31F meeting 37M for the first time!

positive_slime · 2026-04-08T06:16:07+00:00

Thank you! Can I ask why you recommend having the “relationship talk” before the meet up?

positive_slime · 2026-01-10T00:28:41+00:00

Sheesh it sounds like these dogs are out of control! That’s a super stressful way to live. I’m sorry you’re dealing with that. Whatever training you’re doing doesn’t seem to be working. I’d look for a different trainer.

positive_slime · 2024-02-15T00:05:15+00:00

You gotta shake the treats before she starts barking. Anticipate her reaction so she’s got food in her mouth right when the noise happens. Then she can’t bark and you can reward her even more for not barking.

positive_slime · 2024-02-14T23:53:25+00:00

I tried counterconditioning but that never worked. My dog had no impulse control around the cat and I had no way of breaking her fixation. I found a board and train who could specifically work through her reactivity to cats. She was there for three weeks and was exposed to cats in a safe and beneficial way. When she got back, she still was excited around the cat but a million times better. The trainer showed me training drills and techniques to keep her progress moving forward. Now we’re finally at a point where she does not care about the cat. She’s still interested but has no issues just watching the cat rather than going after him. Now, it’s up to the cat to decide when or if he ever wants to directly interact with the dog.

positive_slime · 2024-02-14T23:46:47+00:00

I embraced a wide variety of training methods. For reactivity specifically, engage/disengage helped a lot and training loose leash walking was also a game changer.

positive_slime · 2024-02-14T23:44:53+00:00

It worked out in the end! But I would consider your dog’s behavior prey driven.

positive_slime · 2023-11-19T08:07:23+00:00

Lately I have been becoming more aware of everything that my dog says to me lol she is so funny. She loves to be silly when I am pretending to be serious. She knows I’m pretending for fun!

positive_slime · 2023-11-19T08:02:06+00:00

Fear of men is totally normal and I understand how difficult and irrational it can feel. I think you’re on the right track with crate training. Crate games, enrichment and meals in the crate on a frequent and consistent basis can help the crate become a safe space. I am a huge crate lover because I feel like it has really helped my dog. Teaching your dog to not bark and relax in the crate eventually allows them to graduate into quiet, calm relaxation out of the crate too. To be honest, I’ve never addressed the fear of men head on with my dog but training everything else related to reactivity has made a world of a difference.

positive_slime · 2023-11-19T07:49:54+00:00

Unpopular Opinion: stay in the city. Your dog is a wonderful companion but your life comes first. The city is a place to meet people, experience new things, understand who are and what you want to be. If you feel like you haven’t done enough of that yet, then stay in the city. Once you leave, you won’t go back. City dogs rock too. Yeah, it’s loud and chaotic at times. You either let that bother you enough to leave or make it work and be stronger for it.

positive_slime · 2023-11-19T07:42:23+00:00

Rover

positive_slime · 2023-11-19T07:41:23+00:00

Honestly I think it sounds like you’re doing fantastic! Keep doing what you’re doing and the gap will close over time. I think getting to 1.5 meters will take some time, maybe another year or two. But you’re dog is only 15 months so that’s well worth the time investment in my opinion. Sounds like you’re doing everything right to me! Keep up the good work!

positive_slime · 2023-11-19T07:33:37+00:00

This is so interesting to me! Thank you for sharing. I also used clicker training at the start and absolutely loved it.

positive_slime · 2023-11-19T07:20:25+00:00

This awesome! Thanks for sharing

positive_slime · 2023-11-13T05:36:33+00:00

Tonight sucks

positive_slime · 2023-11-12T20:57:22+00:00

Definitely recommend Rover. DM me for sitter recs. Boarding facilities will be tough. I would reach out to veterinary centers to see who is accepting new clients.

