Begin Again

You can begin again at any time. (Photo: yellow street art that reads: And so I chose to begin again)

Owners always want to know where to begin when everything is out of control. You got a puppy, you walk him every day, but he’s misbehaving so much in the home that no one is having fun anymore. You feel guilty for separating him from your kids so often, but he’s chasing them, trying to mount them, nipping at them, and stealing their toys. He also takes other household items and guards them, eats food off of your countertops, and nabs snacks out of your toddler’s hands. When your puppy is alone in the yard, he digs massive holes and barks at…well, everything. When you want to bring him back inside, he won’t come when called — he makes a huge game of catch-me-if-you-can while your dinner burns on the stove. Sound familiar? 

It can feel very overwhelming when your dog is out of control (Photo: woman crying)

How do you begin again when life with your puppy feels like chaos? Where do you even start when you feel like you’re weathering a massive storm in the middle of the ocean and the calm horizon is nowhere in sight? 

Just like when you build a home, you need a solid foundation first. Here are some of the things you need to teach your puppy to lay a solid foundation. 

Before you see this list, you must do something very important. You must sit down with everyone who lives with and regularly interacts with your dog and ensure that everyone will be consistent with the plan. You must also write down the list of commands your dog already knows (you may be surprised to learn that the people you live with use different words and hand signals than you do) — it’s time to select and agree on one word and one hand signal for each command. You should also take this time to make a list of the things you need to teach your puppy to provide him with clarity and happiness. 

United we stand. Divided we get our butts kicked. (Photo: eight hands placed in a circle)

Here are some of the things you should include in your list: 

Recall - Practice recall every day. A great place to start is on-leash in your home. It’s easier for your puppy to learn when he’s not distracted by squirrels, blowing leaves, and other dogs. 

Crate - Teach your puppy to love his crate. Dogs are den animals who require downtime. 

Place command - Think of place as your puppy’s zen zone. Learning to be calm is a game-changer. Place also provides a job for your puppy (lay here calmly until I come get you.) You can’t steal a tea towel when you’re on place. You can’t bark out the window, chase a toddler, or bolt out the front door when you’re on place either. It solves a lot of problems while creating a content pup. 

Heel - A dog who follows you on walks is no longer in charge of making the decisions (yanking to grab that stick, pulling to every dog, dragging you toward every squirrel, etc.) 

Break - Clearly communicating to your puppy when it’s time to walk nicely and when it’s time to take a break to sniff/potty/have playtime with you is one of the greatest gifts you can give your pup. Pulling all the time isn’t good for his body and it isn’t good for yours either. 

Let’s go - “Let’s go” clearly communicates that break time is over and it’s time to begin walking again. You need to teach this, not yank on the leash. Saying “let’s start walking again” and then yanking on the leash is like me saying “Hey, wanna go to Wonderland with me today?” and then me smacking you in the face. Why would you want to go with me? I asked you to do something fun and then whacked you without even waiting for you to respond. I’m not very fun, am I? 

This is what “let’s go” should look like. (Photo: toddler heeling with a small terrier)

This is not the way to say “let’s go” to a dog. (Photo: toddler trying to drag a pug on leash)

Leave it - This is what you teach your puppy so they understand not to pick up that shoe, kid’s toy, clothing item, dead thing on the ground, etc. It is different from “drop it.” 

Drop it - You’ll hear me using “aus” in all of my videos with Magic. This is German for “out.” I like it because it’s a softer sound than “drop it” and faster to say because it’s only one syllable. Drop it/aus is what you want to teach your dog so that you can communicate to them: drop what is in your mouth. It’s great for fetch, so you can communicate clearly to get the toy back. It makes tug of war an enjoyable game for both you and your dog. It’s also wonderful for in the home, if your pup tends to pick things up that he shouldn’t. 

Stay - Stay is a very helpful command to let your dog know to stay right where they are until you say “break” or “come” or return to their side and lead them away (using “let’s go”.) You can use “stay” as you step outside your home before inviting your calm pup out for a walk with you. You can use stay if you’re at your friend’s house and you don’t have your cot or crate and someone breaks a glass in the kitchen. You can use “stay” for when you arrive at the parking lot of your favourite hike and you want to communicate “stay in the car while I assess the safety of the parking lot before inviting you out of the car.” 

Threshold Training - Teach your puppy to wait until invited through all doorways, down stairs, through gates, out of the crate, and into and out of your car door. 

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Now you have: 

-agreement that all family members will be consistent moving forward

-an understanding of the foundations that you need in order to live in harmony with your dog 

-a list of what your dog already knows

-a list of what you need to teach your dog

Don’t make this mistake: 

A lot of owners try to pick and choose off the foundation menu as if these items aren’t all necessary and then struggle through day-to-day life with their dog. It’s time to stop struggling. When you take the time to teach your dog all of the basic foundations, you’ll see how they work together to create the harmony you’ve been looking for all along. 

