Are you moving with your dog from a house to an apartment? Or wondering if you should get a dog if you don’t have a fenced-in backyard?

As it turns out, your dog’s happiness and well-being is not dependent on whether you have a yard or not. In fact, many apartment dogs have more fulfilling lives than those who live in houses with yards.

Why Your Dog Doesn’t Need A Yard To Get Exercise

A fenced yard is a wonderful thing – but it’s not the only way your dog can get exercise and mental stimulation.

In fact, dogs do not necessarily get adequate exercise from being let out into a yard on their own. It’s not unusual for dogs to find destructive ways to entertain themselves in a yard. For example, they may develop a habit of “fence-fighting” or barking aggressively through the fence with a next door neighbour’s dog.

Not having a yard means you will need to actively take your dog outside and interact with them. You can go on a long, relaxed walk, or go for a quick jog when you’re short on time. You can even use a step tracker app on your phone to track your dog’s daily activity.

Entertaining Your Dog Indoors

You can play all of the games you’d play with your dog in a yard in your own living room. It will just take a bit of creativity while you work with a smaller space.

Hide-and-seek, nosework and free play with toys are all fun to do indoors. Remember, you do not always need to use strenuous physical activity to provide mental stimulation and lessen unwanted behaviours. You can also fill your dog’s schedule with long-lasting chews, puzzle toys, and teaching new tricks.

Alternative Ways To Get Off-Lead Time

Though your dog may get plenty of exercise on walks, you can use safe, fenced-in areas to practice recall and play fetch. Off-lead time is also a good way to give your dog an opportunity to sniff and explore freely.

Playtime At The Dog Park

Dog park experiences are hit-or-miss. Your dog could make wonderful new friends. They may enjoy playing with other dogs. But just one scary interaction with an aggressive dog park visitor can lead to fear-based issues like reactivity.

If you’re going to go to a dog park, you may want to go when there are no more than two or three other dogs around. Dog parks tend to be very crowded on weekday afternoons and weekends. You can get up early and  try taking your dog before work, or going on your lunch break.

Make sure you’re well-versed in dog body language before taking your dog to play. If your dog is bullying other dogs, or has become a bully, be prepared to leave right away.

Stay Safe With A Long Line

Some areas have posted signs that specify that your dog must be on a standard length lead, while others do not specify. To give your dog more freedom without the risks of going off-lead, you can use a long line, a lunge line, or a few leads clipped together.

Use your long lead in a wide open area where you won’t risk getting tangled. No matter how friendly your dog is, be careful of letting them run up to people and other dogs. Dog-friendly beaches, fields and other open spaces are perfect for using your long lead.

Need Help Getting Your Dog To Adjust To Apartment Living?

Having a dog in an apartment does come with its own unique challenges. Your dog may not be used to the sounds of people moving about the building, and they may bark while you’re away, leading to noise complaints from your neighbours.

Not to worry – you don’t have to do this on your own. Working with a positive trainer is the best way to understand your dog’s issues and help them learn to love living in your new space. Contact Healthy Houndz for positive training in Toronto and North York.

Do you want to bring home a new cat , but worry that they’ll fight like, well… cats and dogs?

As it turns out, you can safely enjoy the best of both worlds.

A University of Lincoln questionnaire study found that the majority of cat-dog households are relatively peaceful. Keeping in mind that the results come from a self-reported survey, animal behaviour experts were not available to actually observe the households. Even so, the results of the survey are helpful to prospective cat parents who already have dogs.

What We Can Learn From Cat-Dog Households

The survey, which included answers from 748 people, found that 64.9% of cats and 85.8% of dogs were said to be “rarely” or “never” uncomfortable in the other’s presence. It also showed that 20.5% of their cats and just 7.3% of their dogs were uncomfortable with one another at least once a week.

Naturally, dogs are typically larger and more powerful than cats, so it makes sense that dogs are unlikely to feel threatened by their feline housemates.

