Practice Makes Progress

Keep practicing! You’ve got this! (Photo: smiling woman squats beside a mixed breed dog)

No matter where you are in your dog training journey, if you’re practicing and putting in effort every day, you’re going to see improvements. 

Sometimes dog owners get stuck in “fix it” mode. All they see are the things they want to fix in their dog’s behaviour. It can be all-consuming and it can feel very defeating. Imagine if all you kept tabs on were your least successful walks — the ones where your dog lunged at another dog. You’d feel pretty crappy as those stack up on you one after the other. 

If you read the blog post “Let it Go,” from two weeks ago, you know that feeding yourself a steady diet of negative thoughts isn’t doing you or your dog any favours at all. One of my varsity soccer coaches liked to say: “garbage in —> garbage out.” This was true for what we ate as athletes — put in crappy fuel and you won’t have the energy to play well (or think well.) This saying also held true for how we practiced. If you put in a lousy effort all week at practice (poor first touches on the ball, not communicating well to teammates, making wobbly passes, etc) how would you play on game day? Probably pretty lousy. Garbage in —> garbage out also applies to our thoughts. If we feed ourselves a steady diet of negative thoughts, we won’t feel well or produce positive outcomes in any area of our lives. 

Dog training is a lot like athletics. You get out of it what you put into it. 

There’s a lot of this, before this… (Photo: person dribbling a soccer ball along a street)

(Photo: professional soccer game with fans in the stadium)

And even more practice before this. (Photo: hands holding up the World Cup Trophy)

Dog training and athletics also both require lots of repetitions (practice) to build new skills. 

Here’s what we’re going to do: 

Positive in —> positive out 

Here are a few ways to help you put in positivity so that you’ll see more positive results. 

Put in positive thoughts — Read “Let it Go” to learn more: https://beyonddogtraining.ca/news/let-it-go

Set small attainable goals — Day one of heeling isn’t a 5 Km loop for anyone, not even dog trainers. Teach the heel in a distraction free environment and build up slowly. Keep sessions short and positive. End on a positive note. 

Put in the time — People live busy lives. Some worry that they won’t be able to find the time to train (especially if they already struggle to find time for the gym or eating lunch every day.) Here are two tips to help you find the time (because if you don’t put in any effort to train your dog, you won’t get the results you want): 

Your dog’s mealtimes make great training sessions. Work on things your dog already knows that will save their life. I call this “practice how you play.” This is the time to practice “come,” “leave it,” and “stay.” You can also teach new tricks that are just for fun, like spin or whisper. 

Another great time to train is during your walks. You’re going to walk your dog anyway, so dedicate a portion of that walk to training your dog not to pull on the leash. Throw in a few on-leash recalls while you’re at it. 

Use your walks and your dog’s mealtimes as mini training sessions (Photo: woman walking her dog on leash beside sunflowers)

Teach — You need to teach your dog what to do instead of barking out the window, digging in the garden, or lunging at bikes/cats/strangers/dogs on your walks. When you become your dog’s teacher, they will look to you instead of making these mistakes. They need leadership and leadership takes practice. When you frame your thoughts in this way and look at yourself as your dog’s teacher, you’ll understand what your dog needs from you in order to give you what you want.

Have fun — Dog training is fun. If you’re not having fun, you may need a new trainer. Dog training is all about spending time with your dog, bonding, learning new things, building confidence, and enjoying yourself. 

Ask questions — I always ask my clients to send me videos with questions or to email me questions in between sessions. If you’re struggling with the homework or think you’re doing something wrong, ask for help. It’s what we’re here for. 

We want to hear from you in between sessions. Have a question? Please ask us! (Photo: dog sitting down and raising one paw as if he’s asking a question)

Write it down — Write down your goals. Once it’s written down, you can put checkmarks on your successes. It helps remind you that you are seeing progress. 

Special Note: If you write down a big goal, like: I want my human and dog reactive dog to be calm on a camping trip around dogs and humans, make a list of all the little things you’ll need to teach your dog in order to succeed at that big goal. Some examples would be: 

-teach my dog to be calm in the house (because right now he barks at people and dogs all day long) —> begin teaching the place command in the home 

-teach my dog to be calm on walks without distractions of unbalanced dogs around us 

-teach my dog a solid recall, so I can call him away from dogs and people 

-introduce my dog to my tent (reward calm behaviour) 

-socialize my dog around boats, paddle boards, people swimming (socialize means expose them to these things at a distance and reward them for being neutral) 

Training a new behaviour with your dog (eg. heeling, placework, stay, come, fetch, etc) is something that takes a few minutes a few times a day. Consistency is the key. 

So get out there and keep practicing and keep having fun. Be consistent and you’ll see amazing results very quickly. Dogs learn very, very quickly. Give them the opportunity to dazzle you and they absolutely will. 

Have a wonderful weekend, Dog Leaders! 

Alyssa 

Photos by: Jorge Salvador @jsshotz (smiling woman squats beside a mixed breed dog,) Kobe Amoh

@kobexamoh (person dribbling a soccer ball along a street,) Waldemar Brandt @waldemarbrandt67w (professional soccer game with fans in the stadium,)

Fauzan Saari @fznsr_ (hands holding up the World Cup Trophy,) Delphine Beausoleil @dbeausoleil (woman walking her dog on leash beside sunflowers,) Camylla Battani @camylla93 (dog sitting down and raising one paw as if he’s asking a question,)

NEW RESCUE DOG AND CANADA DAY FIREWORKS

Wondering how your new rescue dog will do with fireworks? Read on. (Photo: fireworks over the water)

Are you unsure of how your new rescue dog will respond to fireworks? Are you nervous about what might happen? 

Check out these tips to help enjoy Canada Day with your new best friend. 

