Well Mannered Mutts

12/04/2024

Meet Bruneor, a 12-week-old Belgian shepherd x Rottweiler pup, today he embarked on his 6-week obedience program! Today marks the beginning of an exciting journey to learn good manners, basic commands, and how to be the best boy ever.

Over the next few weeks, Bruneor will master commands like “stay,” “come,” and “leave it,” while also practicing crate training, leash walking and socializing with other pups. It’s all about building confidence and a strong bond between him and his humans.

We’re so proud of this handsome little fella already and can’t wait to see how much he grows (and learns) in the weeks to come. Stay tuned for updates and adorable training moments!

11/29/2024

🎓🐾 Congratulations to Our Latest Graduate! 🐾🎓

This week, we proudly celebrated the graduation of the one and only Penny —our very enthusiastic hound with a can-do attitude (and a will-do-anything-for-treats energy).

From pulling her humans straight to any and every distraction, to becoming a leash-walking prodigy (well, mostly…), Penny has made incredible strides! Sure, we had a few minor disagreements along the way—like how long a dog is allowed to be in our line of sight after walking past them (spoiler: it’s still under negotiation)—but we couldn’t be prouder of her quieter/ more controlled reactions and the lack of tension on her end of the leash!

Penny, we see a bright future ahead: one where you can put that insane nose of yours to work and keep your “reactive” moments reserved for things that truly matter—like “protecting” your mom from that massive moose you seen in the car on the way home from training last night 😉

Proud of all you guys have accomplished in a short 6 weeks! Let’s all raise a paw for our graduate! 🐾✨

11/28/2024

Hank 🫎

This big goober face spent a few days with us to learn some sh** 😝 We focused on e collar training and did some refreshers with placement training with high distractions, recall and his social skills.

Hank is large and thinks he is in charge… Well, the
E collar will definitely help him realize that he, in fact is not. 😉☺️😆

11/27/2024

With summer behind us, it’s the perfect time to focus on indoor activities with your dog. If your pup is like Briggs and thrives on working, here are some creative ways to build their confidence and keep them engaged during the colder months:

1. Scent Work
Hide treats or toys around the house and let your dog sniff them out. Start with easy spots, then increase the difficulty to challenge their nose and brain. Or find a trainer near you to enroll in classes!

2. DIY Obstacle Course
Use items like chairs, pillows, or broomsticks to create an indoor agility course. Teach them to jump over, crawl under, or weave through obstacles for a fun, confidence-building workout.

3. Puzzle Games
Invest in or make your own interactive puzzles that reward your dog with treats. These activities stimulate their problem-solving skills and keep their mind sharp.
You could use snuffle mats, puzzle toys, PVC pipe feeders etc.

4. Shaping Activities
Use a clicker or verbal marker to reward small steps toward learning a new behavior. For example, teach them to nudge a ball, open a box, or pick up specific items.

5. Trick Training
Build confidence by teaching fun, simple tricks like spinning, waving, or bowing. Start small and celebrate their progress to keep it positive and rewarding. Or do what we did and find a random red bucket 😉

Stay creative, and you’ll both enjoy the season while sharpening your dog’s skills!

11/26/2024

Are you interested in group training but worried it might be overstimulating for you or your dog? Do you want the benefits of distractions for practice but without the overwhelming chaos of large classes? We’ve got you covered!

Training in a small, intimate group setting strikes the perfect balance between personalized attention and real-world preparation.

Here’s why it works:

• Tailored Support: A smaller group means more one-on-one attention from your trainer, allowing them to address your dog’s specific needs and challenges. This personalized approach ensures you receive customized guidance, helping both you and your dog progress effectively and confidently in your training journey.

• Calm Environment: A smaller class size ensures a relaxed and less overwhelming atmosphere, allowing your dog to feel comfortable and focused. This calm setting minimizes stress and distractions, helping your dog stay attentive and better absorb training.

• Real-World Practice: Life is full of distractions which are often beyond our control. However, we can recreate these distractions in a controlled setting, allowing you and your dog to work through them with guidance.

• Socialization Opportunities: Small-group training provides the perfect environment for your dog to learn polite interactions with another dog in a structured, supportive setting. Under your trainer’s guidance, your dog can practice appropriate social behaviors, helping them become more confident and well-mannered.

Whether you’re working on building confidence, mastering basic obedience, working on social skills or strengthening your bond with your dog, small-group training provides an effective, enjoyable way to reach your goals!