Another study, conducted by Tel Aviv University, included video animal behaviour reviews with experts, and illustrated that two thirds of cat-dog relationships were actually positive. They found that adopting the cat first, and introducing the animals before maturity – prior to six months of age for cats, and one year for dogs – greatly increased the chance of a positive relationship.

Adopting A Dog Compatible Cat

You’ll want to adopt a cat under six months of age, or one that has been known to have a good relationship with dogs in their previous home. Many shelters and humane societies conduct temperament for compatibility with other animals.

If you’re buying a cat from a breeder, consider looking into breeds that are known to be dog friendly. Large cats, like the Maine Coon and Norwegian Forest Cat, tend to get along well with dogs. Affectionate, laid-back breeds like the Ragdoll, Birman and American Shorthair also tend to like dogs.

How You Can Help Your Cat Feel Safe

The successful cat-dog relationship is usually,dictated by your cat. If your cat feels safe and secure, they will not feel the need to attack your dog or race around in a way that starts up a chase.

Make sure your cat has plenty of high up areas that your dog cannot access. Cat trees, cat shelves, and windowsills can all make good kitty havens that your cat can use if they are ever feeling overwhelmed by your dog, or just need some space of their own.

Your Cat’s First Days Home

On your cat’s first day home, you may be tempted to let them loose and let your pets “sort it out”. This is the worst possible scenario because your dog may become territorial upon a strange creature entering their home, while your cat will already be anxious, and would be flooded by the stress of all of the new sights and smells, plus the attention from your curious dog.

Keep your new cat in a safe space with their litter box. Confined to one room, like a bathroom, they can slowly get to know your home while your dog starts to pick up on their scent. After a few days, you can introduce your cat to other parts of your home, while your dog is contained with a baby gate, but able to see and smell your cat through it.

It’s normal for both animals to be curious around one another. Look for signs of stress or stimulation overload, like barking, lunging and heavy panting from your dog, and puffing, hissing or hiding from your cat. You can offer treats to each animal to help them feel less stressed while they are spending time near one another.

If both animals seem tolerant one another – they don’t have to be best friends right away – you can put them in the same room, supervised, with your dog on a leash. Do not walk your dog right up to your cat, as it would be overwhelming to force them to be face-to-face in an unnatural way.

Encouraging A Healthy Friendship

A large bed placed in the direct path of a midday sunbeam can become a popular communal cuddle-zone. You can also try training your cat and dog alongside each other to create a positive experience.

When it comes down to it, you cannot make your cat and dog become friends. It’s not unusual for them to merely tolerate one another for their entire lives.

As long as your cat has safe spaces, and you keep your dog out of the cat’s food bowl and litter box, they should feel content in your home.

Need Help Training Your Dog To Leave Your Cat Alone?

Even with precautions, your dog may still bother your cat. This can be due to boredom, prey drive or even fear. Using positive training techniques, we can teach your dog to feel differently about your cat – no punishments needed. Punishments can actually create negative experiences for your dog that they will associate with the cat’s presence, which can make bad behaviour worse.

Call 647-749-8731 or contact Healthy Houndz for positive dog training in Toronto and North York.

Have you ever noticed that when you start your day with a healthy breakfast – rather than with a doughnut – you’re able to focus much more easily at work?

Your dog’s diet, from their meals and snacks to bones and treats, affects their ability to pick up new skills, control their impulses, and stay focused on you.

Dogs also focus better when they eat well.

What’s For Dinner?

There is little data that shows the correlation between a dog’s diet and their behaviour, despite anecdotal evidence of dogs showing improvements in focus, lethargy, anxiety and aggression when switched to a fresh diet.

What we do know is that your dog’s gut health affects their entire body and their well-being. Adding even small amounts of fresh food to your dog’s processed kibble diet can help their beneficial gut bacteria flourish for improved mood, focus and clarity.

You can also support your dog’s gut health with probiotics. Yogurt and kefir are full of probiotics and safe to give your dog in small amounts, but it’s even better to use a dog-specific probiotic or goat’s milk kefir, which is easier for dogs to digest than kefir made with cow’s milk.

