i adopted a super high energy dalmatian pit bull mix and the first week i was at a loss and felt like i made a mistake. I decided nope im going to learn how to deal with him in the right way. My dude is the most fun freakin dog on the planet and 3 weeks later he was wildly different than he was. I spent a lot of time training him and managing his behavior and now he's so much better and manageable.
I adopted a dog that I thought was a random black lab mix, but it turned out that she is a coated Xoloitzcuintly. I feel like the luckiest person on earth. The shelter had no idea what she was. Her breed is absolutely incredible. I adopted her to train her as a service dog. I've trained many dogs over the years but this one is for me. She's one of the best breeds to train as a service dog because they are incredibly tuned into their owner. She's about 10 months old and was completely untrained. I have been able to start from the ground up, so she's only learning things that I want her to in the ways I want her to. I really like your training style and attitude. Keep spreading the good word of positive reinforcement. It is so incredibly much more effective than being mean. Xolo's are extremely sensitive and easily frightened. Whoever had her before me clearly had a temper and not very much patience. My first hurdle was getting her to understand that training can be fun and not terrifying. I'm 54 years old and have always been a little high strung. I have a laundry list of things, both mental and physical, that are wrong with me. Her temperament and everything else about her are just perfect for me. I've had several dogs over my lifetime and have always gone for rescues. I feel like I hit the lottery with this one. She's a purebred and she is one of the rarest breeds on earth. I'm actually very glad that she doesn't have the hairless gene, because the few health weaknesses that they have are all attached to the hairless gene. For instance, the hairless variety has deformed teeth and all sorts of dental problems. The coated variety doesn't have that abnormality. I think the majority of people who get dogs should go for rescues, but I feel very, very blessed to have found my girl.
Me and my wife just adopted a 10 month old who’s been sent back 3 times for hyperactivity. Watching this video really helped me calm my mind. Thank you!
Very underrated channel! Thank you so much for all this info! You're good at narrating all the points in an engaging way to listen to. My partner and I are about to adopt a rescue dog.
Thank you. My 13 month (?) rescue GSD has been pretty amazing, other than a few accidents and (sigh) leash reactivity. Daphne had a shoe fetish for a while. Found her other things to chew.
I can not thank you enough for all these informativ videos, I'll adopt a dog who has spent his whole life in a shelter and I'm quite excited but also nervous at the same time. I want to do everything right for him, to give him anything that he needs to be a calm happy dog. And your videos are a great help. I even take note of them❤️
@@TheKindCanine you got it! 🤓 🎉 Since we let the dog choose us in first place, things are super easy around here 💖 but of course, we want it to get even better. Thank you for all your tips
WOah! I just discovered this! Wonderful training videos! And you're located in Bend! I'm in Hood River! Gotta Love a fellow certified fear free Oregon trainer!
What a genuinely wonderful video, approach, and presence you have. I really appreciate the information you shared since most house training videos are geared towards puppies and not rescue dogs. I gave a rescue that had been challenging to house train and your video helped put things into perspective which I appreciate. I subscribed and look forward to learning more! Thank you 🙏💕
Thank you for your videos, I really love your calm and clear delivery. While preparing for welcoming our rescue we watched a bunch of stuff and you're the main channel we keep coming back to. Thanks so much! Day 2 with the dog and while it might not be going as smooth as we like, the tips you've shared have definitely helped. :)
Me & my husband just got a foster dog that has separation anxiety and is fearful. They sent home meds for him and they work but I feel bad he is not going to be himself with the medication. He is a sweet dog and I need some direction with him. I gave him his own space and have not put my two dogs with him yet. It has been a week and he is letting us pet him when he comes to us. They told me not to force him to do anything. I feel he needs some direction so he can be the best dog he can be. I leave his create open so he can go in and out as he pleases. I have never had a dog with this much fear. I am hoping he will settle in and overcome these issues so when he goes to a forever home he will be off his medication.
