<![CDATA[MD DOGS INC - Training Blog]]>Mon, 01 Jun 2026 14:25:04 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[June 20th, 2022]]>Mon, 20 Jun 2022 21:38:49 GMThttps://www.mddogs.org/training-blog/june-20th-2022Picture
Service dogs aren’t robots…but they also aren’t pets.

There’s these two camps in the service dog world - the one who believes Service Dogs must be perfect and if they look at anything for more than 0.2 seconds then they must be a “fake”. And then there’s the other camp, who excuses dogs’ misbehaviors and trainers’ failures, saying that no dog will be perfect and essentially anything goes.

But just like everything in life, there’s a balance! So here’s just a video of Birdi on her walk this morning demonstrating service dog behavior, even though she was off duty and we were just going on our morning walk. (Insta is full of perfect still photos - so a longer video is sometimes nice to see actual reality!)

Her leash is loose and never taught but she’s also not glued to my leg, she’s paying attention to me but she isn’t staring up at me constantly, and she stops when I stop but isn’t perfectly sitting and staring in wait for my next utterance. She just waits for me to continue walking. I don’t even require her to have a formal halt and sit in this scenario (she’s off duty).

This is exactly the behavior I want. It’s focused and relaxed, not obsessively attentive but certainly not unruly. It’s how I want her to walk with her future handler - whether on or off duty - and this is how she walks for 3 miles every morning. So no, it’s not “impressive” or “jaw dropping”. But it’s what she was trained to do and is designed to be low maintenance for her future handler yet still professional and “service dog” appropriate behavior, because while I love her as my own - she’s not a pet and shouldn’t act like one.

(Disclaimer - there are some amazingly well trained pets out there, this is just a general concept referring to the vast majority of pets, at least the ones we pass on our walks!)

#MyGoodnessYourLegsAreLongMahm #HaDatsGottaBeDaOnkyTimeYouEverHeardDatHuh #ShortJoke #ICanSayDatCauseIizMuchShorter #IIsEvenShortCimlaredToOderDogs #IGotsToTakeSoManySteps #PutYourAppleWatchOnMe #IllBlowEvwyoneOuttaDaWaterOnDeirStepGoals #TeenyLegsForTeenyDog #PocketRocketDough #englishscocker #servicedog #workingdog #intraining #diabetes #cockerspaniel #spaniel #diabeticalert #alertdog
]]><![CDATA[Birdi came into Kroger...]]>Sun, 19 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.mddogs.org/training-blog/birdi-came-into-krogerPicture
Birdi came into Kroger with me for a super short trip to get an item I needed to pick up. But I used it as an impromptu evaluation trip!

Since I am the one who puppy raises, task trains, and graduates the dogs, it’s easy to just go about my days and not look at the big picture sometimes.

Birdi doesn’t have to ever be evaluated by a third party to enter task training or to see if she’s hitting her milestones, as 
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​I’m with her all day every day and know exactly where her training is. But it is still good to step back and really push her a bit to see what we need to work on before she’s ready to be matched with someone.

So yesterday’s grocery shopping was done with a flat collar, a 6 foot leash, no treats, and little verbal feedback (an amount I’d say is appropriate for a full Service Dog). Essentially, I treated her as a full Service Dog to see how much we needed to work on. And it was about a 5 minute trip so I didn’t push her too much or push her training backwards.

But she did quite well! Not perfect, but she’s still in training and this was an evaluation. At one point she started walking a bit faster than me but quickly corrected herself when I asked. In the parking lot she was about 8 inches from my side when I would’ve liked her closer, around 4inches. And she did attempt to sniff one piece of candy on the floor that had fallen out of a bag in an aisle and that I accidentally had her walk right over. But she didn’t try to eat it and immediately kept heeling when I said leave it.

This quick 5 minute trip gave me an idea of what we need to work on (some leave it practices ma’am!), but also gave confidence that she’s on the right track. Now I’ll go back to using some treats (she doesn’t get many any more) and more verbal feedback during the next trips, but will continue to wean her off both those so that her next evaluation is even better! Way to go espresso bean!