#1. Stay home. I can’t tell you how many clients I have helped who have adopted a rescue dog, crated them, and left home on day one of the relationship. These clients struggled with crate training and separation anxiety issues because they left the dog alone before they earned their trust. If you have a new rescue dog, stay home on Canada Day and lay the foundation of your relationship. Next year, you can attend a Canada Day party, or maybe even host one, but this year you need to teach your dog how to be calm and neutral during fireworks. And yes, there’s a good chance that they will be completely unfazed by the fireworks. I have clients who sailed through the May 24 weekend with their brand new rescue dog. He didn’t bat an eye, so they all enjoyed a nice evening at home together. 

You will have an amazing Canada Day at home with your new dog. Promise! Get creative and have fun. (Photo: person holding a Canadian flag behind his body like wings)

#2. Don’t Host A Party. If you have a brand new rescue dog, don’t host a party until you have built a solid foundation with your new dog. The last thing you want to have happen is to overwhelm your dog with lots of people, especially if he isn’t crate trained yet. By “crate trained,” I mean he loves his crate and enjoys napping in there. The other thing you want to avoid is learning that your new rescue dog is scared of fireworks and Aunt Emily assures you that she’s the Dog Whisperer and cuddles your trembling dog all night. Not only will this teach your dog that fireworks are indeed something to be suspicious about, it’s a great way for Aunt Emily to get bitten by trapping the dog in an unwanted hug while it feels nervous and tense. This leads us back to #1. If you have a new rescue dog, stay home and train/lay a solid foundation of trust with your new dog. You will never regret missing a random Canada Day party. You will regret Aunt Emily getting bitten in the face, or Aunt Emily teaching your dog to be scared of fireworks.

You’ll never regret staying home, keeping it simple, and training your dog how to respond (calmly) around fireworks (Photo: two hands doing a cheers with sparklers)

#3. Stay calm. Our job as humans is to teach our dogs to be calm and neutral around things in the human world. We want them to be calm and neutral when we watch our kid’s soccer games; while we picnic in a busy park; and when our swimming pool is full of screaming children. You can build up to these three things gradually, using distance and patience as your guides. If you’ve adopted your rescue dog on July 1st (Canada Day,) then you don’t have much time to gradually introduce fireworks sounds (using videos on Youtube.) Don’t panic. Stay calm and neutral when the fireworks begin. Keep your dog on a leash in your home. Don’t overreact when they notice the fireworks. 

Extra Tip: 

Keep a radio on during the day and while the fireworks begin. This can mask some of the fireworks sound. 

You’re going to do great! (Photo: bright pink fireworks heart)

Will these tips help my rescue dog who is afraid of fireworks? 

Yes. We have used all three of these tools to help our clients help their rescue dogs over their fear of fireworks. Staying home with them and staying calm really does work. It isn’t easy, but nothing worth doing is easy. 

Happy Canada Day, Dog Leaders! 

Alyssa 

Photos by: Ray Hennessy

@rayhennessy (fireworks over the water,) Redd @reddalec (person holding a Canadian flag behind his body like wings,) Ian Schneider @goian (two hands doing a cheers with sparklers,) Jamie Street @jamie452 (bright pink fireworks heart.)

Let it go

Let’s let some things go today (Photo: woman dancing in the sunset with her arms spread wide)

“As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.” —Henry David Thoreau

We dog leaders need lots of practice. Not only must we do physical practice and repetitions with our dogs (the homework we provide you with,) we must also create positive mental grooves. 

To do this, we must first stop reliving our worst moments.  

Hands up if you constantly relive your worst dog walks? The ones where your dog lunged at a child or a senior citizen, or bit another dog? 

Right now, these thoughts are dominating our lives. They are keeping us stuck. These thoughts we have right before our walk are setting ourselves and our dogs up for failure before we even pick up the leash. 

Thoughts like: “Here we go again,” and “She obviously doesn’t trust me since she runs away from me when I pick up her harness,” are preventing us from moving forward. 

Even saying things like: “Who are you going to lunge at today?” aren’t setting you or your dog up for success. 

We have to let these thoughts go. 

This week’s blog post is dedicated to helping dog leaders let things go. 

This week, we’re letting things go (Photo: child blowing a dandelion)

Humans are the only species on the planet that continue to punish ourselves over and over and over again for the same mistake. Other species touch the cactus, learn, and move on. Humans relive this over and over. Retell the story again and again. Call themselves foolish, let the people we tell the story to call us foolish. And then we believe this! It becomes our reality. 

Today, we are letting go. 

Think of that one crappy story with your dog. Feel the frown lines it caused you just now? Now, what did you learn from that experience? 

Perhaps you learned that your dog doesn’t like rude greetings from strange dogs when she’s on the leash. Maybe you learned that it’s okay to say “No, you can’t pet my dog,” because your dog doesn’t like being pet by strangers. 

Maybe you learned that you need to work on recall more using a longline, since your dog keeps chasing and jumping on bikes, joggers, wildlife, etc. 

Be proud that you learned something new and now, let that memory dissipate into the past where it belongs. It’s history. Only a drop in the bucket of your life experiences. A drop! It isn’t serving your mental health to keep it. So let’s let go of it together. 

I’d love to say delete it, but since we learned and grew from it, it can’t really be deleted. However, we can allow ourselves to smile and move on. To look ahead. Maybe you’ve just scheduled sessions with us. That’s a step to creating a new path. Once you have your assessment, you’ll get hands-on homework so that you can begin creating your new path forward with your dog. Dogs learns through repetition. The more you practice, the better a team you will become. 

Let’s pause and breathe a moment right now in the present. It feels good to be here. 

So stay awhile. Take more deep breaths. You need this. 

We’re always rushing toward the next moment, whether it’s driving the kids to activities, rushing back to work after a quick meal (that we ate standing up,) or hurrying to the supermarket so we can hopefully squeeze in time for a quick workout. 

It’s safe to slow down here. 

