1. The environment is too distracting or overstimulating at that moment. Even if you've been there before, or believe it's a scenario your dog should be able to handle, if you’re feeling as though your dog isn't listening to you at that moment in that particular environment, the best thing you can do is encourage your dog to take distance by walking away and doing something less challenging for them, to help you both reconnect. This will help your dog cool down until you feel that you're able to communicate with one another once more, before trying again. If most environments seem to have this effect on your dog, it could be a sign that he/she is in need of a more controlled and manageable setting first, and scenarios focused more on you both accomplishing a single or few exercises together (such as agility training, nosework, etc). Both will help your dog feel mentally and physically fulfilled and are also available mostly as group classes. 2. There may be a disconnect in your communication. If listening to your voice and responding to your every word/cue consistently yields a rewarding and enjoyable outcome for your dog, such as a positive reinforcer (meaning they get something they want like treats, your attention, a toy, etc) then they are much more likely to pay close attention to your communication towards them, under most circumstances. However if your verbal guidance doesn't always associate itself with your dog's positive emotions that way, then he or she is much more likely to disconnect and disengage from your communication and overall guidance, especially in more distracting scenarios. To avoid feeling a disconnect, practice saving your voice, your attention, and most of your cues for interactions that not only mean the most to you but also mostly for moments when your dog has done something you're genuinely happy with. This will only serve to increase the value of your voice, praise, and overall attention. Pay close attention to your daily interactions with your dog, as chances are that there are small things that your dog is doing on a regular basis that you can start focusing your attention, voice, and commands towards, more than ever before in order to reconnect further. As you work on enhancing your connection and communication, you will then feel more confident tackling environments where you previously felt a disconnect, once again. 3. Your dog is feeling overly tired/overwhelmed/over their threshold. This can happen anywhere, at any time, and under any circumstance. Our world doesn't make 100% sense to all dogs and it affects them individually. But not only that, dogs are by nature curious and sensitive in ways we may not always fully understand. However, just like us, dogs can have bad days, or simply feel like they're not in the right mood or mindset right there and then. This can get in the way of even the strongest pet-parent-dog relationships and that's okay. The first step is realizing that your dog may need a break from that scenario altogether and if walking away is not possible, then you can try providing them with a frozen, stuffed Kong to help them chew on, lick, and self-soothe or a strong but enjoyable smelly treat to help focus their thoughts and feelings a little. The next step is reviewing what they were doing, for how long, and how they were feeling every moment before you experienced difficulty communicating with one another. That game of fetch might have gone for too long, or been too exciting, or perhaps their food puzzle was too hard, or too engaging to begin with. This is when it may be a great idea to change scenery, walk away, take a break, and do something else for a bit. In all three instances above, one thing they all have in common is that they will challenge you to lower, adjust and lower your expectations when interacting with your dog if you're having difficulties. If you make it a habit of practicing more habits where you find yourself listening and paying close attention to your dog's feelings and emotions, you will discover the patterns and daily habits that got them to that point, to begin with. Don’t forget that dogs are both products of their environment and individuals! No matter the reason, be sure that you have all the right tools with you! One of my personal favourites tools to use to help my dog take space as needed is a hands-free leash ! Particularly indoors, where you can safely tie or clip it to your waist, leaving your hands free to focus on exchanging treats for good behaviour and more.

