Towel-Drying or Tug-o-War? How to Peacefully dry Your dog

You’ve been working hard teaching your new puppy to sit, stay, give you a paw, and stand so that you can wipe off their muddy paws…and legs…and belly. 

You can read about SIT here: https://beyonddogtraining.ca/news/mud

You can read about STAY here: https://beyonddogtraining.ca/news/how-stay-can-help-your-house-stay-clean

You can read about PAW here: https://beyonddogtraining.ca/news/the-secret-steps-to-mud-free-floors

You can read about STAND here: https://beyonddogtraining.ca/news/stop-muddy-paw-prints-in-their-tracks

Perhaps your puppy is allowing you to wipe off half of their muddy body, but then taking off toward your couch. Are you chasing them down? Are you yelling? It’s hard not to be frustrated when training a new puppy or rescue dog. 

Here are a three tips to keep you calm and your puppy staying put for the whole drying routine. 

1. Towel speed: Dry your dog with slow strokes. Think massage — not tickle fight. 

This puppy is in bite-mode. Keep your puppy calm when you wipe their feet.

2. Your Energy: If you are giggling, squiggling the towel, and being goofy your dog will respond to that with play. Approach towel drying as if you are a matter-of-fact veterinarian. You are there to calmly dry the dog. 

Keeping yourself calm while towelling off your dog, ensures that your dog will also be calm. The same applies for grooming your dog.

3. Tug-o-War: Be mindful that the towel does not become a tug toy. Towels are for drying, not playing. The same applies to your socks and sandals. If you allow the bad behaviour of towel chewing, you are opening the door for your puppy to make other mistakes. You decide what they are allowed to put their mouth on, and what is off limits. Be consistent, clear, and fair to your puppy. 

Tug-o-war is a fun game to play with your dog. Always use dog toys for tug-o-war.

Hopefully these tips allow you to enjoy drying off your puppy, whether it’s after a fun romp through the mud puddles or after bath time.

If you enjoyed this blog post, please click the like button and leave a comment below. We’d love to hear your success stories. If you’re still struggling — leave us a comment and we’ll do our best to help you.

Have a wonderful week, Dog Leaders! Now, go get your dog dirty so you can practice sit, stay, paw, stand, and towels-are-not-tug-toys.

Alyssa

Photos by: Jamie Street (Duck Toller being towelled off,) Daniël Maas (puppy on his back,) Abbie Love (grooming Yorkshire Terrier at the beach,) Darinka Kievskaya (Pug playing tug,) Artem Labunsky (dog standing in water and shaking himself off.)

Stop Muddy Paw Prints in Their Tracks

Ever feel like your dog is mocking you?

We’re stuck in the mud, people. For the entire month of March, we learned how to keep our floors mud-free. It may be April, but it’s still spring and there’s still dogs and puppies blasting in from outside and leaving muddy paw prints everywhere. We have work to do. Never fear - it will be FUN!

There are four puzzle pieces that, when clicked together, make a picture of a well-trained dog sitting on a spotless floor in your front hallway. 

1. Sit

2. Stay

3. Paw ( I could make this really cute, and use “Shake” instead of “Paw,” but I have another command called SHAKE (as in shake off your wet self on the front porch, instead of inside in the house. It comes in handy for bath-time too!) 

4. Stand

I hope you’ve been practicing sit, stay, and paw. If not, there’s still plenty of time to get caught up because of #socialisolation, #quarantine, and #socialdistancing. 

You can read about SIT here: https://beyonddogtraining.ca/news/mud

You can read about STAY here: https://beyonddogtraining.ca/news/how-stay-can-help-your-house-stay-clean

You can read about PAW here: https://beyonddogtraining.ca/news/the-secret-steps-to-mud-free-floors

Let’s get started on the STAND Command. Today’s imaginary dog is called Chloe. She’s a white boxer puppy and her favourite activity is romping through mud puddles.  

There are lots of ways to teach the stand. I like to teach it from the sitting position. It’s SUPER easy and your dog will learn it in no time at all. 

Once your dog knows how to STAND on command, you can wipe their muddy feet…and teach them to chill out on your paddle board.

Step 1: Ask your dog to sit and reward them for doing so. This can be with verbal praise “Good sit,” or verbal praise plus a treat. 

Step 2: I like to kneel for this step, unless I’m working with a Great Dane. Hold a treat in your fist and lure your dog into a standing position. To do this, hold your fist near their nose, so they can smell the food, and then slowly move your fist in a straight line away from their nose, like you’re drawing a straight line on the horizon. This is a VERY small movement. Your dog should naturally stand up to follow the treat. You can also gently touch under their belly with your free hand, so they get the idea. As soon as they stand, say “Good stand,” and feed them the treat. 

