The Balanced Lab

08/21/2024

Welcome Cali to the pack!

Cali is a 11 month old French Bulldog 🐾

This young lady has been causing some trouble back home with some unwanted resource guarding that has resulted in some pretty serious bites towards her family. Her aggression has progressed as of late so this board & train program couldn’t come sooner. I actually had her booked in for October but I knew she needed help ASAP!

In addition to the resource guarding, she also bites at her owners feet during walks, eats everything off the ground and has very selective recall (only comes when she feels like it) 🤪

Bulldogs are known for being extremely head strong, intense dogs that require a confident owner, these dogs can become quiet dangerous when they are “babied” and my girl Cali is a good example of that. We have lots of work to do but she’s in the right place!

08/17/2024

Sadie is here!

This 4 year old Bernedoodle is almost 1 week into her board & train program. Sadie has been a dog I have been looking forward to for a while now - her owners have been struggling for years with some of her behaviours so I’m happy to help them.

Her owners described her as “highly anxious, reactive, territorial & protective”. They struggle with big reactions towards dogs and people whether that’s on the walk, in the house or even in the car. So far I am seeing an excitable dog that DESPERATELY needs strong leadership (rules & boundaries to follow) or she makes bad choices. She can be tense around other dogs and she needs practice being neutral outside in the real world. I can already tell that her owners will be the big piece of the puzzle in this case, she’s seems very relaxed in my presence and that tells me she has learned to be protective/territorial specially around her family. This board & train is a big re-set for both Sadie and her owners so when they do reunite, I will show them exactly what to do to be successful with her back home.

07/08/2024

Welcome Lily to the pack!

This curly headed cutie is a 11 month old miniature poodle and she is a few days into her 3 week board & train. I am SO glad Lily’s owners brought her to me when they did because even though she is small, she sure does have some BIG feelings about some things. She is very mouthy when you try to do anything she doesn’t like (grooming for example), she bites at her owners constantly when they touch her (not aggressively but definitely with attitude), she barks, A LOT… she understands what you’re asking of her but she is determined to do the opposite just out of spite 😆.

Dogs like Lily are my favourite to work with because they are wicked smart, they just need someone to be more stubborn than they are, and I’m your girl! So far I am happy with her progress and I am so excited to see how much she learns after the full program! Happy to have you here Lily ❤️

06/06/2024

Say hello to the newest arrival, River!

River is a 1.5 year old Irish Setter and he is 6 days into a 3 week board & train with me. River’s owner reached out to me because she has big goals for this stunning red boy but she needed some help getting started.

River’s owner did everything right when raising him during puppyhood and things looked promising, but as soon as he hit adolescence, everything started to fall apart. He doesn’t listen, is always “on the move”, has a very hard time being still/relaxing, pulls like a freight train, jumps on everyone and everything (he jumped onto my coffee table the first day here) and cannot be trusted off leash. Phew I definitely have my work cut out for me don’t I? Good news for River and his owner, this is a special project for me because I have never had an Irish setter in my program and I have always wanted to work with one. He is SO sweet and has a very soft/gentle side to him, once he learns better manners, an “off switch” and rock solid recall, I know he is going to make his family very proud!

I am already seeing progress with this stubborn boy each day so we are on the right path! Watch my stories to see more 🐾

06/02/2024

Welcome Beau to the pack!

Technically Beau joined the pack a few months back when his owner started private sessions for leash manners but I wanted to give him a formal introduction.

Beau is a 1.5 year old Bernedoodle and he is a few days into his board and train program with me. Beau is a super sweet and affectionate dog that loves to work and honestly has a great attitude! So why is he here? This doodle needs a manners makeover! He jumps on everyone, pees when people come over, jumps and “nips” at the kids in the house, steals food, barks and whines for attention, chases the cat, mild leash reactivity and he has a really hard time being still unless he’s in his crate. Something I’ve also noticed since having him is his clinginess and lack of independence - he wants to follow you like a shadow and if you don’t let him, he gets anxious and whiny. That tells me he needs a big detox from constant affection and attention and way more time practicing independence. Beau is going to find the obedience training I do with him extremely easy - the real work will be rehabilitating his needy/clingy/whiny attitude.

You’re in the right place Beau ❤️ Will post his training journey on my stories 🐾

05/17/2024

I lied!! Sunday is the last day of voting!! If you haven’t already, show some love to The Balanced Lab!!!❤️🙏

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05/14/2024

Last day to vote for us for Best Dog Trainer in Barrie! 🐾🐾❤️

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=700786168914986&id=100069508284315

Official 2024 Community Voting Awards Platform for Barrie, ON. Where the community votes for their favourites every year.

05/09/2024

Westy is also halfway through her board & train and she has learned sooo much since drop off day (feel free to check out her story highlight on my profile to remember her dragging me down the sidewalk to chase a squirrel 🤪).

Westy is a smart cookie and all she really needed was clear communication & follow through from the human. She knows exactly what you want, she just always thought listening was optional lol.

