We are a balanced dog training and behavior modification company providing even the most frustrated
The Confident Pooch is a balanced dog training and behavior modification company. Our balanced training methods yield more consistent and accurate results for pet owners that are serious about changing their dogs’ behavior and how they will obey commands. We offer the most commited owners a pathway to off-leash reliability. We currently operate out of Plano’s most successful boutique in-home doggi
e daycare, Hudson’s Camp Canine. We offer Board & Train, Perfect Pal Evaluations, Private Lessons and Behavior Modification. All The Confident Pooch trainers are graduates of the world-renowned Starmark Academy and hold both certificates in Professional Canine Obedience Training and Behavior Modification.
We are currently taking Board & Train reservations for June and July! We are filling up fast so please don’t delay! Call/Text us at 469-863-3330 to book your pup’s spot today. Also, we will be scheduling a group class in June. Let us know if that’s something you’ll be interested in.
We are taking reservations for June and July Board & Trains. We are filling up fast so don’t delay! Book now! Call/Text Maegan at 469-863-3330
Guess who’s back? D’Jango! My little superstar is back for a refresher in advanced obedience with a strong emphasis on his “Come” command. He’s doing great so far. He did great on an advanced Group Place session today. We have 5 dogs on Place and many loose dog distractions wandering and rough housing next to him. He did an awesome job. At one point, he decided to lay down and take a nap! Go D’Jango!
Meet Leo! He’s Milo’s brother. Leo is here for confidence building and foundation commands. Mom and Dad would love to walk Milo and Leo beautifully on leash and that is what we are going to accomplish! Leo already learned Place today and was able to work next to Milo. He was very nervous about the bed at first so I turned it upside down to make it easier. Once he was moving over it without fear I turned it back over and he was able to come and go off of it without issue. He really did a great job today!
Check out Milo! He’s here to learn how to walk on leash and nail down his foundation commands. We will be working hard on confidence building and desensitization. We already started Place! He did great!
Hi!!
HUMP DAY! Check out some of our spring break party pics! Pups having so much fun this week!
Weekend PAW-TAY at Hudson's Camp Canine! All the fur babies had so much fun!
It’s Hump Day! I had a chance to stop by Hudson’s to hang with Alex and the pooches. We got some great pics! The pups enjoyed the heck out this beautiful day!
Beat the Boredom! Why Fetch, Walks & Tug Aren’t Enough!
When it comes to playing games with our dogs, most people will simply throw a ball for them to fetch, or hold onto a toy for them to play tug of war with. These games certainly provide our dogs with enjoyment and allow them to release their energy, but they do very little in terms of stimulating their minds. Mental Stimulation is one of the key things to a dog’s happiness and we forget this fundamental element all the time with our dogs. Mentally challenging your dog will not only help beat any boredom as they are exposed to new things, but it can also help boost their confidence and help establish an even greater bond between you. Have fun! ��1. The Muffin Tray��This is a great game to start with, as it's relatively simple. Unfortunately for your dog there aren't any real muffins involved in this game, but there will be some treats! Place some kibble or some treats in certain pockets of the muffin tin, and place some balls or other items over the top of each pocket. Your dog will have to work out how to move the balls or items to gain access to the treat! As mentioned above, this is a fantastic game for puppies or beginners (dogs that have not played with puzzles yet). They make dog puzzles with the same concept but they are expensive! ��2. Use A Treat Ball ��Treat balls are excellent at making your dog work for their food – both physically and mentally. The idea of a treat ball is that it only dispenses food when it is positioned in a certain way. Fill a treat ball with kibble or treats and watch your dog roll the ball around and work out how to release the food! Treat balls can be bought in most pet shops. I am in love with the Starmark green treat ball. Most pet stores carry them or you can get on Amazon
Starmark Treat Dispensing Chew Ball Tough Dog Toy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009YD8NS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_VSB838S7FVSH0EKYC96N.