Step 3: Practice this five times. 

Step 4: Now, you can start saying: “Chloe, stand,” lure her into stand, “Good stand,” treat with food if you like. 

Step 5: As with any new command, practice this roughly ten or fifteen times, and then mix in some of the other commands your dog already knows. Eventually, you can phase out the lure and be able to say the word stand, and have Chloe know what you mean. 

I’m standing…now what?!

PRO TIP: Practice this new command from a kneeling position on day one. On day two also practice it while standing. This way your dog doesn’t learn that the only time she needs to stand is when you are kneeling in your front hall. You want her to be able to learn to stand anywhere you ask her to, inside or outside.

The STAND command can come in useful for capturing beautiful photos of your dog as well.

Before you take off to teach your dog to stand, check out these resources so that you can keep up-to-date on all things COVID: 

1. Scott Weese’s “Worms and Germs” blog has everything you need to know about animals and COVID-19. You can find it here: https://www.wormsandgermsblog.com/?s=covid

2. Free dog training tips and puppy socialization tips from Beyond Dog Training available here: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gobeyonddogtraining/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/GoBeyondDogTraining

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyonddogtraining

3. Online dog training with Beyond Dog Training - this has ALWAYS been part of our business model, so we offer the BEST online dog training in Guelph. We are currently helping clients with food aggression, puppy housebreaking issues, puppy chewing the wall issues, and more! 

To book an online training session click here: https://beyonddogtraining.ca/take-action

I hope you have a happy spring and enjoy those mud-free floors!

Coming soon to a garden near you: tulips!

Alyssa

Photos by: Alyssa Foulkes (Rottweiler standing in mud,) Marco López (person and dog on stand-up paddle board,) Bryan Hanson (bulldog standing up,) Patrick Hendry (dog standing on beautiful tree stump,) Richard Brutyo (Golden Retriever with tulip in its mouth.)

The Secret Steps to Mud-Free Floors

“I LOVE MUDDDDDDD!!!!”

March means mud! Seriously, it’s Latin. Okay, I’m kidding. We all need a little silliness in our lives right now #cabinfever! My clients are all working from home at the moment and they’re all looking for fun things to teach their dogs. Check out the end of this blog post to get connected to all of our fun videos! 

In honour of keeping some normalcy and routine, I’m going to keep going with March Mud Month. 

For the entire month of March, we are dedicated to learning how to keep our floors clean.

With untrained muddy dogs, this room would either be off-limits or covered in mud.

Here are the four puzzle pieces that, when clicked together, make a picture of a well-trained dog sitting on a spotless floor in your front hallway. 

1. Sit

2. Stay

3. Paw ( I could make this really cute, and use “Shake” instead of “Paw,” but I have another command called SHAKE (as in shake off your wet self on the front porch, instead of inside in the house. It comes in handy for bath-time too!) 

4. Stand

You can read about the SIT here: https://beyonddogtraining.ca/news/mud

You can read about the STAY here: https://beyonddogtraining.ca/news/how-stay-can-help-your-house-stay-clean

And this week: PAW

Dog shaking a paw

How is teaching your dog to shake a paw going to help keep your floors clean? 

It’s going to help you wipe your dog’s front feet. 

The easiest way to teach your dog to shake a paw, or do anything for you really, is to catch them in the act and reward them for it. We call this “capturing a behaviour.”

1. Kneel on the floor in front of your dog. 

2. Put your hand out, palm facing up. Almost every dog will bat at your hand. If they don’t, try running your fingers over the back of their forearms. This should do the trick. 

3. As soon as they touch your hand with their paw, say: “Good paw.”

Pro Tip: Remember not to ask for “Paw” or “Shake” in the beginning. Your dog has no idea what that word means yet. Instead say “Good paw” or “Good shake” AFTER they have performed the behaviour. 

QUESTION: How often should I practice this trick during this first teaching session? 

ANSWER: Try it 10 or 20 times, and then add in some of the other commands that your dog or puppy already knows. 

Work on a new trick a few times and then add in other tricks that your dog already knows.

Since the dog parks are closed, we’re all looking for fun ways to challenge our dogs at home.

For fun videos on dog training and dog tricks, visit us at: 

GoBeyondDogTraining on Instagram and Facebook

BeyondDogTraining on TikTok 

Dog balancing a treat on his nose

Enjoy your clean floors, Dog Leaders!

Alyssa

Photos by: Kelsey Mirehouse (howling muddy puppy,) Arseny Togulev (shake a paw,) Cole Wyland (dog waving,) McDobbie Hu (dog with treat on his nose.

