Brew'd Awakenings @sarzeff - Tumblr Blog

Using Matwork in Behaviour Modification

Originally published in the fall 2019 IAABC Journal.

Sarah Dixon, CDBC

The concept of mat work or place training is nothing new in dog training. However, it remains one of my favorite behaviors to teach because it is very useful for pet owners and extremely versatile in behavior modification work.

This involves teaching a dog to go to a specific item or place and target it with their body. I…

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COOPERATIVE CARE: THE HOW AND THE WHY

Originally published in the Winter 2019 IAABC Journal.

Full Article Here

Cooperative care involves training an animal to not only tolerate handling and husbandry procedures, but to be an active, willing participant in these experiences.

In this column, we highlight some useful behaviors to teach clients to facilitate cooperative care, and share stories of how animals can be transformed by a more…

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#care #cat #choice #cooperative #dog #empowering #health #horse #parrot #positive #training #vet

Danger at the Door

Originally featured in the Summer 2019 IAABC Journal.

Click link for full article.

Danger at the Door

City life is not easy for all dogs. For the outgoing canine “extrovert” it’s a walk in the park — new friends and adventures around every corner. For the more reserved or fearful dogs, however, it can be a nightmare.

One of the unique challenges for dogs in urban environments is apartment living.…

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#aggression #behavior #behaviour #counter conditioning #desensitization #dog #fear #guest #modification #training

What is Cooperative Care?

Featured in the Fall 2018 IAABC journal.

Click link to view full article.

What is Cooperative Care?

Cooperative care involves training an animal to not only tolerate handling and husbandry procedures, but to be an active, willing participant in these experiences.

Cooperative care is quite common in zoos, where large or potentially dangerous animals cannot otherwise be safely handled without…

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#care #cooperative #dog #grooming #handling #horse #parrot #positive #training #vet

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Thought of the Day

If your dog tries to ask nicely for space, and no one listens they may learn to eventually resort to “screaming” for their requests for space to be heard. In dog language screaming for space equals barking, lunging, growling, and sometimes aggression. These insecure dogs often get labelled as dominant and well-meaning owners are told to alpha roll or pin their dog, which only makes them lose…

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#aggression #dog #dominance #reactivity #safety #training

"The Clicker Thing" Really Works!

“The Clicker Thing” Really Works!

A few weeks ago I met with a client for a private lesson with her reactive Border Collie, Fred. We’ve been doing lessons for a while now. At that lesson she confessed that for several weeks she had been thinking “this clicker thing” (AKA engage/disengage game) was not going to work at all. She told me that she trusted me and had been giving it a good try even though she wasn’t convinced. She said…

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#aggression #behavior #clicker #client #dog #fear #leash #positive #reactivity #seminar #successful #teaching #training

When Medication May Be The Right Choice

I recently began working with a very lovely little dog named Lily, a female mixed breed dog who weighs about 25 lbs. She is very affectionate, intelligent and cute, however, she had a very rough start in life. Before she came to her new owners she spent most of her crucial developmental periods in isolation. She received little to no socialization and was kept inside a room in a house with…

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#aggression #anxiety #behavior #behaviour #clicker #dog #leash reactive #medication #positive #prozac #reactive #reactivity #training #vet #veterinarian #veterinary behaviorist

It's Not Shark Week...

It’s Not Shark Week…

It’s Not Shark Week… Tips and Trick for Nippy Pups By Sarah Fulcher You’ve just brought home your new furry bundle of joy. Everything is going swell for the first week – you’re impressed at how sweet and calm your puppy is. Then, out of nowhere you have a shark on your hands! Where has my sweet, quiet pooch gone? Or perhaps you had a mouthy pup straight from the get go. Either way it’s…

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#biting #dog #food #mouthy #nipping #positive #puppy #training

Training Drop It

Training Drop it There are three ways I will commonly use to teach dogs to drop items. I don’t often use a clicker because my hands are full but will usually use a verbal “yes” marker at least. You can use a clicker or a verbal, I will just say refer to mark/marker/marking in this article and that means either one. Dead Toy The first is to try is the dead toy method. Play with the dog for a…

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#dog #drop #drop it #let go #out #play #puppy #toy #training #treat #tug

The Enlightened Dog Trainer

The Enlightened Dog Trainer By Sarah Fulcher, CDBC The enlightened dog trainer makes training fun. Instead of drudgery it becomes a game. They are connected, in tune, and invested in their canine partner. They are engaging, dynamic, using praise, movement, play, and other rewards to build desired behaviours. They know when to stop, leaving the animal wanting more instead of checking out. The…

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#animal #conduct #dog #positive #professional #relationship #trainer #training

Shaping Success

Shaping Success By Sarah Fulcher, CDBC Free shape—or not? Free shaping is a type of animal training where you teach the behaviours in gradual steps using a marker, like a clicker, and rewards. Shaping can be a great way to teach some difficult behaviours, expand your animal’s capabilities, exercise your animal’s brain, and build your chops as a trainer. There has been a recent trend pushing…

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#clicker #criteria #dog #frantic #free shape #frustration #lure #marker #obedience #positive #prompt #reinforcement #reward #shaping #stimulus control #success #target #timing #training #tricks

10 Reasons Your Dog May Develop Behaviour Problems

10 REASONS YOUR DOG MAY DEVELOP BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS By Sarah Fulcher Bad behavior: the big picture Happy New Year! Did a new dog join the family this holiday season? Are you aiming to start a brand-new year with fine habits and manageable goals? Is this the time to tackle your dog’s problem behaviors, the ones that have had you perplexed? A solid foundation in positive training gets you off to…

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#aggressive #behaviour #clicker #consistency #development #dog #environment #fear #genetic #health #problem #puppy #reactive #training

When Pain Doesn't Look Like Pain

When Pain Doesn’t Look Like Pain

My dog Dexter has been slightly anxious for several months. I had thought it was possibly due to me being away more frequently. We had been giving him some calming treats with supplements that seemed to help. I had the vet check him out and did some basic blood work which looked normal. My plan was to see if he improved once my seminar circuit was finished for the year and to start up his…

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#anxiety #behaviour #disobedience #dog #pain #training