Start small. Keep sessions short, positive, and fun. 

Set yourself and your puppy up for success by teaching new behaviours inside your home in an area of low distraction. You may need to wait until your toddler is napping and your cat is snoozing to achieve less distraction (and that’s okay.) 

If you aren’t sure how to begin teaching your dog these foundational skills, that’s okay. You’re not a dog trainer. Bring in an in-home trainer who can help teach you how to teach all of these things to your pup. 

Schedule a free call with us now. It’s time to escape the chaos. We can’t wait to help you. 

Alyssa 

Photo: Jon Tyson @jontyson (yellow street art that reads: And so I chose to begin again,) Kat J

@kj2018 (woman crying,) Hannah Busing @hannahbusing (eight hands placed in a circle,) Robert Eklund

@roberteklund (toddler heeling with a small terrier,) Vidar Nordli-Mathisen @vidarnm (toddler trying to drag a pug on leash.)

"Leave it" and "Drop it" Holiday Edition

Want your dog to leave that ornament or decoration alone? Read on! (Photo: dog wearing a Santa hat yawns at the camera)

Does your dog grab holiday decorations and run around the house playing a frustrating game of keep-away? 

Does he scare you when he growls and guards the items that he steals? 

Perhaps he likes to also practice this outside in your yard. You’re scared that he’ll hurt himself swallowing bits of sharp plastic. 

Why isn’t shouting “leave it” or “drop it” working? Read on for tips to get clarity for yourself and your dog. 

Teaching your dog “leave it” will clearly communicate that countertops and tables are off limits (Photo: star-shaped gingerbread cookies with white icing on a countertop)

If you have a puppy or a dog, it’s so important to teach them these important life-saving commands: “leave it” and “drop it.” The important part of that sentence is “teach them.” Many new pet parents follow their puppy around yelling “leave it” when the puppy grabs a shoe, starts chewing a couch cushion, or snags a Christmas ornament. Yelling doesn’t help. Imagine if math teachers simply yelled at their students: “wrong” every time they answered a question incorrectly. There’s no teaching going on there and no one would learn anything, other than “this human yells a lot.” 

“Leave it” and “drop it” are different from each other. Read on to learn why you should teach your dog both of these commands.

When your dog knows “drop it” or “aus,” fetch becomes a lot more fun for both of you (Photo: Golden Retriever holding a spiky blue ball in his mouth)

Do you know the difference between “leave it” and “drop it?” If you’re not sure, then you’ve come to the right place. After all, if you’re confused about which is which, then your dog is confused too. 

These two commands, along with recall (teaching your dog to come to you no matter what) are three of the most important things you should teach your dog. 

“Leave it” communicates to your dog “don’t touch that with your mouth.” It could be toxic for your dog (joints, edibles, grapes, chocolate, etc.) or simply something you would like to enjoy later on yourself (like the steak on your countertop or the butter tarts on your kitchen table.) This same command applies to dead things on the ground, bunny poops, goose poops, and, you get the idea. 

“Leave it” allows you to pick up the ball, without your dog snatching it up and playing keep-away (Photo: Border Collie lying on the grass looking at a tennis ball a few feet away from her)

Be sure to check out our 10-part series on teaching the “leave it” command featuring Missy Marcus, a one-year-old Australian Shepherd. Find us on TikTok @BeyondDogTraining. Find us on IG and FB @GoBeyondDogTraining.

“Leave it” is a transferable skill. Once your dog understands what it means, you can communicate to your dog not to pick up: their leash, kid’s toys, clothing, garbage on the ground, food in your toddler’s hand, dinner on your table, etc. It even works on squirrels.

You may wish to use “leave it” for squirrels as well. Whatever you choose, be consistent. (Photo: a black squirrel and a grey squirrel eating nuts on a lawn)

Drop It: Drop it, or Aus (which is German for drop it/out,) is the command you teach so that your dog knows to drop things out of her mouth when you ask. This could be a dead thing she picked up on a walk, your children’s toys, her ball (during fetch, so you can throw it again,) her bone (so you can inspect if it’s still safe to chew), another dog’s toy, your remote control, etc.)

If your dog knows “leave it” and “drop it,” your cat and rooster will finally be able to play in peace (Photo: a calico cat and a rooster looking at a bb-8 droid toy on the kitchen tiles)

The earlier you teach these commands the better. It’s far easier to teach your dog to never touch steak on the counter from day one, than it is to train them not to once they’ve developed a habit of it (and get a very tasty reward of steak every time they do!) 