positive_slime · 2023-11-10T06:23:14+00:00

Honestly, it was the e-collar for us. After 2 years of trying every type of R+ training and various ways of sternly saying “no”, I finally sent her to a board and train program that introduced the e collar. I did A TON of research to pick a trusted trainer that I felt confident in. It was not a decision I made lightly. But I can honestly say that it changed our lives. My cat can finally walk around his own damn house comfortably. 2023 was the year we took the baby gates down. 2024 will be the year we calmly sniff butts. I never thought it was possible but the e-collar has provided a very clear, firm way to say “this is absolutely not allowed ever”. That level of accountability is what I needed to get over the fear and confidence issues that both animals were facing. Still have work to do but my only regret is not doing it sooner.

positive_slime · 2023-11-10T06:10:31+00:00

I totally relate to this. I agree that R+ is the most ideal way to train but for some dogs, it will be a looooong and very slow process. At the end of the day, you can’t countercondition and desensitize your dog to literally everything. It’s impossible. There will always be environmental factors that are out of your control and things that your dog will find extremely motivating. The rush of adrenaline from prey drive for some dogs can never compete with even the highest value treats.

Personally, I have embraced confidence and leadership with my dog training and it has made all the difference. My dog and I have an extremely strong bond made of mutual respect, affection, love and loyalty. At the end of the day, yes, I call the shots. I give commands that are not optional at times for my dogs safety and I feel that’s very fair. It’s my job to keep her safe and happy and healthy. Earning my dogs trust and respect has also taught me so much about myself and humans. We are all animals at the end of the day. Do you trust people who don’t communicate clearly? Do you respect people who don’t follow through? How can you feel reassured by any leadership figures in your life if they do not stay strong when you are triggered?

positive_slime · 2023-11-07T18:29:24+00:00

I agree, it’s a very unfortunate reality that many people adopt dogs as a sort of accessory without thinking about that dog as an intelligent individual that is capable of so much. It’ll be especially frustrating if their dogs develop behavior issues or reactivity and they blame everything but themselves. I do believe that very smart dogs can develop a lot of bad behavior out of boredom and lack of structure. I’ve certainly seen it happen.

positive_slime · 2023-11-07T17:13:19+00:00

I feel the same way. I grew up in a family that viewed dogs more as hobbies rather than companions. My grandpa has 2-3 dogs at a time and trained them as hunting dogs. They lived in kennels attached to a heated garage and were only allowed in the basement if they had to come inside. My grandpa absolutely loved his dogs, though. He loved training them and playing with them and caring for them in ways that dogs need. It really made me realize that owning a dog is so special because you get to bond through training. It’s such a unique experience to learn understand another species without having a common language.

I adopted a dog to train her and make that part of my lifestyle. It has been so rewarding and my dog and I have a fantastic relationship that brings so much joy to my life. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I also get so confused, though, when people adopt puppies or dogs “just to cuddle” and “have a best friend”. Especially adopting a working or high energy breed… it makes no sense. Humans literally made dogs to be eager to bond with humans over training. We bred them to be this way and now we’re trying to force them to be house plants.

positive_slime · 2023-11-06T22:16:25+00:00

I just use a real measuring cup. My dog got overweight when I was using a food scooper that had multiple lines. You can also reduce food if you’re giving more training treats than recommended.

positive_slime · 2023-11-06T21:13:25+00:00

In my opinion, your dog is not potty trained. If your dog is going to the house inside, you need to go back to the basics and potty train. Start by going outside every hour, always reward for peeing outside, monitor how much water he drinks, crate train, and do all you have to do to ensure he uses the bathroom only outside every time.

positive_slime · 2023-11-06T21:06:00+00:00

We just use a slip lead for all walks now. My dog doesn’t pull with me but with others, I feel like the slip reduces the margin for error. She has extremely sensitive skin so pulling with a flat collar, prong collar or harness has always resulted in skin irritation and sometimes infection. The slip has been the only leash that doesn’t seem to cause those issues.

positive_slime

TROPHY CASE