Sara Bryanton

Place and Recall Training Success with Rescue Dog!

February 8, 2022 By Sara Bryanton Leave a Comment

Place and Recall Training has helped Taco the Texas Rescue live his best life! He and his owner worked, and continue to work, very hard on his training every day. Read below what Taco’s owner had to say about a recent successful outing.

“Some huge training wins this morning!

Tacos recall has improved so much with our recent training and incorporating a “place” command. We started playing a game of getting him to place on various steps of the bleachers! Even with dogs running by, he held his position (with the cutest head tilt) until he was released.”

– Owner Lindsay

You can follow along their journey on Instagram – @tacofromtexas

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Off-Leash Recall with German Shepherd | Amazing!

February 7, 2022 By Sara Bryanton Leave a Comment

An off-leash recall with a German Shepherd is possible! Read what the owners had to say below about their German Shepherd, Grace, who was recalled from chasing a fox outside perfectly!

“If you are wondering if this training works or not, my husband recalled Grace away from chasing a fox at the edge of our property. We have a 1/4 mile snowshoe tracks made around the property.

She started after the fox, then recalled back to a heel and continued on. Hubby said he could see the fox sitting in the woods watching as they continued their walk; Grace watched him back but stayed in the heel.
This wild fox is around the area a lot; they were singing to each other last night lol

This absolutely would not have happened prior to your program. Looking forward to group classes!”

-Owner Nancy

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The Benefits of Walking Your Dog

February 7, 2022 By Sara Bryanton 1 Comment

Did you know walking your dog is more than just exercise? Walking your dog is filled with several benefits that not only apply to them but to you as well!

I’ll be honest, years ago as a high-performing athlete in skier cross, rugby, mountain biking, and trail running, I thought walking was boring and didn’t consider it a proper way to exercise. I feel the need…the need for speed! I worked hard to train my dogs to be off-leash so they could run and run and run! As I aged and perfect fitness eluded me I did engage in slower activities and you can most often find me snowshoeing and hiking these days with my dogs off-leash. So they run, I walk! But then in early 2020 my 5-year-old female GSD Hurtta was diagnosed with significant hip dysplasia and advanced spondylosis and our wonderful canine rehab pro Sarah MacKeigan at Upward Dog in NS assigned me to walk Hurtta on a leash twice daily.

Here’s what I have learned over the years as a Professional Dog Trainer working with clients and other professionals in the industry.

BENEFITS OF WALKING YOUR DOG:

Walking uses different muscles than running or swimming. When thinking about exercising your dog you want to engage in different activities that will provide a chance to strengthen all muscles.
Improves impulse control as the dog must focus on walking at your side and not be distracted therefore reactive to everything that moves or makes a sound.
Going slow is good! Teaches a calmer state of mind and a desire to explore the world at a slower pace with more attention therefore walking is a great way to provide mental stimulation.
Improves your relationship and bonding with your dog as you walk side by side instead of independently from one another.
Greater socialization. Being kept in enclosed spaces such as backyards can cause them to be too sheltered from the world which will lower confidence and increase anxiety when around different environments, people, and other dogs.
Daily walking lessons problems with dogs becoming bored, frustrated, and engaging in behaviors such as barking, destruction of property, and repetitive behaviors such as perimeter circling and attempts to escape their yards when the opportunity presents itself. (Here is where I want to tell ya about the time I was away from home for 3 hours and my door blew open and when I got home the dogs were still in the house!❤️)
Decreases the risk of dogs developing territorial behaviors (barking, rushing at the fence when people and dogs go by) resulting from long-term confinement to the property.
Improved cardiovascular fitness, stronger core muscles, lower blood pressure, and a better more stable mood.
Addresses the obesity epidemic. Most dogs today are being fed the amounts indicated on their dog food bags but those amounts were decided on decades ago when dogs spent the majority of their days outside and had jobs. They don’t take into account how many treats ppl feed their dogs these days. We are simply feeding our dogs too much and not burning off calories enough and over half of the dogs are overweight or obese. Obesity can lead to liver disease, insulin resistance, osteoarthritis and knocks a year or two off your dog’s lifespan.
Decreases feelings of loneliness. Yes! Your dog can feel lonely even living with you if you don’t engage them in activities and provide them with things to do. Sometimes your dog is laying around the house simply because there is just nothing else to do.