How STAY can Help Your House Stay Clean

Imagine clean floors in your home - no more muddy paw prints!

Imagine clean floors during the muddy season! They are attainable!

This month is dedicated to keeping your floors clean during mud season (AKA Springtime.) Whether you’re working with a new puppy or teaching your old dog new tricks, the STAY command is super helpful to have in your bag of tricks. 

Last week, we talked about teaching your dog to sit. In case you missed it, you can read it here: https://beyonddogtraining.ca/news/mud. 

Often when we teach our dogs to sit, they pop right back out of it. If you find this is happening to you, try rewarding them with a calmer  voice. When we use excited energy to train our dogs, it often causes them to match our excitement. This leads to unwanted excited behaviour, like jumping up.

There’s many different ways to teach the STAY command. Hopefully you’ll find the way that I teach it works well for you. 

Woof! There it is! Once you’ve mastered the SIT, you’re ready to teach STAY.

Here are 3 tips to help you with STAY!

1 Teach STAY in your house first - you can try it in the backyard once you’ve cemented in the command in a low distraction area

2. Keep your dog on a leash - this is more for the trainer than for the dog 

3. Keep your movements confident and calm - dogs respond to our energy and body language

Practice inside on a leash before moving your STAY to a high distraction area.

You’re in a quiet kitchen or living room with low distractions. Your brand new kitten is not leaping over your dog’s head and three children are not doing cartwheels past his face. Make sense? Let’s get to it. Today’s imaginary dog is named Wasabi. 

1. Ask your dog to sit and reward them for doing so. If they break the sit, ask for it again and reward them. 

2. Stand on your dog’s left side, holding the leash with your left hand. There should be no tension on the leash. 

3. Use your right hand to make a STOP SIGNAL in front of your dog’s face and say, “Wasabi, stay.” 

4. Take one small step away from your dog. If they follow you, just start again from step #1 - don’t worry about it, making mistakes is part of learning. If they stay, step immediately back into position beside them and say “Good stay.” You can also feed them or pet them at that moment. 

5. I would give them a break after just one stay, especially if they are a puppy. Release them with “Okay” or “Break” or whatever you normally use and enjoy a little play session. 

6. After the short break. Set up and try #1 to #5 again. If your dog is excelling at the stay, try taking a slightly larger step away from your dog. 

Practice sit, stay, and break for about five minutes a day. You can add in other commands that your dog knows as well. Have lots and lots of fun!!!

Take short play breaks with your dog. Obedience work should be FUN, not a chore.

Over time, you should practice moving two steps away from your dog, walking in front of your dog, dropping the leash and walking across the room, and even walking in a circle around them. This gradually adds distractions and distance and will ensure an awesome sit-stay. 

The next time you come home with a muddy dog, ask for the sit and the stay. Wipe their feet calmly. If you act silly, your dog will also become silly and playful. Keep this ritual calm. When you’re done drying your dog, use the release command to tell her it’s okay to leave the front hall/mat/mud room area now. 

Enjoy your clean floors! 

Your dog can learn to sit nicely to have his feet wiped.

If you need any help with dog training right now, reach out to us at Beyond Dog Training for an online session. We have clients in the UK and the USA - dogs we have never met in person have learned everything from how to play fetch to how to behave in an office setting. 

Online training with Beyond Dog Training is only a click away. Click the TAKE ACTION button to learn more.

We hope you are all enjoying your extra time at home with your dogs. Stay healthy, Dog Leaders. 

Alyssa

Photos by: Jeremy Beck (imagine floor,) Erik Mclean (Boston Terrier sitting,) Jamie Street (muddy Spaniel,) Allie Smith (bulldog sitting,) Nadine Shaabana (stop hand,) Sarah Brown (dog with ball,)

Florencia Viadana (terrier sitting in front hall,) Ayla Verschueren (dog with computer.)

Mud!

Dog owners know that March means mud! Every household has their own mud protocol. Some of us put towels down on top of our runner mats, to collect the muddy rivers that flow off our dogs. Others head to the pet store to try out a new mud mat. No matter what you do, there’s extra laundry and mopping in the spring…right?!

After your puppy sprints through your house leaving muddy footprints everywhere…

There’s not much we can do about the amount of muddy dog towels heading to the laundry, but what if I told you a secret to help you keep that mop in the closet?

Let’s get started! 

There are four basic commands you can teach your dog right now to get them to stand still while they get their feet wiped. There’s also an ADORABLE trick that you can teach them, so that they can wipe their feet themselves!

1. Sit

2. Stay

3. Paw ( I could make this really cute, and use “Shake” instead of “Paw,” but I have a command for outside that I call “Shake” for getting Magic to shake off all the excess water, as she would getting out of a lake or after having a bath.) 

