Mannerly Mutts Dog Training Blog - Mannerly Mutts Certified #1157 CEC NADOI Dog Trainer in York Maine

LaLa's Training Journal Week 9: A study in how movement and leashes can affect behavioral differences and frustration in dogs while dog training

7/6/2024

At the beginning of Week 9, I made sure to do a lot of videos. I hope to string these together someday, to show the progress that is made over time. Alas, I am a much better dog trainer than "digital creator'. Perhaps some more practice will make perfect. We were mostly inside this week, as I had a lot of client dogs over needing to be trained, and I was pooped by 6 pm. This weekend, we are going to do a lot of "on the road training"m as I have am even busier week coming up next week. LaLa does help out on occasion by being the distraction in a crate for private lessons. In day training, she is a moving distraction.

What Are Markers in Dog Training and How Are Markers Used as Feedback?

7/2/2024

Maine Dog Trainer LaLa Sits Pretty

LaLa sitting pretty for someone else while out on errands with my husband.

Markers and Feedback are used in most of my training. Markers used for feedback give your dog additional information to your tone, body movements, and verbal cues used for commands.

Feedback is information that lets your dog know whether they are on the right track or not, depending on what you are doing with them. It is important that feedback is given at a well-timed point to let them know in that moment if they are performing or working in the direction or task that you want. Ideally you want this feedback to be able to be given with some space in between you once you get going. Rewards and corrections are a type of feedback that is close up. Instead in this article, I am going to talk about equipment, the clicker, and verbal, your voice. LaLa is probably being told she is a "good girl" when sitting pretty for a stranger above. Good is a marker for "Good Job and Keep Going".

Week 8 LaLa's Training Blog: Social Butterfly Week

6/29/2024

Mannerly Mutts Dog Training York Maine

LaLa and Foxie in the penned in yard

This week, LaLa had a lot of both canine and human company around her in the house. So far, she is absolutely turn key with the human company. She just wants to snuggle with them or enthusiastically greet them. My brother in law came for a visit, and our cleaning person is also a favorite of LaLa's.

She likes other dogs, but he it takes her a day or two to get to know them and not be so forward with them. Once she feels comfortable with them, she is great. I don't let her play with everyone, because she can be a bit much (even with us) in that regard. LaLa just keeps getting better and better as time goes on.

How Quality Equipment Will Keep Your Dog Safe on Leash

6/26/2024

At Mannerly Mutts Dog Training, we pick our equipment for quality and safety. Dog equipment does not train the dog, but it can make the training easier for both the human and the dog. Dog equipment's bigger and more important role is to keep your dog safe.

All you need to do is glance at Lost Dog Recovery of Maine's FB page to see a small representative of the problem. Just a couple of months ago Sapphire, a Jack Russell Terrier, in York Maine was lost, and has not been found. A couple of days ago, we saw another two dogs who had slipped their collar and leash on our road and heading through the neighborhood. We could not catch them, but they did make it home. Not all of these end in a happy ending however, with all the dangers around us (autos, predators, and just the amount of land to get lost in). Dogs can move very fast, especially when spooked, and cover long distances. So what makes the equipment we use safest when bringing dogs outside to train?

Week 7 LaLa Training Log and Critter Obsession

6/22/2024

LaLa trying to get at critters under our penned in area deck.

LaLa and I have just about completed our 7th week training. She is remarkably well behaved on leash.

Off leash, she is more than just a little critter obsessed as you can see by the photo to your left. After that photo, I had to work on getting her back into the house by luring with food and having her work for a bit on obedience. LaLa clearly has the terrier gene hard wired in her. I know where critters are in the walls of my house (or were maybe). The critters under the deck clearly don't have the good sense to move their home. Our previous girl, Shana, was prey driven too, but not as much as LaLa, but then again she had at least 9 years of training under her belt and being diverted to other activities.

I am working with LaLa on making other activities as interesting as hunting critters. I am also trying to find a way to make that a motivating factor. We got 5 minute games of interactive play this week with poor Lamby toy (the only toy she will play a little tug with me with some prolonged enthusiasm.

