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Happy Hound University

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Elk Grove Village, IL
Happy Hound University

Happy Hound University Dog training and behavior modification using positive, science-based, pain free methods to help you

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Happy Hound University offers certified, professional positive training for you and your dog in your home. I use force-free methods to manage and modify your dog's inappropriate behaviors, and replace them with new, desirable ones. Serving the Northwest suburbs of Chicago, IL. Email today to schedule your initial consult!

03/03/2025

Myth Busting Monday: Wait until your puppy is fully vaccinated to socialize them

According to the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, the foremost experts in pet dog behavior: “… puppies can start puppy socialization classes as early as 7-8 weeks of age. Puppies should receive a minimum of one set of vaccines at least 7 days prior to the first class and a first deworming. They should be kept up-to-date on vaccines throughout the class.”

This cannot be overstated: puppies are only in their critical window of socialization (the period of time when puppies are most sociable and less fearful of novelty) until about 12-16 weeks of age. Once a puppy leaves their critical window of socialization they are more likely to meet novel situations with fear and hesitation, and to be less accepting overall. Early positive exposure (done at the puppy’s pace!) to a wide variety of new people, other dogs/puppies, environments, and situations will teach your puppy how to expect and enjoy novelty as adult dogs!

Young puppy classes and socials are Happy Hound University’s specialty. We offer multiple class and social times each week, and set puppies up to succeed by matching them with similar sized and tempered playmates.

Interested in learning more about our puppy program? Email [email protected]!

03/02/2025

"Adventure is out there!"- Daisy, probably

Daisy had a blast a few weeks ago exploring the Des Plaines River Trail with Phil on her enrichment adventure. There were plenty of sniffs to be had, and some training to enjoy!

What are enrichment adventures? We come to your home, pick your dog up, and take them on a 45-60 minute adventure at a local trail, park, or dog friendly store!

These aren't any old dog walks! We specialize in giving your dog the opportunity to really engage in the environment, explore, and use their brains so that when we bring them home they're good and tired!

We are currently accepting new enrichment adventure clients! These adventures are available Monday through Friday; availability is limited so if you are interested sign up before we are fully booked!

For more information or to get signed up email [email protected]!

03/01/2025

We've got openings in our good manners 1 classes starting in March, and there’s only ONE SPOT left in the class starting March 4th!

Do you want a dog who pays attention to you, knows "leave it", "stay", "come when called", and how to politely greet people and walk politely on a leash? Then our good manners 1 class is for you!

This class focuses on the building blocks for polite behavior that every pet dog should have! We use humane, positive reinforcement training methods to teach and keep class sizes small so that you and your dog can focus and get the individual attention you need!

Check out some of what our past students have said:

"Mary's in-class training suggestions were tailored for each dog and helped us know what and how to practice at home; we still use her homework sheets for training sessions on walks and around the house."

"Mary has SO MANY tips and tricks that we didn't know, despite having several dogs throughout the years"

"My wife and I could NOT recommend Mary more, time over time I told people that it's not like working at a big box store but Mary really understands what is going on and connects with your dog so well."

To see dates and get signed up, go to https://happyhounduniversityscheduling.as.me/?appointmentType=category:Group%20Classes%20for%20dogs%206%20months%20and%20over or email [email protected]!

02/28/2025

A HUGE congratulations to our puppy 1 graduates from this week, Enzo, Gus, Millie, and Sparky!

Our puppy 2 for big dogs graduate, Apollo!

And our good manners 1 graduates Sage and Walter!

These are some very good pups who made great progress in their classes and will continue to learn and grow with their awesome parents! I can’t wait to see you all continue your progress!

02/27/2025

If your dog is fearful, please hear me.

It’s not your fault.

It’s not because you let them sleep in the bed, it’s not because you share “human food” with them, it’s not because you coddle them or “reinforce” their fear.

Fear is an incredibly complicated behavior. In many animals it’s adaptive, meaning it helps us to survive and make safe choices (i.e. is there a lion in that bush? I better avoid it so I don’t get eaten. Or Should I wear my seatbelt today? Yes, because even if we don’t get in an accident I’d like to be safe!) but it can become maladaptive, at which point it impedes normal life and we label it a “behavior problem”.

Because fear is a survival mechanism, it is often passed down from parent to offspring. This means that if you breed fearful dogs together, their litter will more than likely have fearful pups even before any kind of socialization or exposure to the “outside” world.

