#dog trainer's resource

[darkwood-sleddog]

I will never understand some dog trainers aversion to just not allowing a dog that guards resources from other dogs to interact with other dogs when having that resource. it's just so simple. or like. just closing a gate or door.

[fbwzoo]

(Long rambling post re: Emma & resource guarding)

Man, I'm so glad my household is all basically on the same page when it comes to animal care & management. It really makes it so much easier tackling some situations, like Emma's resource guarding.

Like, we got it almost gone within the household in 4-ish months. It's not fully gone, but a huge improvement.

Now that we're going to start adding back having people over slowly, we know it's going to make a reappearance due to the stress of the new situations. That's already happened with the first occasions we've had so far in the past month.

BUT lots of positives - she's relatively? Mild about it - a snarl & lunge, and then she retreats. She doesn't escalate or anything. Still a more dramatic reaction than we'd like, but could be worse.

She's also not too bad to redirect usually, either before or after, she's not fixated on the one she's trying to guard against. She's just trying to create space for herself and the guarded object - which is usually me. The habit isn't super ingrained, since both her foster mom & we have immediately been addressing it to avoid situations that cause it & redirecting when we can.

Our house layout could be better to work with, but we do have a game plan in mind for managing her with people over, and with Shilo as she's still touchiest with him out of the house animals.

For Shilo: more treats for her when he comes in the room or is on the couch to get affection. Especially for me, she'll get treats tossed away from me to reward her for leaving me & give her space from Shilo. She does lose me (in that I get up and move) if she lunges at him (or Phoebe, but she's much better with her).

For guests: I'll be out on the dog bed/floor or by the cat tree so that she can't camp out and have me + corner to defend. If she's showing increased signs of tension, like pacing, circling, etc. I'll do a treat toss towards the hallway or go to the bedroom to encourage her to follow me and give herself space from the new people. Treat toss towards the hallway/away from me if she does do any guarding as well.

I want to give her more options for either giving herself space or calming activities, but a) she still wants to be in the room with people even when she's stressed, and b) can't add anything too high value that would add something to guard or invite interest from the other animals & possible conflict. So that likely rules out lickimats and higher value chews.

I may look at getting some smaller Benebones bc she liked them at the foster house & they were fine to leave out there without guarding. The other two dogs aren't too interested in the bigger ones I got for Addy either. She's started to like shredding and chewing cardboard too, so maybe encouraging that as a distracting & calming activity for this type of thing?

[teabookgremlin]

got confirmation from a trainer that they do want me to puppy raise again after iris so that relieves some of my anxiety about everything going on

[mauvecherie-writes]

so ready: l.hamilton.

pairing: lewis hamilton x pt fem!black reader

summary: you’re his trainer, he’s him, the chemistry is undeniable.

warning: 18+ mdni, EXTREME SEXUAL CONTENT, pwp, fast paced, teasing, dirty talk, degradation kink?, unprotected sex, guys, I’m a slut - we sucking and fucking over here.

notes: I put a break on working on endless melodies, this picture called for my attention and here we are 😩. I also don’t know where the 3.5K words came from 😭 this was meant to be short.

w.c: 3.5K

tags: @queenshikongo3 @dhlfastestlap @hersinsarescarlet @emjayewrites @saintslewis @serpenttines-library @hopefulromantic1 @cocobutterqwueen @bluesole16 @chaneajoyyy @melodichaeuxx-lacritquexx @felicity-x0 @lewisroscoelove @lh44adore @hellomadamebutterfly @scorpiobleue @qveenmelanink @tremendousstarlighttragedy

buy me a kofi.

You sighed as you walked through the underground garage of the building. You were mentally preparing yourself to be in your client’s presence. You wish you could have rejected his contract but it was such good money to resist - a resource that you needed at the time - and he was a good man. Refusing to train him would have not made sense outside of the biggest con being that you were attracted to him.

Deeply attracted to him.

Every session was a fighting battle and today would be no different.

It had been seven months since you started working with him. Lewis was very serious about his physical health but he was so flirtatious and it made it hard to concentrate on your job. But today, you promised yourself that you would be serious and not give into his little games.

On the elevator ride up to his penthouse, you trained your mind to block his advances and not give into his charm. However, whether you intended to or not, your outfit choice for the session was along the lines of cute and practical. The grey headband keeping your hair away from your face was matching the gym shorts that you were wearing. Your physique was on display without it coming off as a little desperate. It’s not like you needed to put in any type of effort anyway, you were beautiful enough on your own but the outfit was just a greater temptation for Lewis.

Even though you lied to yourself that you didn’t enjoy the game of teasing that you played with him.

“Lewis! I’m here!” You yelled as you walked through the lobby of his penthouse. The patters of Roscoe’s feet against the marbled floor rang through to your ears. The aging dog ran towards you and it brought a smile to your face. You bent down and grabbed the pup’s face into your hands and caressed the deep folds of his cheeks.

“Hi boy!” You spoke with a high pitch to your voice. “You’ve been good for your Dads when I’ve been away?” He licked the palms of your hands as he wiggled his tail.

“Yeah! Because you’re a good boy aren’t you? It’s your Dad that’s the trouble maker.” You said to Roscoe before standing up straight.

“Oh I’m a trouble maker now?” His voice was the first thing that you heard before you saw him. As you walked to the kitchen to wash your hands, you caught sight of him leaning against the living room area wall as he watched you.

Dressed in a dark grey fitted t-shirt and matching grey shorts with black thermals beneath. His locs were braided away from his face, forcing you to bare witness to his beauty.

“You’ve always been one, don’t act so surprised now.” You replied as you watched your hands. You may not be able to see him but you could feel his eyes on your back. You bit your lip as you wiped your hands and then turned around. Your hands were on either side of your body on the counter as you looked at him.

“When have I ever caused trouble for you darling?” He asked as he stood to his full height and moved closer to you in the kitchen area, stopping by the island and leaning fowards against it.

“Do you really want me to answer that question? Because I have a list of examples.”

He laughed at your response instead of answering. He knew exactly what you were talking about.

“Anyway. Are you ready for our session today? I don’t want any problems this time around. You have somewhere to be and so do I. So no funny games.” You stressed the last part of your statement - more to yourself than to him.

