What was evident to me from our consult is that Odin was a joyful, engaging dog who wanted to connect with me (or anyone really!) and had a lot of drive. This is typical of many OCD dog’s. Drive. It is a living organism and unless you’ve lived with a highly driven dog you just can’t imagine how powerful it is.
Odin had a serious problem chasing light, reflections of light and shadows.
This all started when his owners would play with him as a youngster with a laser pointer.
What started as a fun pastime quickly turned into an obsession and spiralled out of control.
Behavioural strategy for a dog with OCD
The strategy for many OCD dogs is actually very simple.
Replace the unhealthy with the healthy.
It’s a fool errand to get caught up in trying to simply stop a dog from doing something it is obsessed with. This is exactly like playing whack-a-mole with your dog 24/7.
Does my dog need to be medicated
In some instances medication can be helpful, but in my experience, it is largely overprescribed, overused, and done so before we have exhausted, behavioural intervention options.
The first action we should take is to evaluate the dogs behavior, assess the level (if any) of training and create a plan of action for such a dog that includes training, a healthy outlet for the dogs drive, and lots of mental and physical stimulation to give all that energy, a healthy direction to flow into.
for ore information on OCD check out the AKC website
Hi Nick,
I want to thank you for all that you’ve done for Odin, he is truly a man’s best friend that just wants to play all day everyday.
His favorite game nowadays is fetch! We bought these RuffDawg toys and they are seriously his favorite thing in the world. It’s his new “shadow” obsession. The great thing is he calms down and relaxes once we take it away.
Wishing you the very best and more doggos to train!
Seham, Cj, Reuben and mostly Odin!
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Training a pitbull with shadow chasing OCD – Montreal Dog Trainer Family K9 Dog Training
Dog Training PitBull – OCD – shadow chasing – Family K9 Dog Training
Montreal Dog Trainer Family K9 Dog Training Will a dog listen to a whisper?
Training changed dog’s life. Pitbull W/OCD. Montreal Dog Trainer Family K9 Dog Training
Montreal Dog Trainer – Family K9 Dog Training – Dog Training plan for special needs dog
Dogs love to play and most dogs love to play in a rough and physical way.
Dogs also love to use their mouths. By showing them that they can use their mouths and satisfy their need to bite, pull and thrash around with their owners it helps the dog live a much more satisfied lifestyle. It also helps the dogs spend energy and is a very bonding experience for the dog and owner.
Situations where it may not be advisable to play tug-of-war with your dog.
If your dog is a resource garter or displays any type of possessiveness or aggression to its family, it is not advisable to play tug as you will very likely create a bigger problem and potentially put yourself in harms way.
Of course, if the dog is physically incapable, or has health related issues that prevent it from playing tug this is also another instance where we need to be tuned into.
Frequently asked dog training question: will tug-of-war make my dog aggressive
Assuming that the dog has no behavioural issues and that you have a healthy relationship with your dog tug-of-war will definitely not create an aggressive dog.
If anything, it will teach the dog that there is a “time and place” rough and rowdy behaviour and that is when we initiate play with a toy.
Watch the video clip provided here and take a look at how my bulldog puppy hooligan crashes around like a madman while we were playing tug.
He’s well into it, pushing and pulling and growling and carrying on.
Pay special attention to what he does when I release :
He comes running right to me with it because he wants the game to continue. This tells us everything we need to know about what the motive of the dog is.
The dog is not trying to “possess” the toy.
He is not trying to drive me away from the toy.
He is not taking the toy and running away with it.
He is not anchoring himself over the toy and preparing for war war.
He is simply asking for me to continue the game that he loves and the toy is the tool we use to share a game toget.
Dog Training is as much science as it is an art. We have so much information about how dogs process information, adapt and learn. We have a better understanding of how a dog’s drives, DNA and early life experience can influence their behaviour. We also need to balance all of this with a keen and observant eye in training and analyzing what we do to help guide our dogs to success. We have to be able to understand our dogs’ feelings and in this particular case Odin’s feeling ran away from him like the bus in the movie Speed. It was full speed, no brakes out of control unhealthy obsession with shadows.