It’s okay to slow down and simply breathe (Photo: turquoise lake with mountains and trees)

It’s safe to use this new and positive experience with your dog as a healing moment for yourself. 

Take some time and just be. 

It’s time to pause and breathe. 

To plan. 

To get excited about making new grooves. New positive mental pathways. New physical pathways. 

Thoreau says: “To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.” 

I challenge you to think these positive thoughts before your dog walks — before you even pick up the leash. 

Imagine a calm leash up. Imagine a calm exit out your front door. Picture the walk going well. Envision arriving home afterward and maintaining the calm vibe you’ve created. 

You can do it! 

Just as athletes envision their moves before their event or game, dog leaders can set themselves up for successful walks. 

Breathe. 

Let things go. 

Make space for new positive outcomes on your walks. 

Tell us your stories in the comments. We would love to hear what you’re letting go of! 

Thanks for including us in your journey to wellness. 

Have a wonderful weekend, Dog Leaders! 

Alyssa 

Photos by: Darius Bashar @dariusbashar (woman dancing in the sunset with her arms spread wide,) Ivan Dostál

@ivan_dostal (child blowing a dandelion,) Daniel Jacob

@dnljcb (turquoise lake with mountains and trees)

Fearful Dogs

How to help your fearful dog gain confidence (Photo: Pomeranian mix with whale eye)

Is your dog fearful? 

Does she jump twenty feet in the air when the garbage truck backfires? 

Does she back up when strangers approach? Hide behind your legs? 

Or perhaps she rushes toward strangers and visitors barking and growling…and then backs up. 

This is getting scary inside your home because you dog is beginning to: 

-air snap (bite the air near people) 

-nip

-muzzle punch (where they keep their mouth closed and bump people with their muzzles) 

-bite at people’s ankles 

-put their mouth around people’s arms, hands, legs, etc

You may have stopped having visitors over because your dog’s behaviour stresses you out so much. 

Or maybe you’re locking her up in a bedroom or laundry room, which makes you feel terrible because you can tell she doesn’t like being in there. 

She paces. She howls. And now she’s starting to chew the baseboards and the trim. 

You want other people to see the dog that YOU see — the sweetheart (Photo: boxer with his head, chest, and arms dangling out of a window beside a sign that reads beware of dog)

Let’s get your fearful dog the help she needs. 

It’s time to build your dog’s confidence. 

It’s also time to learn how to train a fearful dog, because there’s a lot of nuance to it and it’s completely different than training a confident dog. 

First, we need to make sure that we have trust and respect. 

Most owners who have fearful dogs haven’t earned their dog’s trust yet. Don’t beat yourself up about it. You’re here to learn how. This is a safe space to build you up too. Breathe and believe. 

As human beings, we often apply human psychology to our dogs. We say things like “It’s okay” when it’s absolutely not okay, like after growling at one of your houseguests. We also tend to pet our dogs in this moment, accidentally showing them that we liked the growling. 

To build trust with your dog, you’re going to: 

-stop saying the phrase “it’s okay”

-stop petting your dog when she is tense, fearful, growling, etc (basically, we’re only going to pet and reward your dog when she is calm because we want to see more calmness) 

-stop retelling her rescue story (this is keeping her stuck in the past and we are in the present) 

-show her what she can do instead of barking, growling, lunging, etc (we’re going to teach her the place command.) 

Learn more about the place command here: https://beyonddogtraining.ca/news/what-is-the-place-command

and here: https://beyonddogtraining.ca/news/place-command-construction-edition

How will the things on this list begin to build your dog’s trust in you? 

Stopping those first three things on the list will help remove your soft energy. When we feel sorry for our dog, they have to lead us. They are hardwired to follow calm and confident leadership. If we don’t provide it, they will fill the leadership role. Your fearful dog doesn’t want this heavy burden, so we’re going to do the job from now on. You can do it. 

Teaching your fearful dog the place command is going to provide her with a confidence boost. If she’s super fearful, she may be shut down and think she can’t do that task. While stepping up on a cot seems minuscule to us, it’s a lot of effort for a dog who has no confidence. 

When you lead them through activities, they learn to trust you (Photo: Corgi mix sitting on top of a platform looking happy)

Some dogs are so fearful that you may need to flip the cot upside down to begin teaching the place command — and that’s 100% okay. Check out the video of Bandit the Australian Shepherd X Border Collie on my Instagram to see how suspicious he was of his new cot. He actually hid while it was being put together. Even the box moving around scared him. 

Your dog will learn to trust you as she realizes that nothing bad happens when she steps on the cot. In fact, as you show her that this is her do-not-disturb zone, she will trust you even more to protect her space from other people. 

Pro Tip: Be sure to put the cot on a non-slip floor. The last thing you want for your fearful dog is for her to be brave enough to step on the cot, only to have the cot slide and make a noise that she finds scary. 

Fearful dogs are my absolute favourite to work with because they are so often misunderstood. To outsiders, they look aggressive, but when you peel off that layer of fear, you find an absolute sweetheart underneath — and you can feel their relief that someone finally speaks their language. 

I always say that at the client’s front door I’m having two conversations simultaneously — one with the owners and one with their dog. The conversation and greeting are completely different. When we greet humans, we make eye contact, we talk out loud, and sometimes shake hands. When we greet dogs in this manner, especially dogs who are fearful, we completely overwhelm them. Dogs are a different species. If we remember that and greet them in a way that is natural to them, we can earn their trust immediately. 

Try using this formula when you greet a new dog and you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes in their energy. 

No touch.

No talk.

No eye contact. 

Post in the comments below if you know who succinctly summed this up for all of humankind.  

Need more tips on placework and want to see more fearful dogs overcoming their fears? Check out all of our videos here: 

On Insta and FB: Go Beyond Dog Training. 

On TikTok we are at Beyond Dog Training. 