Hurtta, Kyro, and I are enjoying our daily walks immensely. I notice improvements in my mood as well and I do feel the increased bonding as we walk side by side together down the road.

Our Signature Bungee Collars are worn by the dogs in the photo above.

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COACH SARA’S TIPS FOR WALKING:

Dress for success! Wear clothing that is easy to move in, moisture-wicking, cooling in the summer, and thermal for the winter. When walking at night add in reflective or LED accessories for both you and your dog and invest in a good headlamp like the Petzl ones at Sporting Intentions in Charlottetown.
Don’t forget the poop bags!
Say hello to other people! Covid has turned us all into avoidant creatures. Look up, smile, say hi!
Sign you and your dog up for obedience training. Consult with a trainer about your goals and work with them to come up with a plan then take action to implement that process no matter how long it takes.
Warm-up before you start. This is important for both you and your dog. Take it slow in the beginning then increase your speed.
Stretch after. Stretch yourself and google how to stretch your dog!
Have ID tags on your dog. Just in case anything happens!
Check the dog’s gear and make sure it’s in good working order. No rips or tears in leashes, collars, or harnesses, and ensure that buckles aren’t cracked.
Get some Paw Salve to keep the pads from drying out if walking in areas that do salt on sidewalks. Also good for their noses as it doesn’t contain any fragrance or essential oils. We like the one locally made by Urban Paw.
Avoid walking in extreme cold or heat. And know your breed. Some breeds can handle hot and cold weather better than others. Don’t judge someone walking a husky on a cold winter’s day.
Obey leash laws. I know I know, your dog is off-leash trained with an e-collar. Still, for everyone’s safety and comfort, leash up in areas where it’s the law. Other people don’t know that your dog is off-leash trained and may feel nervous seeing a dog with no leash on.
Bring fresh water for you both if going out for a while.
Schedule and plan your walks! Studies show that when we schedule things we are more apt to stick to them. Doesn’t matter if it doesn’t happen at the exact time you scheduled it, just matters that you did it.

So walk on and walk far my friends!

Love, Coach Sara

Manager/Head Trainer

Unleashed Potential PEI

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The Pandemic Dog Trainer: Life During COVID & How You Can Find Harmony With Your Dog.

October 18, 2021 By Sara Bryanton Leave a Comment

Life has changed for everyone during the COVID Pandemic and my role as head dog trainer at Unleashed Potential, PEI has changed as well.

Clients are struggling and so are their dogs. With health threats, restrictions, masks, lockdowns, transitions to working from home, homeschooling kids, bubble open, bubble closed, restrictions lifting, restrictions back in place…it’s been a roller coaster. People are tired, burned out. I see this on my client’s faces. Less smiling happy faces, more tired, worn-out faces.

Now that vaccines are here and there are fewer restrictions people are trying to merge the pandemic life they developed with their rekindled real life and people are over-scheduled and busier than ever. It’s been increasingly difficult to get people booked in for appointments as their schedules are incredibly full.

As far as dogs go there is a marked increase in anxiety, hyperactivity and reactivity/aggression. I also notice an increase in dog’s persistence to do what they want. There has never been a dog I couldn’t hold back on a leash when they were pulling. This year there have been a couple I couldn’t hold back from lunging unexpectedly and a few more that were close to schooling me in their initial lessons prior to the addition of tools and food/training games to assist. Yup, dogs are pulling harder than ever before and their poor humans have no chance of holding onto them.

