Professional Dog Training and Structured Day Camp Services
Educating Humans. Translating for Dogs.
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Gunner came into the pack ready to learn. We worked on setting a good foundation of many different skills to set him up for success. We did leash drills, worked on place, and practiced neutrality around other dogs. He also participated in a pack down stay. He had a great first day!
We can’t wait to have him back again next time!
Testimonial Tuesday!
Here’s what we have coming up for September! Make sure to swipe to see the times for the Pack Talks for MIK9 Extended members!
Congrats to this months Day Camp graduates!
Congratulations to this month’s employee of the month…Connor!
Here’s what the team had to say about him:
Connor is always very on top of making sure all of the cleaning and daily lists get done and helping to hold other people accountable as well! He is always looking to learn as much as he can and better his skills and shows how much he cares about his job!
Connor has been very informative about the dogs and teaching me other skills I can gain to help the dogs.
Connor is always willing to teach and wanting to give as much information at any point. Love to see that he works hard to train our staff members.
Connor is always up for a challenge and handles everything professionally. Connor always has a smile on his face even through the most challenging moments of the day, and that’s an impressive skill to have.
Couldn’t imagine MIK9 without him. Congratulations, Connor!
There are some breeds I’ve always dreamed of working with. This breed, I never thought I’d actually ever meet in person. Until today.
Meet Karma, a Central Asian Shepherd Dog. At only 11 months old and 120lbs, this girl is an absolute show stopper.
Central Asian Shepherd’s are a livestock guardian breed. They were bred to be bold and independent while still being adaptable and extremely sensitive to their surroundings.
Karma came in today to work on learning healthy coping mechanisms when she’s overwhelmed. Her mom plans to show her and knows that in that environment, things can be a little chaotic with so many different people and dogs running around.
Since she’s such a powerful breed, she doesn’t have much wiggle room when it comes to making mistakes. Luckily though, she’s got an incredibly decisive, clear, and prepared owner.
And even though Karma was bred to always be on the look out for any possible threats, she still managed to turn her brain off and take a nap on place during our session today.
We cannot wait to see this girl continue to grow (nope, she’s not finished growing) and learn!
Absolutely incredible. Truly so grateful to be able to place so many more dogs their forever homes with this amazing support.
Scout came into the pack ready to play. He was very excited to meet everyone in the pack. We worked on toning down his excitement, and focusing on being calm out in the pack. We did some leash drills to help him focus more on us, and less on the dogs. We also did some place work to help him relax and observe. Once he settled in, we worked on some recall off of play.
We can’t wait to have him back again next time!
Happy (one day late!) birthday to Mallorie! Mallorie has been SUCH an important part of our team not only Day Camp but behind the scenes too! This past year she’s taken on so many new roles and learned SO much about what it takes to keep things running on the back end. She’s always in a good mood, always ready to help and learn more, and always a joy to be around. Our team feels so lucky to have her.
Happy birthday, .mirrorimagek9
We don’t know what we’d do without you!
Duke came in ready to party. He was so excited to meet all of his new friends. We started out focusing on calm exercises to help tone down that excitement. We then worked on some recall off interactions with others. Duke also loved getting to learn the treadmill today, and was very proud of himself for concurring the jump boxes.
We can’t wait to have him back again next time!
Tater Tot started off a little unsure about meeting our pack members. After working on some leash drills, he decided he was ready to play. We first focused on setting a good foundation of leash skills, place skills, and social skills to set him up for success before working on healthy interactions with the other dogs!
We can’t wait to have him back again next time!
Bane came in feeling nervous about his first day of camp. We got started working on some basic leash skills to help build his confidence. We also worked on crate drills and relaxing on place. By the end of the day, he was feeling much more confident around us and out in the pack!
We can’t wait to have him back again next time!
Don’t forget to come visit us tomorrow night in Downtown Dallas at the Dog’s Day Out event!
Head to Paw Partner to book your spot!
Testimonial Tuesday!
New pack member Tyr came in a little nervy about this whole leaving mom and dad situation. However, after some long leash work and contrast of feeling exercises, Tyr was able to calm down and use his nose. He did great for a young shep, interacting with all different sizes and personalities, while still staying attentive and engaged with the trainers when he was unsure.
We can’t wait to see this guys progress.
Welcome to the pack, Tyr!
“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” is one of my least favorite cliches. When it’s applied to humans…it’s an excuse to not have to learn newer, better, healthier ways of thinking and behaving. It’s easier to stay the same than it is to grow and evolve.