Medication is necessary in some cases - and if the rescue you are partnering with has deemed it necessary, you absolutely should use it. When we use the right medication at the right dose in cases of chronic stress/fear/anxiety, we do not see a personality change in the dog. They do not become “zombies” and it can actually be quite beneficial for them to be able to function in the world with less stress (and therefore learn more easily and be more optimistic in general). It sounds like he is also brand new to you. Many rescues have these concerns initially. Give him time and space. It often can take months (not days, not weeks) for dogs to feel comfortable and truly come out of their shell. ❤️
@@TheKindCanine Thank you so much for your response. He was in a hording situation with eighty dogs in the house. I have rescued before but never had one this traumatized. I really appreciate all of your advise and knowledge.
Thank you so much Erica.. this is really helpful and has given confidence on how to help my rescued pup. But the thing she likes to chew the most is human skin.. she bites my arms, fingers and toes and could get quite aggressive at times 🥲
Hi Jennifer! Providing other chewing outlets (you might find that they prefer specific textures over others as you experiment with chew options) and managing your puppy’s environment effectively are critical here! I would encourage you to take a look at WHEN this behavior is happening, and proactively setting your puppy up to succeed by placing them in a comfortable penned off area with plenty of chews to engage with, or considering crate training if your dog gravitates toward their crate. Of course there is always more to say about mouthing, but this is where I would start! :)
Thank you for this kind of videos!! They have helped me so much with my 5 year old recently adopted doggo❤️ any tips on how to teach a dog the risk of running into cars? She doesn’t seem to know what cars are, she mostly grew up in the shelter...
Of course!! Dogs and cars... oh man. Yeah, sometimes there's not a lot of the self preservation there. Best (and probably easiest) tip is to put a leash on around cars. On neighborhood walks, out in public and around people, we keep the leash on! We go off leash on our decompression walks when there's not a soul (or car) around! Hope that helps!
@@TheKindCanine I haven't taught her how to walk off leash anywehre yet. We live in a big city and so there are always cars around, she only gets to be off leash in dog parks unfortunately Thank you soooo much
I adopted two stray dogs, they're very good dogs, they don't chew anything, but they like to play with me a little bit rude 😅 Most of my clothes are with holes 😅
I just adopted a 1 1/2 year old beagle mix a week ago and she sleeps all the time . She love cuddles but when we leave for work and put her in her crate she is very shaky when I get home . I come home on my lunch break which helps but she still gets upset when in her cage , even at night.
Do u have any videos on fear of noises like fly swatters beer tabs finger nail clippers. Anything that clicks or the fridge makes a certain noise and he goes from room to room to get away from pretty much everything. I lift my arm in the air he's gone. I open my dresser he's gone. He's a rescue pom from a kennel. 7 yrs in it.
We don't unfortunately, but we'll add it to the list of video ideas! Extreme sound sensitivity is definitely needs the help of a professional! I suggest working with a rewards based trainer (also known and force free or positive reinforcement) in your area!
Hopefully you will see this and have a suggestion. I'm heart broken and about ready to take our little rescue back. We got her to keep our other dog company as we lost his life long sibling . She has complete access to going outside anytime. When we are home she does well but when we are gone she pees on the carpet. I have tried everything. Unfortunely I have had to go back to work full time and keeping her in a pen for 11 hrs is not only unfair to her but she's definely not company for the other one, and I don't feel its right to change his lifestyle at 12yrs old. Any Ideas? She uses the pee pad when she"s penned up so I've even left those for her when we are gone but she doesn't use them, and we have a dog door which she uses when we're home with no problem. I've fallen in love with her but not only are we at our wits end but it is causing anxiety for our other dog.
I have a 160 pound pitbull x Great Dane and I’m her 3rd owner. She has massive behaviour problems and anxiety. She won’t even leave the house and it’s hard to find things online to help 😩
This can be tough Lana. Sorry to hear you two are going through this. It can be helpful to reach out to a force free trainer for some support and ideas!
Thanks for the video! My dog is very afraid of me and wouldn’t go to the potty when I’m home, even when I try to walk her outside she’s so scared she would try to hide...so I never get a chance to properly train her...
