Dog Behavior

Jan 12, 2023
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I’m in Denver, CO doing basic and advanced dog training. Video clips are on YouTube.

To schedule a session send me an email or leave a voicemail at 971-220-8004.

I accept cash and Venmo (@ryanblakeley1). Pay what you can, $20-100 for a session up to 2 hours.

On the more advanced end, I train scent tracking, water retrieval, and medical alerting.

Read about my training principles.

Tools

I’m willing to work with whatever tools the owner has, but some tools are better than others. These are the tools I use and recommend:

  • High value treats. Dry liver, dry salmon, bully sticks, cheese sticks… The ones I go through the most are these Old Mother Hubbard mini biscuits. Other animal protein and fresh food is also great.

  • 8ft slip lead. If I could only have one tool to work with a dog, this is it. I like that this one has a safety stop to protect the neck and a clip on the handle end so you can put it around your waist for running or hitch to a pole.

  • Martingale collars work on the same principle as the slip lead. They are a little bit nicer and safer, but need to be fitted to the dog. This reflective style is nice too.

  • Gentle leader. I don’t often use one, but it’s what I go to when the slip lead isn’t the right stimulus or when transitioning out of a muzzle for biting issues. The goal is to transition out of a gentle leader to a slip lead or something milder, if possible.

  • Muzzle. If the dog is strong and biting is a concern, we will put on a muzzle to protect people and other dogs. I want the dog to earn their way out of the muzzle as soon as possible.

Also:

  • Backpack. A backpack is a good tool for a dog that has a lot of stamina. It gives the dog a job to focus on and drains the energy in their legs.

  • Long lead, 30 to 50 feet, great for the park and long-distance training.

  • Short slip lead

These are tools that I do not recommend:

  • Electronic collars. Shock, sound, or vibration, I see negative side effects, except in a few specific scenarios. It is a difficult concept and takes special training and a special dog.

  • Prong collars. They are more severe than I’ve ever had a need for. If the dog has trouble with leash pressure and a slip lead or martingale isn’t working, I go to a gentle leader and focus on behavioral change so the dog doesn’t get used to hitting the end of the leash.

  • Harnesses, except for exercise. Harnesses are the optimal tool for pulling. If lunging or pulling on the leash is an issue, I don’t recommend a harness. If you’re doing a type of exercise where you want the dog to pull, use a harness. As far as the harnesses that clip on the front, they’re not my favorite tool but they’re ok.

Further reading

I write about animal behavior and sometimes write about dogs.

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