Reactivity is an overreaction to a situation or stimulus. Dogs can be reactive to one or many things. They can be reactive to people, dogs, vehicles, or even noises. Having a reactive dog does not mean your dog is aggressive. While not aggression, if left unaddressed, it could lead to an aggressive act. The majority of reactivity is fear based. Fear is a vast spectrum of responses. Most of us think of fear as a dog cowering, shaking or shying away from what frightens them. Instead of those behaviors, some dogs will use their body language in a more assertive fashion to move things away that cause them stress, fear or discomfort. More common signals of this behavior are barking, lunging, growling, snapping or even biting. These signals are used to create distance quickly and often, using these tactics are the only responses that they know to use in order to achieve the results they need at that time. Our reactive program is led by Heather Huff. Heather has over 15 years of experience in the field. She has developed an extensive program for reactive dogs that has changed the lives of countless dogs and their owners. She also works with shelters and rescues to develop plans for reactive dogs in their care. In 2022, Heather Constiner joined the program. This allowed us to expand our program into our PA location and offer more availability in our Ohio locations. Our approach with your reactive dog is different - we do not teach your dog avoidance to never look at the trigger (what causes the reaction) or techniques to simply focus on YOU. Our experts teach your dog skills to address and cope with the issues at hand. Through these techniques of counterconditioning and desensitization, we work individually with you and your dog to customize the best plan. This provides a way for you and your dog to learn lifelong skills in the real world. We offer many options to address your dog's needs. Every dog entering our reactive program is evaluated by one of our trainers skilled with expertise in reactivity. We do this in order to observe your dog's particular body language in the presence of a trigger. This allows us to determine the best environment for your dog to learn. Dogs learn when they are under threshold. Simply put, threshold is the environment or distance your dog can encounter a trigger without an emotional response (reaction). Once an evaluation is complete, our experts will then create a training path for you and your dog through a variety of classes and/or individual one-on-one training.
We believe your veterinarian plays a crucial rule in the physical and emotional health of your dog. Because of this, when appropriate, we provide your vet a detailed plan and recommendation in a collaborating effort to achieve optimal results for your dog. We understand and have lived with reactive behaviors in our own home. We know it can be frustrating and embarrassing, so we approach this with a true understanding of the realities of living with a reactive dog. We are here to help. We use only positive, reward-based training methods. Why is that important to you and your dog? Dogs make an association very quickly, on average 1-1.5 seconds. We want them to relate these triggers to something they enjoy, not something that causes them pain, fear or intimidation. These reward-based methods are crucial to helping your dog. Outdated equipment and methods like prong, choke collars, shock collars or any other form of punishment increases the risk of dogs making the wrong associations and increasing the negative response. Why should aversive training techniques be avoided? "The consequences and fallout from aversive training methods have been proven and are well documented. These include increased anxiety and fear-related aggression, avoidance, and learned helplessness. Animals may be less motivated to engage in training and less likely to interact with human members of the household." (https://avsab.org) - Position Statement on Humane Dog Training - Frequently asked questions 2021 - American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. So, what is a reward? A reward is a motivator. Something your dog enjoys MOST in life. This ranges from things like treats, toys, praise, attention and more. As we embark on this journey together, we will help you find your dog's primary motivator. In short, your reactive dog never needs a heavy hand or harsh correction. To the contrary, your dog needs a behavior-based trainer who understands science supported methods. These proven methods focus on your dog’s motivators and recognize their emotional responses to guide you and your dog along their path to modify their behavior in the real world. We look forward to working with you and helping to unleash your dog's potential! Heather Huff, CPDT-KA |
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Our student of the month is Cooper! From Cooper's owners: Cooper and Dogsmartz Unleashed! Cooper came to us in October of 2022, three months after our bulldog passed away. We were not sure that we were ready so soon. He was eighteen months old and came from a setting that was not best suited for him. We had never rescued a dog before. So, this was all new to us. Our friends own an animal rescue in Pittsburgh, and they introduced us to him. We were not sure how it would go! He was shy and would not approach us. However, the longer that we stayed with him, he began to connect with us. As we were leaving, I bent down, gave him a hug, and promised him that I would come back for him. When we picked him up, he immediately came over and started hugging and kissing me. We brought him home to meet our friends and family. He was very hyper. No aggression at all, just pure excitement. As the days went on, he was getting difficult to control outside. He would constantly pull me. He would pull me to the point that I would fall sometimes. He would bark at everything that he saw and immediately wanted to visit. I also struggled with him