Training High Energy Dogs – Part Two

Part Two – The Structured Walk

Do you have a dog that is manic for the first 5-10 minutes of your? Dog they pull you down the street? If yes then, make sure you pop over and read PART ONE in this series to see how “Pre-walk” training and games can help you before you even leave the house hereHow To Train High Energy Dogs Part 1 – Now let’s look at two types of structured walk you can do after you have set aside fifteen minutes to do something e,she with your dog (see previous post).

The Structured Walk Number One

Let’s remember why we are walking the dog, first and foremost, I would hope everyone would agree, it’s for the dogs benefit. It’s your dogs walk and yours second. If we keep that at the front of minds we can then also remember that what we might want to do in that walk might not actually be what that dog wants to do on that walk.

What is a structured walk I hear you cry? It’s a very distinct set of things we are actively trying to encourage at specific times of the walk for a very specific reason. It’s not very complicated I promise. It will however require a little bit of pre-empting on your part, that’s all.

There are five questions I want you ask yourself before we start;

1- What type of personality does my dog have (boisterous, confident, shy, nervous, under confident)?

2-What’s does my dog love to do (digging, sniffing, movement, praise)?

3-What training do they already know?

4- What can we be working on to ,are this more enjoyable for us both (does my dog know- “Yes”, “Drop”, “This Way” “Look”)?

5- What venue can we walk in to achieve our structured walk today (do I need the car?, is there a quiet open field I can use? Will an extended walk in my local area suffice?).

That’s it five things to consider and I will come back to the last point in a minute.

Id your dog number ONE who might really really enjoy sniffing , they get in “trouble” for constantly

Why these five things?

Firstly knowing our dogs personality type and their likes and dislikes means we can start to see the walk from their perspective. You might think that “around the block” walks are boring to you but to your dog who might be shy it could be a way of getting and using their nose in a familiar environment one in which you’ve practiced how we move away from anything that is scary or perhaps we have done a lot of look/look away training on this route so they no longer have to be super vigilant, as an example. On their hand overly confident dogs who need to learn to be calmer might benefit from “setup” walks in real life places but with very little distractions. They might not be ready for the dog park just yet but perhaps they can cope if they look at the dog park from far away.

It’s important to know what your specific dog likes to do because we can use that to our advantage to make their walks more interested h and also can help get more engagement when we are out and about trying to train. For example if my dog is a superstar sniffer I would incorporate almost the entire walk to Scent-work so that I could wean them off of high energy activities all together or my crazy spaniel might not get a lot from walking around the block on a lead but might excel of search and find activities in a small pocket of woodlands that may require very little “walking to the venue”. I could let myself off the hook for the dreaded lead walk for this dog and begin training AFTER they let off steam in the woods.

Utilise what they already know. Does my dog know a sold “drop”, brilliant let’s play some retrieve games in the woods (proper search and find games). My dog reliably knows “hand touch” awesome, let’s ask him to do that as part of his loose lead training so we can reduce the amount of treats we give him or lastly my dog knows “find it”, brilliant let’s play “Find it” on the way home – work with what you’ve got and add skills in.

Which leads me to – what can we add to make this more enjoyable. There’s a lot to be said for basic life skills with your dog, my top ten go to cues I use every single day in multiple groups of dogs are “yes” as a marker word, “This Way”, “Look” “Walk On” “Wait” “Here” (for loose lead) “What’s This” “Drop” “Come” & “Find It”. If your dog doesn’t know any of these , get working on them very soon. **

** I would also say number one thing is to learn to handle a lead better and work on your ability to give rewards precisely and in a timely fashion, without getting tangled**

Lastly we need to set our dogs and ourselves up for success. If our dogs find the front door duper exciting try to desensitise it or change the exit you are using. If we have a nervous dog don’t force them to go on busy loud street walks without building up to it and also don’t take reactive dogs to a place that they might see a plethora of people or dogs in high frequency. Also find quieter places for over excited teenage dogs so they can learn to stay calm and don’t expect them to make go decisions in that last five feet or so between meeting new dogs and new people. If in doubt create space by moving on. Be vigilant, look for you exits and entrances , look for street furniture you can use to calm your down down behind whilst people walk past and start thinking about your walks from your dogs perspective and not your own. Sure it’s convenient to go to the nearest green space and throw a ball a hundred times to create a tired dog. I would then say have they been physically and mentally challenged but the time you spent with them? If not then some simple mindful things can be added to get a dog that loves their walks with you and that you enjoy more as a result.

Structured Walk Number Two

We should also remember that with a structured walk we are getting rid of the “stress” having to take our dogs on a super exciting adventure or rushing the walk just to get it out of the way for forty five minutes instead let’s say that forty five minute looked like this-

PRE-TRAINING (15 minutes) – GO SOMEWHERE QUIETER – FOR OUR WALK OR EVEN AROUND THE BLOCK SNIFFY WALK (15 minutes)- TRAIN ON THE WAY BACK TO THE CAR OR FIND IT ACTIVITIES ON THE WAY BACK (15 minutes) – HOME TIME.

You can see with this structure not only have we reduced the actual amount of “walking” we have had to down to thirty minutes instead but we have actually added more engaging activities.

The pre training has gotten that start of the walk energy out, going somewhere in the car or going somewhere predictable helps keep your dogs arousal levels to a minimum as much as possible and also sets you both up to have a less stressful walk. This part of the walk is the actual excersise part of the walk and can include sniffing to engage a different part of their brain so they can potentially be physically and mental tired to the point that they are more likely to concentrate (even in short bursts) on your training activity to have planned. The training/ Find It part of the walk calms their brain down from the previous high energy activity. It’s why I don’t encourage constant high energy games such as fetch or a ball flinger, not only does it injure knees and joints galore you are essentially creating a dopamine addict, who, without some sort of structure on his way back from the walk will sometimes go home and still be “wired” from walk because he hasn’t had chance to come down the other side of his high. I would offer that we do this with a handful of find it games & retrieve games to engage his nose, as calm licking or chewing can help bring those hormones back down below an unsafe threshold. *

*Please not I am not saying you should never through a ball for your dog again, but I am saying don’t spend the whole “walk” throwing a ball flinger or a frisbee until the dog is flat out tired. I am saying throw it a few handful of times and put it away in favour of a few different activities instead.