Let us help you and your dog thrive in a positive, stress-free environment! Message for more details!

11/25/2024

Macie started her 6-week program yesterday, and I couldn’t be happier to be part of her journey again! You might remember this beautiful girl from back in May when I had the chance to work with and briefly train her in her previous home.

The last six months have been tough for Macie, as she’s navigated significant changes—moving from the rescue to a new home, back to the rescue, and finally landing with her incredible new family: Tyler, Katie, and their kiddos!

Unfortunately during this challenging time, Macie developed some reactivity toward other dogs, which is a common challenge for dogs who’ve spent time in
and out of shelters.

Thankfully, she’s now with a family who is fully committed to helping her succeed. We’re starting her program with structured activities, focusing on leash manners, establishing boundaries in the home, and strengthening her bond with her family through fun, confidence-building exercises.

I’m so excited to see how she progresses in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for updates, and here’s to a brighter future for Macie!

11/25/2024

Are you following us on TikTok yet?!

If not, head over and give us a follow! We keep things lighter here on this account, but TikTok is where the real action happens!

If you don’t see your dog’s training or adventure video here, you’ll definitely find it over there.
Don’t miss out on all the fun—see you on TikTok!

Check us out 👇🏻

422 Followers, 585 Following, 16.3k Likes - Watch awesome short videos created by WellManneredMutts

11/22/2024

Off-Leash Boundaries: Why Recall Training is Essential 🐾

One of the most important things you can teach your dog is recall or off-leash reliability. Why? Because life is full of unexpected situations that require a quick and reliable response.

What if your dog escapes because a guest or your kids accidentally leave the door open? What if the mailman or utility worker forgets to close the gate? Or what if your dog spots something exciting you don’t notice before they dash out of the car? Not to mention the wildlife encounters that can happen during off-leash walks, especially in areas like ours.

The last thing you want is for your dog to get lost or hurt while out in the elements unsupervised.

In this video, you’ll see four amazing dogs: Marley, Will, Hamish, and Buddy. Each of them has been trained by WMM, with recall work as part of their training. As you’ll notice, I didn’t need to call them back—they naturally check in with me or stop at a certain distance. We used a 30ft longline during their training, which gave them more freedom while still allowing me to manage their behavior. I don’t hover over them; I let them sniff and explore like dogs do, and I always mark “good” when they do what’s expected. This communicates to them that their behavior is what I want, and it becomes a standard going forward.

Marley, being a guardian breed, checks in more frequently—she has an intense instinct to keep an eye on her people at all times, which I absolutely love!

Take a moment to count how many times Marley comes back in this short, but extremely sped up video🤣🥰🙌🏻

11/22/2024

Today we welcomed the snow with open paws 🐾

We shall call him ‘Snow Buddy’ ☃️❄️

For real though, could you get any cuter?!! 🧸😩🥰

11/15/2024

What is your feeding routine with your dogs?

For us, we feed our dogs and visiting dogs in their crates! Feeding dogs in their crates can offer several benefits, both for their behavior and their overall well-being:

1. Creates Positive Association: Crates should be a safe, comfortable space for dogs, and feeding them in their crates helps them associate the crate with something positive, like food. This can reduce anxiety and make the crate a more appealing place for rest and relaxation.

2.Prevents Resource Guarding: Feeding in a crate can help prevent resource guarding behaviors (aggression or possessiveness over food) by limiting access to the food, reducing the chances of conflicts with other pets or family members during mealtime.

3.Reduces Distractions: Eating in a quiet, enclosed space can help dogs focus on their meal without the distractions of other pets, people, or environmental stimuli. This can promote a calmer and more focused eating routine.

4.Prevents Food Stealing: If you have multiple pets, feeding a dog in its crate can prevent others from stealing food or causing stress around mealtime.

5.Training and Routine: Crate feeding can help establish a regular routine, which is important for dogs, as they thrive on structure. It also teaches the dog to stay in the crate calmly while eating, which can help with crate training in general.

6.Health and Digestive Benefits: For dogs with digestive issues or picky eating habits, feeding in the crate can encourage them to eat at a steady pace, which may reduce the likelihood of eating too quickly or overeating.

Overall, feeding in the crate can help promote a sense of security, structure, and focus during mealtime while supporting good behavior and health.

11/15/2024

"Because of the dog's joyfulness, our own
is increased. It is no small gift." - Mary Oliver

Thanks for always increasing my serotonin boys 🫶



11/14/2024

Training & Engagement with Your Dog vs. Dog Parks: Which Is Best?

