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Monday 10am - 6pm Tuesday 10am - 6pm Wednesday 10am - 6pm Thursday 10am - 6pm Friday 10am - 6pm Saturday 11am - 4pm Sunday 12pm - 5pm

Sit Stay Succeed Dog Training, Clarksville, VA (2025)

04/23/2025

Fosters needed asap!!

04/21/2025

Is your dog spoiled? Guess what? Mine absolutely are! However, spoiled doesn't mean permissive. I still have some pretty firm core expectations for my dogs, but I'm no drill sergeant. Some rules in my house:

- no jumping
- no begging
- no bolting through doorways
- utilize a "place" cue, when needed
- move off the furniture when asked
- ignore the trash

And more!

But, saying all that, every statement in the attached graphic has applied at one time or another! 😅 I have been told that my dogs are spoiled more than just a few times, but people often add that "gosh, they are so well-behaved". Training goes a long way and doesn't mean that your dog can't enjoy good snuggles in the bed, the opportunity to lick out a cottage cheese cup, or a present (or three) on their birthday!

What are some rules you have for your spoiled pup!? And, speaking of spoiled, how do you spoil your dog?

04/18/2025

Today is National Velociraptor Awareness Day.

So maybe puppies aren't raptors...
..but they sure come close!

Sharp little needle teeth. Everything must go into their mouth. A whirling dervish of fluff and mayhem.

Yep. It's time. Teething has begun!

You can get through this! Have a multitude of chews available - different textures, different sizes, edible and non-edible (but nothing too hard), and cold options. Replace whatever is in their mouth with an appropriate chew. Over and over again. But they will figure it out, as best as a young puppy can. Sure they may not be perfect little angels every moment of every day, but what baby is?

Just be patient! For soon they will be a teenager! And then an adult! Those puppy days will have flown by before you know it.

04/18/2025

Look at this sweet rescue pup's focus! Do you wish your dog would look at you like this? It's all about capturing, consistency, and motivation.

While you can teach focus by holding a cookie up to your face, if you don't phase the cookie out soon enough then your dog won't look at you unless you have one.

We prefer to capture this behavior, which may take a little patience at first. Then, once your dog figures out what you are looking for, you can work on proofing by adding duration and distraction.

A similar behavior is the auto check-in. Again, you want to capture the behavior the moment it happens. The more you reinforce it, the more your dog will check in with you on walks or at the park. Start at home or in the yard, then move toward increasingly difficult locations with increasingly difficult distractions.

Remember, if your dog can't offer these behaviors at home, then they will struggle when out in the "real world".

04/17/2025

Maintaining a healthy body weight is more important than many people realize.

Identifying an underweight dog (body score of 1-3) is often very obvious, as the ribs, spine, and hips can easily be identified. Severely underweight dogs (1-2) must be addressed with care when reintroducing food (to prevent refeeding syndrome). Some breeds ARE more lean when at a healthy or athletic weight (greyhounds, for example) and may look underweight, but they aren't. Most other dogs however are considered underweight when the aforementioned conditions are observed.

The optimal score for a dog is a 4-5. The waist is easily identified, an abdominal tuck is present, and the ribs are palpable but not protruding or covered in excess fat.

Anything above a body score of 5 can shorten your dog's life and make them more susceptible to illness, including cancer. Some dogs do have health conditions that can predispose them to gaining weight, but this can be addressed with your vet. Likewise, dogs who are otherwise healthy but are overweight may need to be put on a diet food and introduced to a light exercise regimen. Always speak with your vet for the best recommended course of care.

04/16/2025

Progress is never a straight line. Not every single time for every single person no matter the obstacles.

"It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop." - Confucius

Failure is only temporary, and really, is it actually considered failure if you don't give up?

Yes, some people will progress more quickly than you. Some people will have fewer bumps in the road to navigate. But other people will struggle.

Just don't give up.

Progress is still progress! No matter how fast or slow you go.

Just don't give up.

This goes for your life. And this goes for dog training.