This is a common issue pet parents face, mostly with young dogs and puppies, especially when the weather is pleasant and more and more people want to say hi to your pooch while on walks! But what can you do to best tackle your dog's constant jumping on people, and even better, how can you make sure you prevent it to the point it becomes a behaviour your dog no longer finds purposeful? (Because yes, your dog is doing it for a reason!) Let's start with what the reason behind this behaviour might be. The most common motive behind your dog jumping on other people may be two-fold: 1. It works! Like all other behaviours your dog does, it's mainly because it pays off for him and that can be in a number of ways. The main way in which jumping on other pays off is in what they get in return which is attention, whether it comes from you (even though you're not trying to praise or reward them, your attention is) or from the person they're jumping on. It's rather difficult to expect of the person getting jumped on to not react and give your dog any kind of attention, in order to avoid reinforcing the unwanted behaviour, especially when your dog is coming off friendly and/or when the person in question doesn't know that this is a behaviour you're working on managing. A tool that could help would be a label or sleeve that goes on your dog's leash or harness that lets others know to not pet or engage with your dog, or that he/she is in training. But something more that you can do in this case to yield far better results is to go for the preventative approach, to avoid having to manage a scenario that is largely not under your control and that you and your dog aren't fully ready for anyway. The best way you will prevent your dog from jumping and getting reinforced by other people is to become familiar with the body language patterns and signs that let you know that your dog is going to be jumping on them so that you can right away do your best to engage your dog with a different activity/behaviour, that you like better instead. Such as walking away and tugging on a toy with you, fetching a ball, or walking away with you and tossing treats for them to search through the grass or under a chair if you're indoors. Prevention is key but will only work if you're in tune with your dog's demeanour and patterns so that you can try to prevent them from doing the unwanted behaviour altogether. The more they get to practice it, the more they are likely to repeat it. The more you find yourselves ready with a leash and treats/reinforcers ready, the more successful you will be. These are the best ways you can manage greetings with minimal jumping on strangers, while you practice working on your dog's greeting with people in your close circle that will be able to help you in responding accordingly, should/when your dog happens to jump on them. More on this on the following point. 2. Your dog has a very social nature and/or is a high-energy dog! You can't train a dog's personality and demeanour out of them, but you can definitely find ways to get what you want if you also focus your efforts on ensuring your dog gets what he/she needs on a regular basis. If you live with a social AND energetic dog, you will want to make sure that you provide him with regular outlets for their need to play, jump, be excited, and be friendly, otherwise, they will find those outlets on their own and can result in more jumping on others, or other unwanted behaviours. Great outlets consist of dog training classes of different types, supervised play sessions, agility training, and other controller enrichment/engaging settings. And don't worry, your dog getting to practice jumping in a setting like play sessions, for example, can be different and not at all encouraging further jumping outside of those environments because dogs have a very strong capability to associate behaviours to places/scenarios we put together. This is done by rewarding your dog for being themselves mostly and mainly in that particular setting, but not as much (if at all) outside of it. Just like how you know that you can act a different way at a restaurant and another way at a concert. But then what follows that? What follows your dog having the outlets he/she needs? You. You and the environments you create where you are bringing home a happy, fulfilled, tired do that is less likely to feel the need to jump on the next stranger you encounter on that evening walk. But that's only part of the solution, the other part (especially when you've just begun tackling this behaviour) is having the environments you work in tandem with where you and your dog are at. This means that instead of practicing walking your dog past strangers in the hopes that he doesn't jump on them, you'll want to practice with people that know you and your dog, so that you can ahead of time let them know that if ever your dog jumps at them, that you would appreciate it if they did their best to not respond to your dog's jumping until/unless he's saying hello to them without. The combination of a dog that doesn't feel as much of a need to jump on people, along with an environment that doesn't put much (or any), attention to the unwanted behaviour WHILE ALSO rewarding and acknowledging the moment your dog does make the choice to not jump or to stop jumping, is what will help you and your dog succeed! If ever you're finding that your dog might be jumping on other people, but even more so you, then you may want to consider what your dog is trying to communicate to you there and then. This is because jumping on you or another pet parent can be a way of communicating that they're feeling overwhelmed, tired, overstimulated or even anxious at that moment, or about the environment they're in. This would require a closer look at when it's happening as adjusting the environments in question and our expectations is what will also help you in your success as well.