Lewis’s eyes were drooped low, his long lashes nearly touching the apple of his cheeks as they hung low before he trailed them from the exposed skin of your thighs to your flushed cheeks as you held in your breath. His teeth trapped the flesh of his bottom lip to restrict his smile from spreading as he stood up straight.

“I’ll be on my good behaviour. I promise.” His voice was an octave deep and laced with temptation. You knew then, that this training session would be anything but smooth sailing.

.

.

A good sparring session was a great way to end a productive session. Lewis stayed true to his word for most of the time but he’d throw in a flirtatious jab here and there that had you flustered. As much as you tried to hate it, you revelled in the way that those comments made you feel.

One last sparring session and you won’t have to see him for another three days.

You needed that breather.

“Come on baby girl. You can give it to me harder than that.” He teased as he bounced on his feet as he moved away from you. You rolled your eyes as you flexed your arms.

“I’m your trainer Lewis. I’m not supposed to be harder on you.”

“I can take it.” He shrugged. “That’s something you’re supposed to be saying in the right circumstances.”

“You’re a cocky little shit!” You stressed as your fingers flexed in the punching mitts before you began to run after him.

“There we gooo. Give me that fire, show me what you got baby.” He smirked at you. You fumed as you stopped chasing him and took off your punching mitts.

“Beating your ass would give me the greatest pleasure.” You said as you threw the mitts down before pulling the bandage wrap out of your open bag.

“I can do many things that can bring you pleasure that don’t involve us boxing.”

“Prove it.” You spat at him.

Before things moved forward, Lewis did the one thing that he knew would disrupt your focus.

He took his shirt off and kicked it close to the edge of the floor to ceiling mirror. All of the witty comments dried in your throat as you took him in. The defined muscles of his abs, the deep pelvis lines, the rich tan contrasting his tattoos and most of all, the budding chest hair.

Involuntarily, your thighs clenched at the sight.

He licked his lips as he watched you struggle for words. He could see the fight in your eyes as you were determined to not fall into the trap of your attraction but your body was failing tremendously.

Fine. You thought. Two can play that game.

Without warning, you grabbed the edge of your top and pulled it over your head. If Lewis thought his naked chest would disrupt you then you could pull the same card. Left in just your padded sports bra, you watched as Lewis became as speechless as you had been.

You were not going to make this easy for him.

Lewis finished wrapping his hands. “I’m ready.”

The both of you put up a good fight. Physically and mentally. Every hit, every jab, felt like a victory in the war of desire. Both of your bodies damp from sweat with how much energy you exerted during this ‘friendly’ sparring session.

You were winning. He asked for your all and you gave it. This was something just to prove to yourself that you could resist him. That you could withstand his charm and that your attraction didn’t lead you blind.

Then he grabbed your wrists and pulled younclose to his body. You gasped as he tightly held your hands behind your back trapping them by his torso as his other arm wrapped around your waist.

“Aren’t you tired of playing this game sweetheart?” He whispered in your ear.

“You started it. Of everyone, you should know how crucial professionalism should be.” You hissed back as you struggled to get out of his hold.

“How could I focus on staying professional when every part of me wants to explore every inch on you. And don’t try to deny it either. I see the way you look at me, the way you desire me in a way that would disgrace the gods.”

Your eyes rolled to the back of your head as he spoke. His words were the apple from the tree of knowledge and his voice was the serpent in the garden of Eden.

“I can’t pretend anymore.” He confessed. “I want you YN. I want you so fucking much.”

“Now you admit it.” You say as you squirmed. Lewis held onto you tighter.

“I never denied it darling.” He chuckled in your ear. “You did. We wouldn’t be having this back and forth if you had just admitted that you were into me the way I was into you.”

“That wouldn’t change the fact that I was compromising a client-employer relationship and my reputation just for some dick.”

“This dick would change your life baby.”

“You’re so fucking annoying!”

“Turn around and say that to my face.”

He spun you in his arms before another word could be uttered. You stared at each other with no words spoken as your eyes ventured from their eyes to their lips. The action causing you to lick your lips.

“Cat got your tongue?” He teased as his hands dropped to your waist and pulled you closer. The smile on his face held the promise of everything that he had teased and taunted you about. Wicked and sinful things that had your mouth watering at the mere thought of them.

Body to body like this, the wall that you had been building in your mind had come crumbling down. Not that you had put up that big of a fight anyway but the effort that had been exerted up to now was too much and you were giving it up.

You were ready. You were more than ready.

“You’ve been trying your hardest to break me. And for a while I forgot that I too can play this game very well.” You said as you hooked a finger around the strap of your bra and brought it down your arm.

“I want you Lewis, I do.” You finally admitted. “But you want me just as much, if not more.” You unhooked your bra and flung it across the room. He fought to push the bandages away from his knuckles before embracing you with his big hands running up and down your back.

“If you had just given me the chance, I would loved on you the second I knew that you felt the same.” He whispered as his hands trailed down your back and settled on your ass. He kneaded the flesh of your ass cheeks, drawing you closer so that you could feel his breath on the top of your lip.

You leaned forward and kissed him with all of your might. All of the pent up desire you had been holding at bay for the last seven months burst out of you. You pushed your body into his as he moved his lips roughly over yours, opening your mouth for the sweet intrusion of his tongue as he deepened the kiss. Your nails dug into his back as you wrapped a leg around his waist as you felt the lower part of his body pressing into you.

Lewis moved his hand from your ass, trailing it up your spine before cupping the back of your neck and pulling you inwards. You gasped as he nibbled on your bottom lip, pulling the lip into his mouth. Your pussy creamed at the realisation at just how hard his dick was as it rested against you.

“Let me taste you.” You said as you pulled your lips away. “Please.”

“Do you think you deserve it? After the way you made me feel for wanting you? You think you deserve my touch?”

“Lewis … please.”

“Take these off.” He growled as he tugged at your grey shorts. You made light work of them before stepping back into his embrace. Your small cotton panties were digging into the flesh of your hips but Lewis quickly tugged at the material and shoved them down the length of her legs.

His eyes focused back on your face as he felt your hands move down the back of his head and edge him closer to your core. He pushed your legs further apart as his fingers teased your hot skin. His eyes soaking in every reaction that he drew out of you.