So structured walk one is for dogs that are not reactive in any way and are perhaps just a high energy working dog who often can fall into the habit of pulling, lead grabbing or needs lots of stimulation to prevent boredom. These dogs benefit from ; PRETRAINING/A FUN WALK WITH MINIMAL DISTRACTIONS AND LIKELY ONE-TO-ONE ATTENTION from the handler (no getting distracted with these dogs please a as they thrive from quick timing and lead handling skills. These dogs are quick learners and so much you be. THEN TRAINING IS MOTIVATING AND REINFORCING & LASTLY ANY FORM OF SNIFFING OR SCENT-WORK TO HELP THEM CALM DOWN.

Structured walk number two – is for those more nervous dogs that need you go slower or who struggle in new environments. I would like you to structure your walks so that they become SAFE & PREDICTABLE. By all means we want to build up to what these dogs can do and cope with over time but to get them there quicker we want to make them feel that this walk is safe because we do this then this then this. Step by step. Your walk might start with a confidence boost at home in the for, of training or an easy find task for fifteen minutes then if lead walking is scary then simply start with “look/look away” sorts of training on your front lawn or in the driveway. We want these dogs to just look at the world around them – they will naturally be hyper vigilant and look at everything in their environment anyway. Let them take it all in. You will likely not get far with these dogs in terms of distance but that’s ok too. These walks are about building confidence for the dog and your ability to handle them in “scary situations”. Graduate out into the street of to a preferred quite spot where they can sniff and explore at their own pace for fifteen to twenty minutes and then dog some training on the way back if they are feeling up to it. Don’t drag these dogs around allow them to stop if they hear a loud vehicle passing but or a boisterous child on the other side of the road, encourage “Look/Look away” on their own. They will walk on when they are ready. Actively encourage sniffing on the way home to let off some of their “mental steam”. You will find these dogs are mentally exhausted and you could add another game when you get home again when they feel safe to aid in getting them physically tired as well. Ending your time with a nice licki Mat or something similar. These walks look like this,

PRE-TRAINING (15 minutes)/ ENGAGE DISENGAGE WORK NEAR THE HOME AND PREDICTABLE WALK(10-15 minutes)/SNIFFING AND FIND IT ON THE WAY HOME (10-15 minutes) – PLUS AT HOME GAME /LICKI OR SNUFFLE MAT TO FINISH.

As you can see there could be so much more to the way in which you walk your dog. I want everyone to enjoy dog walks again. Instead of hiding your dog away from the world because they are too excitable or too reactive etc etc, let’s start to implement completely doable activities for your specific dog so that you can start to enjoy walks again with your best friend. Dogs are constantly learning so let’s help them to go out in the world again with structure that is on purpose for our high energy dogs that find themselves expected to be “pets” without having their own needs met first.

If you enjoyed this post please keep on eye out for the third and final part in this series of How To Train High Energy Dogs – next time I will be looking at places or venues we can utilise that will actually help our high energy dogs to work up to more distraction environments in regards to getting and keep their focus whilst on a walk. In the mean time please check out my previous post Pre Training High Energy Dogs here.

Love from your friendly neighbourhood dog trainer Sara. X

Ps if you would like to work with me in person or online please feel free to contact me here Contact Sara Here

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Training High Energy Dogs

Part One

High energy dogs come in all shapes and sizes and they range from busy spaniel puppies with no off switch to highly frustrated teenage dogs who just have to chase every thing that moves in their environment.

It can be difficult to know where to start with regards to training them, for specific scenarios, especially if you have a dog that pulls the minute you step foot out of the front door, or a dog who is overtly stimulated by things in their environment when out and about.

I want to offer you part one of “how to train high energy dogs” of which I call “PRE-TRAINING”, imaginative I know right?

Red Duck Tolling Retriever holds a green frisbee in its mouth

All dogs get excited and pull for a variety of reasons during the first 5-10 minutes of any walk. If you are trying to train your dog at this moment you are likely setting both you and your companion up to fail. Now this is where the “Pre-training” comes in.

The first question before we start pre-training – to ask yourself – Does your dog know how to drop? If the answer is yes then continue on to Pre-training, if not then it’s time to train a reliable “drop” (this is another “How To” post for another day).

Once you have this in the bag then you can use this new found skill to create a pre-training protocol, whereby you choose a breed specific game that you can play for about 15 minutes before you need to go out for your walk/ training session. Whatever you dog really enjoys * It could be Scent work and Find It games in the garden for spaniels and hounds. Games of tug with sight hounds terriers and bull breeds or retrieving games for gun dogs. Perhaps your dog is a sucker for a frisbee or more training games like many of the herding breeds.

Be on the look out for over arousal in your dog and always bring them back down from hyper games with licking sniffing or chewing activities.

This extra 15 minutes of activity will help to get rid of that “fizziness” you experience with them at the beginning of a walk.

*Every dog is different but taking the time to find out what they were bred to do, also what motivates them will serve you well when deciding how to structure this pre-training, perhaps your dog loves movement, scent ,holding something in their mouth, hunting or even working out a task on their own (spaniels and terriers excel at this). I guarantee it will be a joy to simply watch your dog carefully to find these things out.

By doing this you will find that your dog is already engaged with you and more likely to be “in the mood” for training and will be able to either concentrate/focus more on any engagement work you now want to do with your dog (loose lead or engage/disengage) for example.

Doing so will also make the first section of your walk much more bearable even if it’s so that you can get to your dog to an area more suitable for training. It could even be a calmer car journey if you need to get them into the car to go somewhere more suitable to continue your training efforts.

In part two we will look at the two types of structured walks that I recommend that can further set both you and your dog up to succeed in your training efforts especially with regards to high energy dogs. Sometimes we just need to change the context for our dogs and come up with protocols that meet them halfway when we ask so much of them everyday.

Springer spaniel holds onto a tennis ball

Keep an eye out for part 2 of “ How to train high energy dogs” and in the meantime if you would like to work with me don’t hesitate to contact me here About Town Pets

…..love from your friendly neighbourhood dog trainer Sara ❤️

Ps if you enjoyed this post you might like my previous post on Help my dog is lead reactive

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Help My Dog Is Lead Reactive

How to start helping your lead reactive dog by changing his emotions

Beagle on a blue lead lunges to the right

You are not alone , this is a very common occurrence nowadays especially as we have to keep our dogs on a lead in order to keep them under control in public places.

