eyes, and goes back to sleep. I don't know what I've done to deserve that kind of friend.

Gene Hill

No one can fully understand the meaning of love unless he's owned a dog. A dog can show you more honest affection with a flick of his tail than a man can gather through a lifetime of handshakes.

Gene Hill

SHADOW handling to the rescue!

Guest poster Katherine (happy-houndz.blogspot.com) here!

Shadow handling comes from the agility world but works wonders for us too!

When it comes to off or on leash "HEELING" a few of my mentors are; Silvia Ttrkman, Susan Garrett and even Greg Darrett...I ABSOLUTELY can not tell you HOW much FUN it is for the dog and human to play shadow handling games. BONUS is you end up with a rock solid velcro dog, who LOVES to be close JUST because it's FUN and really rewarding!

Come to think of it, for those who never can find time to carve out for exercise...it's a great way to exercise! Race around, burn calories and SPEND TIME building a bond with your dog. I have yet to meet a dog that doesn't LOVE this game! You'd be surprised that even the aloof ones get in on the fun.

You don't need to be goofy all the time, just sneak it in on your walks from time to time and they'll walk politely while keep their one eye on you for the slightest indication that you'll start the fun. Works with the Premack principle as well...walk politely without tension on the leash and...we'll play a few shadow handling games on our walk!

You can sneak this "training' in any time...ANYWHERE...and if you time it right...you can use the environment as a "THANKS" for sticking to me like crazy glue :)

I'll update the steps and take video with my guys sometime this week, but for now...here's a perfecto example from Sylvia Trkman's new puppy vid!

1- following you in the water (how much fun is that on a hot day!)
2- coming to you means cuddles or jumping up into your arms!
3- coming to you means we get to play games and learn tricks w/treats!
4-coming to you means to down in front of you then scoot in beside you
5-start your heeling exercises, rewarding them for backing up, beside you, circles through your legs, tugging playing with their favourite toy as a 'thanks" for sticking so close
6-more tricks! Sneak on your belly, go to your mat
7- play with me! race with me! Then race with other dogs then come back for more fun with me!

All this builds VALUE (Susan Garrett term) for paying attention to you and provides you with the opportunity to be "in tune" with eachother. The end result is there can be other dogs, people, noise, action going on in the distance but FOCUS for you is much more FUN.

SAY goodbye to those problem behaviours of chasing, barking, lunging...the environment becomes white noise...and YOU the APPLE of their eyes. In the end, they don't want to miss out on the fun with you. It gives dogs who worry about other dogs, people, leaves falling, cars, bikes a job to do. Leslie McDevitt also covers this in her work as well!

There are body language cues that help the dog figure out which side to stick close to, how to move around into different positions which keep things interesting for the dog.

I've been doing "shadow handling " for years without knowing that there is a method to it which kicks things up a notch and makes it even more fun for the dog after attending a Susan Garrett Foundation Skills workshop.

I love this video, as you can see Susan's body cues clearly. You should see how amazing her dogs are on an agility course. In person they are a riot.

It's a way to keep your dog focused and learning...and provides mental stimulation! If you watch them play amongst themselves they often play this game as well!

Bonus is it's exhausting to concentrate on a task, we do it all the time. Ever feel tired after reading or when you're learning something new? You'll find it's an ideal way to burn off some steam and take the edge off, when your dog is looking for something to do and racing around is not an option.

That's my incredible dog!

The Winter Purina Incredible Dog Challenge took place in Whistler BC January 9th. Featuring Ski Joring Race, Paw and Pole, Agility Competition, Slalom Racing head-to-head 60-weave pole racing and Freestyle Flying Disc Competition. Nestlé Purina PetCare was the title sponsor of the event held at the Whistler Golf Course.

Yay! See my doggie Opal on the second slide!

Doggies out on a field trip!!!

Cute huh? Indy was adopted from the Vancouver Pound and joined her new family just over a month ago and now she has joined the Paw In Hand family too.

This blog post is not just about Indy though ... it is about any dog that you interact with. It could be any dog that I take out on a doggie field trip for the first time or any time afterward for that matter. It is about trail training and communication and relationship and understanding your dog and having fun together -- all the fun things in life together with YOU.

From the time I first met Indy at her front door I watched her body language and interacted with her according to her responses. I responded by using my body language, reinforcing behaviours that I like and trying to prevent or interrupt behaviours that were undesirable ... and mixing in a few simple foundation training games too!

