Timeline Photos

First session of Relaxation Protocol in the car. Rosie is OK in car rides, but stress pants the entire time. Hopefully we can make her more comfortable. I also keep toys in the car so we can end each ride with a short game. Car Rides= Frisbee!

While working on the Relaxation Protocol, I have Rosie put her chin on the floor before she can get a treat. The idea is that she will predict where the treat will come from and stay in that position. The more we can get her body in a relaxed position, the faster her mind will relax (hopefully). You can see after a few repetitions she keeps her chin on the floor with no further prompts from me. And voluntarily putting her chin on the floor gets her a bonus treat.

How to Dominate you Dog (April Fools!)

How to Dominate your dog using threats of violence. You need to establish yourself as Alpha using energy and by peeing in your dog's food. Otherwise they will challenge you. Also don't listen to science that shows dogs and wolves have different social structures. (APRIL FOOLS!!)

The Problems with Remote Collars

Based on the Four Quadrants of Operant Conditioning, using aversives like shock and prong collars can be a legitimate way to train a dog. But as Sara from Paws Abilities Dog Training explains, there are psychological side effects that go hand in hand with these methods.

Timeline Photos

Relaxing on a mat is a useful skill to teach a dog. You can get a dog to settle when you visit company, help them relax during vet visits, train multiple dogs without them bothering each other, send your dog away from you when they beg for table scraps, and keep them calm at little league games.

Timeline Photos

What's the weirdest thing you've trained/counter conditioned? For me it was training my dog and cat to get along. Obi (cat) frequently punches Rosie in the face. To keep Rosie from finding it too stressful, I mark Rosie every time it happens and reward her lavishly. "YES! We love kitty punches! They're the Best!". I also reward Obi for his interactions with Rosie that don't end in punches, manage their environment to give them space, and make sure Obi is exercised and has enrichment (a bored kitty is a restless kitty).

Kinney K9 Academy

Throw back Thursday! Now that things are heating up in Spring, get you and your dog out of the house. Just don't forget the most important aspect of the walk...

Timeline Photos

We took a Happy Visit to the groomers today! We said hi to the groomers, played, practiced some of our tricks, then we left! Nothing stressful or unpleasant. Pavlov is always on your shoulder, so by having positive experiences at the groomer, Rosie won't find the actual grooming appointments so stressful.

Should Trainers Tell Dogs When Their Behavior Is Wrong?

Do you tell your dog "No" or "Eh-Eh" when training your dog? No Reward Markers (NRM) are not uncommon in the dog training world as a way to tell the dog "You're going down the wrong path" or "Try Again". Now we have a study to show if dogs learn faster given the extra feedback from NRM.

Timeline Photos

Clean up your dog's training this Spring! Lindsay's March training schedule: Potty Training Seminar Tuesday March 8th at 7pm. Puppy class start dates (puppies under 5 months): Wednesday March 9th at 7pm. Tuesday March 15th at 7pm, Monday March 28th at 6pm. Beginner start dates (Puppies and dogs over 5 months): Tuesday March 22nd at 6 pm and Thursday March 31st at 6 pm Intermediate (proofing basics): Tuesday March 29th at 8pm Advanced (CGC prep course): Wednesday March 23rd at 8pm Click a Trick (Party tricks and Games): Thursday March 10th at 7pm. Lindsay trains at Petsmart in St. Louis Park, MN. Call 952-797-9798 to reserve your spot in class!

Timeline Photos

Bathing Tip: Smear peanut butter on the wall. The thinner you spread it, the longer it takes them to lick up. While you're scrubbing the dog, they can happily snack on peanut butter. 15 years is a long time for your dog to fight you a bath time; by making bathing fun it's easier for everyone in the long run. Like and Share for more tips.

The dog determines what's rewarding. Cheznah (mini red merle) is a food hound. Rosie (black bi) is suspicious of new foods and won't eat squeeze cheese. Surprisingly Cheznah won't eat dry spaghetti noodles, but Rosie thinks they're fantastic. If I were to do a training session with Cheznah using noodles and Rosie using squeeze cheese I'd have some pretty unmotivated dogs. In theory both rewards seem fine for the dogs: Cheznah is a garbage disposal on 4 legs, and what dog doesn't like squeeze cheese?? As trainers we need to match appropriate rewards to our dogs.