If I want you to take three things away from this post today it’s that:

1- Reactive dogs are not bad dogs

2- Reactive dogs are likely having to resort to this form of communication because their more subtle attempts of appeasement or displacement have gone unnoticed

3- There is NOT a one size fits all approach to these behaviours (every dog is different has their own learned history of events / genetic background/ age / sexual status etc) all need to be taken into account

4- There IS however some underlying emotional state that is going unnoticed or being misinterpreted perhaps.

So let’s begin…..

So you’ve filled in a training and behaviour history questionnaire and we have assessed perhaps likely causes and rule outs and the reactions are not so severe that they require medical intervention and you are waiting to start some training with an experienced and ethical dog trainer or behaviourist. Whilst some simple changes to your dogs lifestyle including diet and enrichment might help – controlled training scenarios and possibly behaviour modification is likely what’s needed at this point.

I am assuming here that you know that letting people or dogs greet your dog for the first time on a taught lead is not ideal and that letting your dogs run up to other dogs in general, but especially ones on leads is actually making their behaviours worse as most do not care for rushed face to face greetings – it’s bad manners if you’re a dog and the reacting dog is sometimes angry about the intrusion into his space.

A white bull breed dog on a green harness looks happy and pulls forward to the left

What well adjusted social dogs actually prefer is a behaviour I’ve heard being called “Arcing” where they approach each other from the side whilst giving each other somewhat of a wide berth (this can be seen when you see two dogs go round and round in circle trying to sniff each others butts) and then when they sniffed a butt they quickly go on their merry way – now if we then add a lead we are preventing that free access to the bottom sniff and walking away (we’ve all seen this in the local park when dogs get tangled –

TIP – if safe to do so drop the lead and once they’ve finished their little butt sniffing circle quickly pick said lead back up, gather it up and move on- this is one of the copious reasons I do not like flexi/extendable leads- I digress – can you now see how by adding a taught lead to this scenario we would be taking away that dogs ability to choose a quick exit ? This will often lead to frustration in a dog that really wants to go and say Hi or anxiety in dogs that just want to move away – this spills over into a reaction because nobody’s making this rude obnoxious new comer get out of the way. How can you help your dog with this? I hear you cry -simply ask yourself a series of questions…..

Is your lead long enough? AND do you know how to handle a 6ft lead appropriately ? I ask you this because the lead creates tension if it’s too short – whilst keeping a dog on a short tight lead might feel to you like you have more control in a given situation (and in an emergency situation definitely do this to get past another dog for example) but it is not however , helping that dog feel like he has a choice or conveying calm in the face of something potentially exciting, frustrating or scary (from your dogs perspective).

Red and white spaniel on a black harness lunges and howls

There is a definite way to handle a longer lead in relaxed manner but also having control of that lead should you need to move your dog forward or away from a scenario. You also should attempt to create enough distance so that your dog isn’t having to get to the point that he feels that he has to lunge and therefore make that lead tight- learning your dogs “safe zone” is critical to starting any training . Which leads (no pun intended😅) me to …..

Do you know the distance at which your dog does not react?

This could be the point at which your dog is comfortable enough to simply look over at another dog or person or thing WITHOUT showing signs of worry stress frustration or becoming excitable. This is likely to be the point at which you will be able to get your dog to think straight again by offering some responses to training or even more relaxed body language. It is here we would start our training process and build back up to these places that were previously stressful or too overwhelming for your dog AT THE MOMENT – all is it lost we just need to remember what we THINK our dogs want might not actually be what they WANT at that time.

This is where some of you will shout “my my dog is not food/toy/praise orientated” or insert whatever types of “reward” you have tried before and I’d say that’s ok – all dogs are food motivated at some point – they eat food to live don’t they? So try some of my counter points here

Go back to basics with reward / food based training we might not have been consistent enough, engaging enough with our treat delivery or our timing might be off – increase the VALUE of the reward so boring kibbles might not cut it – but salmon paste might – my dog goes mad for pieces of broccoli 😅try out different types of reward 👍

Is the environment we are in MORE rewarding than me on the lead at this moment – try a less distracting more barren environment to get the basics down (industrial estates on Sunday) are a good idea for practice 👍

Can you make treat delivery more exciting ? And think about the breed of dog you have ….. do you have a scent hound – treat delivery can be on the floor or scattered in long grass (remember to allow enough time for your dog to “find” the treat before doing another rep – don’t rush” Do you have a husky who likes to pretend they are hunting? Throw the treat in the air to find or catch (this is a great tip for Lurchers for example or collies) Do you have a spaniel that just has to keep moving ? Incorporate treat or reward delivery at pace and roll it away from you whilst they are on a long line. Can you see how these methods would make a reluctant dog more engaged in you ?

Young golden retriever pulls whilst walking in a Sandy path

Every dog is different and it’s up to us to make decisions for our dog to keep their best interests at heart- got a happy go lucky Labrador who wants to say hi to everyone ? Let’s set him up with lots of polite meeting and greeting BEFORE he goes bounding up to potential lead reactive dogs and setting them back and also earning him the title of “Billy No Mates” as the other older dogs will not want to hang out with this big overly friendly dude again and potentially give him a few unpleasant experiences where older dogs might nip at his face to get him to go away (FYI we shouldn’t be expecting other dogs to do our jobs for us) It’s our responsibility to not set anyone else’s dog back just because we haven’t taught our dog polite greetings or recall- they are our responsibility nobody else’s. If this does happen apologise profusely and keep training.

Perhaps you have a 6 year old pug who has a questionable background and lunges out of fear or under exposure when they were young to a variety of people and other dogs – those dogs will benefit from general confidence training and their “Safe Zone” might start from the moment you leave the house because going somewhere busy or overstimulating will cause reactions the minute you leave the home – in this case we would build up to going anywhere at all – this is because this dog has been exhibiting the behaviour for a long time they will have a very well trodden pathway which has created a habit that has gone unaddressed over time – but now we know how to look for the signs of stress and the distance at which it can handle short bursts of training. We can now start to prevent that dog from getting overwhelmed and begin the unlearning (is that a word?) that dog now doesn’t have to go towards the thinggs it doesn’t like – we can actually teach it to engage calmly and make a quick retreat- this dog can do more calming behaviours on walks at a distance from things and then start to work at distance again from the scary things as start to learn they now have a CHOICE and we can begin to build a NEW association with the previously scary things.

