Tag Archives: leadership

CARMEL, CA: The Way And The Reason I Work.

Someone asked me recently, “What makes YOU so special?” And, honestly? I love this question! There is something different about me and it does contribute to how and why I work so well with animals – and humans!

I’m a very calm, confident person and I give off that energy to those around me. Dogs are pack animals and appreciate a leader who knows “the way out of the woods,” so-to-speak. A leader who can handle any situation with confidence and ease – so they don’t have to. 

Energy! It’s all about the energy that I give off and even use to communicate with.

I also have a very good grasp of emotions happening; inside of me or within the people around me. I tend to keep myself very positive-neutral and under control – which translates to “leader” in dogs. The confidence I have, and my restraint from having emotional reactions come from years of my own work in self-reflection and understanding the brain and body coherence. 

If a dog is acutely aware of their present self and physical body position / motion, why can’t we be the same? It’s because we’ve become distracted, it’s been trained out of us. I have learned to enhance and utilize it to work for me, with animals, children, and the non-verbal in general. 

And Yes, I do use this same form of self-energy control and distribution to communicate as well. This is a bit more tricky to explain and teach; however, it’s something that we are all capable of. Everybody has the potential – it’s in our code. It’s the same as your gut feelings, your intuition – your Spidey-Senses! You’ve even experienced it before without being aware. Picture this…

You’ve just gotten out of a late night class. The campus is empty and dark. When you showed up earlier, the parking lot was full – so you had to park in the far back. As you pass one of the buildings you see a dark figure leaning against the wall, nobody else is around and suddenly you feel very anxious to get to your car. Your pace quickens, your footsteps pounding in your ears. Your breathing becomes quick and shallow. Your lonely car out there in the lot, by itself in the dark seems to be so far away; it feels like someone is looming right over your shoulder – about to grab you! 

The very next morning news gets to you that a building on your campus was broken into. The very same building you saw the figure the night prior. You felt something was wrong, you knew something was off about that place, that person, that time. You don’t know why or how, but you acted on that feeling by getting to your car quickly, your brain pumping your body full of adrenaline to give you the strength and speed to complete your one and only task of survival. 

It’s instinctual and can be fine-tuned to your advantage whenever you need it.  

Alternatively – You’ve just walked into a new school on day 1. You look around the room for an empty seat, trying not to be noticed. When you lock eyes with a new stranger and they smile. It’s as if a light has shone upon them; all your nerves disappear, you smile easily and suddenly you feel relaxed and excited to start this new year. The two of you have now been the best of friends (or lovers) for 25 years.

I just happened to notice that animals responded much quicker and easier to it all than people did. Though people absolutely can and do – just as well! 

I have been particularly sensitive to these types of moments and feelings since I was a very young child. It’s a silent language that we all are capable of speaking. I just happen to have practiced quietly, internally, since I can remember. Being a child whose vision depended on being extremely observant of my environment, situations, motions, emotions, behaviors and the people around me certainly helped my case. I had to rely on those senses and energy shifts and changes to tell me how to react and adapt in my life.

Energy shifts are the way of animal language:
The deer NEVER needs to walk up to the wolf and ask if he is a friend. He just knows. Zebra know the exact moment to run; the moment the lion has chosen to chase. Instinctual energies have a very palpable feel to them, and as soon as you learn to recognize and read them, is when you can be several steps ahead of the creature you’re working with. 

I do my best to teach this to every one of my clients.

Every time I’ve had a dog on lead who’s decided to attack another, I feel something like a pulse of energy, almost like a puff of air that hits me first. My reflexes and reaction time must be precise to ensure the safety of everybody involved. So I stop it before it starts, or gets too far.

If I start to lose a dog’s attention and they go dancing away, I can picture and *feel* something like an elastic band or cord attached between us, that encourages them to come back by tugging at them to return to me.

That is how I was always able to catch dogs running loose in the neighborhood. 

Now you see, there is something different about me, something special that I have that others may not. I work on many levels with my animals and people, so that everyone benefits and their lives improve. That’s my ultimate goal – to improve the lives of others through transforming relationships with their animals. <3

Published by Amy Noble on 10/23/19

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.


Monterey, CA: Back To School! Now, What? Leaving Your New Puppy At Home

You waited for school to be out this past June so you could pick up your newest family member from the breeder or rescue. It was planned perfectly! The family would spend the whole summer playing with the new puppy. Feeding, watering, potty training, teaching tricks, and getting to know your puppy was what filled this summer’s long days. Memories were made and thousands of pictures taken.

Now it’s September, and school is back in session. The kids are up earlier each day, cranky, rushing out the door, and gone for hours. Afternoon hits and everyone returns home. Snacks handed out, clothes changed and homework begins. We all know that can take a while. Then dinner, some down-time, and bed. All to do it over again, 4 more days of the week. Throw in sports plus after-school activities, there isn’t a whole lot of time left in the day. 