There are a few reasons why your dog may be counter-surfing right now. Though it's not the most troublesome of behaviours, it can be an indicator of some common issues that we can easily prevent and manage so that dinner time is enjoyable for all! Let's start with your dog's feeding habits/rituals. If they're not into their food, they may be counter-surfing or even begging for other food because it's a means to eating something they prefer. You can read this article if your dog isn't into their food. If your dog does eat his food but would rather try to get to the food you're having or anything that's being left on the counter, one way that you can help manage the environment to help them keep all four on the ground is to provide them with food puzzles or snuffle mats that'll further engage their attention. Tried the above and your dog is still counter-surfing? Consider the following: 1. Is your dog feeling bored/does feeding time = getting attention time? Counter-surfing, begging or whining can be signs that your dog has found in those activities a little bit of a 'problem' or a game to take on if they're feeling bored or understimulated. It can also be something they practice when they're too tired and don't know how to rest (see the second point for more details) on their own. And so what you will want to do is plan accordingly, to set yourself and your dog up for success by doing physically, mentally and even socially-stimulating activities not too long before lunchtime or dinner time, to help your dog feel more mellow and relaxed. A dog that's feeling more mellow is one that's more receptive to training or receiving your guidance, as opposed to one that is feeling very energetic, and simply looking for some engaging outlets to put that energy towards! 2. Provide your dog with an alternative. If your dog doesn't know what to do, simply confronting and telling them to not jump or counter-surf will likely not work. Instead, you will want to provide your dog with an alternative that feels just as good, or even better, for them to practice instead of counter surfing. If you've practiced the first point above, then it should be doable to guide your dog with their leash towards their bed, wait for them to lay down and reward them with a special treat before dinner time, as to let them know that they have something they can do on their own end WHILE you focus on dinner. Each dog will respond to this differently. Dogs that have learned this type of relaxation exercise in class may have an easier time staying in that position/feeling on their own. If your dog keeps getting up you will want to gently guide them back to their bed. With enough practice and repetition, your dog will learn that what you're asking of them is to wait on it (and ensure it pays off with a high-value reward, especially the first times you try this.). If your dog has a really hard time staying away from you and the action, you may need to consider the point below as well. 3. If being away and giving you distance is something that's very difficult for your dog, then it's going to take some time. While your dog is learning that it's enjoyable and rewarding to give you space during dinner time, you will still want to ensure that you're preventing counter-surfing altogether. Because even if your dog isn't yet doing the behaviour you want (waiting elsewhere while you eat) you want to make sure that you practice making it so they can't practice the unwanted behaviour. And you can do so by assigning a member of your household that will help walk your dog away as he gets closer to the table or kitchen area. Walking away ensures that your dog doesn't get to jump or counter-surf and it's eventually the action that you will want your dog to do all on their own (especially if it's difficult for them to simply stay and wait somewhere else) so be sure to make it fun and rewarding for them to walk away from the table with you. Simply repeating this exercise of walking, in combination with the first two points will create for a little bit of an exercise that burns any extra mental or physical energy your dog may have, which can then encourage them to naturally want to take a break and not feel the need to counter-surf.

When it comes to potty training, having our puppies and dogs let us know that they want to be allowed into the backyard or taken out for a walk for their potty break can be super convenient for you and I. This can be an easy way to prevent indoor accidents and not have to wonder when it's time to take your furry friend out, however, there may be a different behaviour (or multiple) at play that you'll want to consider, and that may matter more than potty accidents, in the long term. Let's remember that dogs will always repeat behaviours that work for them. And so, in the practice of learning that they can prompt you the moment they need a potty break, a behaviour they may be getting used to each time, is that he/she needs to indicate to you anytime they want you to respond. This isn't a big issue when it comes to potty training. Preventing potty training accidents by monitoring how much water our puppies drink, when they last went outside and how much their bladder can handle requires a lot of effort. However, this is something most households end up getting consistent with, with time. That said, if you've been using a bell at the door for your puppy to let you know each time they needed to be let out, you may be predisposing your dog to a habit closely tied to other common, yet unwanted behaviours many dogs exhibit in and around their home. Behaviours such as biting, barking, chewing, jumping, whining and many others often stem from a need that isn't being met, and your dog is trying their best to convey that to you through those actions. But the common denominator between these behaviours and your dog using a bell at the door is that he/she has learned that you need and should to be told when something needs to be done, as opposed to your dog instead just waiting for you to do it, without them having to prompt you. This routine that gets practiced on a daily basis can become one of the reasons your dog begins to practice some of the unwanted behaviours above. Not to say that they are directly related, as there are many other factors in play. But the key element to note is that by using a doorbell as a tool to have our dogs tell us when something needs to happen, we are more likely to encourage types of unwanted behaviour, where your dogs choose to take action before you. Does this mean you shouldn't use a bell at the door and avoid any types of setups where your dog initiates the action (like your dog telling you when they're in the mood to play fetch, or when they're ready for a walk)? No, as the bell can act as a useful tool like any other, however, you want to make sure that you provide your puppy or dog with enough opportunities where you're letting them know that the bell is but an occasionally helpful tool, as opposed to a means to get things to happen with you. As much as you make use of the bell, make sure that you practice taking your dog out for a bathroom break prior to them asking you to. Keep track of the number of times in between potty breaks and take your dog out a little 5-10 mins past that (before they even consider using the bell), as to also strengthen his or her bladder but above all to let them know that you know exactly when they need something, without them telling you! Practice this and other situations where you're providing your dog with what they need before they even know it to further strengthen your bond and communication towards one another. Just like you would for any other person you share a very special relationship with, because who doesn't like feeling like they get to just kick back and trust that someone knows what, when, and how they need things?

Likely out of feeling too hot (especially with longer-haired breeds) or because they're choosing to lay down at a spot closer to something or someone that they'd like to be near to, if their bed is too far from it.