But when it’s applied to dogs, it misses the entire reason why dogs benefit from training in general.
Dogs don’t misbehave “just because.” Negative behaviors happen because a dog feels like it’s encouraged, advantageous, or necessary for them to act the way they do.
When any dog is mentally unbalanced, they don’t feel good. It’s not fun for them to be reactive, anxious, frustrated, or confused. Most of the dogs that I work with take to new routines or boundaries quickly because it feels better to know someone else is focused on keeping them safe. It feels better to know what’s expected of them than it does to worry every moment of every day.
Older dogs who have been struggling with reactivity or anxiety have the heaviest weight on their shoulders. They’ve been carrying around this immense pressure for years. In my experience, if we prove to them they’re safe to put the weight down, they’re more than willing. We may have to work a little harder to prove to them we can take over from here, but no matter how old a dog is, they can learn new tricks…as long as we can.
If it’s clear your older dog is struggling, don’t write them off as a lost cause. Help them. Teach them new tricks. Chances are…they’re looking to learn.
Congratulations to this month’s Day Camp graduates!
Congratulations to this month employee of the month…Maria!!! Here’s what the team had to say about her:
“She really has been stepping up to the plate and handling day camp. She ran Day Camp the other day start to finish and did fantastic. She just gets the job done, gets the dogs worked and keeps a positive attitude. Love having her on the team. Just has so much talent with these dogs!”
“Maria’s been stepping up and taking on the leadership role when we need it.”
“Always has the absolute best attitude. She’s kind and patient while still being clear and consistent with every single dog I see her work with. She always has her head in the game and the most important conversation in the room to her is always the one she’s having with the dog.”
“Maria’s confidence has grown so much since starting here! I see her being intentional with everything she asks of the dogs and making sure she is on task and choosing productive exercises with each dog!”
“Maria is always working hard. She is also always willing to help whoever with whatever. Lastly, she is always on top of what needs to be done.”
“Maria has been awesome at working the pack. We’ve had some bigger packs this month, but Maria did really well at staying focused and really working hard to get the pack fulfilled.”
We are so grateful for you, Maria! Congratulations!
Our daycamp pack modeling some back to school fashion! No actual math was done in estimating the amount of days these dogs have come.
Our Day Camp pack modeling some back to school fashion! No math was done in estimating the actual amount of days these dogs have come.
Otis had a great first day of camp. We focused on creating a good foundation of skills to set him up for success. We worked on getting him more conditioned to the loop and practiced relaxing on place. We also worked on recall off of interactions.
We can’t wait to have him back next time!
New pack member, Goose came into the pack a little hesitant and unsure of all of his new friends. We worked on conditioning him to the loop, being more comfortable sharing space with other dogs, general neutrality with other dogs, and our healthy coping mechanisms. A big first day for just a little pup.
Welcome to the pack, Goose!
Here’s what we have coming up for August! Make sure to swipe to see the times for the Pack Talks for MIK9 Extended members!
In sessions with reactive, fearful, or overly excited dogs, I commonly hear “I did everything right when I first got them! I introduced them and let them play with so many different people and so many different dogs. We went to the dog park, I let them greet all my guests at parties. I made sure they had a ton of experience with socialization and somewhere along the way it all went out the window.”
Those experiences weren’t just forgotten. In fact, your dog was learning in every single one of those experiences…just not what you thought they were.
If we teach socialization with an emphasis on excitement over neutrality, we can easily and very quickly create so many negative behaviors.
If we set the tone at the beginning of our relationship with our dog that they get to interact with whoever they want, whenever they want, however they want…we create an expectation that no matter what they always will and they’ll always have to.
For our more excitable dogs, we’ll have trouble walking them past neighbors or bringing them out to restaurants and having them remain calm because they expect to get to interact with anyone they want. For our more fearful dogs, we’ll have trouble convincing them they’re safe around new people or new dogs because they’ll expect they HAVE to interact with everyone they see.
Healthy socialization is about teaching your dog how NOT to interact with different sights, sounds, scents, dogs, people, and environments.
Excitement has its time and place. The play will come. But in order for the play and excitement to be and feel safe…we have to teach neutrality first.
