Happy Hound Basic Training

Happy Hound Basic Training If positive reinforcement works to train sharks, seals, and 2nd lieutenants it'll work for your dog! I became interested in dog training as a teenager.

I grew up with family dogs, and all of our dogs were well-loved, faithful companions. For the most part they each fit into our home and lives very well … except for Annie. Annie was a chow mix my sister found wandering around on the street outside of our church one day. Annie was malnourished and dirty but still leaned into my sister and just wanted to be loved. My sister fell head over heels for

Annie and convinced my parents she should come home with us. Annie was wonderful with the family and an excellent guard dog, with one huge problem - she was dog aggressive. We had an Australian shepherd already living with us, and she went on go on to send him to the vet multiple times over the remainder of his life (they both lived to a good old age and eventually passed away due to cancer). I realize now that true aggression such as we saw with Annie is pretty rare but seeing it so frequently as a teenager had a huge impact on my desire to learn about behavior. I wish I’d known then what I know now - even with the best of intentions there was a lot we did wrong and there were measures we could have taken to improve our lives and Annie’s. That experience motivates me today! After I left the Air Force and began working at zoos and aquariums around the United States, I saw the power of positive reinforcement training and the amazing results that trainers are able to get by building strong relationships with their animals. I want to apply these same principles to help people and dogs cohabitate in a way that’s positive and rewarding for both species. I want to see you and your dog live your best lives and enjoy each other!

My family just moved across country, driving a total of four days. Normally I try to walk my dogs one on one so I have t...
06/10/2026

My family just moved across country, driving a total of four days. Normally I try to walk my dogs one on one so I have the chance to give them my undivided attention. The road trip forced me to walk all three together, which I enjoyed more than I thought I would! It was fascinating to see their different personalities on each walk. One has his nose glued to the ground the entire time. One will sniff the especially good spots but is more concerned about other people/animals in the area so he has to observe before he can sniff. One is generally pretty aware of where the other dogs are and will carefully move around them. One has an excellent chance of getting her white nose peed on because while she knows where the boys are, she has zero concerns about moving around them and clearly they’ve found a good smelly spot that is worth investigating. If they get wrapped around something - one instinctively knows to go back the other way, one will freeze and wait for help, and the third will just keep pulling. Three different dogs, with three very different personalities and very different needs!

Let’s talk about crate training! I understand why many people don’t want to teach their dogs this skill. I really do. Pu...
02/06/2026

Let’s talk about crate training! I understand why many people don’t want to teach their dogs this skill. I really do. Putting dogs in “cages” seems mean. Dogs in crates are clearly bored and depressed. Training a dog to voluntarily go in a crate takes time and consistency. So why bother with that when you would never want to use one?

Here’s the problem with that thinking - none of us know for sure what the future holds. This is Dashi, my beagle. Dashi is fully house trained. He’s calm and tolerant with the other dogs and the toddlers in the house. I’ve never needed to crate him, even when we leave the house for several hours at a time. Four weeks ago, Dashi ruptured a disc in his spine. We were able to get him into surgery and he has a good prognosis, but all of a sudden we were looking at a six week recovery period where crate rest was not optional. If I had never bothered to teach Dashi about crates and how to relax and be calm in them, the first two weeks of his recovery would have been so hard. If I wasn’t comfortable with using the crate, if I hadn’t planned food toys and chews to keep him occupied until his meds kicked in, if he hated going in and pushed back every time, the stress of his injury would have been so much worse.

Even if you hate crates and would rather not have one in your house, think of it this way - at some point in their lives, almost every pet dog will need to be in a crate. If they ever need surgery or a procedure requiring anesthesia, they will be in a crate. If you’re proactive, you can teach your dog early that crates are a safe space, and they can learn to relax rather than stress the first time the crate is mandatory. Every dog should be familiar with crates, it might make all the difference for them if the worst should happen.

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E Cottontail Drive
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