There will be days where your dog struggles. There will be days where your dog succeeds. There will be days where you feel disconnected. There will be days when you feel like a flawless team.

Just don't give up.

What are some of your wins? What are some of your frustrations? How do you plan to address training after either of those?

Just don't give up.

Progress will always be there, if you just don't give up.

04/12/2025

Share below! Why did you choose your dog's specific breed? If a mix, what drew you to that particular combination?

04/12/2025

We had a great walk this morning! It was a little crisp out to start but once we got moving it became pretty darn comfortable. Even better, no rain! But the best part of all? Great company!! Now, the big question of the day is: how many whistle noises did it take to get 5 dogs to look at me all at the same time? 😅 Join us with your dog next month when we meet at Occoneechee!

04/11/2025

Looks like we lucked out with the weather for tomorrow's walk! You may want to consider wearing boots or waterproof shoes as the trail may be wet, but saying that it shouldn't be too bad. We should have a great group of people walking with us tomorrow. If you would like to join in, send us a message!

04/10/2025

Does your dog jump or climb up on you? We can help!

Dogs jump for a variety of reasons: excitement, greeting, frustration, attention-seeking, or even simply because it's a natural doggy behavior. In all of these scenarios, the jumping is most likely being reinforced. You look at your dog, you speak to your dog, you touch your dog. Your dog now will continue this behavior in the future because it worked for him.

In order to address a behavior that is reinforcing for your dog, we have to give him an alternative, even MORE reinforcing behavior. Management is also key with this, and many other behaviors, to ensure that your dog doesn't have the opportunity to rehearse the jumping.

Jumping is also the result of lack of training, as your dog can't read your mind to determine what is expected of him. He is just going to do what dogs do, even if it doesn't necessarily fit into a human world. So, training from day 1 is extremely important! Reinforce the behaviors you DO want, and manage the behaviors you don't. Puppies can absolutely learn what to do when they would otherwise want to jump. Of course if you have an older dog, you can still address the jumping! It may just take longer as the reinforcement history of jumping is much stronger.

The key is to stick with it! And, everyone in the household must be on the same page. If one person allows jumping but another doesn't, your dog will continue to jump because the behavior HAS been reinforced. It will be much more difficult to train an alternative behavior if your dog has no reason to stop what he is doing to begin with.

Still have questions? Let's chat!

04/08/2025

Same goes for dogs, too. Well, maybe not daily bathing (heck, we only bath our floofs a couple times a year unless otherwise necessary) but dogs 110% require daily motivation.

Why do you go to work? Yes, you love your job (we hope!) but a whole heck of a lot of incentive is probably coming from that paycheck. Without it, would you still perform at the same level you are at now? I can't think of anyone who would work 40+ hours a week for free (lottery winners excluded!).

So, why then do we expect our dogs to work for free? To listen and respond like robots, "just because [you] said so"?

Reinforcement is motivation for your dog to continue offering the behaviors you prefer. Sure, it comes in many forms: treats, toys/play, physical praise, environmental/social, verbal praise. But regardless of what your dog likes (since *they* are the ones who decide what is actually reinforcing, not us) we absolutely must reward them for a job well done. Without that motivation, we will see less and less of the things we like and, eventually, they will cease to exist all together. And during that time, your dog will find some other behavior that *is* reinforcing to them, even if it's not a behavior you want in your life (barking, digging, running off to greet another dog, etc).

So, don't be shy. Reward your dog every day. Multiple times a day. Build up that reinforcement history and increase their motivation to do what you ask. Every scenario is a potential learning moment, so make sure you are teaching what you intend to, and then reward reward reward!

04/07/2025

Happy Monday! It is time to start thinking about our monthly socialization walk! This month we will be meeting in Boydton at the To***co Heritage Trail trailhead. Start time is 830am, so please arrive a few minutes early. Date of the walk is Saturday, April 12, 2025.

If you have not walked with us before, you *must* pre-register. We will need proof of rabies for adults (core vaccs recommended) and proof of all core vaccs + rabies for puppies under 1 year.

