It’s a misconception that showing your dog love, affection, and letting them on the couch or feeding them from your plate ruins training…In this blog we take a dive into on why that is a false statement.

Have you ever wondered how your emotions shape the behavior and well-being of your beloved four-legged companion? From creating a nurturing environment to influencing their socialization and communication, the emotional connection between humans and dogs runs deep...

Aggressive dogs seem to be a hot topic lately. For example, a dog that has previously shown aggression in a shelter environment was adopted out and actually mauled the owner to death. It’s a grim fate, and one we seem to hear more and more often than we did 20 years ago.

It’s a common misconception when greeting a dog that we should stick our hand out for them to smell. In all honesty, I prefer your hand over your face, but it’s still a behavior that a dog can misconstrue as rude, especially if you enter their space and then shove your hand even further into their space, such as their head.

We, as humans, are sometimes the reason why our dog struggles. We get so caught up in our emotions and what others think of us that we forget about any consideration of the dog in front of us...

Have you considered how to keep your beloved pet safe in the face of a severe storm? It's vital to prepare your pet for such situations to safeguard their welfare. By taking proactive measures, you can guarantee your pet's safety and comfort during a storm....

Addressing a dog's digging behavior can be a common challenge for pet owners, with several creative and effective approaches available to tackle this issue....

We are often asked if we utilize positive reinforcement techniques, and the answer is emphatically yes. However, we delve much deeper than just one quadrant of learning, as true breakthroughs can occur both inside and outside the conventional framework. Let's begin with the fundamentals....

I find many folks are amazed during their evaluation with us that I start with the basics such as food, exercise, and daily life schedule and not directly the problem at hand. While there is a whole thought process behind why I do this and why this way of thinking relates to long-term success after your dog’s training with us is done. But the entire process could be a book, so I’m going to break this down by each approach…. starting with your dog’s nutrition...

The initial step in teaching your dog to come when called is to ensure they recognize their name. It's crucial for your dog to understand that when you call their name, they should cease what they're doing and look to you for the next instruction. Here's how to teach this behavior...

A quick guideline to help puppy owners

My dog is friendly…Famous last words when a dog goes up to your dog.

I see it and hear about it all the time. My dog was approached on a walk by an off leash dog or I was out with my dog and this couple let their dog run right up to mine...

Spoiled Brat

Where (most) behavior problems start…

You’ve heard it a million times…get the dog that’s right for you and your lifestyle.

Well say you did just that.

Neutering.

Does it solve behaviors or does it not?

And the answer is always the same, it depends.

It depends on the age of your dog. It depends on the behaviors you’re hoping to lessen. It depends on your dog’s genetics. It depends if he’s a breeding stud or not. Etc.

There are several reasons why your dog may be struggling with housebreaking. The most common causes are submissive urination, excitement urination, and marking. Here are some helpful tips for helping your furry friend get passed these issues.

Brining a puppy home is an exciting time!

I mean who doesn’t love snuggles and puppy breath? But like with any baby, we must prepare our home to keep our new found friend safe. No different than a toddler, puppies are curious animals and can often find themselves in trouble if our house is not properly prepped. While I don’t condone leaving any baby unattended for even the shortest amount of time (go team crate training!). I know life sometimes has it’s own plan and leaving for even just a second is unavoidable.

With this day and age, more and more folks are traveling with their dog. It is a fun experience for dog and human alike, but without these basic items for your furry friend a fun trip can turn quickly into stress.

All trainers talk about effective communication and you can find many versions of such during your training. The most common one that opens a world of possibilities is using consistent marker words. Marker words is way to give your dog feedback on a task that they are performing. For example, if you ask your dog to sit and the dog sits, you then could mark the behavior with the word “yes” or “good.” Providing your dog feedback that they did something correctly. The same goes if your dog does something wrong. We’ll use sit again as an example. You ask your dog to sit and your dog does not sit then you mark with “no” to provide your dog feedback that they didn’t do it correctly.

Will Work for Cookies

Most folks know that you need some form of motivation to teach your dog new behaviors and most of the time that motivation comes in the form of cookies or food. Often times folks get stuck in this type of reinforcement and their dog starts expecting a reward every time they’re asked to do something. Essentially creating a dog that will only work for cookies.

I’m often faced with new doggy owners who are struggling with their pup inside the home, whether it’s housebreaking, destruction, or being plan obnoxious. My destressed owners are often at their wits end with their furry friend. I often find in these scenarios that it’s rarely the dog that is the problem. It’s actually the human and their unrealistic expectation of the dog’s behavior when they first bring them home.