I tried some rear cross training the other evening. Marceline’s engagement and focus was excellent. I need to work on my timing for the rear cross to avoid her turning the other way. Pleased with her response to my higher value rewards. She also is still responding really well to the tug/warm up routine.
I hate that I have to do this, but here is a link to my apology video. I’m so sorry for those of you that I hurt or offended with my adorable videos. I hope, in time, that you can forgive me.
I see a lot of my professional dog training buddies bragging about how fine their dogs are on July 4th. I’m glad for you, and TBH my dog is too - but that doesn’t mean it’s because you or I are good trainers.Sure, training, thoughtful early exposure and counter conditioning helps. BUT what helps even more is a dog with a solid temperament (you can’t train that), and a hell of a lot of LUCK.
This is the first 4th of July without Charlotte - that dog taught me more personally and professionally than ANY temperamentally solid dog ever has. For weeks around July 4th she was highly medicated long lasting and fast acting crisis meds and she STILL was beyond being able to be comforted and was a serious danger to herself. No amount of training was ever going to “fix” that. I am so relieved there are no fireworks in heaven and she is not in agony today (at 8am i’ve already heard fireworks).
TLDR - dog people your dog’s successes and challenges don’t define you. Stop shaming people whose dogs are struggling. If you’ve never had a dog that struggles that tells me either you are lying, have culled your pack, or don’t have as much experience as you say you do. Don’t be elitist. Help others to keep their dogs safe while the country blows things up. Keep dogs inside and supervised and encourage/support others to do the same including seeking out medication if their panic is severe.
Sirius earned her AKC Novice Rally obedience title via AKC’s pilot virtual program— usually local clubs supply the ribbons. surprisingly AKC didn’t sell their own (like they do for some other programs) soooooo I took matters into my own hands and designed/ordered custom ribbons for Sirius to commemorate the title! Her ribbons arrived today and I’m thrilled with how they turned out! Pic with her after she’s had a bath
In this time of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, many of us understandably feel compelled to be in the streets and so I wanted to offer up these dog protest safety tips:
1. DO NOT bring your dog to protests, rallies or demonstrations. Even if they are peaceful as we have seen repeatedly violence can and may break out. In addition, protests are loud, involve large crowds and are unpredictable which is stressful and frightening to dogs. You don’t want your dog to get injured or separated from you.
2. If you are a service dog handler and not able to safely participate in events without your service dog, please consider other forms of activism instead of protesting in the streets. Even if your dog won’t be worried about large/loud crowds, there is still a very real risk of injury to your dog from the police. Tear gas and pepper spray can wreak havoc on your dog’s nose, eyes, and paws.
3. If you are going to a protest, have a safety plan for your dogs at home. Plan ahead with a friend/family member who will be a support contact, who knows where you are going and if they don’t hear from you will go and get or go and stay with your dog(s). Make sure this person has keys to your home, knows your dogs medication, feeding and other routines etc. in case you are detained, injured, or arrested.
4. Support dog businesses (trainers, collar makers etc.) run and owned by people of color, particularly Black owned businesses. Stop supporting dog businesses that promote ‘blue lives matter’ racist ideologies.
5. Have conversations with your dog training friends and community about the importance of supporting Black Lives Matters.
6. If you have made the decision to not be in the streets for whatever reason, be available to be safety contact/caretaker for the dogs of your friends who are protesting.
This is a moment of great change and potential. Together working in all of our respective communities, I believe we can push for a better, safer and more just world.
Huge disclaimer that for training people should value reading theory and learning about different styles of dog training etc but like I think the best thing I’ve done in my dog training that started with a puppy is that dogs have no concept of right and wrong and their decision making process is about what is the most fun or exciting thing. If my dog isn’t listening to me that’s a me problem and I need to give her a reason to listen to me like a high value reward or to remove her from a too distracting environment before she is ready. Misbehaving is just me not managing resources properly or once again I am not giving proper incentive to listen. If a particular training method isn’t working my dog isn’t going to change their approach I need to. Obviously training the dog in front of you is what’s most important but if your first solution is that a dog should be punished/corrected ask yourself why.
Image representing our confusion when a lady with THREE BARKING CHIHUAHUAS tried to tell us Target stores are pet friendly today while we were out training.
Calanthe handled getting surprised by hooligan dogs yelling at her very well. Guess our first fake SD encounter is under our belt as a team now.