Frustration Fear Or Out Of Practice?

Lead reactions are not all created equally. A dog with tight stiff forward body language is different to a dog who barks and tries to run away. A dog that might look loose and happy might simply be barking out of excitement and not any malice but at the same time growling coupled with a bristling wagging tail is a courtesy which usually precedes a lead lunge and a snap because they are actually anxious- so by working with an experienced dog behaviourist you will be able to see if you have a shy nervous and potentially under confident nervous dog as opposed to a highly frustrated dog who doesn’t actually know how to greet properly and their reactions are manifestations of not being allowed to do the thing they want to do (there is lots more to this and I am generalising to a quicker post) but you can see how they are different things that might “look” like a aggressive reaction but there is more going on underneath.

A Rottweiler pulls to the end of a lead with owner in the background

What can you do first and foremost to help your dog before you start working with an experienced dog trainer then?

Start to recognise dog body language and once you see it you won’t be able to unsee it again. Dogs do a lot of things before a growl or a lunge and a snap or a bite but are we really looking ? If your dog misses a few of these steps and goes straight to “explosive reactions” or constant reactions like constant barking for example then it’s likely the previous steps haven’t worked for them in the past so they now have a “default reaction” or habit, that looks like – see something I don’t want to be near me – get in there first with an explosive reaction – resulting in something moving away equals awesome it worked I’ll do that again next time👍 It can be tempting to then start to not react to the dog and ignore the behaviour and allow the dog to keep going until they stop but this can lead to further frustration sometimes with more and more explosive responses before “extinction “ takes place so our best bet is to make the dog more comfortable at a distance with someone who has take the time and effort to build up a secure relationship with the dog and work on changing their feelings and association with previously response inducing thing. There is also lots of hormone and neurotransmitter things going on behind the scenes here and a skilled behaviourist will know this about your dog but that’s for another day😅

What to look for – stiff forward “stuck” body language where there back feet stay planted but they move forward with their front paws – ears back – whale eyes (seeing the whites of their eyes) hackles up – lip licking – turning their head to the side to diffuse tension – odd displacement behaviours out of context eg: scratching or yawning – whacking off after an altercation – seeing something and going to wee on something nearby straight away – grabbing the lead – scanning and being hyper vigilant – if these things are happening – move your dog away to a safer distance and simply let them observe – reward dogs then checking with you and generally being attentive and focusing on you instead .

If your dogs reactions are quite severe and they have been reacting for a long time – please consider reducing walks in areas where they are likely to encounter the thing they are reactive to just so we can start to reduce the amount of time your dog spends “rehearsing” the behaviour – do this by planning your walks more appropriately.

A jack Russel on a black harness pulls and barks at the end of the lead

– Do you really have to take your dogs to the shops? Could they go out again later when it’s quieter or earlier in the morning when less people are around ? Could you plan a couple of sessions in a secure field so your dog feels better and can be off lead letting off steam? Can we learn to manage our walks with turn arounds, crossing the street and using objects in the environment as a barrier to keep our dogs calmer whilst they begin to learn an alternative ? There are LOTS of techniques we can utilise and practice BEFORE a dog reacts.

Also worth noting is that it can be tempting to not want to walk your dog because it has become overwhelming or it is “embarrassing” to walk them when they are reactive- I would argue that reactive dogs cannot improve if we do not have a controlled plan in place – they need to work up to learning how to behave in public and they need gradual exposure to the things that they react to otherwise they will become out of practice and antisocial and then we cant blame them if their behaviour escalates due to under exposure. Caveat – this does not mean flooding the dog and hoping he gets over it ❌

Lot of things to think about – don’t worry about being judged – get help sooner rather than later – it has always baffles me that people only ask for help when the problem has become unmanageable instead of being proactive and preventative but is just be really happy if you simply started to get appropriate help and support now. Start as you mean to go on and no dog is too old to train to be more resilient so let’s get started 👍

…… love from your friendly neighbourhood dog trainer Sara ❤️

Ps if you enjoyed this post you might like my previous post on Behind The Scenes As A Dog Trainer & Behaviourist

If you would like to work with me please Contact Me Here Let’s Train Together

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Just A Quick Question – A Behind The Scenes Look At What A Trainer Or Behaviourist’s Process Looks Like

When working with a behaviourist you are not just getting a dog trainer who can teach you how to do a new behaviour you should also be getting someone who can delve into their Rolodex type mind to come up with solutions for more complex issues as well as the more simple ones. Each scenario should be approached with the hierarchy of humane procedures.

This is a slightly simplified version of what goes on, but this is the general idea for why we ask you to fill in a list of very specific questions on our behaviour history question forms. A lot of information can be gleaned from the dogs breed age and sexual status (neutered or not) and medical history but we are also looking for the following things in every case:

1. Is the dog healthy? I’ve heard different numbers but over half of aggression cases are medical issues according to the experts. Get a general physical done and some tests. Seemingly average looking complaints (such as compacted anal glands, pain, intestinal issues or females in season) can cause obscure behaviours which may not need any behavioural intervention at all just management and veterinary intervention.

Is the dog being fed enough & a quality food? Just because we use food doesn’t mean we want them starving. Also is the dog eating everything and anything and still not putting on weight ? (This last one can be true for dogs with specific forms of diabetes so again not behavioural but medical rule outs are needed as standard). We are not in cohoots with the vet and we are not trying to get you to pay out for the vets when not needed , we ask because about fifty percent of the time there IS a medical underlying issue that has gone unnoticed and knowing these things can speed up your training experience if we need to do that as well.

Are they getting enough mental and physical exercise? More confidence training, more engagement with family members #BeMoreFun and more stimulating walks (dependent on the dogs age personality and ability) more enrichment activities will likely solve lesser problems in the first instance -solve those first, always.

If the dog is excitable how can we introduce more calming activities ? ( just as we need to be exciting to train a young dog recall we also have to note that that same method won’t help us when training calmer behaviours).

2. Can we change the environment so it’s not an issue? Management is always our next port of call so that whilst the dog is learning we manage them safely whilst they learn an alternative – this management can then be phased out over time when the dog has become more “trustworthy” For example we might phase out the use of a crate over time when toilet training or mouthing has subsided and upgrade the dog to having more space over time, not as a privilege but because growing dogs need more space and it’s up to us to train them or give them stimulation so they can be trusted in their new space.

