It’s ok! We’re here to help. We speak a little dog and can help translate for both of you. It’s probably just a miscommunication! And we are here to help get you both speaking the same language! Woof!
Connect with the PAWpundance training team and other members of the dog community to discuss better ways to communicate with your furry house guest.
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Welcome to PAWpundance Dog Training Academy on Locals.com!
We’re thrilled that you’ve joined our community! PAWpundance is a place for positive, dog-loving people to come together, share experiences, and help each other grow. Locals offers an “ad-free experience,” so even a small contribution helps support our tech and keeps our community thriving.
We want to see your furbabies!
We’re here to assist with any questions you may have about training, behavior, and more. At PAWpundance, we believe in blending knowledge with a bit of fun—expect plenty of paws, puns, and maybe even a dance or two! Together, let’s enjoy some laughs and build stronger relationships with our pups.
Our Philosophy:
We’ve invited another species to live in our homes, and our dogs are much more than accessories; they’re our guests. They don’t speak our language, and like in the movie E.T., we don’t want to be the intimidating figures trying to coerce a scared, confused being. Instead, we want to be like Elliott—guiding and communicating with patience and understanding, like leaving a trail of Reese’s Pieces to help them navigate our world.
We create training systems so both humans and pups can adapt and succeed in a meaningful way. Our goal is to help humans better understand their dogs and to set the pups up for success in a human world. By reframing challenging situations, we can find new, positive approaches to building bonds with our animals.
Join us and discover a fresh perspective on your relationship with the animals in your life!
How It Works:
1. Join the Community – Become a member and connect with other dog enthusiasts who are passionate about PAW-sitive training.
2. Subscribe for Exclusive Content – As a supporter, you’ll have access to all training videos, both current and past, with new lessons added regularly. Use Code: Puppy100 for a free month if you’re among the first 100 members!
3. Premium Access: Become a Paw-rtner – Once we reach 100 members, we’ll begin offering virtual training sessions through premium access. This will include one-on-one virtual training sessions, beginning with a behavioral analysis, consultation, and a personalized training plan—so you can train with us no matter where you are.
Let’s build a supportive, pawsitive community for you and your pup!
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Eye Contact, Eye Contact, Eye Contact!
Reward every glance. Start by reinforcing brief glances, then encourage your pup to hold your gaze a bit longer. Gradually phase out your part of the eye contact—your pup will learn to watch you and adapt to your movements naturally. This approach helps them learn to walk with you without relying on leash cues.
Remember, the leash is purely for safety—not for communication.
Take a look at this video with Meghan and Buckee. Buckee is watching Meghan closely, and she rewards him by making eye contact, smiling, and offering treats. Meghan also looks forward occasionally, teaching Buckee to walk with her in sync.
Notice that Buckee is a reactive pup, so the leash is essential for safety, especially if he responds to something unexpectedly. However, it’s only used for physical control when necessary. When Buckee refocuses, Meghan reestablishes instructional control, and they continue their walk together. She does a fantastic job of engaging with him! In ...
Loose-Leash Walking Tip:
Where you reward makes a big difference! Try using the hand on the same side as your dog when giving treats or praise.
When you reach across your body to reward with the opposite hand, it draws your dog’s nose in front of you, encouraging them to move ahead and potentially start pulling.
In the video of Meghan and Domino, Meghan holds the leash with her left hand while Domino walks on her right. She rewards him by petting and giving treats with her right hand. This keeps Domino walking by her side on a loose leash, rather than in front, pulling her along.
Next time you’re out walking with your pup, try rewarding with the hand on the same side as your dog.
Thanks for watching my take on Dog-Speak. This is going to be a continuing topic so please ask questions if I was too vague on any part!
This is a difficult topic so please excuse such a long video. And my editing skills are still rudimentary but I'm learning - it will get better.
It's a tough subject so it took some time to explain, sorry it's so LONG! I will try to keep it shorter in the next video. The next video will be about Persuasion and Pups. We will dive into responding to the cues from our pups and how to change and direct their behavior.
Thanks Again!
Kate
Below are some (oversimplified) definitions to help understand Behavior Modification.
Trigger - The thing(s) that cause a reaction from your pup
Threshold - The point of the reaction that is the worst or most extreme behavior
Sub-Threshold - The events leading up to the reaction's most extreme behavior. (So at the first sign of stress until the point the pup can no longer stay in control).
BAT - Behavior Adjustment ...
https://twitter.com/wholedogjournal/status/1295508215740932098?s=21
How to teach you pup to be a good dining companion! What a great skill!
https://twitter.com/wholedogjournal/status/1292609106637987840?s=21
This is about counter-surfers, but I love the description of trying to shame dogs. This author, Pat Miller helped me understand this concept in her book the Power of Positive Dog Training.
If you’re still on Twitter, the Whole Dog Journal is a great group to follow. Lots of fantastic info!