All dogs can learn these commands regardless of how old they are. It’s never too late to begin training your dog. I promise you, he’s smarter than you think. 

It’s never too late to teach your dog these life-saving commands (Photo: senior Collie holding a dirty tennis ball)

Have a wonderful holiday season, Dog Leaders! 

Alyssa 

Photos by:Danny Bezak @harvison (dog wearing a Santa hat yawns at the camera,) Lydia Matzal

@lydia_matzal (star-shaped gingerbread cookies with white icing on a countertop,) Elisa Kennemer @elisalou (Golden Retriever holding a spiky blue ball in his mouth,) Robin Jonathan Deutsch @rodeutsch (Border Collie lying on the grass looking at a tennis ball a few feet away from her,) Claudia McMahon @scmcmahon (a black squirrel and a grey squirrel eating nuts on a lawn,) Daniel Tuttle

@danieltuttle (a calico cat and a rooster looking at a bb-8 droid toy on the kitchen tiles,) Tadeusz Lakota

@tadekl (senior Collie holding a dirty tennis ball)

Leash Reactivity Tips

Being dragged around by your dog can lead to longterm pain for your joints and your back. It can also damage your dog’s trachea. (Photo: a large brown dog pulling on the leash)

You’ve tried everything. 

You have a closet filled with harnesses. 

You have a cupboard overflowing with treats. 

When your dog sees another dog on a walk, she: 

-lunges

-bites the leash

-redirects on you (bites you) 

-stands on her hind legs

-screams

-barks

Are you stuck in the cycle where you know you need to walk your dog, but it stresses you out so much that you feel like you can’t do it? (Photo: woman sitting on a chair with her hands covering her face)

At first it was simply embarrassing, but now you fear for your safety and the safety of others on your walks. 

You’re worried that you may be pulled into traffic. 

You’re afraid that your dog may bite someone. 

Here are a few tips that are often overlooked that matter immensely when overcoming leash reactivity. 

1. Your relationship inside your home matters. If your dog doesn’t listen to your commands inside your home, begin working on this immediately. A dog who doesn’t listen inside the home, will not listen outside the home.

A dog who doesn’t listen inside the home, will not listen outside the home (Photo: large black dog sitting on a couch)

2. If your dog walks in front of you during your walks, they are leading the pack and will call the shots (by overreacting.) Teach your dog to heel on the leash and teach your dog the break command. This way of walking is a game changer because it clearly communicates to your dog who is leading, who is following, when it’s time to heel, and when it’s time to sniff and just be a dog. I can’t count the number of reactive dogs I have helped by getting them out of a harness and teaching them to heel.

Heeling looks like this (Photo: woman walking her dog on a road beside sunflowers)

It is way easier on your body (and your dog’s body) than this (Photo: large black dog pulling on the leash)

3. Place command and/or teaching your dog to love their crate teaches them to be calm inside the home and takes away all the time they spend (hours every day) barking at dogs and people to get the heck off of their property and learning that this behaviour works.

Teach your dog to practice calmness inside your home because barking out the window all day is contributing to his leash reactivity (Kano the Cattle Dog practicing placework)

4. Your energy matters. If you’re nervous, tense, fearful, furious, frustrated, etc, your dog will not listen to you. They are hardwired to follow calm, consistent, clear, and fair leaders.

Calmness and confidence come with time and practice. Don’t give up. You can be your dog’s leader. (Photo: calm woman enjoying the sunshine on her face)

5. Dog training is a lifestyle. These commands make living with dogs a pleasure and keep our dogs safe: heel, break, place, crate, leave it, drop it, let’s go, come, and stay. Once you can communicate effectively with your dog the world opens up for both of you.

Dog training is a lifestyle. Practice every day and you’ll get results. (Photo: Harper the Cattle Dog mix working on recall with her owner)

You deserve peaceful walks with your dog. 

Schedule your free call now by clicking the take action button. 

Have a wonderful weekend, Dog Leaders! 

Alyssa 

Photos by: Upsplash Images (a large brown dog pulling on the leash,) Ivan Aleksic

@ivalex (woman sitting on a chair with her hands covering her face,) Jack Plant

@jackplantt (large black dog sitting on a couch,) Upsplash Image (woman walking her dog on a road beside sunflowers,) Upsplash Images (large black dog pulling on the leash,) Alyssa Foulkes (Kano the Cattle Dog practicing placework,) Radu Florin

@raduflorin (calm woman enjoying the sunshine on her face,) C. Atkinson (Harper the Cattle Dog mix working on recall with her owner.)

Struggling With Recall?

We all know that recall saves lives. 

You’ve taught your puppy how to come when called (that’s recall,) inside your home. He listens…most of the time. Maybe 90% of the time. 

