Enriched Dog Training

Ginny is an alert barker at sounds, she is also territorial with people in or around the house.

We are having our concrete front step replaced and some shingles done, so the noise was everywhere.

Ideally I would have liked to have gone for a long walk, but it was just too hot out.

We did our best to make it as positive as possible and kept her under threshold. She did amazing!!

We used her Marker Word "Yes" as soon as there was a sound and followed it with treats. When it got to be too much, we used Amy Cook's Magnet Hand to move away from the sound and try to find a quieter place. We decided the basement bedroom was the safest. It still took a while until she was able to better tolerate the noise and didn't need continuous treats while the sound was going, but she did eventually settle in and accept that this was going to be the norm for a while. I made sure to continue to treat when she showed signs of noticing and not feeling ok with any sounds, like the ear turn at the end.

Other options
🐾 Leave the house if possible
🐾 Find the quietest place in the house
🐾 Play the radio or TV to help drown out the sounds
🐾 If you know the construction is happening a head of time and your dog struggles with sounds, talk to a Vet or Vet Behaviourist
🐾 Frozen stuffed toys full of yummies
🐾 Play with your dog
🐾 Name the sounds and reassure your dog it's ok, pet, cuddle, massage
🐾 Play a game of loud sound means treats in their snuffle mat. During the particularly loud sounds, run to their snuffle mats excitedly and toss some yummy treats in it
🐾 Talk with a humane trainer near you or find someone who does virtual to help you out if you if need be

We tend to base quality on an entertainment value and a number built by an algorithm. This is not fair to our companions, as their welfare should never be compromised in the name of entertainment.

The number of followers, fancy marketing, or even a TV show does not determine a quality trainer. It does show they know how to utilize social media and its algorithm, marketing strategies, or in some cases money to their advantage. They also understand how humans strive for entertainment and fast results and exploit it. These numbers feed back into the algorithm and the place where so many go first for information gets muddied by misinformation and harmful content. This makes it hard for the average guardian to make a sound decision when it comes to the welfare of their pets.

Don't get me wrong, there are amazing trainers with huge followings and/or are great at marketing. The truth is, using humane and force free methods is not exciting to watch and has little entertainment value, especially in behaviour modification cases. The value is felt deeper within a trainer and a guardian who is seeing the changes over a time and knowing they are improving their dog's lives.

The next time you are making a decision that effects the welfare of your companion and/or you, don't let the masses looking for entertainment and an algorithm make the decision for you.