Learning something new is never a straight line progression.  Let’s repeat together: Learning something new is never a straight line progression. There are dips that come from lack of understanding, lack of time spent & lack of motivation.

We all want the end result of a perfect beach body but are we willing to do what we have to get it?  If the motivation is there to do the work, it will come.  Maybe you will fall off the wagon a few (or many) times…have lulls in your motivation of exercising, enjoy the taste of pizza a little too much (guilty) but if you work at it, the benefits of a healthier lifestyle will emerge. Maybe not in the form of a rail thin model, but feeling better & having more energy is its own reward.
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It took me at least 10 attempts to quit smoking until I actually stopped for good. The habit was 15 years hard and…I enjoyed it. But for my own health, I needed to stop. I have been 18 years smoke-free. I don’t even think about smoking anymore…the idea of it is so foreign and gross. The idea of staying off social media, however, gives me a slight panic attack. ‘Fear of missing out’ wastes so much time, but that knowledge won’t stop me from picking up my phone & checking the newsfeed. It’s like quitting smoking all over again and I am not alone.

•  As flawed as humans are; why is there so much pressure on our dogs to learn new skills or change a behavior in a short period of time?  
• Why do we think that taking a 6 week class with an hour or two of practice between lessons will make monumental changes in the dog if we aren’t setting the dog up for success in every area of his life? Like using a  crate,  a leash or the proper rate of reinforcement?
• Why do we think that a board and train will cure everything if the dog is going home with no changes in human behavior or environment?  
• Why do dogs fall off the wagon if they ‘know’ how to do something but choose not to?

Dog training fails because it’s a marathon, not a sprint.  Teaching complex behaviors or modifying behavior takes time, skill building & the patience to work through all the dips and valleys.  Dog training (like all learning) is NEVER a straight line progression.

Visualize the picture of behavior you want, evaluate the environment & your teaching skills.  Learn how you can set the best stage for success. If you are struggling, then call a pro to help you.  If you are committing to a training class or program, then commit to the homework and lifestyle change that goes with it. If you want to teach your dog to come when called, but you are letting him off the leash 50% of the time and your dog finds the air, trees and other dogs are more interesting than you, then you are setting the dog up to fail.  Dogs are pretty darn good at being the honest, wild creatures they are born to be and won't self loath after  rolling in poop or chasing a squirrel.
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Our job is training dogs and teaching people. Which you think is harder? We love what we do; being educators and advocates for the animals we chose to spend our life with. We continue to learn all the time, and no, we aren’t perfect. No dog trainer is perfect. The flawed human side is always there. And dogs love us despite it. 

What triggers you? What  word or phrase that creates that  negative emotional response that  makes your jaw clench, turns your nerves to static &  cause racing responses that smash around in your head like a pin ball machine? 
 
The dog training industry is full of triggers …here are a few: Fur baby, shock collar, e collar, clicker, fear free, balanced training,  purely positive training, accountability, no pull harness’s, prong collar...just to name a few
Add any of these words to a dog training face book group and watch the sparks fly.  
 
Here is the kicker though… each one of us has a choice on how to respond to a trigger. We don’t have to get into senseless battles with complete strangers on face book with no results other than raising blood pressure. 
 
We can keep scrolling …enjoy pictures of sunsets and funny memes.  We can decide how we want to spend our time on social media.

’what does this have to do with dog training?’…you might ask.

Leash reactivity: this general term that describes dogs barking, lunging, growling and seemingly ‘lose their mind’ at the sight of a trigger.  Triggers are generally other dogs, people, cars, bikes, skateboards etc.
Replace that person arguing with strangers on the internet with a dog that blows up at the sight of another dog….and there you have it.

The dog has an emotional response to what they are seeing which creates arousal. Arousal creates the crazy leash behavior. The INTENT of the dog could be aggression, excitement, fear, frustration, but the behavior we see is usually the same.

So how can this behavior be addressed? How can I teach my dog to keep 'scrolling'?

• Consider your relationship with your dog. If your dog spends time at dog daycare or several hours a week at the dog park and can’t cope with seeing a dog on a leash, then take a step back and focus on the relationship . Your dog doesn’t need social time with dogs; it needs dependable leadership & quality time with you.  Be an advocate not an activities director.  
• Address the emotional component. Reactivity is the dog being unable to cope with what he/she is seeing or hearing. It doesn’t know HOW to 'scroll' on by and ‘stay in their lane’. Desensitizing/counter conditioning exercises are the foundation of any good program. ​Work toward building a mentally resilient dog.  
• ​Dependable structure. How does your dog live with you? If he is screaming at the window at everything walking by, the leash reactivity will never go away.  Teach your dog that your home isn’t romper room. Use a crate on the regular which may mean taking away some freedom to give him a reboot so he can earn it back
• Foundation obedience skills such as ‘coming when called’ a structured heel & place training are paramount. Most of the reactive dogs we work with also don’t come when called, have no understanding of walking on a leash and are acting bonkers in the house.  Teach life skills to fall back on.​
• Don’t be afraid of tools: Educate yourself. So many don’t want to ‘rely’ on a clicker, don’t understand how to properly use an e collar or cringe at the sight of a head collar or prong collar.  If you don’t understand how something works or how it can help you, find a trainer with proven experience that shows results in their work and ask them a lot of questions. Be inquisitive & get references. Find a trainer who is transparent, has a plan and explains the process step by step.      

At the end of the day, teach your dog (and yourself) to scroll. That doesn’t mean you need to be blind to realities. Your dog is an emotional & imperfect creature, not a robot.  Enjoy them, advocate for them and help them be the best version of themselves.  
 
 

From time to time, you may see videos and pictures of our dogs biting sleeves, barking at the 'bad guy' in the blind, climbing walls to grab a tug or pulling a sled.

​What is this all about and why do we do it? First…we are nutty dog people, so dog sports is in our blood.  Once a person starts down the rabbit hole of a dog sport, there is a natural deep appreciation for a dog's intelligence, genetics and power. What a dog is bred to do...or capable of doing despite the genetic map is mind blowing.  

There are many terms that describe a trainers’ methodology that can be confusing to dog owners.  Here is a little break down:  

• PP, Fear Free: uses only positive reinforcement/negative punishment.  Adds or removes reinforcers to increase or decrease behaviors and manages behaviors that aren’t able to be fixed with food.
• LIMA: Least intrusive/Minimally Aversive.  Allows for punishment   
• Balanced: a loose term describing trainers who use all 4 quadrants, but in no way are all balanced trainers created equal