Kamal Fernandez dog training blog

One of the most common pictures those who have dogs that have Reactive behaviour aspire to achieving is ‘calm’, and I would say that this is a word that is more commonly used in modern dog training without true understanding of what it is and what it actually looks like.

But to truly understand what calmness is, ask yourself this question. Put dogs aside for a second, and ask yourself the question….Do you know anyone that is ‘calm’?

Really think about that before answering.

I can hear you giving examples of people you know, or seen, or aspire to be, that encapsulate ‘calmness’, but are they truly ‘calm’? Perhaps a person at your work, or a friend who no matter what is cool, calm and collected…. Or someone that you have engaged with in your travels or daily life, maybe a health practitioner, or someone in law enforcement, or a Fireperson?

Imagine someone like Serena Williams, or Novak Djokovic…. In the heat of the moment, they appear totally calm and in control…

As an elite level dog sports competitor, I am often asked how I appear so ‘calm’… or how ‘I make it look so easy’…

But are ANY of us ACTUALLY calm? Are we so chilled out that we are totally relaxed and almost laid back?? NOT AT ALL!!!!

In fact, the internal picture is the polar opposite.

We are focused, we are controlling out emotions and channeling our energy into a task, a goal, a direction…

Now imagine, if you could REALLY get into inside the minds of those individuals… However, externally, we appeared totally CALM.

And in mastering the ‘noises’ in our head, a calmness and feeling of control comes over us.

Does any of this resonate with you??

Let’s take this back to our dogs. Dogs were originally bred to be tools, their natural instincts were manipulated, exploited and exaggerated so we could use them to assist us in our daily lives. To help us hunt, gather, capture and…. Well you know the rest… And I expect if you attended a farm where sheepdogs were used, or a kennel where gun dogs were kept, or a home were working terriers were used… you would find a lot of ‘calm’ dogs…. Dogs just mooching around, minding their own business, given the definition of what we would truly say was ‘calmness’.

But when we analyse if these dogs are truly CALM, we will probability find that they are content.

They are content because their physical, emotional, genetic and most innate needs have been met fulfilling a purpose. So as a result of this thirst being quenched, they are actually ‘CALM’.

However, often calmness is an aspiration many are advised to ‘teach’ or ‘create’ through feeding treats from a snuffle mat, or a soothing tone of voice, or any range of techniques seen commonly in Behaviour modification protocols, without acknowledgement that the dog isn’t actually ‘content’.

So does this mean, Border Collies owners need to purchase a flock of sheep? Or a Golden return owner needs to buy a gun and Barbour jacket, even though they live in the middle of a built up city? Or your Westie owner needs to have a stock of rodents on standby for their pesky pooch to dispatch?

About not. But we need to understand that our dogs have needs, and desires we, if we want a truly ‘CALM’ dog, we need to satisfy on a regular basis.

This means thinking outside of the box in some circumstances. How you can satisfy what that need is, in an alternative manner.

So the dog that loves to stare and chase, becomes the thing they want to stare at and chase…. The dog that wants to capture and destroy, become the instigator of this in a safe manner via the medium of play, or the dog that wants to possess and guard, use this as a way to create focus and attention in environments where they may rehearse this inappropriately.

Imagine taking a Serena, or Novak and saying to them, they could no longer have an outlet for that mind that made them multiple Grand Slam champions, and instead they had to remain in their homes, watch tennis on TV, but not actually play it… They weren’t given an alternative physical outlet, had to learn to ignore the sight, sound or even though of Tennis…. And WHEN they did go to any tennis clubs or matches, they had to remain totally ‘CALM’ and ignore it!

NOW, how do we think that would work out???

I think we may be reading a lot of headlines of former Grand Slam champions doing some weird and wonderful things!

We are all given ‘gifts’, as are our dogs are no different. Our role is to allow them to be who they are, and shine. Allow for their personalities and needs, yet harness them to enhance our relationship with them as opposed to making them a point of conflict.

Aspire for contentment rather then calm, because contentment leads to CALM!

As a professional dog trainer, who deals with behavioural issues with dogs, and sports dogs, there are two factors which can make or break the life a dog has, and those within that dogs life.

These two non negotiable attributes are good health and good temperament.

It may seem obvious to many of you reading this, but it seems both of these are more and more over looked in favour of other ‘desirable’ traits.

As a breeder, I invest thousands on health tests, and DNA analysis….I spend months, years, looking at pedigrees of dogs, and researching them as much as a possible can, to try and avoid any major health issues. Every breeder should do as much research as possible. And I am absolutely sure, most do. I can use examples across the globe who commit to every test they can possibly conduct, and take every precaution possible. And even with the best research and homework, you can still get unlucky. Thats life. But due diligence to testing, checking and researching is a must.

Genetics does require a certain degree of luck too. A curve ball or just simple bad luck, can play a hand in your dogs life. I’ve been there! I know that one all too well. It sucks. Having a dog with an ongoing health issue or physical inability is a weary weight to bare. For the dog and the family. Living your life on egg shells, is a horrible emotional place to be.

The other factor is temperament.

