Atlanta Canine Coach

07/09/2024

By Diamond Dogs Inc

07/04/2024

Happy Independence Day! 🇺🇸🎇

06/26/2024

06/21/2024

It’s taken me a little time to make this post, but I wanted to honor Reece by giving her a permanent spot on the wall. This picture is from November of 2015 on Reece’s first stay at ACC. She was a bit shy and apprehensive at first but quickly grew comfortable with her home away from home. At 16 years old she was quite the cougar and enjoyed flirting with BB on occasion.
It took us all by surprise when she suddenly, peacefully passed away just after nap time here at ACC a few weeks ago. Her family and I are still mourning her loss. But looking back, it’s comforting to see how feisty and joyful she was right up until the end.
RIP Reecey. 🌈

05/10/2024

I know I’m not supposed to have favorites but today I had to say goodbye to one. Victor has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and today was his last visit to ACC.
It’s only been a couple years since Vic first started attending daycare but it feels like it’s been much longer. I’ll miss his sweet face and how happy he was to see his friends every week. And I’ll miss seeing his people just as much, who have brought so much warmth into my life.
Now he’s off to join up with all the others who left us too soon. Rest in paradise, Victor.

03/15/2024

Congratulations, Beavis!

I’m pretty diligent about choosing people whom I think are best suited for my fosters and vice versa. There have been placements that did not work out, for one reason or another. And I’m not trying to jinx myself, but I feel very confident about this one. Erin is one of the most dedicated, proactive adopters I have worked with, and is doing everything in her power to assure that Beavis’s transition into her home and family is stress-free. I really appreciate that, and can’t wait to see updates about their progress as he settles in. He’s such a sweet dog, and really deserves it.

03/10/2024

BB is looking dapper in his simple but elegant, customized Ruff Handle Collar and matching leash. The leash can also be used on its own as a slip lead. It’s made with biothane material which is durable, waterproof, and easy to clean. I love how the neon safety yellow color pops on his (mostly) black coat, and even matches his e-collar strap!

02/23/2024

Two years. Two years! Two years since my best boy was born.

When I got my first GSD puppy as a sport prospect, he was everything I could have hoped for in a training partner. He was driven, biddable, and devoted from the first time I met him. I remember visiting the breeder and interacting with the pups when they were seven weeks old. At the time I didn’t know which puppy I’d eventually take home. But Prince knew. He spent the entire visit by my side and eventually fell asleep softly pressed against my thigh. On the following visit I was told to choose between him and his brother, so I took them both out for a final “interview” separately. The brother was trepidatious; excitedly ping-ponging between me and the door that lead back to his littermates. Prince came bounding out and promptly fixed his eyes upon me with no reservations. “I’m ready, let’s go!” he seemed to say.

At eight weeks, he had a level of work ethic I seldom see in seasoned adult dogs. But he was saintly in his capacity to forgive and rebound from the mistakes of a green sport dog handler. He was not a pet. He had no interest in casual strolls or cuddle time on the couch, nor could he be bothered to interact with his many admirers (save for helpers). His world revolved around working and training with me and nothing else. So then you can understand how easy it was to pour all of myself into him for over two years. Every single day, for hours, we worked. I taught him things I didn’t even know I could teach a dog. And so then you can also understand how devastating it was when his health issues devoured him. First his body, then his brain. And one day, Prince just wasn’t there anymore. His body stood before me but his mind was gone. To this day Prince’s deterioration and loss is one of the most painful things I’ve ever experienced.

Then came Cyan. Still in a shroud of grief, I brought baby Cyan home the same year I lost Prince. She is Prince’s half sister (same sire), and I unabashedly assumed she’d fill the hole he left behind. But Cyan isn’t Prince. And though I hoped to hit the ground running and pick up where I’d left off, she had other ideas.

Namely, being a puppy. She had no interest in fancy shmancy training. She wanted to chew sticks and dig holes and her food drive was nearly non-existent. She hated pressure and would curl up and pretend to nap rather than engage with me if she could sense I wanted something, like a child refusing to wake up in the morning on a school day. I demolished our relationship right out of the gate because I was trying to superimpose my own expectations onto her instead of listening to what she was desperately trying to tell me about herself.

To this day, she despises obedience training. She just doesn’t have the level of patience required for the type of training I intended to do with her. But, she is my perfect guardian and travel partner; an adventurer at heart, and the sweetest, softest little mink with those she loves. She fits perfectly into my life in many facets- just not the one I expected her to. And that’s alright. It took me awhile to figure out what her purpose was in my life, and at times it was an arduous journey. But that journey led us here, and brought me who I came here to talk about.

“Wasn’t this supposed to be a birthday post about Boss?” Yes! I’m getting to that.