When it comes to exercising and socializing your dog, both personal engagement and dog parks offer unique benefits.

Engagement with Your Dog:
One-on-one activities like training, walks, or playtime strengthen your bond and allow for focused attention. This controlled environment is ideal for working on behaviours and providing tailored mental and physical stimulation.

Pros: Strengthens bond, personalized attention, controlled environment.
Cons: some find it to be time-consuming, lacks dog-to-dog socialization.

Dog Parks:
Dog parks let your dog interact with others, burn energy, and enjoy free play. However, they can be overwhelming or risky, with potential for conflicts or exposure to illness.

Pros: Can be good for socialization and exercise
Cons: Risk of negative interactions, stressful for some dogs, uncontrolled environment

So which Is best?

Here’s a more polished version of your thoughts:

“It really depends on the dog. Some dogs thrive in the high-energy environment of a dog park, while others do better with quieter, one-on-one interactions. I’ve witnessed dogs who excel in dog park settings, while others have regressed, developing undesirable social habits and triggers.

As with all things related to dogs, it’s important to use your best judgment and choose what suits your dog’s personality and needs. However, if I could offer one piece of advice, it would be to ensure the following:

A. Your dog has strong recall training established.
B. Your dog is social and has a tolerance for various energies and sizes.
C. Avoid bringing toys or food, as they can cause unnecessary conflicts.”

I personally choose not to use dog parks for my dogs, as I find the environment to be unpredictable and the energy levels too high. This often leads to my dogs becoming frustrated. However, as I mentioned earlier, every dog is different, and what works for one may not work for another!

Here’s a more polished version of your text:

Here’s a video of Lady and I using the agility park next to the dog park to work on one-on-one engagement amid distractions. While we were there, anywhere from 30 to 40 dogs were coming and going on the other side. The energy was high, with people hollering at their dogs and a lot of barking in the air. Keeping your dog engaged in such a stimulating environment can certainly be challenging, but it’s a valuable exercise that pays off in the long run.

Fostering Hope Animal Rescue Foundation

11/14/2024

The last few weeks have been nothing short of exhausting but absolutely amazing!

Spending time with your dogs has truly brought so much happiness and fulfillment into my life.

I deeply appreciate all of you!

11/14/2024

A Howliday Tradition for a Good Cause! 🐾🎅
Well Mannered Mutts & Alix and Area Community Resource Centre invites you to join our first annual Santa-Paws pet photos!

The holiday season is here, and what better way to celebrate than with a festive photo of your furry friends alongside Santa Claus! 📸🎄

This will be sure to be a fun and memorable opportunity to capture your pet’s holiday spirit while supporting a great cause. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Alix Youth Centre, which works to support our youth with a fun after school program that provides safe, excited events and engaging activities in our community!

🗓️ Date: Dec 08, 2024

🕛 Time: 12-4

📍Location: Bay 1, 5008 50 ave Alix

💰 Donation: $10 for a digital file or a photo, your choice! Extra prints are also available for $10 each. If you have multiple dogs and want them in separate photos, 2 photos for $15!

So, bring your pets, big or small, to come meet the elusive Saint Nick for a paw-some photo op! We will also be offering free custom paw print Christmas tree art! Don’t miss the chance to create holiday memories while giving back to our lovely community 🎁🐶🐱

📸 Spots are limited! First come first serve! No appointment necessary!

Please note: We ask that when you enter the building please be sure to sign in with your name and email and patiently wait your turn while we work through the list. Also please be mindful and ensure you give each dog their necessary space as some may find this experience a little overwhelming!

Big thanks to our wonderful volunteers, without you this wouldn’t be possible!
Photographer: Tree Tanner/TeamTanner Aurora and Weather Chasers
Santa: Doug Mcdermand /Alix Home Hardware
Hosts: Well Mannered Mutts & Alix and Area Community Resource Centre
Volunteer: Kayla Christianson/ Happy Hounds Hideaway

11/13/2024

Meet Lady – A Brilliant, Driven, and Beautiful Soul Ready for Her Forever Home!

Today, I had the pleasure of working with the incredible Lady, a young dog with unmatched intelligence, focus, and an undeniable love for learning. She is truly a gem 💎

Lady absolutely crushed every single obstacle we faced with eagerness and grace. Whether it was navigating the agility course or staying calm amidst a crowd of 20-40 dogs coming and going, her focus and composure were nothing short of impressive.
We worked on impulse control through placement training, helping her manage distractions while maintaining perfect focus and following direction.