Good temperament is a game changer!

And I’m going to be controversial here, but a vast majority of issues and traits shouldn’t even be a factor people should have to deal with.

These are normally traits that are in the extreme.

Extreme Noise phobia, extreme fear, extreme apprehension towards people, extreme environmental sensitivity and extreme arousal.

I have owned breeds of dogs that would definitely be considered high drive, and they can come with traits that could be problematic if not channelled, managed or appropriate training is undertaken. That’s to be expected. And certainly not a ‘fault’. These are attributes! In fact, if those needs are met, they are the most amazing dogs.

But a common misconception is to breed to the ‘extremes’, in pursuit of sports related goals. This is often dogs that are easily frustrated and are easily aroused. Whilst this may initially appear as an asset, when this ‘extreme’ reaction spills over into day to day life, these assets become all consuming.

Now, because we’re being ‘real’. It could be the dog isn’t suitable for the environment or situation. Or the current skill set or knowledge of the owner. Or the dog is just misunderstood, and a few simple quirks are par the course when owning a certain breed or type of dog. Thats all possible.

However, ‘bad’ temperament is the dog that is so apprehensive it can’t function in day to day life, or the dog that is so unstable, it can’t function without stringent management or medication. Or the dog that is so phobic it lives in a constant state of hyper vigilance. Or so fearful it can’t function in a standard environment, or so aggressive, it’s a threat to anything and anyone it meets.

These traits are difficult and often ‘impossible’ to overcome completely. They take a lifetime of commitment from the owner/care giver and can be over whelming.

They will take a lifetime commitment to that dogs needs. And before my words are misinterpreted, there are millions of amazing owners in situations just like this, however breeding dogs with this potential is a different ball game.

In short…We should be aiming to create dogs that are both physically and mentally capable of living a ‘normal’ life. That isn’t a lot to ask is it?

Sound body and sound mind should be the standard by which dogs are measured and created. It should be the minimum requirements before any of the ‘bells and whistles’ of sports.

We are most definitely in the season to ‘Be jolly’… and the streets are decorated with Christmas lights, and house adorned with inflatable Santa’s and Reindeers attached to the sycamore! We can sense that a BIG event is coming on the 25th of this month…. The excitement, the anticipation…. The dread at eating one too many Brussel sprouts! Whether you love or loath the festive period, you know that its on its way!

Often we we train our dogs, we forget this pivotal factor when training… We forget to make the process and reinforcing an ‘event’! We forget to let them know something worth celebrating is about to happen. 

One of the biggest advances in animal training in the last 30 years (the span of my career), has been clicker training. It has revolutionised what and how we train dogs. However, there is an integral part of that has been definitely lost in communication along the way. 

Often people focus so heavily on the moment when they click, meticulously marking the exact moment when the behaviour that they are intently watching for, occurs… yet the reinforcing and delivery is an after thought. It’s as though the learning stops when the dog is clicked and we no longer have to consider any of the subsequent actions that take place. 

Nothing could be further from the truth. 

Animal training great, Bob Bailey describes the click as a trigger in a slot machine, where it then prompts a series of events to occur. This is a great way to articulate the importance of reinforcement processes. Or simply, making the rewarding an event in it self. 

I talk about the 5 W’s of reinforcement…. What, when, How,, why and where…. All these need to be considered as part of your planning for marking and reinforcing. 

If you were to train a sit, and clicked precisely as your dog put his bum on the floor and adopted the most beautiful position, but then reinforced by feeding from the floor, directly at the dogs feet….you would probably find that the dogs behaviour would change. It may start to offer a hunched sit, or even a down. Dogs are masters at reading body language and are experts at working out patterns of reinforcement. We can help or hinder our dogs learning by ensuring that our reinforcement process is conducive to what we are trying to create. 

Did you reward from the left? From the right? Did you throw or delivery in position? Did you use food or a toy? The list is long and endless but so important.

Additionally, when we click and actually deliver the reinforcing…. Are we giving ‘ourselves’ to the process? Are we being active in the manner in which we engaged and interact with our dog? Often, when people click their dog, they rely heavily on the ‘click and treat’ to common the sense of joy and euphoria we are feeling when our dog has done something correctly. This is a vital piece of the puzzle that turns ‘average’ into ‘exceptional’.

Now, this doesn’t mean that every time you click, you have to run around like a crazy thing…. But it does mean that this needs to be considered. Is that an appropriate choice for the behaviour you are trying to create or even the question you are posing to your dog? Does that moment warrant you ‘giving’ more? Or do you need to taper this to create a state of ‘zen’.  Is the event a crazy an ‘out there’ party, communicating your joy and excitement at your dog achieving a moment of genius … or is it a quiet, thoughtful moment where you allow the information to be absorbed and digested? Both are events, and both may be options.

For me, dog Training is absolutely a science and anyone can master these skills by understanding the principles of learning theory, understanding what classical and operant conditioning are…. But there is something, that for me surpasses all the above, and that is ‘relationship’. 

