Your dog only mirrors you

This week I read and shared a facebook post by Sean O'shea can be seen on his business page: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=687645261259678&id=133978373293039
"Remember folks, what you pet is what you get. 

If you pet a nervous, fearful, insecure dog, you get more nervousness, insecurity, and fear. If you pet a pushy, disrespectful, bratty dog, you get more pushiness, disrespect, and brattiness. If you pet a hyper, overly-excited, manic dog, you get more hyperactivity, excitement, and manic-ness.

If you pet a calm, relaxed, respectful dog (and do it in a calm, relaxed fashion) you'll create more of that too.

Learn to become super aware of your dog's true state of mind, and use your affection and interactions to cultivate the behavior you want - not what you don't want!"

This is VERY true. I wanted to post about this and add a little more. 

Save your praise and affection for what you really want. Make your praise and touch valuable to your dog. Not something they get all the time. 

We are setting a leadership role for our dog to follow.

If you aren't calm and consistent how to do you expect your dog to be? 

The calmer, clearer, and relaxed we can be... the more your dog will be. Your dog is a direct mirror for what you are doing and teaching them. If you don't like the dog you are looking at in the mirror. It's us that needs to take a closer look at we are or aren't doing that we can change to get our desired results in our dog. 

Praise

• Physical touch or pet
• Calm, slow, soothing
• Eye Contact
• Can be praise in itself
• Don't give eye contact to a mis behaving dog
• Play with a toy
• Verbal "Good" / "Good dog" / "That's it"
• Reserve for awesome - make it special not expected

Verbal

• Calm voice - don't raise your voice
• Say a command once and follow through with it
• NEVER give commands that you have no intention or way to follow through with. 
• When your dog is holding a command try not to say anything additional until you release them from a rare and occasional "good". 

Attitude

• Relax! Be positive and confident about your ability to work with your dog. 
• The calmer more confident you are about working with your dog the more comfortable your dog will be to follow your lead. If your nervous and unsure your dog will be too. 

Birdie on place

Birdie is so tired from a long day of training. So proud of this little pup. She held a 30min place this afternoon.

Dogs live in the moment. Don't dwell on their past

My own Personal Quote of the day:
Came about when commenting on a post about Mr. Hank. It is very true.
"So many people that have a rescue dog want to focus on and put emphasis on what the dog has been through. 
I disregard their past and work toward their future. Dogs live in the moment. They aren't thinking about their past and we shouldn't either. I find we far too often dwell on their past and treat them differently because of what they might have been through and when we do that we are hindering their ability to move forward and to become a better dog. The more confidence you have when working with your dog the more your dog will feel more confident knowing you are in control."

11.19.13

UPDATES on Yesterday

Last night before day training dogs went home we had out Crickett, Daisy, Birdie and Sookie. I then decided to try introducing Paige to the group. Paige and Crickett PLAYED! I was so proud of them.
Sookies parents came early. I forgot to remind them that playgroup wasn't until 7pm since we recently changed the time. I let Daisy sit playgroup out since she was tired but we had Tessie, Fenway and Clyde, Crickett, Paige, Nala and Sookie. Nala and Sookie of course were crazy and had a blast. But I was very HAPPY to see Crickett and Tessie play.  Sookie left a little early because she was so worn out. After Sookie left I was impressed by how well Nala played and respected the other dogs which are not as puppy as she is.
And one of our foster kittens is 2lbs YAY - gets to go get spayed then adopted!

TODAY
Day Training dogs - Just Birdie today
But we have lots of other dogs staying here that need the work.

Lesson with Sweetie at 9:30am - She is a Shepherd through GSGSR. I did their home visit before she got adopted. I look forward to meeting her and working with this family.

Makeup lesson with Finn the doodle at 2pm

Worked with Hank this morning.
Loose leash walking is getting much better, Sit is getting more reliable, Down is in progress
He is currently on place and has been for the last 30 min. in the living room while I am answering emails and updating social media.

Read a great post that Jeff Gellman of Solid K9 put up yesterday about improving business and yourself. I have a ton of books he has recommended. I'm going to really try to start making some time in my day to read some of them. Cant wait till they have another T3 workshop in CA.

Back to the dogs....

11.18.13

MONDAY
Start of a new week.

We took in Hank yesterday. He is a foster through Second Chance Rescue based out of NY. They wanted to pay for him to come to training with us as he has some serious dog aggression. We offered to comp 1/2 of the training and include overnight stays to help the rescue out with costs. We have to charge some for training just because we already have 3 other fosters in the house.

DAYTRAINING
Sookie is here and held a beautiful place this morning until Stripey kicked her off pic.twitter.com/DJDzocyeDJ  Poor Sookie

Daisy + Cricket are also here for the day. They will get to have fun and cricket and I will start working on more obedience.

Birdie is also here. She is growing and doing awesome at all of her commands. I did realize at Puppy preschool that her Leash walking isn't awesome. We have done so much without the leash that I will need to get her on leash today and work with her.

Jason will get the 4 of them out to play while I head down to a lesson and we will do more training when I get back.
LESSONS
Riley - is having trouble being protective at their apartment.... lets go see....

Kramer is coming by this afternoon for some pointers on walking well on the leash.

Playgroup tonight at 7pm. Really hoping it won't rain until after 8 so the dogs can be outside

11.17.13

I know I haven't had time to update this blog.
Im thinking if I make it more of a journal and keep everyone up to date on the dogs we have for training and what we have going on it might be easier.

Yesterday/Sunday
8am Reactive Rover at Miners Ravine with Rosie, Rose, Dexter, Io and Bryndle. I was very proud they all seemed to be doing much better. We passed 3 dogs. 1 on leash with the owner. 1 Running with owner and none of my group reacted. YAY. And 2 Samoyeds walking with their owner. Very proud!

Agility 4 Fun with Bentley, Flanna and Io - great fun brough Ritter out too and he did awesome.

Agility week for Combo Class - Elsa, Kinsey, Diego and Bryndle they all did awesome for their 1st time. Kinsey was the most confident about the Teeter Totter.

Lesson with 4 dogs after in Auburn https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=608211039227662&set=a.239896419392461.53602.187585221290248&type=1&theater&notif_t=like
Great dogs learning Place and owners learning how to walk all 4 together. Really wish I had my phone charged and was able to get a pic of her walking all 4. Great leash handling.

Ended the day with a new client lesson "Johnny" a 10month old Newfie.
He will be a lot of fun.