dog training

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Take a new look at your dog!

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I consider feeding one of the most important things for my dogs’ long-term health and longevity. 

So I review their diets frequently.

Back in the day, I always used to feed my dogs once a day, in the evening. But they also had training treats, plates to lick, bones left lying around, the occasional foodtoy, and so on. 

Then when I started taking them on camping trips and we walked so much,

I’d scatterfeed kibble in the grass beside the van for them to snuffle up in the morning, while I got washed and dressed.

Then I started to scatterfeed outside at lunchtime, at home.

This was largely to get Cricket the Whippet out to do her business - I didn’t like her to stay in an armchair for hours and hold it! 

Portrait in coloured pencil by Beverley Courtney

So then, one year, Cricket started to get panic attacks.

She’d be shaking, panting, gasping, her eyes on stalks, desperate to get on my lap … These epidosdes could last for an hour, and they were getting more frequent … 😳

I did a little detective work 🕵🏻‍♀️ - and realised that these attacks happened only in the morning!

Aha! 

So I started to give Cricket a handful of food first thing in the morning.

Immediately, the panic attacks stopped, and we never had another.

What a simple solution!

How can I adapt this discovery to my dog management?

The moral of this story?

We change.

Our dogs change.

We need to observe and adapt.

And not just always do the same as we’ve always done, or what’s always worked for previous dogs. 

“Every dog is a study of one.” - Grisha Stewart

Just as we’re all different, so our dogs are all different. 


For our special dogs …

And it got me thinking about how we could be seeing things in our reactive dogs that could easily be changed by attending to diet and timing.

Along with all the other considerations, of course, such as sleep (you know how I’m always harping on about sleep!), exercise - type and quantity, mental stimulation, and all the rest. 

When did you last look closely at what may have become a comfy habit in caring for your dog? 

It’s so easy to drift along, saying, “This is how it’s always been,” and not noticing that things are changing - for the worse.

It’s like when someone sees your children for the first time in ages and says, “How they’ve grown!”. 

Well, duh, of course they’ve grown! But being with them every day, we don’t notice things that are changing. (And I don’t just mean that their jumpers are too tight.) We change all the time .. all the time.

Experiment with your dog!

So it’s time to start experimenting! Look critically at your daily doings with your dog - especially your reactive dog.

🐶 Would it help to move his walk from the morning to the afternoon?

🐶 Would it be better if he only had walks 3-4 days a week, and another stimulating activity on the other days?

🐶 Should I change his feed, or his feeding schedule (always make dietary changes gradually).

🐶 Should he have more interaction with people and dogs, or less? 

🐶 What new thing can I teach him, to liven up our training sessions? 

🐶 How much deep sleep is he having? (If less than 17 hours deep sleep a day, you need to make changes!)

Our dogs are in our hands. We owe it to them to make their lives the best they can be.

Find out what works for you and YOUR dog!

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Easy dogs vs reactive dogs

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You read a lot about reactive dogs these days.

“But my dog isn’t reactive!” you cry.

“My dog is friendly and easygoing!”

That’s wonderful - and I can tell you that many owners of reactive - shy, anxious, fearful, “aggressive” - dogs envy you!

But do spare a thought for them.

Their dog isn’t trying to be difficult - more often than not, he’s simply afraid. And keeping the thing he fears away from him is all he feels he can do (assuming he’s on-lead and can’t bolt).

As the saying goes, “Their dog is not giving them a hard time, he’s having a hard time.”

Keep in mind that this dog may be wonderful at home, where he feels safe, and is most likely much loved. The owner will probably feel very protective towards him.

A nasty experience

Recently I saw a dog approaching that I knew was going to bark at mine. So I moved my super-sensitive reactive dog off the footpath ten yards into the plough. Yes, her dog did kick off, and mine went ballistic in response!

So did she hurry by?

Not a bit of it!

She decided to stand on the path and harangue me - “Your dog’s this .. your dog’s that ..” she screamed, and as I turned and moved away up the path, she actually followed me, still screaming.

Madness, you’d think?

Perhaps she was trying to cover up the fact that it was her dog that started it!

This is no time for abuse, or withering looks. Both the reactive dog and his handler are having a hard enough time already.

They already feel bad, without someone else loading shame on them.

So what can you do to help these dogs?

Having had no experience of managing a reactive dog, you probably don’t know how best to deal with the situation when you come across one.

So here’s a quick tip for you.