So we’ve got stressed-out dogs living in homes with stressed-out owners who are overwhelmed by their dog’s behaviour and the amount of work it takes to change the dog. There is an increase across the country of rehomes and euthanasia as people are at their wits end with their once cute pandemic puppy.

And this is where my role has changed. I’ve always called myself a people trainer before a dog trainer. When I can teach you to change your habits and routines, the dog will change. I am a coach and it’s my job to navigate you from point A to point B with your training. But…in my athletic days, my coaches and trainers could only take me so far. I was the one who had to cross the finish line.

Since COVID I spend an increasing amount of time helping people overcome their own anxieties, fears, doubts, insecurities about training their dogs. Building them up and helping them see that training is a process, there are no quick fixes but you can totally do this.

People need harmony in the home because there’s less and less harmony in the world with abnormal and off-the-charts heat waves causing wildfires, tornadoes spinning in places they have never spun before and will there be a deadly variant that the vaccine does not protect against?? There is so much out of your control right now and that’s frightening. But one thing you do control is what goes on in your house.

How you live with your dog is what trains the dog. If you give up on rules and structure your dog will develop a whole bunch of problem behaviours as they are constantly being given a ‘Don’t do’ list instead of a ‘to do’ list.

I’m seeing a huge increase in frustrated dogs living with frustrated owners. There is consistent conflict between the owner and the dog. Instead of saying NO! When they jump a million times a day, teach them to sit for everything they want- food, toys, attention, freedom to sniff or run and check things out and yes…sit when they meet people.

Tell the dog what to do.

Resist the urge to just say no all day. If dogs barking at windows teach quiet command or come command to remove them from the window.

Tell the dog what to do.

If the dog is pacing and never sits still and follows you all around the house like they are made of velcro teach them the ‘place’ command and a down stay.

Tell the dog what to do. Always.

Don’t try and do your own training. Seek out a professional who will help you separate the useful info you read online from the useless. Work with them to develop an efficient training schedule that you can consistently stick with at home. If trying to work on a skill taught and you become frustrated because the dog is not responding, stop…take a breath, refocus and do a self-assessment.

✅How is my leash handling?

✅Am I marking and feeding properly?

✅Am I rushing and putting the dog in too great of a distraction too soon?

✅Have I not practiced my basics enough and I’m trying to do something too advanced that I and the dog are not ready for?

✅Do I fully understand what I’m supposed to be doing?

✅Have I studied the homework materials sent to me in case I forgot something that was taught?

When you encounter problems in training, look inwards first rather than just blaming the dog, getting frustrated and giving up. Always say “What can I do better to manage this situation and get success?”

Don’t sign up for training to “fix” your dog. There are no broken dogs and they are not robots that can be simply reprogrammed. As your coach, my job is to help you first.

➡️Why did you get this dog?

➡️What does it mean to you and your family to have this dog?

➡️How much time are you willing to spend every day to train the dog?

➡️Are you willing to provide your dog with a variety of experiences away from home?

Like it or not you are in a relationship with your dog and it takes 100% effort from you and 100% effort from them to succeed. Ensure your dog is hungry, food motivated and wants to participate in training. You in turn bring the fun with a good attitude and mindset that training 5 mins 3 times a day is not a chore, it’s a chance to bond with your dog over the use of food, toys and games. It’s a chance to say yes instead of no, it’s a chance to work on your partnership with them. Yes, partnership…you need to learn how to have trust and confidence in your dog and they need to learn how to have trust and confidence in you. Then, you will have harmony.

Remember:

🌟You are more courageous than you think when it comes to trying new things.

🌟You can learn to train and handle your dog as a pro can.

🌟It’s ok to fail, try again.

🌟There are no setbacks. You and your dog will make mistakes. Adapt and try something else next time.

🌟Don’t run from it, learn from it.

🌟Always ask for help when you need it.