“You have spend the last seven months playing hard to get but here you are, ready to crumble at the touch of my fingers.” Lewis whispered as he pressed kisses onto your stomach.

“You’re talking entirely too much for someone who has pussy staring them in their face.”

“And this pussy is glorious, believe me. But I need you to suffer a little bit.”

He gave you an inch by running his fingers teased along your slit but did not settle his fingers where you needed him the most. Instead of shoving his digits into your cunt like he wanted, he brought them to his lips and licked them clean.

“So good.” He said and then stood straight and buried his face into the crook of your neck. He licked at your flesh before sinking in his teeth. The way he drew your skin into his mouth caused you to moan.

“Lew, please. Please.” You begged before he claimed your mouth yet again. He kissed you hard with his tongue lashing against yours before his teeth sunk into your bottom lip causing the sweetest pain to shoot up your spine. You pushed your body against him as far as your standing position would allow.

He wrapped his hands in your sweated out hair which was reverting back to its natural curl pattern. He pulled away from your lips and stared down at you with the darkest look of arousal tainting his beautiful eyes.

You watched as a cocky smirk etched on his face. You knew Lewis had you. Once your inhibitions were shut down, it was very easy for you to turn to your desires. And that lust had you falling to your knees as you looked up at him as his cock swelled in the confines of his thermals.

You pushed the fabric further down his thick thighs until his cock was revealed and … holy shit.

You knew that Lewis had the inches and the girth to work with but you weren’t expecting it to be so … heavy? His dick was so big and thick but it was nothing you couldn’t work with. Especially with the smugness glazing his eyes, you took it as a challenge.

His legs were spread, standing tall and proud as his dick bobbed in front of you. Heavy, leaking and begging for your oral attention.

“Open your mouth.” He said as he held his cock by the base and pointed it towards your plump lips.

Your mouth quickly hung open and your tongue darted out to lick his tip. You swirled your tongue around the head before you slid most of his dick into your mouth and sucked. You were extra as fuck as you licked and slurped, wanting him to understand the sloppy, messy head that awaited him. That you had been fantasising about this moment for a long time and now you were going to show to show him what you were about.

“Sucking this dick so fucking good.” He groaned as he held your head and tipped it back before moving his hips so that his tip was brushing back against the back of your throat.

“This is what you needed huh? My dick in your mouth to turn you into a little slut for me.” You moaned around him as you stretched your hands out on his torso, feeling his chest hairs prickle against your palm.

You don’t answer him as you continue working your head up and down his length. He felt so good in your mouth. The muskiness of his scent was all that you could think off as your saliva pooled in your mouth the more he worked his hips, fucking your mouth.

You were so eager to suck his dick. You pushed your head down further, taking him deeper down your throat which caused his knees to buckle.

“Jesus fucking Christ.” Lewis groaned as he fisted your hair tighter, looking down at you as you moved your head fast, spit bubbles building as your nose brushed against his pelvis before your hand came up to fondle with his balls.

“Just like that. Keep sucking me just like that baby.” He gasped as you continued sucking on him as if you were trying to take his soul. Sure, Lewis had brought you down to your knees but you were making him regret ever thinking that he held all of the cards. There were no words to describe just how good you were sucking his dick. Your hands cradling his balls, his tip repeatedly hitting the back of your throat - this was more than otherworldly.

When you pulled your lips away from him, Lewis felt like he could breathe as you moved your hand around his length in tight, circular motions.

“If I didn’t want to come inside of you, I would have come all over your beautiful face.” He spoke with a hoarseness to his voice before he manoeuvered you underneath him. The gym mats were harsh against your skin but you were past the point of caring.

“Fuck me.” You whispered as Lewis shifted your legs into the crooks of his arms as his dick rubbed against your opening. You reached up and claimed his mouth. His saltiness lingered between each entanglement of your lips. You tasted the remnants of your sweetness in his mouth the longer you greedily moved your mouth against his.

You didn’t care for the way the hard mats were biting into your skin. All you cared about what the surge of lust that burst through you as Lewis rubbed his cock against your cunt. His hand travelled up to your throat and squeezed as he positioned himself in between your legs. Every single gasp and little cry that he pulled out of you pushed him closer to the edge. His lips sought your earlobe as he raised your leg to his shoulder before he finally sunk into your pussy.

You were so soft. So sweet. So tight. So wet. You accepted him like you’d been waiting for him all this time and then clenched onto him so hard that Lewis so felt lightheaded before he could complete his stroke.

Lewis needed to regain his composure but you were a withering mess beneath him. Your scent like a cocoon around the both of you, he couldn’t find his bearings as he found a rhythm to his strokes.

Slow and deep as you arched your back and dug your nails into the skin of his back.

Your lips parted as you struggled to catch your breath with the sexy sounds of your pleasure reverberating through the room, bouncing off the equipment back into his ears.

Lewis let your legs fall back to his waist as he dropped to his forearms so that his body, slick with sweat, pressed against yours. You immediately wrapped both of your legs around his waist, pulling him even deeper into you as he resumed his slow, deep thrusts coupled with circular motions that always pulled a sharp, little cry from you beneath him.

For months he had dreamt you like this. Underneath him, begging and crying for him as he deprived your body of pleasure.

Your nipples grazed his chest as he moved. You trailed your fingernails down the length of his back as you pulled him in for frantic kisses as the both of you moved towards the inevitable conclusion.

Lewis pressed his forehead against yours as your pussy started clenching rapidly around him.

“That’s it, baby,” he demanded through his teeth. “Cum all over this dick.”

You screamed his name and it was the sexiest thing he’d ever heard. He covered your mouth with his, swallowing your cries of pleasure, thrusting hard and fast into you as he chased the orgasm building in him.

You scratched at his back, gripped the sheets and bit into the pillow even as you started moving your hips up to meet his dick.

“Lewis!” You yelled as your eyes rolled to the back of your head, your orgasm plummeting through your body.

“That’s it sweetheart. Come all over this dick.” He growled into your ear as he bucked his hips hard and fast before the force of his climax had him tensing and twitching in between your legs.

You hummed softly as Lewis returned to himself once his muscles had stopped twitching. All that pent up energy had finally been released and the both of you were butt naked in his private gym.

