Pets

What are the daily habits you have to remain grounded and also happy?

Key Daily Habits: Stay Grounded & Happy with Coffee, Reading, and Horseback Riding

What are the daily habits? You have to remain grounded and also happy. I have a non-negotiable morning routine and that is. I drink coffee and a read for at least an hour to an hour and a half every single morning without fail, that helps me. Start my day, feeling more relaxed, and helps me feel more centered and grounded before I deal with the onslaught of everything else that I deal with during the daytime. The other thing that I do, that helps me feel a little bit more grounded. Is I I compartmentalize all of my different obligations. I have during the day whether that's work or personal related by compartmentalizing them and only focusing on one thing at a time. It helps me be able to stay more organized. But it also enables me to show up fully in whatever it is that I'm doing. Things that make me happy. I feel very strongly that it's important to have activities or hobbies that are outside of work. And for me, I think it's important to have something that is not related. And so dogs. And so, I actually spend a lot of my free time on my horse. I do a lot of trail riding on him, and so, there is really nothing that fills my soul more then hopping on him and going for a ride in the mountains and being able to disconnect from work and all the other things that I have to do. So this is some of the things that I do to help myself. Stay more grounded and happy on a daily.

I have a non-negotiable morning routine which includes drinking coffee and reading for at least an hour to an hour and a half. I also compartmentalize all of my different obligations during the day and focus on one thing at a time. Lastly, I make sure to have activities or hobbies that are outside of work in order to stay grounded and happy. For me, this includes trail riding with my horse.

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To remain grounded and happy, I have daily habits that I prioritize. Firstly, I have a non-negotiable morning routine where I enjoy a cup of coffee and dedicate at least an hour to an hour and a half for reading. This helps me start my day feeling relaxed, centered, and prepared to tackle whatever comes my way.

Another habit that keeps me grounded is compartmentalizing my various obligations throughout the day. By focusing on one thing at a time and organizing my tasks, I can stay more organized and fully present in each moment.

In terms of finding happiness, I believe it's crucial to have activities or hobbies outside of work. For me, spending time with my dogs brings me immense joy. Additionally, I dedicate a significant amount of my free time to trail riding on my horse. Being able to disconnect from work and immerse myself in nature fills my soul and brings me happiness.

These daily habits help me maintain a sense of grounding and happiness in my life.

How can I stop reinforcing my dogs demand behaviors?

Breaking the Cycle: Stop Reinforcing Demand Behaviors in Dogs

How can I stop reinforcing my dogs demand behaviors? I want to reframe this just a bit. So your dog is demanding things from you and because they're trying to actually communicate their needs and the only way that they know how and unfortunately those behaviors have been reinforced because they eventually got what they wanted. Anyways, so there's going to be two sides to this in terms of decreasing that actual Behavior. So the first one is figure out what it is that you would rather have your dog do. Instead let's say for example you would prefer that when your dog wants something, they approach you and they sit quietly. So if that's the behavior that you want you're going to have to train the heck out of it. And what I mean by that is I would do multiple repetitions a day, I would be asking for the sit. I would be feeding it with a treat and then afterwards, giving them something else that they wanted. You want your dog to associate. If I do this Behavior, I get reinforced and then something else that I want also occur shortly afterwards and there's something else that they want. Could be things like getting at least put on getting their food bowl, put down access to going outside, maybe it's putting so throughout the day reinforce that as much as you want or as much as you can and then follow that with a thing that your dog wants. And eventually your dog is going to make the connection that when I do this Behavior, I frequently get what I want the other side to that though, is that if your dog does start engaging in, some of the old unwanted behaviors, I do what I call changing the picture. So changing the picture means I'm going to do something drastically different than what I am currently doing. I'm not going to turn my back to the dog and wait for them to stop doing what they're doing. I'm going to go check the mail or gosh. Time to go take a shower. I'm just going to do something totally different so that way my dog is learning. Wow! Well when I did that behavior, my human does something completely different. That doesn't involve me at all so this Behavior doesn't actually work for me. So I think between the two of those things, it's going to be the easiest way that you can stop that reinforcing your dogs to Man Behind

To stop reinforcing your dog's demand behaviors, you should train the behavior that you would rather have your dog do (like sitting quietly when they want something) as much as possible and reinforce it with treats, and then if your dog starts engaging in unwanted behaviors, change the picture by doing something drastically different.

