Hey all wondering what is the best way to train my lab to know the difference between having a heel walk and then have a walk on long lead when she can sniff an have abit more “freedom” or decompression time ?

Weekly Wins time! I wanted to wait until today, as I feel as though we had so many amazing wins during our Kiama Lighthouse pack walk this morning!! Let's hear all bout them!!

Missed it live? Here's the full session with @Nath Morrison @Matthew Marsh Polly & Fred. Here's the honest summary: we barely touched the lead. Because loose lead walking isn't a lead problem, it's a relationship problem. If your dog doesn't want to be near you off the lead, no amount of equipment is going to fix that on the lead. What's in it: - Why your dog pulls (opposition reflex, years of reinforcement history, and no clear leader) - Follow Me: how to build a dog who chooses to catch up rather than one you're constantly calling - And so much more worth listening to - Your homework this week: Five minutes of Follow Me in the yard, before the lead goes on, every day. No lead, no walk. Just you leaving and your dog choosing to catch up. Don't rush to the lead work. The engagement is the work. Post below and tell me how day one goes. If it falls apart, say so and I'll tell you where.

During positive reinforcement training, a dog's brain releases a cocktail of "feel-good" chemicals that drive motivation, learning, and bonding. The primary chemical released is dopamine, which acts as the core driver of the reward system. Key Chemicals Released - Dopamine (The Reward & Motivation Driver): When a dog anticipates or receives a reward (like food, play, or praise), a surge of dopamine is released. It acts as a "seeking" chemical that creates eager anticipation, locks in focus, and encourages the dog to repeat the successful behavior. - Oxytocin (The Bonding Hormone): Triggered heavily by verbal praise, physical touch, and prolonged eye contact with the handler. Oxytocin lowers the dog's heart rate, reduces stress, builds mutual trust, and deepens the human-canine bond. - Serotonin (The Mood Stabilizer): Released through positive physical touch (like scratches and pats) and general satisfaction. Serotonin promotes a sense of calmness, emotional well-being, and long-term happiness. - Endorphins (The Natural High): Often triggered during high-energy rewards like a game of tug, chasing a ball, or intense play. Endorphins boost the dog's mood and relieve physical stress or minor discomfort. - Acetylcholine (The Learning Enhancer): Released when a dog is highly focused and trying to figure out a task. This chemical sharpens attention, speeds up cognitive processing, and helps the hippocampus form new memories. The Biological Contrast. By keeping training reward-based, you keep the dog's brain in a highly receptive learning state. Conversely, punishment-based or aversive training methods trigger the release of cortisol (the stress hormone) and activate the amygdala (the fear center), which actively interferes with memory retention and compromises the dog's well-being. Interestingly, these exact same positive neurochemicals are simultaneously released in your brain during a successful training session!

Today we lost our first puppy tooth so bobbing for some nice cold carrots in the sun this afternoon and he loves to play with water!