So many lines had been crossed tonight but either of you cared. Especially when he kissed you senseless and promised you more orgasms than you were ready to give.

London fashion week be damned ….

[keen-li]

RESOURCE GUARDING.

Bam has never been the aggressive type of dog, despite the stereotypes about his breed. He has never been aggressive to anyone whether friends, family and especially not to jungkook.

I mean it's his dog. He's known him longer than he's known you. But even though jungkook doesn't believe it or accept it, bam likes you more.

When he first met you, he was skeptic but now he doesn't even leave your side. When you go for walks he only wants you to walk him not jungkook. And it's honestly an ego boost.

It's makes jungkook happy that you and bam get along, especially now that you're in his life forever. But its a problem now when bam starts to growl and bark at jungkook when he tries to touch you.

"Bam come on, she's my wife" he complains to the dog cuddled up to you. You giggle at jungkook's frustration, he is honestly frustrated. Even though you aren't supposed to reward bam's behaviour you can't help but feel a little flattered that he's guarding you even from jungkook, who is innocent and trying to hold his wife.

It's not the first time bam is doing this. He's done it once when you and his dad were still dating but he's been getting a little more protective. Maybe it's cause of the little baby you're growing in your womb.

"Bam come" jungkook calls to the dog latched to you and you smile at him amused. Ever since jungkook noticed bam resource guarding you he talked to his dog trainer and has been working on training bam on it.

"Come here boy" that catches bam's attention and after staring at you as if asking for permission, bam runs over to his begging owner. Jungkook goes through the steps his dog trainer gave him. Its been easier lately to get him to stop resource guarding cause bam seems to be responding well to the training.

"It's getting easier now" jungkook says laying next to you where bam just was. You both stare at the dog play with his favourite toy.

"Not gonna lie, I kinda like it" you say looking at your other doe eyed and dark haired man.

"Yeah, cause you're not the one getting barked at"

You chuckle at that as you feel jungkook's hand rubbing your belly.

"It's because of you and your mother little baby, that my dog has turned on me." Jungkook coos to your belly as you laugh causing you belly to move. Jungkook smiles at your amusement and places a long kiss on your belly.

Very soon your gonna have to start training bam to be around a baby.

[zooophagous]

do you ever worry that you might have, like... a pet hoarding problem? you're one single person with, what, 4 cats, 2 dogs that fight each other, and an undisclosed number of snakes, rabbits, rats/mice?, and birds. i'm not trying to diss on you and i don't mean this as an insult, but it's a genuine concern that worries me sometimes

No offense taken, it is kind of a lot from an outside perspective. And tbh, I did not need another cat. I went through a bit of a mental health crisis and got one to talk myself down from the edge, but that's not really a healthy coping mechanism lol. I don't regret getting another kitten, I love the kitten, the kitten will be well cared for, but it was probably a bit of a big thing to do on impulse like that.

Hoarding is however a pretty specific issue, and one I do not fit the criteria for objectively. You could make the argument that I use animals as a substitute for meaningful relationships with humans sure, but objectively no, this isn't a hoarded house.

It's a chaotic one at times, but every animal gets individual attention, individual training, one on one play time and regular veterinary care. They're also all spayed and neutered (except Tuunbaq who may be a breeding prospect in the future) including the two bunnies, and receive vaccines on a regular schedule.

Their homes are clean and I wouldn't hesitate to let a guest into my home at any point. I like to think I'm pretty fastidious.

As far as my dogs fighting goes, I am working with a professional dog trainer for both of them, and have narrowed it down to resource guarding specific toys and chews, so by making sure the dogs only receive those kinds of things in their crates we can avoid further issues. Tuunbaq is just sort of a pushy moron who wants everyone elses toy. He's still a baby. He just need patience and structure.

There are no longer any rats in the rodentry, haven't been for some time now. Just the mice, and I gave a large chunk of them away to another local friend and breeder to start her own mouse projects, so I don't really have a problem holding on and not letting go.

But if you have any questions on the critters I'm more than happy to answer them. I'll jabber away all day if you let me.

[robfinancialtip]

Join Charlie Chun, an expert dog trainer, as he shares crucial winter care tips for your canine companions. In this comprehensive video, Charlie introduces the innovative Halo Collar 3, a game-changer in ensuring your dog's safety during winter. Learn about the features and benefits of this cutting-edge technology through insightful Halo Collar reviews.

As the temperature drops, it's essential to prioritize winter safety for dogs. Charlie guides you on adjusting your routine, emphasizing the need for a flexible dog walking schedule. Discover how to tailor your dog's diet with Charlie's advice on maintaining a proper winter dog diet plan. With practical tips on dog hydration, Charlie addresses the common issue of dogs becoming dehydrated in cold weather.

Explore the advantages of the Halo Dog Collar, not just as a safety measure but as a tool to monitor your dog's activity levels. Charlie demonstrates how this collar becomes an invaluable resource, helping you track your dog's movements and ensure they stay within the safety of your yard during outdoor playtime.

Charlie provides a step-by-step guide on desensitizing your dog to winter accessories like dog booties for winter and a cozy dog winter jacket for those chilly winter walks. Using positive reinforcement and reward-based training, Charlie makes the process enjoyable for your furry friend.

Charlie doesn't stop there—he offers insights into engaging indoor dog activities for those days when it's too cold to venture outside. Whether you're a seasoned pet owner or new to the world of dogs, these easy winter care tips ensure your canine companions stay comfortable and cared for throughout the season.

Discover the secrets of positive reinforcement with Charlie's dog training techniques, making every training session enjoyable for you and your pup. Learn about puppy training and how to create a positive association with winter wear, preventing dogs from shivering in the cold.

Ensure your dog's well-being with valuable insights on how to protect dogs from cold weather. Whether it's the right winter attire or adjusting their diet, Charlie's expertise covers all aspects of winter care for dogs.

Tune in for this holistic guide on how to keep your dog safe and warm in winter. Charlie Chun's expert advice ensures your furry friends thrive, no matter the weather.

[isthedogawolfdog]

I attempted to train my GSD to be a psychiatric SD on my own and it was quite an experience. Although she did end up washing out I’d say there is definitely no harm in trying. I know from various other people who train SD themselves that there’s a high chance for the dog to wash out (though of course it depends on the animal, I’ve know Rottweilers who were excellent SD’s and golden’s who weren’t. Breed plays a big role in it).