If you are approaching a dog - any dog - who is on lead, put your dog on lead too.

This levels the playing field, and shows the worried owner that you’re willing to help.

If left loose, your friendly dog may bowl up to this reactive dog, all waving tail and lolling tongue, and give him the fright of his life!

This isn’t a pleasant experience for your dog either, when his friendly advances are met with teeth, ferocious barking, and leaping around.

What else can you do?

If you can change your route, cross the road, or move over to another part of the field, this is really helpful. You will be rewarded with a beaming smile from a relieved handler.

Sometimes this isn’t possible, like if you’re on a footpath with hedges either side. While the reactive dog owner will do their best to get their dog off the path and stand between them and you, it can be difficult to avoid passing.

Pass as quickly as possible, keeping your dog on the far side of you.

 

Stopping to talk, commiserate, stare at the frightened dog, perhaps stop your dog to tell him not to bark - this all lengthens the time the reactive dog feels at risk.

Remember, ninety-nine times out of a hundred, this dog is not nasty - he’s just afraid!

So speed past, with just a quick hello as you whoosh by.

It’s not that the other owner is unfriendly, or doesn’t want to talk to anyone … it’s just that they can’t! Their whole focus is on keeping their dog calm.

It’s no fun hanging on to the lead with a bucking bronco swinging about on the end of it, snarling and barking - while trying to stay upright!

By keeping your dog - however delightful and friendly! - out of their way, you are genuinely helping them.

I’m sure you are not like the person in the story above. You wouldn’t be here at Brilliant Family Dog reading this if you were.

By the way, if the other dog is muzzled, it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s dangerous - there are a lot of reasons for muzzling a dog. But the muzzle means that this is actually a safer dog - as all his weaponry is behind a grille!

Dogs … and life

It’s true about everything in life - we need to keep an open mind, learn continually, and see things from the other chap’s point of view.

How many tussles, battles, even wars, would not happen if we could just follow that?

Meanwhile, for a bit of help in perfecting your own, easy, dog, watch our free Workshop here!

 
 
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Rewarding your dog

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If you’re working with a dog who is so hyper-aware of his surroundings that he can’t spare you any attention when you’re out, take a look at your rewards -

  • what?

And, critically! 

  • how often?

It can be easy to fall into a trap of, “He can’t pay attention to me, let’s not push it.”

When, in fact, “I’m going to make it worth his while to keep checking in with me!” is the far better strategy!

Here’s a surprise ..

You see, your dog has to learn to take treats. 

Really!

It’s taken up to eight months of age before I can get my more anxious pooches to pause long enough to take a treat when we’re out. Keep shovelling them in - even if they don’t appear to notice - because once it becomes an automatic response, you’re away! 

So you need frequent treats - 

  • for every check-in, 

  • for every considered pause

  • for every non-reactive glance at something alarming (dog, person, you-name-it)

  • and for every 30 seconds

This will increase his attention to you, and his ability to detach from what is alarming him.

Whatever your dog finds rewarding - that’s what you do.

Zoe is waiting attentively for the next treat to drop into her mouth! Brilliant Family Dog

Zoe is waiting attentively for the next treat to drop into her mouth!

My dogs will now always take treats when we’re out. It took a surprisingly long time to establish this with the reactive ones. 

Toy play when out of the house is out of the question still, for my youngest.

But words and touch also rate fairly highly with him, along with treats.

You want to use anything that makes a connection between you.

Making a change for your reactive dog

If you’re used to trudging solo behind or beside your distracted dog, give this a try - and report back!

Combine it with the “pause before you start” strategy in this post: Slow your anxious dog down!

If your dog is happy to play outside the house - then this can definitely be one of your rewards! Need a super high-value toy? Check out our Dog Toys page



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Dogs are more resilient than we may think!

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A friend had to rush her 7-year-old agility dog to the emergency vet recently. He had to stay in for loads of tests (I guess they’re insured!) and the vet was very glum about his prognosis.

Talking informally to a vet she does agility with, however, gave a very different story. That vet, giving a private opinion, reckoned her dog would be up and working again in no time.

And indeed he’s back home after a few days and the owner’s having difficulty keeping him quiet!

Vets are naturally gloomy, on the whole. The younger the vet, I find, the gloomier. Older, more experienced, vets have more actual history to draw on. 

This is partly because vets see a lot of sick dogs.

And it’s partly to do with their insurance and litigation fears.