Most of us probably enter the world of dog training, because we love and adore our dogs. We wanted a means to spend more time with them and to improve our relationship. This should serve as the Foundation for how we choose to live, train and engage with them. So, for me, this should be the guiding factor when we train them and delivery reinforcement. Here is a simple and easy tip to help understand this point. Video a Training session with your dog, it can be where you work on anything you like. Then review your video and watch it without the sound on. What do you see? What does the session look like? Does it look like both parties are actively involved? Does it look like you are both working together? Does it look like you are facing a challenge, that you are building clarity around? Does it look like you are having fun? Asking these simple questions and reflecting on your training can often shed light on your training struggles. 

Thinking beyond the click, and viewing reinforcement as a process can totally change the dynamics of your training and the relationship you have with your dog. You can go from being the pez dispenser to the centre of their world, with minor changes in your reinforcement process!

When you reinforce, smile, laugh, touch and engage with the dog…. Scratch their bum, or rub their belly, let them go all silly and get excited, give them a cuddle or stroke them from head to tail…. Vary what you do, see what impact it has on your dog…. Experiment! See what your dog responds to… talk in a silly voice, clap them, tell them how smart they are…. Mix it up! Lose yourself in the joy of engaging with your dog! Make the reinforcing an event in itself and one worth remembering!

So go on, make your reinforcing an event in itself and celebrate the successes on the way!

Ever noticed how everything in life done well has a conflicting entity to it… just look at sports…. Martial arts for example as the conflict between absolute discipline against aggression, tennis has the conflict between the chaos of a bouncing ball and the blistering accuracy with which it can be hit into a specific point on the court… or a sprinter hurtling down a track appearing to be a blur, yet their technique and motion is smooth as silk…

Dog sports is no different.

Agility has the conflict between speed and accuracy, IGP drive and control and tracking has a dog to ignore their natural desires and focus on the scent of a specific person. Its really quite incredible what we ask of our dogs.

Well, Competitive obedience is absolutely an illustration of beautiful conflict.

You want your to work with enthusiasm and desire, yet be deadly accurate in every movement. You want them to hold a very specific physical position, yet appear free and flowing… have power and want in their being, yet be completely focused and thoughtful. It is a complete battle between two sides! Ying and Yang!

Obedience is often perceived as the more ‘stiff and proper’ alternative to other dog sports, but this is a misconception I hope to dispel.

See, the sport requires absolutely motivation and desire from the dog in order to achieve the picture of unison and togetherness.

Like so many things, you ‘can’ do it without… but anyone with an untrained eye can see the difference!

Every nuance of each skill has to be broken down, motivated and then stitched together in a intricate and delicate tapestry of dog behaviour and skill to create a picture that is simply breathtaking! The feeling of connection and synchronisation, as you change speed, manoeuvre turns, weaves, circles or patterns on the ground all test your focus as well as the dogs, but the sense of accomplishment is ten fold! I won’t lie, and say it’s ‘easy’, as it takes time and dedication… but the rewards are extensive.

I love it. I have taken part in Obedience for over 30yrs and reached the dizzy heights of Crufts, and helped countless others realise their dreams and ambitions in the process. Their success has given me so much pride and joy, I can’t put the feelings into words.

Beyond the ‘academic’ successes, Obedience has ‘provided’ for me a ‘family’ and kinship that have seen me through the highs and lows that life can provide… my daughter sees my ‘obedience family’ as her family….

Obedience is SO accessible, you can train it anywhere and everywhere, with minimal equipment, and space. So in that light, it is ‘easy’.

All the exercises have a great balance of control and desire… Heelwork in itself is a balancing act between dog and handler, where the slightest weight shift or head movement can alter the picture drastically… a test of concentration and focus… retrieve, and send away test desire and accuracy of speed, body and self control… and distance control is the ultimate example of stimulus control… 6 position changes in any order, at a distance… with distractions and temptation all around… it really is ‘WOW’ when you see it done! I can still recall the first time I ever saw a dog complete this exercise, I was in awe!! Convinced this was the thing of witchcraft, or robotic engineering! LOL. It still has me marvelled when seen completed well!

There are so many myths and fallacy’s about obedience, which I hope to set straight!

On the 1st November, join me for a week of LIVES talking ‘Obedience’… you’ll be able to join me for sessions to get you started and the MOST important skill you can teach any sports dog! Just go to my Facebook page, and click LIKE to be notified of any LIVES!

For now, enjoy your dogs!

Kamal Fernandez

http://www.kamalfernandez.co.uk

Its that moment we all dread happening to our kids…. The realisation that Santa isn’t real…. I know, I know… some of you will be reading this in shock… go get a stiff drink, because there is more bad news on the way!

Did you also know ‘Lassie’, the gold standard by which all dogs across the world are measured, wasn’t a girl!!

That’s right people… Lassie was a boy! In fact Lassie was several boys!! All identical in appearance, and trained to perfection but none of which were female!!

I can sense the disbelief and hear the sound as childhood dreams are shattered!

So the icon on which we base our standard and ideology of what and how dogs should behave is in fact a ‘lie’….. well not a ‘lie’, but certainly not ‘reality’.