I also love the Petsafe Squeak n’ Treat Ninja also available on Amazon
PetSafe Squeak ‘n Treat Ninja Star Dog Chew Toy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FM1CPL2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_1YGZF48J2C9G0HH47H9N?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1.
You can always fill up a lidless plastic bottle as a cheap alternative, as this will also require your dog to do some problem solving to earn their dinner. ��3. Hide And Seek��Once your dog has mastered the "Stay!" command, try going out of sight and into another room before telling them to "Come!". You should start by keeping the proximity close, and progressively increase the distance as your dog becomes more disciplined at the game!
Make sure you only say "Come!" the one time, rather than repeatedly saying it or shouting their name - you need to give them a chance to think hard and work out what you're asking of them by that one command. When your dog comes to you, reward them with a treat and lots of praise! This will also benefit you in building reward history with your actual command in a fun way.��4. Treasure Hunt��Smell is a dog's most powerful sense, so use it to stimulate their brains with this game! Place some cardboard boxes around a room, and place treats is just a couple of them. Associate the game with a word such as "Find!" or "Search!" and watch them run from box to box working out where the treats are. You can increase the difficulty of this game by removing the boxes and placing the treats in different objects around the room instead - such as behind a laundry basket.��5. Name Your Dog's Toys ��Increasing your dog's vocabulary is a brilliant way to challenge them mentally. Start with two of your dog's favourite toys, and teach them to fetch each one by giving them a specific name. For example, you might say "Fetch rope!" or "Fetch blue toy!" Use lots of praise or treats when they pick the correct toy. Once they've mastered their two favourite toys, start naming even more. You can use your clicker, if you have one, to mark the second your dog picks up the correct toy. This game can require a lot of patience but, as with all tricks, it is incredibly satisfying when they work it out.
Hey Everyone! April is officially fully booked. I am currently filling May and June. All Board & Train options and limited private lesson packages are available. I’m also offering 1 Week refreshers for current clients that need brush up work done. We work exclusively with our boarding partner and dear friends at Hudson's Camp Canine.
1 Week Refresh (current clients only) - $700
2 Week Foundation Board & Train (Heel, Sit, Place, Watch Me, Door Manners, Polite Greetings) - no behavior modification - $1400
4 Week Standard Obedience Board & Train (Heel, Sit, Down, Place, Come, Watch Me, Door Manners, Polite Greetings) - most mild behavior issues can be resolved in this time frame. We also do outings to public places (parks, pet stores, Home Depot, Hobby Lobby and if ready the ultimate distraction DOG PATIOS!) - $2499
Private Lessons - Package of 6 (you come to me) $675
Private Lessons - Package of 6 (I come to you — service area applies) $860
GROUP CLASSES STARTING IN JUNE - $425 which includes required training equipment and training binder - 6 weeks - 6-7 dog per class
Sign up today. Spots are limited. 468-863-3330 (Call/Text) or email [email protected]
Furries in the flurries at Hudson's Camp Canine!
Love, fun and joy this week over at Hudson's Camp Canine. I miss my furry friends, Alex and Ray. Looking forward to my return in April! Enjoy the great pics from Plano’s #1 dog house!
Hey Weim lovers! This handsome 2 year old blue Weim just came back to Weimaraner Rescue of Texas. He has had prior training from another trainer. No behavioral issues thst we know of and gets along with cats! High energy! Private message me if you are interested! Meet Jake!
Many people ask me about DCM (Dialated Cardiomyopathy). Sadly this is often fatal if not caught early. It’s weakening of the heart wall and leads to heart failure. It’s very important you get regular yearly checkups for your pooches. This disease is related to genetics and dog food. Dogs require certain nutrients in their diet and some dog food formulas do not meet the standards. Please look over this list from the FDA. If you are feeding your dogs these brands please switch and get your dog on a different one. There are good brands out there. I can recommend Purina Pro Plan and Wellness CORE personally. Talk to your vet and get nutritional recommendations from them. I have attached VCA’s article on DCM. It will explain the disease in detail.