1. The American Kennel Club 2. Facebook groups . Breed-centric Facebook groups consist of pet parents who live and have experience with your dog's breed.

As soon as you get your pup! See with your vet and training school as to how soon you can join their group classes but you should be able to either begin private training on your own at home with the basics and/or have a reputable trainer come to you to get you started on the right paw. Dogs are never too young or too old and puppies are like sponges, learning and taking everything in the moment you bring them home!

There's no rush! Especially if you have a young dog that isn't up to date on their shots yet. If that's your only option for socialization, make sure you start slowly and at your dog's pace. Prior to attending a dog park, make sure your dog has a good recall and has practiced getting to meet different types of dogs (not just size & breeds but play styles and demeanours) in more controlled environments. This will better prepare both you and your dog for this type of unregulated environment. Something else you can do and that I strongly recommend, is to take your dog around the dog park (especially when young) and just walk around it, past dogs and people. Your dog will still get to smell, see and hear everything going on at the park. But what will happen is your dog will learn that even though all of that is happening, what's important is that he/she walks and give you their attention, no matter what. This will build mutual trust and you can from then on get closer and closer to the park.

Have you heard pet parents and dog trainers (reputable ones at least!) say, “All dogs learn by association.”? This means that dogs connect specific feelings with situations, experiences, objects, animals, and people. Think of it like getting a lollipop at the doctor’s office when you were a child—a positive association that made the visit a little more bearable and positive. Dogs, however, experience these associations on an even deeper level, as this is a very reliable way that they learn to navigate their world, especially when it comes to the feeling of safety. Positive association is one of the most powerful tools we have in dog training. That’s because when a dog associates something with a good experience, they’re more likely to respond positively to that something in the future, which can help you further your dog training goals. This is a major reason why positive reinforcement is such a reliable and humane training method that everyone can put to practice daily, no matter the issue or concern you’re wanting to tackle. Why Association Matters Imagine your dog’s first vet visit or grooming appointment. If they have a painful or scary experience, they’re very likely to remember that next time and may resist going. The intelligence in a dog can lie in being able to quickly associate specific details that they’ve linked with a specific experience, good or bad. In the case of visiting the dog groomer, your dog might associate (or at the very least exhibit a worrisome-like reaction) you grabbing the leash to take them out for a walk with a potential visit to the groomer. This can depend highly on the dog, but also just how pleasant or unpleasant the grooming appointment was. Making it all the more important that your dog’s groomer does their very best to make your dog feel comfortable throughout their session. And something you can do on your end to help in this example would be to take your dog for happy visits to their vet and grooming appointments to help them feel and experience regular positive feelings, in contrast to the fewer visits where something challenging happens. This is important to put effort in, as dogs lack the reasoning abilities that you and I have—they therefore can’t rationalize why they might need a shot or a nail trim. Their main takeaway will be how the experience made them feel. You can think of it as when you go to a restaurant and their service isn’t the best. So you then leave the restaurant feeling like you might not want to return again.. What Can You Do? To prevent negative associations, you will want to take proactive steps to help your dog have as many positive experiences as possible under your care. You can do this by going to the vet’s office for a “happy visit” or visiting the groomer when you don’t have an appointment, for example. This will help build trust and comfort, all at your dog’s pace. Most vet offices and establishments offer happy visits , especially for puppies and older dogs. These short, stress-free visits allow your dog to see the vet as a friendly place, not somewhere to fear. This makes future visits smoother for both you and the vet, allowing for a safer, more relaxed experience. That way you’re not taking your dog to them only for appointments where something negative (in your dog’s eyes) would happen, forming an overall negative association which can make it difficult for everyone. For other types of situations that your dog is unsure of, you can put together a list of up to 5 ways that you could go about a similar activity or interaction, in a way that makes things feel easy and doable for your dog. For example, if your dog is reactive and unsure about other dogs, you can select an open space where you can focus on playing games with your dog, while others do their own thing at a far distance. Then you can pause and watch them for a second before resuming. Today you might do that for 5 minutes, tomorrow for 10, and so on. Or if your dog isn't keen on handling in general, you can try something like Chirag's bucket game to make your dog feel included and more comfortable with the experience. Applying Positive Association at Home With what you’ve learned, start applying positive association to everyday situations your dog might potentially dislike or is rather new to—like vacuuming, crate time, or wearing a harness and being handled in general. Much like happy visits, keep these interactions light, short, and super rewarding. Over time, your dog will begin to look forward to these experiences, making your life and theirs easier and more enjoyable.