You’ll see: 

-guest greetings go from barking and lunging to dogs sitting calmly beside their owners

-fearful dogs learning the place command, how to go in their crates, how to go into rooms they are afraid of, and more 

Have a wonderful weekend, Dog Leaders! 

Alyssa 

Photos by: Michelle Tresemer @mtresemer (Pomeranian mix with whale eye,) Don Agnello

@donangel (boxer with his head, chest, and arms dangling out of a window beside a sign that reads beware of dog,) Alvan Nee @alvannee (Corgi mix sitting on top of a platform looking happy,)

Help! My dog Jumps up on…Everyone

How to stop your dog from jumping up on people (Photo: terrier jumping up)

Does your dog jump up on your houseguests? Strangers you meet out on your walks? Your kids? Your life partner? 

When dogs jump up on people, people can easily get injured. I’ve helped clients who have been enthusiastically bonked in the face leading to fat lips, sore jaws, and bleeding tongues. Not to mention the scratches that can be left behind when dogs jump up on people. 

Whether you’re teaching a small puppy not to jump up, or a new rescue dog, we’ve got tips for you. 

Let’s get into some tips to help prevent and teach our puppies and new rescue dogs not to jump on human beings. 

1. Clear Communication — If you don’t want your dog to jump on your grandma, don’t allow her to jump on anyone. Keep it simple and clear for your puppy/dog from day one. It’s the easiest way to clearly communicate what is allowed (four on the floor) and what is now allowed (jumping up on people.)

Be clear and consistent with your puppy (Photo: person kissing a Dachshund while it’s jumping up on them)

2. Leash on — Leave a lightweight leash on your puppy to prevent them from getting those paws up onto people, because you know what will happen next: the person that’s getting jumped on will likely start petting your puppy. This reinforces that jumping on people is awesome. We don’t want that, so prevent it with your leash.

This will make it more likely that your dog will jump up (Photo: Frenchie pulling on a harness in front of its handler)

This dog is engaged with his owner and looking at them for direction. This dog is less likely to jump up on someone (Photo: dog laying beside his handler looking up at the handler)

3. Consistency — If one family member allows jumping up, mouthing, and hyper behaviour, your puppy will become confused. This isn’t fair to the puppy. What happens next? The same person who allows the jumping is yelling at the dog for jumping on Great Aunt Eva or a stranger. This is also very confusing to the puppy. Be fair and consistent from day one with your puppy or new rescue dog and you’ll see great behaviour from day one.

4. Clear Communication Meets Consistency — Oftentimes when a puppy jumps up, owners are shouting “down.” If the puppy has learned to lay down, they are confused. They’ve never learned to lay down whilst having two paws on grandpa’s leg. Use the word “off” for “get your front paws off of that person/object.” Reserve “down” for “lay down.” Be consistent throughout all family members so your puppy doesn’t get confused.

Be clear to avoid confusing your dog (Photo: two Golden Retrievers laying down on the floor)

5. Neutral People — To help teach this behaviour, have a friend or family member help you. This needs to be a person who can completely ignore your dog. Baby talking makes puppies jump up. For some puppies it also makes them pee. A person who stands rigidly and holds their breath will not bring the right energy (before a fight, dogs slow their breathing and stand with a stiff posture.) Bring in a friend or family member who can simply pretend your puppy doesn’t even exist. This allows your puppy to learn that when guests come over, they don’t need to jump all over them, they can simply be calm.

Not this friend/family member…(Photo: person leaning over a leashed dog and holding both hands out toward the dog)

Choose a friend or family member who can ignore your dog while acting completely natural and calm (Photo: three people having a conversation making eye contact with each other)

Remember: what we allow, we agree with. If you allow jumping, you’ll see more jumping. 

When we are clear and consistent with our puppies and dogs, harmony comes that much faster into our homes. 

What else can help your puppy learn not to jump on your houseguests? 

Placework. 

We need to teach our dogs what we want them to do instead of jumping up on people. When we teach our dogs to go to their place, it gives them a job when someone knocks on the door. You can also use placework when you’re out and about.

Give your dog the job of calm to prevent them from choosing their own job as protector or excited door greeter (Photo: two people having coffee inside a café while a dog is outside the café on a bench)

Another great tool is the crate. When introduced properly, a crate represents a safe place for your dog to go and rest. You may wish to let your dog out of the crate when they are calm so that they can hang out in the same room as you and your guests. Use your leash when you bring them calmly into the group. Instruct your guests (this is the hardest part of all) to practice no touch, no talk, no eye contact until your puppy calms back down. This is the proper way to greet dogs because it honours their nose. Shrieking in a high pitched voice and shoving your hand toward a dog’s face is not the way dogs greet each other. It can be very frightening to some dogs who will bolt away from that sound and space invasion. For dogs who prefer to choose fight over flight, this can become a bite. 

How would you react to a stranger suddenly putting their hand in your face? Swat it away? Run? Your dog doesn’t appreciate their space being invaded either. Advocate for their space. Don’t allow your guests to invade your dog’s intimate space. 

It’s time to normalize no touch, no talk, no eye contact as the way to greet a dog we do not know. 

We need to stop teaching children that this is how we greet dogs because it can result in a bite (Photo: child making kissy lips and reaching his hand into a dog’s intimate space to be sniffed)

When your houseguests learn how to greet puppies and dogs in a way that is more natural, you’ll see an immediate decrease in your new rescue dog’s stress level and an immediate decrease in your puppy’s desire to jump. 

Happy training, Dog Leaders! 