4. Stand

I know, you may be overwhelmed and reaching for that mop bucket right about now. You’re thinking: “Four commands?? Plus teach my dog to shake the excess water from her fur AND wipe HER OWN feet?!” Thud.  

Don’t worry! We’re going to break all these behaviours down into manageable bite-sized bits. 

This week, we’re only going to tackle #1. You’ve got a whole week to work on the sit and I KNOW that you can do it! 

Young or old, any dog can learn to sit.

How to Teach Your Dog to Sit: 

      Most dogs and new puppies will naturally lift their chin and sit down when you stand in front of them and raise your hand up above their head. 

      Step 1: Stand in front of your dog, so you are facing them.

      Step 2: Say their name or make a kissy noise, so that their attention is on you. 

Make sure you have your dog’s attention, like this.

Not this…

      Step 3: If you like, hold a treat in your hand for this step. When your dog is sniffing your hand, lift your hand up and toward them. This encourages their chin to tip up and their bum to lower into a sitting position. As soon as their bum hits the floor, feed them the treat and say “Good sit.”

You need to reward dogs within a SECOND, so timing is EVERYTHING. 

Client Question: “How many sits should I ask my new puppy to do?”

Beyond Dog Training’s Reply: “The first day you teach sit, try it about five to ten times. After that, move on to something else. You could play, go for a walk, or work through the other commands that your dog already knows. ALWAYS end on a HIGH note.”

Keep training sessions short and positive. After all that mental stimulation, your puppy or dog may need a nice long nap.

PRO TIP: ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS say “Good sit,” when your dog gives you a good sit. Your words, positivity, smile, and even petting your dog for a great sit become your dog’s reward once you phase out the food.

Phasing out the food rewards will help keep your dog at a healthy weight, minimize the risk for painful knee surgeries down the road, and ensure that your best friend will listen to you on the days you forget to bring your treat pouch. 

Once your dog knows how to sit on command, you can ask them to sit while you wipe off some of that mud!

For a VERY special tip on When to Teach Your New Rescue Dog to Sit, please scroll down and SUBSCRIBE. I will be sending a special tip for special rescue cases to the subscriber list this week! 

Thanks for reading! 

Alyssa

Photos by: Janet Smith-Roberts (muddy legs,) Adli Wahid (six-moppers-mopping,) Sandra Tilkeridisová (dog sitting down,) Victor Grabarczyk (Jack Russel mix,) Ash Goldsbrough (husky with eyes closed,) NeONBRAND (white dog being petted,) Ayla Verschueren (dog with computer.)

JUMP! JUMP!

This…except with a mud puddle underneath :)

Welcome to March! March waffles between two dog seasons: the snowy season (preferred by most) and the dreaded muddy season (where those of us without a mud room seriously rethink our life choices. 

YAAAAS!!!!!!!! This picture of a dog racing through the mud makes me cheer!

The two biggest issues in muddy season are dogs who jump up on people and dogs who run away from us before their paws have been wiped. We’re going to focus on the first one this week and tackle the runaways next week. 

You’re lookin’ at ‘em right now, aren’t you? The six pairs of pants in your closet that used to be for work, all downgraded by your pooch. Too bad paw prints and brown stripes are so last season.

What? You didn’t want paw prints on your pants? Weird.

It’s worse when it’s not your pants, but the pants of an unsuspecting woman on her way to work, too busy checking her phone to notice your cute puppy until BOOP (puppy feet arrive on her left leg just above the knee.) Or BOOPITY-BOOP-BOOP (from the very excited Golden Retriever’s paws), or the BEEPITY-BEEP-BEEEEEEEEEP (from the Bichon Frisé paws.) Most people are very forgiving with puppies when they jump up. Most will even pet them, rewarding them for their fancy brown artwork. This throws your world off-kilter, because now your puppy thinks that jumping on people gets them LOVE and cuddles. This sets your puppy up for failure later on, because the SAME people who thought it was cute that your puppy jumped up on them, will give you THAT LOOK six months later when your puppy is no longer tiny. 

Never fear! We’re going to nip this in the bud. Here’s TWO things that will clear up the communication between you and your puppy making your relationship SOAR while keeping four-on-the-floor! 

Am I doin’ it?

1. LANGUAGE! This is BEYOND important. When faced with a puppy who is jumping on them, almost every new client of mine pushes their puppy gently back into four-on-the-floor position and says DOWN. It sounds like “Down. Down. Sorry! Down. Ugh! I don’t know why she isn’t getting it. Sorry! Down! Get down!” 

Here’s the trick I teach them: Use “DOWN” for lie down and “OFF” for get-those-muddy-feet-back-on-the-floor. 

