When teaching handlers about their service dogs, we often refer to the dog's "arousal level." When we use this term, we are using it in a very specific way: we are talking about how excited the dog is, no matter if the dog is happy or frightened. Some ways to tell if a dog is aroused is to look at their ears, tail, body posture, and eyes. While a dog's body is constantly moving and changing, looking at these indicators can help people figure out at what arousal level their dog is at currently. The lower the arousal level, the easier the dog is to train, and if the dog's level is too high (sometimes called "over threshold"), then they can't learn anything. The handler or trainer must wait until the dog is calmer (or bring the dog to a place where they will calm down). The following handout can be used to put a number on the arousal level, which facilitates communication. You can download a print copy or image, if you like, and feel free to distribute it. We are a nonprofit, and we wish to share these resources with anyone who needs them! Continue reading

We use the following handout when teaching handlers how to work with their service dogs, and we thought others might want to use it, too. For instance, a dog might know the "Down" cue if the trainer is right in front of them, but not know the cue if the trainer is five feet away, or ten feet, or twenty five feet away. That's the "Distance" criteria, and if the trainer/hander is working on distance, they shouldn't work on the other critera, too, such as holding the down for a certain amount of time (Duration), or following the cue when other dogs are around (Distance). Feel free to download and distribute as you wish!   Continue reading

Leslie McDevitt invented the "Look at That" game to train dogs to not get excited (or scared) of dogs, people, or experiences. She was experienced in the art and skill of agility dog training, but so many dogs were over-aroused (over-excited) that she couldn't work with them till they calmed down. Her "Look at That" game uses positive reinforcement to get the dogs to calm down. This is a tricky technique and requires a dog trainer to teach someone how to do it. The following is a free downloadable PDF handout we created about the "Look at That" game. I thought I'd put it on Pawsitivity's nonprofit's blog so anyone can feel free to download or distribute it as you wish.  Continue reading

Please help us welcome aboard Pawsitivity Service Dogs' new staff member, Education Manager Frannie Kass (she, her, hers)! Continue reading

PUBLIC ACCESS TEST NAME OF DOG AND HANDLER: ________________________________ NAME OF TESTER: _____________________________________________ DATE OF TEST: _____________ Continue reading