What does it mean to be ‘force-free’ and what is positive reinforcement?
There are many names for positive reinforcement training but the basic principle is: behaviour rewarded is behaviour repeated.
Your dog does a good thing we like and want to see more of = your dog gets a reward!
The most effective reward will vary from dog to dog, for some it may be food for others play.
What is reactivity?
A reactive dog is dog who overreacts to certain triggers or situations and needs time to recover after.
A dog can be reactive to a wide variety of things, anything from men with hats to only white dogs, all men to all dogs. Triggers can broad, or very specific. My dog for example, is reactive to all dogs which means he struggles to even look at one without losing his mind. Reactivity can present itself in different ways. The dog may lunge, bark or growl or even try to run away or hide.
This kind of canine behaviour problem can be really difficult for owners to understand, and can be really embarrassing or even frightening at times. It's the sort of behaviour that could seem harmless in smaller dogs, but regardless of the threat they pose others, these reactive outbursts are also very bad for dog's health and wellbeing.
Reactivity is most commonly caused by a lack of proper socialisation during crucial development periods (see my Socialisation Sessions), but can also be rooted in traumatic experiences and even genetics.
It can be tempting to try to punish these behaviours out of our dogs, but a much more useful approach is to think of it as a kind of communication - your dog is trying to tell you that they’re uncomfortable and they need your protection. This way we can build management plans and help our dogs work through these big feelings rather than simply repressing the symptoms.
I provide specialised walking services for reactive dogs.
What is counter conditioning and desensitisation?
Counter conditioning and desensitisation are used to change your dogs feelings about something they find scary, overwhelming or concerning by pairing them with something they love.
At its simplest this involves exposing the dog to thing they’re worried about, or afraid of but only at a level they are currently able to handle. We reward them for getting through it, and very gradually expose them to more as time goes on and their confidence grows.
What’s the big deal about sniffing?
t’s easy to underestimate just how important sniffing is to a dog. For us, our eyes are our primary of experiencing the world but our dogs it’s their noses. Being able to stop and sniff when they come across a really interesting smell is a huge part of how our dogs understand the world.
Above all else, it’s really good for their health. Sniffing lowers a dog’s pulse rate, reduces stress and has been shown to help tire a dog out more than physical exercise.
All my walks and enrichment sessions put a high emphasis on opportunities to get some serious sniffing done.
What is enrichment and why does my dog need it?
Sometimes the inconvenient or destructive seeming behaviours that dogs engage in are perfectly natural, rewarding and enjoyable to them (e.g. chewing, shredding or digging). Unfortunately this kind of behaviour can clash with the human lifestyle. Enrichment activities are designed to provide an outlet for these behaviours that won’t result in the destruction of property or frustration for the dog or ourselves.
Enrichment activities can prevent boredom, build confidence, and teach a variety of skills while encouraging calm behaviour and good habits.
Why don’t you offer ‘Pack Walks’ (larger group walks)?
I don’t believe it’s possible for one person to safely supervise and control more than 4 dogs at a time. Larger groups also make bullying and fighting a more likely occurrence as well as the spread of pests and diseases.