Good Boy Dog Training

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Good Boy Dog Training Obedience and behaviour training you can trust in Edmonton, Alberta. Group classes & private training

We offer group classes and private training options for you and your dog.

Good Boy Wally enjoying his holidays after wrapping up his Good Boy Basics class in December. Happy New Year to everyone...
02/01/2025

Good Boy Wally enjoying his holidays after wrapping up his Good Boy Basics class in December. Happy New Year to everyone!

11/12/2024

Your dog's brain is filled with software geared toward finding food. Sniffing, digging, foraging, chewing, and exploring - all that software, and what do we do? We put their meal in a bowl and hand it to them, leaving that software with a big job undone. This can result in a lot of little glitches in our dogs, from chewing furniture to barking at every little noise.

You can head off a lot of issues by picking up some enrichment toys, or using the environment around your dog for enrichment. This particular toy is from Joliepaw, but there are hundreds of options. There are even a lot of things you can do for little to no cost. Give your dog the gift of getting to use the doggiest parts of their brain. From puppies to seniors, the benefits truly can't be overstated.

Muzzles look scary, but even the goodest of boys should learn to wear them. They can be used to stop your dog from eatin...
08/12/2024

Muzzles look scary, but even the goodest of boys should learn to wear them. They can be used to stop your dog from eating things on walks, to get you much-needed space for training, and, yes, to reduce the risk of your dog biting in various contexts, including in grooming and medical situations. In some places, dogs are required to wear muzzles when on public transit. They're an important tool that can provide a lot of benefit to you and your dog.

To teach your dog to wear one, start slow and make sure it pays off well every time. Take a few weeks to slowly introduce it, and be careful to never try to trick or trap your dog into wearing it. For the first few days, you won't even fasten the buckles. You want to see your dog tippy-tappin' every time you bring out the muzzle before you even think about attaching it to them. Take your time - I promise, it's worth it!

Winter is full of new challenges in your home and on walks. Changes to your dog's routine, new visitors, house training ...
28/11/2024

Winter is full of new challenges in your home and on walks. Changes to your dog's routine, new visitors, house training woes, icy sidewalks, and holidays can all throw a wrench in your dog's training. We can help your dog level up. From learning to walk nicely to waiting patiently while guests come in, to helping your dog through their first experiences with children or dogs visiting their home, we're happy to help and currently booking spaces in December. Click the link to learn more about our private training in Edmonton and area!

https://www.goodboydogtraining.ca/index.php/training-overview/private-training/

As winter approaches, I'm excited to start offering a scent detection class beginning on January 5th. Scent detection is...
22/11/2024

As winter approaches, I'm excited to start offering a scent detection class beginning on January 5th. Scent detection is a fun and easy way to use up some of your dog's mental energy indoors, and is simple to set up at home on your own once you get started. This class will get your dog started on the wintergreen odour, searching containers and interior areas. You will get a tin of this odour to take home for practice.

Class is three weeks long, making it a perfect bite-sized winter activity! Space is limited. If there's enough interest, we will look at scheduling another start date later in January as well. Please get in touch with any questions!

Scent detection is one of the fastest-growing activities to do with your dog. Perfect for hot summers and cold winters, …

Still some room in our Puppy Prep School class starting this Sunday, Nov. 10th at 11:15 AM. This is the last set of clas...
06/11/2024

Still some room in our Puppy Prep School class starting this Sunday, Nov. 10th at 11:15 AM. This is the last set of classes for the year! A good chance to get started on training before the holidays hit, and tire your dog's brain and body while staying warm.

Let us start you and your puppy off on the right paw! In this six-week class, we'll guide you through …

Is your dog a risk to turkeys everywhere? Use gates and doors to your advantage tonight/tomorrow. It's too late to train...
13/10/2024

Is your dog a risk to turkeys everywhere? Use gates and doors to your advantage tonight/tomorrow. It's too late to train anything new, but managing your dog's access is very doable! Even a tether to keep your dog with you while someone else cooks is a great option.

I just added these steps to my bedroom, both because I have senior dogs (wow, time flies), and because I have one dog wo...
05/10/2024

I just added these steps to my bedroom, both because I have senior dogs (wow, time flies), and because I have one dog worried about being landed on when the other jumps up. They've been fantastic, and are much better than what I've seen on the market for dog steps. Most dog steps are narrow and are made for small dogs who don't need much turning space. I was specifically looking for wide steps so that my larger dogs could enter and exit at different angles. These are hot tub steps, so they're wide enough for people and rated for more weight. I've put the link in the comments. Feel free to add any suggestions for products you've enjoyed!

