Envy My Dog: Obedience And Behavior Solutions

01/11/2025

Friends, we need to chat.

The sheer amount of accidental lost pet posts we've seen over the last year is astronomically higher than in previous years.

Accidents happen and it is important for us as a community to band together to get lost pets back where they belong.

We are in a position to help pet owners in the community to be PROACTIVE, not REACTIVE on the topic of missing pets.

If you own a dog who has been known to go on adventures or if you aren't sure what would happen if your unleashed dog got outside the house, we want to help you gain that reliability to help you prevent the dreaded event where your dog gets away from you and gets lost in the world.

We're offering three home visits where we will address:
+ proper equipment (leash, collar, harness)
+ management in the home (what physically prevents your pet from getting out)
+ impulse control (your dog's ability to refrain from escaping the house or yard)
+ recall (your dog coming when called if they do get away from you)

We can help you get in front of "accidents happen" so you can focus on other life matters while your pet stays safe.

Give us a call. Let's get to work.

12/23/2024

Beau had his second dog reactivity session today and MAN, this dog rocked it!

His folks have clearly been practicing so next session, Beau will serve as our pseudo demo dog for two dog reactive board and trains as they complete the last day of their stay with us.

12/13/2024

Friendly reminder that dogs often don't make good Christmas presents for children.

If you're going to add a dog to your family for Christmas, I hope you've been planning this move all year and have money set aside for the expenses that come in the year after.

I hope you choose a dog whose needs line up closely with your current lifestyle as it is now. If you deviate too much, you force yourself to dramatically change your life to accomodate the dog. Realistically, the average person is incapable of accomodating drastic lifestyle changes so do yourself a favor. If you pick a dog that must be taken for runs regularly to be semi manageable but you've never exercised a day in your life, you very well might be setting yourself up for failure. Just be mindful.

I hope you understand the dog is YOURS, not your child's. That a dog is not a subject to test your child's level of responsibility. If you leave it all up to them, they will disappoint you. Choose a dog that is known for being suitable with children - not just yours, but others as well. Breeds that are known to "be protective" may give you grief when guests and other kids come to play. Its a double edge sword so again, be mindful.

I hope you plan to choose a dog that suits your needs even when on his worst behavior - because that is where the crossroad of pet rehome and shelter surrender appears.

The excitement will subside for all of you. Dogs are only fun when they're being "good" or "cute" or "funny". They are not fun when they eat your favorite pair of shoes, chew up your furniture, p*e on your bed, bark at nothing in the middle of the night, or get loose in the rain forcing you to chase them when you're already running late for work. Dogs can be a joy that uplifts you when you're down. But they can also be a pain in the butt.

Know which vet, groomer, and trainer you'll use and familiarize yourself with their prices just in case. You very well might need them. Consider even asking them to help you prepare or start on the right foot rather than waiting until you're desperate with a problem.

They will drain your bank accounts, put a damper on social/ travel plans, and cause you heartache from time to time. I hope you have a plan in place to mitigate that because your child will not.

I hope you've been budgeting your time wisely, because a dog will need that time for you to teach him how to live in your world.

Lastly, I hope that you commit. A dog is a product of his breeding as well as his environment and handler. We very much want people to commit for life, but understand that sometimes life doesn't work out how we planned. If you must rehome, dont let it be for something you should have planned for, but didn't. "He's too hyper", " We dont have time for him", "We dont have a yard", "We cant afford him", or "My landlord wont let me have a dog" indicates you didn't plan very well, particularly speaking if you've had the dog less than a year. If that is the case, take that as a lesson learned and either be the person your dog needs you to be so you can keep him or give yourself a long break in time and make better/different decisions the next go around.

If you must rehome, choose a new home wisely - get to know them, spend time with them, and ensure they will assume that commitment. Follow up with that family. Offer assistance and help network resources should they ever need it. This is what it means to commit to a dog for life, even if you rehome.

Everyone in the pet community can make a difference in solving our problem with overpopulated shelters. It starts with good decisions that prevent dogs from ending up in the shelter to begin with. It continues with good decisions so if that's where they came from, they don't have to go back.

Be mindful for Christmas time. If the only reason you last-minute got a dog was to surprise your children for the holiday, reconsider. Take sufficient time to solidify your plan, prepare your life, and surprise the kids only when you're actually ready to add a dog to your life - I promise they can wait a little while longer.

12/06/2024

If you have a coated dog, learning how to make neutral or positive associations with the force dryer and the brush is SO incredibly important. My phone died before I could get video of nail trim training so I'll do a new one some other time.

Puppies should be exposed to grooming procedures early, often, and paired with their favorite thing so they either look forward to grooming or so they at least are tolerant of it.

If you have a dog with a coat that must be brushed regularly... and you can't brush it because it panics or bites.... you your groomer, and your dog will have a bad time on grooming day. This especially goes for poodle mix puppies. They are so incredibly popular amongst the pet community and yet, they are the most intolerant client your local groomers have.

If you have a coated puppy, this doesn't have to be you. Get started now! If your coated dog misses this early conditioning and you do struggle with grooming procedures or if they experienced trauma that makes grooming scary, we can help change that!

