Balanced Behaviour Dog Training

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Balanced Behaviour Dog Training

We take the time to assess each dog in order to implement a realistic and effective behaviour change plan.

Our main goal is to teach owners how to cultivate a positive and balanced relationship with their dogs and help dogs be on their best behaviour!

14/02/2024

Happy Valentine’s Day! ❤️

Here are some trainer-inspired acts of LOVE to show your dog:

- Teaching a new skill 🧑🏼‍🏫
- Hand feeding meals 🤚🏼
- Playing fetch or tug 🎾
- Signing up for a dog sport 🥏
- Giving a raw bone or bully stick 🦷
- Providing consistent guidance & leadership 🦮
- Implementing structure & boundaries 📋

Tell me: what you love most about your dog? 💌

29/11/2023

Welcome to the pack, Bear 🐻

This little guy is a 5 month old miniature schnauzer! I have been working with his owners since BEFORE they brought him home and we have been doing private lessons together since he was 9 weeks old🥹

Whether intentional or not, training starts the moment a dog is brought home. Dogs are always paying attention to what works & what doesn’t work for them.

Luckily, Bear’s owners see the value of having a trainer on their team to troubleshoot and solve little issues along the way, rather than waiting for issues to become bigger & harder to solve.

Some things we have worked through together include:
- Potty & crate training
- Addressing challenging behaviours (i.e., excessive barking, mouthing)
- Improving tolerance for cooperative care & handling
- Being too rough during play

Boarding Bear has been effortless because of the hard work and dedication of his owners. I am so proud & can’t wait to watch them continue to progress!

18/10/2023

Charlie is officially back home after spending 2 weeks with us learning the e-collar language!

Now don’t get it twisted — we spent A LOT of time building up Charlie’s foundational skills to ensure he was ready for e-collar training.

This was NOT a quick fix — this was months of dedication & hard work from his owner (with guidance & support from me) since he was 10 weeks old!

It has been such a pleasure being part of Charlie’s training journey & watching him grow from a rambunctious puppy to a lovely & balanced adult dog.

Seeing him hike off leash today with his owner handling him with ease & confidence was a very special moment — I am so proud of them both!

I can’t wait to hear about their continued progress & adventures together!

Be good Charloo 🧡

02/10/2023

Welcome back, Charlie!

Charlie’s owner has been extremely proactive with training since Day 1 & has completed our “Puppy Head Start” private lesson package and a 5-day stay & train.

At 1 year old, Charlie has grown into a well-mannered and balanced dog, all thanks to training & his owners hard work! He knows basic commands (sit, down, place, come), is calm in the crate and in the house, walks on leash without pulling or reacting to stimuli & shows confidence and adaptability in novel environments.

Charlie is solid with most of his skills, but his owner has been struggling with “selective listening” in certain situations and doesn’t trust him to always come when called. Over the next 2 weeks we will be introducing the e-collar and improving Charlie’s reliability around distractions, especially other dogs.

Recall isn’t a suggestion, it’s a non-negotiable command (and a life saving skill)!

During Charlie’s stay, we will also be working on improving his tolerance of cooperative care routines including bathing, brushing and cutting nails.

Keep an eye on our stories to watch Charlie’s progress & journey to off-leash freedom…

17/09/2023

Little Miss Ears has been reunited with her owners & they are heading home to continue their training journey!

At just over 6 months old, Prune has an amazing set of skills that will set her up for a lifetime of success.

During her initial Stay & Train back in July we focused on marker words, loose leash walking & socialization/exposure. After just over a month of being home & mastering these skills with her owners, Prune came back to continue advancing her training.

This time around we focused on teaching a formal Heel, building up a speedy recall & introducing the e-collar for added reliability. We also worked on cooperative care including trimming nails, brushing fur and body handling.

Not only did Prune’s owners hit the jackpot with a calm, stable and seriously adorable pup — but Prune also hit the jackpot with two of the most dedicated and mindful owners that I know. They are truly a perfect match & I am so grateful that I got to work with them.

