Dog Geek Musings

Everyday respect plays a meaningful part of our lives and can be seen and expressed in many ways.   Respect is the way we show appreciation to the valuable qualities of others, and we are all worthy of this appreciation.  People tend to respect those with authority but  respect for other individuals is not limited to those who appear to have more power than we do. Without respect in our lives, there would be a great deal of conflict. Its really important that we incorporate respectful behaviors into our lives and also in our workplace. So how do we do just that? Incorporate respectful behavior into our everyday lives. Listen on! To learn more about TeamNostics and the other programs DogNostics has to offer click here 

In any circumstances we have lost many of our basic social values and this has had a detrimental impact on our very own businesses, private lives and family infrastructure. Employers rudely intrude on an employees’ personal workspace, gossiping coworkers are now the norm and quality customer care has been lost through keyboard warrior relationships and the virtual realms to which we find ourselves operating.  Much of this results in a work environment that is no longer conducive to productive relationships and highly functioning work place teams. Join me, Niki Tudge to discuss this important topic in our short podcast. You can read the full article that motivated this podcast here 

Join Niki Tudge as she explores pet loss and the grieving process  This months podcast speaks to saying goodbye to a pet or loved one and how we can support our pet owners through this process. When a person you love dies, it’s natural to grieve, express your grief and expect friends and family to provide understanding and comfort. Unfortunately, when a beloved pet dies, many people are less understanding of the deep affect it has on your life. Some may think or say, “it’s just a pet” and think that your pain may pass in a matter of days or with the “replacement” of another animal.  Nothing could be further from the truth. Listen on for more information on the grieving process.  You can reach Coleen Ellis here https://twoheartspetlosscenter.com/pet-loss-education/

What is Canine Enrichment? The key to a happy and healthy dog is regular enrichment and allowing them to engage in their innate behaviors, such as playing, chasing, smelling, chewing and scavenging. By allowing your dog to engage in these behaviors, you allow them to be physically, emotionally and mentally satisfied. Dogs who don’t receive stimulation tend to find ways to enrich themselves, resulting in unwanted and unpopular behaviors. Join Louise Stapleton-Frappell and Niki Tudge as they disucss Canine Enrichment and how we can use it.  https://www.dognosticseducation.com/p/canine-enrichment-technician

Listen to Niki Tudge & Louise Stapleton Frappell discussing this concept from DogNostics Top Ten Training Concepts short course  #3 “No!” isn’t a Behavior. As we know, dogs do not speak English, French or Spanish, nor do they speak any other language we humans share. They speak dog! For this reason, we must use our words very carefully. Actually, we need to recognize that our pet dogs pick up far more about our feelings, intentions and intended communication via our body language and the way we approach them. To our dogs, we must always be safe. They need to trust we will always look out for them both physically and emotionally. We need to harness our carefully spoken words to clearly communicate what we would like them to do, our expectations, and we need to support that with happy, stress free skill training. In that vein, remember that “NO” is not a behavior. Often, when we say this word, we are frustrated, emotionally stressed or impatient. Our dogs read that in our communication system and it can lead them to be hesitant, unsure, or in some cases scared of us. Maybe we have used “NO” when we have punished them, so now the word is a precursor for something unpleasant, making us unsafe and them uncertain! Let’s always communicate in a happy upbeat manner, encouraging them to behave in the way we would like them to. Let’s ask them to do something specific instead of just saying “NO” It reminds me of the story of the small girl drawing on her bedroom wall. When her mother shouts: “No Sarah, do not do that!” So as soon as her mother left the room, Sarah began drawing on the floor! Had her mother provided clear instructions about where to draw, this could have been avoided.  By teaching Sarah to draw in a coloring book, everyone's goals are achieved. Have a think about all the situations where you may be saying “No” to your dog and develop a list of the behaviors you would like your dog to do instead! Then you can work through the list, helping your dog develop the much-needed skills to happily coexist in your home.

Wherever, whenever two or more people come together we run the risk of conflict.  People often assume that conflict has to be negative and this is just not true.  People are inherently different, and conflict simply happens when those differences come to light. How we handle this can be the difference in damaged relationships and burnt bridges. Today we talk about conflict, what it is, how trust is fragile and the ten management tips for developing trust. Don't let conflict destroy your relationships. Have a gripe, talk about it, be honest but civil and you will find that you can make amends and move forward with productive relationships

Walking Your Dog - The Current Reality as Many Countries Begin to Loosen Restrictions on Movement Implemented During the Corona Virus Pandemic ‘Lockdown’ and ‘stay at home’ measures enacted during the Covid-19 pandemic have meant that life has changed for many dogs.  Just like the humans, during an extended period of time, lot of dogs have been isolated from the world at large.  Depending on where you live and the restrictions imposed, your dog might not have even been going for their usual daily walks. Join Louise Stapleton-Frappell as she discusses the new reality many dogs and their owners are facing as countries begin to lift some of the restrictions that have been imposed; some of the changes in behavior that are occurring, ranging from pulling on leash, to dogs exhibiting fear, anxiety and stress towards other dogs or people; and what pet owners can do to tackle such problems, as well as where they can turn to get help!

Are you making the common mistakes many Dog Training Professionals fall into? Avoid client goals that will require far too much willpower from your clients. They will either beat themselves up each day for being a willpower weakling and failing with the training program or they will create an environment that doesn’t require so much willpower and this environment may not include you and your services. Join Niki Tudge as she reviews 6 important factors when helping clients set goals and how these can contribute to a successful training program We also discuss the difference between outcome goals and behavior goals and the ones that you may have control over!

The more difficult house-training cases to crack are those of dogs that, by mistake, have become ‘reverse’ house-trained by their owners. ‘Reverse’ house-training results when dogs have been allowed to go to the bathroom inside the home and then been inadvertently reinforced for doing so. Listen on  Depending on your dog, your family and your lifestyle, house-training a dog can be anywhere from easy, to almost impossible. Many dog owners get lucky and, in spite of the mistakes they unknowingly make, they find themselves with a house-trained dog. On the other hand, some dog owners need help from a dog trainer or dog behavior counselor. Even a small number of these pet owners may become desperate when everything they do, even under professional counsel, seems futile. Believe me, I am a professional and I had a small dog from a rescue situation once that had me pulling out all the stops. After ten days we were well on our way! Listen for tips about how to get this right

Getting Over the Good Old Days Syndrome “But that’s how we’ve always done it.” or “Things were better back when we…..” Do you find yourself saying these things? Most of us fall prey to the “good old days” syndrome, where we look back at the past and believe that everything was better. This can pose a serious obstacle to our ability to adapt to change. If we are convinced that the good old days were best, we are unlikely to give a new way of doing things a fair try.  Show your worth your weight in adaptability - learn how!