To make it even more complicated, stress to the mother during pregnancy has been shown to cause fear to develop later on as well, and then on top of that, if the mother is fearful, the puppies will be watching and modeling her behavior during the first (hopefully at least 8. )weeks of their lives. This can also contribute to fear based behavior problems.

All this to say: fear is extremely complicated and sometimes completely out of our hands!

One of the best parts of my job is getting to tell people that their dog’s behavior isn’t all their fault. The relief that I often see is huge, and it’s because the dog training industry has done such a disservice to pet parents spreading erroneous information based on myth and old wives tales.

It your dog is suffering from fear based behavior problems, don’t pin it on yourself. Fear is so much more complicated than many of us realize.

02/26/2025

"What's in your pouch?" Wednesday

I have had some people ask me for different treat recommendations, since I encourage my students to change up their reinforcers for the novelty factor and to keep introducing their dogs to new foods. So I decided one of the better places for me to post about this is on our social media!

Heads up, the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning that I will receive a commission from these purchases at no additional cost to you!

The treats my dogs have been enjoying this week have been:

- K9 Natural Tripe Treats: https://amzn.to/4eh7Org. Tripe is one of the grossest treats/foods on the market, but it's one that most dogs REALLY enjoy. At least when it's freeze dried it's not stinky like it is when it's canned!

- Honest Kitchen Whitefish Filets: https://amzn.to/4dntxw5. Speaking of stinky... these are stinky. If you can't stand fish smell than I definitely don't recommend these, but if that's not something you mind these can break up for training and most dogs really enjoy them!

- Purebites Squeezables: https://amzn.to/3zqKEiX. This is a lickable squeeze pouch (think like the squeeze pouches toddlers are given!). Most dogs find these very high value, and they come with the bonus of saving your fingers from nibbling teeth AND being easy to use when the weather gets cold and we have to wear gloves again!

How about you and your dog? Have you recently found a treat or food that has been working well for your training? If so, please comment below! And happy training!

02/25/2025

Is that person REALLY a behaviorist?

Before diving into this post, I want to say that the things said in this post only apply to the United States, not outside of the US. Regulations will vary depending on the country you are in!

I often hear new clients tell me that they worked with a ‘behaviorist’ before coming to work with me. Huh, that’s odd. A behaviorist is actually a step ABOVE me on the referral ladder, why would this client call ME to replace their behaviorist? It's typical for a behaviorist and trainer to work in conjunction, but not for the client to work with the trainer INSTEAD of a behaviorist!

Upon further digging what this usually means it that they worked with a dog trainer who CALLED themselves a behaviorist, but to be completely frank had no business calling themselves that. Let me explain.

I am a dog trainer. I am also a dog behavior consultant. I am NOT a behaviorist. The title of ‘behaviorist’ should be reserved for Veterinary Behaviorists (basically doggy psychiatrists, see: https://www.dacvb.org/page/AnimalOwners) or Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists (behavior professionals who have pursued graduate and doctoral level work in animal behavior, see:https://www.animalbehaviorsociety.org/web/index.php).

This might seem like splitting hairs, but when a trainer without these qualifications refers to themselves as a behaviorist they are being dishonest and disrespecting the years of work that VB’s and CAAB’s put in. I like to think that I am an accomplished, knowledgeable behavior professional. I am still NOT a behaviorist. (Maybe one day, if I win the lottery and can go back to school for a doctorate in animal behavior! 😉)

As an aside, whenever I hear a trainer call themselves a “behaviorist” it has always, ALWAYS, meant that that trainer offered terrible advice and honestly had no idea what they were doing. I am not being hyperbolic. I have never seen an unqualified trainer who called themselves a behaviorist NOT make things worse. The trainer typically applied shock and prong collars to the dog, and the dog was worse for the wear. In the United States a reputable, knowledgeable trainer will not call themselves a behaviorist.

If a behavior professional you are in touch with is calling themselves a behaviorist, and you would like to double check, see the listings at:

https://www.dacvb.org/search/custom.asp?id=4709 and https://www.animalbehaviorsociety.org/.../applied....

If their name is not listed there, they are likely a fake ‘behaviorist’, and my recommendation would be to find someone who is more honest about their qualifications.

