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Behavior Training & Modification
A well- behaved dog is a happy dog. A happy dog is a dog who has been taught what to do in most situations and chooses those behaviors voluntarily because there is no downside to them. Learn how to reward your dog by reinforcing the calm, polite and attentive behaviors. Successfully modify any nuisance behaviors that might be inadvertently reinforced such as excessive barking, barking/lunging/jumping on people entering the house, leash aggression towards other dogs or a variety of anxiety issues. At Dog Relations, I find solutions for these and many other problems that make it clear and straightforward for you both! I teach the basic skills of course but also teach the dogs when and how to use those skills without nagging or prompting. We know that dogs thrive when they know how to have choice and control. All we need to do is heavily reinforce incompatible replacement behaviors for the ones that are natural to dogs but do not align with our human point of view. The dogs can confidently choose those highly rewarded and reinforced behaviors and you get to be the proud and loving guardian communicating with kindness, attention and all the love you are ready to give.
All too often guardians inadvertently provide reinforcement for undesirable behaviors. As part of my private training, I teach you how to become aware of how inadvertent reinforcement happens so that you can avoid those common pitfalls while having a loving, caring and fun relationship with your dog.
Dogs and humans who are prepared and know what to do in situations that make them feel uncomfortable will greatly reduce the risk of accidents or conflicts. Learn how to keep everyone safe by managing the environment while you are in the learning process and prevent the behavior from happening in the first place. You might have a dog who dislikes having guests in the house or delivery people ringing your doorbell or a dog who lunges at dogs or strangers in the street. You will learn how to first manage those situations to then change your dog’s mind about those situations by modifying the dog’s response to their triggers.
Reward-based methods allow the human/dog team to communicate clearly. Guardians can better understand their dogs’ needs and preferences and find behavior solutions that are satisfying to both parties. Dogs will eagerly respond to previously reinforced behaviors which in turn will also reinforce and delight their guardians. This mutual understanding fosters a strong bond built on trust and affection.
Stress, Anxiety, & Stress Related Aggressive Behaviors
Living with a dog who barks, lunges, nips, is generally restless, or has separation anxiety? There are a variety of reinforcement systems that can deal with these behaviors and bring great relief to both the dog and the human. By implementing specific behavior games in combination with basic manners that allow your dog to actually choose calm behaviors, behavior training creates a more relaxed environment, making both the dogs and humans more optimistic, happier, and more at ease.
A Comprehensive Behavior Consultation gives you the knowledge and the hands-on tools to both prevent and/or modify possible nuisance behaviors.
When you learn how positive reinforcement actually forges a very clear line of communication and teaches your dog how to earn reinforcement, you can both establish great habits from the get-go, and modify nuisance behaviors into polite behaviors. Behaviors such as barking, jumping up, pulling on a leash, begging at the table, or restlessness at home can easily be avoided in the first place but they can also be replaced by building a great reward history for replacement behaviors.
The Comprehensive Behavior Consultation will allow you to solve and prevent problems by giving you insight into how behaviors work and allowing you to understand the functions of behaviors. Thinking from the dog’s point of view will allow you to fulfill both your dog’s and your own needs at the same time
Initial Behavior Consultation
With one-month of support, this consultation is designed to provide maximum support and guidance for first-time dog guardians and/or to address behavior problems.
Not sure what service would be the best fit for you? Take this easy fast quiz to tell you the perfect service to book.
SOMETIMES YOU WANT TO ASK A QUICK QUESTION
If you need support after your 1 month of support that is included in any Comprehensive Consultations, our online check-ins are the perfect solution to ask simple questions and get answers and feedback.
Rather than waiting until your next lesson, book a 15-minute or 30-minute check-in session.
What’s wrong with leaving food out and letting the dog graze throughout the day?
Anything that requires an effort is more appreciated. Things that are taken for granted are not as desirable. So if food is available all the time it becomes much less likely to be a motivating force and is more likely to create a fussy eater.
Fussy eaters are more difficult to reward and can therefore develop behavior issues that are harder to remedy. However, that fussiness can be prevented or remedied easily by making food a valuable commodity.
Additionally, teaching your dog that he does not have to worry about his food or his bowl will prevent resource guarding. For guidance and solutions to this important topic, let DogRelations give you a private dog behavior lesson and show you the many ways you can make feeding fun and educational at the same time.
Destructive chewing should be considered in context and relationship to when the behavior occurs.
If you have a puppy who is teething, the puppy will try to get his teeth on pretty much anything to alleviate teething pain or simply chew on something because it is available and tasty and calming and fun for the puppy. So really the key to solving puppy chewing is: Limiting access to tempting and/or dangerous temptations. Keep your puppy crated or gated and provide him with great chew toys and do not underestimate a puppy’s need to run, play and exercise!