Hmm... sometimes it just takes some time for them to get acclimated. Other times it persists. Take it slow and don't push it. Trust is key here! If you're still struggling in a week or so, I'd consider reaching out to a force free trainer in your area!
That can be tough. Think about how you can manage that so that they can’t practice behaviors you don’t want to see. If aggression is involved, def reach out to a force free certified trainer in your area!
What about if they hate crates and keep barking a lot? Or what about taking food off the counter? I adopted a rescue and been having issues with these things. Also he tries to imitate other dogs. He does good with our other dog but when we are sitting down to eat he will beg and if our dog comes over he snaps on her.
I like to use single-ingredient, freeze dried, meat based treats. My go to company is Fig and Tyler - their “training morsel” sized food rewards are perfect for my dogs and my clients.
Sounds like your dog could do with some housetraining! It takes time, patience and consistency - but as somebody who has a rescue that was difficult to housetrain, I feel you! I don’t have a video on this specific topic, but I would highly recommend Kikopup’s RUclips channel for troubleshooting some of your concerns. 👍🏻
Hi I'm a doggy groomer 15 years and I was rescued almost exactly 2 years ago, my pooch was 9 months old when he met me it seems like his potty training has declined although our lives have changed several times, it has been stable for the past year , the only issue is peeing and occasionally pooping inside I'm probably skipping over things but if you respond I would very much appreciate it I've been in the business of doing everything I can for all doggy kind saving and enriching all doggies lives, need help with potty training MY rescue Falcore, it took months after 9 months of abuse so I've probably been spoiling him to make up g or the abuse , I need help potty training him
It sounds like there a lot of moving pieces to your circumstances. If you’re financially able to, I would consult with a positive reinforcement dog training professional in your area (you can find one on the PPG website) to develop a housetraining plan. I would also want to rule out any possible underlying medical reasons before assuming that it’s a behavioral concern, so make sure to chat with your vet! There are also several potty training videos that have been put out by Kikopup, they might be helpful for you! 🫶
My rescue dog will pee and poop on walks. He will go in and out of the dog door but only to look for sticks. Yesterday when his tummy was upset he popped inside the house instead of going out the dog door. How do I get him to use the dog door when he needs to go out? If we are not home.
We've had our dog that we saved from the middle of the road for a week now. Problem is, she won't poop outside! She will pee though. Any tips for getting her to go #2 outside?
That's a tough one! This is usually due to a lack of comfort. Try scattering treats outside, going out on a leash, or going out for a walk can all help as she gets more comfortable being outside!
If your rescue is new to your home (within the last 3 months), I would say that they probably are still adjusting to their new environment. Food motivation is almost always impacted by stress. But beyond that, the good news is, every dog is food motivated - or else they would die! 😅 I would encourage you to think about various high value treats. I work with lots of folks who think their dog doesn’t like treats - but that just hadn’t found the right treats for their dog’s palate! My dogs particularly love pieces of boiled chicken or freeze dried, single ingredient meat treats (usually liver). Those are a LOT more enticing than your standard milk bones or “training treats”! 😉 And if your dog is truly of the .1% of dogs (I’ve literally only met a small handful of these in my professional career), you can always use alternative reinforcers. Anything your dog wants/likes can reward behavior. I actually encourage everyone to use this strategy - and cultivate a wide variety of rewards to use with your dog!
A lack in food motivation is usually a result of high stress. It’s the first thing to go out the window. The other common problem I see is that people aren’t using high enough value food or are using it incorrectly (luring the dog into potentially scary situations, for example). Every dog is food motivated - if they weren’t, they would die. 😅 The problem is figuring out why the dog isn’t taking food in a given situation and working to remedy that instead of giving up on using food altogether.
I will also say that training is not solely dependent on the use of food. Over time, we can fade food into more functional reinforcers for the dog (i.e., do this behavior we have trained with food/toys in exchange for what it is that you really want to do). Reinforcement and food are not completely synonymous. There are always other reinforcers that dogs are willing to work for - and sometimes it takes some creativity and careful observation to find those reinforcers.