The irony is, that this has caused so much damage across the world for dogs of all shapes and sizes.

See, so many dogs are expected to adhere to a fallacy created by images, and illusions in the media. And if they don’t, they are labelled as problematic, weird, odd, dangerous, or discarded.

The fact that one of the most iconic canine stars of the silver screen wasn’t even as depicted, is ironic to say the least.

We have been conditioned to believe and expect unrealistic ideals of our dogs, and as a result our dogs are labelled as problematic when they don’t ‘conform’.

Lets take the simplicity of dog to dog interactions.

The imagery we have been flooded with is dogs meeting, frolicking in long grass, bounding happily with each other, with out a single incident, or cross word.

Now that is most definitely the thing of a Disney film!! It just isn’t reality. Don’t get me wrong, we can ‘teach’ and build our dogs confidence and experience up, so they ‘learn’ to have well rounded social skills, but it is perfectly normal for your dog to take a dislike to another dog… and even show a level of anxiety, concern or aggression! It’s perfectly ‘normal’. And as a result we can teach and educate our dogs to behave perfectly ‘abnormally’, by learning to meet random strange dogs and show disinterest or in difference. But to expect or be disappointed when they don’t have these skills is grossly unfair.

Additionally, the dog that walks on a loose lead, or chooses not to chase wildlife, or come back when you call, or settle in your home, or get on with your cat… the list goes on and on.

Of course there are dogs that do have these innate skills and bombproof temperaments, but they aren’t the norm, they are the exception. And whilst we can discuss the need to select and breed dogs with these attributes above other traits, this is probably unrealistic. There are literally billions of dogs on this planet, and I suspect the smallest percentage bred with these as a priority.

See Lassie was a product of training… he was ‘taught’ to do do the behaviours as depicted on screen. As are the countless dogs seen in movies, television and media.

When I was approached to be part of a television series which wanted to take 12 rescue dogs and teach them the skills and behaviours needed to fly a plane, in the sky series ‘Dogs might Fly’, the first priority was to teach the basics…. Recall, sit, down etc and then prepare the dogs for the plethora of situations they would be put into.

These were dogs from various backgrounds, who had been in rescue kennels. Even the simplicity of learning to relax and remain calm, was not ‘natural’ to them.

One of my 3 dogs was a malinois! Settling and relaxing was most definitely not natural!! But to be able to be on ‘set’, this was a mandatory requirement.

So, Tess was taught… educated and trained to ‘settle’. She was exercised and stimulated mentally so she found it easier to ‘chill’. She was given an outlet for her energy, and taught to be focused on me. Her confidence was nurtured and built so she could cope in any situation. She trusted me and flourished.

These skills meant she was not only able to take everything that was thrown at her in her stride, the real ‘Disney’ ending was that she was homed to one of the crew!! Now that, is a story worth telling!

The sooner we dispel the myths created by movies, and tune into ‘reality’, the better chance of helping create happy, well adjusted dogs across the world, rescues won’t be over run with discarded unwanted perfectly ‘normal’ dogs, and there would be more acceptance, compassion and understanding for those that are dealing with ‘normal’ dog problems. There would be less stigma and more success!

I recently did a training day, and the plans for the day were altered by the random British weather…. As per typical UK summer, we had rain, rain and more rain! LOL. Two days prior it was like the Bahamas!

So the planned session had to be adapted.

I decided to do a simple session of shaping everyone’s dog to stand on a blue yoga block. Easy right? Well, yes… but I wanted to use this to examine the process of training and competing.

Each person was asked to shape their dog to place two paws on the block, but due to the rain, we used an open shed as the training space.

Each person was given 2mins exactly to train their dog. They could end the session before that time, if they felt they achieved what they wanted.

On the first cycle, every person ended their session comfortably within 1minute.

Each session was videod and we discussed the ‘process’.

The first question I asked was ‘How did they feel about, the session?’. The group were all avid agility competitors, so shaping a two foot target on a yoga block wasn’t exactly what they anticipated. They were candid and honest in their responses. Some said they were instantly apprehensive, because they dislike shaping as they always feel they don’t know what to do, others said they felt confident as their dogs knew the behaviour.

The second discussion was about what was their ‘process’ for the exercise. Did they consider anything that could affect the dog?

The environment?reinforcement? placement of reinforcement? Marker words? Release words? On or off the lead? Possible distractions within the environment? The dogs feelings towards the behaviour?

You could see the thinking happening… and the aha moments occurring.

See, the session wasn’t anything to do with the target behaviour as such, it was about the trainers process, and the competing process.

I solemnly believe on so many levels, that our thoughts manifest everything around us. That sounds a bit hocus pocus, but what I mean is, where and how you focus your thoughts, dictates how and where you use your energy, which in turns, creates a return on that ‘thought’.

Your mental ‘muscle’ needs to be worked regularly in order to get stronger.

Often people wait for competition, to practice their mental preparation and mental game, however this is way too late.

Your mental game should start in your training, and specifically the process.