Your life changes drastically overnight, in the eyes of your puppy. There is no explaining to them, the immediate change in the amount of attention they will get during the day; however, there are ways that you can prepare them, and make it more comfortable for them when the time does come.

-Take Breaks: The most important thing to remember is to not spend 24/7 with your puppy. DO leave the house at times. Take everyone with you, so that the puppy can learn to be alone and have it be okay. Start small, build onto that time. 

-Keep Puppy Occupied: Giving the puppy something to do like chew on a Filled Kong Toy or a bone will keep their minds occupied on something yummy and good, instead of your absence.

-Leave Radio On: Get the puppy used to having something like the radio playing, or a tv on low. If you do, be sure to leave it on something upbeat and positive. Dogs do respond to the energy of the tone of what they’re listening to. I tend to leave the TV on animal shows. 

-Puzzle Toys: Give your puppy something stimulating to do and think about. Buy or make DIY Puzzle toys for your dog to sniff at, play with, and receive rewards from. Keeping their brains busy on something constructive and good, instead of your absence. 

When school starts, and you’re the only one home with the puppy – play with them! They’re going to love the one-on-one time. Plus, they will benefit from learning to play with different family members and their styles of play; teaching them social flexibility. Playing stimulates their brain and causes them to be tired. Depending on the age of your puppy, sometimes just a 30 minute session can result in a 2-3 hour nap. 

Training! I’m always going to suggest this one. Spend some time teaching tricks or basic obedience before school, when the kids are at school, and while they’re busy doing homework. It’s a perfect time to teach Leave-It, Attention getters, and Stays! 

Puppy play dates are always fun too! If you have friends that also have young dogs, and everybody is up to date on vaccinations – meet in your backyard or your friend’s backyard and have a play session. Guaranteed to cause a massive nap attack for the rest of the day. 

Something to remember? School-age children should not be held completely responsible for the new dog. You got it to help teach responsibility – which is a great idea! It definitely does. Responsibility is not something that just manifests out of thin air, it falls on you as the parent (or guardian) to guide and show them what to do and how to manage their time. When the children are busy with their primary responsibility, school, the adults in the house need to take over the roll of playmate and leader with the puppy. 

The whole family should be involved with Puppy’s raising and training. Everybody has a part in the family – including our dogs. If everybody does their piece the puppy will learn exactly where they fit in. Resulting in a much more harmonious household. 

Published by Amy Noble on 9/4/19

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

Happy Fourth of July! Fireworks and your fur babies.

Fourth of July can mean family time, BBQ’s, swimming pools, and beaches. The beautiful display of fireworks celebrating our independence, closing the evening out with spectacular shapes and colors displayed all over the night sky. The perfect midsummer celebration to create magical memories that last a lifetime.

But for some, it can mean stress, anxiety, fear, loud noises, over-stimulation, confusion and the sense of being under attack from above.

So what should you do if your pet is fearful? Plan ahead! If you know your pets don’t or won’t like the fireworks, there are plenty of preventative measures you can take.

Most importantly, if you have an outside cat who likes to cruise in and out during the day and evening. Bring them in. Set up a room or bathroom with their food, litter box, a cat tree or a bed to hide in / under. Put them in the room with some new toys, catnip, and some yummies – and close the door. Keeping them contained in a room is much safer for them than trying to brave the outdoors when confusion hits. I recently mentioned to someone: “I’d much rather have a cat who is pissed off at me for locking them up, than to have to bury my cat because they tried to find cover in a panic and got hit by a car.” Hurting your pets pride or ego is 100% curable. Keep that in mind.

Setting up a quiet, comfortable space for kitty to spend the evening is going to be your best bet for keeping them happy and safe!! Don’t take any chances. Keep them in.

I have heard many, many horror stories about dogs getting out of the yard, jumping fences, chewing through fences, breaking through glass windows, all for getting away from fireworks.

My advice for them would be quite similar as for cats. Bring them in where it’s safe. If they are kennel dogs, setting the kennel up in a bedroom with the radio or TV playing for some noise, some chew bones or filled frozen Kong’s to keep them busy – and something to take their stress out on. Close windows and doors to help dampen the sound, maybe turn on a fan to keep the air flowing. All of these things will help to set a calm environment.

If your dog is exceptionally anxious or nervous, I would suggest NOT leaving them alone. Keep them with you, hang out at home, or board them with a friend they are comfortable with where you know they’ll be contained, safe, and with others. In most of the Animal world there is safety in numbers! Being with the pack and watching them handle the noise helps a nervous dog tremendously!

Being in a pack of dogs that are all friends and being able to play can help many dogs make it through the fourth also! Years ago I would have puppy parties at my house. We would take all the nervous dogs and have them in mid-play before the fireworks in our neighborhood began. That way they were otherwise distracted during the event and then too busy to even care.