When you use clear communication with your dog, you get faster results! 

2. GUEST MANAGEMENT: This applies to ANYONE who wants to pet your puppy, whether they have been invited into your home or they are strangers on the street.

STRANGER: “Awwwwww!!!! Can I pet your puppy???”  

YOU: “Sure! My puppy is in training. Could you please wait until she is calm and has all four feet on the ground before you pet her?Thanks!” 

STRANGER: “I don’t mind if she jumps on me at all. I have seventeen huskies at home and they all jump on me every single day and I love it. So do my kids.” <Note: This is what we’re workin’ with people. This is based on a true story, in which the person asking to pet Magic had her itty-bitty toddler in an itty-bitty stroller and only one husky at home. You get the idea.> 

YOU: “I have aging parents and when my dog is full grown, she will weight 125 pounds. I have to be very careful what she learns so that when she’s an adult, she doesn’t knock anyone over.” Smile. 

STRANGER: Lightbulb moment. Crouches down and pets your dog who is sitting politely.

YOU: “Thank you so much for helping us out today. I really appreciate you taking the time to help teach her nice manners.” 

STRANGER: “No. Thank you!! She’s so fuzzy!!!!!” 

No one’s feelings need to be hurt. Remember: You are your puppy’s guardian. It’s your job to help them navigate the human world. Speak up. 

Be consistent when training your puppy or new rescue dog.

Pro Tip: The EASIEST way to teach your puppy to keep four-on-the-floor is to praise them every time they get it correct and to NEVER allow anyone to reward them for jumping up on people. EVER. 

Happy Training, Dog Leaders! 

Alyssa

Photo by: Ron Fung (cover photo of dog jumping,) Nathalie SPEHNER (muddy dog in water,) Aubrey Rose Odom (muddy jeans,) Rhiannon Elliott (black dog with his foot on a pantleg,) Luke Jones (dog wearing a harness and sitting,) Overture Creations (lab X sitting,) Daniel Lincoln (petting dog under its chin.)

Save Your Shoulder

Wrist, back, and shoulder pain can be prevented by teaching your dogs to heel.

Do you ever feel like you’re being dragged down the street by your dog? Yanked into the bushes? Pulled off your feet? 

Do you have neck pain? A sore shoulder? At this time of year in Canada, you need your back and shoulders in tip-top shape for shovelling snow and for fun winter sports too! 

Wrapping the leash around your hand can lead to wrist pain.

Many new clients approach me for help because they suffer from wrist, shoulder, and back pain. It’s very common for people to wrap the leash around their hand many, many times. Not only can this lead to wrist pain, it’s actually very unsafe. Your dog may yank you into traffic. In fact, I saw a woman pulled into the street just last week, because her Rottweiler decided it wanted to cross the road. It was terrifying! A car had to swerve to avoid them! 

A dog that pulls you in a field, is a dog that can pull you into traffic.

This week, I want to save your shoulder and also your life, by teaching you a few tips about heeling. 

A lot of people hesitate to teach their dog to heel. Most of this stems from guilt. Guilt that our rescue dog was born into terrible conditions and we want to gift her the best life ever. Guilt that our dogs have been inside all day while we were away at work. Guilt that they only got a pee break in the morning because we were running late. We feel guilty and think that letting the dog do whatever it wants makes it happy. We have forgotten that dogs crave structure and love to work. Heeling makes them happy!

So, let’s get rid of that guilt, shall we? I gift you right now my guilt-crushing unicorn. There. It just sat on your guilt and now you can’t pick it up and carry it around anymore. Feel better? Don’t try to move my unicorn! Just walk away from the guilt. And while you’re walking with that newfound confidence, pick up your leash with no tension and follow these three tips so that you can enjoy safer walks with your dog. 

Note: Guilt-Crushing Unicorn is heavier than she looks.

1. Teach your new puppy or rescue dog to heel as soon as you bring them home. A puppy that is pulling you soon grows into a full grown dog. A heavy dog. Did you know that male Great Danes weigh between 140 - 175 pounds? Even if your dog isn’t going to be very heavy, heeling is a great way to bond with your dog.

2. Practice heeling indoors. Outside, your dog is distracted by all the wonderful smells, sights, and sounds. Work on heeling inside your home before upping the challenge and heading outside. 

3. Change direction. When you’re walking with your dog or new puppy and they start to take off ahead of you, call their name and/or tap your thigh and encourage them to change direction with you. Reward them for doing so. This doesn’t mean hand them a barbecue chicken. A simple “Good boy,” is praise enough. Dogs LOVE to please their people. 

Happy heeling, Dog Leaders! 