I never really followed a specific style of training and kinda just hopped around on what worked for my pup and me, but I can say that the whole dominance stuff doesn’t really seem to be the best, especially when it comes to a psychiatric SD imo. Plus from what I’ve heard having the dog near you while training makes the relationship seem more genuine (? Idk how to word it) than if it was sent to a trainer where they only work with the dog one on one.

But that’s just my experience and I’d definitely recommend doing some more digging! Either way I wish you luck!

how many of you have trained a psychiatric service dog and how did that go for you? asking for a family member and also because man some of the service dog programs are REALLY really really into alpha & dominance theory which....puke.

[elvenferretots]

Do you find a lot of personality differences between your two dobes? Is one "easier" (whatever that means) than the other? Do you have a different connection to each of them?

I feel like TenSoon and Valkyrie are a perfect example of difference in individuals within a correct breed temperament. They both have all the traits that make a doberman a doberman, but apart from that, they're very different individuals.

Ten is decidedly a more difficult dog to live with. He's selective with his friends (both human and dog) and was very reactive as an adolescent, he was the hardest dog I've ever had to leash train, he's sensitive enough to get superstitious or fearful about correction, and he gets overaroused easily.

Ten would also walk through fire if I asked him to. He will instantly come check on you if you're not doing okay. He's the best cuddler. And he has drive for days and days. When you put him on a task, he will not give up. I've watched him do a hard scent search for an hour with no breaks, and go head over kilter catching a disc and not let go. This is the dog who bit his tongue retrieving over the high jump and came back to a perfect front snorting blood out his nose because he refused to drop the dumbell. If you ask something of Ten, he WILL do it.

Valkyrie is the easier dog to live with. She is stable and clear-headed enough to do public access and crowded chaotic events. She thinks before she acts, and acts with purpose. She acts at 110mph, but she does know exactly what she's doing. She has a fantastic off switch, and when she's on, she drives like a sports car. She's a little spicy with other dogs and resources, but takes correction well and can be trusted not only with friends' dogs but most clients' dogs as well. She's never met a stranger and will happily work for anyone.

Valkyrie also gets bored or frustrated easily. She's an adrenaline junky who doesn't particularly like solving puzzles. She is not patient with unstable emotions or unfair corrections. She trains quickly, but is not a forgiving dog to train, since she remembers any mistakes.

I definitely have a different connection with both dogs, but neither better or worse. Ten makes me a better person and a better trainer. Valkyrie reminds me of everything having a dog and being involved in dog sports can offer.

For my trainer friend's less biased perspective, he says TenSoon sees the world as "I am TenSoon. Thus I know the Rules." while Valkyrie sees it as "AmValkyrie! Thisisfun! Thisisfun! Thisisfun!"

[grison-in-space]

A friend of mine has a dog behavior challenge they're seeking advice for and I thought you might be able to help if you have time or direct them to someone who can! https://www.tumblr.com/nemertea/760896232858271744/does-anyone-have-any-good-resources-for-dealing

Here's a link for ease of clicking, but the issue overall seems to be "how do you cope with what seems to be a desire specifically to control a secondary animal's access to social resources rather than fear that the other animal will prevent the focal animal from accessing them?"

I really wish I had a clear set of resources for your friend, because it seems really similar to something I have been struggling with between Matilda (21 months) and my 13yo dog Tribble, in which Matilda appeared to want to herd Tribble into her crate and control her access to humans and social outlets. Working on this has been on pause for the past six weeks since Matilda's eye abscess exploded on us, but I'm beginning to pick it up again now: the dogs have been on crate and rotate since just before the eye abscess blew up, and that isn't a good long term solution, so now we see if we can actually resolve the problem.

My current opinion on how to move forward involves making it clear that I, the human, am not tolerating the "herding" behavior in my space and that it will result in being removed from the situation entirely. This means that you have to be able to prevent the dog causing the problem from redirecting onto the cat and doubling down when corrected, which is one of the failure modes I ran into initially. (It also means you have to rehab your cats' trust that you can and will fix the situation, and prevent your cats from inflaming the situation further by redirecting onto the problem dog.)

IDK, y'all, I'm still sketching out my treatment plan beyond the current stage, which is using shared licky mats with one dog crated to reduce the tension and memory of conflicts between the two dogs and replace them with memory of time spent licking in low-stress situations. We will be then leashing both dogs and spending time in the same room with (you guessed it) more licky and chewing time, with each dog rewarded for glancing at the other and disengaging. Eventually, I'd advance to both dogs leashed + direct interactions of the sort the "controlling" dog has tried to veto, and then treat that stimulus like reactivity counterconditioning: the "controlling" dog must sit without barking or pulling etc and will be body-blocked and interrupted if she tries to bother the other animal, but can earn infinite high-value rewards from simply looking quietly while the other animal receives the coveted attention.

Comments and suggestions from other trainers with similar experience would be welcomed, I suspect!

[whatisshelties]

Some jumping + conditioning resources for @wyrddogs

The Truth About Jumping by Carolyn McIntyre

This one doesn't get specific, but the last paragraph does explain the concepts behind conditioning for jumping and why it's important. She does mention that you need to target the front limbs, rear limbs, and core. That message I got there was conditioning all over will help, lol. From what I grasp, strengthening the front end helps with the forces from landing, while strengthening the rear will help add power to the take off. The core holds everything together.

Canine Conditioning Coach Video Library

You can sort the videos by using the tags. There are videos behind a paywall, but you can sort to find the free videos only. I think a lot of the beginner/foundation exercises are free. You can also sort by the body region the exercise targets as well. I feel like I need to make an obligatory mention of the FB group Canine Conditioning and Body Awareness. CCC owner is also an admin on this group and sometimes will review videos. You could also search the group for discussion about jumping related exercises. What I think is really cool about her site is that if another program has an exercise your dog is struggling with, you can see if there's a foundation level video available on CCC that might help you build up to that other exercise.