If, however, you find that your dog is chewing on things when left alone you might be dealing with a more serious problem, either boredom or possibly separation anxiety. If your dog tears up the apartment by chewing on couches, door and window frames or desperately tries to get out of the crate you should definitely call a professional trainer for help, especially if you think you have provided the dog with good exercise and mental stimulation and something appropriate and delicious to chew on before you leave the house.
Contact us at DogRelations to learn how you can safely and happily raise your puppy without having your belongings destroyed, prevent separation anxiety. If you have a puppy or dog who might be suffering from separation anxiety, please call us so we can help you and your dog.
Jumping up and nipping are normal dog behaviors among dogs!
Of course when humans get into the mix these behaviors can become a lot less cute and, depending on the intensity, problematic and unacceptable.
Reprimanding or physically pushing back your puppy or dog really only engages you more with the dog when they are behaving inappropriately and therefore reinforces those behaviors especially when they do not know what to do instead!
Of course your best practice for jumping up would be to make staying on the floor far more rewarding for your dog. Ideally that actually means: reinforcing the dog when they are not jumping in order to make the jumping behavior less attractive in general. Behaviors that don’t fulfill the dog’s goal will become less interesting very quickly. As soon as the dog offers an acceptable replacement behavior by even just having all four paws on the floor, reward your dog highly. Additionally, always reward your puppy highly when they are calm, have all four paws on the floor or play nicely with one of their toys.
Help your dog by providing enough mental and some physical exercise and appropriate things to chew and nibble on so they can have an outlet for those very natural urges.
For specific advice and how to time your reinforcements properly contact us at DogRelations and I will be most happy to consult with you, give you individualized advice and teach your dog all the skills they need in private in-home dog lessons.
Pulling on the leash is a natural behavior. Dogs usually like to explore what is up ahead and all around them. The leash obviously constricts freedom of space. Allowing the leash to be tight all the time or pulling the dog back will only increase that behavior:
All practiced behaviors increase in strength
A tight leash transmits tension and nervousness
Jerking or snapping on the leash can temporarily get your dog’s attention but certainly does not tell the dog what to do instead of pulling. In fact your dog might interpret those leash jerks as encouragement to pull even harder.
Pulling on the leash is hard on both your body and the dog’s body.
It takes the fun out of walking with your dog because it simply is not enjoyable.
Separation anxiety is unfortunately not uncommon.
Observable behaviors might include:
Whining , barking and howling
Destructive chewing, particularly door and window frames
Attempts to escape any containment area
Urinating and defecating inappropriately
These and other behaviors happen when left alone or sometimes even only if a particular family member leaves or when sleeping separated from the rest of the family.
Teaching the dog to be more confident and optimistic can play a big role in helping them overcome their anxiety. I can help you analyze how you can start turning around this frustrating situation. I will support you through this process and replace the worry with practical and goal oriented advice. Please choose a Comprehensive Behavior Consultation to address this behavior issue successfully.
Teaching your dog to ask politely for food, toys and attention allows you to prevent nuisance behaviors like “begging”. In fact you can replace annoying “begging” by teaching your dog to “beg” in a way that is pleasing to you and gives them the opportunity to earn the things they value most in life by displaying polite and calm behaviors.
This will also prevent resource guarding in a fun and playful way. That means your dog will not “defend” their bowl, food or chew toy when someone walks nearby because they will learn there is only more and better stuff to be had.
For more games and tips to help with this very important topic let DogRelations give you a private dog behavior lesson and show you the many ways you can make feeding time fun and educational at the same time.
Is your dog barking often or uncontrollably? Too much barking can be a major annoyance.
If your dog is basically not aggressive then most likely the excessive barking is a behavior that has been inadvertently reinforced.
How on earth could that have happened?
Well, if you admonish your dog when he barks, you are giving him attention for an undesirable behavior. Your dog however, smart as he is, immediately notices that in a certain way barking works in his favor because it makes you notice him. So, when he feels bored or ignored he decides to try this again…he barks: and miracle of miracles!! You start to engage with him again! In the dog’s mind this is a great discovery and so, since practiced and rewarded behaviors get stronger: Voila! Your dog has successfully found a way to get your attention and you have inadvertently reinforced a nuisance behavior!
Mental and physical well-being are strongly connected. My primary objective is to design a program that suits your dog and ensures that you and your dog can spend as many fun-filled and healthy years together as possible.
