The UPK9 Blog

One Way to Teach Your Dog the Heel Position

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There are many ways to teach your dog to come into the heel position. This one is easy to do and you do not need any other tools to help you. Just food and a leash!

If your dog does not understand this position it will be harder to get the dog to heel properly while walking.

Motion is the next step but far too many people skip this first step.

Enjoy this video featuring  Unleashed Potential New Jersey

 

Would you like  FREE dog training advice? OR to just learn more about Duke’s philosophy on dog training?  GET ACCESS HERE to his Exclusive, FREE Mini video series  Click Here!! This mini-series is not found on Youtube… Get Access Now… You will love it and you can share it with your friends and family.

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ARE YOU A TRAINER LOOKING TO BETTER YOUR SKILLS  OR SOMEONE WANTING TO LEARN TO BECOME A DOG TRAINER,  JOIN THE UPK9 TEAM OR NEED COACHING? CLICK HERE TO LEARN HOW YOU CAN  TRAIN WITH DUKE FERGUSON

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You’re A Dog Whisperer

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Building Engagement

Why does my dog behave so differently with you?

This is a question I get asked with every dog that comes in to my day train or board and train program. In these programs I train the dog and then coach their owners how to take over the process. My answer is always the same. I don’t have any baggage with the dog and I immediately set the rules and boundaries the minute the dog comes in.

I define baggage as all the unwanted behaviors that were let to develop into habits over time with a dog’s owners. I’m not pointing the finger at the owner and putting the blame on them, necessarily. In many cases they were told to do what they have tried up until that time. Add to that the simple fact that you don’t know what you don’t know. It’s too easy to point the finger and lay blame. So I don’t.

When a dog is dropped off and left with me to be trained, I’m very fortunate and it gives me a very distinct advantage. The dog doesn’t know me, is in an unfamiliar place, and immediately we implement the routines, rules, and boundaries that will shape the dog into the dog they have the potential to be. I immediately develop a relationship with the dog that is based on leadership and very quickly the dog will start to look to me to help them deal with their struggles differently.

The Art of Attention

I don’t possess the anxieties or frustrations the owner does when the dog struggles and my even keel energy quickly sets the dog at ease. It allows us to develop a relationship based on trust and leadership from day one – without the baggage. If you take into account the fact that I’m a dog trainer and should know how to deal with the issues brought before me, it allows me to gain that trust quickly. Whereas, an owner is trying to figure it out through too much trial and error that leads to confusion and distrust from the dog. The dog learns they need to figure it out for themselves because they don’t believe their owner has the solutions. Again, you don’t know what you don’t know and it is easy to give up on something when it doesn’t work immediately.

So dog trainers are not dog whisperers. Sure, if you want to turn your dog around as quickly as possible then get a dog trainer to train them for you in a board and train type program. The fact that they do this for a living professionally is the reason they will achieve results more quickly and to a higher level. Just like any trade; getting a skilled trade person to do a job versus doing it yourself will typically yield a better, faster result. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t do the job yourself. You just have to learn how to the best of your ability.

Solutions

My advice to those doing it yourself is set yourself up for success and the first step for that is to remove the baggage. You need to flip the switch and reset your dog. That means you have to always be in a position to teach so you can communicate to your dog what is right or wrong to influence their choices to the ones you wish them to make in all the circumstances that demand it. You have to be consistent and the dog must understand the conversation. When you are not in a position to teach, the dog needs to be somewhere where they can’t exercise the decisions you don’t want them to make. I recommend crating them. This sets the rules and boundaries and removes the baggage.

Freedom is earned.

The second step is to employ a training system. First you need to establish a communication system that the dog understands that distinguishes right from wrong. Then you need to teach the dog whatever you will employ in those circumstances outside of those circumstances first. The dog needs to understand everything about the conversation to be successful. If they do then the only variable is the choice the dog is making and that is what you are aiming to influence.

That’s the secret. It isn’t dog whispering at all. Where people often fail is a lack of consistency and failure to control the dog’s environment. People are often looking for a quick fix. They search YouTube and find a video on how to fix something and they try it. When it doesn’t work immediately they try something else. That just confuses and frustrates the dog. It isn’t that the YouTube video was necessarily wrong. There is just a lot more that goes into it then you see in a short video clip. So a lot of information is missing for a full solution. A large part of that is changing how you live with your dog – the baggage.

Calm and Happy

If a board and train program is not in the cards and you are struggling to achieve results on your own, I recommend you hire a professional for private sessions and follow what they are instructing you to do. You are still doing it on your own but with professional guidance and a plan. Another option is a quality video training system that teaches you how to train your dog. Again, you need to follow those instructions and be very consistent to have success.

Need Help?

Regardless of the path you choose to unleash your dog’s potential, I can help you. I offer day train, board and train, private lessons, and an online video series that can train any size, any breed, and any problem. Contact me to find out more or visit my Facebook page to see my training in action.

Guy Lapierre, Certified Professional Dog Trainer.  Unleashed Potential Halifax.