Movement Puzzles

Not specifically jump related, but I do think Mud had a lot of fun with this concept and I did notice his coordination improved while working on them. I need to get back into it. I think there are videos on her FB page that can give you ideas. The foundation 2 Bowl Game is free. I paid for the class (after she changed it to lifetime access, lol) and never worked through it it as written. I just sort of got the concept and ran with it.

Focus on Jumping by Bobbie Lyons on Clean Run

This appears to be a purely conditioning based self study course on Clean Run. Just the list of skills the class says it will address gives you an areas and movements you can work on. I think I actually had this class bookmarked at one point for Mud when it was only on Bobbie's website. I believe that was a working class with no audit option, so it cost more and I didn't see myself following along when I didn't know if Mud was sound. Now it's on my radar again.

I follow a good chunk of canine fitness or rehab pros on FB and other dog sport people sometimes share stuff. I saw this two part webinar series shared a couple weeks ago. Like I said in my comment, I was having a hard time thinking of things that weren't behind a paywall. There seem to be plenty of those. I'm going to guess that's partially the fitness trainers protecting themselves. They don't want people saying they found this exercise plan on the internet and then it injured their dog. Most of them will only work with sound dogs. I think some of the conditioning pros might have a video or post here and there that get a little more specific on their FB, but trying to track them down would be challenging.

Edit: I also feel like I should mentioned that you shouldn't feel like you need to buy all kinds of inflatable equipment. I honestly use board like items the most. I actually picked up a couple of these things (not this exact brand, but same item) after someone posted about them and they get used the most. They happen to be wide enough for Mud to sit on, but not really long enough, so I really should make boards, but we've been making due with what I've got. Any exercise is better than nothing.

[weaselle]

I am not a dog whisperer. I know each is an individual but I cannot “understand “ dog. How do you train dogs to stay in the van? Mine wants out before I have even one foot on the ground when we stop.

i've been thinking about this all day. I do want to help people with their dogs, but. Can I?

For everyone else, this is in response to my post about how all dog walkers are also dog trainers if they are doing their job right, where i mention my van full of dogs waiting until each one is leashed and invited out of the van individually.

I did also, as referenced above, say that the real trick to training dogs is to get to know the dogs individually, and that this is the reason dog trainers can't take a simple question about how to train a dog and give a simple answer.

Which is true.

And does make this a tricky ask to answer well. It's sort of like asking how do you help a kid who's having trouble understanding math. There's no one answer.

So. With that in mind, i want to talk about training in general mostly, instead of training any one dog for any one thing.

There is a nice basic thing you can do to set yourself up to be able to communicate something to your dog:

Take a treat, ask your dog to sit, move the treat toward their mouth at a quite slow but steady pace. When they bounce up out of the sit to try to get the treat, make a disapproving noise (I usually make kind of an "ach" sound) and either stop moving the treat or take it back to it's starting position.

Tell them to sit again. When they sit, start moving the treat slowly down toward them again. If they stop sitting the treat stops, if they move toward the treat it goes away. Ideally there will come a moment when they juuust start to lift their butt and you juust stop moving the treat and they think about it and sit back down and you keep moving the treat toward them.

This exercise communicates an expectation, a situation, a course of action. Like, just by my describing the exercise to you, you understand what is being communicated too, even if you might struggle to put it exactly into words

once you know they understand the concept, try to pace the treat movement so they succeed a few times. Like, you can speed it up a little to be sure you get it to them before they get too excited and come up out of their sit. You want a chance to prove to them a few times that if they stay sitting they do get the treat. Then slow it way down and make them prove they will stay in a sit until the treat gets there even if it takes a while. And hey, even though the treat stays the same, the praise gets better the longer they wait! right? good.

That's communication, baybee!

Of course, not every dog will have the right mentality for this sit/treat exercise to work, but if you understand the basics of what it is trying to communicate, it can still be your template for trying to communicate that thing to your dog. And once they understand it about one thing, it starts to be easier to tell it to them about other things.

I don't work with treats because i walk three large packs of dogs (often as many as ten at once) and the roster changes, sometimes a tues/thurs dog needs to bump to a wednesday or whatever, so the dogs aren't always super used to each other. If there's a sudden discovery of food aggression or resource guarding or just plain "i don't trust or like you" behavior that can come out around high value food items like treats, well, i can't work on any training about that without risking injury to the other dogs. I have good friends who walk dogs who work with treats and who are excellent dog trainers and that works for them in their situations, so i'm not saying it's wrong to work with treats as a dog walker, i'm just saying it's wrong for me.

So i do all my professional training without treats. And that means I have to identify what the dogs want and show them i control it and then demand specific behavior to access it.

So, lets say i'm getting a dog ready to go and this dog wants to rush out the gate at full speed as soon as it's open enough for them to squeeze through. And i don't want them to.

I identify what they really want. They really want to get through the gate. So getting through the gate is the treat. Actually, the way a dog works, getting closer to getting out the gate is a treat. I make that conditional on a behavior i want, and then i'll play out the scenario in slow motion and play hotter/colder with it until they do the thing i want. Looks like this:

I'll initiate the situation (put my hand on the latch) and then when they rush right up to the gate i'll make a disapproving noise and move my hand off the latch. I'll wait a beat (this is to give them just a moment to figure it out or make a decision, and i try to build these moments into as much of my training as possible) Then i'll use my entire body to move them back from the gate, sort of the way i'd open a door with my butt if my hands were full (this is a version of a thing called body blocking that doesn't always involve touching but is physical communication based on what you are doing with your body) I'll wait until i can get them to just stand there without me touching them before i start over and reach for the latch again.

This is where they get focused, because the gate isn't even close to open yet, so they aren't too excited to pay attention. You need them to give you the behavior you want before you start doing the thing that makes them excited. The more excited they are the harder it is for you to communicate or intervene, and it's easier for them to just maintain a current behavior than to change an excited behavior. In this case we'll say the behavior you want is staying calmly behind you until you tell them they can come out the gate, so you make them stay calmly behind you before you even start opening the gate.

The dog wants the gate to be open. The gate opens slowly. The dog starts moving toward it, the gate starts closing. The dog goes back to what it was doing when the gate was opening, and the gate starts opening once more.

Dogs understand this situation pretty quickly.

Then, when it's open, before i tell them they can go, if they start to move toward the gate i will physically move my body to block them from getting out the open gate. If they try hard enough to make this difficult for me, i simply close the gate again.