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/dilated-cardiomyopathy-dcm-in-dogs--indepth
Hello Everyone!
I’m starting to book April if you are interested in training for your pooches! Schedule will fill up fast. First come first serve! I’m so looking forward to getting back to work! See y’all
Soon!
I stopped by Hudson's Camp Canine today to say hello. I miss all the pups. Many of my training pooches were there today either boarding or in daycare. I wanted to get my puppy “fix” in before my radiation starts. Hanging out with Alex and Ray and all the fur babies really raised my spirits!
Don’t forget that all our Board & Train clients get the VIP rate for boarding of $25 per night and $15 per day for daycare. It’s a great deal! If your pups are getting stir crazy, take them over so they can play! Keep your pups socialized! No appointments are necessary for daycare. Just text Alex at (469) 834-8147 to let him know you are coming. No need to wait for response.
Anyway, enjoy some of the pics Alex and I took in daycare!
Merry Christmas everyone! One of my clients posted this. Love it!!!
Be safe, have fun and love each other like crazy!
Friends,
This summer I received some bad news on the health front. I have breast cancer. Luckily we caught it early so we had some time to understand the options and gather multiple opinions. I’m having surgery in late October. I expect to be away from the dog training business on medical leave from late October through April.
Thanks in advance for the positive vibes and well-wishes.
-Maegan
Group Place this weekend! Starring Jaxie, Rex, Chance, Cooper, Loki. Zelda, Buffy, Remi, Jango & Jocko. We had lots of fun sessions moving the trainees around. We also tempted each group of pups with balls sailing overhead and along the ground. A couple pups broke in each group on the first couple of balls flying by and then they stopped and didn’t break again. So proud of all the pooches!
Zelda graduated Board & Train today! Her last session was spent at Windhaven Meadows Park working on desensitization. We put her and Jaxie on Place next to the dog park fence and did that for a good 20 minutes. She’s got all that nailed. No reactivity to any of the dogs anymore. Most impressive was her Recall command. She did all her reps from 30 feet right next to the dog park. She was focused and perfect! Captured video her in action! Go Zelda!
Jango & Jocko got back together to work on Group Place. We wanted to get an idea on how the separation anxiety from each other was looking. They both did very well. They weren’t fighting to get to each other for the first time. They both even offered Downs on the place bed which showed they weren’t nervous and could relax. Jango took treats the whole time also indicating he was much more comfortable this time. I was very pleased to see this improvement. Jocko and Jango are much more comfortable in daycare too. All positive things. Good job boys!
Welcome Remi to our Board & Train Program! This beautiful Cane Corso puppy comes from Hot Pursuit Cane Corsos. We love this little gragarious and sweet girl!
Remi is here for her Foundations of Heel, Sit, Place and Watch Me. We also aim to add a clicker trick or two. Stranger greetings are going great. She is awesome in daycare and has no problem making new friends. She’s very social.
This week we have been working hard on desensitization to dogs, critters and different environments. Her Group Place work is spot on. She rarely breaks. Her focus is already extremely good for such a young puppy, living up to the Cane Corso breed standard. Her Heeling and Auto-Sits are perfect. Sit Stays are about 45 seconds in duration so far. She’s doing very well and I can’t wait to see how the next week goes! Go Remi girl!
Zelda continues to ROCK! She graduates this week. Her big personality will be missed around here. This past week we have been working hard on her Recall on the long line. She’s looking great. She has already turned it into a game anticipating me to say “Come” and jumping the gun. Today we worked it in the field next to the dog park fence. She nailed every single rep! Good girl Zelda!
Zelda needed a lot of desensitization work having never worked near dogs before. She has become almost fool-proof on Group Place. We started outings at Windhaven Meadows Park in Plano to work on reactivity next to the fence at the dog park. At the beginning of the week she would bark a lot and break. A short week and many session later, today…no breaks! So proud.
