Author: Stephanie Alexis
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My direction for Year 2 with Diwa Dogs
Last August 5th was my 1st anniversary as a credentialed R+ trainer, and the first IAABC-ADT in the Philippines. I look back at the day I got my results, and felt pure joy and gratitude for all the people, things, and events that helped me pursue dog training as a calling. I’m also amazed with…
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The new Diwa Dogs logo
I’ve been wanting to give the Diwa Dogs logo a sprucing up, so you can just imagine the giddiness and joy I felt as I updated my website banner, profile pictures, and avatars with this new look! ✨ As I enter my second year as a credentialed R+ trainer, I needed my logo to be…
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The 3 key pillars to your dog’s behavior plan
After consulting with a professional dog trainer or behavior consultant, you’ll likely receive a written behavior plan. Your dog’s behavior plan is tailored based on several factors: These factors play a role in creating a customized behavior plan for you and your dog. It’ll be based on your environment, your dog and where they are…
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7 free enrichment activities for your dog
I’m a huge advocate of enrichment as a lifestyle. It’s more than just a way to keep your dog “busy”. It’s meeting your dog’s needs and enriching their lives as they navigate what is predominantly a human world. I’m sure you’ve seen lots of examples of using food creatively for enrichment (have you seen some…
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5 tips to give your dog agency when doing cooperative care
Agency (mass noun): action or intervention producing a particular effect. Whether it’s general dog training or cooperative care, giving your dog agency or control over the situation or procedure is crucial. It fosters two-way communication between you and your dog, maintains good well-being in your dog, and establishes you as a figure they can trust. Cooperative care…
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5 tips when training your dog to wear a muzzle using R+
Watch the full tutorial “Muzzle training for your dog using positive reinforcement (R+)” on YouTube.
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5 Takeaways for Post-Pandemic Reactivity in Dogs (Guest post)
This is a guest post I wrote for Petminded.co back in May 2022. Petminded is a community of pet parents and guardians who’re interested in dog science and giving their dogs the best that life has to offer. To avoid plagiarism, I’m sharing the first version of this post. See the final version on the…
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Canine Enrichment: Treats in a Cup
On Instagram, I post many enrichment games and activities I give to my Diwa Dogs. It’s both an opportunity to share the benefits of canine enrichment and a fun way to see how each individual processes the activity and solves the “mystery” and get to their reinforcement. I call these “Enrichment Tuesdays” since they’re usually…
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R+ training methods: Capturing
Capturing is one of many ways to teach your dog the behaviors or skills they need to thrive in your home. The very nature of capturing is giving clear feedback to your dog for the behaviors they’re offering. More importantly, they’re behaviors that you want to reinforce. The keyword is “offer” or “offering” because you…
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Learn to be the best guardian for your dog with Diwa Dogs
Welcome to Diwa Dogs’ blog! 🎉 This is where I’ll share resources, business announcements, personal stories, and the like to Filipino dog guardians interested in learning and working with Diwa Dogs. Although I’ve posted quite a bit on my Instagram (@diwadogstraining) and Facebook (@diwadogs) pages, nothing beats having your content in your very own space.…
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