riding in the car. This included getting in and out of the car. In the house, he was going after absolutely everything. I began to start to think, what have we done. That is when we reached out to Dogsmartz Unleashed and we met Heather Huff. It was the best decision that we have ever made. We started with a general obedience class. However, right away, Heather knew that the class was not a perfect fit for him. She recommended that we start with Reactive classes. She was right! This was it! Cooper has been in training with Dogsmartz Unleashed for a year, completing four levels of Reactive training. His improvement is unbelievable! With each training session, we are seeing more and more improvements. Not only was this training for Cooper, but it was also training for us as well. It has shown us how to handle reactive situations and to be able to be outside and not panic. We can now be outside in our front yard without him pulling. He loves to see our neighbors and go for short walks. Training with Heather Huff has been a wonderful thing. We have trained with other dogs as well so that Cooper can be around other dogs without barking and pulling. Heather also came to the house and showed me how to walk him with distractions. Her time, expertise, and support has helped us get to where we are today. Cooper is now enrolled in the Get Control class with Heather Constiner. We are just as excited as we were before to see where this takes us! I find that, if possible, we are bonding more and more and getting closer with Cooper every day. I have never met a dog with such a huge heart and just wanting love! We sure did rescue Cooper. However, he really rescued us! Keep up the good work, Cooper! |
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Photos with Santa & Holiday Bazaar! Photos with Santa begin at 12:00pm and they run until 4:00pm. Photo prints are a $10 donation that benefits AWL. There is an option to receive a digital copy for an additional donation. Furry or human family members are welcome!
After your photo, you can shop around! Dozens of craft vendors and local organizations will be in attendance.
December 2nd, 2023 Animal Welfare League of Trumbull County Vienna, OH | | |
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Twelve Days of Christmas Basket Raffle If you want to participate online: 12 PAWTASTIC BASKETS valued at OVER $150 each! It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, so get a leg up on your Christmas gifting and get your chance to win an amazing basket (or 2!), while helping us make the season merry and bright for our pups! Simply donate the cash amount for the number of tickets you want via Paypal or Venmo (below). $10 = 26 chances (1 sheet) $20 = 78 chances (3 sheets) $50 = 260 chances (10 sheets) $100 = 650 chances (25 sheets). ONLINE TICKET SALES WILL END AT 10 PM on FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8th. After you donate, visit the link below to tell them where you want your tickets. https://forms.gle/kXd47oKEs3b8hnVH9 In person event: Come see us at the 12 Days of Christmas event on December 9th from 12:00pm-4:00pm at Charm House Decor in Boardman (430 Boardman-Poland Rd) for the raffle; drawing will take place at 3:45pm and will also be on Facebook Live. Winner does not need to be present but must pick up prize at Charm House Decor by 12/23/23 or prize is forfeited. WAYS TO PARTICIPATE: Paypal - Link below Venmo - LegacyDogRescue
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Legacy Dog Rescue - Angel Trees |
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Make a homeless pet's season a little brighter! Who doesn't love Christmas presents? Legacy Dog Rescue angel trees are decorated with pictures of the animals and a list of items they would love to have! Please return the gifts for our "angels" by December 22nd. Trees are up and at several locations including Dogsmartz Unleashed in Poland & Warren. | | |
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Meet our new Trainer, Jon! |
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Jon has had a love for dogs for as long as he can remember, and currently has a Golden Retriever puppy named Jaxson. Jon has recently retired from the United States Army after 20 years of service. While serving in the Army Jon found his passion for dog training as he became a K9 handler for the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. Jon and his canine companion, Rex, served on multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, conducting countless special operation missions, that required the team to be well trained in obedience, tracking, bomb detection, agility, and bite work. Jon also served as the Kennel Master for the 3rd Ranger Battalion, where he had the opportunity to attend numerous courses and seminars on tracking, odor detection, bite work, and an extensive trainer course where he learned the foundations for odor imprinting. This position also gave him a great opportunity to grow in his training development and understanding canine behavior. Jon couldn’t think of a better second career than working with and training dogs of all shapes and sizes. He loves working with the Dogsmartz Unleashed team and looks forward to the opportunity of continuing to grow in his passion. Jon is working towards his CPDT-KA and continued study in odor, tracking, and dog behavior. |
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5 Ways to Have a Dog-Friendly Holiday Season 1. Be sure to exercise your dog prior to visitors. 2. Secure your dog behind a gate or in a room as your guests enter to prevent them from darting out of the door or jumping on them as they arrive. 3. Give your dog lots of mental enrichment such as chews or games to help keep them busy. 4. Give your dog a break away from the guests to help them to decompress. 5. Keep dogs away from the table to prevent them from snatching something or a guest giving them something they shouldn't have. Give them a special chew or Kong to work on while you eat. Try putting them in a crate or behind a gate. |
