Not So Fast

Weather, work, and holidays can throw real roadblocks into training plans. Even when we couldn’t make our schedules fit, Naomi had our back.

For a while there, it seemed we were making amazing progress with our reactive/impulsive dog Ducky. After learning some long-line skills, we’d moved onto greeting behaviors. With dogs and people she wasn’t so fond of, teaching her some composure was relatively easy. But when Ducky sees her favorite people, she just loses her mind. Her bladder control, too (which is great, ugh). She gets so, so, so excited, she just about blacks out.

As it happens, Naomi has become one of Ducky’s most favorite people of all time. Every training session begins with Ducky falling all over herself for a good ten minutes at first sight or sound of Naomi. “It sounds like she’s screaming,” Naomi joked, “Is she part Shiba Inu?” We sketched out a flow chart of strategies to try to refocus Ducky when she arrived, or somehow channel her excitement so it doesn’t escalate to unmanageable levels.

We had a plan! And then March happened: Nor’easters and Easter/Passover and oh yeah a whole new website. What would happen to Ducky’s training, with our schedule so out of whack? “Dog training is a lifelong process,” Naomi told us, “We’re always tweaking, adjusting, and coaching the dog you have that day.”

Ready to move on? Say “Let’s go!” to return to your walk. Play this game about every 100 feet for a happy dog who thinks you’re the source of All Things Fun.

This game teaches your dog to look to YOU for reassurance whenever the world feels weird.

A break doesn’t have to be a backslide with Naomi’s two easy “default training games.” We can play these with Ducky every day, to will reinforce good behaviors and keep her primed for learning new skills as soon as we’re ready.

Thanks to Naomi’s support, our month off hasn’t set us back. Big props to Praiseworthy Pets for practical training that adapts with the ebb and flow of our lives. Read Naomi & Ducky’s last installment here, and follow Praiseworthy Pets on YouTube for Naomi’s adorable “Dog Behavior Translated” videos.    

Praiseworthy Pets
Naomi Rotenberg (MA, KPA-CTP, CPDT-KA) comes to your home & works with your pet one-on-one over a series of weeks – then transfers her handling skills to you. Pre-adoption support and “family” training, too (focuses on kids’ interactions with pets). Schedule a free phone/video consultation at PraiseworthyPets.com (or call 215-346-6088). Mention Ducky, for $50 off your invoice!

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