Alyssa 

Photos by: Julian Hochgesang @julianhochgesang (terrier jumping up,) Anna Dudkova

@annadudkova (person kissing a Dachshund while it’s jumping up on them,) Jingjie wong

@jingjiewong (Frenchie pulling on a harness in front of its handler,) Tamas Pap

@tamasp (dog laying beside his handler looking up at the handler,) Gulyás Bianka

@repetaesmese (two Golden Retrievers laying down on the floor,) Mikita Yo

@mikitayo (person leaning over a leashed dog and holding both hands out toward the dog,)

Alexis Brown @alexisrbrown (three people having a conversation making eye contact with each other,) Ross Sokolovski @ross_sokolovski (two people having coffee inside a café while a dog is outside the café on a bench,)

Chen Mizrach @chenhanozel (child making kissy lips and reaching his hand into a dog’s intimate space to be sniffed,)

How to Stop Leash Pulling

Read on to learn how to stop this (Photo: large dog pulling on the leash)

Right now, walking your dog is a struggle. Not only do you dread walking your dog, sometimes you just don’t go. It’s that bad. 

Here’s a few of the things you’ve had to live through: 

Your dog stopped suddenly, sending you to physiotherapy for your shoulder. 

Your dog tripped you and you broke your hip. 

Your significant other has to walk your dog because he pulls you off your feet. 

The other day, your dog dragged you into the street and you almost got hit by a car. 

Not to mention how embarrassing it is to be “that crazy person with her out-of-control dog” that people cross the street to get away from. 

This doesn’t feel very fun. Read on. You can do this! (Photo:woman covering her face with her hands in embarrassment)

It’s time to stop being injured by your dog. It’s also time to prevent both of you from getting hit by a car. 

So how do you teach your dog to stop pulling on the leash? 

The question for so many of you isn’t the how, it’s where. Let me explain why. 

You know how to teach your dog to heel. You’ve either watched a lot of Youtube videos, trainers on Instagram, or you’ve been trained by yours truly in person. The struggle for almost all of my clients is to stop trying to teach their dog to heel in distracting environments. 

For example, if your dog is reactive to other dogs (lunging, barking, whining, pulling toward them,) you should not try to teach your dog how to heel around these distractions. For all of you who like to geek out on lingo, the other dogs would be called “competing motivators.” Other examples of competing motivators in this example would be the wonderful smells outdoors, squirrels, bunny poo, geese, bikes, etc.

Even if your dog is not reactive and you simply want to teach them how to follow you on leash and not pull, you should teach this in a distraction-free environment. 

The same goes for brand new puppies. Teach them new things in an area that has as few distractions as possible (like your hallway, living room, or kitchen) and then slowly add the distractions in. 

This does not mean you’re going to live inside your house and never go outside with your puppy/dog, but you are going to practice heeling a lot inside your home before expecting your puppy/dog to heel past a bunch of distractions (bikes, other dogs, rabbits, birds, strollers, garbage trucks, soccer players, etc.) 

This is what you’re working toward…(Photo: woman heeling with her dog. Her dog is looking up at her. Great engagement!)

And this is where you begin teaching your dog how to walk nicely on the leash (Photo: white and brown dog sitting in a living room. He is wearing a cute bowtie)

If your dog is reactive, don’t set them up for failure by taking them to narrow trails. Set them up for success by teaching them how to heel in a distraction-free environment (your house) and then building up to heeling in your backyard, in your driveway (when there are no triggers around,) and in an empty parking lot. 

You need to stop skipping steps and going on busy trails where you feel you have to wrap your dog’s leash around a post or a tree and pray no other dog gets close. Off-leash dogs are everywhere nowadays. Don’t set your dog up to fail. Being wrapped around a tree prevents flight. Your dog’s only option is fight (if the other dog ignores his avoidance signals.) 

There’s a reason we don’t send children to Wonderland every day for school. It’s hard to learn new things when you’re overstimulated. 

Not the easiest place to learn your times tables or memorize lines for a play ;) (Photo: people on a rollercoaster)

Would you expect your child to learn a new song on the piano when the television and the radio are on? 

Would you try to teach your child her times tables while you’re at the beach while all the other kids are playing in the water and making sand castles? 

Have you ever been to a continuing education class for work? Those usually take place in a classroom setting, not outside during a fireworks display. Even small distractions can disrupt our learning. A great example of this is when there are people in the workshop who are whispering to each other instead of paying attention. 

Just like us, dogs and puppies have an easier time learning new things where there’s not a lot of distractions going on. 

Set your dog up for success by teaching them to follow you in a calm, quiet environment with as few distractions as possible first, before teaching it around huge outdoor distractions. 

When you teach your dog in this way, you’ll find it fun and relaxing. When you try to heel through an off-leash area with your reactive dog before they are ready and before you are ready, you’ll feel stress. Stress travels right down your leash. 

Ditch the stress and have fun with your dog instead. 

Need help teaching your dog to be calm and follow you on walks instead of pulling? 

Schedule your free call here: https://beyonddogtraining.ca/take-action

It’s time to enjoy your walks again. 

it’s time to enjoy your walks again. Dream big. (Photo: person heeling their dog beside lots of sunflowers)

Happy training, Dog Leaders! 

Alyssa 

Photos by: Sumeet Singh @rolcye (large dog pulling on the leash,) Julia Taubitz

@schwarzeweissheitenfotografie (woman covering her face with her hands in embarrassment,) Jenn Simpson

@sassygreenboots (woman heeling with her dog. Her dog is looking up at her. Great engagement!) André Noboa @andrenoboa (white and brown dog sitting in a living room. He is wearing a cute bowtie.) Stephen Hateley @shateley (people on a rollercoaster,) Delphine Beausoleil @dbeausoleil (person heeling their dog beside lots of sunflowers)

Dog Training Tips: Cottage Edition Part 2

Sweet silence (Photo: person sitting on a dock looking at the mountains)

You want peace, quiet, and relaxation at the cottage. 

You don’t want to worry about your dog lunging at every person and dog who walks by your property (so embarrassing!)

You don’t want a dog who growls at every person who pops by to visit you. 

You don’t want your dog mouthing and nipping the neighbours or your own guests. 

So, how do we get a peaceful cottage dog? A dog who lounges on the dock beside you, rather than barking at every passing boat? 