Does this lead reactive dog need to be on lead or can he enjoy enrichment in other ways that doesnt involve being tied to a person or for safety reasons, a food resource guarding dog must ALWAYS be given space and left alone when eating to prevent escalation before we can start to train and educate owners on what the risks are and how to manage this scenario.

3. Next up- Positive reinforcement training. Pick something the dog already does that we like and reinforce it. Even better choose something simple that is incompatible with the issue (got a dog that jumps up? Train a default sit or settle on a mat and repeat repeat repeat- Dog isn’t eating food? Go back to step one. All dogs are motivated by food it’s usually the environment is too stimulating for them to WANT to take the food in that instance (be it negatively – anxiety or positively – excitable behaviours).

The dog normally eats but isn’t now? Change the environment. We are probably flooding them which means they are too over aroused to think clearly – reinforcing calmer behaviours regularly helps here or at a distance too. Going back to basics even if it’s for a refresher in an older dog who is out of practice will help everyone get on the same page.

4. Like mentioned above we would then look at reinforcing alternate behaviors. Jumping isn’t reinforced but standing is. Pulling isn’t reinforced but walking near handler is and this is done with good timing, clear hand signals (no need for man handling in any case) with good frequency (don’t be stingy with reinforcement) and with good mechanics (delivery of the treat matters, can the dog see its reinforcement , are you reinforcing after the dog does something ie: in the case of counter conditioning – don’t be tempted to put your hand in your pocket too soon😅) and all of this is done with lots of repetition – you get what you put in and the simpler the approach the better as it helps owners stick at the training too😉

Lastly If you have done these things and they aren’t working, it’s time to call in someone else because we missed something. It’s not time to use aversives. There is lots and lots of science to back up this claim (a simple google scholar or science direct search is all that is required) these days and the top behaviourists should be aiming to work collectively with knowledgeable vets who also hold a specialism in veterinary behaviour (unfortunately these are few and far between at the moment and their case loads have months and months waiting lists) – again another topic for another day.

Your trainer or behaviourist should not be trying to “muddle on” if they don’t know how to progress when a dogs behaviour has plateaued they should be asking for a second opinion or help with the task or if it’s a complicated case should be happy to refer on.

So as you can see there are no quick fixes even for relatively simple issues and when you ask for a response to your very unique or specific question you can start to see why it might be problematic for me to generalise to “every dog that does A needs to be trained to do B”

We can give you an educated guess based on what we’ve seen before and what science has proven the probability of it to be true but every dog is an individual with learned history and specific breeding and upbringing so they may have learned things even us as owners are unaware of.

So I hope the takeaway here is that your qualified experienced dog trainers and behaviourists are doing all of this puzzle solving in the background and trying to come up with a manageable, easily digestible plan that you can implement at home without lots of supervision .

When we hear “I’ve tried this XYZ and been to lots of different trainers” regardless of methods it’s not really a dog trainer issue at this point it’s the individuals ability to go at the dogs pace , not expect a quick fix and putting in the repetitions with GOOD technique to get a dog to the point it’s issues are “resolved” and whether a dogs issues are truly solved or rehabilitated is also a topic for another day.

Keep up the good work and keep training the best you can and stayed informed 👍

Love from your friendly neighbourhood dog trainer ❤️xx

Ps if you enjoyed this article feel free to check my previous article on The Puppy Blues & Why it’s Totally Normal

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Let’s Talk About The Puppy Blues – It’s Exhausting & Totally Normal

Inspired by a recent post in a puppy group that I frequent on Facebook and by the looks on any of my puppy club members faces when they get to class – I thought it would worthwhile to mention that “The Puppy Blues” Phase of puppy ownership is completely normal and I guarantee that the majority of other small puppy owners are feeling the same way or have done over the past 6 months. I know this because it’s a constant topic online and amongst my own puppy class members who tend to bond over stories of their own puppy blues- it’s exhausting having a puppy but please remember this too shall pass- if you ever make it to a formal puppy class you will notice that it slightly resembles an AA meeting but for young puppy owners. They recall tales of hands that are beaten and bruised by puppy gnashers and bleary eyed first time owners recall how they haven’t really slept for the past three weeks whilst everyone else in the group nods and agrees it’s true in some form or another for them all.

Terrier puppy against a blue checkered background sits amongst fluff pulled from the inside of a cushion – presuming that this is “naughty” behaviour

It’s real “The Puppy Blues” they tend to set in when it dawns on you that this going to be harder and take longer than you thought but I’m here to tell you that its gets easier and we’ve all been there I promise.

Dogs transitions vary with age breed and their personality but as a rule I say stick to a 3 day protocol anything you implement please allow three days for your pup to get used to it – chopping and changing will not help you – don’t be afraid to pop your pup in a crate or play pen in your room so you are at arms length for the first few nights – I promise you are not going to ruin your dog – it’s just come from 8 weeks of mum and siblings on tap and physical comfort at all times so bare this in mind when we are in a hurry to get puppy into a routine

Cavapoo puppy sits amongst toilet roll which strewn around him

Being at arms length allows your puppy to feel safe if he cry’s but allows him to settle when he can- further tips and advice can found on my previous post- here

Then you can start to move the crate/pen etc every three days to the next spot (I assume here that you eventually want your puppy to sleep downstairs) so every 3 days move the crate/pen to the end of the room then just outside the door then downstairs then in the room that you want them in – be prepared to reassure puppy and go back a step if they are really getting very worked up – unfortunately with some dog s(breed and personality have a lot to say in this) letting your dog self soothe as a blanket piece of advice may mean 1/ your create a dog with separation anxiety or 2/ you ruin any crate training you are working on (crate training requires gradual exposure and all positive experiences happen in the crate with the door open and closed) this can’t happen if he starts to associate the crate with scary bedtimes

Also be prepared to go out (physically scoop up your pup if you have too to begin with) on the hour every hour until you have mastered toilet training because puppies cry not only for attention but because they often don’t want to soil their bedding

A good rule here is let them out/physically take them out after eating sleeping playing – they have tiny bodies and tiny bladders for the next 6 months

A beagle puppy stands on his back legs to greet someone on the other side of his playpen