12/06/2024

Today was Gracie the Standard Schnauzer's final follow-up to her three week board and train program!

Ordinarily, Gracie hunkers down and pulls pulls pulls when she sees a playmate on walks. While entirely friendly in nature, this is problematic because she is not aware of her surroundings in this state nor does she understand that all dogs are not friendly.

For safety reasons, we ask her to stay focused on her mama and mind her manners unless released to play with her friends when in an appropriate place to do so.

Walking a dog and filming is not my strongest skill, but you can see that she isn't tripping her mom to get to her friend Ansem. I am a trainer and not a videographer, after all 😂

Lori and Gracie practice regularly and it shows!! Keep at it, ladies, and you'll be doing cool guy stuff in no time!

11/21/2024

Thanksgiving is around the corner! For many families, that means lots of house guests and lots of food. A few things to remember for your pet's safety, your family's safety, and your wallet:

+ if your dog has never been around large groups of people, put them away in a secure space with music or a tv on. If your dog is fearful or aggressive towards house guests, secure them in a crate, behind a closed door. Don't forget to start their meds early if they are prescribed anxiety meds. You can work on social skills with guests with your dog trainer on a day when all involved persons are alert and following instructions

+ many Thanksgiving foods are toxic or harmful to dogs. If you want them to participate in the festivities, consider prepping them a safe plate that is just for them, labeling it, and setting it aside. This means unseasoned turkey breast, rice/potato, and vegetable medley - you can flavor with dehydrated herbs and low sodium chicken/beef broth.

+ if you have a door dasher, make sure your fence is secured, your dog is wearing his ID tags, and your microchip info is updated. You know when your guests are arriving. Consider installing a baby gate by the front door for extra security and also putting your dog in the yard during high door traffic times.

+ if you have a counter surfer, consider utilizing a baby gate to block off areas where food will be left at dog-theft level. Or... put your pet away until the food is put away. Or, if you can commit to paying attention to your dog, keep a leash on him to prevent him from stealing food that could make him ill.

Remember, the holiday season is highly stimulating for both dogs and people. Lets set our dogs and our family up for success so we can get through the holiday season with fond memories.

Reach out to us to schedule training if your dog struggles with behaviors that would make holiday visits tough. We can help.

11/11/2024

Molly was a part of our Puppy Foundations when she was a little baby. It was really cool to see her again for grooming. Because Molly comes from a rock solid show breeder, her folks committed to having her handstripped as opposed to shaved (as is common in pet schnauzer homes).

As we have experience stripping the breeds in the EMD perma-pack, and because often times rough/wire coated breeds travel long distances to find groomers with handstripping experience, we finally decided to offer this service to our clients.

Send us a message to get on our schedule!

11/03/2024

Guess who had a park outing today?

It's Rocket!

Long gone are the days where Rocket hits the end of the leash at passing people and soon, he will consistently pass calmly by bicycles! These are currently his only vice and we took the Silver Comet trail to get our cycle fix.

What a super dog 💪

10/31/2024

Hey everyone! I would really love everyone's help again this month. That thing we're always asking for -- reviews!

It's the first thing new clients look at before deciding to trust a relative stranger with their beloved pets. We've had countless success stories and made long time friends, but the review sections on Facebook and Google only reflect a fraction of what satisfied families have accomplished.

Review quantity also determines where our business is suggested in search engines. The less popular a business looks, the lower it is on the suggested business list.

We've got a heap of new families that have called to sign up, but many are on the fence. A lot of you who have completed training remember what that scary feeling was like pre-training. Thoughtful reviews often help people over the fence. Will you help us out and leave your trainer a shoutout? ❤

Review on Google - https://g.co/kgs/AYj2Rj

Review on FB - Www.facebook.com/envymydog/reviews

5.0 ★ · Dog trainer

10/29/2024

Many dogs hate the force dryer. They often spin, dodge, cry, bite the air, or thrash around the closer you get to their heads.

The reason K-os, the Cane Corso *doesn't* panic for grooming is because his mama made sure to handle him intentionally, thoughtfully, and for neutrality throughout his first year. She sent him to us for a board and train when he was a wee pup and continued private lessons with us intermittently his whole life. He's nearly 4 years old now and rolls over on his back for us to calmly get nails done, is easy for his bath, and sits patiently for the dryer.

If you don't have this, and you want it, let's get to work!

10/15/2024

**ADOPTABLE ALERT**

Meet Conlo! If you're interested in meeting or even adopting this cool dude, please ask us how to coordinate.

Words from his foster:

In the quiet hours of an ordinary day, I stumbled upon a heart-wrenching post: an 11-month-old puppy named Conlo was just 24 hours away from euthanasia. The urgency of the situation was overwhelming, and I couldn’t bear the thought of him facing such a grim fate. Placed in the back of an overcrowded shelter where he struggled to adapt to a small crate, Conlo was often overlooked—few people saw him, and no one showed interest. Determined to change his future, I coordinated with a rescue organization and rallied $300 in donations for his rescue.
Despite the shelter’s efforts, dusk turned into night, and no one had come for Conlo.