Training Challenging dogs
Helping dogs with specific issues like Odin is a joy to partake in. As a professional dog trainer fo 30 + years I love when people bring me challenging dogs. In many cases they bring me dogs who have already seen multiple trainers and yet they have not been able to successfully remediate the problem behaviour.
Creative Dog Training
You can’t simply force an obsessed dog to stop. We have to work on teaching skills, replacing and redirecting the dog’s focus and energy and in essence showing ther dog a new reason to get up in the morning. Very driven dogs of any breed are purpose driven. Their drives must achieve satisfaction or the frustration will bubble over like a full pot of boiling water on top of a burner set to max on the stove top.
Odin’s owners requested a consultation towards the end of last year and then he came in for Family K9 Dog Training’s Board and Train In January of this year. Since he has gone home from training they have followed up on his work and have done very, very well learning how to live with Odin and follow the condors explained to them in our transfer lesson. Everyone is living a much more content and peace filled life now – Humans and Dog enjoying their days together as it should be!
Dog Training Success Story!
Hi Nick,
I want to thank you for all that you’ve done for Odin, he is truly a man’s best friend that just wants to play all day everyday.
His favorite game nowadays is fetch! We bought these RuffDawg toys and they are seriously his favorite thing in the world. It’s his new “shadow” obsession. The great thing is he calms down and relaxes once we take it away.
Wishing you the very best and more doggos to train!
Sincerely, CJ, Seham, Reuben & mostly Odin
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Training a pitbull with shadow chasing OCD – Montreal Dog Trainer Family K9 Dog Training
Dog Training PitBull – OCD – shadow chasing – Family K9 Dog Training
Montreal Dog Trainer Family K9 Dog Training Will a dog listen to a whisper?
Training changed dog’s life. Pitbull W/OCD. Montreal Dog Trainer Family K9 Dog Training
Montreal Dog Trainer – Family K9 Dog Training – Dog Training plan for special needs dog
Paw-sitively Perfect Puppies: Socializing Your Montreal Pup with People and Pooches
Unleashing Socialization Success for Montreal Pups
Welcoming a furry friend into your Montreal home? Discover expert tips on how to socialize your puppy, ensuring they become the bark of the town!
The Importance of Structured Socializing
When socializing your puppy or dog, it is important to have a game plan ahead of time. It is vital that you have an understanding of how a dogs mind works, basic principles of reinforcement, and how to structure your puppy’s socialization, so that the outcome is positive for your dog and you.
Having an image of how you want your future dog to look in social settings when out and about & interacting with the world is helpful in order to be able to understand the process.
Puppy Socialization Strategies
Hooligan and sister Charlotte saying hello. Charlotte apparently brought me a flower.
Structure is very important, especially in early encounters. It is advisable to set up meetings that will be controlled and predictable to help your puppy see things in a correct manner. If you have a friend/neighbour, or someone you know with a nice, calm dog you can ask them to meet you and have their dog under control. This means behaving in a calm manner, while your puppy has the opportunity to say hello and explore the other dog. This goes along way towards puppies, developing confidence.
The same goes for meeting people; ask people at first to ignore your puppy, so that your puppy has the opportunity to explore them in a calm manner.
The wrong way to greet a puppy
All too often people greet puppies in a manner that is much too excited. If your puppy is already social, that is only going to drive your puppy over the top and create hectic behavior, and set a template for future encounters with people that will be problematic.
If your puppy is too shy, the over greeting from the person will likely reinforce fear and create a belief system in the puppy that people are overwhelming, or even worse scary. Letting puppies acclimate in a calm way, and on their timeline and terms is a very smart approach that will confidence and teach calm interactions is done properly.
Have a look at the video below and how the houseguests initially ignore the puppy to help him understand that being together is not such a big deal.
If your puppy is social, this will help the puppy remain calm.
If your puppy is shy this will help the puppy, not feel overwhelmed.
The key to good dog socialization
Developing some simple obedience commands is very helpful not only and day to day life with your dog, but in social settings as well.