Some great places to start are:

The Pet Professional Guild: https://www.petprofessionalguild.com
The Academy for Dog Trainers: https://www.academyfordogtrainers.com

Pat Miller’s Peaceable Paws Academies: https://peaceablepaws.com/pat-miller-certified-trainers/

The Karen Pryor Academy: https://karenpryoracademy.com/find-a-trainer/

If you need a veterinary behaviorist to work with in the Chicagoland area, check out:

https://chicagovetbehavior.com

And

https://www.insightfulanimals.com

And always remember: dog training in this country is completely unregulated. Just because someone calls themselves a behaviorist (heck, just because someone calls themselves a trainer!) doesn’t make it so! Always check for education and credentials! Always!

02/25/2025

Looking for a positive reinforcement group training class to take with your dog? We've got options galore!

Please note, some of these classes do have prerequisites, so please make sure to read the class description!

Good Manners 1: For dogs 5 months and older who have not taken a training class yet. This 5 week class goes over the "basics" of training and teaches sit, down, stay, leave it, polite greetings, polite leash walking and more! Learn how to communicate with your dog more effectively all while having fun!

Good Manners 2: For graduates of good manners 1! Throughout this 5 week course you will continue to refine your dogs skills by increasing the difficulty level of the exercises learned in good manners 1!

Walk this way: Real Life Skills for Polite Leash walking: For graduates of good manners 1 or our puppy courses. This specialty 4 week class is focused exclusively on polite leash walking. PLEASE NOTE the schedule change for the last week of class (the first three weeks will be on Tuesday evenings and the last class will be on a Monday!)

Jumping beans anonymous: Real life skills for polite greetings and less jumping: For graduates of good manners 1 or our puppy courses. This specialty 3 week class is focused exclusively on teaching our dogs to jump up less and greet more politely!

All classes are taught by Mary Thompson, CPDT-KA PMCT1 CTC FFCP FDM, owner of Happy Hound University LLC and held at 1095 E Thacker St, Des Plaines, Illinois.

And if you recently brought home a new puppy, ask us about our rolling enrollment puppy socialization classes for puppies 8-20 weeks old!

Email [email protected] with questions or to get signed up!

02/23/2025

We've got openings in our good manners 1 classes starting in March!

Do you want a dog who pays attention to you, knows "leave it", "stay", "come when called", and how to politely greet people and walk politely on a leash? Then our good manners 1 class is for you!

This class focuses on the building blocks for polite behavior that every pet dog should have! We use humane, positive reinforcement training methods to teach and keep class sizes small so that you and your dog can focus and get the individual attention you need!

Check out some of what our past students have said:

"Mary's in-class training suggestions were tailored for each dog and helped us know what and how to practice at home; we still use her homework sheets for training sessions on walks and around the house."

"Mary has SO MANY tips and tricks that we didn't know, despite having several dogs throughout the years"

"My wife and I could NOT recommend Mary more, time over time I told people that it's not like working at a big box store but Mary really understands what is going on and connects with your dog so well."

To see dates and get signed up, go to https://happyhounduniversityscheduling.as.me/?appointmentType=category:Group%20Classes%20for%20dogs%206%20months%20and%20over or email [email protected]!

02/22/2025

A very waggy welcome to little Daisy who is here with us for a board and train! Daisy recently graduated from puppy 1 and in between puppy 1 and 2 is here to stay with us! We’re working on leash walking, cooperative grooming, and comfort with her crate!

Good girl, Daisy! ❤️

02/21/2025

A HUGE congratulations to our puppy 1 graduates from this week, Hondo and Gracie!

And puppy 2 for little dogs graduates, Aki and Pepper!

These are some very good pups who made great progress in their classes and will continue to learn and grow with their awesome parents! I can’t wait to see you all continue your progress!

02/20/2025

I don’t care if you think I’m a cookie pusher. (I’ve always loved that term anyway!)

I don’t care if you think I bribe my dogs. (So sorry you don’t understand how positive reinforcement training works!)

I don’t care if you want to yell “who’s walking who” or “would they do that without the treats though” (eventually, any behavior that is no longer reinforced will go extinct. I don’t agree with not paying my dog for a job well done. Also… I never asked for your opinion 🙃)

Here’s what I care about:

- Everyone is happy and safe, including dogs, humans, and cats

- My dogs trust me

- Our relationship is not built on a foundation of “do it or else” coercion

So if you have a problem with me using food with my dogs, generously and with abandon, for their entire lives?

That sounds like a you problem. 👍🏻

02/19/2025

We love to hear from our amazing clients! Thank you so much to Rosie's person for this kind testimonial!

"Mary is an outstanding trainer. We have been taking her puppy classes since Rosie was 8 weeks old, and Mary makes training enjoyable for both dogs and their owners. She emphasizes the use of positive reinforcement techniques, such as treats, play, and cuddles, to encourage puppies to learn desired behaviors.

