When will my dog be trained? At Noble Woof Dog Training we believe that training is a journey that evolves throughout your dog's entire life. Our tagline, "Training is a Journey, not a destination," reflects this philosophy emphasizing the ongoing nature of dog training and the importance of commitment and consistency. Lets explore why dog training is never truly "finished" and how embracing this lifelong journey from the perspective or relational psychology is essential in building a strong bond with your canine companion.
Read MoreWhy is my dog trainer asking me to stop taking my dog into the contexts where the problem behavior is expressed?
Your positive reinforcement trainer may be advising you to stop taking your dog into environments where problem behavior is expressed for several reasons:
Read MoreRecall, also known as “come when called” is a simple behavior to teach, but is difficult for our dogs to do consistently unless we set them up for success. A dog who is ENGAGED knows that payments (praise, treats, toys, and fun) come from their handler and is motivated to work with their human. Before we can ask a dog to follow cues, have good manners, or be safe off leash, we must show them that listening to us is in their best interest.
The following 5 rules of thumb for building a great recall should help!
Read MoreDogs do miss their human counterparts, thanks to the time you’ve spent creating positive associations with them. But dogs don’t define “miss” the same way humans do. Rather than “longing” for us, dogs notice our absence. So when we return, they display many signs of happiness.
“We are a source of a lot of positive reinforcement for dogs,” says Brie Blakeman, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA. “Our absence can easily be associated with absence of those reinforcers.”
Read MoreUnderstanding your dog’s core needs is a crucial aspect in raising a calm adult dog. Every dog has an “emotional cup” that is relatively empty at the start of the day & needs be filled through satisfying their instinctive core needs.
Every dog, being a member of the canine species has at least these 6 core needs. The order of importance depends on the individual.
Read MoreKnowing what to do when an off leash dog rushes you and your pup can save everyone a lot of stress. Having a plan in place with a few sets of rehearsed options is key. Take a look at these recommendations and let us know what you would add to the list! Have you been rushed by an off leash dog? What was your experience? Share in the comments!
Read MoreBefore every puppy class all surfaces, and props are sprayed down with a thorough coat of Rescue, which is then allowed to air dry before your puppy comes into contact with the objects/props they will be using in class.
After every puppy class all props are either sprayed again, or soaked in a bleach solution. All toys and fabric surfaces are run through our washer/drying with both detergent and bleach.
Read MoreCoach Jackson Poling of Noble Woof Dog Training recommends habit stacking. Habit stacking is when we are able to make it easy to follow “guidelines” for ourselves to stay on top of important daily tasks. Some examples include pairing a certain training exercise with a day of the week, or a specific daily event. For example, always following feeding time with wiping the counter down, or always mopping the floor after the dogs have been bathed so it stays cleaner longer.
Read MoreOur puppy socials are small in size. This allows us to guide and work with each team. Puppies learn and grow at fantastically rapid rates, and we do not want to miss an opportunity to support a puppy through a learning moment because we are too busy elsewhere. We leave space for learning and discussion as well as play and exploration in each puppy social class!
Read MoreNoble Woof recently opened its first brick-and-mortar space at 8502 SE Stark Street after six years of providing in-home private dog training. Staff use positive reinforcement methods to cultivate good behavior and emotional enrichment in dogs. In addition to various instructor-led courses, their day training program helps reinforce at-home training with the added socialization dogs benefit from.
Read MoreCues are important because they are how we achieve interspecies communication. Even between members of the same species, we are always signaling and responding to signals, or cues, from one another. Even as a verbally oriented species, us humans use a great deal of body language signals to communicate to one another how we are feeling.
Read MoreBuilding Behavior to Fluency. What is a fluent behavior?
Whole Dog Journal describes fluent behavior as "Fluency means the dog performs the desired behavior correctly, smoothly, and without hesitation."
Six aspects of fluent behaviors include…
Read MoreAt Noble Woof we believe in getting all dog teams the best possible training they could get, and sometimes that means referring them out to more experienced trainers, veterinary behaviorists, or simply trainers who have more availability and can meet your need quicker than we can.
Read MoreOne of the hardest behavior issues to live with is a dog who was never potty trained. Luckily, potty training should be really swift and easy if good management and a clear plan is in place. A huge aspect of potty training is preventing the dog from having accidents inside the house through active supervision, a consistent potty/feeding schedule, and good management tools. It is also important to recognize that dogs never eliminate inappropriately due to malicious intent. If your dog or puppy has eliminated inappropriately it is due to poor management, not enough access to where they should go, a lack of schedule, extreme fear or phobia, or a medical issue.
Read MoreThese are words we live by here at Noble Woof. The first step to ethical behavior change is recognizing that animal behavior is honest, and true and that we too are animals who also deserve empathic and patient teaching practices. We must be advocates and allies for our dogs, for our clients and for each other.
Read MoreThis database of information was collected to give folks easy access to studies that are commonly cited as arguments against the use of aversive tools such as prong collars and shock collars (ecollars). We have compiled this information so that you can make your own informed decisions.
Read MoreQuestions to ask and things to consider when selecting the best trainer for you.
Read MoreDuring this sensitive period it is essential that puppies experience the world in a safe, positive way as their brains are just starting to solidify what is safe or unsafe in their world. Anything they have not experienced after this period will likely be perceived as dangerous. Anything that a puppy has had negative experiences with, or has had no experience with by the time they are
Read MoreSo your dog has been referred to a Veterinary Behaviorist and you are feeling down and depleted. You think to yourself, “Is it really worth it? Maybe I will just try training with a trainer and see what comes of that first.”
Read MoreIn the canine world respect is not earned through force, fear, or intimidation, and everything we thought we knew about wolves having a hierarchical pack structure where a dominant “alpha” is “top dog” is also completely false.
A lot has changed in the industry of dog training over the last 30 years, but general knowledge can be slow to catch up and the media is often no help.
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