Designed to provide maximum support and guidance for first-time dog guardians and/or to address behavior problems such as excessive barking, separation anxiety, resource guarding, adult house soiling or a variety of fear and fear aggression issues.
I can teach your dog to perform tasks that help mitigate your stressful or anxious moments. Together we determine which behaviors your dog should be trained to recognize and then perform these tasks.
The focus for this training is on reinforcing house training, establishing polite manners and building confidence in your puppy while educating guardians in the practical application of positive reinforcement
How to Adopt a Dog from a Humane Society or Animal Shelter
How to Desensitize Your Dog
How to Create a Private Space for Your Dog
How to Bond With Your Dog
How to Socialize Your Dog
The turn around has been amazing! This is a message from our walker… “Okay, who is this new dog I’m…
The turn around has been amazing!
This is a message from our walker…
“Okay, who is this new dog I’m walking, and what have you done with Maddie? She is a whole different girl!”
This is just after the initial consultation!
Sara and Jonathan Carter
Elisabeth was one of the key people in helping maintain the spirit and integrity of Lola’s life. Everyday Lola looked…
Elisabeth was one of the key people in helping maintain the spirit and integrity of Lola’s life. Everyday Lola looked forward to her time with Elisabeth. It was a great relationship that we all rejoiced in. Elisabeth is a kind dog genius. Her help cannot be overestimated and went far beyond what one can buy. Lolabelle loved her.
Musician. Singer, and Songwriter | MultiMedia Artist
Elisabeth gets great results quickly. The lessons are a happy, fun experience for the dog and the rest of the…
Elisabeth gets great results quickly. The lessons are a happy, fun experience for the dog and the rest of the family.
Our dog (Max) is always really delighted to see her and has learned so much in a very short time.
Elisabeth is a fount of information about training and other topics such as diet, health care, grooming and even travel tips.
Jann Wenner
Co-Founder and Publisher of Rolling Stone Magazine and Chairman of Wenner Media
Rolling Stone
Simba is doing great! I love the change – he got more calm since I switched his food and treats,…
Simba is doing great! I love the change – he got more calm since I switched his food and treats, and he loves his crate now as well
Anastasija Kondratjeva
All we can say about Elisabeth is that she saved us! What a professional!! We brought home two 12-week old…
All we can say about Elisabeth is that she saved us! What a professional!!
We brought home two 12-week old puppies from the North Shore Animal League in May and although we were excited and loved them immediately, there was a lot of reorganizing to do around the house. First and foremost was to start having the pups house trained .
Of course, we didn’t think about this BEFORE we brought the puppies home. We were so excited because they were so cute and cuddly that getting them home was all we cared about. Then reality set in! Big time! Elisabeth came so highly recommended from a woman that we met while sitting in the waiting room of our veterenarian’s office that we called her immediately when we arrived back home.
The beauty of this story is that Elisabeth came to our rescue THAT SAME DAY! When I called her, she asked me a bunch
of questions about what was happening and she gave very helpful advice over the phone so that we could get through the night without barking puppies! We were hooked on Elisabeth from that moment on because she showed us immediately that she cared. She cared and she knew exactly what she was talking about.
That was almost four months ago and today, our puppies are incredibly well-behaved and learning more and more everyday. They are approaching seven months old and we can not believe the difference in them in such a short amount of time. The joy they bring is incredible anyway but imagine the joy they bring when there is zero chaos? We are having the time of our lives with them and we would not be in this position if it were not for Elisabeth’s incredible knowledge and talent with animals. The puppies absolutely adore her and it just makes us smile. We are confident they are getting the best of care and for us, that makes all the difference.
We highly highly highly recommend Elisabeth and would be happy to talk to anyone looking for a
referral. There is no one better!
Janet Wilkinson and Susan Lefevre
Rocky is doing so well! We had an especially nice long walk this morning. He was able to pass many…
Rocky is doing so well! We had an especially nice long walk this morning. He was able to pass many dogs, even big ones, without trouble (he pulled a little, but I told him to sit and wait and he did!). He barks a bit at the door, but calms quickly.
I’m still training him regularly and feeding him the raw diet, and it’s really making a difference. A few neighbors with dogs he’s always barked at before have even remarked on how much better behaved he is!
So, thank you thank you thank you Elisabeth!
Rachel
We’re so thankful to have met Elisabeth and we’re incredibly appreciative for all of her tremendous insight with our puppy.…
We’re so thankful to have met Elisabeth and we’re incredibly appreciative for all of her tremendous insight with our puppy. We have a one-year-old morkie who was experiencing various behavioral issues. With Elisabeth’s training methods, we’ve noticed significant improvement in our puppy’s behavior in only a couple days after one training session. Elisabeth also promptly provides a comprehensive report, detailing training techniques. We’re eternally grateful for all of Elisabeth’s continuous support and help!
