MiracleK9Training

As humans, we get hung up on the number with the corrections we give our dogs. It’s easy to do and we are subjective to it. However, it’s important to remember in the conversation of high vs. low corrections that those numbers are subjective to dogs as well! What may be a high correction for one dog at a level 4 could be EXTREMELY low to another dog. The most important things about giving a correction or using any aversive methods is that they just need to be motivating. Corrections shouldn’t be warning to your dogs, they are meant to stop unwanted behavior altogether. The more subjectively low level and nagging corrections you give your dog, the more likely you are to have to continue to correct them (or in that case warn them) for that behavior in the future. Motivating corrections send a clear message: Stop doing THAT. To watch the rest of Ep.137, head to our YouTube channel #ecollar #dogtraining #ecollartraining #balancedtraining #dogcommunication

Human nature in social media unfortunately includes people who will hate what you’re doing. You can either take that hate and make it into something positive or be affected by it negatively. If you’re passionate about the speech you’re preaching in the comment sections, make a page on it.

While there has been an increase in legitimate cases of aggressive dogs where before they were more rare, it’s very important that we talk about it! We keep an open dialogue about these types of cases because we want owners to know that they aren’t alone and that there is help out there. Owning an aggressive dog is extremely stressful and isolating, but it is nothing to be ashamed of. By continuing to have these discussions and share information, we hope that those owners who are struggling right now we feel that there is absolutely hope and help for their dogs. The rest of Ep.36 is available now on our YouTube channel #dogtraining #aggressivedog #aggressive #aggressivedogs #dogaggression#aggressivedogtraining #dogsofinstagram

Running a business isn’t easy but when you have the passion and the patience, it comes naturally. When you’ve created this environment where people depend on it for their livelihood, that feeling kicks in of you realizing you did something right. To many more years of Miracle K9 ✨

Consistent and clear criteria and proper motivation are KEY for successful training. Without clarity and consistency you’re being unfair to your dog by confusing them. They don’t know exactly what you want from them, so they will continue to make mistakes. Additionally, if your corrections are not motivating despite your criteria being consistent and clear, your dog will feel no real obligation to listen to you. These things all have to work together in tandem, and when they do, it’s a great recipe for successful training! To watch the rest of Ep.137, head to our YouTube channel #motivation #ecollartraining #balancedtraining #dogtrainingpaysoff #dogcommunication

You may not be aware of this, but keeping your food dishes next to the water dishes could start problems in multidog homes. It’s not common for dogs to resource guard water but it can happen, especially when they start associating it in that shared space where you’re feeding as well. #dogfeeding #dogfood #resourceguarding

Having a difficult dog doesn’t make you a bad dog owner. And neither does using training tools like the muzzle. A muzzle is not the mark of a bad dog, it is the mark of a good owner who wants to keep other dogs and people safe! Using a muzzle means you’re being responsible as your dog learns new skills and develops better and safer habits. The rest of Ep.36 is available now on our YouTube channel #difficultdog #aggressivedog #muzzle #muzzletraining #behaviormodification

When you’re bringing a new dog into your house, take away the resources especially toys so you can prevent fights as well as allow them to organically get in the routine of living together. After some time, you can add the toys back into the picture of course but you must supervise, and it doesn’t hurt to do it with time limits so you can get a feel for how the playtime will be. Many factors to multidogs and resources but make it simple, stress free. #resourceguarding #dogtoys

Some of our management may seem like a lot for your particular dog, and that’s okay! This doesn’t necessarily apply to every dog. However, the majority of the dogs we are working with have serious behavioral issues. So our management tools and topics directly correlate to those types of difficult dogs. And if it seems like it’s too much or over the top for your dog, you don’t HAVE to utilize it! The rest of Ep.36 is available now on our YouTube channel #difficultdog #aggressivedog #aggressivedogs #behaviormodification

Your lap shouldn’t be the ultimate place of safety for your dog. When your dog is constantly seeking comfort from their fears in you, they will never be able to self-soothed or have the confidence to work on their issues. Your dog will continue to seek you as their form of ultimate comfort. But, if you keep them from constantly jumping into your lap for safety, they can begin to learn to cope with their stress on their own, and even build some confidence in themselves! To watch the rest of Ep.137, head to our YouTube channel #lapdog #dogsocial #socialization #dogsocialization #fearfuldog

David breaks down finding harmony in the middle when it comes to setting rules and boundaries when your dog is extremely excited or nervous when guests are coming over.