We also know that amino acids like tryptophan and tyrosine help your dog’s body create dopamine and serotonin, hormones that affect your dog’s mood. You can find these amino acids in processed foods, but they’re uncompromised and more bioavailable in fresh protein sources like red meat, eggs, chicken, turkey and fish. Contrary to popular Thanksgiving myth, turkey does not contain especially high levels of tryptophan – you’ll find this amino acid in all fresh meats.

Omega-3 fatty acids also support mood and brain health. You can use fish oil supplements to increase your dog’s intake. Whole food sources like tinned salmon or sardines (packed in water, low sodium) are another powerful way to keep your dog sharp.

While it’s wonderful if you’re able to switch to a raw or cooked, fresh food diet, simply replacing 10 percent of your dog’s kibble with fresh foods can make a difference in their health and behaviour.

When To Feed Your Dog

You might have tried training your dog on an empty stomach to increase their motivation for food rewards. Though a hungry dog definitely has more of a reason to perform well to receive treats, a University of Kentucky study suggests that dogs can focus better after they’ve had a meal.

A hungry dog may make more mistakes in rushed attempts to get food. They may be focusing too readily on the treat, rather than the task itself.

Remember to wait 30 minutes before and after feeding your dog to allow them to exercise. Exercising right before or after a meal can cause bloat, a deadly condition in which the stomach twists and fills with gas.

If you’re doing a lot of training, you can still use parts of your dog’s meals as rewards. You may just want to allow them to eat a small portion beforehand so they won’t be too hungry.

Are Your Treats “High Value”?

When we say to use high value treats, we mean rewards that your dog absolutely loves.

For most dogs, the yummiest treats are smelly, meaty and high in moisture. Dry, cookie-style treats are typically too bland for most dogs to go crazy for, and they just contribute carbs that will make your dog feel sluggish, and in the long run, gain too much weight.

The best treats are made mostly of meat, fish or eggs. To keep them healthy, you may want to look for low fat options. Even so, high quality proteins are a wonderful fuel source that will keep your dog motivated. To maintain your dog’s weight, check out our healthy, high value treat ideas.

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Do you ever feel annoyance, resentment or even anger towards your dog?

Do you ever feel annoyance, resentment or even anger towards your dog?

It happens to everyone. Even though your dog can’t help making mistakes, it’s normal to feel frustrated at times.

Getting frustrated does not make you a bad dog owner. It just means that it’s time to take a step back, take a breather, and try a new approach to your training problem.

Why Do You Feel Frustrated?

Just as we have to consider the underlying causes behind our dog’s behaviour issues, we should be just as patient with ourselves. Try to figure out why you’re feeling so frustrated.

Is it because you set the bar too high? Are you comparing them with dogs in videos, your neighbor’s dog, or simply expecting too much of them?

Or, are you actually feeling embarrassed by your dog? Do they make a dramatic scene in public? Do you ever feel like they make you look like a bad dog owner? Maybe your family members, neighbors, or complete strangers are complaining, giving you judgemental comments or overwhelming you with unsolicited advice.

These are all valid reasons for feeling extra stressed about training your dog. You may need to work around them. It may be necessary to lower your expectations, or explain to those around you that your dog is still in training.

How Frustration Affects Your Dog

Dogs pick up on our frustration. They can actually detect stress levels through the odour of your sweat, and they are also highly skilled at picking up facial expressions and body language.

Some of your dog’s frustrating behaviours can actually be signs that your dog knows that you are stressed. At times, your dog may appear to be ignoring you, when in reality, they’re giving off “calming signals”.

Dogs use “calming signals” to diffuse situations, to appear non-confrontational. For example, your dog may sniff the grass, yawn, walk away, or refuse to make eye contact. They may seem uninterested and disengaged, when in reality, they’re becoming afraid of you. Your dog is not ignoring you, they’re just trying to appear non-threatening so you’ll calm down.

How To Rewire Your Mindset

When you catch yourself becoming frustrated, especially if your dog is showing calming signals, it’s time to take a break to decompress.