Alyssa

Photo by: Mel Elías (cover photo), V Srinivasan (red leash wrapped tightly around hand,) Jordon Conner (close-up of hand with leash and black dog pulling ahead,) James Lee (Guilt-Crushing Unicorn,) Jeffrey F Lin (pulling lab with pulling Weimaramer.)

Ice Ice Baby!

Is hockey the only way to enjoy being on the ice with your dog?

Sing it!

I know I just got it stuck in your head. In fact, stand up and do the running man — but only if you’re on stable ground! If you’re on the ice, you may slip. This week we’re talking about how to keep you on your feet when you’re walking your dog on the ice.

Have you ever fallen on the ice? Or even slipped on mud while you’re walking your dog? Yikes! Right now, you could play an NHL game on any Canadian sidewalk. You know that your dog needs her daily walks, but you’re terrified you’ll hurt yourself.

Can we PLEASE leave the deck today?

Last year, my friend broke her ulna when she slipped on an icy sidewalk. Not only was it painful, it required surgery, physiotherapy, and lots of time off work.

Here’s how to get a grip on those icy trails and sidewalks.

The answer is Traction Cleats.

What are they? Coils of wire or metal spikes/cleats that attach to your winter boots via a stretchy rubber frame. The first time you try them will blow your mind!

Traction Cleats

There are lots of different styles of traction cleats. My current pair of Yaktrax are about fifteen years old. When they were new, I could easily slip them onto any pair of boots (including an extra-large pair worn solely for insanely deep snow.) They even fit on my hiking shoes during the springtime. Yep, there’s still ice in Canada in the spring!

In their prime, my Yaktrax were fine to put on inside on my runner mat. I could stretch them over my boots, move around on the carpet (grabbing last minute items — a second poop bag, maybe a third, just in case…I think I need one more layer of mittens…), and then head outside to walk the dog. Fast forward about twelve years when the wires began uncoiling, and I quickly learned that I had to put the traction cleats on outside. The wires, now poking out this way and that way, snagged on the carpet and I almost fell flat on my face. More than once. Lesson learned…eventually.

Since I’m all reduce, reuse, repurpose, I am still using that same pair of Yaktrax three years later. The rubber has snapped, leaving me with wire coverage only on the front half (okay, third!) of each boot. I have to put them on outside, which is uncool when it’s freezing out, but hey, I’m saving the planet. Haha!

Last year was the first time I ever fell while wearing them! I drove to a trail, parked the car, pulled on the Yaktrax (what’s left them, anyway,) and carefully extracted myself from the front seat. I collected Magic from the back seat without any problem. She seemed to have enough traction on the skating-rink of a trail, so I decided to proceed. If we could just make it across the skating rink (AKA parking lot), we could tromp through the snow beside the trail, and eventually pop out into a clearing and play some fetch. Never mind that the first hundred feet of trail is completely uphill and flanked by trees. We got this! I want my outdoor time and Magic wants hers too.

Two steps away from the car, my feet came out from underneath me and I understood (finally!) why everyone who didn’t grow up in Ottawa is so afraid of ice. “So, this is what it’s like,” I thought, sitting up. Thankfully, I hadn’t hit my head. More importantly, I hadn’t hurt Magic when I bailed. I sat there thinking about of my friend’s broken bone and decided to go find a clear sidewalk to safely walk Magic. It simply wasn’t worth the risk.

I knew it was time for some new traction cleats.

I did the research. I just haven’t bought them yet.

And it’s February…of the following year. In my defence, this winter has been quite mild. I’ve only needed cleats twice, and the old pair worked just fine.

The good news is, I’ve had plenty of extra time to do even more research. I would LOVE to hear your feedback about which pair I should buy!

I’ve asked dog walkers and runners what they prefer in terms of coils (like Yaktrax) vs. spikes (like ICETrekkers Shoe Chains) vs. steel studs (like OutStar Ice and Snow Grips Over Shoe.) It really depends on whether you’ll be walking or running and whether you’re doing these activities on ice or on snow.

The runners maintain that the wire coils don’t bite into the ice as well, but taught me that the studs actually wear down much faster than the coils.

The dog walkers are divided. They like the coils for snow and the studs for ice.

The biggest takeaway message is: If you’re walking on sidewalks that have icy patches and also exposed pavement, you need to be careful no matter which cleats you pick. The same rules apply if you are going to wear them across a slippery parking lot and then walk inside a store or shopping mall - take the traction cleats off BEFORE you go inside. Yes, I have been that person who whooshed into the mall. “Which way to the Bambi auditions? Of course I’m doing this on purpose. It’s research.”