Mary maintains small class sizes, organized into groups for small and large puppies. Each week, she sends out homework tasks and suggestions for enrichment activities. During every training session, she takes the time to explain how to work effectively with our dogs, providing individualized attention to each puppy. Additionally, she incorporates socialization time for the puppies into every class.

Mary treats both dogs and their owners with respect, and she is always encouraging and supportive when questions arise. We are very pleased with the progress Rosie has made under Mary’s guidance at Happy Hound University." - Rosie's person

02/18/2025

“Learn to be the pack leader that your dog loves and needs…

… to earn their respect and become the alpha that your dog needs to enjoy a balanced life.”

Text taken directly from a training company’s page.

Just your weekly reminder: dogs don’t need you to prove that you’re the pack leader or the alpha, and any trainer still spewing this garbage needs to get with the times.

Your dog doesn’t need you to be the alpha or the pack leader; they need you to provide them with guidance and skills to navigate through life, they need you to provide them with mental and physical enrichment, and they need your empathy.

Alpha talk and “pack leader” baloney are dog trainer red flags 🚩 🚩 🚩 buyer beware!

02/17/2025

02/16/2025

Pssssssst.

Just in case you were wondering: dominance has almost nothing to do with how you should train your dog.

The concept of dominance between humans and dogs has never been scientifically proven.

Pretty much any trainer who talks about dominance and tells you that you need to prove that you're the dominant one over your dog is honestly a bully and also like 30 years behind on the times.

02/15/2025

Do you hate walks in the cold and snow, but your dog lives for the stuff? Let us do the walking while you stay warm inside!

We have openings in our schedule for adventures walks starting as soon as the next few weeks.

What are adventure walks? They're 45-60 minute long walks held at local forest preserves and parks. Happy Hound University co-owner and enrichment specialist Phil will stop by your house, pick your pup up, and drive to a local dog-friendly locale within 15 minutes of your home. They'll spend the next 45-60 minutes sniffing, exploring, and getting mental and physical enrichment, then head home where you'll get a report card of how the adventure went!

Who are they for? For people who live within 15 miles of Elk Grove Village. Please note that we cannot take dogs with a history of reactive or aggressive behavior at this time.

When are they available? Enrichment adventures are available Monday through Friday!

*Please note we cannot offer adventure walks when the temperatures are under 20 degrees; this is to keep your dog safe from conditions such as hypothermia and frostbite.

Interested in signing up? Email [email protected].

02/14/2025

A HUGE congratulations to our puppy 1 graduate from this week, Daisy!

Our puppy 2 for big dogs graduates, Miley and Gus

Our puppy 3 for big dogs graduate, Butters!

And our good manners 1 graduates Bear, Gingersnap, and Scooby!

These are some very good pups who made great progress in their classes and will continue to learn and grow with their awesome parents! I can’t wait to see you all continue your progress!

Address

Elk Grove Village, IL

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 8pm
Tuesday	9am - 8pm
Wednesday	9am - 8pm
Thursday	9am - 8pm
Friday	9am - 8pm

Website

http://happyhounduniversity.com/

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Videos

Did you recently bring home a new puppy? Don’t let their critical window of socialization pass you by! Young puppies need to be socialized with other dogs and new people BEFORE their critical window of socialization starts to close around 16-18 weeks of age. There’s no better time to start puppy classes then NOW. Our classes are rolling enrollment, which means no waiting for the next class date to start! You can jump in as soon as there’s an opening! We also separate our puppy class by size and temperament, which means your puppy will be getting QUALITY socialization and our playtime isn’t a free for all. Our goal is that all puppies leave class more confident than they started! Interested in learning more about our puppy program? Email [email protected] or see our website! #dogtrainer #dogtraining #positivedogtrainer #positivedogtraining #forcefree #forcefreetrainer #forcefreetraining #fearfree #fearfreetraining #fearfreetrainer #sciencebased #sciencebasedtraining #LIMA #cookiepusher #teamsnackies #elkgrovevillageIL #desplainesIL #mountprospectIL #ParkRidgeIL #PalatineIL #schaumburgIL #hoffmanestatesIL #happyhounduniversity

