DOGS AND FIREWORKS

Let’s make sure you and your dog have a happy Canada Day! (Photo: fireworks in the sky about a city skyline)

Are you dreading Canada Day? Do fireworks go off in your neighbourhood throughout the day, and sometimes on the following day as well? Are you feeling anxious just thinking about it? Here are some tips to get you and your dog prepared. 

Fulfillment:  

Dogs who are fulfilled are able to go into a resting and relaxed state far more easily than dogs who are not fulfilled. Fulfilling your dog is more than simply exercising them until they are physically exhausted. In fact, oftentimes this has the opposite effect. Have you ever taken your dog for a long hike, two hours of fetch, or a playdate with other dogs only to come home and have your dog begging to play fetch inside your home all evening, having zoomies all over your couch, or destroying your couch cushions? What’s happening is that the type of exercise owners are providing often lacks structure, so they accidentally create an adrenalized athlete who can play for hours, but unfortunately has no “off switch.” This often presents as a dog who is unable to settle in the home and is always on high alert. This doesn’t feel good to our dogs.

Adding structure to your dog’s exercise routine helps to slow them down and allows them to connect with you rather than connecting with the environment instead of you (i.e. ignoring your recall command because they found a dog friend, interesting smell, or something dead to roll in.)

Examples of structure to add into your daily routine:

-waiting politely at all thresholds (crate door, front door, garden gate, car door, etc.)

-working some obedience into your fetch game (leave it, drop it, heeling, recall, obedience commands, etc.)

-placework on a tree stump, boulder, or bench during your hike to add calmness to your hike/walk

All dogs require daily fulfillment. In the days leading up to Canada Day, fulfill your dog every day. Make the time. Be sure you are fulfilling your dog’s breed needs and remembering to take into consideration their age, health, and the outdoor temperature as well.

On Canada Day, begin with a nice walk before breakfast. Make time to fulfill your dog’s needs throughout the day, so that when the fireworks begin your dog is relaxed, not wired.

Fulfilling your dog’s breed 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. 

Placework is another amazing activity to do with your dog which provides a great mental workout. Placework helps teach our dogs how to be calm. Placework shows your dog what to do instead of pacing, barking, jumping on guests, and being on high alert in your home.

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. 

If you’re outside on a walk, 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. Since fireworks are very loud, I would recommend taking a stroll somewhere where fireworks will be going off in the distance, as opposed to right near where the fireworks are being set off.

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 of fireworks by playing it on your phone at a very low level prior to and during enjoyable activities (eg. while you are working on obedience commands and tricks using your dog’s meal ration as her reward, doing longline work, or even playing fetch in your home.) Gradually increase the volume and remember to simply act calm and confident when you do this activity.

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 afraid. 

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

Happy training, Dog Leaders! 

Alyssa 

Happy Canada Day! (Photo: moose with mountains in the backdrop)

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

@coramaureen (moose with mountains in the backdrop.)

Help! My Dog Won’t Get in my Car

Photo: Doodle standing beside a car

Your puppy is getting really heavy. Lifting her into the car hurts your back. If she gets any bigger, you’re worried you won’t be able to take her on hikes, to the groomer, or to the veterinarian. 

There’s another problem too — it’s almost impossible to get her to walk toward your car. She balks. She plants her feet and leans in the completely opposite direction and drags you along with her. 

Photo: Boston Terrier pulling on the leash

You feel terrible because you know she’s scared. You feel helpless because you don’t know how to help her through this. And you’re also feeling so embarrassed because your neighbours all seem to have perfectly trained dogs.  

If your dog won’t follow you on leash, whether it’s past a construction site, through your neighbourhood when it’s dark outside, into your vehicle, or into the vet’s office, it comes down to leadership and trust. Don’t panic. You can teach your pup to trust you and your leadership skills and have fun doing it.  

If your dog has learned to pull, pull, pull on leash walks (towards people she loves, other dogs, and squirrels) you need to work on this first. Your dog has learned that pulling gets them rewards (they pull toward your neighbour and your neighbour pets them and gives them a treat; they pull toward their dog friend and get the reward of roughhousing with their dog friend, etc.) 