Goals for the remaining time with me are to continue working through her dog reactivity in more challenging ways (closer pass-by’s) & tightening everything up! Good work West ❤️

05/09/2024

Scarlett is halfway through her board and train with me and I’m SO proud of how far she has come. She’s a very young dog but her stubborn nature mixed with adolescent attitude has been a real challenge to work through… good thing I love a challenge 😃

Our goals for the rest of her stay with me is to start proofing her training in new environments and sharpen that recall out in the parks and trails 🌳

05/01/2024

Welcome Scarlett to the pack!!! 🐾

This frenchie girl is only 7 months old and she’s been signed up for training since she was 4 months old! I love proactive dogs owners!

Scarlett is your classic young dog that lacks obedience and manners. She is stubborn and confident and that can prove to be challenging for a lot of owners - these dogs don’t “give up” easily. I’m absolutely loving having her here because I can see how much potential she has - she is going to be the most fun little dog ever.

Stay tuned for her training journey & let’s see how long it takes me to teach her a down/stay (other trainers will know what I mean lol) stubborn dogs & down stays are notoriously difficult.

04/29/2024

Welcome Westy to the pack!

Westy is a 2 year old golden doodle and she is here for a 3 week board & train. Westy’s owners have been struggling with her impulsiveness especially when guests come over or when they take her in public around distractions. She’s been showing more and more reactivity out on the walk towards dogs and her owner wants more control over her in these moments. Westy also needs help with independence & anxiety - classic doodle traits IMO.

Her owners have invested in training for her since she was 8 weeks old and they have never seen things really *stick* (especially when they need them to - around distractions). So far I am seeing a dog that is actually very motivated to learn and work, she just needs clear and consistent rules to follow. Watch my stories to see her training progress over the next few weeks 🐾🥰

03/29/2024

Diesel & Silo!

I first trained Silo when he was a young adolescent dog back in 2021 and now 3 year years later, I get to train their newest family member Diesel.

Goofy, lanky, nutty, hilarious and sweet are some the words that come to mind when I think of GSP’s 🤪♥️

03/22/2024

Diesel is learning a lot in his board & train! We still have over a week left to go on lots of field trips & start proofing his training in as many places as we can 😄

03/19/2024

Welcome Diesel to the pack!

This little dude is only 6 months old and he is a German Shorthaired Pointer. I have trained his families other GSP’s before so I knew what to expect with this guy 😆

Like any young high energy dog, Diesel struggles with major impulsiveness, can’t sit still, has zero obedience outside in the “real world” and lacks exposure. His family has a big property so off leash training is a must! Another big focus will be his over excitement towards (well everything) but mainly people. He thinks every person exists to pay attention to him & that makes walking exhausting as he tries to pull towards them.

Over the past week he has learned a lot and each day I am seeing a more obedient pup with much better listening skills. Doesn’t hurt that he’s super duper cute 🥰🥹

Train them young folks!! It makes a big difference.

03/06/2024

Penny is just over halfway through her 4 week board and train program! Over the next 10 days we are going to focus a lot of our remaining time on field trips (especially around other dogs) and continued confidence building out in public!

Yes, her ears are fantastic 😆♥️

02/29/2024

The new girl around here… Billie!

Billie is a 2 year old Dachshund mix and she is here for the next 3.5 weeks. Billie’s owners reached out to me because they have seen her behaviours escalate since they adopted her. Intense leash reactivity, resource guarding towards her dog house mate, multiple bites and a whole lot of attitude are some of the bigger reasons she’s here for training (aka a “reset”).

Billie is a very sensitive & sweet dog but her lack of confidence has resulted in using her teeth if she feels too much pressure put on her. She is learning how to follow rules and how to respect boundaries while also growing confidence in herself. Dogs like this need very clear and consistent structure inside and outside the home in order for them to start making better choices on their own. We have a lot of work to do over the next few weeks to get her in a good headspace but I’m confident we’re on the right path!

Glad you’re here Bill ♥️

02/28/2024

Vote for us!

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02/22/2024

Say hello to our newest arrival, Penny!

Penny is a 4.5 year old Miniature Pinscher mix and she is with me for the next month while we help her become a better version of herself. This little lady is smart as a whip and loves to work but she struggles with a major lack in confidence & independence.

Her owners have noticed things getting worse over the years and with a new baby in the family, they want to make sure Penny has some solid training they can build off of. In addition to insecurities, nervous energy & clinginess, she can also be reactive on walks towards dogs & buses as well as very vocal and intrusive with the front door and around food.

Phew. I think that covers most of it. This is going to be a long journey but shes in the right place! Stay tuned!

01/16/2024

Welcome back Grizzly!

At 6.5 months old, this cutie patootie is back for his official e-collar on and off leash training! Watch his stories for updates 👏 (also check out his puppy highlight to see what we did a few months ago)

01/02/2024

Welcoming the first dog of 2024… Kaiya!

This stunning girl is only 9.5 months old and she will be with me for a 3 week board & train to work on obedience and to nip some stubborn behaviours in the bud.