My adopted puppy (beagle) is very scent motivated. I'm worried that just tossing treats to her or placing treats around the house will reinforce her scavenging behavior. Should I continue to only give her treats by hand or am I overthinking the situation?
In my experience, dogs understand context quite well. If you hide a few treats in places (and there is nothing harmful for her in those areas - obviously I’m not going to be putting food on tables and surfaces of the like), it will only be an enriching experience for her to find them. She will likely not translate it to other scavenging behaviors. If you do see the scavenging behaviors increase in frequency, you can always make an adjustment!
i adopted a super high energy dalmatian pit bull mix and the first week i was at a loss and felt like i made a mistake. I decided nope im going to learn how to deal with him in the right way. My dude is the most fun freakin dog on the planet and 3 weeks later he was wildly different than he was. I spent a lot of time training him and managing his behavior and now he's so much better and manageable.
You wised up fast! I'll warn you that you will cry when it is near over and it will come soon enough...
I adopted a dog that I thought was a random black lab mix, but it turned out that she is a coated Xoloitzcuintly. I feel like the luckiest person on earth. The shelter had no idea what she was. Her breed is absolutely incredible. I adopted her to train her as a service dog. I've trained many dogs over the years but this one is for me. She's one of the best breeds to train as a service dog because they are incredibly tuned into their owner. She's about 10 months old and was completely untrained. I have been able to start from the ground up, so she's only learning things that I want her to in the ways I want her to. I really like your training style and attitude. Keep spreading the good word of positive reinforcement. It is so incredibly much more effective than being mean. Xolo's are extremely sensitive and easily frightened. Whoever had her before me clearly had a temper and not very much patience. My first hurdle was getting her to understand that training can be fun and not terrifying. I'm 54 years old and have always been a little high strung. I have a laundry list of things, both mental and physical, that are wrong with me. Her temperament and everything else about her are just perfect for me. I've had several dogs over my lifetime and have always gone for rescues. I feel like I hit the lottery with this one. She's a purebred and she is one of the rarest breeds on earth. I'm actually very glad that she doesn't have the hairless gene, because the few health weaknesses that they have are all attached to the hairless gene. For instance, the hairless variety has deformed teeth and all sorts of dental problems. The coated variety doesn't have that abnormality. I think the majority of people who get dogs should go for rescues, but I feel very, very blessed to have found my girl.
Me and my wife just adopted a 10 month old who’s been sent back 3 times for hyperactivity. Watching this video really helped me calm my mind. Thank you!
So glad this was helpful for you! :)
Update please?
how is the dog? :)
I am worried about my new rescue dog coming home. You are helping me calm down and learn what to do. Thanks!
Very underrated channel! Thank you so much for all this info! You're good at narrating all the points in an engaging way to listen to. My partner and I are about to adopt a rescue dog.
Much appreciated! Thank you Lex!
Thank you. My 13 month (?) rescue GSD has been pretty amazing, other than a few accidents and (sigh) leash reactivity.
Daphne had a shoe fetish for a while. Found her other things to chew.
Thanks for sharing Stefan! Be sure to check out our playlist on reactivity if you're seeing those behaviors!
I can not thank you enough for all these informativ videos, I'll adopt a dog who has spent his whole life in a shelter and I'm quite excited but also nervous at the same time. I want to do everything right for him, to give him anything that he needs to be a calm happy dog. And your videos are a great help. I even take note of them❤️
Love and attention is step #1 - sounds like you're on the right track already Sonia!
Really good content! Our rescue dog is living with us for a month and her love for us is something beautiful! (:
That is awesome Patricia! Building a loving and trusting relationship with your dog can be a wonderful thing. Sounds like you're off to a great start!
@@TheKindCanine you got it! 🤓 🎉 Since we let the dog choose us in first place, things are super easy around here 💖 but of course, we want it to get even better. Thank you for all your tips
Anytime @Patricia!