If you’re walking in deep snow, or ice-crusted snow, some cleats may come off your boots. It’s the same predicament we have with dog boots always coming off. Many traction cleats have attempted to solve this problem by adding a strap across the top of the foot.

The most recent reviews I’ve read online warn that the newer Yaktrax fit smaller than they used to. How many sizes up will I need to buy for my size nine winter boots? I’ll let you know, if I ever get around to replacing them.

Alyssa

Photos by: Taylor Friehl (hockey player with dog), jiayuan zhao (dog on deck), Patrick Schneider (traction cleats.)

Love, Love, Love

Happy Valentine’s Day! Since this is a day that’s all about LOVE, what better time than to talk about how much we LOVE our dogs. Today, we’re talking about shopping, hugging, and the top 5 ways you can show affection to your dog! 

If you walk into any pet store today, you’ll find an endless number of Valentine’s Day-themed toys, outfits, and treats that you can purchase for your favourite pooch. 

Humans show affection to other humans by showering them with gifts and hugging them. When we transfer these same sweet things over to our dogs, it doesn’t translate very well. 

Here’s why: 

Dogs don’t do shopping:

Dogs don’t go to the store and buy toys for their dog friends.  

When you come home waving a new stuffie around and talking in a high-pitched voice, your dog has NO IDEA what’s WRONG WITH YOU. They read your energy as EXCITED and SOFT and take the leadership role because it’s available. They JUMP on you, they WHINE, and you think it’s cute and REWARD them with the toy. 

What just happened? 

While you were filming the video of their “cute” behaviour, they became YOUR BOSS. 

It doesn’t matter if your dog is a 180 lb Great Dane, or a 10 lb Chihuahua mix - they both have teeth and nails. We don’t want them jumping on houseguests, toddlers, or Great Grandma. 

By giving them a treat or a toy when they are jumping and whining, you are essentially high-fiving them for that behaviour. When they jump on Great Grandma later that day and you yell at them, your dog will become VERY CONFUSED. 

PRO TIP: Ask your dog to sit and wait calmly before rewarding them with a new toy. Have fun!!

Dogs don’t do hugs:

If I had a nickel for every picture I’ve seen of a grinning person hugging their dog and the dog looking MISERABLE, I’d still be writing this blog for free (because I LOVE it), but I would be writing it from a castle in Ireland on Wednesdays, and a hammock in Fiji on Saturdays. Say it with me: Dogs don’t like hugs!

The dog in this picture is NOT happy.

In the dog world, a dog that stands overtop of the other dog’s shoulders is the dominant one. In some cases, after the head is placed on the shoulders, the next step is mounting behaviour. When a human hugs a dog, although they are intending to send a message of love, they are in fact sending a message of dominance. 

This is NOT a hug.

And that’s not all. The energy of the person GIVING the hug AND their RELATIONSHIP with the dog matters. You’ve probably witnessed this firsthand: The adult in the home who the dog views as his leader comes in and hugs the dog. The dog tolerates this, because this leader is trusted to come into the dog’s personal space. This doesn’t mean that the dog LIKED that hug, but it tolerated it because the person giving the hug has earned his trust and is allowed in his space bubble. 

What happens next? The adult says, “Sure, anyone can hug him. Go ahead.” So the neighbour’s rambunctious son goes over to hug the dog for a photo and WHAM - a bite in the face for Timmy that “came out of nowhere.” That phrase! Again, with the nickels! If I had a nickel for every time I heard that, I would OWN Ireland and Fiji by now.  

You’ve likely seen a few trainers of internet fame post pictures of their dogs hugging their shoulders from BEHIND. This is a different trick altogether, and one that I do not recommend for any of my clients who are struggling with leadership. It puts the dog in a dominant (yep, HUMPING) position behind your back. 

Sure, it’s a cute trick when you’re watching a dog show, but not when you inadvertently teach your PET dog that it’s okay not to have four on the floor. It won’t be a cute trick when they are covered in mud and walk up behind people in their Sunday best having a picnic in the park. Think about that before you teach that trick. 

5 WAYS TO SHOW YOUR DOG YOU LOVE THEM: 

1. Walk them every day. Dogs need walks. By fulfilling these needs, you are showing LOVE. 

2. Give your dog nutritious dog food, clean water, and appreciation every day. All of these things show affection to your dog. 

3. Remember to tell them when they are doing something right. So often we yell at our dogs to stop barking or stop chewing that sock. Let them know with a calm tone when they get it right and you will reap the reward of them repeating that good behaviour. A simple “Good boy,” speaks volumes to your dog. 

