November 2022 Client Spotlight: Motley
Motley is a 6-month-old Blue Heeler mix who is always up for an adventure. She is full of energy and loves people so much. Her owners hired me to help her and her brother learn how to share and play nicely together. Finn, a 10-pound poodle mix, keeps up with her but, with the size and age difference, her owners wanted to make sure nobody got hurt.
When bringing home a new dog, it’s helpful if the dogs that currently live there have a few skills such as Leave it, Go to Place and Stay. These tools not only help dogs think before they act but, they also help dogs learn how to make better choices altogether.
“Leave it” not only helps these two with each other, but it can also help with leash reactivity and when items are dropped from a counter. The more impulse control that a dog has, the better behaved it’ll be. When it comes to Finn and Motley, they are both doing exceptionally well with this skill.
Go to Place can be helpful when both dogs need some time away from each other. Most of the time, in my opinion, crates are the best places for downtime as they can provide a sense of security and rest. The trick though is teaching your dog to love its crate. This is done over time and with lots of treats and patience. It’s also best to start early so that you can use the crate once your puppy gets older and bigger.
Stay is helpful for things like preventing your dog from running out the door or sitting in place for greetings. It’s one of those skills that is taught to get your dog to think before he acts and it’s one that a lot of dogs don’t have. As for Finn and Motley, they are learning.
All in all, it’s been fun getting to know these two. Just like any dog and its training, you get out what you put in and with enough time and practice, I’m sure these two will turn out much better than when they started.