Bug is a 4yo corgi/heeler mix who is here for a few things and one of them is being unable to walk in Patterson Park due to squirrels 🐿️ she was big on stalking & chasing and the only one having fun on walks was Bug 😂
Fast forward and we were walking home from a field trip where we grabbed coffee! Many of my clients goals is simply to be able to enjoy walking their dogs in Patterson Park - I’d say we accomplished that with Ms. Buggy!
We are about half way through Petey’s behavior modification program and we have been working really hard on his reactivity - particularly dogs barking behind windows. If you are a city resident, you already know!
Petey has a pretty deep seated fear of other dogs after multiple unfortunate incidents and it has made him super defensive overall. While he still has big feelings - we are working on creating clarity for him while also building trust in his handler that we will keep him safe!
We have two weeks left and I’m super excited about the progress we’ve made so far!
Our very own Morgan’s dog Louie with the biggest distraction of them all - deer! If you have a dog with prey drive you KNOW how impressive this is. Louie graduated a few years ago and he is still out here making good choices! 💪🏻
Meeka the 7yo cattle dog is about halfway through her behavior mod program for dog reactivity! Her dad has very realistic goals for her - like being able to walk her in the daylight 😄
We have worked really hard on building a solid foundation giving her access to lower arousal levels as well as trust & respect for her handler. What we’ve found is that Meeka is actually extremely uncomfortable with other dogs and has had limited exposure to other dogs prior to being adopted by her current family.
Having positive social interactions as well as regard for whoever is holding the leash has made her feel much more comfortable. We still have a lot of work to do but I’m really proud of how far she has come already!
Penny was a 9mo old Golden/lab mix that is so sweet but was really hard to live with! She loves all people and dogs and that lead to her saying hi to everyone and jumping which made walking her difficult. She counter surfed, couldn’t be left alone because she would eat things and could never settle. Fast forward to the end of her training where she was able to go anywhere, could settle anywhere and most importantly was able to regulate her emotions like a pro! We had so much fun working with Penny and I am so excited for her mom and their new life together! 💕#dogtraining #baltimoredogtraining #dogsofinstagram #behaviormodification #obediencetraining #baltimoredogs #dogbehavior #ecollartraining #dogsofbmore #bmorepups #dogsofbaltimore #bmoredogs #dogsofmaryland #marylanddogs #bmore #charmcity #goldens #labsofinstagram #labs #goldensofbaltimore
In 2023 we trained 46 dogs and had 8 dogs back for a tune up. To say this year was a success would be massive understatement. To everyone who joined the MCD family in 2023, thank you! Looking forward to what 2024 has in store 🎉🍾🥳
MCD rolling into 2024 like 🎉🍾🥳
The end goal for our training will always be helping our dogs develop better coping skills when faced with stress. We show a lot of obedience as that’s how we get there but more importantly we are actively working to slow the mind down so our dogs can think through their choices. The first clip is Lia on her first day of training three weeks ago. The second clip is her on a field trip with lots of triggers around… people walking by, a new place, dogs, etc. As Aussie’s do, Lia wanted to be in charge of everything happening around her and this led to some pretty dangerous behavior at home. She was majorly stressed out and her coping skills were biting. We are in Lia’s final week and her obedience in public was sharp and she was tuned in. But to see her eyes so soft, so relaxed and trusting us take the lead is the true win.
We celebrated #nationaldogday the best way we know how - running, swimming and playing at the farm with @dogsofcharmcity ! We had Rey(who goes home tomorrow!), Brady, ASAP, Benson, Morgan and Roni and Lyndsay had her crew!
Such a fun day and we also had an opportunity to work on Rey’s off-leash heel and recall in a new place around dogs she didn’t know! Good job girlfriend!
Max & Bo’s boy’s day out! We hit up Petco and Nordstrom Rack for some shopping the other day and the boys really let their skills shine! Bo and Max are in for different reasons, but let’s talk about why field trips are SO valuable for both of them.
My training program teaches dogs to be polite, respectful and look to us for direction. I cannot recreate situations at their home. I can put my dogs in new situations that are very exciting and ask them to prioritize what I’m saying. This teaches them that the commands apply - no matter what.
Here’s a fun fact! When I take my dogs out in public for the first time sometimes they pretend that we’ve never met and they haven’t learned a single thing! 😂 They are excited, full of adrenaline and fall back into bad habits. I want this! That way I can show them that the rules apply - no matter what!
People often ask how the training translates when the dog goes home. This is why the ecollar is such an amazing tool! It doesn’t matter who is talking or where they are. The training still applies and we can still hold our dogs accountable. #everywheredogs
Puppy Socialization!
Poppy here checking in on her last day of board and train 🥰. I have had a TON of puppies in recently so I know puppy socialization is a hot topic right now. I think what people typically view as “socialization” is meeting every dog and person we see. That is not the case in my training program.
My dogs get lots of social time with their dog friends throughout the day, but when we are on leash we are working. When we allow our dogs to meet and greet with every passing person & dog we are setting our dogs to be extremely overaroused and then they are heavily rewarded for this state. Most times this starts in puppyhood and once dogs start to mature the behavior is there but they are much bigger - and much harder to control.
Socialization is being in public and having exposure - not direct exposure. We should ALWAYS be keeping a 6 ft distance. When my puppies (and dogs) go out I want them to be prioritizing what I say and not being constantly overstimulated and rewarded by strangers. My dogs have learned how to do nothing and let the world pass them by - making them dogs that can go anywhere! Out to eat, on hikes, to farmers markets, the list is truly endless!
I think a lot of people get caught up on their dogs having “fun” so they want them to have a lot of social experiences and friends. My dogs love a very fulfilling life and get to be included in their families lives - and that is the best reward of all! 💕
Pack Adventure 7/17
Today we took Winnie out on a field trip to our Pack Adventure with Dogs Of Charm City. Also joining us was our boarding boys Ziggy, Walter and Sammy. Everyone ran and swam their hearts out but we also worked on our obedience around distractions like recall, off-leash heel and down stays!
Winnie was tuned in and her obedience was on point! Also proud of my boys who were all trained by me and now I get to reap the benefits of their families hard work!
We offer board & train for basic obedience, behavior modification, off-leash training, puppy trainin