Thank you for one of the first sentences, every dog is different and you have to train them according to their needs ❤
i'm in the process of adopting a boy who's been adopted and returned multiple times, he's now been in the shelter for a year :(
Poor guy. Unfortunately, we've seen this all too often. Lots of patience, compassion and understanding here can go along way. You got this!
WOah! I just discovered this! Wonderful training videos! And you're located in Bend! I'm in Hood River! Gotta Love a fellow certified fear free Oregon trainer!
Heck yes @B. Raphael! Go Oregon!
I find your videos really insightful! Catching up on all I can before getting my first rescue so thank you for this :)
You're so welcome Eve! Good luck with your new rescue!
What a genuinely wonderful video, approach, and presence you have. I really appreciate the information you shared since most house training videos are geared towards puppies and not rescue dogs. I gave a rescue that had been challenging to house train and your video helped put things into perspective which I appreciate. I subscribed and look forward to learning more! Thank you 🙏💕
So glad it was helpful for you! 🤗❤️
Thank you for your videos, I really love your calm and clear delivery. While preparing for welcoming our rescue we watched a bunch of stuff and you're the main channel we keep coming back to. Thanks so much! Day 2 with the dog and while it might not be going as smooth as we like, the tips you've shared have definitely helped. :)
So glad you’ve found our videos to be helpful ❤️ Good luck on your journey!
Our shelter dog arrives next week. Thanks for all the information! 😍
You bet @Laura! Best of luck out there!
New Subscriber here! We brought a Rescue Black Lab home and are watching your videos. Thank you so much!
This really helped, im bringing home a german shepherd from the shelter tommorow
Good luck!
Your videos help me so much with training our new rescue dog! Thanks for everything!
Fantastic video, can't wait to implement this learning with our fur baby!
Thank you for another great and helpful video!
Glad it was helpful!
Cool I'll try the treat n bed idea. And blocking windows at night.
Me & my husband just got a foster dog that has separation anxiety and is fearful. They sent home meds for him and they work but I feel
bad he is not going to be himself with the medication. He is a sweet dog and I need some direction with him. I gave him his own space
and have not put my two dogs with him yet. It has been a week and he is letting us pet him when he comes to us. They told me not
to force him to do anything. I feel he needs some direction so he can be the best dog he can be. I leave his create open so he can go in and
out as he pleases. I have never had a dog with this much fear. I am hoping he will settle in and overcome these issues so when he goes to
a forever home he will be off his medication.
Medication is necessary in some cases - and if the rescue you are partnering with has deemed it necessary, you absolutely should use it.
When we use the right medication at the right dose in cases of chronic stress/fear/anxiety, we do not see a personality change in the dog. They do not become “zombies” and it can actually be quite beneficial for them to be able to function in the world with less stress (and therefore learn more easily and be more optimistic in general).
It sounds like he is also brand new to you. Many rescues have these concerns initially. Give him time and space. It often can take months (not days, not weeks) for dogs to feel comfortable and truly come out of their shell. ❤️
@@TheKindCanine Thank you so much for your response. He was in a hording situation with eighty dogs in the house. I have rescued before but never had one
this traumatized. I really appreciate all of your advise and knowledge.
Thank you!
Thank you so much Erica.. this is really helpful and has given confidence on how to help my rescued pup. But the thing she likes to chew the most is human skin.. she bites my arms, fingers and toes and could get quite aggressive at times 🥲
Hi Jennifer! Providing other chewing outlets (you might find that they prefer specific textures over others as you experiment with chew options) and managing your puppy’s environment effectively are critical here! I would encourage you to take a look at WHEN this behavior is happening, and proactively setting your puppy up to succeed by placing them in a comfortable penned off area with plenty of chews to engage with, or considering crate training if your dog gravitates toward their crate. Of course there is always more to say about mouthing, but this is where I would start! :)
Thank you for this kind of videos!! They have helped me so much with my 5 year old recently adopted doggo❤️ any tips on how to teach a dog the risk of running into cars? She doesn’t seem to know what cars are, she mostly grew up in the shelter...
Of course!!
