Zen Dog Training

11/18/2025

Wondering why your two-year-old dog is suddenly acting aggressive? You're not alone. Learn about how maturity, genetics, and proper leadership play a crucial role in your dog's behavior. Check out the full article here: https://wix.to/w8AQr5K

You did everything right with your pup. The endless puppy classes the careful introductions to new people and places the regular check ins at the vet. You might have even made dog park visits a weekly ritual or signed up for daycare on tough workdays. And just when you thought you had this parenting...

11/15/2025

Walking downtown with two formerly reactive dogs!

11/15/2025

11/10/2025

Are you struggling with your dog's behavior? It's time to embrace LIMA! Clear corrections and compassionate communication lead to happier and better-trained dogs. Let’s transform our training approach! Discover more about LIMA and its benefits here: https://wix.to/2kOb2v5

Ignoring bad behavior or withholding treats isn’t kindness, it’s confusion for most dogs. Clear corrections are part of the conversation, not a dirty secret. LIMA’s Humane Hierarchy isn’t a ladder you climb only when rewards fail. It’s a decision tree that asks: What communicates fastest, ...

11/10/2025

🐾 What is LIMA? (And why your dog will thank us for it.)
LIMA = Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive.
It’s not a buzzword. It’s how we train at Zen Dog Training.
We start gentle — praise, play, food.
We only go firmer when the dog needs clarity.
Think of it like parenting: we reward the “yes,” and we calmly correct the “no.”
Example: Off-leash freedom with an e-collar.
Yes — we use them.
No — it’s not a shock.
We dial to the lowest level the dog notices (usually 3-5 out of 100).
Most humans can’t feel it at all.
The dog? Tail wagging, eyes bright, begging to train.
Because the e-collar isn’t punishment.
It’s a tap on the shoulder from 50 yards away.
“Come here.” Tap. “Good!” — and they sprint back for the game.
That’s LIMA in action:
Gentle as you can. Firm as you must.
Want your dog hiking, biking, or camping off-leash — happily?
Our Canine Adventure Readiness program is built on this.
6 weeks. Lifetime guarantee.
DM “LIMA” to book.

11/07/2025

When you're a good boy, you get to go for pizza lunch. 😍

11/05/2025

Sirius is reminding everyone that service dog group is this morning!!

11/04/2025

Woo hoo!!!

The 2026 IACP Annual Educational Conference lineup continues to grow, with another exceptional voice joining us next August in Newport Beach, California...

🎉Lola Carter 🎉

Lola Carter is a professional dog trainer with 23 years of experience and 17 years specializing in service dog training. She is the president of Mission: Service Dog and founder of Zen Dog Training, where she focuses on ethical, LIMA-based balanced training methods to empower children with special needs. Married to a combat-wounded veteran, and Mom to a special needs child, Lola’s passion for service dog work is deeply personal. She’s witnessed how the right canine partnership can restore confidence, independence, and hope.

Lola will be presenting on the topic "Small Handlers, Big Impact: Navigating Service Dog Work for Children"

Interested in seeing Lola Carter and the rest of our lineup present? Get your tickets today! https://iacpdogs.org/2026-iacp-annual-educational-conference/

11/04/2025

Sharing this for our followers that may be able to help out. For those of you who don’t know, Mission: Service Dog is our other organization, a 501c3 non-profit based right here in Bentonville. We would love your support if you’re able to help, even a small amount!

Meet AP, a bright and imaginative 9-year-old who lights up every room she walks into. She’s creative, funny, and endlessly curious—always inventing new stories, songs, or projects that fill her home with laughter. Whether she’s drawing, building something from her imagination, or spending time...