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To stop reinforcing your dog's demand behaviors, it's important to reframe the situation. Understand that your dog is trying to communicate their needs, but their behaviors have been reinforced because they eventually got what they wanted.

To decrease these behaviors, first, determine the alternative behavior you would prefer. For example, you may want your dog to approach you and sit quietly when they want something. Train this behavior extensively by asking for the sit, rewarding with a treat, and then providing the desired item or action. Repeat this process multiple times a day to reinforce the association between the desired behavior and getting what they want.

However, if your dog engages in the old unwanted behaviors, it's important to change the picture. Instead of simply ignoring them or waiting for them to stop, do something completely different. For example, go check the mail or take a shower. This teaches your dog that their previous behavior no longer works because it doesn't result in any attention or desired outcomes.

By combining consistent training of the desired behavior and changing the picture when unwanted behaviors occur, you can effectively stop reinforcing your dog's demand behaviors.

E-collars: Mixed Feelings and Ongoing Conversation

What are your thoughts on e-callers? So I would like to think of myself as somebody who can take an objective viewpoint and look at both sides of any equation. My thoughts on e-callers, my feelings on e-callers, you know, obviously stem from my own personal experiences with them. So for example, I had a colleague who was fostering a deaf dog and conditioned some tactile cues for that dog using an e-caller. The dog was perfectly happy to respond, was not stressed by it, and to me that was a perfectly acceptable use of that tool. On the flip side, I have also had a number of personal clients who have come to me after using an e-caller and whose dog's behavior and behavior problem actually got much worse because of the use of the e-caller. And some of those cases were almost bordering, in my personal opinion, trauma. The dog was literally traumatized by the misuse of that tool. And so for that reason, I have just kind of some mixed feelings about this tool. I think that it's something that can easily be misused, but at the same time, I can also see situations in which it could be used in a way that did not put undue stress onto a dog. So it's a conversation that I feel like is coming out more in the dog training world. I think it's going to be really helpful for us to continue talking about this. So I'm not sure who asked me this question, but I'm really glad that you asked because I hope that this is part of something that might be a much larger and ongoing conversation regarding this.

I have mixed feelings about E Collars, as they can be misused and traumatize dogs, but also used in a way that does not put undue stress on the dog. It is important for us to continue talking about this in the dog training world.

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Regarding e-collars, I strive to maintain an objective viewpoint and consider both sides of the equation. My thoughts on e-collars are influenced by my personal experiences with them. For instance, I've seen a colleague successfully use an e-collar to condition tactile cues for a deaf dog without causing stress or harm. In that case, it was an acceptable use of the tool.

However, I have also encountered clients whose dogs' behavior worsened due to the misuse of e-collars. In some cases, it seemed to border on trauma for the dogs. These experiences have left me with mixed feelings about e-collars. While I acknowledge that they can be misused, I can also envision situations where they may be used without causing undue stress to the dog.

The topic of e-collars is gaining more attention in the dog training world, and I believe it's important to continue discussing and exploring this subject. I appreciate the question and hope that it contributes to a larger ongoing conversation on this matter.

How do I know when to start increasing distance?

Decoding subtle signs to increase distance: Expert tips

How do I know when to start, increasing distance in my experience? When a dog is going to be going over threshold? There is some really obvious signs and then there's some less obvious signs. So obvious signs are going to be things. Like, if your dog is having a big reaction, if they're barking and lunging at the end of the leash, it's time to increase distance. There's also typically some signs that are that are perhaps less obvious. So when a dog starts noticing a trigger and starts to go over threshold, Tend to see a couple of things. So one of them is a bit more forward body language in the direction of what it is that they are looking at. I also notice a delay and their ability to notice a trigger and then move on to another activity. So, general rule of thumb for me is that if a dog continues to stare at something for longer than like five to eight seconds and we're, they won't respond to me. If I'm asking them to come away from that, it's time to increase distance and then there's some subtle signs as well. That I Find really frequently with most dogs. So that is the mouth and the tail. So when the mouth is open and then the mouth closes, that's a time to increase distance and same thing with the tail. I tend to find that dogs are pretty obvious with their tail, being any more neutral position. And then when they're starting to go over threshold, that tail almost always goes up and over the body. So those are some more subtle things that the dogs are doing that aren't necessarily obvious in the sense of vocalization or pulling away from you. But things that often indicate that your dog is going to be going over threshold and therefore you should be increasing.