(Don’t mind that every public access photo of her looks like she’s seen a ghost and is freaked out. I’ve just come to accept that those are the only facial expressions I’ll ever get to look back on as that is her go to face when I take at my phone in public….)
]]><![CDATA[Advocate for your puppy...]]>Sat, 18 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.mddogs.org/training-blog/advocate-for-your-puppyPicture
Advocate for your puppy. Because if not you, then who?

Olaf was a gem at the vet today. He waited oh so patiently - exploring the table but then laying down calmly as we waited for the vet to come in.

But then the vet came in, and I failed Olaf. I knew there was a risk with this vet so I don’t know if I wanted to see how things went, or I’m just conflict averse, or 
what. I’ve had a few instances where the vet has been okay and it’s a fine experience (like Olaf’s last visit) but  I’ve had just as many where my dog was overly handled physically and not given time to process or respond to the physical exam. And unfortunately this time with Olaf was that way.

Now, to most, it probably seemed like a perfectly fine vet visit. It was a 12 lb puppy who didn’t like being poked and prodded and who tried to back away from the vet peering in his ears and listening to his heart beat. He’s little and he didn’t scream or make any noise, just tried to avoid the vet as he was being handled. But to me, I saw that he was starting to panic and I comforted him but didn’t intervene and stop the vet - and I have been absolutely kicking myself all day for not stepping in and asking the vet to pause and slow down. There are a million things I could’ve and should’ve done in that moment, but I froze. And the whole thing lasted about 1.5 minutes so before I came up with a game plan it was over.

I now have on my list to go back to the vet for no reason other than to have people pet Olaf and snuggle him (because the rest of the staff is literally amazing and adore him and are positive experiences every single time). And then our next visit, if I don’t get my preferred vet then it’s my job to step up and advocate for Olaf and you can bet that I will. I let him down today, but it won’t happen again because the only thing I hate more than interpersonal conflict, is seeing my puppy frightened when he didn’t need to be. I’m sorry buddy.

(Olaf was a trooper through it all, but I know that he has a tendency to be frightened and a tad sensitive so I’m hyper aware of any situation that could worsen this)
]]><![CDATA[Olaf's trip to home depot...]]>Fri, 17 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.mddogs.org/training-blog/olafs-trip-to-home-depotPicture
Guess who went on a field trip to Home Depot yesterday! Little O!

And I was so proud of him as he showed confidence and enthusiasm about all the new sights and sounds, and not a single hesitation. I carried him around as I find that is a nice way to introduce a puppy to an environment without overwhelming them. (I could do a whole post on this as my views have changed!). As I walked in I received comments about his tail going a million miles a minute as he was tucked under my arm.

We walked around to the fasteners and he helped 
me pick out some hinges and screws. Then I had to pick out and load lumber on one of those super unstable, noisy, and impossible-to-navigate carts. I couldn’t hold him as I needed both hands. So I did a food scatter for him every 10 seconds or so to keep him entertained and busy, and to create a positive association. (You’ve never seen someone load 18 pieces of lumber faster….). The pieces were long and loud and I could see a pup being nervous or uncertain, but he did great!

He also met a very sweet, non verbal elderly man in the parking lot and joyfully greeted him, and it made both their days I think.

Anyways just a little update on Olaf’s socialization! Off to the vet this morning for another round of puppy shots which is also another socialization outing!

#MeAndHomeDepotMatch #IsDaSameColor #ShouldaNamedMeHomeDepot #DoesntRollOffDaTongueDough #NeiderDoesOlafIfWeBeinHonest #Socialization #puppytraining #homedepot #servicepuppy #servicedog #workingdog #assistancedog #diabetes #medicalalertdog
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]]><![CDATA[when can I stop carrying treats?...]]>Thu, 16 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.mddogs.org/training-blog/when-can-i-stop-carrying-treatsPicture
“My dog knows how to do their commands now - when can I stop carrying treats?”

