So why is she wearing a muzzle?
Because I can't trust others to have their dogs always under control. Because I wanted to take her for a walk, safely, in an area that sometimes has a reputation for dogs on the loose, despite all the signs that tell you to leash your dog. Because she fought with my other dog in the past, to the point of injury. Because she doesn't always make safe choices. But most of all, because it GIVES HER FREEDOM. Yes, her muzzle offers her freedom. It gives me confidence in knowing that she won't be able to make a impulsive poor choice and injure anyone with her teeth, so I'm much more willing to take her out and about. 
​Do you know what other freedom it gives her? ​

When we speak to our dog, what do they hear? What do they see? 
How often do you talk to your dog? How often do you talk near your dog?

Dogs are visual first. If you're anything like me, you talk to and around your dog often. Your words go in one ear and out another because it's noise. White noise. White noise is the stuff that your dog hears that doesn't register as being significant. Why doesn't it register as being significant? Well, because we have big vocabularies and are often very inconsistent in our words, our tone, and our follow-through when we are using cues and commands with our dogs. So what do dogs do? They watch our body language. They watch our every move. They anticipate the release from "stay" when they watch our facial expressions and see us take that breath in right before we verbally release them. This was pointed out to me when I was training my own dog, Willow, to try the sport of dock diving. 

When you think of a dog trainer, what is it you picture? When someone tells you they hired a dog trainer, what do you see? Do you see a dog showing obedience? Do you see a dog performing tricks? Do you see treats, a treat bag? Maybe you picture the "Dog Whisperer", an "alpha roll" to assert dominance. I hope you don't picture a prong collar, a choke collar, a shock collar - but hey, this is your picture in your mind, not mine. Those trainers do exist (this is where I struggle to stay off the soapbox). 

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Does that sound familiar, in your own voice? It's one of the top complaints I hear from clients and pet owners, in general. Do you know why that is? 

Because we train them to use the sight of the treat as a trigger to respond. We use it as part of the cue. We dangle the $100 bill right in front of them and then ask them to do something. And if we don't dangle that money, er... treat... in front of them, they decide it's not worth it. They realize that if you're not showing them the money, experience says they won't be getting paid. And hey, if I was making good money for a task and then was cut off from pay, cold turkey, well you better hope that I have something else motivating me to perform the task. Some people need external motivation while others can find the internal motivation. Dogs are the same. They're smart animals. They learn by experience. How often have you "paid" them when they couldn't see the treat itself?
​Weaning off the treats should be just that. Weaning.

Did you know that I'm a leader for a 4H Dog Club called Paws and Effect? Did you know that I'm living vicariously through these kids and I would have been in my total and complete element if I knew about something like this as a kid? 

Well, this past weekend was my second time joining our kids at a wonderful event that another 4H Dog Club puts on called All About the Dogs Weekend where approximately 50 4H kids and their dogs show up to learn, to educate, collaborate, train, practice, and bond with their dog. And bond they did! It is always such an incredible experience to go to all the 4H events to watch the relationship building, the confidence building, and the educational opportunities, as well as the struggles, the tears, and the comradery that results.