7 Things To Do With Your Dog In 2020

1. Take up a new dog sport or activity there are lots that can be suitable for all breeds and ages such as Hoopers and Dog Parkour.
2. Take some dog classes - it doesn’t matter if there 12 weeks or 12 years you should take the time to strengthen your bond and get them minds working.
3. Explore new walks- there are plenty of parks and dog friendly places do some research and think outside the box your dog likes exploring new places just as much as us.
4. Start to use interactive toys - exercise those brains, it doesn’t have to be expensive either, there are plenty of homemade makes that are just as good!
5. Attend a dog event! There are plenty around fun dog shows, charity walks I great way to meet new friends.
6. Go on holiday with your dog! There are plenty of dog friendly places to stay!
7. Feed your dog in a different way- ditch those bowls and think of different ways wether that be training, scatter feeding, hiding it this can help improve behaviour and makes meal times less dull and longer lasting.

What Is Puppy Socialisation?!

A process for puppies to start get used to different dogs and people and how to interact – all animals go through this stage and sets them a blueprint for later life!

When does socialisation start?

Socialisation starts around three weeks to twelve /fourteen weeks of age so most of this work is done before they leave the breeder. This is why it is so important to ensure our puppies have been brought up in a good environment and have already been exposed to experiences and socialised at an early age.

Things to consider?

• People – Ensuing your dog gets used to a range of different people and children of different age ranges and gender and overall look!
• Other dogs- Learning about other dogs it might be they are smaller or bigger and different breeds.
• Noises – Learning about noises such as thunder, traffic, birds, vacuums, bikes we want to make sure they are used to different noises in everyday life.
• Surfaces - Exposing our puppies to different surfaces grass, gravel, tarmac is important

When we are looking at taking our puppy out and socialising we want to ensure we let them go in their own time and they can get back to us the owner easily and ensure there is space for them to move away from situations.

We want to be looking for body language that is soft and playful- make sure you look out for stress signals such as panting, wide eyes, yawning and take them out of that situation we don’t want them to be worried.

What can I do to help with socialisation pre- vaccinations?

Pre- Vaccination- Depending on the vaccinations it can feel we have a hold on when our new puppies can go out and explore the world. Always check with your vet what is safe!

We can carry them and get them used to the world – get used to noises of traffic, people and everyday life. You can start taking them to dog friendly places such pet shops, family and friends to start the socialisation.

You can also play soundtracks very low to start with this is important and gradually increase the volume each session this might be for thunder, fireworks, traffic.

Common mistakes people make

• Rushing though exposing them to new environments
• Not safe or positive relationships with the owners
• Overprotective owners
• To many bad experiences

Puppy classes and socials

• Training classes- This is a great way to build a bond with your dog and expose your dog to new experiences in a controlled environment.
• Puppy Socials – Socials are a good way for your dog to learn how to play appropriately and get used other dogs it might be they are bigger or smaller differently breeds.
• Doggy Day care- Gets your dog used to spending time with different dogs and people in a controlled environment and helps with your dog getting used to you not always been around. Also useful if you work and are out of the house for longer periods you have peace of mind your dog’s having a fab time!

Adolescence 

This often happens around 6-9 months of age we start to see changes in hormones in our dogs and we can often see changes and some things that didn’t worry them before might during this stage so we need to ensure we keep socialisation and experiences positive and happy.  It is harder to socialised at this stage due to hormones and another level we need to consider. At the age of around two they reach social maturity.

Reasons Why You Should Have Your Dog Trained

Whatever the dogs age, breed, or temperament, every dog can benefit from undertaking training Here are some reasons for training your dog whether that be on a 1-1 basis or enrolling on a group class.

1. Training benefits both dog and owner

One of the best ways to build a healthier relationship with your dog is to understand how your dog learns and use the principles of positive training to make learning as rewarding, successful and easy as possible. Positive training, rewards and motivates a dog for good behaviour, allows you to build a relationship with your dog based on mutual trust and respect. Working regularly with your dog helps you to understand his/her needs better, making you an even better owner as well. It can also be a great source of exercise and open up new possibilities for you—the better behaved your dog is, the easier it is to take him/her along wherever you go.

2. For their own safety

The better you can control your dog with voice commands, the better you can protect him/her when unrestrained. A dog that bolts when off the leash is much more likely to run in front of a car, or to slip out the front door before you’re ready to leave.