In the meantime, try breaking down your goal into easier, more manageable steps. Try going back a few steps and reinforcing related behaviours that your dog already knows.

Both you and your dog will feel better with those small “wins”. Always end each training session on a good note, even if that means simply asking your dog to “sit” and rewarding them with one last treat. Training sessions should leave you and your dog wanting more, not totally drained and unmotivated.

How To Succeed In Dog Training

To increase your chances of reaching your dog training goals, always set your dog up for success.

Make sure they understand what is being asked of them. If you can’t seem to communicate clearly, try setting up the lesson in a new way. You can use obstacles, a target stick, stickers, markers and other props to guide your dog without the use of physical force or lots of trial and error.

A simple treat upgrade can make a huge difference in the speed of your progress. High-protein treats like meat, cheese, fish and peanut butter are the most motivating. Look for healthy, high value treats that won’t make your dog gain weight.

Work With A Positive Dog Trainer

Healthy Houndz positive dog training serves North York, Toronto and surrounding areas.
You can always vent to us when you’re frustrated with your dog. We get it. We are committed to finding humane, force-free ways to teach dogs, and along the way, we can show you exactly how to break down the communication barriers that cause frustration. Give us a call at 647-749-8731 or contact us today to get started.

To a dog owner, the worst feeling in the world is discovering a pile of chocolate wrappers next to your quivering dog.

Or realizing that your dog may have consumed some of your family member’s prescription medications, but you have no idea how much they have eaten.

Most dog poisoning cases are preventable, and yet it can happen to anyone… even if you have a dog who you think would never eat something that isn’t theirs.

For Pet Poison Prevention Awareness Month, we’re learning about the most common ways dogs are poisoned in their own home, and how these incidents can be prevented.

What Exactly Does Chocolate Do To Dogs?

Most people know that chocolate is dangerous for dogs, but don’t realize just how dangerous it can be.

Both Theobromine and caffeine in chocolate  cause heart palpitations, hyperactivity and heavy panting, and in large doses, tremors, seizures and heart attacks.

Many chocolate-flavoured snacks are actually low in cocoa, so they may cause no more than an upset stomach. Even a small amount of dark chocolate candy, on the other hand, can be a lethal dose for your dog.

If you’re certain of how much your dog has eaten, you can use a chocolate toxicity calculator to assess the risk. An early sign of theobromine poisoning is hyperactivity – if your dog is running around, drinking a lot of water, or otherwise seems “off”, rush to an emergency vet.

Other Foods That Are Dangerous To Dogs

Grapes and raisins can cause acute kidney failure in dogs. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, lethargy and seizures.

Some dogs eat grapes and do not show signs of kidney damage, while others experience the effects from eating just a few. If your dog eats grapes, raisins, jam or jelly, call your vet – even if they do not show any symptoms.

Some varieties of wild mushrooms are toxic to dogs, though any found at your grocery store are safe to share.

Garlic and onions contain a substance called thiosulfate that can cause anemia in dogs, though it’s unlikely to be harmful in small amounts. Do not worry if your dog sips on some seasoned broth, though small amounts may affect your dog over time.

The Growing Danger Of Xylitol

One of the most recently growing reasons for calls to the ACC is xylitol poisoning. Xylitol is a sugar substitute found in toothpaste, chewing gum, mouthwash, sugar-free candy and breath mints.

Xylitol is also found in some brands of peanut butter, particularly sugar-free varieties. Always check the ingredients in your peanut butter when buying a new jar. Organic, all-natural peanut butter with no sugar or salt added is best for dogs.

It only takes a small amount of xylitol to cause seizures, hypoglycemia and liver failure in dogs. If you suspect your dog has eaten any amount, see an emergency vet right away.

Keep Medicine Out Of Your Dog’s Reach

Prescription and over-the-counter medication are the most common reason for calls to the Animal Poison Control Center. Heart medications, ADHD medication and antidepressants are highly toxic to dogs, and because they’re typically taken daily, it can be too easy to forget to tighten a bottle, or to look out for pills that fall to the floor and roll away.

