Paws4Training

Bringing a new rescue dog home is a transition period not only for you, but also for your new four (or three) legged family member. It can also be a very fun and exciting time for you (you just got a dog-who wouldn't be excited?!). Keep in mind though, that for your new dog- this is a time of adjustment and learning about a brand new space. We will discuss some common issues that might come up and how to address them. This is not an extensive list of common issues, we are merely scratching the surface. It’s also possible that none of this will apply to you-that’s great! However, for those of you it does apply to, working with a trainer can go a long way in setting you and your dog up for success.  Eating If you can help it, keep your dog on the same food diet they were on before they came to you. This can help prevent an upset stomach (diarrhea and/or vomiting). Also know that your dog might not eat for the first day while being with you. Add some chicken broth or b...

I often see owners continuously tell their dogs some sequence of “off, no, stop, don’t eat that, stop barking,” and the list goes on. Not only is this exhausting for owners, but we aren’t teaching dogs what we would like them to do instead- we leave them to figure it out on their own (which they do not know how to do). This can make training pretty frustrating for us and our dogs. Here we are yelling at them to stop doing whatever they’re doing, and they’re left confused about what they are doing wrong. I'll be honest and say that I've had to catch myself multiple times doing this with my own dog (but aren't I a dog trainer?!). No one is perfect and it takes a lot of practice for humans to get out of the habit of telling our dogs "no." Instead of focusing on what we don’t want our dogs to do, we should be rewarding all of the behaviors we want them to do. How do we do this? Reward! Pay attention to your dog and reward all of those behaviors you like. Bri...

Mental stimulation is just as important for dogs as physical exercise. It can also be a lot easier of a job on the human’s end. Mental stimulation is a great way to tire out your dog on a rainy day, when they are recovering from an injury or surgery, and just great to do in general. It can  alleviate boredom and the behavioral issues that can come with boredom (ex: barking and chewing up our stuff). Below are some options for adding some mental stimulation to your dog’s daily routine. Food toys: snuffle mats, kongs, puzzles, wobblers, etc. Instead of just tossing your dog’s food in their bowl, enrich their lives with creative feeding. Snuffle mats are a great way to allow dogs the opportunity to sniff and search for the food (these are a quick google search). Stuff your dog’s Kong with Kibble and wet food, cream cheese and kibble, etc. (check out https://www.kongcompany.com/learn/stuffing-recipes for some fun recipes). Puzzle toys allow your dog to practice their probl...

Owning wiggly, fun-loving, treat-searching friends can be a lot of fun-but also there’s a lot to learn! So let’s talk about the different stages of development and important things to pay attention to in each period. Neonatal (birth to 12 days) This is long before your puppy came home with you but this is where the learning begins! During this time, the pup is mostly immobile and stays close to her mom. A breeder or rescue provides a warm environment for them. It’s important pups are handled regularly and gently during this stage to allow the dog to more easily cope with stress throughout their life. Transition Period (13 to 20 days) Your pup’s eyes opened during this time and they started walking in a wobbly manner. The puppy may be able to eat solid food. It’s important the environment the puppy is in during this time is complex (different noises, surfaces to walk on, people to meet, and toys). Primary Socialization (3 to 7 weeks)  A puppy’s vision begins to develop at...

Through my experiences talking with and observing dog owners,  I’ve seen a lot of folks become irritated and angry at their dogs when they don’t respond to the cues they believe they should know by now. It’s a familiar story for most dog owners, the repeated, “Molly, sit….Molly, sit….sit….MOLLY SIT!” And by the final attempt-Molly sits. Your dog can hear you. Unless your dog is deaf, they can hear you loud and clear. Many people (including myself) have made the mistake of repeating cues over and over again until our dog does what we want them to do. There are many problems with repetition, one being that our dog isn’t actually learning what we want them to do. If they do learn anything, it’s to only sit after the fourth “sit.” I don’t know about you, but I would like my dog to sit the first time I say it and not the fourth or fifth time. Another problem with repetition is that our dogs can begin to ignore us, which is the exact opposite of what we are trying to teach them. ...