Hello everyone! I’m so happy you are tuning in today. How cool is it that we can meet via a podcast and talk about dogs? I enjoy hearing from you about your dogs and training success stories. I also appreciate hearing about topics you’d like to discuss! I talked about effective discipline a few weeks ago and want to thank Tina for sending in the idea.
I find myself this week feeling very grateful. Maybe because it is November? The leaves are changing colors here and falling off the trees, cold weather is setting in, and while that is not particularly my favorite event, it does trigger natural gratitude in me. I start to feel thankful for everything around me. I can see it, feel it, hear it and smell it even! I bet if you stop and think for two minutes, you can come up with things you are thankful for using each of your five senses. Ready go! Okay, maybe not right this second, but take a minute or two today and try it.
Just like the leaves trigger thankfulness for me…Does your dog have triggers? Like I mentioned, the leaves falling triggers for me that Thanksgiving is right around the corner and I start feeling more thankful because I am thinking about it. What is a trigger your dog has? Baxter is triggered by a new person coming into my home. He hears someone and immediately is alert.
Recognizing this is a trigger for him, gives me the opportunity to teach him a new reaction to the said trigger. For example, I’ve started saying FRIENDS and feeding him a reward when someone comes over. To help him know FRIENDS means good things, I paired it with his actual dog friends or people he knows and loves coming to visit. In fact, right now, if I said the word FRIENDS, he’d head over to the patio door to look for them with an excited gleam in his eye. He LOVES when friends come to play. With the word FRIENDS loaded, I can now start to generalize the term to all people who come over.
Isn’t it amazing that dogs can understand and respond to things we tell them? I find dog body language extremely fascinating. Here is another challenge for you today…observe your dog for two minutes without being creepy about it. Simply watch what they do from a distance - when they don’t know you are watching. What does their tail say? How about their mouth? Ears? Eyes? Body position? Are you able to understand what your dog is “saying” to you all through the use of their body language?
If you currently live with a dog, you understand they have a mind of their own. They clearly know when they want something and even do things they think or know works to get it. Can you think of an example? I have a Blue9 platform in my office downstairs. Baxter has learned if he sits on it and waits, I will acknowledge him and give him something great. So, when he needs my attention, he climbs up on the platform and sits waiting for me to see him. If it takes me a few minutes to notice, he’s pretty funny. He will let out a grumbly noise - hard to describe in words but I can tell in his nicest way possible that he wants me to pay attention. It is not a growl or a demanding bark but a subtle tone that says, hey, I’m over here. Please notice! I do my best to notice before that point but I will say it is quite endearing.
Do this for me…describe what your dog looks like when you walk in the door after being away for hours at a time? We returned from a week-long vacation several days ago and Baxter was beside himself with wiggles! Have you ever seen a labradoodle do a full body wiggle where they bend in half repeatedly and even smack themselves in the face with their tail which is too happy to stop wagging? He wears his excited emotions very well.
Now why am I bringing up these seemingly random thoughts? I want to discuss the topic of dogs being dogs, not robots. They are living breathing creatures with brains and good ones! They communicate their wants and needs in the best way they know how. I know when Baxter is cautious, anxious, happy, energetic, alert, sad, depressed, etc. I can see it. He tries to tell me.
I don’t simply push a button to see happiness or press off when I want him to be still on his mat. I help him see good choices produce payment and it is worth it to want to do things with me. The key here is he chooses his behavior.
Sometimes I will talk with a client who seems to think- or want is a better word - for their dog to be a robot. They want their dog to do what they say every time they say it and are frustrated if their dog chooses not to respond that way. Unrealistic expectations of what it means to have a dog can be upsetting and frustrating to people. Remember when getting a dog or if you already have one, they are not a robot you can program into perfection. They are living breathing creatures who need love and attention.
When I question an individual on their own behavior and perfection, they often give themselves grace. They recognize their own imperfections and agree they are a work in progress. Please remember our dogs deserve the same grace. They will not always choose what we want them to - and that’s normal. It is okay. They make their own choices. We can help you help them to make better ones - that’s what trainers do, however, we cannot help you change a dog into a robot. That is not our job.
I find when I explain this to new dog owners it releases pressure they put on themselves to create a perfect puppy. You’re so welcome! Go ahead and let that expectation go! Our goal is to help you see your dog as a companion, friend and someone you enjoy being around! We want you to have a healthy relationship where you care about one another and find joy in living life together! We LOVE that part of our job.
In fact, want to learn how to play a fun indoor game with your dog? It’s kind of rainy at our house today and Baxter was bored so I pulled out his favorite red toy and started a game. It’s called Find Your Toy. In order to play your dog needs to know a basic stay and release cue. Get them interested in a toy, ask them to stay, then go hide the toy. At first hide the toy in the same room so your dog will win easily. As your dog gets better at the game, you may hide the toy in all sorts of places. When you are ready, say, “OK! Find your toy!” Once your dog locates the toy, reward them and play again! For a video of Baxter playing this household favorite, check it out on TikTok @baxterbellatraining or Instagram @baxterandbella. For free training tips subscribe to our website baxterandbella.com.
We love helping dog owners find the joy in living with a dog! Remember, no robots! This week, enjoy the tail wagging, butt wiggling, tongue hanging, excited eyes of a living breathing creature - your dog! Talk to you soon and happy training.