Are you present? Are you focused on what you are doing? Do you have a plan? What are your physical movements going to be? Have you rehearsed this prior? Have you got the right equipment, and tools? Have you got some data to guide you? Had the dog acclimated to the environment? Did you feel pressured?

All of this is exactly the same process when you step into competition.

The last 18months has seen many let their mental muscle go weak… and the place to start working it out is at home.

In the session we shaping our dogs to step on a blue perch, in a shed! But if we substitute the perch for ‘weave’, or heelwork, or an A Frame, or retrieve… or any other sports specific behaviour, and we see the shed as ‘the ring’… this is the perfect metaphor for competition.

Being present, mindful and connected are the foundation of competing with another team member, especially the 4 legged type.

There is nothing wrong with training for the sheer fun of it, and the same is applicable to competing. Go in there and have a total ball! But often the pressures and challenges of the occasion can cause you to underperform, and ‘Luck’ is when preparation and opportunity meet…

Here are 5 keys times for mindful training and competing.

1. Mechanics, mechanics, mechanics!! Practice your mechanics without the dog so many times, until it feels comfortable. Then, and only then…. Bring the dog into the mix!

2. Think, plan, do review! The Bob Bailey mantra should guide you if you want to ensure you are at your best when needed.

3. Collate data. Use video or record keep to note progress. Numbers, distance, time, reps. Keep a log of how much, how many, how long, how far etc, so you know what you can and can’t do, and when you are moving forward.

4. Train your mind to see, say and hear what is helpful. Self doubt and negative talk are what we literally do to ourselves! Stop it! Stop it and put those demons to rest.

5. Learn to tune into the task and the moment. Quieten all the outside influences and focus! This is your superpower! Use it!

Did you ever hear the phrase ‘Children should be seen and not heard’….. I definitely did! LOL. My mother was big on the notion that, children should be seen and not heard, and that ‘big people’ are talking….

I think this was a very common held belief system that a lot of children were brought up with, and maybe still are…. 

And I would say that is a similar belief system that many expect of their dogs….  To be inconspicuous, to be constantly calm despite the situation, to ignore all other dogs people and things…. But like children, is that realistic…. And more importantly, is that fair? And even more importantly, how are we going to teach them to be ‘seen and not heard’??

Firstly, we need to ask ourselves how was ‘being seen and not heard’ communicated and taught’ years ago? Was it done with a steely glare? Or was it done in a way that had an underlying fear attached to it? The repercussions of not adhering to the ‘rule’, being a veiled threat…. Or was it done in a manner that set the dog/child up for success? A huge amount of reinforcement paired with appropriate behaviour, and value being built for the correct responses? I am sure that for most of us, over 30… it probably was more of the former, rather then later. But can you imagine the difference it would have made if it was taught in a different way?

So for example, I like my dogs to be able to be used for demonstration (when the world was open, that is!), so they will often hang out in a bed, until I need them. 

This is a taught behaviour. They have been initially taught to want to be in their crates as puppies, this is a place of safety, security and comfort for them. They are then taught to want to stay in the crate, until they are released…. So this then can be modified to a bed, or a bench, or a seat…. Anything, that I ask them to position themselves on, becomes the ‘crate’. 

They are taught that, in that situation… they are to remain ‘seed and not heard’. 

Another example is around dogs and people. I like my dogs to be ‘seen and not heard’ around people. I do this by viewing socialisation as a lesson in itself and ensuring that I set them up on ‘play dates’ with dogs and people that they are going to have a positive experience with, or a productive experience with. This may mean learning to play appropriately with other dogs, or learning to ignore other dogs. Both are valuable life skills to teach your dogs. 

Or it could be, out on a walk when I see someone approaching. I want to be able to recall all my 11 dogs back at once, and have them ‘wait there’ whilst they person or dog passes. This is again taught. I build a desire to want to come back when called, and a desire to ‘wait there’ until I release them.

These skills allow my dogs to be ‘seen and not heard’ in situations where it keeps them safe and ensures they are not a hindrance to others. 

However, I am also realistic that they are dogs. Not robots. Its their unique personalities and antics that make me LOL, that keep me owning dogs after 30 years!

Adolescence is a notoriously challenging time, when hormones take over, and your once angelic pup, changes into demon spawn! I don’t expect my dogs to be ‘seen and not heard’, so I manage them and ensure that I don’t put them in situations that they cant cope with. I manage their interactions, and ensure that I work extra hard at our relationship.

If a dog acts inappropriately to one of my dogs, and my dog air snaps at them, when they jump on their back or become too intrusive, I don’t expect my dogs to be ‘seen and not heard’. This is an appropriate response to an inappropriate social interaction on the part of the other dog. Now this doesn’t mean my dog can tear the other dog limb from limb, or cause damage to them, but saying ‘GET OFF MY HEAD!!!!’ Is most definitely an appropriate response. Thats a realistic behaviour of a well adjusted social dog, who is educating another dog about social etiquette. 