I can’t wait to see her continued progress & all of the adventures they get up to.

Be good Pruney Runey!! 🧡

23/07/2023

What’s better than 1 Vizsla?

2 Vizslas!

Rueben (left) & Red (right) both completed Board & Train programs with me last year.

It was so fun hiking them together today 🤩 —

Don’t let anyone tell you that hunting breeds can’t reliable off-leash — anything is possible with the right approach, tools and consistency!

14/07/2023

Welcome to the pack, Prune! 🧡

Prune is a 5-month old mutt from Costa Rica joining us for 1 week of in-home training.

Close friends of mine recently adopted Prune & asked if I could help them get a head start on training… How could I say no to this cute face?!

During Prune’s stay we will be focusing on:
- Establishing a clear communication system (Good vs Yes)
- Loose leash walking
- Door manners / impulse control
- Implementing structure in the house
- Building confidence

I am so excited to get to know this little lady & teach her some foundational skills!

After the training week is complete, I will be meeting with Prune’s owners to outline a game plan for what their lifestyle & training should look like back at home.

Check out Prune’s story highlight on our page to watch her progress!

30/06/2023

Charlie just went home after spending 5 days boarding & training with us!

His owner first reached out to me when he was only 3 months old & we got started with private lessons shortly after that. It’s every trainer’s dream to work with owners who are proactive about their dog’s training and start ‘em young!

Charlie’s owner is doing an incredible job raising him and decided to send him for some more intensive training to address some specific goals & concerns:

- Getting in/out of the crate & car on command and without resistance
- Improving recall
- Exposure to new environments
- Managing excitability in public spaces

During his short stay, Charlie & I were able to work on all of these goals & more — including his first sleepover away from his family, first trip to the beach and his first time walking through a store!

This training week allowed me to assess Charlie’s training, state of mind and determine next steps for his owner. It also gave me the opportunity to show his owner what is possible with the right approach & consistency!

Did we reach all of their goals in 5 days? Of course not! But we sure as heck put in foundational work for his owner to maintain & build off of.

I have no doubts that Charlie’s owner will continue working hard back at home and I am so excited to see their progress!

Be good Charloo 🧡

20/04/2023

GROUP CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT!

I am very excited to announce that I will be offering Group Classes!

Each class will start with large group instruction (up to 6 dogs) focusing on a particular skill. Then, owners will have the chance to practice the skill with their dog while the trainer comes around to answer questions and provide feedback individually.

I want owners to leave each class feeling well-equipped, confident & motivated to work with their dogs to achieve long-lasting results.

*Results will vary based on the amount of work put in between classes — owners must take what they have learned during class & implement it within their dog’s everyday routine.

*Dogs with behavioural issues (i.e., reactivity, resource guarding, anxiety) may not be a good fit for Group Classes.

*The cost of tools is NOT included in Group Class pricing.

— — — — — — — — — — —

“Level 1: The Basics” focuses on building a strong foundation & positive relationship with your dog (5 months & older). It will cover: communication, establishing structure & boundaries, basic obedience, loose leash walking & appropriate socialization.

Classes will start Wednesday May 17 @ 7:00pm and run for 5 weeks at a local park in Hamilton (location shared upon registration). The final class will be on Wednesday June 14.

Investment: $400 (+HST)

24/01/2023

Training is a journey!

You may not be where you want to be with your training yet, but you’re also not where you used to be.

Take a second to remember how far you & your dog have come 🧡

05/01/2023

LIFE UPDATE

Holy cannoli we have been so busy the last couple of weeks with Christmas celebrations, ringing in the New Year… and moving!

You heard that right - has officially moved to Vaughan, ON!

We will be offering the following services:

- 1:1 Private Lessons
- Virtual Lessons

Structured Boarding is currently on hold for past clients (unless I have already confirmed with you) as we get settled in our new space and routine.