You should also make sure your pets do not get into vitamin supplements. While water-soluble vitamins like c and b-complex flush out of the body without severe side effects, you should still call your vet if your dog has ingested them. Fat-soluble vitamins like A, E, D and K, though, are more harmful because they can be stored in the liver and fat tissues, so they can build up within the body.

Never use human medications, either prescription or over-the-counter, to attempt to treat your dog at home. Though many dog medications are similar or identical to those used for treating humans, your vet will need to guide you through using a safe dosage for your dog’s weight, age and body condition.

Poisons Encountered On Dog Walks

When you walk your dog or go to the dog park, be vigilant about poisons in your environment.

Discarded cigarettes, cooked bones and chewed gum are some of the most common, harmful litter that dogs can pick up on walks. If your dog likes to scavenge, you can use a muzzle to keep them from eating trash.

Also be on the lookout for poison bait. Some people may set out poison for coyotes. Others, for seemingly no reason, attempt to poison dogs in dog parks. If you see any treats, sausages, meat or anything that could possibly be poisoned or tampered with in your neighborhood or park, it’s best to pick it up before your dog or any others can pick it up. Then, take it to your local police to be tested.

What Should I Do If My Dog Has Been Poisoned?

If you even suspect that your dog has eaten something harmful, call your veterinarian or emergency vet right away. The person on the phone will likely be able to walk you through deciding if you should go in, or just wait to see if your dog develops symptoms. In many cases, by the time your dog shows symptoms, their condition will have progressed, so it’s better to seek treatment sooner rather than later.

Do not attempt to induce vomiting without the guidance of your vet’s office. Inducing vomiting is not always the safest option. In some cases, it’s the right thing to do, but depending on what your dog has eaten and how much time has passed, the substance could cause more harm on its way back up. It is also possible for your dog to aspirate on their own vomit.

At the vet’s office, your vet will typically use an injection of apomorphine to induce vomiting. Then, they may give your dog charcoal to help absorb the poisons before they can reach your dog’s bloodstream.Your dog may be kept overnight for observation.

Treating your dog for poisoning is expensive, especially if you have to go to an emergency vet after-hours. But when it comes to saving your dog’s life, you should not hesitate to rush to your vet. “Waiting it out” may result in your dog showing symptoms only after it’s too late to treat them. In the event of an emergency, your vet may be able to treat your dog right away and discuss payment options once your dog is stable.

Ways To Keep Your Dog From Ever Getting Poisoned

Most poisoning cases are preventable. We all make mistakes as pet parents. No matter how careful you are, you or someone in your family may leave a gift bag of chocolate on the coffee table, for example, or leave medications in a purse where a dog can reach it.

Management is the most effective course of action. Baby gates, cabinet locks and dog-proof containers can all keep your dog away from toxic temptations. If you feel as though management is difficult, for example, if you think you can’t keep your dog away from your chocolate stash – stop buying it, or only buy what you can finish before you get home.

You can train your dog to “leave it” even when faced with a fresh meatball on the floor. You can train a dog to “drop it” when they have the tastiest drumstick in their mouth. You can also keep your dog in the habit of waiting before lunging for a morsel that you dropped in the kitchen.

Punishing your dog for scavenging teaches them to be sneaky. When punished, they tend to just eat forbidden snacks even faster. Positive training is the only way to raise a dog who is happy to comply with boundaries, and will wait for your permission before grabbing everything they see because they trust that you’ll offer them something that’s just as yummy.

Need help with poison prevention training? Learn “leave it”, “drop it”, and “wait” with Healthy Houndz. We offer positive dog training in North York and Toronto so you and your dog can learn to stay safe from common poisons – and have fun while doing it.

If you have trouble holding your dog’s attention during a walk, you probably wouldn’t be surprised to learn that they are constantly overwhelmed by the aromas in their environment.

While a human being has just 6 million smell receptors, a dog has 300 million – for approximately 40 times more smelling power. Your dog is also closer to the ground, and sniffs up to 5 times per second when they’re investigating an odour.