3. It helps your dog to be more sociable

As your dog learns to respect boundaries and behave properly in social situations, other dogs (and people) will be more comfortable and at ease around your dog.  As a result, more of these interactions will be positive experiences for your dog. Training your dog to have good manners and behave well in different situations requires effort, but consistent commitment ensures success. We have high expectations for our dogs, encouraging them to be friendly with everyone they meet, even if they are uncomfortable in certain situations. It is therefore vital to socialise your dog by giving them good experiences in the presence of all kinds of people, animals and environments and social situations.

Doing so at a young age will give confidence and lessen the chance of experiencing anxiety and discomfort in adulthood.

Socialisation does not mean your dog has to always physically touch another dog or a person. Humans ‘socialise’ all the time without physically touching each other. Exposing your dog to different situations where they can observe at a distance is as important. People are naturally drawn to interact with a cute pup and when dogs greet each other some physical touching is likely to take place.

Socialisation is all about keeping your dog comfortable in these social situations while taking care not to force them into a situation they might find uncomfortable. Not all dogs, like people, are social. Understanding how your dog copes will determine how far you can go and even though having a social dog is preferable in our society, it is not a failure to keep your dog out of a situation she finds uncomfortable. Observing how your dog copes will help you respect and understand their limits.

4. Because you can teach old dogs new tricks

There are plenty of myths out there that might be stopping you from moving forward with your dog’s education. But many of them are just plain wrong, and some may even be causing you to encourage bad behaviour. A dog’s age is no indication of their capacity to be trained. Older dogs may be need a few physical accommodations, particularly larger dogs or those with weight problems, but they can learn to take instruction just as well as younger dogs.

5. To Avoid Problem Behaviours

Training your dog builds up a language of communication between you that promotes security and comfort. The more time you invest teaching your dog to live successfully in a human world the more you will avoid problem behaviours that come from lack of understanding. Many dogs respond well to cues such as sit and stay in the classroom, but remain unprepared to deal with life’s pressures in the real world. Make sure that every cue or action has a purpose behind it such as sitting at before crossing roads.

6. It Teaches Life Skills

Every dog needs to learn how to live successfully in a home environment. Teaching your dog basic manner skills and providing them with enough mental enrichment and physical exercise will prevent developing anxiety and other stress related behaviours such as destructive chewing, inappropriate barking and aggressive display. An important part of the learning process is to set your dog up for success by managing her environment and making it easy for your dog to do well.

Behaviour Training Methods Using Muzzles

Every dog owner has their own opinions on muzzles in most cases the main reason people develop a negative opinion is because they associate a muzzled dog with aggressive behaviour and a dangerous dog.

This however isn’t always the case...

There are various different types of muzzles, two of the main ones are:

Basket muzzles which are bulkier, but have advantages over most other muzzles. It's easy to feed dogs through the slots of a basket muzzle, and basket muzzles allow dogs to pant (sweat) and drink usually are made from plastic or metal.

Mesh-type muzzles which are ideal for quick use, such as at the vet, and are easier to transport due to their lightweight design. For all muzzles, make sure you have the right size and the proper fit to help your dog avoid discomfort.

The use of a dog muzzle should always start with positive training.

There are steps that should be implemented for the use of a muzzle it’s not a simple as just putting it on, this can cause distress and anxiety and often make behaviour worse instead of better.

• Muzzles can be used to help with desensitisation processes such as the vets, groomers as some dogs snap when having nails clipped, being brushed, or being vaccinated.

• Muzzling an aggressive dog can be a good management solution in a particular situation, but a muzzle should not be used as a substitute for behaviour modification you should always seek help to change the behaviour.

It is NOT appropriate to use a muzzle to prevent a dog from barking, or to reduce destructive behaviour (e.g. chewing). These along with other stress-related behaviours need the underlying motivations to be addressed.

There are many positives to muzzle training and something that should be trainer from a young age where possible as you never know when you might need to use one. In some cases it can just be for peace of mind when working on certain problems.

Ideas of Exercising Your Dog In Winter

• Make your dog use their nose- hide treats around the house and food to keep them physically and mentally active.
• Teach them a new trick – it’s never too late to learn something new, keep them clogs turning by mixing it up with teaching something new and exciting.
• Use your stairs -As long as your dog doesn’t have any joint or back issues! Get them up and down for an indoor workout.
• Interactive toys- interactive feeding toys are a great way to burn off some steam and get the minds thinking.

Some great options such as feeding balls:

Interactive Dog Feeding Toys & Puzzles such as:

Interactive Dog Feeding Toys & Puzzles such as:

How Clicker Training Works For Dogs

There are many different methods to training one of them is Clicker training. What is this? ……An animal trainer called Karen Pryor came up with the idea of using a signal to tell the animal when it had done a great job. This is where the clicker came in!