Past clients looking to book refresher & follow-up sessions, please text or email me 😊

New clients, please DM or email me if you have any questions about eligibility and availability for lessons!

Bring it on 2023 💪🏼

29/11/2022

This floof just turned 2! Happy birthday Sansa 🥳

24/11/2022

Welcome to the pack, Red!

This (almost) 2 year old Vizsla is joining us for a 4 week Board & Train program!

Red is a pushy and impulsive guy who has been lacking structure and boundaries in his life. A large focus of his program will be spent slowing him down & making our expectations consistent to create clarity and eliminate any grey areas.

His owners main goals include:
- Eliminating reactivity & improving leash walking skills.
- Developing an off-switch & respecting boundaries within the home.
- Achieving more reliability with commands both on & off-leash.

Red is a very smart and motivated dog who is eager to learn, but he needs the right approach and consistency to get him there. After just over a week into his program, I am already starting to see a positive shift in his state of mind & know that he will thrive with this new lifestyle.

Stay tuned…

21/11/2022

Welcome to the pack, Sansa!

Sansa is a 2 year old Samoyed joining us for a 4 week Board and Train program. During her stay we will be focusing on:
- Teaching reliable recall & off-leash skills
- Increasing confidence & calmness in new environments
- Improving engagement with her handler
- Building neutrality around wildlife, people & other dogs

Her owners main concern is her lack of handler awareness in stimulating environments. She is a flight risk due to her nervousness associated with novel sounds and her over-arousal around dogs & wildlife.

Her first week here was spent mastering all of the basics and now we are getting out into the “real world” to start generalizing her skills.

Incorporating daily structure and consistent boundaries as well as developing a clear communication system has already helped Sansa progress in the right direction. With continued leadership she will learn how to trust and follow her handler’s guidance in any situation.

I am super excited to be working with this beautiful floof & can’t wait to see her progress in the coming weeks!

Stay tuned…

12/11/2022

Orla just completed a private lesson package & I am blown away by her progress!

Prior to training, Orla was described as independent, easily distracted and unreliable. Her owner’s main goals were achieving off-leash reliability, reducing reactivity towards other dogs and improving impulse control around distractions (i.e., wildlife, toys).

During our lessons we focused on building relationship and motivation through hand feeding & play, implementing a structured walk, teaching obedience and implementing clear and consistent rules and boundaries.

Orla’s owners were ready to make the necessary changes to rebuild their relationship and got to work right after our first lesson together. They always dedicated time and effort between lessons to continue building their skills and asked questions along the way. Lesson by lesson I watched their relationship grow, all leading up to an off-leash hike!

Watching Orla’s owners lead her on a hike today was a beautiful sight & I am so proud of them.

I can’t wait to hear updates from this lovely pack about all of their future progress & adventures.

Be good, Orla 🧡

26/10/2022

Maui & Olaf —

I have loved getting to know these two sweet boys. They are absolutely thriving with a structured lifestyle & clear communication system.

Our last week together will be spent generalizing their skills in new environments

This weekend their owners will be joining us for some transition lessons to start learning how to rebuild a healthier relationship with each dog & continue making progress in the right direction when they head home.

Stay tuned 🧡

📸:

22/10/2022

Lexi’s owners picked her up from a 3-week Board and Train program just over 2 weeks ago and today, we met for a follow-up lesson. I love when owners take advantage of their follow-up lessons because it allows us to check-in with all of the dog’s skills & clean-up any finer details.

Our goal today was to check on skill maintenance & make sure everything is on the right track. All of her skills looked SO sharp, even with her three human sisters running around the park!

I am so proud of her owners; they have been applying all of their knowledge gained from our previous lessons and have been working so hard to keep making progress!

Hearing owners say they never thought it would be possible to do something with their dog & watching them do it with confidence is one of the BEST parts of my job. I love helping dogs and owners as reach their full potential.