We can’t expect our dogs to simply ignore this vivid scentscape for the entire duration of each and every walk. Allowing your dog to sniff actually makes your dog happy, more trainable, and more fun to be around.

How Sniffing On Walks Affects Behaviour

Allowing your dog to observe their surroundings and participate in the neighbourhood “pee-mail” exchange is the best way to provide mental stimulation as a part of your everyday routine. When a dog comes home from a scent-enriched walk, they’ll be both physically and mentally worn out.

What’s more, researchers found that dogs who use their noses may actually become more optimistic as a result.

At the start of the study, all participating dogs became familiar with two bowls: one that consistently contained food, and one that never did.

Then the dogs were split into two groups. One group focused on heelwork for two weeks, while the other participated in nosework instead. Nosework typically involves setting up boxes, some baited with food, and giving the dog freedom to find it using their sense of smell.

By the end of the study, the nosework group was quick to check both bowls for food, including the one that was typically empty. The heelwork group, on the other hand, ignored the bowl that was usually left empty.

An unusual study, but what does this tell us? The researchers concluded that giving a dog freedom of choice and allowing them to use their nose actually changes the way the dog thinks.

Freedom to explore, make choices, and use their own natural abilities are all important to your dog’s welfare. Independant, optimistic dogs do not panic when you leave them home alone; they’re able to comfortably relax or entertain themselves in healthy ways without the need for constant guidance.

Don’t Worry About Perfect Heelwork – Do This Instead

While you do need to give your dog opportunities to stop and sniff, you don’t have to let your dog drag you all over town.

If you walk at a relaxed pace and give your dog plenty of chances to sniff at their favourite hotspots, like trees and fire hydrants, they may not feel the need to pull you around. You can even teach cues like “let’s go!”, “take a break”, and “speed up”, to keep your dog in-sync with you.

Work on teaching a solid “leave it” to keep your dog from getting preoccupied with critters, trash and other distractions. Carry treats during the walk to enforce those cues.

You can also use Premack’s principle to depend on treats less often on walks.

Premack’s principle, or the relativity theory of reinforcement, states that contingent access to high-frequency behaviors (“preferred” activities) serves as a reinforcer for the performance of low-frequency behaviors.

To apply Premack’s principle, ask your dog to do something they don’t want to do – like walk by your side, or, if that’s too difficult at that moment, just focus on you – and then allow them to do something fun, like sniffing for ten seconds as a reward. With practice, your dog will pay attention to you more readily because they will trust that they can then do what they want.

Need Help With Your Dog Walks?

If your dog’s out of control on walks, and loose leash training at home hasn’t resulted in much progress, Healthy Houndz can help. We offer positive dog training in North York and Toronto to make walks more fun for you and your dog – without the use of outdated  tools, pain or fear. Contact us today to set up your free dog training consultation.

Positive training, short for positive reinforcement based dog training, relies on the use of rewards to motivate dogs to learn cues and tricks and to stop unwanted behaviours.

The use of pain, fear and intimidation is never necessary to teach a dog. With an intimate understanding of how dogs think, positive trainers can use the addition or removal of rewards to teach a dog almost anything.

Some trainers and dog owners, however, do not truly understand why we choose to rely on rewards, rather than punishments, to communicate with dogs. You may have seen these myths circulated by those who are misinformed.

We’re always happy to clear up misconceptions. We aim to help you experience the unmatched joy of using rewards to train your  dog. Here are the biggest myths about positive training, debunked:

Myth #1: Positive trainers let dogs do whatever they want.

Though positive trainers do not rely on punishment, we can actually be some of the strictest dog owners in terms of setting boundaries and keeping high expectations for our own dogs and our clients’ dogs. We use consistency, clear communication and rewards to get our dogs to behave.

We make sure to set boundaries that are purposeful, rather than creating meaningless rules as a power trip. For example, we may teach our dogs to stay engaged during a walk and expect them to stay close to us, even if a rabbit dashes across their path. But we’ll also give our dogs opportunities to sniff freely as a form of mental enrichment.