Sometimes dogs that are nervous in new environments become hypervigilant, constantly scanning the environment for anythi...
24/09/2024

Sometimes dogs that are nervous in new environments become hypervigilant, constantly scanning the environment for anything that might be a threat. It can be very helpful to give your dog a calming activity to do. In this case, we gave Beau a snuffle mat. Not only did this give him a project to occupy himself with, but sniffing is naturally quite calming. Encouraging sniffing often gets a dog to stop scanning with their eyes and ears and to start scanning using their nose. Their breathing evens out and they settle down more.

Like anything, this doesn't work for all dogs, but scent is usually a good place to start if your dog is a bit wired. Even a simple treat scatter in the grass works well, or encouraging them to investigate a tree or a rock.

On today's list of reasons to work on your dog's response to dropping objects...I promise that if my "eat first, check ...
13/09/2024

On today's list of reasons to work on your dog's response to dropping objects...

I promise that if my "eat first, check if food later" dog can learn to not grab falling things, yours can too! This skill has served me so well over the years.

I know we're holding onto summer with a tight grip, but it's time to think about taking your dog back to school, too!Joi...
05/09/2024

I know we're holding onto summer with a tight grip, but it's time to think about taking your dog back to school, too!

Join one of our September classes and you'll be reaping the benefits in time for your holiday gatherings. Good Boy Basics includes greeting manners, impulse control, and stationing skills that will come in handy when guests are at the door and food is on the counter.

We have room in our class starting next Tuesday, September 10th, as well as our class beginning September 29th.

https://www.goodboydogtraining.ca/index.php/product/good-boy-basics/

Leave any questions you have below!

Gonzo is a dog that Cassie worked with at the end of last year. His person reached out with some feedback a while back, ...
04/09/2024

Gonzo is a dog that Cassie worked with at the end of last year. His person reached out with some feedback a while back, and we just checked in with them today to make sure everything is still going well. This good boy has progressed to being confident off leash and is doing so well!

"I’d like to thank Cassie for helping me to build confidence in Gonzo. As a former street dog, he was very skittish and difficult to control on the leash. He’s learnt a lot and is becoming a very confident and loving dog. I now have the tools available to continue his training. Thank you Cassie!"

We were lucky to spend this weekend in a workshop with Predation Substitute Training with Simone Mueller, digging deep i...
03/09/2024

We were lucky to spend this weekend in a workshop with Predation Substitute Training with Simone Mueller, digging deep into the instincts behind predatory behaviour in dogs. Thank you to everyone who joined us for a fun and informative weekend full of live demos.

If you feel like you're always in conflict with your dog over predatory behaviour, please reach out to us any time! We can help you work through this, and maybe even to learn to enjoy your dog's predatory instincts a bit!

(To anyone who attended, I'm in the process of doing video review and will get any information out to you as soon as possible!)

When you're practicing relaxation but you overdo it.Featuring: Bentley, Good Boy Basics
03/09/2024

When you're practicing relaxation but you overdo it.

Featuring: Bentley, Good Boy Basics

If you've been considering signing up, registration is still open for now!
25/07/2024

If you've been considering signing up, registration is still open for now!

Do you live in Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands or Great Britain and is your dog’s prey drive driving you up the wall? Are you eager to turn the stressful chases into enjoyable experiences? Then here is your chance:

I will travel to these countries to bring you my seminar called “Hunting Together - New ways of managing your dog’s predatory behaviour” live!

We’ll dive into why dogs love to hunt and how we can channel this natural instinct into positive, fun activities that strengthen your relationship. 👩‍🦰♥️🐶

What to expect:

In our workshop we are going to focus in theory and practice on:

🤔 What is predation, why do dogs love to prey and why is predatory behaviour so hard to interrupt?

🛑 How to stop uncontrolled chasing and help your dog control their urge to chase in a healthy and force-free way.

🦌 Finding ways to practice predatory sequences together with your dog in a controlled and safe environment.

🧲 Structuring your walks to set your dog up for more focus and engagement outside.

🎯 Discovering a variety of games and exercises to express your dog’s predatory energy through Predation Substitute Games and grow as a team.

The games and exercises are instructed live with demo dogs and backed up with video material.