I met Kaiya when she was 3 months old to do some puppy private sessions and it’s so great to see her again. Her owner has always owned German Shepherds so she knows how important training is from an early age if you want to take full advantage to what this breed can offer. Right now, Kaiya is in her selective-listening teenage phase so my program came at the perfect time 😜

Owners top 3 goals:
1. Recall! (She’s a cottage dog so this is important)
2. Better leash manners around distractions (no more reactivity towards cars/ kids/ dogs/ anything that moves)
3. A better off-switch & less fussy getting groomed

11/20/2023

Big welcome to the last dog of 2023, Ollie!

Ollie is a 16 month old Bernedoodle and he is 1 week into his 3 week board & train. In the past week I have gotten to see a lot of the problematic behaviours his owners were struggling with - tons of attitude, selective listening, unreliable obedience and over-arousal/excitement around cats, squirrels, birds (and sometimes dogs).

Ollie has been through not 1, but 3 other training programs before he got to me. His owners were never fully satisfied with his training in the past and they knew there was a missing piece. He has tons of potential but his attitude & “it’s my way or the highway” mentality was holding everyone back. I’m happy to report that I am already seeing a slow but steady shift in this young man’s demeanour and I can’t wait to see where he is at 2 weeks from now. You’re in the right place Ollie boy 😀🖤

11/08/2023

Warm welcome to our 3rd golden retriever in a row - Bailey!

Bailey is 2.5 years old and she is with me for the next 4 weeks while we help her become the best version of herself. Bailey’s owners drove all the way from Windsor to bring her to me so I’m so grateful and excited to be able to help them.

Our main goals for Bailey are to be more confident outside, management over her dog & human reactivity on her walks and an overall manners makeover.

Stay tuned for her journey!

11/06/2023

Harley is halfway through his 3 week board & train program and it has been so much fun watching him succeed!

Harley is a quick learner, eager to please and up for anything! The remaining of his stay with me will be focused on proofing everything out in the real world & working with his owners 1:1.

10/27/2023

Warm welcome to Harley!

Harley is a 1.5 year old golden retriever and he is a couple days into our 3-week board & train program.

Harley is your classic happy go-lucky, goofy golden retriever with a side of teenage attitude. His owners have been struggling a lot with some rude and frankly dangerous behaviours such as; major leash pulling (he will drag you if needed), biting the leash to get his way, mouthing his owners feet when she moves around and an overall lack of manners.

Harley’s owner has done months of pre-board & train work to set themselves (and him) up for success. They started by increasing the structure in the home (no begging at the table, no human food/excess treats, crating at night & whenever they leave the house, taking away furniture privileges etc). We also did a private session to work on hands-on stuff where I showed them how to properly use a prong collar & pet corrector and I also recommended Sean O’Shea’s “Love Them By Leading Them” book. Harley’s owner found this book really helpful in understanding the WHY behind all the structure & leadership.

This is what it takes to truly see changes in your dogs behaviour. Putting in the work, changing the way you act with your dog and being open minded to learning & growing. I’m so excited to bring out the best version of Harley so his owners can spend more time enjoying him for many years to come! 🫶🏻

10/18/2023

Little late but welcome Grizzly to the pack!

Grizzly is a 4 month old mixed breed dog and he is almost done my 10 Day Puppy Program. Over the last week, this little man has learned how to be calm & quiet in his crate for hours at a time, how to sleep through the night (thank god), boundaries in the home and around other dogs, how to drop toys/ sticks/ food with an “out” command and of course all of the basic obedience stuff (down, sit, here, heel).

His owners job is to continue practicing the patterns I’ve created for him and put a huge emphasis on exposure & socialization in calm & controlled setting.

I definitely would love to have him pack for an official board and train to continue what we started and to teach him the language of the e-collar 👍

10/12/2023

These 2 have become the best of friends during their time with me. I’m going to miss them both when they go back home this weekend 🥹♥️

10/05/2023

Welcome Seamus to the pack! Seamus is a 1 year old soft coated wheaten terrier and he is two sessions into my leash manners private program. Seamus’ owners described him as being an extremely intense puller, overly confident, bold and a dog that simply didn’t care to listen. After only 1 session Seamus’ owner was ecstatic to share the good news with me today, his little “trouble maker” is now officially a Certified Good Boy.

In addition to learning leash manners, his human and dog reactivity is completely gone inside and outside of the home 😮

It’s not always an easy fix, but some dogs really just need to know that their owner is capable of providing leadership and consequences to actions before they start to take them seriously. Seamus is a smart dog and despite multiple trainers & different classes, his owners were never able to see actual results.

Seeing dogs and humans work together to build a healthier relationship so they can actually enjoy each others company, is why I do this. It’s so rewarding. Good job David & Seamus for following directions and working hard 😀

10/03/2023

Dex asked me not to post this because of his fragile ego 🤪 he doesn’t like that he’s smaller than the girls.

09/29/2023

The golden doodle club 🍁

09/29/2023

Golden doodle club 🍁