Masterful Mutts Doggy Dojo

09/01/2025

Concerned about initiating puppy training or walking your puppy before completing their vaccination series? This is a significant concern for many owners when they acquire a new puppy, but research from the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) has found that puppies participating in socialization classes were not at a higher risk of contracting canine parvovirus (CPV) infection than vaccinated puppies that did not attend such classes. The AVSAB recommends that pet owners begin taking their puppies on public outings and walks as early as one week after their initial vaccinations, typically around eight weeks of age. According to the AVSAB, the first three months of a puppy's life are crucial for proper socialization. Puppies that are deprived of socialization opportunities until their vaccination series is complete will have a limited window for socialization, often resulting in behavioral problems that pose a greater threat to their well-being than the minimal risk of contracting an illness.

08/16/2025

PSA just because your dog is a rescue and is hand shy, or nervous does not mean they were necessarily abused in their past.

08/13/2025

08/13/2025

New study’s show that vaccines last longer then first thought, this is the new recommended shots and when. Over vaxing pets can lead to a lot of health problems including compromising their immune system.

August is National Vaccine Month… but here’s the truth: over-vaccination can do more harm than good.

💉 Too many shots can overload your pet’s immune system, with smaller dogs feeling it even harder. This can trigger long-term problems—skin issues, autoimmune disease, digestive trouble, and in cats, even cancer at the injection site.

📌 My rule? Protect them, but don’t overdo it. Read my safe, minimal protocol here: https://veterinarysecrets.com/national-vaccine-month-beware-of-the-hidden-risks/

08/08/2025

Recently I’ve had a few cases with dogs biting or snapping at kids, and in all of them the kid was either messing with the dogs face while it was resting, and or sitting/laying on it. Dogs are not jungle gyms or toys for your children. If you let your kids do this it’s not if but when the dog decides it has enough and if you let them do this with a puppy you are setting that pup up for failure. Teach your children how to be respectful and gentle with animals.

08/07/2025

You know what all these dogs have in common? They all came to us either cause of reactivity, or unwanted behaviors, and with patience and practice these dogs and owners are living a much easier life. Contact us today to enroll your pup in obedience training

07/03/2025

As the 4th of July approaches fast, here’s a PSA to help keep our dogs safe.
1: Do not let your dog outside off leash even if you have a fence keep your dog leashed as most dogs can easily clear a 6ft fence when they need to.
2: using doggy earplugs or doggy ear protection helps a bunch, if you don’t have anywhere that sells them cotton balls work too(just don’t shove to far down the ear canal)
3: Play fire work sounds to help desensitize your dog to the sound itself, start by playing it low then increase the volume. Doing this helps your dog understand that the sound isn’t something to get overly worked up about.

Each year durning this time 1,000s of pets get lost or killed cause of fire works being set off. By following these suggestions you can make sure your pet stays safe durning this time. May you all have a wonderful and safe 4th tomorrow 😄

06/22/2025

Dog parks are a double edged sword, while they can be a great place for your dog to burn energy it can also be a very dangerous place as well. Always use your best judgement when using one.

Dog Parks? Hard Pass.

What’s the big deal with dog parks—and are trainers just overreacting?

Dogs are social creatures. Most enjoy the company of familiar, well-matched dogs. So in theory, dog parks should be a great place for them to connect and burn energy, right?

Unfortunately, that’s rarely the case.

Here’s why:

Often dogs at dog parks are strangers to each other. Meeting unknown dogs typically triggers an adrenaline spike—heightened arousal that can quickly tip into tension or conflict. Repeated exposure to this dynamic conditions a dog to associate social interaction with overstimulation. In many cases, this is where reactivity begins - often observed as frustration on lead.

Safe and healthy introductions require structure. Wide open spaces, minimal training, and a lack of handler control (think: can a dog recall off other dogs?) make dog parks a high risk environment for incidents.

Add to that the fact that dogs all have different social styles—some are boisterous, others are timid —and appropriate pairings become nearly impossible. The goal of any interaction should be to promote calm, appropriate social behaviour. It’s hard to do that in a chaotic, uncontrolled setting.

A better approach?
Find a dog your dog pairs well with and meet in a calm, safe environment or consider a structured daycare program run by qualified trainers who can supervise and manage play appropriately. Lastly, we acknowledge there are some well managed park environments where regulars meet and manage the space/social interaction well. These are rare though.

06/15/2025

One of our clients is now confidently walking her two dogs, a skill she was unable to master prior to taking our classes. Would you like to walk your dog without issues or learn how to walk multiple dogs? Take advantage of our summer deals on our Leash Etiquette course today, featuring six classes for only $350.00.

05/03/2025

End of life is never easy, especially when it comes to our pets. Tho when it does happen I highly recommend PCS Crematory located over on Mayflower Rd. We used them a few yrs ago when our demo dog lost his battle with cancer. They were very helpful and kind durning the whole process, as well as affordable and as of recently we had to say goodbye to a beloved cat. They offer resin artwork and jewelry containing your furbabies ashes as a way to help memorialized and remember them better. Heres what they made for us with Millies ashes 🥹 If you have a cremated pet that you’d like to have a resin or jewelry made with their ashes just give them a call, I had commissioned a resin dog mold and necklace from Ryders ashes that came out very well

04/27/2025

Cali has achieved remarkable progress and graduated with distinction. Her owners have demonstrated exceptional dedication to her training. Congratulations Cali 😃

04/24/2025

The dog park in Ruidoso just added some agility equipment thanks to a local Eagle Scout who designed and installed it. Aleu had a blast and helped the other dogs learn how to use the equipment. It was our first time going to this park and it was so nice. If you are in the area with your dog I highly recommend checking it out there’s a small dog side and large dog side separated.