This walk is perfect for overly social dogs who are working on manners around other dogs as well as for dogs that need to build a little confidence around other dogs. Aggressive dogs would not be a good fit for this program and would instead benefit from 1-2-1 (private) lessons.

Participants must use a 6ft lead (no flexi leads) and must not allow their dog to meet any of the other dogs. This is not a play group or a group for your dog to make friends (though you may meet a new human friend or two!). It is structured to help desensitize your dog around other dogs while remaining under threshold. One dog per handler.

The fee is only $15!

Please let us know if you are planning to join us, or if you are new and would like to see if your dog would be a good fit.

See everyone on Saturday! Tail Wags!

04/03/2025

Expecting your dog to "just get over it" when faced with a new, scary trigger is not fair for your dog. If we then force our anxious, worried, or fearful dog to be continuously exposed to whatever the trigger is, there is a good chance he will shut down. This is called learned helplessness. Even if, in the future, your dog seems to accept the trigger, in reality his emotions were never addressed properly and therefore his initial feelings about that trigger never actually changed. Rather, he feels like there is nothing more he can do to change the situation so he essentially gives up. This does not mean your dog has accepted or is "ok" with the scary trigger. Furthermore, your dog will not attempt to change the outcome, even if a solution is present. It can take weeks, months, or even years to address and "reverse" learned helplessness. Even then, your dog may never feel completely comfortable in the presence of the trigger.

What does learned helplessness look like? It looks, to the untrained eye, like compliance. When a dog is first exposed to the trigger and is not given a way to escape an unfavorable outcome, he will go from big, obvious reactions (either fear or aggression) to what appears to be acceptance. Then, the dog stops trying to get away. He may be standing with his head down, in a stoic manner. He may even lie down and curl up. You will likely see a variety of calming signals: lip licking, blinking of eyes, turning away from the trigger. He may stiffen his body and avoid eye contact. These are all signs of stress. This is not how we want to treat our dogs.

Important to note: sometimes flooding can increase the dog's negative reaction to the trigger. It can intensify the dog's fear and cause additional fear related behaviors. Again, this is absolutely not fair to the dog.

Instead of flooding, use systematic desensitization and counter conditioning to create positive emotions responses to the trigger. Help your dog feel better about the situation, rather than feeling like he has no choice but to give up.

04/01/2025

🐶🎉 April Fools? Not When It Comes to Dog Training! 🎉🐶

We love a good joke, but here’s something that’s not funny — when your dog steals your sandwich, ignores your calls, or jumps up on visitors!

Training isn’t about tricks, it’s about building a better bond with your dog. Whether you're dealing with jumping, pulling, or just want a well-mannered companion, we are here to help!

Don't be [April] fooled into thinking they’ll “grow out of it” — let’s train smarter, not harder! 🐾

Book your session today and turn the chaos into calm. We have a couple spots still open for April.

[email protected]
www.sitstaysucceed.com

03/30/2025

50-60% of all dog bites are to children, and 61% of those bites are to the head and neck, especially of toddlers.

We expect our dogs to be perfect. To be patient. To be tolerant. To have a sense of humor even. But that isn't fair to the dog (who is absolutely allowed to have feelings on the matter), nor is it safe for those interacting with him. At no point is it ever safe for your child to sit or lay on your dog. Poking your dog in the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth are also not ok. Kissing on the face is not ok. Playing with your dog's food while he eats is not ok. Hugging is not ok.

The biggest problem here is that your child does not understand dog body language. They don't know when a dog is past his tolerance level or not. They don't know how to respect your dog's space. They don't know when to stop. Just as concerning, however, are the number of parents who also don't understand dog body language and continuously put their dog into uncomfortable scenarios with their children. And, likewise, potentially putting their children in danger.

Always, always monitor your child's interactions with your dog. Never leave them alone together. In fact, when your child is very young it may even be prudent to keep them completely separate via doggy gates, x-pens, and/or doors. Never allow the aforementioned behaviors and absolutely brush up on dog body language.

