DOG TRAINING BLOG

Leela is a wonderful dog. She is the epitome of sweet and I don’t think there’s another dog like her. I recently finished a package with her family and out of the hundreds of dogs that I’ve trained, she is on the list of most memorable.

Fostering has always been a joy for me to do. Ever since I’ve owned a home, I knew that I wanted to foster young pups. These two, Sam and Daisy are the sweetest puppies I have taken on. They are wonderful to be around, love to explore, and are happy to just lay in your arms and take a quick power nap. It’s nice to have puppies that are so self-sufficient, definitely not something I’m used to.

Barley is fantastic. I met her in September of 2021 and we’ve been working on general obedience training. When I arrived to the first session, I found a sweet little puppy ready and willing to learn. She picked up everything very quickly and I was impressed with how much progress we made in one hour. Ever since that day, she has continued to blow me away.

Poppy is nothing short of adorable. Her owner was concerned about her progress with potty training as well as growing the bond that they shared.

Right from the getgo, I noticed Poppy wasn’t receiving the feedback that she needed from her owner in order to be successful. We introduced a clicker that was used to mark specific behaviors that were desirable.

Since it’s the holidays, I decided to spotlight my own pup, Molly. I got her and her brother in 2015 before I was a trainer. Back then, I was a designer and very unhappy in the field. I decided to get a puppy to try and boost my spirits. I adopted them not knowing that my life would completely change. I am so grateful that I did because if I hadn’t, I never would have become a trainer.

When I first met Sadie, back in March of 2019, I never knew how much I loved Chihuahuas. She and her sister, Emma, hold a very special place in my heart. When I first met Sadie, she was very fearful of strangers and didn’t know what to do when they came into the room. She would flee out of fear but then come back with vengeance. Her little bark was so cute but, I knew she was very afraid.

Every now and then, recently more so than before, clients tell me that someone they know either personally or from a third party was fearful with the breed they chose for their family. Statements like “Oh, _______ is an ‘aggressive’ breed. They would eat my ________ in a second.” Or “Oh, you should be careful with those _________ dogs. They are extremely unpredictable”. Breed biases are an ongoing problem and it’s important to not give blanket statements about any dog and instead learn more about their development.

When I met Barkley, I fell head over heels. He is the sweetest thing on this side of the planet and I just knew we were going to have fun working together. His owners love him to the moon and back and at the time, they really couldn’t complain. He wasn’t a chewer, he came when he was called and was completely housetrained. Everything about him was perfect, except his walks. After each one, they were left feeling frustrated and clueless on how to help relieve his fears of other dogs. Leash reactivity is hard to witness and I empathized with his owners. It wasn’t their fault and my goal was to prove it.

Ragnar, the dog that taught me to love shepherds even more. When I met him at four months old, he was full of life and love and showed endless joy when he was outside. He was nothing but sweet and loved being around people. Every time I saw him, he’d light up and come into position. It was so much fun to see!

Have you been on the fence about whether or not to try virtual training? Are you concerned that it won't be as effective as in-person training? Well, take a look at the video for real-life examples at what virtual training is and how it is done.