Radiant K9

Exposure =/= Socialization Part 1 of 2. A lot of people are probably going to disagree with this post, and that's fine. I've been seeing a new narrative in the balanced dog training world that says "Your puppy doesn't need to 'socialize' with the people and animals around the world, it only needs to be calmly exposed to them and be interacting just with you and your family." "Your dog is for you, not the rest of the world."... While I agree with many parts of this sentiment, I also believe that it leaves many gaps in a puppy's learning and development, doing a disservice to that dog as it grows. Without growing up interacting with other dogs and puppies, how is your puppy supposed to learn important social etiquette with other dogs? Learn how to express and respect cues for discomfort or space, learn to be confident with other dogs, or learn not to be a bully. Learning these things only with their litter mate is likely not enough time to gain and practice these skills. Even if you don't plan to have a 'social' life with your dog, you may add a dog to your family, socialize with family member's dogs, or have accidental run ins with other dogs along it's life. And if your puppy is never handled and worked with by other people, how will it learn tolerate being handled by a vet, groomer, boarding facility, or dog sitter? As trainers we see many people throw their puppies into overwhelming or bad situations like dog parks and the hands of uneducated children in hopes of 'socializing' their puppy. When done improperly like this, you can create more issues than you are helping. But it seems in an effort to avoid these mishaps, many have swung the opposite direction of the pendulum and advise just 'exposure' training, in place of socialization and social interaction. In my opinion, there needs to be a healthy middle ground to help our dogs be as confident and well-balanced as possible. I see just as many behavioral issues do to LACK of proper socialization, as I do for improper OVER socialization. Check out part 2 for tips on HOW to socialize your puppy PROPERLY and safely.

One of my favorite reviews and client turnarounds! Checked in with these guys last night as well and was so thrilled to hear how well they're doing still, advancing and improving even more! This is the type of stuff I live for, helping people and their pups build better relationships and have safer, more cohesive and happy lives together. #dogs #dogsonstagram #dogsrock #pupstagram #puppiesofinstagram #instadog #dogtraining

MUZZLES ARE FOR SAFETY. My long term goal when I put a muzzle on a dog, is to get to a point where the dog can safely live without the muzzle (in the majority of circumstances, at least). Just slapping a muzzle on forever will keep you, the dog, and other people and dogs safe, but will not fix the underlying issue if you have a dog that wants to bite people or dogs. On the flip side, I've known people who are against using muzzles altogether. The rationale is that the dog kno...ws when the muzzle is on, and when you take it off, it will immediately revert back to biting. I disagree. The point of doing behavior modification on a dog that requires a muzzle is that you are TEACHING that dog a new way to think, feel, and navigate life-- which results in the desires/triggers towards biting to be severely minimized. If you're just correcting or working with a dog on a surface level, then a muzzle may just temporarily placate the dog, until it gets an opportunity to bite again. With a dog that is biting with intent, you have to work on a LOT of factors to modify behaviors and habits. Learn the source, triggers, and learn how to correct AND advocate and guide that dog properly. It's not a one-size-fits-all process. There's absolutely nothing wrong with using a muzzle! They're incredibly useful tools for safety and allow for learning moments that would be otherwise impossible or unsafe to to facilitate. It's my first priority as a trainer to advocate for my own safety and the safety of my clients and other animals and people that may be working around this dog. There's also nothing wrong with opting to return to a muzzle for added safety if you're going into new or challenging environments with your dog! Safety should never come at the cost of your ego or feeling guilty. If you're unsure, opt for the safer, more comfortable option for both you and your dog! #dogtraining #dog #dogs #dogtrainer #dogsofinstagram #dogsrock #training #muzzles #dogtrainersofinsragram #dogstagram #californiadogs #bayareadogs #obediencetraining #behaviormodification

DOGS ARE INDIVIDUALS. And so are the households they live in! 1 exact method and mindset isn't going to work for every dog or every owner. And it's our jobs as trainers to read and get to know the dog, as well as the owners and what they're looking for in their relationship and what they want life to look like with their dog. My dog Kal trains for the sport of Schutzhund, so for this we go get to be the students to a highly experienced trainer. One of my favorite things is se...eing how differently my trainer handles each individual dog and handler, depending on temperament, what stage in training they're at, ect. Everything is very particular and intentional for THAT individual team to help them reach their goals. In pet and service dog training it's vital that we do the same thing! If you have a 'method' that you try to fit every dog and client into first, you'll struggle. There are tools, strategies, and types of methods that will work for a large variety of dogs, but you must always know how to customize that knowledge to the particular dog you're working with. And most importantly, help create a realistic plan of action and training for the household and owner as well! Trainers often have lofty ideals of what dogs 'should' be like, but everyone has different priorities and things that they need, or limitations in what they're able to do or manage with their dog. Some people don't need a perfect heel and to be able to take their dog everywhere and be bombproof, some people just want a polite dog that doesn't pull or jump and has a super solid Place command for when grandkids come over. We're here to help them reach THEIR goals with their personal dog and fit into their lifestyle, not ours. We are always here to HELP, not to make their lives overly complicated, and it can be hard to remember that sometimes. Always be open minded and ready to learn more and adapt to your dog's and client's needs. #dogsofinstagram #dogsrock #dogtraining #californiadogs #bayareadogs #obediencetraining #behaviormodification #gsd #gsdsofig #germanshepherd #germanshelherdsofinstagram