Have you accidentally taught your dog that pulling on the leash gets them rewards (play time with other dogs, treats from your neighbour, pets from strangers, etc?) Photo: two dogs pulling toward each other on the leash

Your dog has likely also learned that pulling on the leash makes you, their human, follow behind them. From your dog’s perspective, pulling is the correct way to move you forward, because it works. 

So how do you change this relationship and teach your dog to follow you on the leash (because you need them to follow you and jump into the car)? There’s no cookie cutter method, but these steps help my clients reach their goals. 

Your dog likely gets really excited when you bring out her leash. She may jump on you, be unable to sit calmly, or bite the leash. It’s important to create a new association with the leash. We want to teach her that the leash represents calmness. It is so much easier to walk a calm dog than an overexcited (or anxious) dog. Wait for calmness. You can even set the leash back down and try again a few minutes later. Dogs learn very quickly. Before you know it, your dog will be calm when you pick up the leash. 

The next thing you want to work on is teaching your dog to follow you on the leash. I recommend teaching this inside your home first, where there aren’t any squirrels, sticks, or bunny poops around creating distractions. Remember that when you’re teaching your dog to follow you that you need to be calm and relaxed as well. Take a deep breath, tell yourself you can do it, and then walk with your head up and shoulders back and down. 

Photo: person walking inside their home with their dog heeling beside them

Another question to ask yourself is: does my dog bolt out the front door ahead of me? If the answer is yes, you’ll want to teach your dog to wait politely at all thresholds (all doorways, crate door, stairwells, and eventually your car door as well.) If you invite your dog outside after you’ve walked through the front door and then provide them with direction (what to do next - sit, stay, heel, etc,) then you’re in the leadership role. The only other available role is follower. 

Want to know another activity that helps boost your dog’s confidence and helps them look to you for guidance (remember, we want them to jump in our car when we ask them to)? 

The place command. Teaching the place command to your dog teaches you a lot about who your dog is. If your dog also balks at the place cot and refuses to get on, be sure to check out our videos on Instagram and Facebook (at Go Beyond Dog Training) and TikTok (at Beyond Dog Training) to see client dogs overcoming this fear. 

By teaching your dog how to step up on an elevated surface (a raised dog bed,) you’ll be showing them that nothing bad happens to them there. You’ll also be showing them that they can trust you to keep them safe. This is the same concept you will be using to teach them to hop into your vehicle. 

Not sure what the place command is? Read this blog post: https://beyonddogtraining.ca/news/what-is-the-place-command

Once your dog understands to follow your lead on walks and how to do the place command with you, they will most likely happily jump into the car when you ask.

Once your dog trusts you enough to do this… (Photo: Tilly the Golden Doodle walking onto her place cot beside her owner.)

She will trust you enough to do this. (Photo: Tilly the Golden Doodle hopping into the car for her owner)

Some dogs may require a ramp. You can see lots of videos on our social media with ramps as well. Check out this blog post where we help a fearful puppy over his fear of the car using a ramp: https://beyonddogtraining.ca/news/puppies-and-cars

Remember, you can always rebuild trust between yourself and your dog. It’s not too late. They aren’t too old (and neither are you.)

Have a great weekend, Dog Leaders! 

Alyssa 

Photos: osher mizrahi @osher_m Doodle standing beside a car; Erik Mclean

@introspectivedsgn (Boston Terrier pulling on the leash,) freestocks

@freestocks (two dogs pulling toward each other on the leash,)
Evieanna Santiago

@evepsf30 (person walking inside their home with their dog heeling beside them,) Alyssa Foulkes (Tilly the Golden Doodle walking onto her place cot beside her owner,) Alyssa Foulkes (Tilly the Golden Doodle hopping into the car for her owner,)

How to Prevent Your Dog From Eating Chocolate

(Photo: a brown and white puppy being held by a person wearing an Easter Bunny costume)

Let me tell you what I saw on Valentine’s Day in the back room of my vet’s office.

