Mannerly Mutts Dog Training Blog - Mannerly Mutts Dog Training

Common Question: Will My Dog Grow Out of "IT"?

8/28/2024

The short answer is that it is very unlikely for your dog to simply outgrow unwanted behaviors. Sure your dog will get older, and as age has a way of making us all slow down. However, if there is a behavior that is working for the dog, then that will be unlikely to extinct itself without owner guidance.

Dogs want your attention. If they jump on you and they get attention, negative or positive attention is their goal. Dogs like food, so if snatching something off the counter always results in a treat, then that behavior will also most likely continue. Your dog is not going to know how you would prefer them to act unless you teach and guide them.

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.

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.

Week 6 LaLa Training Blog:

6/14/2024

Mannerly Mutts Certified Maine Dog Trainer

Lala and I have been working on what I am calling Week 6 of our training. (technically, it is week 7, but I wasn't feeling too well on Week 6, so that was sub par in my efforts.

We have done some out and about light training (as you can see per the picture). LaLa loves to be out and about and on adventure. Dogs charging at us make us both uneasy, but LaLa does well anyway. I do wish people would obey the after 6 pm leash laws on the beach (and on the roads to the beach) so it could be more enjoyable for everyone. A friendly dog rushing up to your dog, is still a dog you and your dog don't know. I really wish people would be more considerate.

Anyway, LaLa and I have been working, and here are some videos that show some of our progress below:

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.

Managing and Selecting Your Environments for Optimal Dog Training and Learning

1/3/2024

Environment plays a big role when your training your dog. Dog training usually begins in a non distracting environment. Later on distractions are used in order to further train your dog to planned upon goals.

In the beginning non distracting environments are largely controllable by simply training inside in a quiet room without anyone around. The unexpected distraction (spouse, kids, knock on the door, car driving up) may happen, but they are not expected or planned for. For those who also reside in your home, you can let them know not to disturb you when you are training. In those instance, you just have to shoo whoever came in away (or settle the dog after the truck leaves) and find your training footing again to end on a good note.

As you move forward to distractions, environments can be somewhat controlled or predicted for dog training with good planning. Non distracting environments can have creative distractions added to them on purpose.

The Reliable Stay Command Is a Tool for Safety and Impulse Control (Part 2 of The Command Series)

9/20/2023

In the last blog, we discussed the place command. The stay command, specifically, is a command that you can is part of a sit, down, or stand command. This is where you want your dog to stay in a certain position anywhere that you are.

The Place Command is Excellent Obedience and Behavioral Exercise (Part 1 of The Command Series)

9/13/2023

Puppy Duke learning the place command.

The place command is one of the first things I start to teach with many dogs. This command combines a send away, a stay, a stay within a barrier, impulse control and calming exercise all in one. Additionally, this can be the very start on walking on leash with a puppy or dog. Some dog owners and trainers may only utilize the stay portion, but I feel the send away portion is very valuable as time goes on. Let me explain a little bit about this very useful exercise.