Dogs and cars... oh man. Yeah, sometimes there's not a lot of the self preservation there. Best (and probably easiest) tip is to put a leash on around cars. On neighborhood walks, out in public and around people, we keep the leash on! We go off leash on our decompression walks when there's not a soul (or car) around! Hope that helps!
@@TheKindCanine I haven't taught her how to walk off leash anywehre yet. We live in a big city and so there are always cars around, she only gets to be off leash in dog parks unfortunately
Thank you soooo much
I adopted two stray dogs, they're very good dogs, they don't chew anything, but they like to play with me a little bit rude 😅 Most of my clothes are with holes 😅
😂
Brilliant ideas! Thank YOU!
I just adopted a 1 1/2 year old beagle mix a week ago and she sleeps all the time . She love cuddles but when we leave for work and put her in her crate she is very shaky when I get home . I come home on my lunch break which helps but she still gets upset when in her cage , even at night.
Crate training can take some time to teach and learn! Do your best to keep her stress low as you get to know her!
nice vid, thanks
Thank you 👍
Do u have any videos on fear of noises like fly swatters beer tabs finger nail clippers. Anything that clicks or the fridge makes a certain noise and he goes from room to room to get away from pretty much everything. I lift my arm in the air he's gone. I open my dresser he's gone. He's a rescue pom from a kennel. 7 yrs in it.
We don't unfortunately, but we'll add it to the list of video ideas! Extreme sound sensitivity is definitely needs the help of a professional! I suggest working with a rewards based trainer (also known and force free or positive reinforcement) in your area!
Every one should have a dog the keep you occupied
Hopefully you will see this and have a suggestion. I'm heart broken and about ready to take our little rescue back. We got her to keep our other dog company as we lost his life long sibling . She has complete access to going outside anytime. When we are home she does well but when we are gone she pees on the carpet. I have tried everything. Unfortunely I have had to go back to work full time and keeping her in a pen for 11 hrs is not only unfair to her but she's definely not company for the other one, and I don't feel its right to change his lifestyle at 12yrs old. Any Ideas? She uses the pee pad when she"s penned up so I've even left those for her when we are gone but she doesn't use them, and we have a dog door which she uses when we're home with no problem. I've fallen in love with her but not only are we at our wits end but it is causing anxiety for our other dog.
Check out the book “Way to Go” by Patricia McConnell and consider working with a force free certified trainer in your area if you need some more help!
I have a 160 pound pitbull x Great Dane and I’m her 3rd owner. She has massive behaviour problems and anxiety. She won’t even leave the house and it’s hard to find things online to help 😩
This can be tough Lana. Sorry to hear you two are going through this. It can be helpful to reach out to a force free trainer for some support and ideas!
Thanks for the video! My dog is very afraid of me and wouldn’t go to the potty when I’m home, even when I try to walk her outside she’s so scared she would try to hide...so I never get a chance to properly train her...
Hmm... sometimes it just takes some time for them to get acclimated. Other times it persists. Take it slow and don't push it. Trust is key here! If you're still struggling in a week or so, I'd consider reaching out to a force free trainer in your area!
How about a rescue dog and an existing dog when you cannot separate them
That can be tough. Think about how you can manage that so that they can’t practice behaviors you don’t want to see. If aggression is involved, def reach out to a force free certified trainer in your area!
What about if they hate crates and keep barking a lot? Or what about taking food off the counter? I adopted a rescue and been having issues with these things. Also he tries to imitate other dogs. He does good with our other dog but when we are sitting down to eat he will beg and if our dog comes over he snaps on her.
Working with a certified force free trainer in your area could be helpful here!
What're some good treats that can be given so frequently that won't mess with the tummy
I like to use single-ingredient, freeze dried, meat based treats. My go to company is Fig and Tyler - their “training morsel” sized food rewards are perfect for my dogs and my clients.
Can quite noise be a fan?
Absolutely!
We got a recuse dog and he won’t stop pooping and peeing all over the house or in the crate when we leave. Even if it’s just for 20 minutes
Sounds like your dog could do with some housetraining! It takes time, patience and consistency - but as somebody who has a rescue that was difficult to housetrain, I feel you!