All the above to say: I’ve tried to approach raising BB with grace and patience, things I was sorely short on with his mother in the beginning. As well as the acknowledgment that things seldom go according to plan. My priority with BB has been to bring up a physically, mentally, and emotionally resilient dog. One well-equipped to excel at life, whether that be as a pet, a performer, an athlete, or some combination thereof. And most importantly, to simply enjoy his company. The result thus far has been the easiest, most hardy puppy I have ever raised (save for a near-death experience and then some hurdles of teenage angst in his now dwindling adolescence), whom is now transitioning into the most clever, interesting, lovable, fervent dog I have ever known.

Case in point: As I typed this, he crawled up onto the couch (something he doesn’t do often) to observe, head softly pressed against my thigh, as Prince’s was so many years ago. An homage to his late uncle. I won’t take anything for granted this time. And I won’t let my own desires drown out his. Hard lessons yield hard people, and I’ve had a lot of hard lessons in my life. But good dogs keep them from turning to stone.

Happy Birthday, Big Boss.

01/02/2024

I’ve been blessed with a very loyal, kind, and considerate client base that has grown exponentially over the last few years. And I want you all to know, from the bottom of my heart, that I truly appreciate you. I literally would not be where I am today without all of you and your repeat business, as well as your referrals to friends and family. I feel very fortunate to be able to say that I have never had to pay for advertising. Almost 100% of my business comes from word of mouth and I’m exceptionally proud of that fact.

As we are all dismally aware, prices are skyrocketing in all facets of life, and markedly so as it pertains to the overhead costs of running a business. I’m frugal where I can be, but I will never sacrifice quality where it matters.

So, (and I’m sure you know where this is going at this point) I need to increase my pricing a bit going into 2024.

Starting January 1st, 2024 the following rates will apply.

•Boarding: $45/ calendar day
•Daycare: $25/ day
•Taxi: 5 miles or less: $10: $2 for each additional mile

Note: the $10 discount for each additional dog still applies.

THE GOOD NEWS- I will continue to offer daycare M, W, F (weather permitting; by appointment only; excluding some holidays), with the exception of the first Monday of every month, which will be closed to daycare for a “Teacher Planning Day”.

Lastly, I will be accepting two-three new boarding clients for 2024. So if you know of anyone interested in joining the pack, have them reach out to me!

Thank you, and Happy New Year!

Love, Leah

12/17/2023

Congratulations, Meatwad (fka Max) and Chestnut (forest kitten that my mom found and couldn’t find the owners for, whom ended up being adopted by one of the techs at the vet she took him to).

11/01/2023

Also, DAYCARE will be closed 🛑:
11/13-11/24
12/25-12/29

Daycare availability for 2023 TBA.

05/26/2023

Update: ADOPTED!

Ink is a 2.5 year old, 45lb black beauty. Breed is unknown as she was originally picked up as a stray but she is likely some sort of retriever/ herder mix based on temperament and appearance. She is extremely affectionate and loves to be cuddled and held. She is handler soft and a bit shy/ reserved with new people but warms up quickly.

Medium-high energy, ball, and food drive. She is very smart, biddable, and athletic. She enjoys water but has not had an opportunity to try swimming, although I think she would excel at that if given the opportunity.

Knows basic obedience commands, a few tricks, walks well on leash, and is crate/ house trained. Her off-leash recall has been proofed with a Mini Educator e-collar but she has not had any e-collar training beyond that.

She is dog selective/ intolerant but NOT reactive. She currently lives with three other dogs (one female and two males) and two cats and has had a few squabbles with the intact female but not the males. She also has a history of resource guarding *with other dogs*- no guarding issues with people. Therefore, ideally she should be an only dog in an adult-only home, unless the adopter has experience with these issues and can responsibly manage interactions with other dogs in the household. Outside of this context she can become defensive when *unknown* dogs in close proximity put pressure on her and/ or invade her personal space. She does not bark or react on leash, and overall she is playful and submissive with dogs she is acquainted with, but given her history I would rather err on the side of caution.

I believe Ink would thrive as an active companion and/ or a casual sport or competitive obedience prospect. She needs structure, consistent expectations, and desperately wants to be loved as well as mentally and physically engaged.

Ink is UTD on vaccines, microchipped, heartworm negative, and spayed. No (human) bite history.

Looking to place her in GA but would be willing to make an exception for the right home. She is affiliated with Orphan Annie Rescue, based in Kennesaw, GA and currently lives in Decatur, GA with yours truly.

Please share and contact me for more information!

03/28/2023

Mi amor

01/03/2023

Rocket's leaping into the New Year because he's sure he will find his forever home soon!

Rocket is around 35-40 lbs and is about 2 years old. He is very affectionate and loves to be brushed. As soon as he sees a dog brush come out, he is at full attention and will flop over begging for his belly and chest to be brushed.

That being said, he can still be quite independent and entertain himself. He fancies himself an expert squirrel hunter and will bay at the base of trees if she sees one run up. Once the threat of squirrel intruders has been eliminated, you'll often find him sunbathing on a soft patch of grass or curled up in a chair.

Rocket has a medium energy level and settles well after a moderate amount of activity. He has medium food and toy drive and enjoys playing fetch and tug. Rocket is also a fan of the water hose and will bark excitedly if he thinks he might get a chance to chase the stream of water.