Miraculously, he was spared from euthanasia, but the uncertainty of his future remained. With no time to lose, I decided to bring Conlo home myself. Already a guardian to two other rescue dogs, I knew the challenges ahead, but saving Conlo’s life was worth any risk.

Since then, Conlo has undergone a remarkable transformation. Neutered and thriving in his new environment, he has blossomed during his decompression period. His intelligence is clear, and he brings joy to everyone with his playful nature—especially when his favorite green ball is involved. Although he loves attention during playtime, he’s not overly clingy, showing a balanced and independent nature.

Conlo embarked on a four-week obedience and behavior training program with a professional trainer, focusing on mastering commands and refining his manners. Learning which environments were optimal for Conlo was also a priority. His potential is immense—he’s extremely ball-driven and could even excel in competition-level obedience with more exposure to public environments.

Envy My Dog – 4-week training assessment after his board and train.

He’s already mastered many skills: potty trained, crate trained, and dog-friendly with any size, s*x, or play style. Conlo has no signs of resource guarding, and car rides are easy when he’s crated. While he enjoys learning new things, highly stimulating public places can be disorienting for him, and he’s not yet off-leash reliable. He thrives in quieter settings, working best on the outskirts of public events and loose-leash walking through parks with fewer people. Introductions to new people are quick and painless when high value food is involved. Conlo also had a good session with the vet, which is an important environment during training.

Conlo’s foster will cover two additional home training sessions to help him transition smoothly into his forever home. While Conlo’s foster cannot keep him, she is committed to ensuring Conlo finds a good fit he can call is forever home.

If you’re looking for a dog-friendly, trainable, and playful pup who’s ready to grow with you, Conlo is your match. His future is bright, and with him by your side, so is yours.

09/28/2024

Now consulting for new grooming clients! If your dog is in need of a makeover but has been turned away from the groomer's due to problematic behavior, we can help.

We've completed our grooming station and are open for business.

09/22/2024

We love when our training puppies come to visit! Parker is helping with some office work.

09/20/2024

Round of applause for this power duo 💪

Kareem came to us very explosive about strangers at the front door as well as passing strangers and dogs on leash. While Kareem is actually quite friendly and loves meeting new people, his excitement can bubble into aggression when he can't get it under control. He spent three weeks with us learning how to focus on staying calm so he can make all the friends he wants.

At his final lesson, his mama demonstrated how hard they've been working since he returned home and they passed by multiple dogs walking, jogging, and barking with no outbursts. Kareem also of course made a new friend in our friend Katie when we got back to the house.

AWESOME work Rasheeda and Kareem 💪

09/20/2024

Another big congratulations to Rasheeda and her boy Kareem for completing their program!

09/19/2024

** ATTENTION PLEASE **

It is with a terribly heavy heart that we announce our mascot and namesake, Envy, is currently battling lung cancer.

We have been to multiple vets and seen an oncologist for guidance moving forward. As Envy still has so much life in her, we want to give her the best chance at living her life to the fullest, oldest age a dog can give.

In this new journey, we are offering a $500 discount on all our board and train programs in hopes of reaching those who were in desperate need of our program but were previously unable to fit it in their budget. We will put this money towards Envy's surgey to remove the mass on her lung.

For those of you who dont know Envy, she is our retired working German Shepherd who helped hundreds of our clients' dogs overcome fear, reactivity, and aggression towards other dogs. She raised many of our clients' puppies. She helped countless trainers from other companies in their cases with their clients. She taught many of our clients that so long as there is clear communication, aggression doesn't have to be a death sentence.

As EMD's owner and of course, Envy's person, I owe her every success I have ever made in my training career. We will work for her medical funds but are happy to take donations as well if anyone finds that it speaks to their heart to do so.

+ Donations can be made through Paypal, Venmo, or Cashapp under the "EnvyMyDog" tag

For those who are ready to get started with training, let's get to work 💪

09/12/2024

Biggest congrats to Tifa and Rocket for completing their board and train follow-ups!

Rocket came to us because he struggled with lunging at strangers in and around the home. After three weeks of communication skills, better obedience, and stress management, Rocket learned how to invite guests in the house, walk past strangers close range, and handle simple vet procedures without massive blow-ups.

On her final follow-up, Tifa walked Rocket loose leash past countless men, women, children, and dogs totally unbothered.

We'll increase the challenge to higher traffic public places and bicycles/skateboards/scooters because they've got this! Super work, you two 💪

09/09/2024

Often times when dogs struggle to cope with big emotions regarding grooming, they exhibit behaviors that are dangerous to themselves and their groomer.

While some groomers have the time or support to work through these issues, many do not. It's no fault on our groomers! Grooming is very demanding on our bodies and there are countless dogs who missed out on proper exposure to grooming at a young age.

If you are the owner of a dog who has been rejected from grooming due to behaviors dangerous to your dog's welbeing, let us help your dog experience grooming in a different way.

Some dogs may groom in one session, while others may require our training program to help them overcome their aversions.

Shoot us a message to schedule your free consultation today! Groomer friends are also welcome to set up consultation on behalf of their clients as well! Taking reservations starting October 1st.