203 White Park Drive, Suite G & H
Dallas, GA
30132
| Monday | 8am - 6pm |
| Tuesday | 8am - 6pm |
| Wednesday | 8am - 6pm |
| Thursday | 8am - 6pm |
| Friday | 8am - 6pm |
| Saturday | 8am - 2pm |
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This clip is from an episode of Think Like a Dog Extended all about different products we normally recommend against. The entire episode can be found on MIK9 Extended by clicking the link in our bio. Harnesses tend to do the exact opposite of what most client’s end goal is. Harnesses were invented to “harness” the animal’s body weight so they’re able to pull more comfortably. Originally, harnesses were invented for horses or other draft animals to more easily and more comfortably pull heavy loads, carriages, or vehicles. One of the first jobs we introduced dogs to after their domestication was pulling sleds. In order for the dog to pull the sled more comfortably, smaller harnesses were created for the dog so they could more easily utilize their pulling power. The entire purpose of the harness is to allow the dog to pull. However…most people who purchase a harness are doing so because they’re trying to STOP pulling, not encourage it. I see the thought process behind why people purchase harnesses. It’s not fun to watch your dog be uncomfortable pulling on their flat collar. Harnesses are impeccably marketed as the answer for a more comfortable walk with your dog. However, the harness misses the entire point of what it takes for a truly comfortable and connected leash walk… It doesn’t help teach the dog to…just not pull. If your dog is pulling on the walk there is one sure fire way to stop it: training. There is not one single tool out there on the market that can train your dog for you. Any products advertised as such are huge red flags. Don’t get me wrong, there are situations where a harness is actually a super helpful tool. But if you’re looking to rely on a harness to teach your dog to stop pulling on the leash…I’d research trainers near you instead! #dogtraining #dogtrainingadvice #leashtraining #leashwalking
The biggest part of recall that is so often overlooked is how to FINISH it. When you call your dog, how often do they just zoom past you? Or come to you and then leave again before you were able to get a leash on them? In order to finish your recall command, practice calling them and then giving them a follow up direction. That follow up direction can even be “go back out and have fun!” But when we ask our dog to come to us, we also need to require that they stay with us until we tell them otherwise. Recall is your life or death command. Without a true ending for recall, we can put our dog in so many dangerous situations expecting to have a skill set that we haven’t finished teaching. This clip is from a virtual consultation. If you want to watch the full consultation, join MIK9 Extended by clicking the link in our bio. You’ll gain access to over 60 hours of training resources including more virtual consultations, how to videos, exclusive Think Like a Dog episodes, and all of our training e-books. #dogtraining #dogtrainingadvice #dogbehavior #recalltraining #offleash
This clip is from a virtual consultation. If you want to watch the full consultation, join MIK9 Extended by clicking the link in our bio. You’ll gain access to over 60 hours of training resources including more virtual consultations, how to videos, exclusive Think Like a Dog episodes, and all of our training e-books. #dogtraining #dogtrainingadvice #dogbehavior #dogreactivity #dogsocialization #leashreactivity
Leash reactivity doesn’t always stem from lack of social skills. Here’s a list of a few things that can create or fuel leash reactivity: * An unhealthy relationship between human and dog * Lack of pressure and release skills * Previous experiences with other dogs involving tons of excitement and not enough neutrality * Unwillingness to follow the human’s lead * Using eyes and ears over nose * An anxious leader creating a hyper vigilant dog * A lack of connection on walks * Not taking time to address over excitement before exiting the front door * Greeting and interacting with people and dogs on most walks creating an expectation to do so every time and frustration when not able to * Not enough practice observing without interacting I could go on FOREVER with a list of things I’ve seen create leash reactivity. But it’s very rarely “they just don’t like other dogs.” Teaching your dog how to understand pressure as supportive information rather than an obstacle to fight against can prevent the frustration that fuels the blow up. But above all else, if your dog is making decisions you don’t like on the walk, teach them to follow and learn to lead. Chances are, they don’t like the decisions they’re making either. They just have to be given the opportunity to make different ones. #dogtraining #dogtrainingadvice #dogbehavior #leashreactivity #leashtraining #leashskills
This is a clip from a Think Like a Dog Extended Episode available on MIK9 Extended. Click the link in our bio to join MIK9 Extended and watch the full episode. This episode is about questions to ask your dog’s daycare. We discuss potential answers to each question and which ones would indicate an unsafe or an unhealthy environment and which answers would be acceptable depending on your dog’s personality and preferences. Because we run a structured, training based day care, many of our pack members come to us because they struggle with social skills. Whether it’s a fearful dog or a dog who simply doesn’t know how to take no for an answer when it comes to play, providing guidance and clear boundaries in how our pack interacts is vital to what we consider a successful day. Most daycares are going to only accept happy go lucky playful dogs. Because of this, rude behaviors aren’t addressed as often because they aren’t upsetting the other dog. But when a dog is used to rude, competitive, and intense play being completely acceptable, it’s a struggle for them to socialize with other dogs with different personalities. There are so many options when it comes to choosing the right day care for your dog. What matters is that you take your dog’s specific preferences into account, ask the questions, and advocate for your dog! #dogtraining #dogtrainingadvice #dogbehavior #dogdaycare #dogsocialization #daycaredogs