Rob Hoogenboom
We had gone through several trainers with our standard poodle Annie. We got Annie at four months and she was…
We had gone through several trainers with our standard poodle Annie. We got Annie at four months and she was already fearful ,aggressive and barking non stop. Elisabeth came to the rescue with her patience, humor and dog whispering talents. I highly recommend her. Your dog and neighbors will thank you.
I came to Elisabeth with an older dog that had some behavior issues that were inadvertently reinforced by me and…
I came to Elisabeth with an older dog that had some behavior issues that were inadvertently reinforced by me and somehow defied the skills of various trainers over the years.
Elisabeth is one of those unusual and special people whose personality, temperament, interests and talents all come together in her work in a profound way.
She has an unlimited repertoire of creative techniques to keep my very smart dog engaged and loving to learn instead of searching for situations to react to. The behavior issues become non issues over time.
I’ve learned so much thanks to Elisabeth’s generosity of time and support and willingness to share information. And her positive reinforcement approach is at the forefront of current behaviorist thinking.
Working with Elisabeth and Dog Relations has far exceeded my expectations. I can’t imagine that she won’t be a part of our lives for a very long time.
Joan Altman
Elisabeth Weiss is a gifted trainer and a true animal lover. When I adopted my adorable and lovable cock-a-poo from…
Elisabeth Weiss is a gifted trainer and a true animal lover. When I adopted my adorable and lovable cock-a-poo from the AC&C he came with a host of challenging behavior issues. Elisabeth has successfully helped me resolve his problems. What I liked most was that she made it easy for me.
The lessons for my dog were so much fun that my smart cat started to participate in the dog’s lessons. I then asked Elisabeth to set aside some time to train the cat as well!
Both dog and cat training have been huge successes! We all look forward to their lessons every week!
BEING MINDFULI always think that the best way to “train” a puppy is by reinforcing them in time. Of course, that requires us humans to be mindful enough to notice and observe our dogs just as they observe us. So often, I hear people say that their dog has trained…
Challenging Size Stereotypes: The Importance of Training Small Dogs Dogs’ intelligence and prowess are all too often measured by their size. Generally, it is assumed that larger dogs need to be “trained” just because of their sheer size. Sure, a Rottweiler can cause more damage than a chihuahua. But is…
Let’s Say You Have a Persistent Behavior Issue With Your Dog: I hear these complaints worded in such a way a lot… Fill in the blank: “When I want them to ____” “when we say____”, “when they see____”, “when they hear____” “When they are _______they do not _____” “What should…
Reward Placement I talk quite a bit about reward placement and delivery (thrown, rewarding directly to the dog, or on the floor in front of the dog, etc.); but I have not thought about clarifying the aspect of the timing of the reward. Reward Timing Here is a good example: …
BEING MINDFUL I always think that the best way to “train” a puppy is by reinforcing them in time. Of course, that requires us humans to be mindful enough to notice and observe our dogs just as they observe us. So often, I hear people say that their dog has…
Common Puppy Behavior Challenges I often receive inquiries from people who are frustrated with their puppies’ overall behavior. “They don’t listen” “they jump” “they bark” “they pull on the leash” are very common complaints. Teaching Your Puppy Essential Skills I will then ask a couple of questions along the lines…
Recently, I have seen a noticeable rise in the use of prong collars and choke chains on dogs and even tiny puppies. I find this trend deeply concerning and feel compelled to raise awareness about the cruelty of these devices. Consider the perspective of an excited puppy: “I want to…
I am pleased to share some exciting news. I was recently featured in not just one but two articles in NYMag’s renowned column, “The Strategist.” These articles, “10 Best Chew Toys and Treats for Teething Puppies” and “11 Best Dog Harnesses,” have allowed me to share some of my favorite…
All reinforced behaviors will increase in frequency in the future. This includes behaviors the puppy finds reinforcing simply because they work in their favor or they are simply self-reinforcing because they are fun. For the latter great examples are barking and jumping. Barking and jumping very often get the puppy…
Do you remember the story of June, the rescue mini dachshund with the megaesophagus? Yesterday I got a text that June was able to stay alone without any signs of anxiety or barking for a whole hour! It is an excellent example demonstrating that separation anxiety is largely a function…
**disclaimers: if ordering a harness in colors: Early Spring, Blossom Blue, or Blossom Pink, they will be preorder only and will have a shipping delay. Discount does not apply to Leather leashes.