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6 Common Holiday Plants Toxic to Dogs: Holly Mistletoe Amaryllis Snowdrops Poinsettias Yew
Keep the Holidays Happy and Safe for Your Pets! |
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Give the Gift of Training! Dogsmartz gift certificates make the perfect gift for the dog lover in your life. Give us a call or stop by our Poland location to purchase. |
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Our local rescues and shelters are in dire straits! They are filled to the max with dogs and are running out of supplies. Please consider helping this month by donating creamy peanut butter or spray cheese so they can provide the dogs with enrichment. You can drop it off at our Warren or Poland location. |
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INFINITY HAS BEEN WAITING SINCE MARCH!Infinity is a GORGEOUS boy! He doesn’t like to eat his toys with treats without you holding it for him! He is so lovable, and he even goes to training once a week already! Infinity is only estimated to be about 2-4 years old and 65lbs! He is a Bulldog mix and has the most perfect scrunched face! He is an amazing boy and would love ANY family! He knows his basic commands and loves to play outside! He deserves the world! Please complete your application today! Trumbull County Pound: 7501 Anderson Ave. Warren, Ohio 44484 330-675-2787 |
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Getting a new puppy? Just brought a new puppy home? Let the behavior experts at Dogsmartz Unleashed help you with common puppy problems, such as: Crating Biting Handling Helpful puppy tips!
This is a FREE class for anyone, whether you are taking a puppy class with us or not. This is a humans-only class for just one hour. The following is the time and location for our seminars in December: Thursday 12/7/23 at 7:00pm in New Wilmington Monday 12/18/23 at 5:45pm in Warren Thursday 12/21/23 at 10:45am in Poland Wednesday 12/27/23 at 5:45pm in Poland Wednesday 12/28/23 at 9:30am at Warren
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This month's pick: Hunger for Words Talking Pet Every dog can learn to speak just like Stella, the world's first talking dog! Inspired by speech therapist and creator of the talking dog movement Christina Hunger, the Hunger4Words Talking Pet Starter Set comes with everything you need to start your dog's communication journey. As you follow along with the step-by-step teaching guide (written by Christina herself), you'll learn how to introduce your dog to the set's 4 recordable buttons. Use your own voice to record simple words like “outside,” “play,” or “bed,” then use these word buttons for dogs to learn what your dog has to say with the help of Christina's insights and tips. |
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Concepts - $149.00 What is "Concepts" training? Well, we don’t train specific responses to specific situations – we train broad concepts that will enable your dog to cope with whatever life throws his/her way. So, we don’t teach your dog a single trained response to a single specific event (ex. when the doorbell rings, you go and sit on your bed). Instead, we give your dog the tools he or she needs to make the right decisions for himself/herself in any given situation. We reinforce broad concepts, like calmness, focus, impulse-control, confidence, proximity, and more, that will enable your dog to make the right choices himself/herself; no matter what situation you find yourselves in. And, we do this through games which makes learning SO much fun! View the next start dates for December below👇 Poland Location: New Wilmington Location: Warren Location: | | |
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Noseworks and Scent Games - $149.00 This class is designed to promote calmness and concentration, strengthen the relationship between the dog and owner, and promote decompression and agency for your dog through different tasks and games that stimulate their innate senses and abilities. This is a non-sport class, designed as enrichment to enhance physical activity, mental stimulation, and build confidence for any dog. Week one is a one-hour human-only class. The remaining five weeks of class will be one-hour with your dog. View the next start dates for December below👇 New Wilmington Location: Warren Location: If you or someone you know is interested in attending this class, call us today to save your spot! | | |
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Private Training Sessions Privates can be done for specific behavior issues such as but not limited to fear, anxiety, aggression or if basic training (obedience/manners) is desired. The initial private session is 90 minutes long. Based upon the information provided to us on our behavior history form, we will prepare a preliminary plan. Upon arrival, we will first observe the situation, implement management changes and teach new skills sets. After the visit, we will provide a typed Behavior Treatment Plan for you to keep and use as a blueprint to work from. For any behavior issues, we will also send letter to your Veterinarian (if you approve) to advise them of our observations and our plan moving forward. We will work closely with your veterinarian in cases that require this. The plan will be adjusted accordingly based upon our observations and may be further adjusted as we discuss progress in the weeks ahead. You will have access to us for the lifetime of your pet after your visit via phone, text or email for any questions and/or concerns. We request you provide us updates weekly or however often is needed via phone, email or text. If you attend a private session at our facility, we do require your dog to be vaccinated with the following: Rabies, Bordetella, Distemper and a negative fecal. |
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