Her Sits and Downs are looking awesome from 15-20 feet away and Heeling is great! She’s ready!
Welcome Jaxie to our Board & Train Program! This sweet Jack Russell puppy has already done private lessons with me so we are working to shore up all the commands she already knows and really drill down on perfecting Heeling, Sit and Down with more distance, duration and distractions. We are going to introduce Recall as she hasn’t done that yet.
This past week we have worked on tons of Place to desensitize dogs on and off leash. As a puppy she is crazy hyper so Place also works to calm her down.
Today she went on her first outing to Windhaven Meadows Park in Plano with Cooper. We worked in the playground area first. She was very distracted in the beginning and had a few breaks on Place. As the session went on she vastly improved. We went over to the dog park and set her up on Place next to the fence. She did awesome as dogs approached the fence. She maybe barked one time. Then I worked her on Sit and Down Stays near the entrance. She did very well as dogs on leash past her.
At the end of the session I started her on clicker work. I’m teaching her “Weave” as a fun trick to do with her parents. Jack Russells rule when it comes to trick training and she did not disappoint! Making great progress!
Cooper has done an immense amount of hard work this week! We have done a ton of desensitization work with other dogs both on leash and off leash. His Sit Stays are looking really nice. We are up to 60 seconds now at the end of the leash. His Place work is excellent. He offers a Down on the bed all the time regardless of how much is going on around him. Using the “thumbs up” hand signal as a marker and positive reinforcer we have been able to build on distance, duration and distractions.
We taught him his Down command this week and are now adding more distance. His duration is already pretty good. We will be working to fade away the large body cue of bending over for Down. The hand signal is a pointed figure aimed at the ground and he understands it fully.
We got off campus several times for distraction work. Today we were over at Windhaven Meadows Park. We worked next to the dog park and playground areas. He did extremely well. I absolutely love watching this boy blossom. He’s extremely smart and very sweet. Can’t wait to see how this week progresses! Go Cooper!
Chance has made so much progress this week. Bad habits like chasing and being reactive to cars is a thing of the past! He is Heeling beautifully now. He has 1 minute Sits stays at the end of the leash too.
We spent most of the week working at Windhaven Meadows Park in Plano outside the dog park for desensitization and distraction work. Chance started off very reactive to other dogs on leash but with all the Place work and Sit Stays for desensitization, he’s so much better. I am able to work him next to the dog park fence with little reaction. Today, there was no reactivity at the fence! Yes!
We began drilling down on his recall “Come” command today in the field next to the dog park. He loves this exercise and comes into me very fast and enthusiastically.
Chance is doing great in daycare. He is now able to be in the main pack which is huge! He is a big kisser! There are only a few male dogs we don’t put him with. Socialization has also helped with his reactivity and confidence.
He is doing awesome! I can’t wait to see how he does this week!
Welcome Jango and Jocko to our Board & Train Program! This handsome pair of Weims are here for foundation commands. They are also in need of some confidence building and work on separation anxiety from each other. They have gotten off to a good start! We began with them working together on Place to ease into settling in. They are now separated from each other while we work. Jocko is doing great on his own while Jango is having a hard time being separated from his brother. However, he has made huge progress. Both dogs were crazy pullers…no more. We are working on the Auto-Sit and Sit Stays! Can’t wait to see how these very smart and sweet boys turn out!
Two of my favorite students here for daycare today! Rocky and Luna!
What a difference a day makes! Cooper has gotten the Thumbs Up hand signal as his “Yes, Good Job” command. With a deaf dog it takes awhile. So much repetition has to happen for it to make sense to them. Today he started laying Down for the first time on Place! We were so excited! He promptly got his Thumbs Up and a treat. After that, he started offering more Sits and Downs on the Place Bed. Heeling looks great. He also offered 2 Auto-Sits today when we came to a stop after about 10 Thumps Up signals on Sit Shaping repetitions. Yes! Big Jackpot! I also started teaching “Watch Me”. He did really good with that too. Once he understood the Thumbs Up, everything was easier for him to grasp. So exciting to watch!