Teaching your puppy to be obedient and focus on you when required will not only make life easier, but will also allow you to enter into fun and exciting situations for both you and your dog much more easily. A trained dog is a dog that lives a much richer, freer life, and the owner and dog can embark on daily fun and adventures together without worry or stress.
Starting withpuppy pre school and then moving on to obedience trainingonce your pup is juts a little more mature is a smart approach to things.
Take a look at Nick’s puppy Hooligan who is 4 1/2 months old in this video to see what a good start in life looks like.
Hooligan began training with Nick the same day he first came home to join the family. Training our dogs should be a lifestyle and one that provides joy, structure, fair expectations and teamwork. This is done for our mutual benefit.
This puppy can run and play off leash with other dogs and can be called back at any time.
Hooligan can also be in settings around other dogs where he is asked to ignore them and does so with ease.
He can mingle with a house full of guests, go to and stay on his place when asked and is happy to interact and receive affection from strangers and friends and family alike. Most of the houseguests in the video below are meeting him for the first time.
Teaching our dogs on on/off switch is absolutely vital and you can see many examples of this in the video.
This ensures your pup is not just friendly but also well-mannered during interactions.
A trained dog is welcome (almost) everywhere
Would you like to sit on a terrace at a café during the summertime with your dog? How about bring your dog with you to a friends house, a restaurant or when going into shops?
With a train dog all of the above is possible with ease.
Owners of trained dogs, take great pride in their dog, their dogs abilities and their ability to communicate with an understand their king companion.
A train dog is welcome almost everywhere, and is a joy to witness and be around.
Contrary, untrained dogs, while still cute can become bothersome when the cuteness is overshadowed by bad manners and a lack of training.
This does not make them bad dogs.
Simply they are dogs in need of training and it is our responsibility to be good dog trainers, educators to our furry friends.
Mastering Focus: Techniques for a Laser-Focused Pooch
Uncover strategies to enhance your dog’s focus during training sessions. From attention exercises to mental stimulation games, we guide you through cultivating a dog that stays engaged and attentive, making training a joy for both of you. Having a dog that can focus on it’s person when required make all communication with our K9’s much easier.
Beyond Basic Commands: Advanced Obedience Training for Canine Brilliance
Take your dog’s training to the next level with advanced obedience commands. Elevate their skills and manners, creating a pet that seamlessly integrates into your lifestyle and community.
Your Dog, Your Companion: Building a Lifelong Bond Through Training
Discover how the training journey strengthens the bond between you and your dog. From puppyhood to adulthood, our guide ensures a lasting connection based on trust, obedience, and friendship.
Elevate your pup’s socialization game by learning these techniques @ with Montreal’s Dog Trainer – Family K9 Dog Training. With a curriculum that seamlessly integrates focused training and positive interactions, your furry friend will graduate not just well-socialized but as a polished, well-trained companion ready for any adventure in the vibrant Montreal community.
Popeye at a local outdoor mall during a training session. Time to have a meet and greet which he loves. So do his new fans!
Positive interactions are key for developing a healthy and balanced dog.
Here we see Popeye, flipping the switch from mingling and enjoying some affection from strangers to going into a focused heel within a split second.
Well-trained dogs like Popeye are easy and joy to take any and everywhere.
Murphy (Sheltie) is afraid of Dogs and ghost (Golden) is playful. Both dogs are learning to be neutral in order to make life camer, easier and more secure for all. There is a time and place for play with other dogs. Building the On/Off switch is key.
Would you like professional help with your dog’s training and behaviour?
Want a well trained dog but lack the knowledge, expertise and perhaps time to get it done? Perhaps you just want to enjoy a well trained pet & would like professional guidance on how to get there? Here is the answer:
Boarding & Training.
K9 Camp.
K9/Canine Boot camp.
Experience Matters
When looking for a dog trainer, you should prioritize experience, results and professionalism. Seek out a trainer with a proven track record in handling various breeds and behavioural challenges. A highly experienced trainer will have the skills needed to adapt their techniques to meet your dog’s unique needs.
