Cairns Training

Training my adult dog. Following Guide Dog trainers and Clicker training. Based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Also, hey! I'm Ingrid.

[cairnscanine]

What do you need a guide dog for?

I don’t. My dog won’t be a service dog, I just really like the way the service dog trainers teach - the ones I watch anyway. I’m also learning so that I can perhaps be a guide dog trainer myself and then even later down the line, help train dogs with traumas. 

I do however have paranoid OCD so I’m interested in teaching him anxiety based things. I don’t even know what dogs do to help with things like that though. Also, that’s not something I ever need assistance with out in public anyway so a service dog wouldn’t be necessary.

[trainingfaith]

PSA: Service Dog handlers, stop gatekeeping vests!

I’ve trained service dogs professionally for the last 5 years, I used to have a service dog of my own, and I’m also a behavior consultant who does a lot of work with shy, reactive, and aggressive dogs. I’m coming at this argument from all angles here.

I see a lot of service dog handlers getting angry at pet dog owners for having their dogs in labeled vests (labels like “in training” or “do not pet”— I’m not talking about people outright labeling their pet as a service dog) because “the public could confuse the dog as a service dog” and “if the dog isn’t behaving perfectly it could look bad on real service dog handlers.”

Can we just stop this mentality? Vests have a variety of uses for all dogs. They aren’t this holy grail reserved only for service dogs.

A lot of my over-excitable clients utilize an “in training” vest to let the public know they are busy training when out and about. It dissuades the public from approaching the handler and distracting the dog. It doesn’t matter that this particular dog isn’t in training for service work. Their training is just as important and the vest is a huge asset to them. However, there’s always someone who comes back saying they got backlash from people (usually online) for “impersonating a service dog” because the dog they are TRAINING is labeled exactly as such.

For safety reasons, a lot of my aggression cases are labeled as well! Usually a bold colored vest with “Do Not Pet” or “In Training” patches. Again, it simply dissuades the public from approaching this dog without having to broadcast “Aggressive Dog” (which would likely cause all sorts of fear responses and access issues to dogs who wouldn’t be out in public unless I deemed it safe). These dogs may or may not be muzzled depending on where the dog is at in their training. These are the cases that usually anger service dog handlers the most. But we need to remember that “Do Not Pet” isn’t only reserved for service dogs. It could be a shy dog, an aggressive dog, or simply a handler who doesn’t want people approaching them. “Do Not Pet” simply equals do not pet. Nothing more.

Obviously “Service Dog” should be reserved for only legitimate working service dogs, but handlers— stop giving shit to pet dog owners trying to do right by their dogs. Vests are for anyone who wishes to use one.

[cairnscanine]

Gavin the Cavapoo.

[cairnscanine]

An introduction to me and Gavin the cavapoo..

Hey I’m Ingrid and I started my advanced dog training this year.

I live in a top floor flat without a garden with my best friend (and Fiance) Jordan. We have a 1 year 9ish months Cavapoo Gavin that we’ve had since a tiny puppy.

I loved training Gavin but I wasn’t consistent at all and didn’t have the knowledge I now do. I’ve found a new love for training dog though and am going all in with Gavins training.

For reference, I follow Claire with Online ‘Canine Matters Training’ for the most part, who trains guide dogs professionally. I love her methods.

My goal is to get Gavin to the point that I’m really proud of everything he can do reliably. Then, when we move we’ll get a puppy and I’ll train the puppy to be at a medical service dog level of obedience. 

I rarely have seizures so I don’t need a service dog but the point is to train him so that if I’m not successful, that’s fine. I want another pet anyway. And if I am successful, I’ll have dog that can help with my seizures and I can become a guide dog trainer myself.

I know my goals may sound a little odd but the thing I enjoy most is training dogs directly and I’m getting better at it so it makes sense. 

This Tumblr is for me to share my progress and also, hopefully meet like minded people. I used to use Tumblr a lot and it can be such a lovely community so feel free to message me!