Why is my dog ok alone in the car, but not at home??

The most likely explanation might just be that you were much more careful about leaving your puppy alone in the car, than about leaving them at home. 

You’ve probably started with quickly getting petrol, while your pup waited for you in the car. With you in view, just a few moments, all felt safe for your little friend. Then a quick dash into a shop here and there, leaving it a little longer every time.

So they’ve gradually got used to being in the car on their own. And there have never been any scary absences.

It’s a predictable and therefore a safe routine for them. 

And here’s the great news; if your dog got used to being alone in the car via using the method of gradual exposure, the same method we are using to get them to be ok with being home alone, they can also learn just that 💪❤️🐕

Separation Anxiety Training Tips: To Crate Or Not To Crate.....that is the question

The internet and world of social media is still full of advice to simply pop your dog in a crate to prevent him or her feeling anxious when home alone. 

But fact is: a lot of dogs who struggle with separation related behaviours are prone to being easily overwhelmed by extra stressors. And for a lot of dogs, a crate does cause extra stress. 

Firstly, ask yourself, does my dog actually like being in a crate. And REALLY have a good think about it. Plenty of dogs have learned to ‘shut down’ when in the crate AKA they’ve learned that there’s no way out, and this can often look like they are ok when in fact they are certainly not.

So if in doubt, don’t use the crate.

Also, it’s been my experience that most dogs, even if they have been positively conditioned to enjoy being in a crate, prefer to have more of a choice when it comes to where to settle during alone time training (or at any other times). Especially when it comes to longer duration absences. 

So instead, you can leave the crate in place, with its door open, so your dog can choose to rest inside the crate or somewhere else within your home.

If you’ve been considering using a crate because you feel worried about your dog’s, or your home’s, safety during alone time training - you may have a puppy or teenager on your hand - then I would recommend creating a safe space via sectioning off an area or a room with a baby gate.

If you need help with your dog’s separation issues, get in touch.

Alex & Wolfgang

Most innovative Dog Training Service 2023 - Scandinavia

I am excited to announce that Wolfgang's Way Dog Training has won The Business Concepts Award for 'Most innovative Dog Training Service 2023 - Scandinavia'.

I really do thoroughly love and enjoy my work, especially always thriving to develop bespoke ways to help my dog and human clients, and to be recognised like this is just the (most wonderful) cherry on top.

Wolfgang is currently opening a bottle of champers to celebrate while I'm preparing her favourite sausage cake for her ;)

Thank you so very much to the research and voting team at The Business Concept who've thought Wolfgang's Way worthy of this Award.

Quick tips on

how to stop your dog from scavenging on walks

In light of the recent horrific attempts to injure, and potentially kill, dogs in Malmö with placing spiked food out on the streets (bread buns containing sharp pieces of metal or shards of glass), here are some training tips on how to manage and prevent:

Engagement

Teaching your dog that good things happen when they check in with/ look at you - and therefore keeping their focus upwards/ on you, rather than downwards and potentially picking up food from the floor.

You can use a marker word (I.e. ‘yesss’ or ‘good boy/ girl’) or a clicker for this, depending on what your dog is used to. 

When out walking (on the streets or in the park), mark the moment your dog checks in with you, then feed a little treat.

Teaching a reliable ‘drop’

My favourite way to teach ‘drop’ is outlined in this training video by the incredible Chirag Patel. The video takes you through the training steps to ‘automate' this behaviour (meaning your dog can’t help him/ herself but to open their mouth when they hear the word ‘drop’). This of course takes time and effort but results can be achieved fairly quickly if you work on this a little every day (make sure your dogs know you pay VERY WELL - get those meatballs rolling)

Teaching a reliable ‘leave it’

This video takes you through the training steps. 

1. Start practicing the behaviour and associated cue at home, then generalise to the outdoors. 

2. You can eventually turn ‘food on floor’ into a cue to check in with/ look up at you -preventing your dog from picking up food from the floor in the first place, as it’s raining cheese, chicken and bacon from you every time they spot some food/ rubbish on the floor. 

Why a trusting relationship with your dog is worth a million times more than any ‘obedience’ training

Yesterday, Wolfgang got a special, big treat (‘cause she’s the best!) in form of a sausage. And whenever she gets too big a piece and it needs dissecting, she usually finds herself a quiet spot to attend to it.

But we were all cosy on the sofa and I saw in her little face how she was ‘debating’ over whether to pop down or how to go about it. 

So I offered my cupped hand and said ‘Do you want Mami to help?’. And she immediately dropped that juicy sausage on my hand and sat back, looking at me in anticipation while I broke it up into bite-sized pieces for her. Patiently waiting for me to feed her every delicious bit. 

And these moments of trust are what it’s all about (for me, at least).

For a dog to let go of such a high value food without a worry in the world (and no, I’m not in her head but she looked blissfully zero bothered). 

I use the ‘can I help’ cue for all sorts of situations including:

• When she stepped into something and can’t get it out of here paws (I walk to her or she hobbles over to me).

• When there is a little poo stuck and she can’t bum-shuffle it off (and gets quite freaked out over it).

• When she tries to get to the end of the Kong but can’t quite get that last bit right at the top out.

• If she tries to get to something but can’t quite reach….and much more

A few tips on how you can build a trusting relationship with your dog:

• Learn to talk dog so you can understand and communicate with your dog, and within this….

  • Allow your dog choice and control over their environment

• ALWAYS be your dogs safe place

• Don’t mess with your dog’s resources, AKA what’s important to them.

  • That includes simply letting them eat their meals rather than making a whole song and dance around waiting for five minutes, then reciting the alphabet before they can dig in.

• Accept your dogs personality: teach them cues so you can easily navigate this human world together but also accept that they might not want to allow strangers to pet them and that they, too, have crappy days where they might react to the environment.

• Don’t use aversive methods!!!!

Loving Miss Daisy

I've just received a wonderful review from a client who I've been working with on separation distress (for their rescue hound mix Daisy, isn't she the cutest).
We've been working together for a while, months! As that is what it (mostly) takes to help a dog over separation related issues (commonly known as 'separation anxiety').
We went from helping her to get over initial departure triggers (I.e. the human putting on shoes or a coat - slowly changing her association from panicked to relaxed) to slowly building up duration of absences (3mins, 5mins, slowly slowly is most often the key to success, teaching the dog a routine that surrounds the human coming back).
Daisy happily copes with 90 minutes now, sometimes even longer. Any longer is still difficult for her though so we are taking it back to baby steps, to help her over that hurdle gently.

Also, she went from hating long car journeys to breezily traveling along now. And from pulling like a truck on the lead to happily bouncing alongside her humans. All down to her humans' effort and care, being patient and understanding and just so so wonderful with her.

I do love my job!
Go Daisy!