I watched a dog throw up an entire box of chocolates. He vomited non-stop as wrappers and chocolate gushed from his mouth. His body pulsed with effort. He was drooling, miserable, and wide-eyed. 

Across from him, another dog was recovering from not one, but her second surgery in a week from ingesting the knot from her rope toy and clumps of her sibling’s fur. 

Please pause to digest what I have just told you. 

---

If you’re a part of the Beyond Dog Training family (working with us one-on-one, reading the blog, and watching our videos) you’ll know how much we value prevention. We don’t want your dog to have to spend an afternoon vomiting at the vet’s office and we certainly don’t want them to ever need surgery to remove something they’ve ingested (let alone two surgeries in one week.) 

Prevent your dog from having to undergo surgery after ingesting something unsafe. Surgery is painful. (Photo: female doctor performing surgery)

Here’s how to prevent your dog from ingesting things that are unsafe for them to eat: 

Supervision: Dogs require constant supervision while learning how to live in our confusing human world. Do not allow your puppy to race from room to room in your home unsupervised. Not only will this prevent them from eating something that could lead to a painful surgery, it will prevent window barking, unwanted chewing, cat-chasing, and kid-herding. If they are unsupervised it means you’re not there to teach them right from wrong, so how would they know that they aren’t supposed to toilet inside, chew couch cushions, or bark at the delivery person? They don’t know until you teach them. 

Prevention: Do not leave food that is toxic to dogs on countertops, in purses, or inside backpacks. Store this food inside of cupboards that your dog can’t access. 

It is your job as a pet parent to keep your dog safe. (Photo: black pug staring at a merengue on a table within his reach)

Crates: Dogs are den animals. Teach your dog to love her crate. If you tried when she was a pup and it didn’t go well, bring in an in-home trainer who can help you teach your pup to love the crate. When your dog learns to love napping in her crate, you can leave home knowing that she’s safe and can’t eat the chocolate that your roommate/partner/spouse/kids can’t seem to stop putting on the countertop. 

There’s still time to teach your dog to love relaxing in her crate. (Photo: a dog relaxing in her crate)

Toy Check: Check all of your toys. If any of your toys look unsafe (could it be swallowed accidentally?) toss it in the garbage. 

Leave It: Teach your dog the “leave it” command. Check out our ten part series on IG and FB @GoBeyondDogTraining and TikTok @BeyondDogTraining. 

Drop It: This command is different from the “leave it” command. You can use “drop it” if your dog is playing with a toy that suddenly rips apart. Imagine all of the stuffing coming out of the toy and your dog gobbling it up along with the squeaker. “Drop it” would allow you to communicate to your dog to drop the fluff/squeaker, so that you can pick it all up and throw it in the trash. 

Place Command: By giving your dog a job “lay calmly on your cot until I come and get you” while they are inside your home, you are keeping them safe from roaming around ingesting hair scrunchies, boxes of chocolate, shoes, and kid’s toys. The place command will also help you prevent window barking, jumping on your houseguests, separation anxiety, counter surfing, and chasing other pets and kids when you’re trying to cook dinner. 

This is Kano’s first session learning the place command. See how quickly a dog can learn how to relax on a cot? Your dog can do it too. (Photo: Kano the cattle dog mix relaxing on his place cot)

One of the biggest mistakes people make is giving puppies and dogs too much freedom too fast. The result of allowing your dog to roam around your home unsupervised is unwanted behaviour and can sometimes lead to them ingesting things that can only be vomited out or surgically removed. Freedom in the home does not equal kindness. If your dog lived on the street in a feral pack, their leader would tell them when to hunt, when to eat, when and where to rest, what kind of play is acceptable and what is not, and when it’s time to migrate as a pack. Providing leadership keeps dogs safe. 

There’s still plenty of time to teach your dog all of these life-saving skills before Easter. Schedule your free call now to prevent your dog from a painful surgery or from being very uncomfortable while vomiting on your vet’s floor. 