Every dog is unique, requiring a tailored approach to training. A trustworthy dog trainer will take the time to understand your dog’s personality, history, and your training goals. They will then customize a training plan that suits your dog’s individual needs and learning capacity. Flexibility is key when addressing specific behavioral problems, and a skilled trainer will adapt their techniques accordingly.
Once your dog is trained, the trainer should then be able to teach you what your dog has learned and how to maintain the training.
Board and train programs have two distinct parts:
Part 1 Teach the dog a skill set
Part 2 Demonstrate for the owner what the dog has learned, explain the importance of the specific dog training skills and teach the owner how to maintain it.
When those two parts are properly fused together, the dog owner and dog will be able to carry on where the trainer left off.
Montreal Dog Training Positive Reviews and Testimonials:
One of the best ways to gauge the effectiveness of a dog trainer is by reading reviews and testimonials from their clients. Positive feedback that highlights successful outcomes and happy clients.
Investing time and effort into finding the right dog trainer will not only shape your dog’s behavior but also strengthen the bond between you and your furry companion. So go ahead, embark on this exciting journey of training and watch your dog flourish under the guidance of a skilled Montreal dog trainer!
First trainer didn't get it done
After having tried another dog trainer and gotten nowhere I really hesitated to try working with someone else. I was so pleasantly surprised and impressed with Nick and the results that he got from our puppy.
He really cares about the dogs and understands how they think and how to get the most from them. He sets up realistic goals and teaches the owners how to use his training in every day situations and they have made the biggest difference to the way that we feel when we are with our dog.
We gave Nick a puppy that we were having a lot of trouble with and we picked up a dog that was so well behaved and pleasant to be around. He’s a completely different dog….its incredible that Nick was able to achieve this in a few weeks!
We are enjoying and loving every second with our dog and owe this completely to the time that he spent with Nick.
Nick truly is wonderful and was a real life saver for us 🙂
Beverley Sasson
Stanley - Lakeland Terrier
Making dog owners lives easier with good training
If you are hesitating in working with Nick, maybe I can help you make what is ultimately a really big decision easier. I booked a consultation with Nick for my 1.5 year old Kangal × Caucasian Shepherd girl.
Within 15 minutes I knew I would be working with Nick in the future. The consultation let me know that my girl was in good hands and she would make strides in her training to make both our lives easier. After 3 weeks with Nick in the board and train program, I had tons of questions which were answered in both the follow up sessions and online. Already my dog and I live a better life because of the foundation we have built. I feel like I myself have become an amateur dog trainer in what Nick has taught me. I have the tools and confidence now to continue working with my dog. I look forward to doing some advanced training with Nick in the future and so does my girl.
Luca-Xavier
Aia Kangal/Caucasian Shepherd Mix
Family K9 Dog Training Reviews (a small sample)
A small collection of Board & Train / In Kennel Dog Training Videos
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Montreal dog trainer helping fearful dogs learn to enjoy walks – Family K9 Dog Training
Dog training test – six years after the training has been completed
Mintreal & Vaudreuil Reactive Dog Training – Family K9 Dog Training Montreal Dog Trainer
Training tiny dogs!
Montreal Puppy training (with distractions!)
Dog reactive Husky training – Family K9 Dog Training Montreal & Vaudreuil Dog Trainer
Reactive Malamute mix – Montreal and Vaudreuil Dog Trainer Family K9 Dog Training
Training Dogs and Teaching Humans -the transfer lesson process
How to calm an anxious dog
Dogs are wonderfully resilient, adaptable creatures!
A big birthday party for a big (!) Great Dane
Teaching dogs not to jump up – building belief systems in dog training – montreal dog Training
Playful puppies and reactive dogs focused heeling. Family K9 Dog Training Montreal Dog Trainer
Dogs are amazingly resilient and wonderful creatures. Training blind dogs – Montreal Dog Trainer
Montreal Dog Training – structure, play and clear communication in training
Most Important Things You Must Do with Your Puppy | Puppy Care Tips
Most Important Tips For New Puppy Owners
Getting a new puppy is exciting and can be challenging and even overwhelming at times. here are some of the most important things you must do with your new puppy. These tips and strategies will help you get rolling along the way to your future well adjusted and well trained adult dog!