When you call him from your backyard, he doesn’t come. He makes a game of it — coming partway and then running away again. You have to go outside and get him. He’s hard to catch. It frustrates you (especially when you’re in your pyjamas and the neighbours are watching.) And winter is coming. 

Winter is coming. Time to teach reliable recall. (Photo: a person standing in a blizzard in a clearing in a forest)

When you’re on hikes, he comes when called about 75% of the time. He won’t come back if there’s another dog, bunny poop, a dead thing to roll in, or a squirrel to chase. 

You need your dog to come when you call and the first time you call, no matter what (Photo: Grey squirrel on a tree trunk)

One time, he wouldn’t come back and you spent an extra hour and a half trying to catch him (after an hour and a half long hike.) You were hungry, cold, and furious. 

How can you improve your recall? 

The best place to begin improving your recall is inside your home. A dog who doesn’t listen to you inside your home will not listen to you outside your home. It’s that simple. 

Attach an inexpensive, lightweight, six-foot leash to your dog when you’re home and able to supervise him. Cut the handle off the leash so it can drag behind him and not get caught on the furniture. Supervise him so that he doesn’t ever chew this leash. It’s not a chew toy. Period. Remove the leash when he’s crated and anytime you’re not able to fully supervise him. 

Using his kibble as a reward, practice recall three times a day for a couple of minutes. If your pup doesn’t know recall at all, you want to hold the end of that leash. There should be no tension on the leash, you’re simply holding it so that if your dog ignores you, you can gently reel him in and reward him for coming to you. 

You can begin saying “good come” as soon as his body begins coming toward you. Pay him with a piece of kibble when he gets to you. 

Do your best to lure him into a sit as he arrives, to avoid “come” looking like Fred Flintstone arriving home to Dino the dinosaur. For those of you who didn’t grow up watching The Flintstones, Dino would greet Fred by jumping on him, knocking him flat on his back, and licking his face. This is not ideal for most dog owners who want their dog to come to them, their children. their grandmother, etc. 

Reward your dog for coming to you. Aim to lure them into a sit to prevent being knocked over. (Photo: a black and white dog sitting down and looking up at the camera)

Teach your dog to come and sit calmly in front of you to avoid injury and/or the “hi and bye” game (Photo: Border Collie sprinting toward the camera with its tongue hanging out)

Be inviting with your body language. Check the floor behind you. If it is flat and safe and there’s nothing to trip backwards over, back up as you call your dog. You may even spread your arms wide as you back up. This inviting posture makes your dog want to be with you. 

Practice recall in many different rooms of your home, so that your dog learns that he needs to listen to you everywhere, not just in your kitchen when you are standing near the treat jar. 

Before you know it, you’ll be able to set the leash down and your dog will come to you no matter where you are in the home. 

You should also practice on-leash recall during your walks. Keep the distractions low at first (because outside is distracting enough with all the great smells.) 

Practice on-leash recall in your yard, on your deck, in your driveway, in the hallway of your condo building, etc. 

Practice on-leash recall with your dog everywhere you go (Photo: a white terrier sitting on grass wearing a leash and looking up at his owner who is holding the leash)

The next step in your journey to reliable recall is a longline. Read this post to learn about longlines. https://beyonddogtraining.ca/news/long-lines

Longlines are really long leashes that don’t have handles. They are used to transition dogs to off-leash life and can help you build up to reliable off-leash recall. Think of longlines as training wheels. You don’t take the training wheels off until you and your dog are both reliable with them on. 

If you need help fading out the food, schedule a free call with us now. 

https://beyonddogtraining.ca/take-action

We’ve helped so many families fade out the food (so that you don’t have to wave a bag of treats from your back door or worry that your dog won’t come back on your hike because you forgot your treat pouch.) 

We’ve also helped many families whose dogs can’t have treats because of sensitive stomachs and families with dogs who could care less about food. 

Don’t wait until your dog eats something poisonous during your hike or gets hit by a car — improve your recall today. 

You deserve peace of mind on your hikes. 

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

Happy training! 

Alyssa 

Photos by: Upsplash Images (a dog raising his arm as if he’s asking a question,) Akhil Verma

@averma91 (a person standing in a blizzard in a clearing in a forest,) Saori Oya @saorio (Grey squirrel on a tree trunk,) Upsplash image ( a black and white dog sitting down and looking up at the camera,)

Jesper Brouwers @jesperados (Border Collie sprinting toward the camera with its tongue hanging out,) Christof W. @christofw (a white terrier sitting on grass wearing a leash and looking up at his owner who is holding the leash.)

How to Stop Barking in Your Home

Does your dog bark alllll day long? Does it drive you crazy? Read on. (Photo: black and tan Pomeranian yawning)

Tired of listening to your dog bark all day? 

