Capital City Canine Search and Rescue

12/14/2025

"But everyone says to reward looking?"
Strap in, it's both!😮
It's not your fault, it's just not talked about enough. If you're only concentrating on rewarding active/calm looking at a trigger there's a very good chance a perfect opportunity has been missed.

They're making a choice that helps regulation!
They're choosing not to have their eyes locked on that trigger.
They are learning that at that distance, their trigger is not a threat.
They're actively choosing not to escalate.

All of that is exactly what we want more of, so why aren't we talking about this more and rewarding it?

Little bit of caution with this though, it can be tricky to tell if this is actively choosing to turn away or complete avoidance.
If they're not looking at all in the direction of that trigger, actually avoiding even a small glimpse, that's a big clue.
There's a fine line too between a highly cautious/flighty glance and a calm disengage.
We need to find that balance, distance and environment so we can encourage them to safely make that choice.
It's a choice covered in sparkles and it shines through!

We reward looking and not looking.
Both are true.
Both are gold🌟

12/14/2025

Don't fight against it, work with it!⚡
There is a zone.
It's not mystical or magical, it's neurological and simply the best time to teach.

The "perfect" technique means nothing if we don't respect just how a dog is feeling before we start.
This is a little tricky to explain and seems a bit contradictory to many, but good dog trainers simply won't persist to teach when a dog is not in a true learning state.
That does not mean we give up, it just means we change the conditions first.
We attempt again after we have used those little tricks we know to reduce over arousal, anxiety or we have figured out just what this dog needs.
Even then, we may only get a few golden moments of engagement in.

Then we wait for the next opening.
We see it's coming, we see that arousal settling or that confidence builds again and "bam" we will get another few minutes in.
That's when we can really make a difference.
Those little moments we had together become more frequent and that relationship is building for us both. Perfect!

Find those little moments.
Find what makes your dog "spark" in those moments.
But, respect that sometimes those moments may be few and far between when a dog is either hyper or hypo.

Another point here. This is individual.
It doesn't mean that dogs wont engage with you when they are in those extremes.
There are always dogs that will, and happily!

The zone is there, it just shifts for each individual dog.

12/14/2025

Pet shops are banned in France from selling cats and dogs; instead, adoptions must go through authorized shelters. Prospective owners are also required to sign a “commitment contract”

In France abandoning a dog isn’t just irresponsible—it’s a crime. Anyone who abandons or neglects their pet can face SUBSTANTIAL prison time and fines.

12/14/2025

If every time you pick up the lead you pair it with gentle praise and a favourite treat, your dog begins to show a happy, excited CER to the sound of the clip or the sight of the lead. The cue predicts good things, shaping emotional wellbeing as well as behaviour.

12/14/2025

How do you pick up a dog? It can make a difference in your dog's safety and comfort, and how cooperative they are when you're picking them up.

12/14/2025

12/14/2025

12/14/2025

What a morning up near Laramie! The forecast was for winds around 10, but they had to be more around 25 with 35+ gusts. At least it was warm.
The dogs did really well with these conditions. All six dogs at practice found their subjects!
It has been hard lately. The Cheyenne dogs are used to four group practices a week. The winds (up around 70 mph) made it impossible to meet up and train.
Luckily, Lisa was able to get a pic of Aro. He is usually moving so fast all the pics are a blur.
A pic of Attica working an air scent problem with success. She is so reliable.

11/20/2025

A good ole wrestle?
The quick "fly by" and catch me if you can?
How they play and interact with another dog is great information✅

They're likely giving you clarity in who they prefer and this can help you slowly introduce others that your dog has already "pre vetted" simply by their play style choices.

Good body language signals are so much easier to read when a dog has the same play style as another dog, and that's easier for you too.
Assessing just what is actually happening is easier when you already know your own dogs proclivities, and respect them.

What can get some dogs into difficulty is when there is a clear "mis match".
Sometimes that comes from us wanting or wishing they played with more energy, or even less.

They are who they are.
They can (or may) change their play styles but that often comes with more trust in the other dog.
It doesn't come from us desperately wanting them to "have more fun".

Dogs don't even have to interact much at all to enjoy each others company.
They can just "be".
They may have a good sniff session together or parallel "play" where they are at a distance and don't mingle or touch.

That's still social interaction.

11/20/2025

An estimated 167,388 breeding dogs are currently living in USDA (United States Department of Agriculture)-licensed commercial facilities for breeding purposes this very moment.*

A USDA license = a puppy wholesale license. Any dog breeder who wishes to sell to a pet store or to consumers over the Internet with five or more breeding females must be licensed with the USDA.

The USDA regulates these facilities according to the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), the Minimal Standards of Care at breeding facilities:
• Over 2 million puppies are bred in mills each year.
• There is no limit to the number of dogs on the premises. A puppy mill could have hundreds or thousands of dogs.
• There is no requirement on the number of staff that must be available to care for the dogs.
• Dogs may be kept in stacked cages.
• Mesh or wire flooring is allowed.
• Dogs may be forced to relieve themselves in their cages.
• Dogs may be confined in spaces only six inches larger than their bodies, not including the tail.
• A dog may be caged 24 hours a day for his or her entire life, only removed from the cage to be bred.
• There is no exercise requirement if dogs are housed with other dogs and certain minimal size requirements are met for the dog’s enclosure.
• Dogs can be housed indoors or out with minimal temperature regulation.
• Human interaction is not required.
• Breeding females at the first heat cycle and every heat cycle thereafter is permissible.
• Unwanted animals may be killed in a variety of ways or auctioned off.
• Many of the AWA’s requirements are vague. The AWA leaves it up to the mill owners to determine what is “adequate”.
• The USDA currently has an estimated 110 inspectors on staff to inspect all the facilities under its supervision, not just commercial dog breeders and brokers.
• There is no transparency to consumers or the public about the results of USDA inspections.

Sources: Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), The Puppy Mill Project, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)

11/17/2025

As our Alaska dogs moved to Colorado, they must have brought the Northern Lights. It’s great to work alongside a true Alaskan Husky, Aro, with Attica and Asa. Such talent!