Upcoming Dog Training Classes

Three Dogs Training upcoming dog training classes begin Saturday February 24th, 2024.

Even the cat is tired of inside play…

Positive reinforcement dog training should be fear-free and force-free. Your dog should enjoy learning and you should enjoy teaching. I have been teaching fun and successful dog training for almost twenty-five years. Join us!

For more information on the upcoming dog training classes:
click here or contact
Lisa@threedogstraining.com

Summer Time Dog Training

Three Dogs Training class enrollment.

Okay maybe summer cooking school is not for your dog. But…

Three Dogs Training is.

Summer session starts Saturday June 3rd 2023
  • Basic – 9:00 am
  • Distract O Doggie – 10:10 am
  • Intermediate – 11:20 am

Then… Your dog will get to wear this kind of hat!

For more information:

click here or contact Lisa@threedogstraining.com

Stressed or Anxious dogs?

Stress is a biological response to external stimuli. Stress is the body answering the question – should I fight, flee, freeze, or fawn when in the presence of a real or perceived threat?
Puppy Porthos’ first day in his new home – very scared.
He didn’t know how much he was going to be loved 🥰
Things that stress our dogs can include:
  • Separation/being alone.
  • Sounds – like thunder, fireworks, or one of my dogs was terrified of the sound fire alarms make when the batter is low.
  • Strangers – in the home, approaching the home, or out on walks.
  • Other dogs – your dog can be afraid of other dogs idiopathically or because of some incident(s) involving other dogs.
  • Anything new or things moved to a different location.
  • Cars – this could be idiopathic or because of an incident. This could also be about the sound and/or the movement of the vehicles.
  • Unusual surfaces – those of you who live in a city know how often our dogs scurry around sidewalk grates to avoid walking on them. I’ve had clients whose dogs would not walk on tile or linoleum.
  • Being kenneled for the family’s vacation or in a shelter environment, or rehoming
  • There are many more.
It’s important to remember each dog has their own idiosyncratic stressors. You will want to learn your dog’s stressors so you can help them when afraid or anxious.
A dog’s response to stress can be any or many of the following:
  • Whining
  • Heavy panting
  • drooling
  • Inability to follow simple directions.
  • Sudden dander (usually only visible on dark short-coated dogs)
  • Hiding or freezing in place
  • Running away or towards (remember flight or fight)
  • Growling, barking, baring teeth
    • Stress facial signals like tight commissures, whale eye, tension below the eyes, and more
    • Flat or overly perked ears
  • Tail wrapped low or the opposite, straight up high.
  • Stomach upset including diarrhea.
  • More…

This list is not complete. And you can see from this list that many of these signals can mean a number of things besides stress. How do you know which is which?

You need to know your dog by observing and registering their typical behaviors when happy, worried, or downright scared and note the differences.
What can you do?
  • Hire a certified behavior specialist. The AKC has an article outlining the different type of behavior specialists.
    • I am a CDBC (Certified Dog Behavior Consultant) IAABC.org
  • This behavior specialist will help you begin desensitizing/counterconditioning (Ds/Cc) your dog, implement management strategies to help your dog avoid triggers before they are ready to face them, and work on other training skills that will help your dog overcome their fears.
  • Supplements – sometimes our dogs need help to simply be around their triggers. A dog who is riddle with fear cannot learn so sometimes we need to help them internally. There are some helpful supplements that are proven effective and easy to find.
    • L-theanine and L-tryptophan are both amino acids that are very safe.
    • I advise my clients to use these two links above, so they are giving their dog nothing other than the amino acids indicated. Compounded anti-anxiety products will have a number of other components many of which can cause issues, and with compounded products we won’t know which element is doing what.Here is a great Overview of Behaviour Supplements for Dogs and Cats. Remember to check with your vet before starting any supplements.
    • If Ds/Cc is stalling or not working and the supplements are not helping your dog work through their stress and fears, it is time to consult a veterinary behavior specialist.
There is a lot you can do to help your dog process stress in their environment to give them a happier and safer life.
Pax’e in her happiest place –
four flights up on her balcony watching the firetrucks go by.
To each their own…

Spring Dog Training

Three Dogs Training class enrollment.

Pax’e is using the dictionary to learn more words for
treat, food, goodie, pizza crust, and others…
Spring session starts Saturday March 4th 2023.
  • Basic – 9:00 am – 3 available spaces
  • Distract O Doggie – 10:10 am
  • Intermediate – 11:20 am – 1 available space
Pax’e learned the word for donut
But forgot to specify what kind of donut…

For more information:

click here or contact Lisa@threedogstraining.com

What To Expect During A Dog Behavior Consultation?

I offer both Remote or In-person sessions

For either remote or in-person sessions:

You will fill out a behavioral questionnaire prior to any scheduled appointment.  

I will also need some video which usually shows me more than what I can see in person. 

If a situation is dangerous, I do not need dangerous video. I just need to see your dog in action vis-a-vis family, other dogs, etc. to the best of your ability, safely.

I work with you and your family to set goals and teach you how to implement a plan to modify and/or manage your dog’s behavior. Depending on your family’s needs.

Both Remote and In-person Sessions offer great instruction and sometimes one is more effective than the other.

There are times when a remote session is a great alternative to in-person either because of

  • Covid restrictions
  • Distance
  • Scheduling difficulties
  • Need for expediency
  • Less expensive

And often in remote sessions we can dive deeply into the videos which allows you a better understanding of your dog’s signals, needs, and triggers.

Here is a video that demonstrates how sometimes when we observe in real time, we miss a lot of signals that can help us help our dogs.

In-person sessions allow me to physically interact and demonstrate with your dog and if necessary work with you and your dog in an environment specific to your dog’s issues.

Regardless of remote or in-person sessions, I send notes to help you follow the stratagies we go over in our session.

To set up a private session or get more information, email me.