1. Puppy Training
Puppy training is crucial for teaching your new canine companion some very important things that will life easier for all. Socialization, house training, crate training, basic commands and manners. Puppy training is about more than teaching and expecting “perfect” behaviour. It is about bonding with your puppy through fun adn games, teamwork, setting realistic expectations, and teaching your puppy to want to work with you as part of a team.
2. Socialization
Socializing is a widely misunderstood topic. Many people think that it consists of having dogs meet other dogs or even puppy socialization group classes. True socialization includes acclimating your puppy to the world around him and helping him feel safe and confident in a variety of settings, sounds, smells, surfaces, people and places. The Video below where I am feeding my 8 week old puppy at Starbucks is a good example of showing my puppy that the world going by (cars/people/noises etc…) is just a background for our activity. It is one of many things I encourage my puppy pre schoolclients to do in order to help foster a well rounded, confident puppy
3. Grooming and Healthcare
I like to have my pups get used to having their ears/tail/eyes/feet/mouth handled right away. Start when your puppy is tired and relaxed and let your puppy curl up in your lap. You can have some food in one hand while you handle your pup with the other. If need be have someone else hold the food for you. Dont feed all at once – let the puppy lick at the food and make it last in order to distract the puppy from the handling. Keep these sessions short, light and the goal is just to acclimate your puppy to being handled with as little stress as possible.
4. Play
Play is crucial to keeping your puppy happy, to encouraging good behaviour and building a bond with your puppy. Playing fetch and tug of war with your puppy will go a long way towards channeling your pup’s mouthiness and energy. Puppies want to play, they like to try and engage us and if you are proactive with these games and make them exiting, your puppy will begin to look forward to these play sessions.
5. Exercise and Mental Stimulation
Puppies have lots of energy to burn, so providing regular exercise and mental stimulation is essential. Take your puppy for daily walks, play interactive games, and provide puzzle toys to keep their mind stimulated. This helps prevent boredom, destructive behavior, and promotes a healthy lifestyle.
6. Love and Attention
Puppies need to feel safe and secure in order to be content. Part of this comes from the structure we provide and it is equally important we show our puppies love and affection. Petting, talking to them, knowing when to encourage and also understanding that scolding or reprimanding has no place in puppy raising is important. My puppy is social and loves to meet people but at 11 week sold we already have a bond developing that if he were being petted by someone other than me and I began to move away he would choose to be with me and forget about the person petting him.
Raising a well rounded, happy, confident puppy is a long and rewarding process. If you start early, have a good understanding of what is needed and know how to tailor things to suit your individual puppy you will be well on your way to the beginnings of shaping a great dog for years to come. The concepts, images and videos here are just a small sample of what it takes to raise a well rounded puppy.
For more information & puppy care tips, visit our puppy pre school page.
Bonding with new puppyGetting to know you.
Stopping to have a potty break and snack at a fast food place along the way during a 10 hour drive home from the breeder.
Bonding with new puppyFirst day home and we are exhausted from our drive and just hanging out together.
Bonding time.
8 week old puppy exploring new surroundingsExploring new surroundings
Puppy's first bathFirst bath. It is so important to start all of these grooming and handling concepts early on in order to acclimate your puppy to them.
Puppy fetchLearning to play fetch on day one.
Obedience training a new puppyPracticing Off leash recalls at a Tim Hortons @ 9 weeks old
How to socialize your new puppyMeeting friendly faces and learning the world is full of happy dog loving people.
tips for Socializing a puppyMeeting friendly strangers at a local bank.
New sights sounds, new flooring and friendly faces all help build a more confident puppy.
how to trim puppy nailsFirst nail trim, and Hooligan was barely aware because he ate a ton of treats to desensitize him to the trimmer. Everybody wins!
Teaching a puppy to play fetchLearning to play fetch, interact with his humans in a fun and engaging way, and at the same time, not eat all the grass clippings on the ground because the focus is on the toy.