Last week, we covered five tips to help you, your family, your dog, and your guests to calmly coexist in harmony at the cottage. This week, we have five more tips to help you enjoy your time away with your dog. 

Check out last week’s blog post for five more tips to help you get a calm cottage dog (Photo: orange lifeguard tower with the number five on it)

Number six: 

Structured downtime. Your dog needs downtime. Dogs often make their worst mistakes (snapping at children, jumping up on strangers) when they are overtired. Use crate and place to give your dog the opportunity to rest. Advocate for their space, especially if there are lots of young children around. 

Provide a safe space for your dog or puppy to rest away from the hustle and bustle to keep her safe (Photo: Bulldog puppy napping in a crate,)

Number seven: 

Use place and crate when you’re cooking and eating meals to prevent your dog from learning how to be a counter surfer or beggar. Dogs are smart, opportunistic, and learn through repetition. What you practice and allow out here at the cottage, will follow you home (and vice versa.) 

Number eight: 

Ditch that tie out. You know, that leash that screws into the ground. That’s the one. It’s outta here. 

When your dog is tied out without supervision, he learns things, bad things. Things that work against your goals. 

He learns: 

When I bark and lunge at people, dogs, etc, they move away from me. 

This behaviour is referred to as “mailperson syndrome” because when delivery people come to your home and your dog barks, your dog is rewarded by the person going away. The person was going to leave anyway, but your dog doesn’t know that. Your dog thinks that he successfully guarded your home and you. If he practices this every day, there is often a ripple effect, where he tries the same behaviour with your visitors (only it doesn’t work because you’ve invited them into your house.) This can cause a lot of stress for your dog, especially if the person reaches toward the dog before the dog is ready to be touched. Sometimes, the dog even escalates their lunging and growling behaviour to a bite because their usual game plan (bark and the person goes away) isn’t working. 

At the cottage, when your dog is tied up outside, he’s learning that when he barks and lunges, people keep right on trucking past the property. He has no idea that they were only out for a stroll and had no intention of coming onto your property. He gains this fake confidence that he’s in charge of the property. 

What to do instead: 

Supervise your dog. If you can’t (because you’re in the shower or out waterskiing,) use the crate so your dog will just chill while you’re out without him. Be sure to fulfill his needs before crate time. 

Your dog is always learning. What is he learning in this moment? (Photo: brindle dog behind a chain link fence)

Number nine: 

Teach. Your dog is always learning. If your dog has never been to your cottage before, he needs to learn the rules, boundaries, and limits. He may need to learn how to ride in a boat, how to walk on your new wobbly dock, or how to wear a life jacket (not chew it off.) 

It is our job as humans to teach our dogs right from wrong in the human world. They won’t just “figure it out.” If I put you on a rocket ship right now would you just figure out how to be an astronaut? Nope. You would need an astronaut to hold your hand and teach you how to survive in outer space. Your dog needs you to teach him right from wrong. This will protect him and keep him safe while at the cottage. 

When you take the time to teach your dog what behaviours you like and want to see more of, you’ll find your relationship will be immediately improved. 

Number ten: 

Consistency. All family members who will be living with your dog at the cottage need to be consistent with the rules and boundaries. Mouthing, biting, jumping up, begging, counter surfing, leash pulling, door dashing, biting/scratching/mouthing swimmers, etc are all nos. Have those tough conversations — your dog’s life depends on you. 

Wishing you a safe and fun trip to Cottage Country! 

Alyssa 

Photos: Kalen Emsley @kalenemsley (person sitting on a dock looking at the mountains,) Isai Ramos

@isai21 (orange lifeguard tower with the number five on it,) Alyssa Foulkes (Bulldog puppy napping in a crate,) Upsplash Images (brindle dog behind a chain link fence,)

Dog Training Tips: Cottage Edition Part 1

(Photo: person laying on a dock sunbathing with her dog)

You want peace, quiet, and relaxation at the cottage. 

You don’t want to worry about your dog charging every person and dog who walks by your property (so embarrassing!) 

You don’t want a dog who races to the end of the dock to bark at every single boat. 

You don’t want a dog who runs away for hours at a time and comes back with porcupine quills stick in her tongue and throat. 

You don’t want a dog who “rescues” the neighbour’s children out of the lake either. 

So, how do we get a peaceful cottage dog? 

Your relationship begins at home, not at the cottage. 

Does your dog listen to your commands inside your home? If not, that is a great place to start. It’s never too late to hold your dog accountable for commands that she knows. It’s also never too late to teach your dog new commands that can help you live in harmony together (think crate, place, heel.) 

A calm cottage vacation begins with a calm dog in the family home (Photo: a brown and white pitbull mix laying on a carpet underneath a table)

The next step is packing up to leave for the cottage. Is this chaos? Is there lots of rushing and yelling? Sprinting kids? An anxious dog who is pacing everywhere, trying to herd the children, jumping up on people? This has to stop. Pack up calmly and you’ll see a much calmer dog. You’ll feel amazing too, by the way. It’s a ripple effect and it is glorious. If you need to use the crate, placework, or have a leash on your dog as you load the car, there’s nothing wrong with that (as long as you’ve worked to create calm associations to crate, place, and by your side.) Think of these three zones as “zen zones.” 

Another option, if you haven’t done this work yet: a sit stay or a down stay. Be sure to work on those ahead of time. Practice makes progress. 

The car ride matters. How you load your dog into your car matters. The vibe while you’re driving matters. How you exit the car matters. Check out my Instagram Story Highlights to learn more at Go Beyond Dog Training. 

How you load into the car matters. The dog’s state of mind during the drive matters. How you exit the car matters. (Photo: a calm Labrador Retriever riding in a car with his head out the window)

At the cottage, there’s lots of little things you can do to help your dog understand the rules, boundaries, and limits. 