- My greeting when meeting Indy and her handler on the porch was based on Indy's comfort level. Our body language makes a big difference when approaching dogs. Indy was happy to meet me.
- Putting the leash on Indy and handling her head and shoulder area was combined with happy voice and treats and her body language showed relaxed anticipation at every step.
- Collar grab test was paired with a tasty treat as a safety test as well as a foundation for recall games.
- Walking on leash towards the van: if she pulled I stopped and waited for her to check in with me then we moved forward again. Every step matters if you want your dog to be attentive to you and not learn leash pulling either.
- I ensured that she happily jumped into the van and had a comfortable space without being crowded by other dogs.
- She was close enough to my drivers seat that I could treat her if needed and calm her. She didn't need it though. She was my last pick-up before the walk so she didn't have to wait long before we got to the parking area.
- When we parked I calmly got together my backpack and gear as the dogs all waited patiently. Premack ... wait and be quiet and good things come ... then I got out of the van and walked around to the sliding door.
- Indy was the first to do the reorienting exercises, default wait and sit and that I do at all doorways and of course always out of the van ... No rushing off without the special key (ME!) first!
- We played a few attention and focusing games while the other dogs waited patiently in the van. Indy passed the tests. I then let another dog out of the van to see if Indy would still check in with me -- she passed that too -- and then the field trip began!

During our walks there are many things that I do to keep the dogs attentive to me. Mini training games such as auto attention, treat zen, name game, release cues, recall, stop motion cues, Premack trail rewards, and more! I watch their body language for early signs that could lead to trouble and redirect them to more appropriate outlets. Always easier to get dogs to DO something than to NOT DO something. At worst a dog may get a time out on leash.

Potential new doggie clients are pre-screened. Dogs with aggression, bike chasing, wildlife harassing, or other such issues are not candidate for group off leash field trips.

Of course dogs can always learn new things ... both desirable and not desirable so I try my best to set my doggie clients up for success so that they have many happy years adventuring with me. If owners can do their part in training their dogs some foundation behaviours it helps greatly in problem prevention.

Join us at least once in a STEP ONE Training Workshop to learn about some of these simple yet crucial games that can fit easily into daily life
http://pawinhand.blogspot.com/p/step-one.html

Targeting -- just like YOGA?!

"Target training is like meditation and focusing on breathing..."

I don't remember where I heard this but it is a good correlation.

When your dog is doing target training he isn't reacting to the world around him ie: not barking at passing bicycles, etc. Target training is an excellent focusing exercise.

Dogs that are fearful or bark at things in their environment can benefit from incorporating target training into their daily activities.

Target training is also an element of many important obedience type behaviours such as come and heel.

Many of those fun tricks you see dogs do are taught by target training.

Having fun with your dog strengthens your relationship and helps training too!

When a training exercise is simple and fun the owner and dog are more likely to do it too!

Join us in learning how to use target training in daily interactions with your dog.

See STEP ONE Training Workshops http://pawinhand.blogspot.com/p/step-one.html

Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick

"Speak softly and carry a big stick"

According to wiki.answers.com Theodore Roosevelt originated this phrase as a description of his foreign policy when he was President of the United States. Roosevelt attributed the proverb to West Africa, but its origin isn't known.

Perhaps you remember this phrase ... "Speak Softly and Carry a Beagle"?



How about "Whisper and carry a big stick"?

Whispering is a popular buzz word in dog training. It is also used in the horse world. True, you don't have to raise your voice, but you don't have to carry a big stick as a means of force either. A big stick is great for playtime with a stick motivated dog though!

I have often been referred to as a "Dog Whisperer". This phrase can have different connotations. If it means that you don't have to shout at your dog then yes, you can call me a dog whisperer.

There is so much more involved than whispering when training your dog.

Often I don't use any verbalizations at all when interacting with my dogs. Dogs are less tuned in to vocal signals than other signs. They don't need to listen to the blah blah blah that comes out of our mouths to be "in tune" with us and follow our lures as we use our bodies to communicate (ie. handsignals)...hence......the whispering myth busted! really nothing has to be said when it comes down to it..

Check out this article on Dog Whispering:
http://www.4pawsu.com/dogpsychology.htm

To develop a truly great relationship with your dog you need to know about their natural behaviours, principles of learning, motivations, reinforcements, environmental stimuli, impulse control, how your body language affects their actions, ... and much more.

Join our STEP ONE Training Workshop to learn to whisper and play and train your dog:
http://pawinhand.blogspot.com/p/step-one.html