It is so important, especially if you have a dog or dogs with behavioral issues, to be very mindful of the responsibilities you’re giving to the person who is watching your dogs. There may be certain management steps you know you have to take with your dog, that another person may not be entirely up to doing, and that’s okay! That is why boarding your dog with your trainer is such a great option. You can rely on the fact that your dog will be properly managed and that the same boundaries you enforce with them will be enforced by those caring for your pet. Pet sitters and family me members can be a great option for caring for your pet while you’re away, but you have to keep in mind what expectations you set for your dog, and if that person will be capable of upholding those same standards or even if they may struggle trying to maintain your dog. And if the risk of that outweighs the benefit, boarding with your trainer may be a great alternative! The rest of Ep.35 is available now on our YouTube channel #dogboarding #aggressivedog #dogownerproblems #dogtrainingtips #petsitting

We often see dogs that resource guard physical spaces, and a lot of this is due to the fact that they don’t respect the space of their owner. If you’re having to physically move your dog out of the way in order to get from one room to another in your home, there’s a problem. Your dog should simply move out of the way when they see you coming towards them and understand that they don’t posses the space in the house just because they are occupying it. To watch the rest of Ep.137, head to our YouTube channel #resourceguarding #dogtraining #dogtrainers #dogtrainingadvice

An issue we see in multidog households is one dog is disciplining the other dog for something we should be disciplining them for. During this session, we visited a household where a small dog was moving in with a big dog. They were in an adjustment period where the owners were dealing with the beginning stages of socializing them. It’s normal to see dogs set boundaries, be stubborn to change and make their presence known during this time but you have to make sure you’re on top of keeping this introduction successful. A big dog jumping on you vs a small dog jumping on you, yeah, there’s a difference but only because you’re looking at the size. We need to hold our dogs accountable for any unwanted behaviors no matter what size they are.

Bombarding a dog to give it affection is so dangerous! It’s so important to ask for consent from the dog, so the number one rule we tell people is to call the dog over if you’re wanting to interact. If they are skeptical of you, then let it be. It’s not worth putting dogs in uncomfortable situations just because you want to touch them!

Many people think they need to be glued to the ecollar remote when it comes to watching their dogs behaviors. The truth is, the marker attached to the correction is what identifies that behavior so your remote can be anywhere at anytime. Marking the behavior the second it happens is beyond important and buys you time to give the correction so don’t sweat it or panic! #ecollar #dogtraining #corrections

Doing exposure work with your dog is extremely important to conquering and working through their fears. But, it’s important to consider whether their fears are valid or invalid and irrational. What we mean by that is if your dog is afraid of crowded public spaces, and you take them to sit undisturbed in a crowded public space for a couple of hours, you will probably be able to make some headway with that fear. You’re showing your sound there is nothing to really be afraid of. HOWEVER, if in the same scenario you allowed strangers to repeatedly approach and interact with your dog, you’re proving their fear is valid and may actually be making it WORSE. You have to advocate for your dog and build trust with them so that they know, you’re in control of the situation and you’re not going to let anything bad happen to them. And if you’re not advocating for them by saying “please don’t pet my dog, they’re training”, then you’re hurting any chances you have at actually building that trust. To watch the rest of Ep.136, head to our YouTube channel #fearfuldog #doganxiety #fearfuldogs #anxiousdogs #dogadvocate #advocateforyourdog #dontpet

Unfortunately we cannot use our words to rationalize things in day to day life with our dogs. This is why they develop intense fears over objects and environments. You can’t say the words to your dog, “that trash can you’re afraid of won’t kill you”. But just because our dogs are fearful of things, doesn’t mean we have to avoid those things for the rest of time with them. We simply guide them physically and show them that we are in control of the situation and that the thing they are fearful of will not hurt them! To watch the rest of Ep.136, head to our YouTube channel #fearfuldog #doganxiety #fearfuldogs #anxiousdogs #dogcommunication