You don’t want your dog to suffer. It’s time to teach them everything they need to know to keep them safe. Click the TAKE ACTION button and schedule your free call today. 

Have a wonderful weekend, Dog Leaders.

Alyssa

Photos by: benjamin lehman @benjaminlehman (a brown and white puppy being held by a person wearing an Easter Bunny costume,)
Artur Tumasjan @arturtumasjan (female doctor performing surgery,) charlesdeluvio @charlesdeluvio (black pug staring at a merengue on a table within his reach,) Upsplash Images (a dog relaxing in her crate,) Alyssa Foulkes (Kano the cattle dog mix relaxing on his place cot.)

A Quiet Home

Your dog barks at every sound outside your front door. 

Sometimes it feels as though he is actually barking at nothing. 

And his bark. It feels like someone is stabbing you in your eardrums. 

Hands up if looking at this photo makes you think about your own dogs barking at your window (Photo: two dogs looking out the front window of their house)

You’ve tried teaching him what “quiet” means. You’ve tried begging him to stop. You feel really badly about it, but you also tried a bark collar (which not only didn’t work, but scared your dog and made you feel horrible for even buying it.) 

You feel terrible because the bark collar scared your dog and now he doesn’t trust you. (Photo: white and fawn hound wearing a blue collar. His forehead wrinkles make him look worried.)

You hired a trainer who misled you with squirt bottles and cans full of pennies. Your dog could care less about being spritzed with water, pees on the floor when he sees the can of pennies, and worst of all — he no longer trusts you. 

It feels like there’s no hope. 

This quiet living room feels out of reach. (Photo: French bulldog lying quietly on a dog bed in a bright living room. There is a comfy couch with throw pillows and a plant on the windowsill.)

We’ve helped so many owners create the quiet household they crave through in-home training sessions. Let us help you gain confidence, so that you can clearly communicate to your dog what you’d like him to do while inside your home (relax calmly.) 

You’ll learn lots of new skills that will help you reach your goal of a peaceful home: 

-how to prevent barking from happening (one or two alert barks are fine, we’re talking about the non-stop barking party, which is even harder to stop when you have more than one dog) 

-how to guide your dog away from the window (if you miss the moment to prevent him from starting Barkapalooza) 

-how to teach your dog the place command properly so he learns to practice a calm state of mind while on place (by giving your dog this new job of calmness, he will retire from his current job of screaming at the neighbourhood) 

These newfound quiet dog skills will also help you enjoy backyard bliss, quiet time on your front porch, and silence on your balcony. 

A quiet yard, porch, or balcony are only a phone call away. You can do this. (Photo: Woman wearing a casual, long red dress sipping tea from a mug on a balcony while sitting down)

You can also transfer these quiet dog skills to your car. 

(Photo: large black dog barking with his head sticking out the car window)

It’s time to ditch the stress you’re feeling when you try to work from home, put the kids down for a nap, or eat dinner. 

It’s also time to throw out the can of pennies and the bark collar. Keep the spray bottle for your plants or pass it along to your favourite crazy plant lady. 

Imagine yourself enjoying some peace and quiet in your home. Picture watching an entire movie without feeling frustrated having to hit the pause button every five minutes. 

Schedule your free call now and get closer to your dream of a quiet home. 

Scheduling your free call is easy. 

1. Click the take action button below

2. Click the blue “BOOK” button beside “Free Phone Consultation” 

3. Pick the date and time that work best for you

We can’t wait to chat with you and learn all about your dog. 

Alyssa

Photos: Reagan Freeman @rfree19 (two dogs looking out the front window of their house,) Jarrod Reed

@jarrodreed (white and fawn hound wearing a collar. His forehead wrinkles make him look worried.) Brina Blum @brina_blum (French bulldog lying quietly on a dog bed in a bright living room with a couch and plants,)
Chris Knight @chrisknight (Woman wearing a casual, long red dress sipping tea from a mug on a balcony while sitting down,) Upsplash Image (large black dog barking with his head sticking out the car window.)

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. 

---

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,)