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Dog Behavior, Dog Training, Dogs, Positive Reinforcement Training, Puppies, Training Tips

Monterey, CA: Why Training Though?

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Besides the obvious reasons of having a well-mannered, short, furry member of your family – Do you know why it’s a good idea that every single doggy household should go through some training?

Brain Plasticity is the ability for the brain to modify it’s connections and rewire itself.
This is what learning and re-learning is. This is the entire basis of what I do. I can take dogs who have learned to behave, act and react in one way and I am able to rewire the brain to think, react, and act a completely different way – while leaving the personality completely in tact.

Whether or not they have behavioral issues, we all run into hurdles, stumbles and naughty puppies somewhere along the line. But because they may act a certain way, doesn’t mean that they need to be labeled or expected to stay that way forever. This is why I specialize in correcting severe behaviors and all forms of aggression, and have been able to fix what others have said could never be.

Our dogs have thoughts, personalities, emotions, and reactions just like us, and they get bored just like our children do – heck adults still get bored too. As puppies their minds and bodies are growing, learning, shaping and becoming who they will be through exploring the world around them. Training brings a change of pace, has them guessing and striving to do things for you because it’s fun and rewarding! It’s very stimulating to do any kind of training with your dog. Whether it be Obedience, Agility, Assistance / Service Dog work, Rally or any other forms of dog sports and activities. 

Training is stimulating to your dog, no matter their age, they enjoy learning new things or practicing well-known skills. When you work with your dog on obedience or tricks or agility – whatever it is, you are working out their brain muscles. Just like children in school, stimulating the brain to function is good for their health, and makes them tired too! And a tired puppy is a GOOD puppy! Thinking and working for treats and toys is mentally exhausting for them in a good way. Do let them take frequent naps in order for their new learning to settle in, and their bodies to unwind. 

When you’re training with your dog, you’re spending quality time with them each day where the two of you are having fun, communicating with one another and bonding. It should be fun for the both of you, where you continue to improve, progress and over time, work together as a stronger team. All of which makes your life with your dog that much more enjoyable. 

Something to remember: Regularly working with your dog is good for your health. Interacting with your dog has been proven to release endorphins in both species, and we biologically respond to one another the same way parents do with their children. Also? Patients who are recovering from illnesses or surgeries recover faster when they have a dog present, their own dog even faster. 

In Short, It’s all around good for everyone!

Published by Amy Noble on 8/28/19
Amy is an Animal Behaviorist and Dog Trainer in Monterey, Ca, with over Thirty years of experience and active knowledge working with animals. Amy’s love for every dog, cat, horse, rabbit, human (and more!) that she trains truly shows in her work and dedication.

Dog Behavior, Dogs

Animal Brain Vs. Domestic Brain

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Oftentimes my clients will hear me talk about their dogs being in “Animal brain mode” or “Domestic brain mode” to help explain where their dog’s focus is. There’s a little more to it than just focus.

Dog domestication happened a LONG time ago – their ancestors came from their wild wolf cousins. There is a piece of their functionality that will always remain somewhat ‘wild’. This is their instinctual side, where prey drive and reactivity comes from.

I tend to work more with dogs that function at a higher percentage in Animal brain than they do in Domestic brain, because I specialize in severe behavioral issues and all forms of aggression. My dogs start out functioning at a level of instinct instead of partnership with their humans.

There was a study I read once, that when some dogs instinct kicks in during prey drive, the function of their hearing shuts off. They go so far into Animal brain mode that they literally cannot hear you, because that is the least helpful sense to a dog on the hunt. They gain laser focus and all they want to do is “GO get that thing!!”

I experienced this quite a bit with my Husky, Prince. When he would spot a cat or possum? That was it. There was no getting through to him. I can still see the hard look he would get. Eyes focused, body stiff, and those ears were pinned on the unsuspecting critter! I could yell or scream any command or even some of his favorite words “WALK? Bone! Prince, BONE! LEAVE IT AND COME GET THIS BONE!! Let’s go for a WALK!! DOG!!!” And before I could even finish my sentence… BOOM! He was flying after them. The joy of the hunt was far greater than any pathetic thing I could come up with.

Because I had so much practice with him and watching other clients dogs do the same when they’d spot a squirrel or cat or another dog on the leash, I got really good at spotting the signs and getting their attention before that Animal brain would click on. I could see the train track change coming up on the horizon. The trick is getting those tracks to not switch directions, to keep them going in a straight line in Domestic brain lane. That functioning partnership that we all love and know our dogs are capable of.

Domestic brain is where we like our dogs. They listen, they obey, and they stay in their own lanes. When I work with a dog to get them functioning more in Domestic brain, the transition is a bit stressful, for everyone involved. The dogs instincts are SCREAMING in their bodies, and they will succumb to it at times. But in order to work on it, they need to be continually exposed, in order to learn how to shut it off and stay in the right frame of mind. This is where our ability to be patient and loving and understanding comes in handy. And also a bit of knowledge in body language helps too.

So when your dog is barking out the window at passers by or rushing out the back door to go chase a squirrel, understand that they’re functioning off of something a bit more primal and calling them off may not always work. Catching their attention just before usually will.