 

Would you like  FREE dog training advice? OR to just learn more about Duke’s philosophy and training steps on how to get your dog to listen and respond to you?  GET ACCESS HERE to his Exclusive, FREE Mini video series  Click Here!! This mini series is not found on Youtube… Get Access Now… You will love the mini series and its Free!! 🙂

To find a UPK9 Trainer near you or to Book your  FREE Demonstration and Consult Click Here

For more information on how you can  purchase Dog Training Genesis and become a member  CLICK  HERE or on the photo below of Duke and his dogs.

ARE YOU A TRAINER LOOKING TO BETTER YOUR SKILLS OR SOMEONE WANTING TO LEARN TO BECOME A DOG TRAINER or JOIN THE UPK9 TEAM ? CLICK HERE TO LEARN HOW YOU CAN COME AND TRAIN WITH DUKE FERGUSON

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Bear and Gunner Together Successfully! UPK9 Dog Training Success Story!

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Bear and Gunner

Bear and Gunner trained with Unleashed Potential K9 because they would fight with each other in the same home, with no known trigger. Their owners were living a stressed out life with a baby on the way, managing two dogs that they were too afraid to have out together. Once we determined that their trigger was resources, we were able to start rehabbing their relationship. Apart from that, Gunner used to act extremely fearful when people would come to the house, refusing to socialize. After 4 private lessons and 3 weeks of Boarding and Training, here is what their owner, Jasmine, had to say.

“Major breakthrough, have to share.

We have people over for a regular poker night. Normally Bear would be downstairs with the guys and Gunner would be in the bedroom before anyone even showed up because he would lose it and bark out of major fear. That’s where he’d spend the night. I’d tried to bring him downstairs before but there was too many people, he’d bark and run away.

Tonight…..

I left Bear in the kennel and put Gunner on Place. Our first friend arrived and Gunner didn’t bark, he was happy. Eventually we broke him and he smelled our friend and didn’t seem too bothered. People arrived one by one which worked great, it gave Gunner time to see them and they all knew better than to try to approach him because that was the closest they’d ever gotten to him!

To make a long story short (sorry but I’m flabbergasted)… he didn’t bark once at anyone and didn’t run away. He even wagged his tail when a few people petted him carefully and gave him treats.

We got Bear out and placed them both. I went even a step further and brought him down to the poker room and this is where I was mind blown…He came in and walked around the table wagging his tail! Being normal. First time he ever went in the basement during a poker night, and he was comfortable and not sketched out. Some of these guys had never even seen Gunner because he was always hiding, and Bear did amazing too! He let Gunner do his thing and didn’t bother him, he was calm and obedient and respectful. Bear is getting some bed time with the guys and I’m with gunner upstairs on bed so they can each relax. ”

Ahhhhhh success!

 

Are you at your wits end with your dog’s behavior and would like to have control, sanity, and above all else, safety? No matter the age or breed, please contact me now,  I assure you, I can help!

Book your FREE consultation and demonstration today!
Send an email to camellias@upk9.ca  Like us on Facebook!

Not in my area? Find a trainer near you! 

For more information on how you can  purchase Duke’s Dog Training Genesis and become a member  CLICK  HERE 

Stories of a Professional Dog Trainer

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This video explains Everything Kristine Stortroen our Unleashed Potential dog trainer in Orange County California went through and how she became a certified professional dog trainer.

This story is educational, intense, Juicy funny and entertaining  all in one. The thing is many people go through the same thing and either give up, put the dog down or become professional dog trainers.

Enjoy!

Got Dog Problems? Do you want help? No matter the size, sex, age or breed We Can Help!

Would you like  FREE dog training advice? OR to just learn more about Duke’s philosophy on dog training?  GET ACCESS HERE to his Exclusive, FREE Mini video series  Click Here!! This mini series is not found on Youtube… Get Access Now… You will love the mini series and its Free!! 🙂

To find a UPK9 Dog Trainer near you or to Book your  FREE Demonstration and Consult Click Here

For more information on how you can  purchase Dog Training Genesis and become a member  CLICK  HERE or on the photo below of Duke and his dogs.

ARE YOU A TRAINER LOOKING TO BETTER YOUR SKILLS OR SOMEONE WANTING TO LEARN TO BECOME A DOG TRAINER or JOIN THE UPK9 TEAM ? CLICK HERE TO LEARN HOW YOU CAN COME AND TRAIN WITH DUKE FERGUSON

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Overly Excited, Pushy Dog? How to Calm Your Dog Down in Minutes

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1 Simple Trick to Calm the Overly Excited Dog and Get Attention Fast

Some dog trainers and dog owners believe that using food in dog training causes overexcitement, over-arousal, and creates a dog that is too pushy so they stop using the food or never begin with it.  They don’t believe an overly excited, pushy dog can learn to calm and pay attention with food alone.

This is a false belief.

In this video, I’ll show you how easy it can be to get a pushy dog, who really wants the food that I have, to calm down, pay attention by giving me eye contact and think, in order to get the food.

It’s so easy it could be considered lazy dog training!