Signs that indicate that you should increase distance when a dog is going over threshold include barking, lunging, more forward body language towards the trigger, staring at a trigger for longer than 5-8 seconds, and when the mouth and tail move in certain ways.

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In my experience, there are both obvious and subtle signs to look for when determining when to start increasing distance to prevent a dog from going over threshold.

Obvious signs include the dog having a strong reaction, such as barking and lunging at the end of the leash. When these behaviors occur, it's a clear indication that distance needs to be increased.

Less obvious signs can include forward body language towards the trigger and a delay in the dog's ability to shift their attention away from the trigger to another activity. If a dog continues to stare at something for more than five to eight seconds and doesn't respond when called away, it's time to increase distance.

There are also subtle signs to watch for, such as changes in the dog's mouth and tail. If the dog's mouth opens and then closes, or if the tail goes from a neutral position to being raised up and over the body, these are indications that distance should be increased.

By paying attention to these signs, both obvious and subtle, you can determine when it's necessary to increase distance to prevent the dog from going over threshold.

What is the best way to overcome leash reactivity?

Overcoming Leash Reactivity: Understanding Your Dog's Body Language for Effective Training

What is the best way to overcome Leisure activity? I wish I had a really straightforward answer for you but I don't because the reasons why dogs might be reactive on leash, can vary greatly between dogs. Some of the things that you do want to start looking at are what type of body language. Just my dog display when they see or interact with another dog, if you're not sure how to read your dog's body language or how to interpret it. There's a lot of great resources that are out there. I did put the link to one of my favorite body language videos at The bottom, if you can determine how your dog feels about other dogs that can give you a better pathway as to a, what direction to take their training. So for example, if you have a dog who is quite social and really wants to interact with other dogs and they're frustrated because of the leash and that is leading to some of the barking and lynching that they are displaying, that would be helpful information to know. You might have a dog who is maybe the opposite of that? Maybe you have a dog that is quite worried. Or fearful towards other dogs or maybe just doesn't have any interest in interacting with dogs at all and would prefer to move away from other dogs when they see them unleash. But there aren't any unable to do so because of the leash. So therefore they are also reacting or you might have a dog that actually feels conflicted and has maybe both of those behaviors that play. So helping to understand how your dog is feeling about other dogs. It's going to help us determine what your dog is going to find most reinforcing in that situation. And now there's a ton of different approaches out there. I would say, in general, when I'm working with a dog, I always want to start with the easiest Behavior first and that tends to involve reinforced in the dog for just noticing another dog quietly. And there's a couple of things out there. There's look at that from Leslie McDevitt and there's also engage disengage from Alice tongue. Both of those are some really great resources to at least get you started on your journey for addressing Leisure activity.

To help overcome Leisure activity, it is important to understand how your dog is feeling when they see other dogs. There are many resources available to teach you how to read your dog's body language and interpret it. One such resource is Look at That from Leslie McDevitt or Engage Disengage from Alice Tongue. Both of these approaches involve reinforcing the dog for noticing another dog quietly.

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Overcoming leash reactivity in dogs is not a one-size-fits-all solution, as the reasons behind it can vary greatly. To start addressing this issue, it's important to observe your dog's body language when they see or interact with other dogs. Understanding your dog's feelings towards other dogs can guide your training approach.

If your dog is social and frustrated by the leash preventing interaction, that information is valuable. On the other hand, if your dog is worried, fearful, or uninterested in interacting with dogs, but reacts due to leash restraint, that is also important to know. Some dogs may exhibit a combination of these behaviors.

Understanding your dog's emotions towards other dogs will help determine what they find most reinforcing in that situation. There are various approaches to address leash reactivity, but generally, it's recommended to start with the easiest behavior first. This often involves reinforcing the dog for calmly noticing another dog.