I don’t have a video on this specific topic, but I would highly recommend Kikopup’s RUclips channel for troubleshooting some of your concerns. 👍🏻
Hi I'm a doggy groomer 15 years and I was rescued almost exactly 2 years ago, my pooch was 9 months old when he met me it seems like his potty training has declined although our lives have changed several times, it has been stable for the past year , the only issue is peeing and occasionally pooping inside I'm probably skipping over things but if you respond I would very much appreciate it I've been in the business of doing everything I can for all doggy kind saving and enriching all doggies lives, need help with potty training MY rescue Falcore, it took months after 9 months of abuse so I've probably been spoiling him to make up g or the abuse , I need help potty training him
It sounds like there a lot of moving pieces to your circumstances. If you’re financially able to, I would consult with a positive reinforcement dog training professional in your area (you can find one on the PPG website) to develop a housetraining plan. I would also want to rule out any possible underlying medical reasons before assuming that it’s a behavioral concern, so make sure to chat with your vet!
There are also several potty training videos that have been put out by Kikopup, they might be helpful for you! 🫶
My rescue dog will pee and poop on walks. He will go in and out of the dog door but only to look for sticks. Yesterday when his tummy was upset he popped inside the house instead of going out the dog door. How do I get him to use the dog door when he needs to go out? If we are not home.
Take a look at the book Way to Go! by Patricia McConnell
We've had our dog that we saved from the middle of the road for a week now. Problem is, she won't poop outside! She will pee though. Any tips for getting her to go #2 outside?
That's a tough one! This is usually due to a lack of comfort. Try scattering treats outside, going out on a leash, or going out for a walk can all help as she gets more comfortable being outside!
My rescue doesn’t like treats. This is challenging for reinforcing positive behavior. Any suggestions?
If your rescue is new to your home (within the last 3 months), I would say that they probably are still adjusting to their new environment. Food motivation is almost always impacted by stress.
But beyond that, the good news is, every dog is food motivated - or else they would die! 😅 I would encourage you to think about various high value treats. I work with lots of folks who think their dog doesn’t like treats - but that just hadn’t found the right treats for their dog’s palate! My dogs particularly love pieces of boiled chicken or freeze dried, single ingredient meat treats (usually liver). Those are a LOT more enticing than your standard milk bones or “training treats”! 😉
And if your dog is truly of the .1% of dogs (I’ve literally only met a small handful of these in my professional career), you can always use alternative reinforcers. Anything your dog wants/likes can reward behavior. I actually encourage everyone to use this strategy - and cultivate a wide variety of rewards to use with your dog!
@@TheKindCanine thank you so much for encouragement. I am out of my comfort zone with a rescue but I’m looking forward to learning.
What about a dog who doesn’t like treats?
A lack in food motivation is usually a result of high stress. It’s the first thing to go out the window.
The other common problem I see is that people aren’t using high enough value food or are using it incorrectly (luring the dog into potentially scary situations, for example).
Every dog is food motivated - if they weren’t, they would die. 😅 The problem is figuring out why the dog isn’t taking food in a given situation and working to remedy that instead of giving up on using food altogether.
I will also say that training is not solely dependent on the use of food. Over time, we can fade food into more functional reinforcers for the dog (i.e., do this behavior we have trained with food/toys in exchange for what it is that you really want to do). Reinforcement and food are not completely synonymous. There are always other reinforcers that dogs are willing to work for - and sometimes it takes some creativity and careful observation to find those reinforcers.
My adopted puppy (beagle) is very scent motivated. I'm worried that just tossing treats to her or placing treats around the house will reinforce her scavenging behavior.
Should I continue to only give her treats by hand or am I overthinking the situation?
In my experience, dogs understand context quite well. If you hide a few treats in places (and there is nothing harmful for her in those areas - obviously I’m not going to be putting food on tables and surfaces of the like), it will only be an enriching experience for her to find them. She will likely not translate it to other scavenging behaviors. If you do see the scavenging behaviors increase in frequency, you can always make an adjustment!