❤️ Coach Sara

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DESTRUCTIVE DOGS OFTEN MISDIAGNOSED AS SEPARATION ANXIETY

December 8, 2020 By Sara Bryanton Leave a Comment

DESTRUCTIVE DOGS OFTEN MISDIAGNOSED AS SEPARATION ANXIETY CASES

By Sara Bryanton, CPDT

Head trainer

Unleashed Potential, PEI

I get a lot of emails and phone calls to help people who say their dog has separation anxiety. Some have been prescribed anxiety meds. This is why we do 45-60 minute free consultations and assessments. I will spend more time with you then most experts asking many questions about your dog’s history, breeding, development, their habits, their responses to stimuli, your habits, your routines, environmental changes, food being fed, physical and mental stimulation, your work schedule, travel life etc.

After finding all of that out, quite often it is not a case of separation anxiety but a case of destructive behaviour due to boredom and lack of stimulation. That is why your anxiety meds aren’t working. 😉

If your dog lacks mental and physical stimulation they tend to seek out their own “tasks.” They need an outlet for their energy and if no outlet is provided they engage in destructive behaviour to vent out the energy.

In this instance, I will likely not recommend meds for your dog but here is what I will recommend:

🐶 MENTAL & PHYSICAL ENERGY BURN. Engage with your dog with fun and challenging interactions doing obedience training games everyday. Make their new daily “tasks” fun and engaging. Sit, down, heel, place, come, stand, stay in position and other fun tricks that they can problem solve and be active in are important. Challenge them to learn how to do it without relying on lures or bribes, instead create a thinking dog who can problem solve, find their advantage and think they are in control.

🐶 No more leaving them alone to exercise themselves mindlessly on your property. YOU exercise them. YOU engage them daily with fun activities such as fetch, tug, flirt pole use, walks, runs, bike rides, swimming and nose work. YOU supervising and engaging with your dog. They will love it and you at a deeper level. Why doesn’t a dog listen to its owner? Because often the owner is boring, not present, not engaged, not reliable and the most common word spoken is “no!” Be the cool kid in school that your dog wants to hang out with.

🐶 Teach your dog to have an off switch. Many owners focus on constantly stimulating their dogs with play, enrichment and exercise. This is great and please don’t stop! But the problem with that alone is, it can create adrenaline junkies who can not sit still and always need to be doing something. Teach down-stays on ‘place’ and reward calm behaviour. Make sure they are getting proper sleep. Adult dogs need 12-14 hours a day of sleep. Like kids, your dog might choose not to rest. Make them rest by using a kennel or teaching place command after their Energy Burn needs have been met. Destructive behaviours increase with lack of sleep.

🐶 Feed them nutritious healthy food. Not all food is created equal and just because your bag costs $100 doesn’t guarantee it’s good for them. Dog food companies are masters of marketing and masters of making you think their food is natural and healthy when it is not. It’s our job as pet parents to know exactly what we are buying and feeding our dogs. Poor food choices can hinder brain function and contribute to aggression and destructive behaviours. Links below for websites you should study.

🐶 And lastly, take action. Mike Hawkins from Planet of Success says-

“ You don’t get results by focusing on the results, you get results by focusing on the actions that produce results.”

Dog training is a lifestyle. Set intentions to work with your dog every day and teach them what you expect with fun, food and engagement. Those intentions will turn into habits and those habits will then become second nature. Your dog is only on this earth for a short while. Don’t waste the opportunity. ❤️

Love,

Coach Sara

LINKS

www.unleashedpotential.ca Find out more about dog training services.

Unleashed Potential K9 Academy® is a registered private training school under the Private Training Schools Act of the Province of Prince Edward Island.

Sign up for free dog training videos, see what food and supplies we carry in our webstore and book your free consult with a certified trainer.

www.truthaboutpetfood.com Non-profit pet food advocacy group.

www.planetpaws.com Nova Scotian, Rodney Habib, has become the worlds leading dog food nutritionist and currently has over 3.5 million followers. Find out the latest news on all things food, Science-based info on increasing your pet’s life span, DIY tips and ideas of things you can do at home to enrich your dog’s life and more.