But they do see the worst cases, with the worst outcomes.

Lacy had a stroke

My Lacy, who is now 15, had her third or fourth (I forget) stroke a few months ago. She could barely totter, head all crooked.

We didn’t trouble the vet.

10 days later she was trotting ahead of me on walks. And a few days after that she was able to do the stairs unsupervised. 

Dogs have their own agenda. 

They don’t worry ahead to how their life may change. 

They just know they want to get from here to over there, and they get on with it. 

Naturally we have to defer to our vet’s knowledge. If you ask their advice you should listen!

But take their gloomiest predictions with a pinch of salt.

Let nature decide.

And enjoy your dog while you can. 

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Time off for you and your dog

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I had my first cold in six years a while ago - and boy, did it hit me!

So I had to cut dogwalks right down.


🚶🏼No walks for a couple of days.

🚶🏼🚶🏼Then ten minutes for the youngster.

🚶🏼🚶🏼🚶🏼Next day 15 minutes for the other two

🚶🏼🚶🏼🚶🏼🚶🏼🚶🏼Eventually back up to normal!


But the point is - nobody died!

No dogs got upset. No dogs climbed the walls - I wouldn’t have had the strength to do anything about it anyway!

Everyone was fine. Lots of cuddles, a few gentle games.

All was well.

Time for a break for both you and your dog?

So.

There is no need to feel worried if for some reason your dog isn’t getting the walks they’re used to.

We take care of them, and we know we have to stop walks when they are overwhelmed, injured, or unwell.

We have to take care of us too!

If we’re overwhelmed, injured, or unwell - then maybe walks need to go.

Of course, if you live in beautiful countryside and the weather is wonderful, and you have calm, non-reactive dogs, then it could be just what the doctor ordered.

But, if you’re blessed with a Growly Dog … then give it a miss till you’re feeling stronger.

We’re approaching the busiest and silliest season of the year. Maybe you’ll have a lot going on, with extra financial strain, visitors, travelling …

Don’t make your life harder!

The days are short, more dogs are out in a much smaller window of daylight.

As long as there is some entertainment or stimulation for your dog (and visitors and travelling are plenty of entertainment and definitely plenty of stimulation!) then you’re ok.

Perhaps some puzzles (lickimat, kong, cardboard boxes and tubes with treats inside, actual doggy puzzles).

A bit of Focus Game .. (Don’t know the Focus Game? Ooh - you need to check out the Brilliant Family Dog Academy: start here!)

Have you got a good retrieve? Now is the ideal time to teach it! You can teach the basics sitting or lying down - the dog will be doing the work. Here’s how. 

Then get back on the sofa.

Together.

Are you building dog memories for your children?

I was thinking about Simon recently. Don’t know what brought it to mind particularly, but there he was, in my mind. Clear as day.

Simon was my first dog.The same age as me. So when he died aged 11 I was shattered.

I wrote a long essay for a national competition, and so full of feeling was it that I got shortlisted and had to read my essay out to the whole school. 

Writing his story did help me mend, though.

Childhood plus a dog!

What could be better than having a mate to accompany me on all my wanderings? Back in those days, child abduction was not in the front of everyone’s mind, so I had the freedom to go where I liked. Whether on my trusty red bike or on foot, Simon was always there.

Now I look back, it’s a great life for a dog - spending his time loafing about with unpredictable and always fascinating children! My brother and our friends would be with us too. 

Poor Simon had to sit in the back of my brother’s home-made go-kart and hurtle down our hill! I don’t remember him trying to escape, and he always enjoyed car rides, with his spaniel ears straight out behind him in the wind, so I’m guessing (hoping!) he enjoyed it..

Is this what you have for your kids?

So the question is, do you provide this companionship for your children? Do they have the joy of wandering, protected, with their comrade-in-arms? Ready to take on the world as long as their friend is at their side?

I’m sure I told Simon lots of things I woudn’t even have told my friends!

And, as you read above, it was an early introduction to grief for me. It was much worse than even my grandparents dying. 

Whether that shows that I value dogs over people ;-) or simply that long-distance relationships with grandparents (mine always seemed to be very old) were not so real to me, I don’t know. 

But this I do know: this early friendship was seminal. 

 

Want a child-friendly way to teach your child how to teach their dog? Have a look at this free Workshop. In the program it introduces, you’ll find simple concepts, short videos, easy outcomes. It can cater to your inner child too!

 
 

 


 

 

 

 

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