This week, we’re going to cover five tips to help improve life at the cottage for yourself, your family, and your dog. There’s so many things to help, that there will be five more tips next week. 

Number one: Engage with your dog. A lot of people arrive to the cottage, let the dog run wild, and then deal with the damage later on (at the cost of the dog’s health and welfare — think sprayed by a skunk, hit by a car/boat, in a dog fight, face full of porcupine quills, etc.) 

Engage with your dog by: 

-playing fetch on land

-playing fetch in the water

-practicing recall using a longline 

-using their mealtimes as obedience training and trick time

-teaching them something new (maybe this is your first time doing placework at the cottage. That’s adding something new. Have fun with it.) 

-play hide and seek (dogs are amazing at this game) 

-set up agility equipment and teach your dog how to use it (or just do “forest agility” using logs and tree stumps to play around on.) 

By providing direction for your dog, she will be guided into activities that are safe, fun, and approved by you. 

Engage with your dog and have fun doing it! (Photo: Golden Retriever jumps off a dock into a lake)

Number two: 

Placework. Teach your pup to love place. Place is a zen zone for your dog. A place to switch off and relax. A place to nap. When taught correctly, your dog should know to rest, not guard the property, while on his cot. Cots can be used inside and outside to create a calm environment for all. 

Placework gives your dog the job of calm (Photo: German Shepherd mix napping)

Number three: 

Thresholds. If your dog currently goes crashing through doors ahead of the humans (cottage door, gate, car door, etc,) he is in charge. Slow down and pay attention to thresholds. Your dog should wait for permission before going in and out of doors.

Number four: 

If your dog is barking at passersby and visitors because he’s fearful, advocate for his space. Do not let people rush into his intimate space if it makes him uncomfortable. Use crate and place to keep your pup safe around all of these new (and often drunk and excitable) people. 

Advocate for your dog’s needs (Photo: pair of feet standing beneath the word NO painted in yellow on a street,)

Number five: 

Walk your dog. You’re working so hard at home to have a dog who doesn’t pull on leash, don’t undo it all while at the cottage. Dogs need consistent leadership, rules, and boundaries. Walking your dog on leash at the cottage ensures one-on-one bonding time, as well as makes sure that your dog can’t tune you out. 

Stay tuned for next week’s blog post for five more tips to help you and your family enjoy cottage time with your dog. 

Wishing you a safe and fun long weekend in Cottage Country (and anywhere else you may be.)

Alyssa 

Photos by: Riley Crawford @ricrawfo ( person laying on a dock sunbathing with her dog), Mike Burke

@themikeburke (a brown and white pitbull mix laying on a carpet underneath a table,) Emerson Peters

@spemble (a calm Labrador Retriever riding in a car with his head out the window,) Nima Sarram

@nima_sarram (Golden Retriever jumps off a dock into a lake,) engin akyurt

@enginakyurt (German Shepherd mix napping), Jon Tyson

@jontyson (pair of feet standing beneath the word NO painted in yellow on a street,)

Walking Your Dog Should be Fun

Are you relevant to your dog? (Photo: a person holding a retractable leash with the dog wayyyyyy out in front of them in a forest)

How are your walks going? Is there a lot of pulling? Does your dog spend most of her time on the walk: 

-zigzagging

-peeing on things

-hunting for squirrels/bunnies/birds/other dogs/people 

-lunging at people and other dogs

-chasing cars/cats/wildlife

-looking at everything but you

-pulling your arm out of its socket

-barking at…everything?

One of the reasons your dog is doing this is because you are not relevant. Sure, you’re attached to the other end of the leash, but you’re following behind her. She’s in control of where she’s going. 

Is your dog calling the shots and reacting to everything? (Photo: brown dog wearing a flat collar lunging at the end of his leash)

Because she’s in the front, she’s also in control of making all the decisions and dogs make pretty terrible decisions (and then yank us along with them, hurting our backs, shoulders, wrists, etc.) 

Here is your dog’s thought bubble: 

“That smells great, let me just pull over here. Now, over on this side of the sidewalk. Awesome! Mom’s pulling on the leash, guess I’ll dig in my nails, so she knows I want to keep smelling this. And GULP! Wow! That tasted as awesome as it smelled. Growl at that guy. Lunge at that senior citizen. I’ll nip that guy’s ankles, but I’ll wait until he’s passed by me. Barking seems to work to get other dogs to move away from me, so I’ll keep doing that move. Yep. Worked again. Those kids are screaming, let’s calm them down by jumping on them. Whoa! Garbage truck! Back away from that friggin’ thing! Squirrel!!” 

And on and on it goes. 

The only communication that is happening is: 

1. The dog is the leader and you are the follower. This is how pack animals think. If you are in the back, you’re a follower. If you’re in the front, you’re the leader.

2. There’s tension on your leash. Tension creates opposition reflex. In a nutshell, it communicates to your dog that it’s go time. Fight club time. Read more about that here: https://beyonddogtraining.ca/news/who-is-protecting-whom

Are you practicing a bite sport, or are you on a calm and enjoyable walk? (Photo: a woman holding her Dogue de Bordeaux back while a man picks up a bite sleeve from the ground)

If you want a better relationship with your dog, but don’t know where to start, start with the walk. Teach your dog how to heel with a nice loose leash. Her head should be behind your knee to communicate to her that you are her leader. 

By walking your dog in this way, you earn leadership points. You get to choose which direction you walk which keeps you and your dog safe — you won’t be pulled toward aggressive dogs, forced to walk on the slipperiest part of the sidewalk, or pulled into traffic anymore!

Your dog will understand that it’s now your job to keep her safe, not the other way around. If she’s in front of you, it’s her job (that’s why she’s barking, lunging, and growling at every person and dog who comes toward you.) 

When your dog realizes you’ve got her back: 

-she can learn to trust you

-she can finally relax and just enjoy her walk (and not have to feel “on” all the time — she doesn’t like that, by the way.) 