Lucky continues to ROCK on Group Place! He is very solid and rarely breaks no matter what is happening around him. Very focused! I clicker conditioned him and I am using it as a positive reinforcement marker when he gives me an Auto-Sit when we come to a stop on Heeling. He is learning not to come up the leash and stand on two feet. His Heeling looks great! He likes to bark a lot when he gets excited in daycare and we are interrupting it. The consistency in interruption and rewarding when he’s quiet is working nicely. I’m seeing some steady improvement. I expect this to get better each day. Lucky is an awesome little dude! He’s doing great!
Rosie is progressing quickly! She did really good yesterday and today on Group Place. Just a few breaks which was awesome. We had 7 dogs out there today on her session which was nice and distracting for all the pups. Her Heeling is spot on and her Auto-Sits are getting a lot faster. She has a 30 second Sit stay from about 2 feet out in the front yard. Lots of cars and distractions out there yesterday and today including tree arborists. She is largely ignoring everything once she’s in working mode. It’s awesome to see. I did clicker conditioning with her and started her “Watch Me” command. She is laser-focused on those. She is more relaxed in daycare and letting dogs approach her regularly. She really likes new fellow trainee Zelda. They played a lot of chase with Bubba. Go Rosie!
Chance made so many great strides today! For the first time there was no reactivity to 4 cars and one FEDEX truck. Tyler and I jumped for joy! His Heeling is looking great and he has got the Auto-Sit! I did clicker conditioning and began his “Watch Me” focus command. He nailed that right away. For the first time today he started taking treats right away. Finally relaxed enough! His Group Place sessions went great. Only a couple breaks. He’s offering Sits on the bed regularly so that reward history is really growing on Place command. He comes up in daycare now and offers a Sit. Food motivation is growing exponentially. He is still reactive to dogs on leash, but we are working on that. We are so proud of him!
Welcome sweet little Zelda to our Board & Train Program! This cute puppy has already done basic obedience through private lessons so we are working on advanced obedience with lots more distractions added and will be going to parks and stores throughout her 2 Weeks with us. We will also be working on socialization with lots of dogs and people as well as confidence building. She’s already off to a great start today with her first sessions in Group Place! She did awesome! She has also begun to make friends. She loves Bubba, Lucky and Rosie. Check this cutie pie out!
Welcome Chance to our Board & Train Program! We affectionately gave him the nickname “Cowboy” because of his cute bow legs. This is one sweet pup! Chance is here for all of standard obedience (Heel, Sit Stay, Place, Down, Watch Me and Recall) and also behavior modification. He is very reactive on leash to other dogs and cars. He also has an interesting fear behavior. He is scared of storm drains. So we are drilling down hard on Place so that we can get to desensitization work as fast as possible. It’s taken a couple of days to get him taking treats because he is so overstimulated, but he’s getting it! Praise works good for him as a motivator. Loose leash walking is coming along nicely. He’s still ahead at times but major pulling is over unless there is another dog or car. The reactivity to the cars is better. Overall, he’s doing a great job! His best friend is Luna. He loves it when she is at daycare. So cute! Check him out!
Welcome Miss Rosie to our Board & Train Program! Rosie is here for two weeks to learn her foundation commands of Heel, Sit Stay, Place & Watch Me. She is also in need of confidence building. In her first week she has come a long way. This gal loves to work and learn. She gives great focus to each task. Her Heeling is already looking very good. No pulling and her leash reactivity has improved by leaps and bounds. We will be desensitizing dogs on leash, critters, cars and people as we venture out to parks this week. Rosie is looking great on Place. She’s already working next to other dogs which is advanced for the first week. Can’t wait to see how she blossoms this week! Check her out!
Dallas
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