I don’t expect my dogs to be ‘calm’ at all times. If they are watching something exciting happening, and they show interest and get excited at the prospect of having a go, thats a fair response. However they also understand that they can’t get involved, leave they beds, or leave me. They also understand if I ask them to focus on me, whilst that interesting activity if going on, that supersedes their desire to focus on the other dog. But I am not unrealistic in my expectations of them. They can watch, but they cant vocalise. So in a way they are ‘seen but not heard, but not being a hindrance of danger to others. 

Often, we as dog owners, bring into our relationship, our stuff. Unrealistic expectations of our dogs, often influenced by the Disney-eque standard of what dogs should be, rather then what they are… Or at least what they are without education or information. 

It is absolutely possible to teach your dog and your child to be ‘Seen and not heard’, but how you teach them and therefore the long term impact of ‘being seen and not heard’ is critical to their overall emotional well being and overall confidence. 

A fearful dog that is ‘see and not heard’ could equate to a lack of confidence… an introvert chin who is ‘seen and not heard’ could equate to the same. 

I want my dogs to ‘WANT’ to be ‘seen and not heard’! I want them to have so much desire to focus on me, that they don’t have interest in other dogs, or they have so much value for their bed, that they ‘WANT’ to stay there, despite the distractions. 

Creating this ‘WANT’ is the key… They say, you can make a dog do almost anything, but getting them to ‘WANT’ to do it, is the secret!

Do you have a dog that is far from ‘seen and not heard’… I don’t mean a robot, devoid of personality and joy, but a dog that sees ‘good behaviour’ as an opportunity to be reinforced… and ‘good social skills’ as a way to get all the things they want? 

Well, I may have not he solution for you… I have been working on a HUGE project, to create all the above for owners who’s dogs are anything but ‘seen and not heard’… 

I have written many blogs, delivered seminars, and helped countless dogs with ‘Reactivity Issues’ to grow into confident, well adjusted family pets and so much more… 

And now I am at the cusp of sharing with you aimed at helping dogs labelled as ‘Reactive’, to overcome challenges and lead a more fulfilling life! I am so exciting about this project and all the work that has gone into it… I can honestly say, it has been a passion project after seeing so many people struggling with their dogs behaviour and in desperate need of help….

Well its on its way! Keep an eye out over the coming week… more to come! And some REALLY exciting news!!

Kamal Fernandez

Have you ever thought about how your dogs feels? I can imagine a sea of dog owners and trainers across the globe, all responding in unison ‘Of course I do’….

However, lets take this a stage further…

Have you ever though about how your dogs feels about the reinforcement you have chosen? Have you created the ‘right feelings towards the reinforcement?’

Does the dog have the appropriate feelings about the reinforcement and the way in which you deliver it?

This may sound somewhat cryptic, but as with all life lessons… I am having this one reaffirmed to me at present as I train my three (that’s right…. I said three) puppies!

Foundations for any sport is like building a house, without it being solid and firm your house will likely topple down. So often people are thinking about the colour of walls, rather then foundations, and risk the whole building falling down! For my dogs, how they respond and react to the reinforcement is part of this foundations.

At the moment I am training three young dogs, two Border Collies and my Malinois, Jungle. My primary focus is building foundations and creating the correct feelings about and for reinforcement.

My 10month Border Collie Puppy Hottie was a phenomenal tiny puppy! Amazingly clever and bright, played incredibly well, food driven, clear headed and had a super temperament… perfect! What more could I want! Things were going remarkably well… until she started teething.

The first indication that she was having a tough time teething was her loss of appetite. She went from a dog would eat with the appetite of a labrador, to a dg that would walk away from her food or pick at it.

In herself, she was well and as I raw fed, appeared to love frozen treats. This made complete sense with the discomfort she clearly felt.

I could see her gums were swollen and sore, and her sibling appeared to have issues teething too.

At this time, I generally stop training my puppies and let them be ‘dogs’. This isn’t unusual for a pup, and often when left alone, they come through teething and swiftly revert back.

However, Hottie was different. She became ultra sensitive to food and toys, and hands moving around her mouth and face. Whilst she wasn’t worried or frightened, she was definitely reluctant to tug or take food when I offered either long after all her teeth had settled.

This affected her desire to train and engage. Even though she hadn’t had any negative experiences within the training itself, because she understood that this were available as reinforcement, she became reluctant to train because of the potential of them being presented.

Imagine going to your favourite restaurant, where you normally have your favourite meal but on this occasion, you order that meal and get food poisoning. Would you want to go to that restaurant again? Or would you go and avoid that dish? Either way, your experience of that restaurant has been tarnished. The service may have been excellent and the atmosphere perfect, but the feelings caused by the meal made all the difference.

This was essentially what happened to Hottie.

She associated training with how she felt about food and toys… and she felt a great deal of discomfort and pain.

As a reinforcement based dog trainer, this is a huge concept to embrace as pain and discomfort are not things I utilise with my dogs. Yet, here I was with a puppy who ‘felt’ both of these associated with training.

In contrast, Jungle my malinois is SO aroused by toys and even the prospect of them being on offer, that she instantly spikes in her arousal if I incorporate them in her training. This instantly creates changes in behaviour and loss of accuracy. So we have had to address her ‘feelings’ towards the toy. Her desire for a toy, borders on obsession but without the ability to think and listen in their presence, this obsession is counterproductive.