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Feeding your puppy in a variety of new locations is a great idea
Family K9 Dog Training – Montréal – Teaching an 8 week old puppy to respond to his name
Montreal Puppy training – loose leash walking – Family K9 Dog Training
Montreal Puppy Training – best games Family K9 Dog Training
Puppy training – 10 week old English bulldog puppy recall practice with distractions 
Training young puppies follow up short
2 months of a puppy’s life in 60 seconds #dog #puppytraining101 #puppy #EnglishBulldog
Teachings puppies to focus around distractions off leash
Montreal Dog Trainer – Family K9 Dog Training – Socialization & obedience plan for your puppy!
Meet Hooligan an English bulldog puppy! 
Puppy’s first steps on treadmill
English bulldog puppy obedience! Montreal Dog Trainer Family K9 Dog Training
How to deal with puppy biting. #puppytraining #DogTraining
Bulldog always wants to play with his trainer #dog #dogtraining #yourdog
Prevent deadly stomach torsion- bloat in your dog #dog training #dog safety
Top Dog Training Tips for Montreal Area Dog Owners
Top Dog Training Tips for Montreal Area Dog Owners
1. Start Training Your Puppy Early
Puppies abosrb information all day long. The earlier you start training the better the outcome will be in teaching obedience and good manners. Think of this:
Puppy jumps up and gets petted. What did it learn? Jumping up =reward. Instead, pet your puppy before the jump – or even better yet teach your puppy to sit and then ask her to sit before petting and what did the puppy learn now? Not only did your pup learn to sit which is valuable for so many things all their life – but they also learned a polite way to interact and ask for petting. Take this concept and apply it to your many moment throughout the day with your pup and you will start to see nice changes in behaviour.
2. Learn How To Speak Dog Clearly
Learning basic dog psychology and learning theory is key if you ant to be an effective communicator with your dog. It is so easy to blame the dog, get frustrated and settle for a frustrating life with your pet under the guise of “Wel… He’s juts stubborn”. Understanding your dog’s temperament, genetics (you can’t fight DNA – more on this in another article) drives and thresholds will take you a lot further in goals as a dog trainer. I work with many dogs each year who were labelled as stubborn or untrainable by not only their owners but even by other dog trainers when the reality is that the training was not done in a clear and logical way. Ouspi, a young Labradoodle is a prime example of this. His owners worked with a trainer prior to coming to Family K9 Dog Training. That trainer called him stubborn and dumb. Thanksfully they looked further into training for their pet and he is a wonderful dog and very capable of excellent behaviour.
Positive reinforcement is an effective training method. Reward your dog with praise, treats, or playtime when they exhibit the desired behavior. This will motivate them to repeat the action in the future.
4. Socialize Your Dog
Socialization is crucial for a well-behaved dog. Expose your canine companion to different environments, people, and other animals in Montreal and all over as much as possible. I often feed & play with my puppy in new environments, bring him into local shops and allow people to interact with him in proper, controlled interactions in order to help shape his view of the world. This will help them become comfortable and confident in various situations.
5. Seek Professional Help
If you’re having difficulty with your dog’s training, don’t hesitate to seek professional help. Family K9 Dog Training has a 30 year track record of helping Montreal area dog owners and can provide expert guidance and tailor training programs to suit your dog’s specific needs.
6. Be Patient and Persistent – Set Realistic Expectations
Training a dog takes time and patience. Be persistent in your efforts, even if progress seems slow at times. Consistent training sessions and positive reinforcement will yield positive results over time.
7. Stay Updated with Training Techniques
Stay informed about the latest training techniques and methodologies. Attend workshops, read books or articles, and consult reputableonline resources to enhance your knowledge and improve your training approach.
Make a point of playing fetch, playing tug-of-war, and teaching them that the highlight of their day and ultimately their existence is time shared with you.
Play with them like you mean it. Put your heart and soul into it.
Play with them until you’re both exhausted and then keep going.