You want to avoid your dog becoming overly excited when guests come over. When your dog becomes over excited by guests, they are less likely to listen to you, or really focus on anything. And although the behavior may not be dangerous towards guests, it’s still a heightened state of arousal, a pendulum with the possibility of swinging in either direction. So, if your dog is getting way too excited when guests come over to visit, it may be helpful to crate them for a bit when guests are over to create more of a calm state. After you’re satisfied with the dog’s behavior becoming more relaxed, you can then move on to working on bed stays when guests come to visit! The rest of Ep.35 is available now on our YouTube channel #crate #dogcrate #cratetraining #exciteddog #dogbehavior #dogownerproblems

You can’t bribe your dog with rewards and treats in order to make them like or enjoy their trigger. You have to work to build things up through exposure to the trigger. As a handler you have to build trust with your dog first before you force a trigger onto them so that they can get better and better with each experience and actually work through it. Coercing a dog into interacting with a person or thing that they are fearful of only has the potential to make them more fearful of that trigger. To watch the rest of Ep.136, head to our YouTube channel #fearfuldog #doganxiety #fearfuldogs #anxiousdogs #dogtrainingmyths

The problem we see when dogs are causing issues in households when guests are over is they owners are allowing their dogs to make decisions on their own. We cannot voice this enough, you need to take the decision making away from them and advocate for not only them but even those guests. Especially when they are put in situations that may be uncomfortable for them or even may feel threatening. Because that fight or flight could kick in at any point in those interactions. #dogtraining #offleash #ecollar #dogsofinstagram

We’ve talked about utilizing the crate before for puppies, but it really applies to any new dog you’re brining into your home or any dog that is struggling with behavioral issues. While the crate isn’t the only option for confinement for your dog, it helps to set a good schedule for your dog, avoid accidents in the home, and gives your dog a safe space where they can build some independence. It’s important that your dog remains in your line of sight so that you can reinforce rules and boundaries and avoid any bad behaviors. And while you could in theory keep your dog on leash and take them to do everything with you at all times, it’s not always possible to do. Not to mention, they could begin to develop unhealthy attachment issues which lead to the intense separation anxiety many owners struggle with. The crate gives them a time and space to safely be on their own and develop some independence so that they don’t have to experience intense anxiety during those times you need to leave them alone. The rest of Ep.35 is available now on our YouTube channel #crate #dogcrate #cratetraining #separationanxiety

THIS is the reason why we post EVERYTHING online! If it means we’re helping people across the globe, or giving tips to manage their everyday lives with their dogs, then we’re doing it right. #dogtrainingtips #dogtraining #dogsofinstagram #youtube

There are plenty of issues that owners have with their dogs that they believe may be unsolvable. It’s easy to resign yourself to a problem with your dog’s behavior when you feel stuck without the information and tools to address them. Not to mention, those issues are probably occurring on a daily basis. However, as trainers, we know that once we can see the issue in person and assess what the root of it may be, it’s VERY UNLIKELY that it is completely unsolvable. But, that’s why owners hire dog trainers. Sometimes it can be difficult to see the thing that’s right in front of you when you don’t exactly understand it. It’s okay to feel defeated or lost, and a good trainer should be able to help you find a solution in order to tackle the issues, while supporting you and listening to you. To watch the rest of Ep.136, head to our YouTube channel #dogowners #dogownerstruggles #dogownerproblems

We can’t expect our dogs to love everything and everyone. We can expect them to tolerate the things that are necessary in their life and set rules and boundaries with them to keep them from displaying dangerous behavior. BUT, when it comes to your dog enjoying and interacting with guests, it’s not a necessity. At times we can selfishly try to force our dogs to be engaged in our lifestyle. However, if our dog chooses to create space or remove themself from an environment that could overwhelm them (in a safe way), that isn’t a problem! That is the dog making a good choice. Some dogs will never be the kind of dogs who love engaging with snd entertaining people when they come to your home, and that is okay. And trying to force them to be that way won’t do any real good for them either. The rest of Ep.35 is available now on our YouTube channel #socialization #dogsocialization #dogsandguests #doglifestyle