If your dog spends most of her day running to windows and doors barking her head off, it can be very difficult to: 

-have a Zoom meeting

-get any work done

-relax after dinner with a book or a TV show 

-keep your baby sleeping through all of the noise 

-have guests over 

When your dog barks at every little noise, it adds stress to an already stressful workday (Photo: woman with her head in her hands, elbows on her desk in front of her computer, phone, and eye glasses)

You may have tried: 

-sending your dog to her bed

-negotiating with your dog (Please stop barking. Please. I’ll do anything.) 

-yelling “Quiet!” “Enough!” “No bark!” 

Before our training sessions begin, a lot of clients say “I send her to her bed and she goes…most of the time. The problem is that as soon as I go back to doing whatever I was in the middle of, she’s off the bed and right back at it.” 

The problem with “go to your bed” is that there’s no implied stay built into this command. Your dog goes. You say “Good girl,” and the transaction is over. She’s free to do as she pleases. You want her to stay, but you haven’t told her to stay. 

So she goes right back to the window (Photo: Boxer with his head, chest, and front feet sticking out of an open window)

Enter the place command. 

The place command teaches dogs to have an off switch. It’s a calm zone. A zen zone. And when you teach it correctly, it has an implied stay built right in. 

Dogs find placework very relaxing (Photo: Kano the cattle dog mix learning the place command for the very first time)

If your dog is currently spending her time barking at: 

-delivery people

-noisy pedestrians 

-mail carriers 

she is actually learning that her barking is what makes these things go away from your house. This is confusing to dogs because when you invite guests over they think that barking will make them leave. This can lead to all sorts of scary moments at your front door (growling, lunging, air snapping, bites, etc) 

The place command can also help you when you answer your door to greet your visitors. See how that calm zone and implied stay help with more than having a nice quiet day? 

We’ve helped so many families who were struggling with their dog’s constant barking. Let us help you. Schedule your free call now. 

Your dog isn’t too old to learn this. This week, we taught Penny the 9-year-old chocolate lab how to love place. Check her out on our story highlight (place) on Instagram at GoBeyondDogTraining. 

For more videos about the place command, check out our recent TikTok videos featuring Magic the Rottweiler and Lola the German Shepherd. 

You deserve to enjoy a nice quiet home. 

Alyssa 

Photos by: Alexey Demidov @alexeydemidov (black and tan Pomeranian yawning,) Elisa Ventur

@elisa_ventur (woman with her head in her hands, elbows on her desk in front of her computer, phone, and eye glasses,) Upsplash Image (Boxer with his head, chest, and front feet sticking out of an open window,) Alyssa Foulkes (Kano the cattle dog mix learning the place command for the very first time,)

Walking Your Kids and Your Puppy to School

Are you struggling to walk your puppy and your kids to school together? (Photo: Chalkboard with “back to school” written on it)

It’s back to school time here in Ontario. At home, everyone’s in a scramble to leave the house on time. There’s lunches to be made, last-minute wardrobe changes, and breakfast being gobbled as backpacks are being packed. Outside there’s bus engines roaring, kid’s feet pounding on sidewalks, and bicycles whipping by. 

You’d pictured this moment in your mind so often that it seemed real. You and your new puppy strolling to school with your kids. You thought you’d kill two birds with one stone. The kids need to be walked to school, the puppy needs a walk as well. This would be amazing. 

The calm scene you imagined…(Photo: kids walking to school with leaves on the ground)

But it isn’t. 

It feels as though you’re trying to navigate through this (Photo: an extremely crowded street with people, vespas, and bicycles everywhere)

When the kids run ahead, the puppy lunges on leash to catch up to them. When a skateboard zooms past, he barks and tries to bite it. 

And when the school bus rumbles up behind you, he tries to run in the opposite direction and then lies down and refuses to walk any further. The only thing that gets him moving again is another dog walking past. Now he’s pulling you down the sidewalk hoping to catch up. 

Walking a puppy or dog who pulls can feel exhausting (Photo: Dogue de Bordeaux pulling on the leash toward a man who is picking something up off the ground)

When you finally make it to the school yard, your puppy doesn’t seem happy at all when he gets surrounded by children. He snaps at a little girl and you manage to pull him back just in time. Thankfully she didn’t notice, but now your heart is pounding in your throat and your mind is racing with what ifs. 

Your walk home isn’t any better. He bites the leash, he bites your jacket, he bites your hands. 

Inside your home it’s as if he wasn’t even walked. He finds an insane reserve of energy and gets the zoomies spreading muddy paw prints all over your couch and your carpeted staircase. 