You can't do this for all the things you want to train for, and it doesn't work for every dog, but it is pretty likely you can do some variation of this basic communication with most dogs to accomplish many situational behaviors.

Like, for example, not leaping out of your car.

Or take jumping up on people. What the dog wants is to put its face near your face. You can let that happen without them jumping by slowly crouching down to let them sniff your ear and lick your cheek or whatever (my dogs aren't allowed to lick my mouth, but they can lick my face, unless they are like the twin beagles i walk, who are disgusting poop eaters and aren't allowed to lick me at all). Anyway, if they sit calmly you continue to crouch toward them slowly, if they come out of a sit, you stand back up. If they stay calmly sitting what they want gets closer to happening, if they try to jump or anything, what they want goes away. This is the kind of communication dogs understand very fast.

And let me also say, you have to show them you are paying very close attention to them. If you want them calmly standing still and they even LEAN forward, you want to let them know you saw that, you want to acknowledge that, whether with a little noise or a look, or pausing the activity for a second, or whatever. That lean forward is communication from them, and responding to it shows you are participating fully, that you are paying attention to them. This will usually automatically make them pay more attention to you back.

and it's communication you do understand. A lot of people think it's some kind of secret dog code. True, there are a few things to know that are like dog language but MOST of it is like, if the dog sees something she wants to eat or fight, and she leans toward it, she is (literally) getting closer to trying to eat or fight it. You can tell what's going on pretty easy if you see it. Like, if every part of a dog's face (nose, eyes, ears) is pointed at a single thing with laser focus, it is highly interested in, or even having strong feelings about, that thing. Your dog is telling you this clear as day, and all you have to do is notice, there's really not that much deciphering.

That early intervention / close attention thing is huge in any training situation. I work with my dogs to not bark at other dogs, and so when i see a dog a block away, i'm already looking at my problem dogs, and when i see that they see the other dog, i say their name, not mad, just, i see you, i'm watching you. I'm aware of both you and that other dog, and i have my eye on you about it. If they stand very tense with their ears and tail hard up, that's already too much, that's already breaking the rules, and I'll let them know i disapprove. That's as rude as walking right up to someone and silently staring hard at them in their face. Imagine if some one did that to you in public?

See, a lot of times when two leashed dogs cross paths and one of them starts barking, it was actually the OTHER dog that started shit, really. And if i have an easily offended dog, i have to convince them to not go off about it. And the way i do that is, I Am In Charge of Public Interactions when the pack is with me. Other dogs other people, they are not allowed to interact with the dogs, all interactions come through me. And the same goes for my pack, they do not interact with dogs or bikers or people. That is my job. They are not allowed to. And my other job is making sure everybody in the pack maintains behavior standards. So.

Anyway, the earlier you start the dialogue, the easier it is to get them to listen. By the time they are already standing on their hind legs against the leash barking, it is far too late to communicate anything to them, they are lost in the sauce of adrenalized action.

What i think of as "getting in early" allows for a full range of communication. When i get in early i can say "Bubba, i see you" in a very lightly disapproving tone and it's usually quite effective because Bubba isn't overly excited yet and knows i am paying attention. When it's not effective, and now he's at step 2 out of 5 in the escalation toward the thing he's not allowed to do, I can give the leash a tiny tug and put just the smallest edge to my voice when I say, still pretty lightly, "don't do it Bubba." See, we're just having a conversation, neither of us is barking or growling yet. And believe me, your shout is a bark and your angry voice is a growl to them just as much as we understand a growl to be their angry voice. Give yourself as much space as possible to talk before the two of you get to that point

That said, there have been a few dogs that superman-leapt from the van a couple of times, and those are dogs i had to catch mid jump and sort of toss back in the van, and then stand blocking the van door staring full at them until i was sure they weren't getting ready to try again. You do have to control the situation.

hope that helps!

[kth1fics]

Paw Prints Academy (BTS Collab)

❝Welcome to the Paw Prints Academy for Dog Training and Behavior Program! Thank you for taking part in our community of puppy adoration and love. Seven authors have come to participate in telling a brand new story for you all; confidently trained by the best dog trainers PPA has to offer! We will continue to support and resource you with the softest, fluffiest, and wholesome interactions as you venture deeper into your program! We strive to give you the best dog training (fics) experience possible!❞

Song Theme: Harvest Moon: Spring (Town) ♪

Sit. Stay.

⤑ Pairing: Kim Seokjin x F Reader ⤑ Genre: S2L, Fluff, Baby Angst, Smut ⤑ Author: @daechwitatamic ⤑ Summary: Your new puppy, Zinnia, has turned your world on its head. She’s ruined everything from your sleep schedule to your favorite shoes, and you know it’s your own failure to train her properly. When your cute upstairs neighbor tells you about a local obedience academy, he slowly starts to make himself a place in your schedule, your life, and your heart. After your last relationship went up in flames, will his affections be something else you can count as a failure?

Read Here 🐾

Training to Love

⤑ Pairing: Min Yoongi x F Reader ⤑ Genre: S2L, Fluff, Drama, Smut ⤑ Author: @jimilter ⤑ Summary: Yoongi knew he didn't have the kind of time on his hands that is required to care for a newly rescued dog, but didn't let that stop him from bringing a frightened and ailing Holly home. But now that his roommate's moved out and he's not any less busier than before, he turns to the avenue that is pet-sitting. You come highly recommended and…are uncannily good at managing his fussy puppy. Not to mention that you're also really beautiful, adorable, caring, with a laugh that tinkles like wind chimes, and—maybe Yoongi needs to look for another sitter before both him and his puppy get too attached.

Read Here 🐾

Best In Show

⤑ Pairing: Jung Hoseok x F Reader ⤑ Genre: S2L, Fluff, Smut ⤑ Author: @kth1fics ⤑ Summary: After gaining a new member to your family, you begin to attend puppy training classes to help your new baby learn some basic lessons. She’s fantastic; a very clever and smart dog as she wins the hearts of many! You think she can steal any show with her quick witted charm, but her trainer is a strong competitor with winning you over.