There are numerous benefits to this that we will explore in this dog training article and video
It’s no surprise that when people don’t do this with their dogs and they “socialize“ their dogs in all the wrong ways, such as dog parks, etc. the dogs learn to be hyper social and their focus for the external creates behavioural issues. By using external stimuli such ans other dogs to play with, dog owners are teaching a convoluted value system that fun is to be had away from you. It’s wonderful that dogs like other dogs. Of course this is helpful in preventing unwanted aggression and they can have fun together, but it comes at a price. Especially if that is the primary means of stimulation and exercise. There is also the risk of the unknown dogs, fights, bullying and aggression. In the best of circumstances you risk a hyper reactive, uncontrollably social dogs.
Bad Dog Training. Unintentionally training dogs to be over excited and easily distracted
What this also means is that the hyper social dogs will lose their ability to focus on their person because they’ve been conditioned that the highlight of their day is away from their person and with other dogs.
Think about it this way: who is a dog going to relate to easier?
Another species? One who doesn’t play with them, form a bond through shared mutual interests and activities, one who doesn’t create a backdrop of adrenaline, excitement and dopamine their interactions?
Or
One of their own who speaks their native language, who can run fast to chase and be chased. One who can entice them to play, jump/chase/bite and feel free. Or a boring human who is nothing more than an Uber to the dog park.
Dog socialization is largely misunderstood by dog owners and many dog trainers and Veterinarians
True socialization is teaching a dog to be comfortable in their environment and ultimately, I want my dog to be neutral to things around him/her so that communication between us is facilitated. Friendly, open and neutral is ideal.
Hyper social and Being hell bent on interacting with everyone and everything does not facilitate living with a dog and creates a dog with a hectic mind. In our modern world think of the equivalent being trying to have a conversation and the other person is constantly looking at their phone. It renders the conversation and ultimately interaction and communication meaningless.
Playing tug of war and Fetch with your puppy and Dog
The benefits to this are so numerous. By teaching this to your puppy they will learn:
They want to be with you. You are fun!
It will make obedience training easier because you are the centre of fun. When I’m with my puppy or any dog for that matter it’s like I get to relive being a child. It’s freedom to act silly, to run around like a lunatic playing with toys and bouncing balls and by the end I’m sweaty and tired.
Work will = reward later on when the puppy has been conditioned to understand that you set the tone for the games. “Hey Puppy? Want to have fun? Gimme something (sit/stand/place etc..) and you’ll get that game you love so much.”
Do this with our dogs to help them spend their energy, to create a bond that will complement every aspect of our lives. Have a look at this video – I have been playing with Hooligan since the day he came home at 8 weeks old. It is the highlight of our days, just as it has been for all my dogs going back decades. I really hope that a few dog owners out there get this message and take it to heart. It will enrich your life with your dog more than you know. ♥️
The idea for this blog post was inspired by Harper the 11 year old Chihuahua pictured above.
Her owners contacted me for a consultation and then ultimately to train Harper via the internal training program.
Harper has a long history of reactivity, aggression, and more than a few bites.
It was clear and her consultation that Harper was not only a dog who had learned to reward her self through her fearful aggression, but also that she was a trainable dog who would benefit greatly from learning a new way of doing things.
When people say “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” it isn’t really accurate.
Dogs fall into patterns often by accident. They try something and if it works – why not stick with it? People often train their dog unknowingly – meaning they reinforce the wrong things, usually because they lack the clear understanding of the science of dog training and how reinforcement works.
In Harper’s case she showed a high degree of reactivity and fear – people would then back away and Harper believed that she needed to continue doing this in order to remain safe. This was compounded by her owners picking her up, or trying to offer Harper some comfort which in turn sounds like praise to a dog. So Harper’s logic was very simple: “This works!”
My job was to teach Harper some skills and then show her that we can utilize those skills to her ultimate goal of safety. This creates a huge win/win in dog training.
Can you train an older dog?
The short answer is “Of course you can”.
Let’s examine some of the key differences in training younger vs older dogs:
Training a puppy : Tabula rasa
The idea behind starting with a very young puppy is being able to shape their behaviour and even their views of the world around them. This is by far the preferred way to train. It is easier for the owner and also for the dog because there is far less chance of conflicting views and experiences. If the dog never learns to engage in unwanted behaviour there is no flip flopping back and forth.