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SUMMARY

  • The overly excited pushy dogs need to learn to calm down to eat and the weak dog needs to become pushier to eat.
  • Trainers and pet owners sometimes believe that food will make a dog too pushy and too jumpy.
  • People say, stand still and the dog will stop jumping. They will eventually but why not use food and create a thinking dog?
  • When a dog starts thinking, when they actually start using their brain, they stop the jumping and other unwanted behaviours.

dog not paying attention

  • Pay attention and look in my eyes to get the food reward.

Calm dog paying attention

  • Think of this:  if the dog charges at the bush (being overly excited), there will be no rabbits (food) in that bush.  When the dog figures out that if she looks into my eyes (calms down, and pays attention) it will make rabbits (food!) come from the bush and she eats.

 

The Liver Bites I use and train with every day.  Freeze-dried, all-natural liver bites with no preservatives.

Liver Bites - Dog Treats

 

 

treat pouch to hold high value food to calm the pushy dog
Unleashed Potential Training Pouch

Would you like FREE  puppy training or dog training advice? OR to just learn more about Duke’s philosophy on dog training?  GET ACCESS HERE to his exclusive, FREE mini-video series.  This mini-series is not found on YouTube… Get Access Now… You will love it!

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Full Transcript-

Overly Excited Dog? How to Calm Your Dog Down and Get Attention in Minutes

[The following is the full transcript of this YouTube video. Please note that this video, features Duke speaking extemporaneously–he is unscripted and unedited. Filmed in one take].

 

Hey there, it’s Duke Ferguson, the owner CEO and master trainer of Unleashed Potential K9 and creator of Dog Training Genesis.

In this video, I want to address the myth that too many trainers and too many pet owners tell me about and that is food making dogs too amped, too pushy, too crazy and they can’t train them because they’re too hungry. That’s further from the truth. So in this video, I want to show you an actual example of how you can get a dog to use his brain, and to calm down and think, in order to get the food while you don’t have to do anything. The dog is the one that’s actually putting out, trying, and you’re barely doing anything at all. It’s just that easy. Here’s a clip from my Monroe, Washington seminar and it shows exactly that. I hope you enjoy it! Before you start the video, be sure to subscribe to see future videos, just like this one.

I want to address the myth that too many trainers and too many pet owners tell me about and that is food making dogs too amped, too pushy, too crazy and they can’t train them because they’re too hungry. That’s further from the truth.

So the pushy dog, remember I said, I’ll get her all amped. The pushy dog needs to learn to calm down to eat,  and the weak dog needs to put out to eat. So, let her push. I’m looking for anything.  Notice the pushiness just kinda stopped. I don’t care what she does I’ll either go…If I’m looking for eye contact she jumps on this board, I’ll mark that. I’m just getting her brain to work. I’m talking to you guys. This is a dog doing reactive stuff,  just what they know, what they can get away with. And she’ll learn to start using her brain and she’ll look into my eyes. I can sit on a chair. Do you want to see the look on her face? Just hang tight.

The overly excited, pushy dog needs to learn to calm down to eat,  and the weak dog needs to put out to eat.

The dog’s a bit nervous. When they are really hungry, touch. okay. We will go this way to see. There’s the food, I want eye contact. When a dog starts thinking, when actually start using their brain, they stop all this sh** and they think, huh, charging the bush… there are no rabbits in that bush. Ah,  See? Simple.

So in theory, people could say, stand still and the dog will stop jumping. They want you. They will eventually, but you’ll get all scratched to crap. If they want food, all they’re doing is licking and pushing on my hand. And I can discourage that pushiness, by taking it away. So, I can make it faster. So let’s say they’re really pushy when she goes to it, I pull away. You can play catch to build a little dopamine. So you can actually use your food as prey as well. Now I’m going to make it more distracting.  She learns, to get distracted by this you starve! Sit down and think, how do I get that? She doesn’t understand, right, so I make it easy. So notice I pull away. See the brain working?

So you can actually use your food as prey as well.

Put your camera right on her face, the look, she’s like. Come see it, just her head, this dog her brain, you can smell the wheels turning in there and there’s smoke coming out of her ears, every so often, it’s great! Okay. I can do this, all day, and she’ll learn to stare in my eyes. . So fast, “Chip” And it happens faster, faster, faster See it? See the eyes? She’s thinking. You want a thinking dog. No GPS help. I’m not doing this: Look, look, oh good girl! Don’t do that. Don’t do that. That drives me crazy. So now, you’re not paying her, and that’s okay? because she’s looking at you. Right, because she’s putting out and I can talk to you and she’s still thinking. Now I’m talking to you guys and look at the dog. She’s putting out. Yeah. So I don’t need to do the cheerleading and it’s less effort. That’s called lazy dog training. Look, here’s the pouch man, holy cow! Look at her thinking. “Chip” Look in the guy’s eyes, make rabbits come from the bush and eat it. She learns. Hey, pretty quick. That’s an easy thing I know what to do. I’m already waving around.  Notice how people are like “Don’t distract the dog.” “Don’t distract, In training, don’t distract my dog.”

I’m talking to you guys and look at the dog; she’s putting out.  So I don’t need to do the cheerleading and it’s less effort