What to Wear When Training a dog

6/21/2024

This is my typical summer dog training and working outfit. I did leave out the convertible leash and sunglasses.

There is something so basic in dog training that I often forget to communicate to my human clients. It ends up being important what you wear to train your dog or puppy. I typically have a basic dress code everyday even with seasoned and trained dogs. A lot of my work requires me being able to get dirty and play with the dogs in different environments as the training progresses. This could be in the woods around wetlands or on a mountain trail.

I have separate clothes for dog training, so I don’t ruin my non-dog training clothes. Do not wear your favorite (dry clean only or hand wash only) clothes while training dogs. Some of this advice may be over the top for just a dog owner trainer, nevertheless, I think they are great tips to keep in mind for either the professional trainer or dog owner:

Week 5 LaLa Training Blog: More Exposure to Outside Distractions and Dropping the Leash Inside

6/2/2024

As my dog's performance improves or is at least manageable in less distractions, then I start pushing the distractions a bit at a time. I want to challenge my dog but not totally overwhelm them. For me this becomes a judgement call. I can wait for more perfect performance in non distractions. I can also increase their performance in non distractions by pushing them a little bit when I am fairly sure they can handle it. I decide later whether that ended up being a bad idea or a good idea. With LaLa, it was a good idea as she did better than expected around distractions. Her biggest distraction is my husband, Robert, moving in and out of her view BTW. Next biggest distraction would be critters, but they are definitely second place to Robert.

Week 3 LaLa (Laurel) Training Blog

5/18/2024

New things we learned about LaLa this week:

She would like to chase cars (and most likely motorcycles and bikes..
Motorcycles and bikes set off barking.
How to start interactive play (for future training) with LaLa.
LaLa does not like when her dog friends leave.
LaLa likes to think about chasing seagulls as well.
Pretty easy to handle on the beach and in public, generally speaking for a dog in training.
Reacts to small critters but not other dogs when out and about.

This is another reason why training is important. You want to know your dog and not be surprised by their reaction when you are not prepared.

Laurel Week 1 Training Journal

4/27/2024

Training my own new dog, Laurel/LaLa, comes with it's own doubts. This is especially true when you have not had a new dog for 11 years. Luckily though, I am a dog trainer and do this with client dog's that I am getting to know all the time. I do have a basic format for my training, although it can change with individual dogs. On our first week, I did have some time (as I was on vacation for some of it) to do two hour days. So that is never training two hours in a row (except maybe in the future on walks, as the dog does not really know they are training and are jazzed up to be out). The longest times are behavioral or calming exercises which generally last for 15-30 minutes plus. Then obedience exercises may be sprinkled through the day from 5-15 minute sessions, depending on what we are working on. I include play training as obedience sessions as that is what I am working towards, even if we are not at the obedience part at first. Although, while LaLa likes to play, she is not really interested in balls, frisbees, or flirt poles towards that purpose at the moment. Maybe she will grow into that.

Laurel (aka LaLa) our new dog!

4/20/2024

LaLa not exactly enthused about long place practice, but being a trooper anyway!

It has been 11 years since I selected a dog (a puppy then) for myself. Also, all the dogs we intentionally sought out, have been Dobermans to date. Any other breeds that we did have were all client surrenders. Going into the search, we really were not sure what dog breed we would get. In my mind, I was more clear on longevity and certain characteristics it would be nice for our dog to have. We went to Emma's Angels to check out a couple of (possibly) Chihuahua mixes. Both of them were nice dogs, but they did not have a liking for big dogs. Being a training facility, we do have big dogs come in, and I thought that kind of disruption might be a little too intense for us at this particular moment in our lives. In 2021, we lost three beloved dogs all to old age and in different months (Tommy, Boris, and Ziggy). With Shana, they were a great pack of friends and family mates. Then in 2023, even though Shana was 10.5 years old, she did die unexpectedly from something I have already forgotten the name of. It was basically an unexpected death sentence. In my mind, Shana still had years to go according to her health and activity level before this.