You’re pretty sure you didn’t walk though any mud, but somehow it’s all over your carpet and your couch now (Photo: dog sitting in the mud on a hiking trail,)

He gets ahold of one of the kid’s socks and growls at you when you try to retrieve it. 

You’re crying and trying to figure out how to prevent him from eating the sock during your zoom meeting, which you realize you’re now late for. 

We understand how stressful it is trying to raise a well-behaved puppy who is behaving like a snapping turtle. 

You didn’t know that having a puppy would be so stressful (Photo: woman with her face in her hands as though she is crying)

We’ve helped so many clients overcome the puppy blues. In-home sessions can help with: 

-leash manners, so your puppy can walk beside you on your way to school instead of pulling or playing dead

-crate training, so your puppy will happily go into his crate after you walk him and take a nice nap, rather than being a sock-thief with the zoomies 

-socialization, so you learn how to properly socialize your puppy to children, loud noises, and skateboards/scooters/bikes etc. 

Schedule your free call now. 

Schedule your free call now (Photo: happy woman using her phone)

Don’t wait for the biting to break the skin or the leash pulling to give you tendonitis. Get help today. 

You deserve to live your dream with your puppy. Calm walks to school are a phone call away. 

Ready to reach your goals? Schedule your free call now. (Photo: smiling woman posing for a picture while walking her beagle)

Have a wonderful weekend, Dog Leaders. After a busy back-to-school week — you’ve earned some rest. 

Alyssa 

Photos by: Deleece Cook @deleece (Chalkboard with “back to school” written on it,) Jake Ingle @ingle_jake (kids walking to school with leaves on the ground,) Dim Hou @dimhou (an extremely crowded street with people, vespas, and bicycles everywhere,) Anna Dudkova @annadudkova (Dogue de Bordeaux pulling on the leash toward a man who is picking something up off the ground.) Celyn Bowen @indeep (dog sitting in the mud on a hiking trail,) Fa Barboza @fan11 (woman with her face in her hands as though she is crying,) Upsplash Images (happy woman using her phone,) Artem Beliaikin @belart84 (woman posing for a picture while walking her beagle,)

Puppies and Cars

Is your new puppy afraid of car rides? Read on for tips. (Photo: black pug in a red car)

Is your puppy afraid of car rides? 

Do they hesitate to jump in? 

Do you have to pick them up and force them into the car? Are you worried that your back won’t be able to handle this lifting once your pup grows up? 

Does your puppy pant, pace, whine, and drool during the car ride? 

Perhaps they also bark at people and other dogs they see while they’re in the car. 

You’ve tried: petting them, talking softly to them, giving them treats, putting them on your lap, and reasoning with them (“please just lie down and be quiet.”) Nothing is working and you’re afraid that you’ve made a big mistake adopting this puppy because future car rides to the cottage and kid’s soccer games are looking grim. 

How can you help them over their fear of the car? 

First, take a deep breath. You can always begin again once you have the right tools. 

Did you know that puppies need to be a part of the process of getting into the car? They need to get in themselves. This helps them feel less anxious because they are willingly going into the car, rather than being put into the car. 

Pro Tip: Let your puppy get used to your car before adoption day (Photo: Magic the Rottweiler exploring our car two weeks before coming home with us from the breeder)

The next thing you need to know is going to help you with car training and with crate training, so get ready. Never close the door on an excited or anxious mind. Only close the door on a calm mind. Excited and anxious animals will naturally try to escape. They will vocalize and scratch at the door and become frustrated. 

Wait until your puppy is calm before closing crate doors or car doors (Photo: Magic the Rottweiler at 8 weeks of age sleeping in her crate in the car)

Some puppies are big enough that they can jump into the car at eight weeks of age. Most will require a little bit of assistance finding their footing with their back paws. If you help them find their footing, rather than lifting their hind end, they will learn to enter the car independently very quickly. 

10-month-old Norm was today years old when he learned how to jump in the car by himself. His owner’s back is no longer sore. (Photo: Norm the Pyrenees X Bernese mix in the back of a hatchback with his owner)

Ramps are a great tool to use, especially with smaller puppies. Your puppy can build confidence learning how to walk on a ramp as well as playing an active role of getting into the car.

Check out our IG, FB, and TikTok posts with Ozzy the Aussie-Doodle puppy. He was scared of car rides — even the beeping noise the hatch made when it closed. In the videos you can see the steps where we introduced him to two types of ramp and showed him that shutting the hatch was no big deal. Now, Ozzy can go to the vet, the groomer, and the kid’s soccer games without being stressed out. 

Below are two photos of Ozzy that I took during our in-home training sessions.

Introduce the ramp slowly and have fun (Photo: Ozzy the Aussie-Doodle puppy exploring the ramp. His two front feet are on the ramp and he is sniffing a piece of kibble on the ramp.)

