Blue Ridge Canine MD

Wrapped up spring and welcoming summer full force.

Stay cool!

Allow your dog plenty of independent down time through the day.

This should look like daily crate time (yes, especially when your home) as well as daily place sessions. Not only is this creating a nice boundary in your dogs routine but it teaches your dog to turn off and simply relax.

Teaching our dogs to enjoy their alone time is one of the most valued and beneficial skills you can teach them. We see too many dogs that come to us that do not know how to self regulate; they are always on the move, following, demanding, and in a panic when they can’t be right by your side. They are always anticipating the next move.

Give your pups that quiet time and teach them to just be.

“You cannot fit a square peg in a round hole.”

Most of our clients have heard us say this plenty of times. Every dog is unique each having their own temperament, drives, energy, and behavior tendencies. Suppressing your dog will only cause more conflict + stress for everyone involved. You’ll see a big shift in progress when you start working with your dog vs against them; this will look different for each individual dog and their required needs. Giving your dog a balance of daily consistent structure, clear communication + boundaries, and the most important an outlet that fulfills your dog’s genetic needs will make all the difference.

⭐️ Pick your breed wisely ⭐️

Let’s be real for a second, Brittany and Devon are both guilty of this. Our dogs have their own jingles, alter ego’s, voices…But all of that being said if you tone back the talkies, use verbal cues your dog knows well, clear body language + pressure, and a clear marker system you’re going to have a much smoother experience and overall relationship with your dog.
Dogs primarily go off body language vs verbal; if you use too many words or constantly repeat commands it’s going to dilute and reduce value to those commands. In the dog training world we call this Charlie Brown Syndrome “Whomp, whomp, whomp, whomp…” If you do not have enough consistent structure or clarity in your day to day you’ll continue to struggle. Try saying less and you’ll see the impact.