Bru as a young puppy. His owners had him enrolled in Puppy Pre School and then into intensive obedience training immediately after. Learning good habits and using training proactively is always the easiest way to build your dream dog. If you have or are in the process of getting a young puppy – definitely start training with a professional right away.
Dog Training Review
Thanks to Harper’s owners Alex and nuance for the kind words and their trust in training their old, adorable little dog.
Harper & me hanging out. She would often hop up on me if I lay down. Summer time training and taking a break in the nice cool AC!
Upcoming dog training video featuring a wonderful Labradoodle and his owner.
Their previous trainer abused the dog and then told the family the dog “is a dumb blonde in high heels”.
Each year countless dogs are diagnosed with anxiety disorders and prescribed medication. As a Dog Trainer for over 25 years I am contacted daily with inquiries on how to calm an anxious dog. In Many cases a consultation is required to figure out the best course of action. Let’s take a look at a dog who came in for a consultation and whose owners enrolled in Family K9’s Board & Train in kennel training program named Stang.
Does my dog need anti-anxiety medication?
In this video, we will take a look at a young dog named Stang.
Stang is a young German Shepherd, whose owners were told that the dog suffered from anxiety and needed to be put on medication.
This video represents a grand total of three days of training for Stang.
At this point we are only just beginning and the progress she has made is nothing short of remarkable.
Rather than calling her anxious, I would say she’s exactly what a young German shepherd should be:
Energetic.
Driven.
Intelligent.
Needs a job.
Is my dog Anxious ?
Give your dog a job, mental stimulation, exercise. Setting up a routine and building a bond will go a long way towards keeping your dog out of trouble.
How to calm an anxious dog
Of course people immediately think of physical exercise as a key component. There is merit to tiring out your dog on a physical level. However, do not overlook the mental side of things. Your dog has a mind (and in the case of a dog bred to work) a powerful processor and this energy and focus needs to be directed and spent as well.
Here are some tips for tiring out your dog mentally:
Obedience training
Nose work
Hide toys or treats and ask your dog to search and find things
Play hide and seek
Teach/Practice trick training
Finding balance between the physical & mental stimulation, providing routine, rhythm and building teamwork and bonding will go a long way to help keep your dogs anxiety at bay.
Playing with your puppy serves many purposes at the same time.
How to play with your puppy?
Puppies bite and they do so because it’s fun for them.
When they bite you and you have a large reaction (even if you’re upset), it will typically excite your puppy and make your puppy. Think you enjoy it, and want more of the same.
Rather than playing defence to your puppies, natural tendencies, take a soft toy that your puppy can grip easily and play tug-of-war with your puppy. Do so multiple times a day to encourage your puppy to vent all of its biting energy into a toy. This isn’t a complete training methodology, but it is a good first step in giving your puppy an outlet for his/her biting.
Take a look at the Bulldogs on this page. All of them were big (BIG!) Puppy biters before training.
My own bulldog, Cow, took to this game very easily, and it made life much easier for our family.
The other dog in these videos named “Bacon” was such a little demon when he came in for training that he managed to wrestle a shoe off my foot on his first day while I was walking around the exercise yard.
It’s easy to see with the right approach that even bacon was very direct able and amenable to this game of tug.
There’s a lot more detail that goes into this and your trainer should be able to help you with puppy biting and provide a smart strategy where we don’t make our life as well as the puppies a constant stream of “no, no, no/stop it/topics/stop it”.
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Montreal Dog Trainer – Playing tug of war with your dog – FamilyK9.com
Puppy biting – teaching puppies how to play to avoid bad habits ( Bacon Chronicles pt. 1)
Training an English bulldog puppy – the Bacon Chronicles pt. 2
Socializing, a dog is a very important and often misunderstood concept.
How to socialize your dog
Our goal, when socializing should be to give her dog, a sense of well-being in the world, he/she lives in.
Many people confuse this with trying to create a dog that is overly excitable, too distracted, and trying to interact with everyone and everything around it, we also have to keep in mind our balance point and what we are trying to achieve with our dog and what our dog’s individual traits are.
Would you like to sit on a terrace at a café during the summertime with your dog? How about bring your dog with you to a friends house, a restaurant or when going into shops?