Here’s where you can join:

Canada: 31. August + 01. September, Edmonton, Alberta
Tickets: Good Boy Dog Training
https://www.goodboydogtraining.ca/index.php/predation-substitute-training-with-simone-mueller/

Ireland: 12. + 13. October, Athlone
Tickets: 4 Furry Paws Galway
https://bookwhen.com/de/4furrypawsgalway =ev-s44y-20241012000000

Netherlands: 02. + 03. November, Utrecht
Tickets: Dutch Cell Dogs
https://dutchcelldogs.nl/product/seminar-simone-mueller/

United Kingdom: 19. + 20. November, Cheshunt
Tickets: Dog&Bone
https://www.dog-and-bone.co.uk/product-page/predation-substitute-training

Not a seminar but a conference talk:

United Kingdom, 06. October, Wi******er
Tickets: PACT Conference
https://www.pact-dogs.com/dogx2024

Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or need more info. I can’t wait to meet you and connect in person. 🩷

12/07/2024

Another fantastic example of the way Predation Substitute Training can help your dog learn to cope with squirrels, rabbits, cats, and any other manifestations of their predatory instincts. Simone Mueller will be joining us in Edmonton for two days to teach about her very effective and safe procedures for modifying predatory behaviour. Tickets are only on sale for two more weeks! See the comments for a link to register.

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Opening Hours

Monday 12:00 - 21:00
Tuesday 12:00 - 21:00
Wednesday 12:00 - 21:00
Thursday 12:00 - 21:00
Friday 12:00 - 21:00
Saturday 12:00 - 21:00
Sunday 12:00 - 21:00

Telephone

+17804744711

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Videos

Your dog's brain is filled with software geared toward finding food. Sniffing, digging, foraging, chewing, and exploring - all that software, and what do we do? We put their meal in a bowl and hand it to them, leaving that software with a big job undone. This can result in a lot of little glitches in our dogs, from chewing furniture to barking at every little noise. You can head off a lot of issues by picking up some enrichment toys, or using the environment around your dog for enrichment. This particular toy is from Joliepaw, but there are hundreds of options. There are even a lot of things you can do for little to no cost. Give your dog the gift of getting to use the doggiest parts of their brain. From puppies to seniors, the benefits truly can't be overstated.

Some quick sound conditioning! Pair up that scary thunder or hail with the good stuff, and watch your dog come to love thunder. Even my very sound sensitive little border collie is starting to suspect that thunder causes peanut butter.

Biggs and I are working on a few things in this video. On exiting the house, he was really blasting out the door determined to go full steam ahead. So, I worked on building a routine for him that when we exit, he stops with his feet on the door sill, without a verbal cue, waiting to be released. What you can't see behind the door is me resetting back to step one every time: putting on the collar and leash. We're also working on releasing from that position and immediately reengaging with me (rather than assuming focus time is over). Finally, we're working on a quick turn around cue, helping him learn that we may change direction even when he's most excited to go forward. I'm making sure to put a lot of value into following me, which he clearly gets by the end. I think this was about ten minutes overall. *Just a note, it's really not necessary to have your dog stop and wait at every door. I chose this for this dog because he was having specific trouble engaging with me on a walk right from the exit point. For my personal dogs, I have this rule for one of them, and not for the other. That choice all depends on your needs and the choices your dog is making when left to their own devices.

Sage is a dog with some big feelings about other dogs. His reactions tend to be abrupt and loud, and being a strong boy, he's pulled his person over in the past. Even in the absence of other dogs, he really wants to get places fast and visit every single tree he passes. Our first couple of sessions were focused on learning to walk nicely. This lesson was centered around creating a quieter, more focused response to the sight of another dog. Here is just a couple of minutes of work. If you're working on reactivity with your dog, there are a lot of little things to think about, but once you get the hang of things, it comes together beautifully.

A quick video of introducing tug play to a young puppy. I am usually teaching a few things at once when introing this. Tug can be a delightful way to play with just a few easy rules. My tug rules for the puppy are: 1) The game starts when I give a cue (take it, get it, or similar). Trying to make me start the game by trying to grab the toy or bite through my hands doesn't work. This rule helps prevent puppies from snatching anything they perceive to be a toy out of hands. 2) Teeth on skin ends the game. Set them up to have good aim by presenting the biteable part of the toy clearly. Two hands spaced apart, presenting the toy in between, usually works best. 3) Dropping when given a cue. I almost always reward a drop by restarting the game. My rules for myself, which are just as important: 1) Tug is a game with some inherent conflict, and it works best for play and training if you take the conflict out of it. You shouldn't feel like you're arguing with your puppy. Make the game fun by letting them win often. Act goofy, wiggly, and loose yourself. Pretend to fall over because they tugged SO hard. When possible, invite them to return to you after they win instead of trying to snatch the toy back (and notice that when I do take it back, I'm not being intimidating and I'm keeping it playful). 2) Tug games tap into your dog's prey drive, so to get the best results, the tug should act like prey. Wiggle it AWAY from your dog, low to the ground, in small, fast movements. Go from being stationary to abruptly moving. If it looks like a squirrel trying to dodge a dog, you're doing it right!

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