-you will feel more relaxed and enjoy your walks more too

Walking your dog should be enjoyable. It shouldn’t feel like a chore. It shouldn’t be something you want to avoid. 

It shouldn’t be something that only the strongest family member can do.

Walking your dog should feel like joy, peace, and calmness (Photo: Author, Alyssa Foulkes and her Rottweiler who is in an off-leash heel position in the forest)

Ready to stop the leash pulling? Click the TAKE ACTION button and schedule your free call today.

While you’re waiting for your free call, check out our IGTV video to learn more about: 

-fulfilling your dog’s physical and mental needs on walks

-heeling/loose leash walking

-one of the best places to practice loose leash walking 

Our Instagram handle is: @GoBeyondDogTraining

The video you’re looking for is called: Are you Fulfilling Your Dog? It’s in the IGTV Series: Structured Walks 

If you’re not on Instagram, we have the same handle on Facebook. You can also find us on TikTok at Beyond Dog Training.

See you there! 

Happy training, Dog Leaders! 

Alyssa 

Photos by: Marek Szturc @marxgall (a person holding a retractable leash with the dog wayyyyyy out in front of them in a forest,) Upsplash image (brown dog wearing a flat collar lunging at the end of his leash,) Upsplash (a woman holding her Dogue de Bordeaux back while a man picks up a bite sleeve from the ground,) Parry Bast (Author, Alyssa Foulkes and her Rottweiler who is in an off-leash heel position in the forest)

PREPARE YOUR DOG FOR FIREWORKS BEFORE MAY LONG WEEKEND

Let’s make this May long weekend enjoyable for you and your dog! (Photo: fireworks in the sky about a city skyline)

Are you dreading May 24? Do fireworks go off in your neighbourhood before the long weekend even begins?It’s becoming really common to hear fireworks all weekend long. Here are some tips to get you and your dog prepared for the upcoming celebration.

Remember: if your dog is afraid of fireworks, the time to begin counter conditioning them to get over their fear is right now, not on the day the fireworks are going to happen. Schedule your free call today and begin the process to help your dog through her fear.

Physical Exercise: 

Tired dogs go into a resting and relaxed state far more easily than dogs who are not exercised. 

All dogs require daily exercise. Some require low-key walks, while others require hours of running, agility, and fetch to properly tire them out. In the days leading up to the long weekend, exercise your dog for an extra thirty minutes each day. Structured exercise is best because it drains physical and mental energy.

On the day of the big fireworks show, begin with a long walk before breakfast. After lunch, go for a nice long hike and explore nature with your pup. Make time for fetch, swimming, or a bike ride. When we fulfill our dog’s needs, they have less pent-up energy available to spend on barking at fireworks (or running from window to window barking at the fireworks.)

Fulfilling your dog’s exercise needs is a great way to prepare for fireworks (Photo: person biking with an off-leash dog)

Mental Exercise: 

Dogs are intelligent animals who need mental stimulation. Searching for food, doing obedience, and having fun with new tricks are all ways of draining your dog’s mental energy. 

Why not teach your dog a few life-saving skills, like “come,” “leave it,” and “drop it?” Not only will these activities tire your pup out, they could save your pup’s life. 

Structured walks are wonderful because they provide your dog with a job (follow you, their leader.) This “work” is mentally tiring for dogs.

Nosework is a great way to drain your dog’s mental energy (Photo: dachshund sniffing the sand at a beach)

Calmness: 

I quote former Navy SEAL, Dan Crenshaw, all the time for a reason: because this quotation sums up how to live with dogs — “Calm breeds calm. Panic breeds panic.” 

If you overreact to fireworks, your dog will overreact to fireworks. 

Your dog is looking to you for your reaction. If she looks at you and sees a worried pack leader, she will become worried too. 

Communicate calmness to your dog by acting calm and confident while the fireworks are going off. 

Exposure: 

If you have a new puppy, now is your chance to let them learn that fireworks are no big deal. If you’re out and about in the evening, keep moving and keep your own energy calm and confident. Your puppy is a master of reading your energy and your body language. Show your pup there’s nothing to fear. 

Do not stop and comfort your puppy as you would a young child. They are not human. If you join them in a soft state of mind and pet them while they’re acting fearful you will reward a fearful state of mind and teach them fireworks are to be feared. No baby talk. Just walk. 

If you’re outside, you’ll be allowing your puppy to learn in a way that is natural to her: nose, eyes, ears. She will be able to get used to the way the fireworks smell, how they look, and what they sound like. 

Teach your puppy to be calm around the things you wish them to be calm around as an adult (Photo: person walking a dog at sunset)

Prevention: 

Be sure to have your dog’s tags on, in case she runs away. Call your microchip company and ensure that they have your address up to date in their system. 

If you are reading this article several weeks prior to fireworks, you can begin to desensitize your dog to the sound by playing it at a low level prior to and during enjoyable activities, like playing fetch indoors or eating a meal. Gradually increase the volume and remember to simply act calm and confident when you do this activity. If you’re unsure of how to do this, schedule a free call and set up in-person sessions. We are happy to help you through this process to alleviate your dog’s stress.

How to keep yourself calm? 

Tell yourself that this year’s fireworks are going to be the best ones ever for you and your dog. Mindset is so important. If you spend all day baby-talking to your dog and acting strangely, she will be on edge. If you cringe the moment you hear the first firework of the evening, you’re setting your dog up to be stressed and/or afraid. 

Exercise, breathe, and remind yourself that you can do this. 

Happy training, Dog Leaders! 

Alyssa 

Photos by: maggie hung @maggie__1105 (fireworks in the sky about a city skyline,) Patrick Hendry

@worldsbetweenlines (person biking with an off-leash dog,) Emma Charles

@emmacharles (dachshund sniffing the sand at a beach,) Helen Cramer

@helencramer (person walking a dog at sunset) Cora Leach