Good question! Say you’ve been in the same job for a year now - you know how to do it and you are good at it. Can your boss stop giving you your paycheck yet? If not now, when? Oh - never? Well, welcome to the mind of a dog :-)

I *love* my real person job (working for a pet tech startup). But if they stop paying me, 
I’d go find another job. I may for a while work for less than usual *because* I love what I do, and my love for the job keeps me around. But if I didn’t get paid anything at all? I’d move on because work is still work.

And it’s the same with dogs. After they learn their tasks, if they love their job you can change their paycheck a little - either less frequent or lower value rewards. You won’t always have to have over the top high value rewards immediately when they perform every time. But, they do need something.

Because dogs often find value in relationships, sometimes their payment can even be a relationship based payment - petting and praise and a ‘thank you’ goes a long way, especially in the mind of a spaniel! This may be a little like you doing a favor for a friend or spouse - you don’t do it for payment but you would like to be thanked and acknowledged. And if you are constantly asked to immediately stop what you are doing to do them a favor without recognition, you might start to do it begrudgingly or be slower to respond.

An appropriate “payment” for your dog will ensure they are happy to stop what they are doing to do their job, which is critical for service dogs! “Appropriate payment” will depend on your dog, their preferences, and how much they love their job. But even a dog who loves its job needs to be reinforced - a behavior that’s not reinforcing will become extinct as they will find something else to do that is more reinforcing.

So that was essentially a long winded (as usual) way of giving my two cents - never stop paying your dog, whether it be food, toys, play, or just a thank you - it’s the least you can do especially for alert dogs who stop everything multiple times a day to alert you to a medical condition!
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]]><![CDATA[Rooney’s alerting accuracy...]]>Wed, 15 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.mddogs.org/training-blog/rooneys-alerting-accuracy-continues-to-be-astoundingPicture
Rooney’s alerting accuracy continues to be astounding!

Rooney’s person, Curtis, is still keeping track of every one of Rooney’s alerts, false alerts, and missed alerts in a google sheet that I can check. This is a part of the transition training process I require to ensure the dogs are adapting to their new home and alerting as accurately as possible and on the right track. I check this google sheet obsessively - significantly more than I check Instagram or my emails to be honest… But this dog STILL has yet to give an incorrect alert or miss an alert - which is absolutely crazy given
 she’s been there for over 1 month.

This morning I looked and I saw that Rooney once again had a phenomenal night alert! At 5:50am she woke Curtis up by nudging his hand and arm. He checked and was 41!

Night alerts are the ultimate goal of a Diabetic Alert Dog, but never guaranteed as dogs have to sleep too! Many dogs just aren’t capable of them. But this was Rooney’s 7th night alert - and she’s never missed one. I have no words or understanding for this level of performance, but am so grateful that she found her family and her job.

#hungryhungryhippo #ThatsWhyShesSoGoodAtHerJob #AlwaysHungry #TheBestAlertDogsAreHungryDogs #chocolatelab #labrador #diabetes #hypoglycemia #lowbloodsugar #dad #alertdog #mddogsrooney #mddogsinc #servicedog #assistancedog
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]]><![CDATA[Olaf is 12 weeks old...]]>Tue, 14 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.mddogs.org/training-blog/olaf-is-12-weeks-oldPicture
Olaf is 12 weeks old!

Some things he’s been learning: sit, down, touch, spin, luring, Olaf, come, sitting before I open his kennel, sleeping in the kennel in a different room from me, and relaxing on his back in preparation for grooming.

Some things I’ve learned about Olaf: he already likes swimming (as of yesterday!), he’s quite independent for a spaniel, he will cross the road 
and ignore me because the trash can on the other side is very intriguing so he needs a long line, he will happily go home with any stranger he sees, and he thinks Birdi’s ears and flesh are for chomping.

I have my work cut out for me, but then he does things like tilt his head when I make noises at him, and it makes it worth it… well, mostly ;)

Happy 12 weeks Olaf. Here’s to 12 months more!

#mddogsolaf #redenglishcocker #cockerspaniel #workingcocker #wocker #spaniel #intraining #puppy #puppytraining #diabetes #diabeticalert #alertdog #servicepuppy
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