To finish off our session, we had a blast with some structured play using a flirt pole, which Lady absolutely adored. Her drive and enthusiasm for play are remarkable, and she truly thrives on challenges.

We also worked on recall in a high-distraction environment at Soper Park. Lady is a natural when it comes to using her nose, which made keeping her engaged a fun little challenge—but she rose to the occasion and nailed it on her first try!

Lady is currently at Fostering Hope Animal Rescue Foundation and is looking for a home where she can thrive. With her incredible motivation, drive, and stamina, she would be a fantastic sport dog or active companion for someone who enjoys working with a smart, driven pup.

If you’re looking for a sweet, beautiful, and driven dog to join your family, Lady might just be the perfect fit. Don’t miss the chance to add this amazing girl to your life!

For more information or to meet Lady, reach out to Fostering Hope Animal Rescue today!

11/07/2024

EDIT: CLASS HAS BEEN FILLED 🫶
If you would like to be on a waiting list for the next round in Jan/Feb please feel free to reach out!

✨Level 1 Obedience Group Class ✨

Is your dog struggling with focus in high-distraction environments? Do you want to improve communication and strengthen your bond with your dog? Whether you’re just starting out or facing specific challenges, this class is designed to give you the foundation you need to build a stronger, more balanced relationship with your dog.

In this class, you’ll learn:

👉Proper communication & engagement with your dog

👉Finding the right tools & activities to suit your dog’s needs

👉Setting healthy boundaries for good behavior

👉Leash communication & how to correct reactive behaviors on leash

👉Impulse control techniques

👉Recall & how to keep focus in distracting
environments

👉Proper introductions to people and other dogs

👉Reading your dog’s body language

👉Creating structure and clear communication in your home

This class is held in a group setting for 1.5 hours, once a week for 4 weeks, at the Alix Resource Centre. We keep the class size small, with 4-6 dogs, to ensure quality attention and personalized instruction.

If you think this program is a good fit for you and your dog, send us a message! We’d love to help you get started.

11/05/2024

Hey WMM Fam!

We need your help! This Sunday, we’ll be hosting a free pack walk around the lake, and we’d love for you and your pups to join us. The goal is to provide positive, controlled exposure for Bowser, our current board and train dog, who has been showing some leash reactivity.

After working with him, he’s gotten along well with all 3 of our dogs, both on and off-leash. Now, we’re reaching out to our wonderful community to help with Bowser’s socialization and provide him with more leash training experience.

If you’re interested in joining, we’d love to see you there and help Bowser continue his progress! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need directions!

Looking forward to seeing everyone!

11/05/2024

🌟 DOG OF THE MONTH, LOUIE 🌟

When Louie and I first met, he was in that classic teenage angst phase, which we like to call the “messy middle.” It’s that tumultuous time when dogs push boundaries and test limits.
If you’ve ever owned a puppy, you know exactly what stage I speak of 😅

Sam (Louie’s mom) reached out like many do in this stage of life, looking for help as she was struggling to communicate with her obnoxiously large, pushy teenage boy and bless her soul for doing so as this is the age when people usually give up and surrender their dogs to the shelters.

Sam had several training goals for Louie which included:

• Respect on leash
• Reduce reactivity
• Increase socialization with dogs and people
• Better focus to handler
• Reliable recall
• E-collar training
• Structure & Boundaries in the home
• Curbing excessive whining

Since Louie is a working breed, he has insane drive and the willingness to learn anything you throw at him! So we started with fun and exciting exercises to help him hold his focus on myself and Sam.
Once we had his focus we exposed him to various environments, people and other dogs. We went on many structured pack walks to gradually introduce him to other dogs and used the E-collar to provide us with off-leash control and reliable recall.

He. Did. Outstanding!!!! 👏

Given Louie’s age, size, breed, and the fact that he was still intact, many dogs found him intimidating, which limited his social interactions. So we worked hard to ensure everyone was comfortable in his presence and that he was being respectful in his greetings.

Louie has been in our programs for just over a year now, starting with a 12 week program leading into stay and plays. We of course started with my dogs only then slowly added other dogs who have trained with us who are well balanced and would be proved to be good influences for him.

Over the past year, it’s been incredible to witness Louie’s growth. He’s proven to be an amazing companion, protector and friend to many dogs and I’m forever grateful for the opportunity to help him become a more balanced and well-mannered dog!

Cheers to you, Big man. Auntie loves you so much 🖤