Ozzy relaxing in the car for the first time (Photo: Ozzy the Aussie-Doodle puppy lying down in the back of the family’s hatchback after bravely climbing the ramp.)

Ozzy’s owner hopes to do agility with him when he’s old enough. He can already go up and down a ramp. He’ll be a star! (Photo: Border Collie and his owner doing agility with an A frame)

Are you struggling with teaching your puppy or dog to love going into your car? Let us help you with in-home training sessions. Schedule your free call now. You deserve to drive around making happy memories with your puppy. 

Let us help you enjoy calm car rides with your dog (Photo: Magic the Rottweiler (author’s dog) snoozing on her bed in the car)

Have a wonderful weekend, Dog Leaders! 

Alyssa 

Photos by: Priscilla Du Preez @priscilladupreez (black pug in a red car,)

Alyssa Foulkes (Magic the Rottweiler exploring our car two weeks before coming home with us from the breeder,) Alyssa Foulkes ( Magic the Rottweiler at 8 weeks of age sleeping in her crate in the car,) Alyssa Foulkes (Norm, the Pyrenees X Bernese mix in the back of a hatchback with his owner,) Alyssa Foulkes (Ozzy the Aussie-Doodle puppy exploring the ramp. His two front feet are on the ramp and he is sniffing a piece of kibble on the ramp.) Alyssa Foulkes (Ozzy the Aussie-Doodle puppy lying down in the back of the family’s hatchback after bravely climbing the ramp.) Melissa Whitecross @furtography_za (Border Collie running doing agility with an A frame,) Alyssa Foulkes (Magic the Rottweiler (author’s dog) snoozing on her bed in the car.)

Less is More

Less is more in dog training. Dogs use very little sound to communicate with each other. (Photo: Person holding a finger to their lips)

When working with dogs, less is more. What does that mean? What it means is that a lot of the time humans repeat commands over and over again, often before even teaching their dog what those words mean. 

A lot of new puppy parents will follow their puppy around shouting “leave it” when the puppy picks up a shoe or a child’s toy, but the puppy has no idea of what “leave it” means. 

One of the kindest things you can do for your new puppy or your current dog is to ask yourself if they in fact know the commands you are asking of them. If they don’t, now you have the opportunity to teach them. 

Instead of repeating commands, check in with yourself and ask: does my dog know this command? (Photo: Duck Toller wearing glasses with his head on a dog magazine)

Once your dog knows a command (we call this proofing a command,) you can begin to hold them accountable. This means that if your dog knows “sit,” and you ask her to sit, say in your kitchen, and she ignores you, you can now provide her with more information without saying the command again. 

You may need to apply spatial pressure, take a step toward her. You may need to give her some eye contact. That is psychological pressure. Think of how your fourth grade teacher used eye contact to get you to stop talking. It’s not mean, it’s providing more information because you didn’t do what she asked the first time. 

The beauty of spatial pressure and eye contact are that they can be applied in complete silence — less is more. 

Training in silence can be very peaceful (Photo: person kneeling in front of a dog who is sitting)

The other thing you’re doing when you’re using these two types of pressure is you’re using your own energy, your own self, as a tool. Since dogs only listen to other animals who have calm and confident energy, be sure that that is the energy you are projecting when working with your dog. If you’re frustrated, unsure, tense, or angry take a break and try again later when you’ve calmed down. 

Spatial pressure and psychological pressure are very natural to dogs because dogs use this language themselves. Have you ever watched a dog claim another dog’s space or toy? They don’t talk. They move in and claim the space they want. Dogs also use a lot of eye contact to communicate with one another. They even have appeasement signals where they purposefully don’t make eye contact with another dog to show that they mean no harm. 

We can all learn a lot about how to communicate with dogs from watching dogs interact with one another. 

If you’re ever at a loss for how to get your dog to understand you, take some time to learn from the very best teachers: dogs (Photo: Siberian Husky playing with a Labrador Retriever puppy in the snow)

Dogs use way less sound than we do. Because humans talk so much to one another (and to our pets,) dogs sometimes learn to tune us out.

Want to try a challenge? Try one day where you only speak to your dog if you need to communicate a command that you are certain that he/she knows. If they ignore the command, don’t repeat yourself out loud. Try communicating using spatial pressure or psychological pressure. Let us know how it goes in the comments below. 

If you aren’t sure how to use spatial pressure and eye contact correctly, schedule a free call with us now. You can learn how to do this during in-home sessions with us. 

We look forward to learning more about you and your dog (Photo: woman grinning at her cellphone)

Have a great weekend, Dog Leaders! 