If you prepared well you would be writing off the next 6 weeks a bit like new parents don’t see the light of day for about 6-12 months new puppy owners are likely going to need about 6 weeks minimum to get that pup into some sort of routine and so much training and visiting happens during this time not to mention that your pup is likely not going to be allowed out for the first 3 weeks that have them at home due to the gaps required between their first and second and potentially third vaccinations (unless your puppies breeder was an absolute gem and got your pup vaccinated whilst they were still with them)

⭐️Side Bar – Breeders you get extra superstar status if you – as standard- keep the puppies for an extra 2 weeks with mum and do some beginners handling socialisation and rudimentary toilet training in those first 4/5 weeks with mum – I would be grabbing your hand off for details to pass onto potential new puppy clients😍

I digress…. that happens here and even when pup is eventually allowed out your going to be working on toilet training socialisation and potentially going to puppy classes (I highly recommend that you do😍) even if you’ve had lots of dogs in the past – techniques have changed and there’s about a hundred different ways to train simple things so you are most definite going to pick up tricks and tips) even if it’s how to mark and rewards quickly and efficiently, how to use the three predominant ways of getting initial behaviours and how to look out for puppy body language you may not have noticed before) and SO MUCH more, I know that I want people to learn as much I can teach them with my limited 6 hours that I spend with them because I believe it’s a “hit the ground running” scenario and your window of opportunity is definitely slim – of course you can train older dogs there’s no time limit on training, but your puppy is small and manageable and like a sponge up until about 6 months old so I highly recommend training FOR a scenario rather than when you are IN a scenario.

Adorable tan coloured cavalier King Charles spaniel puppy lies down on a white bed

This means that there’s no point in panicking and hoping your puppy will recall away from another dog in the park instead you should anticipate things that might happen whilst you are out and stay vigilant knowing that you can distract and recall your pup for example BEFORE it’s too late and your puppies attention is lost and you have to scramble to go and get them back – you can manage and mitigate in a scenario but hopefully you’ve put in some solid foundations in the garden in the house or in low distractions whilst you build up and try the same training but in the real world scenarios, understanding that a puppy with lots of repetitions under his belt and a solid “What’s this” (what’s this gets attention and is followed by a high reward) encourages quick responses so you can put them back on areas or move them around or turn in a different direction until the distracting thing has moved on or you get an opportunity to greet the other dog whilst yours is under control (let’s practice polite quick greetings and move on) unfortunately I see too often owners scramble to recall or grab treats from pouches knowing full well that their dog should really be on a long line but that’s an inconvenience so I will just wing it and hope for the best – unfortunately hoping for the best and getting lucky isn’t best practice – train frequently and repeat is a better course of action – practicing at every opportunity is so much more fun for your dog anyway and you will end up with a dog that constantly keeps an eye on you instead of a wayward pup.

So really the point of the post is to persevere because everyone has to go through this phase albeit with a new puppy a teenage dog (see my post on this topic – which will ultimately end up being a secondary puppy blues phase for you) or a newly rescued dog – I will also note here that if it really doesn’t seem to be getting any better for you past the 6 – 8 week mark of puppy ownership I would highly recommend you get in contact with a professional training to help you work through potential training plateaus that might be occurring or something else that might need intervention for you or your pup- I’m not promoting that you struggle just that you allow enough time for your pup to cope before you get some intervention.

If you would like to work with me – please don’t hesitate to contact me HERE

Sara @ About Town Pets 🐶🐾

Ps If you appreciated this post you might also like my previous blog post on Tips & Training Advice For Dogs With Suspected Separation Anxiety

And Also This One- Learn About My Number One Training Tip

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Leaving Your Anxious Dog Alone: Tips for Successful “Home Alone” Training

Ive had quite a few enquiries lately about suspected Separation Distress in young dogs these last few weeks so thought it best that I create something that might help those who are waiting to work with me in person 🐶👍

If you have a dog who is anxious or destructive when you leave the house, they may be experiencing some form of separation distress- to work out the extent of the issue I highly advise a through vet exam if this is something brand new (behaviour wise) for an older dog and would also like a full history before we work together – Work with me here but whilst you wait – find my tips below.

Fortunately, there are effective techniques you can use to help your dog cope with being alone. In this article, we’ll cover six helpful strategies for separation anxiety training.

Foundation Training: Encouraging Calm Behaviours

Before you start working on separation anxiety training, it’s important to establish a foundation of calm behaviors. This means teaching your dog to relax and settle down on cue. You can use positive reinforcement techniques, such as treats and praise, to encourage your dog to sit or lie down and stay calm. Practice this behavior frequently, gradually increasing the duration of the stay. My favourite technique is to use “The Magic Mat” where this behaviour can be transferred to different parts of the house to encourage settling on a mat and eventually (if required) it can be transferred to settling in a crate with the door open etc I briefly mention how to train this HERE👍

Ditch the Crate: Confinement May Be Hindering Your Results

Many dog owners assume that crating their pet is the best solution for separation anxiety. However, for some dogs, being confined to a small space can actually increase anxiety levels. If you suspect that your dog is not comfortable in their crate, consider trying other confinement methods, such as a gated area or a playpen. Be sure to provide plenty of toys and distractions to keep your pup occupied. These will help to create a space where you dog can learn to take themselves off for “micro absences “ even when you are in – they need to be ok with being away from you – this is great for those who this they dealing with a dog with a base line of around 5-10 seconds 😅Don’t panic it does get better. * A caviat to this I would say that toys can become a predictor of you leaving so only help keep them under threshold for the time it takes to complete the task – extended periods of home alone training will be required AS WELL provided toys and enrichment 👍 which leads me to the point below……

Work Out the Triggers That Are Predicting Your Departure to Your Dog

Dogs have been selectively bred for thousands to work cohesively with their guardians this also means they are experts in watching our body language and seemingly “know” when we are about to leave before we are even aware of what we are doing . They quickly learn to recognize the cues that signal that you’re about to leave the house. This can include putting on your shoes or picking up your keys. To help your dog feel less anxious, try to desensitize them to these triggers. For example, put on your shoes but don’t leave the house, or jingle your keys but don’t go anywhere- multiple times a day . Over time, your dog will learn that these cues don’t always mean you’re leaving for an extended period of time. You can also be a little bit more prepared I like going on about this topic here – and make sure you leave in a calm manner and have those triggering abject steady by the front door so you can make your “actual departure” as calm as possible.

