K9Synergy Dog Training

Knowing how to read a dog's body language is a game-changer. It's Dug's voice box attached to your dog. (If you have not seen UP, you definitely should.) If you get savvy at reading your dog's body language, it can not only mitigate risk but also bolster your relationship with your domesticated best friend.
One of the first things I do with clients is push them to learn this concept. Strong obedience is based on strong foundations. You will get nowhere in your training if you don't understand how your dog is feeling. Training is NOT as simple as "do what I say."
It was difficult for me to constantly send multiple resources to clients, now I can just direct them here!
I put everything in my dog-obsessed brain down for you guys in one place to help. Let me know if you have any other additional questions on body language, or if I missed anything!

New Blog Post How to Read Your Dogs Mind

It took some time to answer a question I often get: Is a Board and Train a good fit for my dog and me? I hope reading through can give you some insight into this question. If you guys have any additional questions I'd be more than happy to answer them 🙂
Discover the pros and cons in our latest blog post! https://wix.to/GVWBDpu

Is Board & Train the Right Choice for Your Dog's Training Needs? When it comes to training our beloved pups, many dog owners find themselves at a crossroads. One of the most impactful choices available is enrolling in a Board & Train program. This training method involves your dog staying at a trainer's facility or home for a set period, receiving focused trainin...

🐶They Don’t Understand the Cue Yet🐶
💭Your dog is a dog, not a human. Humans can be given the definition once and walk away happily knowing it the rest of their lives. Your dog can't!
Just because you say “sit” a few times doesn’t mean your dog fully understands!
🐕Training takes time—think dozens or even hundreds of consistent repetitions.
👉Dogs vary in different levels of memory, inferencing skills, and generalization skills. One dog may be able to connect things very quickly, while others may have a more challenging time.
👉The cue, or “command” that you're trying to teach the dog isn't necessarily what they are learning. You might be thinking that the word “sit” or bringing your hand up with food is your sit cue. However, dogs are extremely keen on body language, so, if each time you step into the dog (unconsciously) the dog might read that body language as the cue.
👉Your vocal intonation and body language change depending on the situation. Think about if someone was talking to you and mumbled, or their body language did not correlate with what they were saying. Your dog may not understand the nuance of these situations, this is a capability that we as humans take for granted
👉You’re not understanding your command correctly. Take a moment and slow down. What are you ACTUALLY saying to your dog, in what way, and when? Break your training down into steps that your dog can understand and be an active participator in and observe the choice they make, then react to that choice predictably. Often the faster you go, the more mistakes you'll make. Find a place where you and your dog can make those mistakes together, and strengthen your skills in your reps until both of you feel confident on what your commands actually mean.
🎊This is what trainers help with! We are great coaches because we have the eye for incorrect movement, schedules of reinforcement, and spotting the miscommunications. We know goal, and we understand how to progress forward properly. While there is plenty of information on the Internet about training: learning hands on with an expert, takes the stress out of not knowing. It speeds up the training process as we can easily decipher your dogs individual drives and motives. We can also navigate you through some potential hardships that could be holding you back from you goals. We will never judge you for not knowing because it's our passion to educate and encourage. 🥰

Our Therapy dog Team navigated the challenges of being loved on by the meals on wheels team at the Center of Prescott Community. 🥰
These guys have rocked it and have made great progress interacting in real world situations politely :)
They'll be reaching out to the alliance therapy dog for their tests soon! So wish them luck 🤞

Happy Birthday Bubba!

It was a blast being able to be part of Bubbas first birthday today and talk all about puppies!

Leza Live! from KYCA Radio Prescott Arizona on Vimeo

Service animal teams often refer to "access issues," but just what is an access issue?

An access issue is when someone is being denied access to a place due to their disability. In reference to service animal teams, it's usually due to the service dog's presence. This can look like persistent illegal questioning after the two ADA questions have been asked, being denied entry to an establishment, or being asked to leave an establishment.

Remember that fear of dogs and allergies are not valid reasons for excluding a service dog team. Everyone must be accommodated.

Have you run into access issues? How do you handle them? Tell us below!

Zoom! Zoom, Zooming! Bailey learning the word "come" through restrained recalls!