The ‘feelings’ your dogs has towards reinforcement bleeds into the work, in both a positive and negative manner. If the dogs ‘feelings’ towards the reinforcement hasn’t been as trained as the behaviour itself, you risk having unwanted ‘feelings’ developing towards the work.

This is particularly apparent with sports dogs, where frustration is a common technique to build desire for the reinforcement. This ‘feeling’ of frustration can bleed into the work… and this can easily create a ‘stacking’ of frustration if the training or teaching, in itself is creating frustration. This is typical seen in dogs that don’t willingly release toys on cue, the conflict about the release can bleed into their ‘work’.

How your dog ‘feels’ about the reinforcement will affect the dogs ‘feelings’ about training and therefore competing. This, coupled with the challenges presented in competition can be a cocktail of tension!

Working on clear skills and understanding of reinforcement strategies and criteria, BEFORE using them, is a crucial often over looked component to preventing unwarranted frustration and confusion.

It can prevent over arousal issue, displacement, shut down, frustration… the list goes on.

Feelings matter. Plain and simple.

Have you ever thought about how your dogs feels? I can imagine a sea of dog owners and trainers across the globe, all responding in unison ‘Of course I do’….

However, lets take this a stage further…

Have you ever though about how your dogs feels about the reinforcement you have chosen? Have you created the ‘right feelings towards the reinforcement?’

Does the dog have the appropriate feelings about the reinforcement and the way in which you deliver it?

This may sound somewhat cryptic, but as with all life lessons… I am having this one reaffirmed to me at present as I train my three (that’s right…. I said three) puppies!

Foundations for any sport is like building a house, without it being solid and firm your house will likely topple down. So often people are thinking about the colour of walls, rather then foundations, and risk the whole building falling down! For my dogs, how they respond and react to the reinforcement is part of this foundations.

At the moment I am training three young dogs, two Border Collies and my Malinois, Jungle. My primary focus is building foundations and creating the correct feelings about and for reinforcement.

My 10month Border Collie Puppy Hottie was a phenomenal tiny puppy! Amazingly clever and bright, played incredibly well, food driven, clear headed and had a super temperament… perfect! What more could I want! Things were going remarkably well… until she started teething.

The first indication that she was having a tough time teething was her loss of appetite. She went from a dog would eat with the appetite of a labrador, to a dg that would walk away from her food or pick at it.

In herself, she was well and as I raw fed, appeared to love frozen treats. This made complete sense with the discomfort she clearly felt.

I could see her gums were swollen and sore, and her sibling appeared to have issues teething too.

At this time, I generally stop training my puppies and let them be ‘dogs’. This isn’t unusual for a pup, and often when left alone, they come through teething and swiftly revert back.

However, Hottie was different. She became ultra sensitive to food and toys, and hands moving around her mouth and face. Whilst she wasn’t worried or frightened, she was definitely reluctant to tug or take food when I offered either long after all her teeth had settled.

This affected her desire to train and engage. Even though she hadn’t had any negative experiences within the training itself, because she understood that this were available as reinforcement, she became reluctant to train because of the potential of them being presented.

Imagine going to your favourite restaurant, where you normally have your favourite meal but on this occasion, you order that meal and get food poisoning. Would you want to go to that restaurant again? Or would you go and avoid that dish? Either way, your experience of that restaurant has been tarnished. The service may have been excellent and the atmosphere perfect, but the feelings caused by the meal made all the difference.

This was essentially what happened to Hottie.

She associated training with how she felt about food and toys… and she felt a great deal of discomfort and pain.

As a reinforcement based dog trainer, this is a huge concept to embrace as pain and discomfort are not things I utilise with my dogs. Yet, here I was with a puppy who ‘felt’ both of these associated with training.

In contrast, Jungle my malinois is SO aroused by toys and even the prospect of them being on offer, that she instantly spikes in her arousal if I incorporate them in her training. This instantly creates changes in behaviour and loss of accuracy. So we have had to address her ‘feelings’ towards the toy. Her desire for a toy, borders on obsession but without the ability to think and listen in their presence, this obsession is counterproductive.

The ‘feelings’ your dogs has towards reinforcement bleeds into the work, in both a positive and negative manner. If the dogs ‘feelings’ towards the reinforcement hasn’t been as trained as the behaviour itself, you risk having unwanted ‘feelings’ developing towards the work.

This is particularly apparent with sports dogs, where frustration is a common technique to build desire for the reinforcement. This ‘feeling’ of frustration can bleed into the work… and this can easily create a ‘stacking’ of frustration if the training or teaching, in itself is creating frustration. This is typical seen in dogs that don’t willingly release toys on cue, the conflict about the release can bleed into their ‘work’.

How your dog ‘feels’ about the reinforcement will affect the dogs ‘feelings’ about training and therefore competing. This, coupled with the challenges presented in competition can be a cocktail of tension!

Working on clear skills and understanding of reinforcement strategies and criteria, BEFORE using them, is a crucial often over looked component to preventing unwarranted frustration and confusion.