The Sound of the click is to identify accurately, the specific achievement for which it would now get a great reward which becomes a marker for your dog.  So basically when your dog does the behaviour you want them too they will start to associate the click with positive association.

It can be used not only to teach dogs to respond to cues with basic behaviours like ‘sit’ or ‘down’ but also to teach dogs to carry out behaviours that they would never do naturally such as turning on light switches which would be done via shaping the behaviour.

Always make sure that you have plenty of treats at the ready for training sessions!

Be aware that some dogs can find the click sound daunting at first so you might have to muffle the click to begin with such as covering with a cloth or click in your pocket.

Clickers can be purchased at most pet stores and online some links below:

Is My Dog Too Old To Be Training?

I hear this every day, the statement “my dog is too old to do training” – Wrong! You've no doubt heard the adage, “You can't teach an old dog new tricks.” Well this is false you can there is no age limit on learning. Human don’t stop learning so why should your dog!  Your dog might not be able to jump through hoops of run an agility trial but then can still learn new stuff, and as dog owners we should be investing time into the continuing development of our paw pals.  We need to drop the stigma and start focusing on introducing positive training into older dog’s lives.

If your goal is to change behaviour the dog has been exhibiting for a number of years the challenge will be greater than if you’re simply teaching new behaviour. Changing long-held classically conditioned (emotional) responses is likely to be more challenging than teaching new operantly conditioned responses. But as owners we should be investing this time to improve the bond and work on the behaviours we desire.

How to get started

Start with the basics and build your way up, starting with the following is a good foundation.

• Reflex to name
• Sit
• Down
• Come
• Fetch

Start training at home in an environment that has low distraction such as your garden or in the home this will help with focus. Once you have worked on the following at home you can then build up distraction such as practicing in the park or when you have family round.  Below is the dogs learning phases to help illustrate how dogs learn to aid your training journey.

Make sure you have lots of tasty treats to reinforce the behaviours and have fun and enjoy your bonding time!

Whether your dog is 10 months old or 10 years old, it's never too late to start training!

Why Halti Training Leads Are Recommended For Your Dog

Halti training leads have many benefits and functions it’s a great tool for your training journey. This lead is a great tool to lower confusion and have one item that does everything you need. The short length is ideal for heel-work training, medium length for obedience training and the long length for recall and distance work.

• Rings for versatile lead length (three lengths in total)
• Can be used to walk 2 dogs at the same time
• Can be used for hands free walks
• Easy tethering

They come in different sizes here are some examples of breed specific to help identify the best size for your dog:

Small - 15mm - Spaniel, Boxer, Terrier

Large - 25mm - Labrador, Rottweiler & Larger

For help introducing the Halti training lead into your daily training and walking routine contact me for more information.  There are a number of exercises that can be introduced to improve your dog’s well being and improve your bond.

To see more about this product, view it here on Amazon

There are various methods of dog training, however recently there has been a growing collection of recent studies proving that positive reinforcement training of dogs is much more effective and ultimately more successful than training involving dominance and punishment.

Using positive reinforcement to train your dog means you are rewarding the behaviours you like and prefer, and ignoring the behaviours you do not like. You can use treats, praise, or life rewards. Each dog is different you have to work out what your dog sees as a reward such as games, walks, car rides, food or toys.  You will however need to establish a hierarchy of rewards.

Once the dog performs the correct behaviour it is marked, and the reward follows the marker. By doing this the dog learns to associate the marker with the reward, producing positive outcomes in regard to training and behaviour. For positive reinforcement to be successful you are required to establish a hierarchy of rewards for your dog.

Below is some examples of what most dogs would define as their hierarchy of rewards:

• At home with few distractions for example if you are conducting training in the home living room/ kitchen. Low value treats include kibble, carrots, green beans, or dry biscuits.
• In your garden as there is an element of distraction such as neighbours, cars  use medium-value treats are commercial training treats or meaty type treats.
• At the park use high value treats as there is a higher element of distraction, for example soft dog treats with great flavours/smells such as peanut butter, salmon, and chicken.

Positive reinforcement creates a stronger bond which is based on mutual trust and respect, between owner and dog. This way of training also allows for clearer communication between you and your dog.  This method also increase of willingness to work, eagerness to please, and increased rate of learning.

Most dog owners want their dogs to be true companions and part of the family and positive dog training will help to achieve this. Your dog will learn to trust you more and more and the relationship between the two of you will become much stronger and achieve the goals you desire.