A Wishbone Introduction
Dogs truly are our best friends, and with the myriad of ways we include them in our families. Not only that but dogs have uniquely developed alongside humans for thousands of years and have adopted many traits and skills that are strikingly familiar. Because of this it's easy to forget that dogs are not children. It is important to remember this at all times, especially when you are frustrated because your dog may not be responding the way you would like. It is never a good strategy to yell at our dogs during training sessions as this will only upset the dog and confuse it. This leads me to the core of what Wishbone Trinity Dog Training strives to accomplish. We want to create an environment that nurtures our dog’s physical, mental, and emotional needs. That’s the Trinity!
Physical: It is important to understand the needs of your specific dog breed as all breeds have different physical needs. In general though, there are a few things we always strive to achieve. The first is diet, health starts in the kitchen, so it's a good idea to have two or three different kinds of dog food for your puppy. We want a little variety in what we feed our dogs, in a similar manner that we like variety in our diets. You also want to make sure you set up a schedule for feeding. This will really help with so many things down the line, but for this section I want to focus on the fact that a schedule will make it easier for you to notice possible health problems. Next we want to make sure that your dog is getting the proper exercise. As I have mentioned not all breeds are the same, a Frenchie, Basset, or Pug is not going to need the same amount of exercise as a Border Collie, Husky, or Aussie. Diet and exercise, but you knew this!
Mental: We all know dogs are extremely intelligent, so much so we often find them outsmarting us! Dogs are curious creatures and love to learn, and it is important we nurture that. We also need to again remember dogs are dogs, not children. Dogs need patience and consistency to learn new things. Every dog is trainable, and every dog is teachable. Wait, aren’t those the same thing? Nope! At least, not to me. For me training is getting your dog ready for teaching. Here we ingrain the behaviors we want to see in our dog for future teaching. Things like focus, potty training, teething, handling, kennel and leash association. These are the building blocks that make up the foundation of your dog’s character. Then we begin teaching your dog tricks, procedures, games, and jobs! We want to do everything we can to stimulate our dogs’ minds, but make sure you take breaks. Training and teaching sessions should be short and surrounded by non session play. Remember, just because it is not a training session doesn’t mean we stop encouraging good choices. Even when you are not training, you are training!
Emotional: The general consensus is that dogs are the most emotionally intelligent animals. This is likely due to the fact that they have been our faithful companions for literally all of recorded history. Studies show that dogs naturally stimulate the release of chemicals in your brain, such as dopamine serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin, and can even lower blood pressure. What you may not have known is we do the same for dogs!. This endocrine loop has been reinforced by millennia of history and is an important factor for use to consider when interacting with our dogs. We never say "no" to our dogs out of frustration. It is important to maintain a positive attitude around our dogs. They look to you for leadership and security. So take an extra moment during those stressful times to let your dog know it's all going to be okay. Another aspect of this is setting your dog up for success. One of the best ways to train is to create moments of opportunity for success with your dog. This may mean changing locations, removing distractions, or substituting tasks. Always end training sessions with success!