Leave Frequently and Return While the Dog Is Calm

One effective way to help your dog get used to your departures is to practice leaving frequently for short periods of time. This can help your dog learn that you will always come back. Start by leaving for just a few minutes at a time, and gradually increase the duration of your absences. When you return, if you have a dog who frantically greets you on return (there’s a high chance you will because this comes as part of the by products of having Separation Anxiety)be sure to greet them a little (as we don’t want that frustration tipping over the edge ) and then walk all the way through your house and asking for a behaviour that might make their greeting calmer ie: Toss a treat a few times and ask them to “Find it” or get out the previously mentioned Magic Mat and ask them to simple wait on it – mark with the word “Yes” and reward this calmer version of your dog (praise with a soothing tone we are aiming for calmer reactions after all). This reinforces the idea that calmer behaviour is rewarded. I mention the basics of “Yes” training here

Training So Frequently That It Becomes “No Big Deal”

To help your dog feel more comfortable with your departures, you want to train in short yet frequent amounts so that they almost get “bored” of reacting. They get scared because being alone is unpredictable so try to make leaving the house a non-event. Don’t make a big fuss over saying goodbye, make sure that the new predictable keeping under their threshold of stress is the new norm and try not to make a big deal about departures and returns. This helps your dog understand that being alone is now a normal more predictable part of their routine.

Gradually Build Up the Time You Are Outside Out of View

Finally, as your dog becomes more comfortable with your departures, you can start gradually increasing the time you spend out of view. Again, start with short periods of time and gradually build up to longer absences. Be sure to continue rewarding calm behavior, and make sure your dog has plenty of toys and distractions to keep them occupied but make sure you you PLAN ahead give your dog plenty of time to use those toys – ideally half an hour after a walk or being fed they can do these activities (licking sniffing and chewing all promote calm behaviour) so if they are sufficiently calm before you leave instead of a rushed placement of toy and running out the door will make you look even more unpredictable than before. Everything needs to be well rehearsed and predictable because it’s the only training you have to rely on where you cannot be present to do it – this why whilst you work on gradually building these events up in small increments you MUST find ways to keep your dog from tipping over into severe stress – Get a dog walker , send your dog to doggy day care on the days you have to be out of the house, call in as many friends and family you can to take a day each WHATEVER it takes so that your training can take hold and the sacrifice of your time for perhaps 3-6 9 months is worth it so that your dog can have a lifetime of not being anxious.

With patience and persistence, you can help your furry friend overcome separation anxiety or at least increase the amount of time they can cope with being alone and feel more comfortable when you’re away. By following these strategies for separation anxiety training, you’ll be on your way to a happier, more relaxed pup. I know exactly what you are going through as the guardian of two dogs with Separation Anxiety myself – please remember that what they are experiencing is not your fault or their and it is a phobia just like I’m afraid of heights it’s a phobia it’s not rational but it’s still valid and it’s up to the learner (in this case your dog) how quickly or slowly we gradually expose them to the scary thing – in this case being home alone – sometimes younger dogs sail through the training – some need a title longer to realise everything is going to be ok – that’s ok whichever way we get there –

So, where do you actually start?

If you know your dog needs help with being left but you’re not sure what to do first, my Separation Anxiety Survival Guide gives you the roadmap. In this one-hour, pre-recorded webinar, I’ll walk you through the process of helping your dog become genuinely comfortable home alone — so you’re not piecing together conflicting advice or wondering what you should be working on next.

Get Access To My Separation Anxiety Survival Guide Here

Or if you would like more help with your anxious dog please don’t hesitate to contact me as I can offer this training online as well as in person within 30 miles of Plymouth UK – You can books 1-2-1 session here

Sara @ About Town Pets 🐶

Ps if you liked todays post please be sure to check this post on Training A Teenage Dog Who Has Forgotten Everything 👍

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My Number One Tip For Any Training Scenario…

Be Prepared

If this conjures up thoughts of a very popular song from the original Lion King movie – then so be it 😅

It doesn’t matter if you’re training puppies to stop mouthing or setting up controlled scenarios to help practice something (ie: barking at the door or keeping calm for reactive dogs) if your not prepared, your dog is less likely to succeed at every given opportunity.

Husky mixed breed looks up at handler in the sit position – good training requires practice
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I NEVER leave the house without at least some treats in my pockets – even when I’m not training, I am prepared to train if the need should arise. My dogs, for example have been learning to settle at cafes at least twice a week, as well as learning to settle in our new campervan. At 5 and 10 years old they still need reminders of what’s expected and practicing regularly is the best way to do this. They may need help in the form of food reward to keep them motivated and keeping their attentions , especially if said cafe gets quite loud and full of people – our dogs can do this well usually, because they’ve practiced a lot previously, but I can’t assume they will be perfect on the day, so I bring things I know will help them concentrate and mitigate against distractions. multiple greetings from people , constant movement of people backward and forward , food and drink coming and going – it’s a lot but that’s why we are here right? 😅-

These things used to be an issue for Ollie (settling with distractions) he thought all food was for him and would bark until someone gave him something, he has since practiced A LOT and knows that EVENTUALLY he gets something if he waits it out – the only time he might bark is if he needs to go out for a wee so I don’t really want to extinguish ALL barking ALL OF THE TIME, it is sometimes a good thing but it would be dog specific 👍

A Jack Russell Lies Down on a mat holding its own lead – practicing duration of a hold is what makes training this behaviour successful

I digress….. that happens here…… now imagine that I didn’t take any treats or poo bags and didn’t bring a mat for my lurcher to chill out on (he has bad arthritis these days) the visits would not be as relaxed or as well planned as they could be. Scout would constantly figet because he was uncomfortable -leading to him excessively using his arthritic knee more than he should and Ollie would get very frustrated with me very quickly because after waiting a long time for his reward (we’ve worked on duration and delayed rewards) he would stop offering this waiting behaviour and most likely start his frustrated barking in public again – it’s not really worth the hassle and all of this can be avoided by simply was being a little bit prepared with a sensible lead some treats in my pocket and piece of vet bed for Scout – it is the difference between a chilled out lunch on a Sunday afternoon and having to rush and get a quick takeaway coffee and a walk in the rain because they won’t settle 😅😅

By simply being more prepared you are both setting yourselves up for success. Success that you can train your dog efficiently (hands free with a Halti lead around your waist means your hands are free to deposit a treat or you reward at the exact right time – because timing is everything😉) or having treats or a toy stashed systematically at points (I’d advise you out these out of reach from your dog 😅) so that when you come through the door you are ready with a toy for your frustrated greeters or if you want to practice alone time you prep pre-made toys and frozen kong enrichment toys, for example, all ready to just take out of the fridge when you need to leave and place in a crate or safe space for your pup or dog.