The attached image shows an incredibly uncomfortable dog. The list is not exhaustive, however, so be aware that there are more signs to look out for. Just because your dog hasn't growled doesn't mean he won't jump to a bite, skipping the growling all together. If you ignore the body language for long enough, your dog may feel that his feelings are not being respected and may absolutely go from these behaviors to a bite. Dogs never bite out of the blue unless their efforts to communicate in the past have been ignored. So, always pay attention.

Yes, there are some ridiculously tolerant dogs! But never assume your dog will be the same. And, never assume just because your dog was fine one minute that he will be ok the next.

Ignoring a dog's discomfort with an interaction, trigger stacking, pain, and anxiety can all lead to a dog bite.

It is always better to err on the side of caution. Always!

03/29/2025

Is your dog an escape artist when it comes to collars? We have a few suggestions for you!

First, if you are using a flat buckle collar, consider transitioning to a martingale. This collar is NOT a choke collar. Rather, it has limited closure and prevents escape by decreasing in diameter just a couple inches when your dog pulls away. This way, it creates a more secure collar around your dog's neck, only when you need it. When the dog is not trying to escape, the collar stays the original diameter. This collar is not uncomfortable for your dog and will not cause any damage to his neck. These collars were initially constructed for sight hounds who have long, narrow heads and thick, muscular necks. Regular collars would slip right off of them, but martingales provide safety without discomfort.

Your next option is to use a harness.

First, you do NOT want a harness that has a strap that goes straight across your dog's chest as this will impede the shoulder's movement and can cause damage over time. These are often marketed as "no-pull" harnesses. Instead, choose a y-shaped harness, that goes around the neck and under the chest - when viewed from the front it looks like a "Y". We also want to dispel the myth that harnesses cause pulling. If your dog pulls on a harness, he will pull on a collar, and vice versa. The only way to prevent pulling is to train the dog how to walk on a loose leash.

Next, you can consider harnesses that have two points of contact: a D ring at the shoulders and a D ring at the front of the chest. You can then use a double ended leash to attach to BOTH points for extra security. These leashes do not have a handle. Rather they have a snap at each end to attach to the harness and you hold the leash in the middle. You can also attach one end to the collar and the other to the harness, if your harness only has one D ring. Many leash options exist, but one example is the Multi Function Leash by Blue-9.

Finally, you can consider harnesses that have an extra strap for more peace of mind. An example of this is the Ruffwear Flagline harness. The extra strap helps prevent your dog from backing out of the harness.

Of course, you also want to teach a super solid "leave-it" (if your dog is inclined to chase after critters) as well as a recall (in case he does get away from you otherwise). Remember, practice these behaviors at home FIRST, before you ever need them. Then build up the distractions and difficulty slowly so that when you DO need to use them, these cues will be effective.

The examples provided are a few of our favorites but there are many options out there! We are happy to help you shop if you would like.

03/27/2025

While I didn't capture this at it's most obvious stage (I was slow to get the camera out), pictured is the beginnings of an appeasement grin. More obvious grins are sometimes called submissive "smiles" as the dog bares the front teeth, canines and incisors, which mimics a smile.

However, this body language is not aggressive! The dog will have a loose, usually wiggly body, and soft facial expression. The grin can mean various things, but mostly says, "I mean you no harm!" These "grins" can be used out of excitement, as when greeting a person, or, conversely, when they are anxious or worried to help keep things calm.

This sweet munchkin was uber friendly, super wiggly, and was trying to smile while panting (meeting me was quite exciting). Usually you see these grins with a closed mouth so this was a more unique scenario.

If you are ever unsure of what your dog is trying to tell you, look at all of the body language presented to you. If the dog appears happy and keeps coming over to you to say hello, maybe even offering kisses, then the associated grin is a greeting. If the dog is stiff, with a hard stare, erect tail, and forward stance, the grin is more likely a snarl and means "back off".

Have you seen an appeasement grin before?

Sit Stay Succeed Dog Training

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