What helps the most is being a calm, confident, leader towards them. Dogs are looking for leaders to follow and if the leader isn’t worried, they drop their worries too. Never coddle or fawn over your dog when they are in a nervous state. Instead, confidently tell them that they are ok, and divert their attention to something else. If they aren’t interested in anything else and would much rather cuddle and lay with you – then do that without any emotional sing-songy communication.

Remember: Calm, confident, leadership.

Bring Me To Your Leader

Having A Structure For Your Pooch:
And Why They’ll Thank You For It. 

dog-leader

“Why should you spend your time training your dog? What’s the point? Aren’t all those things they learn just “tricks”, anyway?”

I have had this question before. It was in an “Intro” class, and was asked by a man who had been sent by his wife, in her stead, and he wasn’t planning on attending any classes, he just wanted to see what it was all about. It’s a great question! There are several reasons why, and not the least of which is to create a structure for your dog to follow. Just like kids, lines need to be defined for your dog(s), so that they can grow up learning how to behave properly in the world and, more importantly, your family.

wolf-packEssentially, what it all comes down to is, dogs all need a “leader”. All of our domestic dogs evolved from wolves. And by ‘evolved’ I mean: Domesticated and bred down to all the breeds you see today, by our own ancestors who built mutually-beneficial relationships with the wild packs inhabiting the same land as them. Wolves live very similarly to us; in family-like packs where the alphas head the group. And because our domestic dogs share the same DNA, they also share the same instincts as their wild cousins. So, they will automatically look to you for guidance. And? If they don’t find that guidance or clear direction from you, their supposed alpha, they will appoint themselves as the alpha of the house. <Cue Danger Music>

not-listeningSo, what happens when a dog decides it’s the alpha of the house? That’s when we see behaviors such as not listening to you when you call them, or not caring if you correct them for doing something they shouldn’t be. They can get destructive, sometimes they can become aggressive toward people or other dogs, possessiveness can happen, or they will even choose to use your carpets and couches as their “grass” and “hydrant” for relieving themselves. In other words, most (all) unwanted behaviors come from lack of structure, and the fact that there has not been a clear alpha established in the home, so the dog has taken on the role itself. And creating it’s own rules (or lack, thereof). And, let me tell you, not all dogs are confident or dominant enough to be the alpha, even if they were in a dog pack.

Just imagine giving your 4-year old child full reign of the house. They choose what they get to do at all times, and you have no say. That doesn’t work for anyone, and can become very disastrous!

The client I mentioned earlier, came to Week 1 with his wife, and they had an adorable, yet very rowdy and unruly, puppy. It turned out that they felt bad for giving their dog so many ‘rules’, before ever attending a training class. They thought that they were being mean to their puppy, and were afraid to hurt his feelings. But, they had an 8-month old jumpy, barky, bitey, handful running their house and determining their routine for them, causing them to cater to him before themselves. And, he was going to turn out to be about 100lbs, when fully grown. Can you imagine a 100lb dog with no rules? Yikes!

doggy-smileLet me assure you of one thing, you will NOT hurt your dog’s feelings, by giving them a structure. And, you are most definitely not being mean to them by doing so, either. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. You will give them MUCH more confidence by using positive reinforcement training, giving them a routine to follow, with rules in and outside of the home. They will be a much happier, relaxed dog if you take on that alpha role in their life. You will make it clear where they belong in your pack, which gives them security. They will look to you for “what to do next” in most situations, which eliminates some forms of anxiety that they may have. Also, everybody – human and dog alike, will be MUCH less stressed! And who doesn’t want that? But, most importantly, you will build a strong bond with your dog, based on mutual love and respect, and that creates a great relationship that all parties can benefit from for YEARS. And, that’s the whole point of getting a dog in the first place, isn’t it?

My client? Turns out he LOVED going to classes with his wife. They came together every week, and he took on training that puppy like nothing else. And after a few weeks, he turned out to be one of the most well-behaved in the class. They came back for 3 more sessions, so I got to watch him grow up – which is a part of my job I LOVE. He became such a big, confident, mellow dog that listened to his whole family, including their young kids. They loved that dog like crazy, and when they started they were so frustrated with him and even dealing with feelings of regretting ever getting him. Such a turn around – and all by establishing rules and a good solid structure for him.

dog-human-bondSo, the moral of the story is – Don’t feel bad. Dogs don’t have feelings in the same ways we do. Not to say they don’t experience ‘feelings’. In this case, they enjoy having a solid structure and really appreciate having a clear leader to tell them what to do. In return, they will be loyal, loving, and protective of you and your family. Which makes for a very enjoyable relationship that not only benefits both parties, but is one of the most stress-relieving relationships you can have in life. As I always say, dogs are the best, so why not do the best for them?