Lexi is such a fun dog - she loves to work, hike, walk, play… you name it, she is happy to join in on all of the fun. This training & lifestyle has brought out the best in Lexi & made life with her owners so much bigger and less stressful.

They are going to enjoy this training for many years to come & I am so excited for them!

Keep it up, Lex 🧡

17/10/2022

Welcome to the pack, Maui!

Maui is a 2.5 year old Spanish Water Dog joining us for a 4-week Board and Train program for a lifestyle and mindset reset along with his brother Olaf.

Like his brother, Maui lacks confidence and has limited exposure to the world. I have taken my time getting to know Maui and after 2 weeks I am proud to say that he is coming out of his shell, starting to trust me and is making much better choices when put under pressure. His confidence has grown a ton and he is working with me more enthusiastically.

My guidance and advocacy has provided him with a sense of security / safety that allows him to observe instead of react and I give consistent feedback to help him navigate anything that life throws our way.

Now that I have spent time with each dog building their confidence & training foundations individually, it is time to start challenging them together.

I am really looking forward to seeing their dynamic and watching them work together with my leadership!
 Stay tuned…

17/10/2022

Welcome to the pack, Olaf!

Olaf is a 2.5 year old Spanish Water Dog joining us for a 4-week Board and Train program for a lifestyle and mindset reset along with his brother Maui.

Olaf is a reactive & anxious guy with low confidence; he has had limited exposure to the real world and struggles to cope when put under pressure. The first 2 weeks of his program have been spent slowing him down, building a relationship where he values my guidance and boosting his confidence in a variety of ways.

Ways in which we are building confidence:
- Adding structure into his schedule
- Play
- Structured Walks
- Obedience Training
- Outings & Exposure

All of the above activities also help to create a predictable (black/white) routine, fulfil his prey drive, build pack drive, develop consistent boundaries and allow him to create new and healthier patterns of behaviour.

I am starting to see a playful, curious and observant side to Olaf as he learns to trust me and use his new skills to cope when navigating in the real world.

My focus over the next 2 weeks will be exposure to new environments, continuing to work on off-leash reliability, and starting to work Olaf in tandem with his brother.

There will need to be a balance of working the boys together and finding time to spend with each dog individually. With littermates especially, it is important to cultivate a healthy separation to prevent any co-dependency and also build a strong bond with them as individuals. I will be working closely with their owners to ensure we find a balanced solution that best fits the dog’s needs and their lifestyle!

Stay tuned…

14/10/2022

To my community —

I have made the decision to temporarily suspend Board and Train programs as of January 2023.

This was an extremely difficult decision for me to make, and while I love the Board and Train and all of the amazing dogs & owners I have had the privilege to work with, it has been an on-going challenge to find my own personal life & work balance.

Part of me wants to push through and persevere, but I know that this is the best decision for myself to prevent burn out and ensure that I am taking care of my well being.

I am hoping to explore new ways of helping owners and dogs in the New Year and also help myself find a healthier work/life balance.

This isn’t the end of Balanced Behaviour Dog Training - it’s simply a new chapter that will make room for growth & learning opportunities.

I still plan on offering structured boarding (for past clients), virtual coaching & private lessons.

Thank you all SO much for being here.
I look forward to sharing this next chapter with you all & I hope you will join us 🧡

- Jess & Luna

10/09/2022

Welcome to the pack, Lexi!

This adorable little lady is a 7 month old golden doodle joining us for a 3 week Board and Train to focus on exposure, social skills, overall manners and off-leash reliability.

Lexi and her owners completed our “Puppy Headstart” program earlier this year and we have been in touch since before bringing Lexi home - needless to say they are ahead of the game and extremely dedicated to her training & success!

Lexi has great foundational skills such as eye contact/engagement, basic obedience and can follow directional guidance via food lure & leash pressure. She is ready to take her training to the next level!

We will be helping her in the state of mind department, increasing her reliability with commands both on & off-leash and teaching her how to stay focused around a variety of real world distractions.