Myth #2: Positive training is complicated and takes a long time.

In comparison to “quick-fix” training methods, positive training seems to take a long time. However, those flashy, magic bullet trainers depend heavily on the use of aversives to stop unwanted behaviours, which results in instant, yet superficial results.

For example, using a shock collar to zap a dog when it sees a cat may prevent the dog from chasing the cat while wearing the collar, but the dog’s underlying drive to chase the cat will not have been removed. Eventually, the dog’s urge to chase will overpower their fear of the collar, or they may simply choose to chase the cat as soon as the shock collar is removed.

To create lasting behavioural changes, we use games and rewards to actually change the way your dog feels and reacts. We show them that listening to cues is more rewarding than giving in to their urges, and that they do not need to fear whatever is making them react. This is the only way to get your dog to make the correct choices with their own free will – it’s not possible to do that with forceful training methods.

Myth #3: Positive trainers have a limited range of tools in their toolbox.

This is probably the strangest myth of all – yet one we hear a lot. Some people feel that using treats and aversive methods is a “balanced” way to train, those who rely on positive reinforcement are only using one tool – treats.

Of course, this is not true. Positive trainers have a wide range of tools – from treats to toys, clickers, target sticks, haltis, front-clip harnesses, puzzles and barriers, and an even wider range of intangible tools like games, techniques and concepts. We always find creative, unique solutions without the need to resort to causing pain or fear.

Myth #4: Positive trainers would rather see dogs get euthanized than rehabilitated with aversive tools.

The worst myth of all – some people suggest that positive trainers are so adamant about avoiding aversives that they would rather let dogs die than use painful tools. The reason we refuse to use aversives is not because we want to be kind to animals (though that’s a huge perk) – it’s because we know that aversives do not actually work.

It’s not safe or effective to use punishments with dogs who have shown signs of aggression. In fact, we know that confrontational dog training is known to escalate, and in some cases, even cause aggressive behaviours.

Positive training is used to rehabilitate even severely aggressive dogs. Once a dog bites someone, however, they usually cannot be trusted in the same ways that we would trust a typical dog. With a combination of ongoing rehabilitation, management, and possibly rehoming the dog to an experienced owner, an aggressive dog can live a full, happy life.

If it seems that a dog cannot be rehabilitated through positive training, we do not recommend switching to aversives just for the sake of trying everything. This is because using aversives creates an even more dangerous dog.

When dogs are fearful, their signals normally escalate in a healthy, expressive way. It’s okay for dogs to growl when they’re scared or uncomfortable. It tells us to give space, or that we have stepped too far ahead in our training process. Aversives suppress a dog’s ability to express these emotions until they’re bottled up. This creates a dog that looks outwardly calm, but their fear of the situation can overpower their fear of getting punished – making a dog seem to attack “without warning.”

Aggression can sometimes be caused by factors that we cannot control. Genetics, past trauma, even a brain tumor or other neurological issue can cause a dog to be completely unmanageable. When we have to choose between endangering people and other animals, and having a dangerous dog euthanized, we have to be realistic and acknowledge that not every aggressive dog can be rescued.

These situations are extremely rare. Most dogs excel with positive training.

Myth #5: Positive training is just a fad.

Before dogs were dogs, our ancestors lured feral canines to their campsites with scraps of meat. In return, early dogs helped detect prey, ward off strangers from neighboring tribes, and may have even protected their favorite humans from large predators like bears. No leashes needed – early dogs naturally wanted to stay close to the warm fire, tasty leftovers and friendly humans.

The idea of dominating a dog and using force to “put it in its place” did not emerge until after the 1930s and 40s, with the emergence of Swiss animal behaviourist Rudolph Schenkel’s controversial studies on captive wolves.

In Schenkel’s studies, he observed wolves fighting over resources. There seemed to be dominant wolves that would constantly attack weaker wolves over food. Through the next few decades, dog trainers emulated those tough dominant wolves, using alpha rolls to physically force domesticated dogs into submission. Using treats was greatly discouraged.