It can prevent over arousal issue, displacement, shut down, frustration… the list goes on.

Feelings matter. Plain and simple.

This is a ‘Birthday Blog’, and whilst not about ‘My Birthday’, it is ‘My Birthday’… so what better way to celebrate then to blog… (I’m a bit old for Birthday cake and bouncy castles….)

I was thinking about what are the most important factors to effective dog training, irrespective of what the intended purpose is…

Well there is ‘confidence’… The dogs and yours…. There is ‘understanding’… There is motivation…..both outlined in my book ’Pathway to Positivity’…. But there is actually one major factor that intertwines all these factors….

Communication. Our ability to communicate what we want to our dogs, and from our dogs.

All too often, we look to our dog to carry the burden of responsibility for deciphering our information, be it a different language, dialect or even agenda! We forget how amazing our dogs are to even be able to function in a world that is totally contradictory to everything that they are, and yet despite this conflict, they still manage to flourish.

And all too often, if we are honest, our dogs do decipher our poor information and learn despite us, and not because of us.

Dogs, and arguably Horses have been subject to ‘our’ miscommunication for centuries, and yet they still ‘learn’. Other animals have been some what less accommodating… anyone that has owned a Cat, will nod in appreciation!

Dogs have allowed us to pull, yank, check, click, fed, tug, shout, smack, stroke, yell, hit, rewarded frivolously, rewarded scarcely….all in the name of ‘training’ and yet still figured out what we wanted! In fact, some have even anticipated what we have wanted! They truly are amazing!!

Dog training has pillars on which all understanding and clarity is built.

They are ‘Timing’, ‘rate of reinforcement’ and criteria.

Hell mend you if you fail to acknowledge the impact of any one of these being under par. The dog may still learn, but surely we want to do better for them? Surely they deserve that?

Often, we are blindly ignorant of our miscommunication, and it takes a ‘Sherlock Holmes’ level of deduction to determine that your dog simply doesn’t understand. They aren’t ‘being naughty’, or ‘doing it on purpose’ or ‘being thick’ or ‘doing it to wind you up’. They just don’t understand what you are trying to communicate. And whilst you may think you have explained it to them in plain English, try another language!

Common signs of Good communication are:

⁃ Fluency

⁃ Relaxed and joyful expression

⁃ Engaged throughout

⁃ Focused

⁃ Prompt, fast responses

⁃ Accurately meeting criteria.

Common signs of poor communication may be:

⁃ inappropriate levels of arousal

⁃ Displacement/disengagement

⁃ Avoidance

⁃ Vocalisation

⁃ Frustration

⁃ Stress signals (yawning, shaking, sniffing, lack of eye contact)

It is our responsibility to ensure that we communicate our intentions and agenda with blinding clarity. We expect so much of our dogs, but not enough of ourselves!

We need to be aware of OUR role and the importance of OUR influence on our dogs behaviour.

These are not issues beyond our grasp if we ‘THINK, PLAN, DO, REVIEW’, as Bob Bailey says.

Think what you want to train, Plan what you want to train, Do the training and Review the training.

Look at the following:

⁃ consistency

⁃ Mechanical skills

⁃ Preparation

⁃ Empathy

⁃ Patience

⁃ Timing

⁃ Rate of reinforcement

⁃ Criteria

⁃ Overall enjoyment

⁃ Your input, are you connected? Are you present? Are you giving?

⁃ The dogs response. Are they engaged? Are they responsive? Are they focused?

WE can influence our dogs behaviour substantially, IF we hold ourselves accountable to the same standard we hold them.

At the moment, I am raising three amazing puppies… that’s right, 3!

Jungle, my working line Malinois…. Hottie, my Border Collie pup whom I bred, and Reset, her brother whom I had back after going to a home as a puppy.

They are all so uniquely different and present different challenges, and therefore forms of communication and clarity for each.

Jungle is prone to frustration and gets over stimulated by even the sight of people… Hottie has an intense desire to herd and chase, and Reset I have only had a few months, and our challenge was building a bond with an older pup and forming a relationship.

For each dog, I have to think about creating a way for us to understand each other. Its a two way street, and it’s one I have to figure out first and then explain to them.

It is this process I find most joyful, and where I believe we truly forged a ‘bond’ with our dogs.

From today, I am ‘Opening The doors’ to be a fly on the wall, as I raise these three puppies in the first year of their life…. I show you the ups and downs, the challenges and the way in which I overcome them… how I create a clear communication systems with them, how I raise three High drive intense dogs into model citizens and amazing sports dogs!

If you want to join me on on this journey, click the link below to join my exclusive Facebook group ‘The Jungle Book’ where you get to see regular updates on my puppies, plus numerous other special ‘guests’ pups that I have trained for others. See webinars and exclusive lectures, not available anywhere else!

www.kamalfernandezonlinetraining.com/the-junglebook

Communicate clearly and reap the rewards!

‘Communication with our dogs is the beacon of light which dictates the path of travel, ensure your light is bright, your path well lit, and just in case…. have a dam torch!’ Kamal Fernandez 2020!