Sensible Canine

12/21/2024

It’s easy to focus on getting our dogs comfortable with people and dogs, but novel objects are also an integral part of socialization/desensitization. A puppy’s first few months of life is the ideal time to provide our dogs with a variety of opportunities to safely explore the environment around them. One thing to play around with is surfaces on which your dog can step. Here you see Summit putting her paws up on a balance pod and climbing up her human brother’s jungle gym.

12/15/2024

Focus and attention are important to teach any dog. From the get go, whenever Summit paid attention to me, she was rewarded with a tasty cookie. This helped to teach her that paying attention with eye contact is a behavior worth repeating. Don’t worry - her brother, Mowgli, got a treat too as soon as I put the camera away.

12/08/2024

Teaching a dog to respond to their name is another important tool when you first introduce them to their new home. Watch Summit’s head turn towards us the first time she hears her name and her tail wagging in happy anticipation of a treat when she hears her name the second time. When teaching these new skills, we make sure to practice at home first with less distractions.

12/05/2024

Looking forward to Yappie Hour tomorrow! Stop on by and say hi!

You don't want to miss Yappie Hour tomorrow!! In addition to our normal Yappie Hour specials ($2 off a human item and $2 off doggie ice cream) we will have the big guy in the house....
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That's right SANTA will be here for you to take FREE photos of your dog with him!
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PLUS a FREE DIY tug toy sponsored by and more special guests with treats: and !

12/04/2024

Come visit Sensible Canine at Colorado Tap House's Yappie Hour tomorow, 12/5 from 4-7pm! Santa will be making an appearance and we will be offering a station to make your own tug toy gift for your furry friends.

12/03/2024

We still have a few spots open in our next Sensible Skills class starting this Sunday, 12/8 at 10M. This is our general manners course where we will be teaching your dog all the basics including; sit, down, stays, leave it, loose leash walking, polite greetings, mat work, the always important recalls, and how to have fun while training! All group classes will be held in Lakewood.
If your dog already has a lot of these foundation skills, this may also be a great opportunity for them to practice these skills around other dogs in class in a safe setting. Contact us now to sign up:

Sensible Canine offers relationship focused, science based techniques and positive reinforcement training for you and your dog that address a variety of manners and behavioral needs. We will help you and your dog better understand one another and to build trust that makes learning fun and effective....

12/03/2024

We want to introduce you to our new furry family member named Summit. Mehak’s home is now filled with puppy energy and the family and we thought we could spend this month showcasing some of the things we have been working on with her. Just like with any new dog in our home it takes time to learn their personalities and preferences, and it’s important to learn to accommodate their personal needs.

One of the first things we teach our dogs is to be content in an enclosed area such as a playpen or crate. This provides them with a safe place to rest when needed and whenever we can’t fully supervise. Here is Summit choosing to go into her playpen while the door was open. We set this up with a comfortable bed, toys, water and food as needed.

12/02/2024

Excited to be a part of Colorado Tap House's Yappie Hour this Thursday 12/5 from 4-7pm! Santa will be making an appearance and Sensible Canine be offering a station to make your own tug toy gift for your furry friends.

11/27/2024

Since we can't control the neighborhood's use of salt or chemicals on public pathways, you can help protect your dog by rubbing a paw protector (like musher's secret) or vaseline on the pads of their paws. This will help avoid chemicals from making contact, prevent snowballs from forming, and keep their paws from cracking when they aren't wearing boots.

11/26/2024

Congratulations to our recent graduates from our Sensible Skills group class! We loved watching all these wonderful pups and their people pick up foundation skills in this 5-week course and most importantly, have fun with training! (A couple of well trained puppers and their people were missing for pictures).

11/20/2024

Whether you live somewhere where you are in charge of shoveling/de-icing pathways or simply have the ability to influence those who do, use pet friendly ice melt to ensure the comfort of your dog and any others that pass through. Harsh salts and chemicals can damage your dog's paws and even their digestive system if they lick their paws after passing through.

11/14/2024

Another useful tool for winter comfort is boots for your four legged friend. They can be very helpful in the snow for warmth, to avoid snowballs forming for medium to long haired dogs, and to keep your dog's paws safe from chemicals used to clear ice. Just like jackets and anything else your dog wears, make sure to teach them to be comfortable in boots with desensitization and positive associations.

11/09/2024

Since the weather has taken a quick turn, we wanted to go over some of our favorite tools to help your pup stay warm and safe throughout winter.

It's important to have a sweater and/or jacket on hand for your pup if you ever take them outside in freezing conditions. For some smaller or short haired dogs, you may consider anything below 40 degrees as coat worthy. For other breeds that have long hair and are genetically built for snow, you might not need a jacket unless it is closer to 20 degrees or less. Just like with anything your dog is going to wear, make sure to condition them for a positive association with any sweater or jacket you plan to use.

10/14/2024

Congratulations to our recent graduates from our Sensible Skills group class! We loved watching all these wonderful pups and their people pick up foundation skills in this 5-week course and most importantly, have fun with training!

10/10/2024

Our next Sensible Skills class will be offered on Sunday, 10/20 at 10M. This is our general manners course where we will be teaching your dog all the basics including; sit, down, stays, leave it, loose leash walking, polite greetings, mat work, the always important recalls, and how to have fun while training! All group classes will be held in Lakewood.

Contact us now to sign up and get notified of next steps: https://sensiblecanine.com/services

09/30/2024

In addition to physical activities, dogs thrive with mental stimulation. Don't forget to use training, puzzles, and other mentally stimulating toys/chews to keep your dog's brain busy. You might be surprised how far mental enrichment can go towards tiring your pup out.

09/25/2024

Being our pet often means that dogs have very little control over their environment. Your ability to set them up for success with their surroundings can go a long way in building their trust and confidence in a positive way.

09/20/2024

Physical health is another important aspect to your dogs wellbeing. Since dogs are often stoic, tough, and less able to communicate pain or discomfort, it is up to you to advocate for them and notice changes in behavior that may indicate physical health problems and to make sure you keep them in as good of health as possible.