He LOVES other dogs and is exceptionally tolerant and playful with dogs of all different sizes and ages. While it's not a requirement, we think he would be very happy to share his home with another sweet, playful dog or dogs.

Rocket enjoys having routine and clear boundaries and expectations. He will thrive in a home where he can look up to his humans as leaders who will keep him safe and provide confident guidance. He can sometimes be reserved with new people and in new environments or situations but warms up quickly and will be giving kisses in no time.

To adopt him, please apply on www.orphanannierescue.orgL

01/01/2023

I’m not going to make any platitudes about 2023 being “my” year, or the best ever, etc.

My one and only goal this year is to better utilize my time. Because everything boils down to time-management, in the end, and I’ve become complacent the last few years.

I’ve taken my time for granted for too long. And after a multi-year streak of monumental heartbreak, trauma, loss, and stress, some of which I never would have believed I could survive until I looked down and realized I was still standing, just being alive and coasting without the self-inflicted pressure of choosing an absolute destination can feel like a reprieve.

But sitting back, tentatively watching life happen whilst clenching my jaw, subconsciously bracing for the next impact is not a particularly fulfilling way of life. And I’ve had my fill of low hanging fruit for awhile.

So here’s to fortifying and leaning into my internal motivation. Here’s to being proud of myself for doing more than just surviving. Here’s to living a life that *I* can admire, and that future me will be appreciate and reap the benefits of. Here’s to making the next 12 months, and beyond, really count.

Happy New Year.

12/23/2022

Some things never change…

11/09/2022

❄️⛄️

10/31/2022

10/01/2022

Fall Vibes 🍂

09/13/2022

“Why did you leave Florida? It’s awesome!”

-Boss, probably

07/06/2022

It’s grooming season again!

Basic Bath- $30
Includes shampoo and blow dry.

Mini Groom- $60
Includes shampoo, conditioner, nail trim, ear cleaning, brush out, and blow dry.

Add-ons may also be purchased a la carte at $10/ each.

Can be done at the end of boarding stays or daycare days with advanced notice. Reserve your spot and go home with a sparkling clean doggy!

07/05/2022

Mother and son.

I’m going to resist the urge to be one of those people that prefaces their caption with something like, “Not the best quality, but…”.

They don’t call it “subject matter” for nothin’. And this matter is all that matters.

07/04/2022

Also, if you need to take your dog outdoors for any reason while fireworks are going off, make sure they are on a slip lead or martingale collar so that if they become spooked they can’t bolt.

I’ve heard countless stories over the years about dogs backing out of harnesses, jumping over fences, etc. when startled. In many cases, the dogs had never exhibited these behaviors previously.

Fear is a powerful thing and can evoke atypical behavior.

We are posting this again since fireworks have been going off the past few days here.

Please be extremely careful with your pets.

If you typically let your dog off leash in an unfenced area to potty, please leash them. It is not worth the risk. Some dogs get so scared during fireworks, they’ll try to find any way out in which case it may even make sense for you to leash your dog IN your fenced in yard as extra precaution.

Believe me, we see posts every single year about pets running away because of the fireworks and we don’t want to see your pet added to that list.

Stay safe and have fun!

06/06/2022

Please and thank you!

05/16/2022

“Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?”

Road-tripping with kids, amirite?

05/03/2022

Today I picked up Boss’s sister from the crematorium.

I know most breeders would think it’s strange to have a stillborn puppy cremated, considering how common it is. But DD was my first, and it doesn’t feel right not to honor her.

Her loss compounds the love I have for her surviving brother. I can’t help but imagine if it had been him that came out first, and when I do, a painful lump rises in my throat. I wish they were both here, but I’m so grateful for my Bossy Boy and the hard lessons I’ve learned.

Rest easy, Diamond Dog.

04/26/2022

First dip.

“10/10. Much refreshing.”

04/09/2022

Congratulations, Finn!

04/04/2022

I’d like to officially introduce my new addition, Big Boss vom Neimann Haus aka Boss/ Bossy Boy.

As some of you know, my grandmother passed away last year. Nanny, as I called her, had a great fondness for animals, especially dogs, and in fact strongly preferred them over most people. Her maiden name was Neimann, which roughly translates to “new man”. So, being that I clearly inherited this characteristic coupled with the fact that I am indeed new to the breeding world, Neimann House/ Haus seemed remarkably fitting for a kennel name.

As for his registered name, Big Boss, it comes from a game franchise called Metal Gear Solid, which I have been playing since I was a child when my grandparents bought me my first console.

“Big Boss was a renowned special forces operative and mercenary commander. Considered by some as ‘The Greatest Warrior of the 20th Century,’ he earned such monikers as ‘the Legendary Soldier’ and ‘the Legendary Mercenary,’ feared in combat by both friend and foe as a hero and a madman.”

Clearly he’s got some big dog booties to fill but I truly believe he and I are going to do some extraordinary things together. Plus, look how damn adorable he is.