Alyssa 

Photos by: Kristina Flour @tinaflour (Person holding a finger to their lips,) Jamie Street

@jamie452 (Duck Toller wearing glasses with his head on a dog magazine,) Pinto Art @pintoart (person kneeling in front of a dog who is sitting) Karl Anderson @karlkiwi90 (Siberian Husky playing with a Labrador Retriever puppy in the snow,) Ghen Mar Cuaño @ghenmar (woman grinning at her cellphone)

Thick Leash or Thin Leash?

Thick leash or thin leash? (Photo: Black dog wearing a leash)

Let’s talk leashes. How many leashes have you gone through with your puppy or dog? 

For many of my clients, the answer is several. Some have actually lost count. 

Many clients have had their puppies and adolescent dogs chew straight through a leash in a matter of seconds. Seconds. If they do this while on a walk and don’t have a rock-solid recall command, it could cost them their life. 

I’ve had a number of calls from people whose puppies have chewed through the leash while on a walk and then refused to come back to their owner. There have been several close calls with cars and a lot of tears. 

Catch me if you can (Photo: Weimaraner running away from camera while looking back over his shoulder)

Whether you’re near cars or on a busy hiking trail, when your dog ignores your recall command and runs away it is a very scary feeling. 

Here are some tips to help you prevent this from happening to you. 

First thing’s first, you want a thin leash. So many people get a really thick leash for their little puppy. Know what happens? The leash is actually quite heavy, so your puppy notices he’s wearing it. It’s annoying and kind of looks like a toy, so he chews right through it. 

Puppies find it easier to ignore a lightweight, then leash (Photo: beagle on a beach wearing a thin, lightweight leash)

How to prevent this: 

One: Get a very lightweight leash for your puppy, so he barely notices it’s there at all. 

Two: Supervise your puppy and disagree with him the FIRST time he goes to put it in his mouth. Do not overreact. Do not pull it away from him (or this creates a game of tug of war.) Then, engage your puppy in an activity with you. Maybe you recall him away by moving backwards and making your body language inviting. Maybe you give him a rope toy and engage him in play. 

As pet parents we need to set our puppies up for success from day one. We have to teach them right from wrong right away. They aren’t born wearing leashes, so it’s up to us to introduce the leash in a positive way, so they enjoy wearing one. We need to disagree with them the moment they pop it in their mouths for a little chew. Leashes are not for chewing. Period. It just isn’t a safe habit to develop. 

What you allow, you agree with (Photo: dog running while carrying his leash in his mouth)

What we allow, we agree with.

Have a safe and wonderful weekend, Dog Leaders! 

Alyssa 

Photos by: Tucker Good @tuckergood (Black dog wearing a leash,) Arun B.S

@arunbsonline (beagle on a beach wearing a thin, lightweight leash,) Elisa Kennemer

@elisalou (dog running while carrying his leash in his mouth.)

Keeping it Simple

Let’s keep training simple, shall we? (Photo: woman relaxing on a balcony with her feet up)

You want your dog to understand simple words and hand signals. 

Here are a few ideas to get you started and to make training your dog more simple: 

Write it down: Write a list of all the commands you want your dog to know. Leave space on the right hand side for writing down the hand signal. For example:  

come - pointing at the ground in front of you

drop it - holding my hands underneath my dog’s mouth below the toy

Then write a list of all the commands she already knows.

sit - slightly raising my right hand while making a fist 

stay - holding my palm out toward my dog

Dogs are masters of reading human body language, so decide what your hand signal is going to be beforehand, so you can be consistent. 

Consistency is key. Put the list on your refrigerator where the whole family (or anyone who lives with your dog) can see it. 

Your fridge magnets need a job:) Let them hold up your fancy new list! (Photo: fridge magnets)

Pro Tip to avoid confusing your dog:

Use “off” for — get your front feet off of that person/object

Use “down” for - lay down on the ground, please

Aren’t sure which commands to teach? Here’s a list of commands that can help save your dog’s life:

-come

-leave it

-drop it

-stay

Anything else to add to your list? 

These commands are super helpful to communicate with your dog on a day-to-day basis: 

-crate

-place

-heel

-break

-let’s go

-up (think: loading your dog in the car) 

-space - I use this specifically for “give the cat space” 

The more your dog knows, the easier it is for you to communicate with her. This helps her feel happy instead of frustrated. Being able to understand one another opens up the world for you to go out and explore and have fun together. 

Your list will also come in super handy when you go away on vacation, so your care provider can communicate with your dog and make her feel safe and secure. 

Happy training! 

Alyssa 

Photos by: Artem Beliaikin @belart84 (woman relaxing on a balcony with her feet up,) Maria Cappelli

@rikku72 (fridge magnets,)