Stay tuned for regular updates of this cutie in our stories to see what a 7 month old pup is really capable of! 😏

04/09/2022

Welcome to the pack, Wilbur!

This guy is a 2 year old Spanish Water Dog joining us for a 4-week Board and Train program to work through dog & human reactivity. We will also be addressing other behaviours including counter surfing, jumping up, doorbell reactivity and leash pulling.

Wilbur’s owner struggles to have guests over and take him for walks with his out of control and explosive reactivity. As of right now, Wilbur thinks that growling, barking and lunging is the appropriate response to keep people and dogs out of his space. These behaviours comes from a place of insecurity and a lack of exposure, boundaries and impulse control.

During our first week together, I have spent time getting to know Wilbur and building a relationship built on trust and respect as well establishing a communication system. He has already made some great progress with impulse control, confidence and following direction - but we still have a lot of work to do!

I am looking forward to teaching Wilbur how to navigate and calmly exist in the real world and showing his owner how to be the leader he needs to thrive!

Stay tuned for his progress…

03/08/2022

Junior just went home after 4 weeks of training and his future is looking bright! ☀️

Prior to training Junior was difficult to manage; he was impulsive, excitable and easily distracted.

During his time here we focused on building engagement and trust, teaching new skills and establishing boundaries. Junior is an incredibly intelligent guy, he loves to learn and was such a pleasure to work with. He is heading home with a manners makeover, calmer state of mind and off-leash reliability. More importantly, his owners are being sent home with the knowledge and tools that are needed for success.

He now has an incredible foundation for his owners to build on and it will be up to them to establish structure & boundaries in their home, continue holding him accountable for what he knows & offering consistent guidance and leadership throughout the day.

Junior still the same goofy and lovable dog, but his owners now know how to fulfil his needs (play, hand feeding, hikes), communicate clearly (commands and marker words), and cultivate a calm and predictable environment (place & down duration, crating throughout the day and overnight).

I am so excited for his owners to have him back at home and I am look forward to seeing his progress.

Be good, JuJu 🧡

18/07/2022

Welcome to the pack, Lily!

This gorgeous gal is a 6 year old German Shepherd joining us for a 4 week Board and Train program to address her fearfulness.

There are many environmental triggers that cause Lily to go into panic / flight mode & it is very challenging for her owners to handle and support her in these moments.

During Lily’s stay we will be focusing on confidence building and healthy exposure to change the way she feels about the world around her. We will also be providing her with consistent daily structure and guidance to help her navigate any situation and process her surroundings in a new way.

This past week has been spent building our trust and relationship, establishing a clear communication system and solidifying her obedience commands.

In addition to the above foundational components, ADVOCACY will also play a huge role in Lily’s success.

The road ahead is going to be bumpy (progress is rarely ever linear), but I am so looking forward to helping Lily see the world in a new way & watch her progress in the coming weeks!

Stay tuned…

11/07/2022

Ozzy just completed our “Unleash Your Potential” private lesson package!

This long legged lad has come such a long way during his program - from a dog that was all over the place, easily distracted and unpredictable to a fully on- and off- leash trained companion 🤩

Ozzy is still the same quirky and energetic dog, but with more impulse control, boundaries and respect/regard for his owner.

Ozzy’s owner came to every lesson ready to learn and put in so much work between their lessons - the results speak for themselves!

It was a pleasure watching their relationship and confidence grow together. This awesome duo is going to live such full lives with this new balanced lifestyle and training!

Be good, Ozzy man 🧡

09/07/2022

Welcome to the pack, Junior!

This lanky boy is a 2 year old Standard Poodle, joining us for the next 4 weeks to work on impulse control, leash manners & calming his overall state of mind. During his stay we will also be working on teaching a reliable recall so his owners can trust him off-leash at their cottage.

Junior is very excitable and struggles to stay calm around people & other dogs - his owner said that he goes “bananas” when visiting family which includes lunging, jumping up, whining and just being all over the place. Junior is also known for stealing food off of counters and out of people’s hands as well as bolting through open doors.