Read Here 🐾

Off-Script

⤑ Pairing: Kim Namjoon x F Reader ⤑ Genre: S2L, Fluff, Smut ⤑ Author: @sailoryooons ⤑ Summary: Namjoon has always been meticulous. He likes his life organized and he likes sticking to what he knows. So why is it that his new dog seems completely set on being unpredictable and untrainable? Thankfully, you seem to be the magic fix for Moni’s untamable side. You even manage to help Namjoon loosen up and live his life a little more off-script.

Read Here 🐾

Canine Conundrum

⤑ Pairing: Park Jimin x F Reader ⤑ Genre: S2L, Fluff, Smut ⤑ Author: @jeonqkooks ⤑ Summary: The perfect conundrum consists of three variables: You, Park Jimin, and a golden retriever who does not give a flying f*** where he takes a dump.

Read Here 🐾

Amaryllis

⤑ Pairing: Kim Taehyung x F Reader ⤑ Genre: S2L, Romance, Fluff, Smut ⤑ Author: @jeonjcngkook ⤑ Summary: As far as love goes, you have only known the feeling of it from the way cherry blossoms float in the air and the fluffy animals you spend your days with at the puppy training academy. But nothing could have prepared you for the blossoming warmth in your heart when an attractive stranger enters your life alongside his tiny Pomeranian and suddenly you’re reminded that flowers cant blossom without sunshine and you may have found your light in Kim Taehyung.

Read Here 🐾

Must Love Dogs

⤑ Pairing: Jeon Jungkook x F Reader ⤑ Genre: S2L, Fluff, Light Angst, Smut ⤑ Author: @sugalaritae ⤑ Summary: You are a cat person. You don’t get dogs or the appeal of them. High energy, slobbery, poo f***ing everywhere. You prefer the quiet of cats. The small bursts of energy that last an hour tops. They are clean(er) than dogs with a place where they know that they go to the bathroom. It’s preferable. So, you're not entirely sure how you got roped into looking after your best friend's dog for two months but when you meet Jungkook and his animal best friend - Bam - you think maybe you can pretend to be a dog person. What's the worst that could happen?

Read Here 🐾

© All rights reserved under all respective authors tagged within this post - do not copy, repost, modify, edit, or translate any of these works without author’s direct consent. Ownership belongs to each author tied to their original works.

[zooophagous]

I've heard anecdotally (often as an excuse to not neuter so take it with a grain of salt) that a neutered male dog housed with an un-neutered male is more likely to result in fights than two neutered or two un-neutered males.

Could it be that Egon and Tuunbaq are having more issues because of Tuunbaq's hormones? If so, is that something your trainer can get past?

Also I understand folks worrying about too many pets, but it really does seem like you prioritize their care. Given a choice between another pet or self-harm, I'm glad you chose another pet. And I'm also glad you acknowledge that it's not a healthy coping mechanism.

I've always heard the opposite, that intact animals are more likely to experience same sex aggression, but I know dogs are all different too.

I think most of it really is resource guarding behavior because of the two actual fights they've been in, both started over a peanut butter flavored chew that one dog tried to take from the other. Timmy does irritate Egon sometimes by trying to hump him but I put a stop to that pretty fast and it's rare he tries anymore.

I do also crate them separately when I leave for work so they get a break from each other and that seems to help. I just need to make sure to keep trash and people food up where a dog can't find it and start arguments over it.

[x22817]

I am struggling to read the Dogblr Bookclub Book: Dog's Best Friend by Mark Derr

I am reading through his chapter based on aggression and am questioning much of his breedism ideology. I understand having a traumatic experience with a dog of a specific breed can change your perspective on the breed. It may be that I am an owner of a dog who falls under the pit bull umbrella term.

But this man is being such a hypocrite it's really frustrating me.

Within two paragraphs, he goes from talking about pit bulls thinking "that some types of dogs are more inclined to attack a person or another animal without provocation or warning. They suffer from some form of extreme aggression." And continuing to state how he believes these animals who are "a threat to human safety should be destroyed."

The next paragraph begins with the sentence "whether some breeds are inherently vicious and untrustworthy is unknown."

The next page he says he believes that pet pit bulls "are best kept out of contact with other dogs, the way some addicts must be isolated from the product to which they are addicted."

I don't really know if I have a coherent thought about this other than I am frustrated with how this man is discussing aggression in dogs. I don't think it is as simple as Derr is making it to be. I believe that the individual dog, the individual handler, the training, and socialization all need to be taken into consideration.

Hek would blow this man's mind

Rescue pit bull

Around other dogs all the time

Around children and small animals regularly

Gets fed from the table

Lives with another female (who is *gasp* in tact btw).

Hek has never been called anything other than the sweetest Bean by multiple service dog trainers.

Bit of a side note:

Does anyone have any resources to learn more about the ordinance outlawing pit bulls and any dog resembling them in 1989 which was challenged in federal court and ruled constitutional? Any good sources for the history of anti pit bulls?

[mandana-the-service-pup]

Mandana Training & Health Update

TLDR: We’re getting a certified vet behavioralist (ACVB) involved.

A while back we tried to work on some new found resource guarding around dogs because we wanted Mandana to be comfortable when the new puppy arrives in December. We tried classes and private sessions at two separate training centers. The last one referred me to a canine behavior consultant. As of today, that consultant is passing me on to another Fear-Free vet at our clinic who is more knowledgeable about behavior than our current FF vet and she will be working with an additional certified vet behaviorist on our case. (There’s only about 80 in the US so they are very hard to come by and expensive but our insurance should cover it)

Mandana is kind of a conundrum. She is so happy, optimistic and eager to please and has an amazing foundation but she’s not responding to science based training in a way trainers expect. As of now, she’s not a danger. She isn’t growling or biting dogs or making any type of aggression towards people. All the trainers who’ve worked with her think she’s a great service dog candidate (I pulled her from PA a while back) who could go back to working once we smooth over a few minor issues, but she’s not responding to science based training in a predictable way so her case continues to get escalated to the next expert.

Mandana is still a pleasure to live with and a wonderful training partner. She continues to do all of her tasks even though I’ve shifted away from service work and public access. I am focusing on helping her live comfortably in her body. It will take time but the prospect puppy will hopefully take some of the pressure off her in regards to service work and maybe if we figure out these issues Mandana can go back to working part time but if not that’s ok too ❤️