The problem with Schenkels’ studies? He only observed captive wolves that were forced to live together in close quarters. It was like something straight out of a reality show.

It wasn’t until the 2000s, when researcher David Mech studied a pack of wild wolves, that people realized how inaccurate those early studies were. A real wolf pack is made up of a family unit – a mother, father and puppies. In a real, wild wolf pack, no violence is needed to keep pack members in line. The older family members hunt and provide food for their puppies. The pups learn from example and through playtime.

All this time, trainers of non-canine species, particularly large animals like dolphins, had to rely solely on positive reinforcement. When your student weighs thousands of pounds, you can’t use force or fear to control them.

By the 1980s, Karen Pryor, the biggest proponent of modern dog training as we know it, learned about food rewards and cues from training dolphins. She used hand signals and a whistle to communicate with dolphins and teach them tricks. With the same methods, she found an effective way to teach dogs.

The takeaway: using physical force is actually a fad in dog training, and it’s long outdated. It’s about time we go back to our roots.

See The Power Of Positive In Action

At Healthy Houndz, we raise dogs to have a lifelong love of learning. Every session begins and ends with a waggy tail. Ready to see the change in your dog?

Contact Healthy Houndz for positive dog training in North York and Toronto.

When it comes to dog training, there’s truly no place like home.

In-home private dog training is the easiest way for your trainer to assess your dog’s behaviour in their home environment. Anxious, shy and reactive dogs can learn without the pressure of being around other dogs.

The best part? You get to work one-on-one with your trainer to make lasting changes in your dog’s behaviour with a fully personalized training plan.

Questions To Ask Your Dog Trainer

In-home private dog training is not only an opportunity for your dog to learn; it’s even more important for you to truly understand and retain what you learn during our sessions. Ask plenty of questions to make sure you understand the techniques we use, why we use them, and how you can continue reinforcing good behaviours between sessions.

Here are some examples of questions you might have during a training session:

• What should I do if my dog doesn’t succeed?
• What might be causing my dog to act this way?
• How can my family help keep up with our training?
• Why are we using this technique?
• If I can’t do this, is there an alternative technique we can try?
• How did you do that?
• Can you show me that again?

Doing Your Homework

In order for your dog to retain new skills and form new habits, you will need to continue training with them in between sessions. You will get “homework” in the form of what to do before the next training sessions, possibly with handouts.

Aim to train your dog in short sessions each day, rather than in long, infrequent sessions. You’ll keep your dog’s attention span fresh and avoid frustration. You should be rewarding your dog every couple of seconds during these short sessions to keep their attention and motivation high. If your dog keeps making errors, make the exercise easier or review cues that they already know.

Help your dog generalize their new skills by practicing in different rooms of your home, in your yard, and then in new environments.

If you have a question between training sessions, you can always get in touch with us. If you’d rather wait until the next session, write down your question so you don’t forget.

Why It’s Important To Be Honest

Sometimes, you might be too busy between training sessions to practice with your dog. At other times, you might completely forget.

The truth is, you can train your dog in as little as five minutes a day, depending on what you are working on, and how quickly you’d like to progress. It’s usually not a lack of time that contributes to us being too “busy” to train our dogs, but a lack of motivation, failure to schedule in time, or even a lack of confidence that you’ll be able to succeed.

Please be honest if you do not manage to work with your dog between training sessions. We can work together to create a set training schedule and make sure you truly understand the exercises. If something doesn’t make sense or seems arbitrary, we can talk more about the purpose of each exercise and what signs of progress you should be looking for.

Life happens. When you’re truly too busy to train your dog, we can find a way to make it work. Being honest allows us to adjust your dog’s training plan accordingly. Even dog trainers sometimes forget and fall behind on their dogs’ training. We’ll never judge you or make you feel bad about forgetting to train. We’re here to help you move forward.

Ready To Start In-Home Private Dog Training?

Set up your free consultation for in-home private dog training in Toronto and North York with Healthy Houndz.