4. Pet them the way THEY like to be petted. Some dogs are nervous. If you are patient, they may come to you wanting to be petted. Petting these dogs UNDER THEIR CHIN is a great way to gain their trust. Happy-go-lucky dogs may come over to you right away and love to be petted all over. Other dogs love “bum rubs” - that spot near the base of their tail that they can’t reach themselves is a wonderful spot to pet them. By treating EVERY DOG AS AN INDIVIDUAL, you are showing TRUE LOVE and RESPECT for THEIR needs. 

5. Treat them like a DOG instead of a human baby. RESPECT is part of love. We often forget that dogs are a different species. They are not humans, even if they are dressed in bowties and sweaters. By becoming your dog’s LEADER you are fulfilling their NEED for leadership. You’re not becoming a tyrant boss, you’re becoming the coolest person on the planet - the one your dog will look to before they make a mistake. Lead on! 

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! 

Alyssa

This week’s photos by: Nicola Dreyer (lab on pink couch), __ drz __(husky being hugged), Carrie Yang (husky with it’s head on the shoulder of the other husky) , Yannick Menard (wolves), Constantinos Panagopoulos (humans leaning over dog’s shoulders), Berkay Gumustekin (puppy with red collar.)

HELP for First-time Dog Owners

Over the past four weeks, we’ve focused on how WE can HELP PREVENT dogs from being returned to shelters. 

Today, we’re going to help first-time dog owners figure out what dog (if any) to choose. Not a first-time dog owner? Don’t worry, there’s tips in here for you too. 

You did it! You graduated high school or college and you have your very first apartment. You’re sharing your home with two roommates and a guinea pig and you’re interested in adopting a dog. 

Here are two things to consider VERY carefully BEFORE you head to Florida for Spring Break, fall in love with one of the dogs on your beer can, and decide to bring it home with you — Yes, this has become a THING! 

You can read about that here: https://nypost.com/2020/01/23/florida-brewery-promotes-shelter-dogs-by-putting-their-faces-on-beer-cans/

1. Who will take care of the dog when you and all of your roommates go away on vacation? Or decide to tour Europe for a month? 

 If you answered: “My parents.” Call them RIGHT NOW and VERIFY that they will do this for you. I’ll wait…

If you answered: “I’ll just return the dog to the shelter when I want to go traveling.” Please do not adopt a dog right now. 

2. Who will exercise your dog EVERY SINGLE DAY while you’re at school or at work?  

If you answered: “I will exercise them before and after work and hire a dog walker to take them out midday,” — Awesome! 

Now, sit down and let’s talk about weekends. Your dog or new puppy will need to be let out VERY early in the morning EVEN on mornings that you are EXTREMELY HUNG OVER. If you choose not to exercise them and just head back to bed after a quick pee break, your new dog or puppy may: 

-have an accident on the carpet

-bark nonstop because she’s bored

-chew your shoes, remote control, and cellphone before you wake up again

-ingest something that requires SURGERY to remove

Do you have that kind of money? 

If you made it this far and are still thinking about adopting a dog, allow me to save you LOTS AND LOTS OF MONEY!

Over the past two years, I have witnessed the number of clients who have ADOPTED FEARFUL RESCUE DOGS INADVERTENTLY increase at an ALARMING RATE! 

BEFORE YOU ADOPT A DOG: Book an INITIAL TRAINING SESSION with Beyond Dog Training. The skills you learn from us will ensure that you find a dog who is suitable for you. A fearful dog who snaps at your houseguests isn’t a great fit for novice dog owners, nor is a rescue dog who is said to be good with cats, and then tries to eat yours. Skip the stress and book with us. 

What you will learn when you book an INITIAL TRAINING SESSION before you choose your dog or puppy: 

-what energy level of dog would BEST suit your lifestyle

-how to choose between a young puppy, an adolescent, or a senior dog

-how reputable breeders test for temperament, matching the puppies to the owner who is the best fit for THAT puppy

-what questions to ask a breeder to find out if they are reputable or A PUPPY MILL BROKER (YES, THAT IS A THING AND IT FREAKS ME OUT!) 

-how many times you should visit a shelter before committing to signing the adoption papers

-what questions to ask the shelter staff or rescue organization to ENSURE that you don’t end up adopting a dog your are unequipped to handle. 

I can’t stress this enough. The number of rescue organizations adopting out FEARFUL, ANXIOUS dogs is STAGGERING! Please call us before you get TRICKED into thinking you’re adopting a “CHILL” dog. 

Let us arm you with wisdom, so that you can adopt a dog the whole family will love. 

Wishing you many wonderful walks today, dog leaders! 

Alyssa

This week’s photos by: Nafis Al Sadnan (brown dog), Vasily Koloda (graduation day), Dan Gold (Border Collie on beach), and Colter Olmstead (unsure black dog.)