Another example from my dogs perspective is that just before I leave everyday for work , to settle them down BEFORE I leave I make sure they have a small kong with peanut butter or a Whimzees chew toy so that the chewing licking and sniffing actions of using these toys is medicine of a calm and more chilled out dog before I leave – we do it so often that they waiting just after I put on my shoes and put on my walking belt. Now if I didn’t prep that they wouldn’t be sufficiently calm before I left the house . I’ve don’t this a lot too – if I rush out of the door because I’ve missed the post man or I have to pop out to the car – this unprepared rush is different and unrehearsed and the dogs will definitely bark and be up at the window because of it BUT if I RESET them and I give them the chews and toy 10 minutes later I put on my shoes and bag and leave calmly they won’t bark and won’t jump up at the window because we are rehearsing the calm exit strategy that they have done lots of times before and can settle a lot quicker 😅

A Cavapoo looks up at their handler for a reward after taking a picture
Book Here For A 1-2-1 Online or In Person Training Session Now

So it sounds likes a stupidly simple piece of advice but if you want to succeed with your dogs training goals it’s the most important one of all. If you’re prepared you’re more likely to train than if you were unprepared and that means more practice and more repetitions of any desirable behaviours and that’s what successful dog training is all about.

Sara @ About Town Pets 🐶

Ps : if you liked this article you may also like my previous blog post With Tips & Advice For Training Tennage Dogs – Here 🐕

Or you may also want to check out my most popular blog article about 8 Enrichment Ideas For Your Dog 🥎

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Help My Teenage Dog Has Forgotten Everything!

Adolescent bulldog is running on the grass making a crazy face with mouth open

⭐️Tuesday Tips – The FAQ Series

Most dog owners with a pet aged 6 months or over will often say the same thing to me. That during the onset of your puppies adolescence phase (anywhere from 6-12 months old depending on the breed and their size) that their dog seems to have forgotten everything that they’ve ever taught them. Also there is usually mention of the fact that their dog seems to turn their ears off and needs extra persuasion during this time to follow through with behaviours that have been previously well practiced and trained😅

Fear Not – You Are Not Alone In This 🦮

This is so common that I offer follow on classes purely for this age range of puppy- It is often due to the fact that your dogs growth spurts will happen around 5 months old (perhaps earlier for smaller dogs) & during this period your dog may begin to start and stop in walks (especially if they walk on a harness). Which can look like “stubbornness” but is actually more likely to be that they are a bit more touch sensitive because of growing bodies. Their adolescent hormones will also start to kick in around 6-9 months old (again dependent on the rate at which that breed matures) This will mean that their focus and attention will be elsewhere as their environment , movement and sounds will be more distracting (more so than usual 😅)

Brown and white spaniel is running with ears flying and mouth open and tongue out

During this phase there is 50 percent more testosterone or Oestrogen in their little bodies as well as flooding into their brains making learning and memory very difficult during this time. This influx of hormones can contribute to concentration difficulties as well as bringing mood swings just like teenage humans- I am happy to report that these hormones do wain over the next 6 months or so, as does, the maturity of the dog – (smaller dogs mature earlier but goofy personalities will still prevail dependent on the breed) – if you can get over the 12-18 months hump, I can almost guarantee that their hormones levels will level out and you will get your “sensible” dog back but it is extra important to double down on training during this challenging period, making sure that you do so with very high value reward (I’m talking peanut butter, liver pate, baby food tubes, cooked chicken) these extra repetitions and refresher training sessions will help make training stick once they come out the other side of their “hormone rollercoaster”.

So KEEP GOING & DOUBLE UP on your reward frequency (how liberal you are being with the AMOUNT of reinforcement you are giving – because there’s no such thing as too much rewarding at this stage) PRACTICE in small increments and try to make a conscious effort to do double the amount of training you have already been doing (& by this I mean LITTLE BUT VERY OFTEN) be mindful of how long your dog can go before he needs a break in training – little tests help reset the “learning” part of their brains and look for frustrated behaviours such as fatigue in the form of panting , impatience ,getting overaroused by the activities you are asking your dog to do and really you will be onto a winner – the massive PLUS side to all the extra training means that you will have built up a great bond with your dog and your training habits will likely stay put , well in the dogs adult phase . You will be giving your dog a head start on the next phase of training which involves the 3 Ds (training through DISTRACTIONS over DISTANCE & for longer DURATIONS👍….But that’s a post for another day😅

Two young beagles that look related are running side by side with mouths open grabbing and playing with each other

Common Complaints During The Teenage Phase Include;

🐾Not listening when called (because girl/boy dogs can be smelt up to a mile away😅) -if recall is non existent (go back a step to recall on a long line with super duper high value rewards – think liver pate peanut butter tuna in a squeeze tube etc.

🐾Marking their “territory”, (did you know that simply smelling the ammonia of another dog’s pee will illicit the cocking or squatting behaviour/ dogs live in a world of scent that we have no way of knowing anything about.

* Not knowing when to calm down (double down on your “Settle” or “Magic Mat”) everything good happens in the May including calm sits or downs on the mat – again build up the duration over time making sure your dog is kept focused for short periods of time and given regular breaks between mini sessions of training – settle training is also best practices after your dog has had some exercise, tired from a play session , after eating or after all of these things I’ve mentioned.

🐾Overexcited mouthing or nipping – time to get that tug toy out and start to practice a drop or leave it so it becomes very reliable – if you have a dog that gets a bit frustrated at you taking the toy away make sure to roll a treat away from them as you pick up the toy and put it away OR have a second toy ready the moment they drop the first so the game continues – you can add up duration to combat frustration tolerance gradually over time……ETC ETC so many questions so little time 😅

A brown shaggy dog that looks like an Italian Spinone is looking up and to its right with a wet face and mouth open and tongue out in the grass

⭐️Let me know what you are currently finding challenging with your teenage dog?

Sara @About Town Pets 🐶

✅Want To Work With Me On A 1-2-1 Basis Tap Here To Work With Me Now

Ps if you enjoyed this quick FAQ post you may also enjoy my post about Help- My Dog Is A Fussy Eater 🐶

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