His owners would like to get these behaviours under control so they can enjoy their time with Junior more & trust him in a variety of different situations and environments.

I am already seeing a positive shift in Junior’s state of mind after only a few days of implementing more structure and boundaries in his life. No more living in a lawless land - rules and black & white expectations are going to help this guy thrive!

Stay tuned for Junior’s progress!

15/06/2022

Welcome to the pack, Ryder!

Ryder is a 1 year old Lab joining us for a 2-week Board and Train program! He is a very sweet and friendly dog but has been causing his family a lot of stress due to his unruly & out of control behaviour.

Stealing the remote and other household objects, jumping up, barking, biting the leash, turning recall into a game of catch me if you can, pulling like a freight train, counter surfing and mouthing were on his owner’s list of nuisance behaviours. This list is long but most of these behaviours are a result of unclear expectations and a lack of structure, leadership and accountability.

While Ryder is here, we will be doing a manners makeover, teaching him how to walk calmly on leash & developing an off-switch inside the house as well as in public. We will also be working on some off-leash skills so this guy can enjoy more freedom on their big property.

I am very excited to help Ryder and his owner live harmoniously & enjoy their time together more!

Stay tuned for this big & goofy guy’s progress!

13/06/2022

Welcome to the pack, Kofi!

I’m overdue on this intro post, but to catch you all up (if you haven’t been watching our stories), Kofi is a 4 year old Jack Russell mix joining us for a 3 week Board and Train program!

After spending the first week getting to know Kofi I have learned a few things about him…

- He is slow to warm up to new people & things.
- He lacks confidence & can be insecure around the unfamiliar.
- He enjoys working for his food & is a quick learner!
- He has been thriving with a structured lifestyle and does very well with black & white communication and expectations.

This past week we have been focusing on building our relationship, Kofi’s confidence and foundational skills (I.e., house manners, food lure, leash pressure & basic obedience).

Now that Kofi understands the expectations and we have a clear cut communication system in place, we have started venturing into different environments to further challenge these skills. With consistent guidance, advocacy and discipline Kofi is learning how to navigate and process his world in a new way as well as prioritize his handler.

His owners top 3 goals are to improve Kofi’s manners when guests come over (bark-aholic), achieve off-leash reliability and master loose leash walking.

Keep an eye on our stories to watch Kofi’s progress!

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http://balancedbehaviourdogtraining.com/

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1 Year of Balanced Behaviour Dog Training!

1 year of #BBDT 🧡 I can’t believe it has already been a year since I started Balanced Behaviour Dog Training! Thank you to all of my clients for trusting me with their dogs & thank you to every single one of you for following, sharing and supporting me on this journey. I never thought I would grow this business as much as I already have & I am very excited to see what this year has in store 🤩 #TrainEducateAdvocate #DogTraining #DogTrainer #BoardAndTrain #BalancedTraining #BalancedDogTraining

Dog Trainer are not Magicians... Some people seem to think that when they sign their dog up for a training program the trainer is going to wave a magic wand and *POOF* ... a “perfect” dog!  Trust me, I wish it was that easy, but the reality is, in order to create long-lasting behaviour change, owners must be willing to maintain training on a DAILY basis. - Following through with expectations (i.e., come means come) - Rewarding their dog for making good decisions - Holding their dog accountable - Maintaining structure and boundaries in the home - Advocating for their dog in public spaces - And so much more! Dog trainers aren’t magicians, but we do have a few “tricks” up our sleeve - the main one being consistency! Consistency helps dogs maintain training because there is clarity about what IS allowed and what IS NOT allowed. When we create a black and white picture for dogs, it eliminates any confusion in our training and expectations and sets them up for success! The real ✨magic✨happens when owners put the daily time and effort into training and stay consistent with their dog for their entire life! Training isn’t magic or a means to an end, it’s a lifestyle.

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