Resources like Look at That by Leslie McDevitt and Engage-Disengage by Alice Tong can provide helpful guidance to begin addressing leash reactivity.

Remember, overcoming leash reactivity requires patience, consistency, and understanding of your individual dog's needs.

How can we effectively manage a reactive dog in public settings?

Mastering Public Management of Reactive Dogs: Key Strategies for Success

How can we effectively manage a reactive dog in public settings? The first piece to effectively managing a reactive dog is to really understand that individual and then being very careful about which situations or public settings you're putting that dog in. So let me give two examples. So let's say there's a reactive dog who is really early in their training journey with their human, meaning the dog's thresholds are quite low, can't see a dog from you know a couple hundred feet away, that type of situation where they just don't have the skill set to navigate your typical neighborhood walk, that's going to be a dog that's going to benefit from being exercised elsewhere where you have a bit more control over what you're going to come across. So that might look like renting a sniff spot, which I'll put a link at the bottom of this so you can check those out, might mean walking in an industrial space, industrial or like business park space where you're probably going to see some people but it's very unlikely that you're going to be seeing other dogs, or just really any sort of other quiet space where there's just going to be less traffic that's coming along that might trigger that individual dog. On the flip side, if you have a dog who actually has some skills under their belt, it's just certain situations as in if another dog gets a little bit too close or pops out suddenly or something along those lines where they're having a little bit more difficulty in those specific situations, effectively managing a dog in that scenario involves the handler being really in tune to their dog and really in tune to the environment and it might mean using things like moving behind a car to serve as a visual block, it might mean doing things like a treat scatter just to distract the dog as another dog happens to go by, it might mean tightening up on that leash and kind of getting at a dog as quick as you can. So any of those things can be options depending on the individual.

The most important part of managing a reactive dog in public settings is understanding the individual dog, and being careful about which situations and settings you're putting them in. If the dog is early in their training journey, it's best to exercise them in places where there is less traffic and fewer triggers. If the dog has developed some skills but still needs help in certain situations, the handler should be in tune to the environment and use techniques such as visual blocks, treat scattering, or tightening up on the leash to help the dog navigate the situation.

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Effectively managing a reactive dog in public settings requires a deep understanding of the dog's behavior and careful consideration of the situations they are exposed to. Let's explore two scenarios.

If the reactive dog is in the early stages of training and has low thresholds, meaning they struggle with even seeing a dog from a distance, it's best to avoid typical neighborhood walks. Instead, consider exercising the dog in controlled environments such as rented sniff spots or walking in industrial or business park spaces where encounters with other dogs are unlikely. Choosing quieter spaces with less triggering stimuli can greatly benefit the dog's progress.

On the other hand, if the reactive dog has some training skills but struggles in specific situations, such as when another dog gets too close or appears suddenly, effective management involves the handler being highly attuned to the dog and the environment. Techniques like using a car as a visual block, distracting the dog with a treat scatter, or quickly tightening the leash to redirect their attention may be employed. The appropriate strategy will depend on the individual dog and their specific needs.

By understanding the dog's capabilities and employing appropriate techniques, it is possible to effectively manage a reactive dog in public settings.

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Jessica Wheatcraft answers your Pets questions. See all the advice Jessica Wheatcraft has and get answers to your own Pets questions.

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Jessica Wheatcraft has been in love with dogs since childhood. As a teen, she began volunteering at a local shelter and discovered her passion for helping dogs. She soon joined the Prison Pup Program, taking service dogs home for the weekend to help them transition to the real world. She was majoring in Psychology when she adopted a pit bull mix named Harley. Harley's behaviors led her to hire Nan Arthur CDBC, CPDT-KSA, and KPA CTP, who asked if she'd ever considered becoming a dog trainer. She was hooked and soon started teaching basic manners and private lessons. In 2013, she started her own business, Synergy Dog Training, focusing on behavior cases. She became a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant in 2015. In 2018, she expanded her business to include a team of trainers and began mentoring others. Synergy Dog Training merged with an Instinct Dog Behavior and Training location in 2021.