Vermont Public Radio Interview
Blog Owner
Dog psychology, training, and choosing a dog that fits your family & lifestyle.
With Jeff Scarpino from Off The Beaten Trail & Jocelyn Meilleur from APEX Vermont Dog Training
On August 13th we had such an incredible experience. Not only did we get to be guests on Vermont Public Radio, but we got to share that experience with fellow trainer Jocelyn Meilleur. Jocelyn runs APEX Vermont Dog Training where she has combined her intelligence, compassion and drive to create a business that goes above and beyond.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW
Calm And Confident: Training Your Dog (And Yourself)
By PETER HIRSCHFELD & MATTHEW F. SMITH • AUG 12, 2019
What's involved in training a dog? " Vermont Edition" discusses creating a link with your dog to maintain confidence during stressful times.
It's easy to spot a well-trained dog. Maybe the pup is well-behaved in a large group of people or other dogs. Perhaps the pooch can sit, shake and roll over on command. But what's involved in training your pet that molds a calm, confident and well-behaved dog? We're talking about dog training and dog psychology with two Vermont dog trainers.
Jeff Scarpino, co-owner and trainer at
Off The Beaten Trail training and canine facility in Newark, helps us understand dog psychology and behavior, and important training techniques for trainers and dogs alike.
And Jo Meilleur, owner and trainer at Apex Vermont Dog Training in South Burlington, talks about matching goals for your dog with your family and your lifestyle, and creating a link between owner and animal to promote confidence and avoid panic during stressful situations.
Dog Psych 101
Meilleur:
“I think a lot of things that people don’t think about when it comes to their dogs are what really motivates them and what really is enticing to them — to, like, light them up and be excited about what they’re doing. A lot of dogs aren’t super excited about strict obedience; sometimes they’re really excited about playing and/or chasing a toy or really using some sort of food motivator. We use a lot of different toys and/or food to actually motivate a dog, to get them out of any type of weird panic or fear kind of reaction, in order to get them to start playing and really open up to being in the different environments.”
Scarpino:
“You need that motivation and you need to figure out how to use that motivation to curb towards the behaviors that you want to see. So a lot of times what I bump into is people are giving out, you know, their affection, their time so much that it almost dilutes one of your most powerful tools. And so when you start to use it towards what you want to curb your dog into doing, you become more effective and your communication becomes better. So a lot of times what you end up having to do is making sure that you have spent enough time developing that communication
so it’s very effective with you and your dog.”
Scarpino also recommends Temple Grandin’s book Animals Make Us Human: “One of the things that she talks about in there is the two main systems that drive behavior: you’re going to have what’s called a ‘seeking system’ and what’s called a ‘panic system.’ …
“Dogs that are stuck in the panic system … basically run on adrenaline and cortisol all day long — that’s what fuels their behavior. So as you start to combat anxiety and stuff like this, you have to be increasing and changing the way that the dog’s brain works. And a lot of times I do this through games.”
Kiah is adjusting well and training is going very well. Keep following Kiah the boxer pups story!
If you’ve followed us for a while, you know that in April of 2020, we adopted a 4-year-old Great Dane/English Mastiff mix named Stryker.
We are going to take you along on our journey raising Kiah – we can already tell she’s going to be a sweet, smart, confident, self-assured, well rounded and playful boxer pup!
Timely vaccinations/titer tests for your dog are crucial to ensure optimal health and protection against diseases. Stay proactive, prevent illness, and secure their well-being.
For many – the idea of a board and train is so appealing, and I can totally see why! Send your dog to an experienced trainer for a couple (2, 3, or 4 weeks) and see instant changes. All those behaviors you could do without?
Leading a pack of dogs means guiding and protecting the group, fostering unity and trust, and embodying assertive yet compassionate leadership to ensure harmony and efficient cooperation.
Kiah is adjusting well and training is going very well. Keep following Kiah the boxer pups story!
If you’ve followed us for a while, you know that in April of 2020, we adopted a 4-year-old Great Dane/English Mastiff mix named Stryker.
We are going to take you along on our journey raising Kiah – we can already tell she’s going to be a sweet, smart, confident, self-assured, well rounded and playful boxer pup!
Timely vaccinations/titer tests for your dog are crucial to ensure optimal health and protection against diseases. Stay proactive, prevent illness, and secure their well-being.
For many – the idea of a board and train is so appealing, and I can totally see why! Send your dog to an experienced trainer for a couple (2, 3, or 4 weeks) and see instant changes. All those behaviors you could do without?
Leading a pack of dogs means guiding and protecting the group, fostering unity and trust, and embodying assertive yet compassionate leadership to ensure harmony and efficient cooperation.
Difficult dogs make better trainers out of us. They force us to keep up, make quick decisions, and put us in some uncomfortable positions that force us to grow. So if you're going through some challenging times with your pup right now, just remember you're a better dog owner for going through the mud with them and there will be rewards on the other side of it all.
Is it just me, or does the universe have a funny sense of humor when it comes to thinking you're in control? It’s like if I’m feeling really ambitious one day, something is always right around the corner to keep me humble and remind me that I’m not actually in charge of anything.
Originally we took Stryker (4 year old Grate Dane/Mastiff Mix) in at our training facility; our goal was to socialize him (although he was already very social with other dogs! Just needed a little tweaking), put him through some rigorous training (he was not a fan of strangers, for instance), and then we would find him a new home.
Let's bust some myths about the wonderful tool that is the muzzle and why some dogs need to be trained to wear them.