This is a clip from a Think Like a Dog Extended Episode available on MIK9 Extended. Click the link in our bio to join and watch the full episode. This episode is all about how we run our structured, training based Day Camp. A large part of that is setting up our packs so we can control what the dogs learn from each other. The team does an INCREDIBLE job of making sure that the packs are not only balanced but also beneficial for each dog. If we have a dog who’s shut down and really hesitant, they’ll put them with other dogs that are capable of being playful while also being respectful so we can bring them out of their shell a bit more. If we have a dog who doesn’t understand social cues and tends to blow past boundaries, they’ll put them with dogs that give very clear and fair corrections so they can learn to understand when enough is enough. This is the beauty of having small numbers. Being able to use the pack to create balance in each and every dog is what made us fall in love with the work that we do. Getting to know our dogs and what they’re good at and what they struggle with on a very detailed level allows us to work through their own issues while also having them help us work other dogs through their specific issues. Each dog is able to use their individual talents for the benefit of the entire pack. #dogtraining #dogtrainingadvice #dogbehavior #dogdaycare #dogsocialization #daycaredogs
This clip is from a Virtual Consultation. The full consultation is available now through MIK9 Extended. To join, click the link in our bio. The last thing I am saying is that it’s okay for a dog to be a stray and fending for itself. A large part of my work is in rescue actively trying to get dogs in better situations than their current ones. What I am saying here is that we have to let it go. No matter what past our dogs have had, it shouldn’t dictate their future. I fully understand the motivation behind trying to make up for what they went through before we got to them, but the best thing we can do for our dogs is to let it go. By holding on to the past and feeling bad for what they went through before us, we keep them there. And on top of that, we overlook what they need from us right here right now. #dogtraining #dogtrainingadvice #dogtrainingtips #dogbehavior #fearfuldogs #fearreactivity #rescuedogs #rescue
This clip is from a Virtual Consultation. The full consultation is available now through MIK9 Extended. To join, click the link in our bio. I see this theme so often when working with more fearful dogs. The human’s intention is always in the best place. They want to make the dog feel the most comfortable they possibly can. And in our human minds, we think that means letting them lead and make the decisions on what they want to do. But there’s two problems with this. For both fearful dogs and fearful humans…they don’t want to lead. They don’t want to make the decisions. Imagine being terrified and having to make every decision versus being terrified and having someone (more qualified than you!) make decisions and tell you the more effective way to stay safe. I know when it comes to me, the times that I’ve been scared, I’ve wanted someone else to just tell me what to do. I didn’t want to be in control. The other problem is that we forget to create ways out for the fearful dog. We get excited at any glimmer of hope that they may WANT to interact but forget to show them a way to get out of the situation safely if they loose their confidence during the interaction. This is what causes the fear to turn into a reaction. Even if the dog did initiate the interaction, if they change their mind in the middle of it and don’t know how to get out, they’re going to do what comes naturally and ask the other person to move away from them…most of the time with their teeth. Lead your dog through the fear. You know more than them. And make sure you’ve created a way out that they KNOW before even putting them in a situation where they may need an out! #dogtraining #dogtrainingadvice #dogtrainingtips #dogbehavior #fearfuldogs #fearreactivity #reactivedogs
This clip is from a Think Like a Dog Extended Episode all about running and opening a structured day camp. It’s available now through MIK9 Extended. To join, click the link in our bio! I highly recommend this episode to any trainers looking to open up a structured day camp! Connor, Jillian, and I came from a large scale playcare before opening the center and starting structured day camp. When we first opened, the three of us struggled with what it meant to run a structured day camp because we’d only ever managed large packs of dogs. We were never able to add the one on one work and relationship building that comes with smaller packs and a more structured setting. The past two years have taught us so much. We went from not knowing how to individually work dogs in a pack to overworking them to finally finding a happy medium. #structureddaycare #dogsocialization #dogtraining #healthysocialization #socializationtraining
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