Attention new puppy owners: we’ve got openings in our Tuesday 4:30 puppy class as soon as tomorrow, and openings in our Wednesday and Thursday evening puppy classes within the next few weeks! Our classes specialize in socialization and offer a fun and safe place for your puppy to meet other puppies and new people outside of your home! And as you can see from this video from our puppy 2 for small dogs class, our socialization time continues into puppy 2 and 3 and focuses on QUALITY social interactions with other dogs. Our goal is to support you from puppyhood through adolescence and into adulthood, and our classes allow for exactly that! Class sizes are kept small to allow for individual attention, and play sessions are grouped by size and temperament so no puppy gets overwhelmed or practices undesirable play behaviors! Don’t delay! Your puppy is only in their critical window of socialization until 16-18 weeks; early safe and positive exposure is critical to raising a well rounded, confident dog! Email [email protected] to sign up today! #dogtrainer #dogtraining #positivedogtrainer #positivedogtraining #forcefree #forcefreetrainer #forcefreetraining #fearfree #fearfreetraining #fearfreetrainer #sciencebased #sciencebasedtraining #LIMA #cookiepusher #teamsnackies #elkgrovevillageIL #desplainesIL #mountprospectIL #ParkRidgeIL #PalatineIL #schaumburgIL #hoffmanestatesIL #happyhounduniversity

Attention new puppy owners: we’ve got openings in our Tuesday 4:30 puppy class as soon as tomorrow, and openings in our Wednesday and Thursday evening puppy classes the first few weeks of February! Our classes specialize in socialization and offer a fun and safe place for your puppy to meet other puppies and new people outside of your home! Class sizes are kept small to allow for individual attention, and play sessions are grouped by size and temperament so no puppy gets overwhelmed or practices undesirable play behaviors! Don’t delay! Your puppy is only in their critical window of socialization until 16-18 weeks; early safe and positive exposure is critical to raising a well rounded, confident dog! Email [email protected] to sign up today! #dogtrainer #dogtraining #positivedogtrainer #positivedogtraining #forcefree #forcefreetrainer #forcefreetraining #fearfree #fearfreetraining #fearfreetrainer #sciencebased #sciencebasedtraining #LIMA #cookiepusher #teamsnackies #elkgrovevillageIL #desplainesIL #mountprospectIL #ParkRidgeIL #PalatineIL #schaumburgIL #hoffmanestatesIL #happyhounduniversity

Somebody come adopt these puppies before I do 😂 At our Tuesday puppy class this week we had a number of secondcityk9 puppies join us! (Gracie the golden, at the end of this clip, is NOT up for adoption and is in her own loving home already!) The puppies had fun exploring our equipment, getting to meet the other puppies, and doing some training learning sit and down! If anyone out there is looking to adopt a puppy sometime soon, Second City Canine Rescue has a bunch of cuties available! #dogtrainer #dogtraining #positivedogtrainer #positivedogtraining #forcefree #forcefreetrainer #forcefreetraining #fearfree #fearfreetraining #fearfreetrainer #sciencebased #sciencebasedtraining #LIMA #cookiepusher #teamsnackies #elkgrovevillageIL #desplainesIL #mountprospectIL #ParkRidgeIL #PalatineIL #schaumburgIL #hoffmanestatesIL #happyhounduniversity

Myth Busting Monday: Wait until your puppy is fully vaccinated to socialize them According to the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, the foremost experts in pet dog behavior: “… puppies can start puppy socialization classes as early as 7-8 weeks of age. Puppies should receive a minimum of one set of vaccines at least 7 days prior to the first class and a first deworming. They should be kept up-to-date on vaccines throughout the class.” This cannot be overstated: puppies are only in their critical window of socialization (the period of time when puppies are most sociable and less fearful of novelty) until about 12-16 weeks of age. Once a puppy leaves their critical window of socialization they are more likely to meet novel situations with fear and hesitation, and to be less accepting overall. Early positive exposure (done at the puppy’s pace!) to a wide variety of new people, other dogs/puppies, environments, and situations will teach your puppy how to expect and enjoy novelty as adult dogs! Young puppy classes and socials are Happy Hound University’s specialty. We offer multiple class and social times each week, and set puppies up to succeed by matching them with similar sized and tempered playmates. Interested in learning more about our puppy program? Email [email protected]! #dogtrainer #dogtraining #positivedogtrainer #positivedogtraining #forcefree #forcefreetrainer #forcefreetraining #fearfree #fearfreetraining #fearfreetrainer #sciencebased #sciencebasedtraining #LIMA #cookiepusher #teamsnackies #elkgrovevillageIL #desplainesIL #mountprospectIL #ParkRidgeIL #PalatineIL #schaumburgIL #hoffmanestatesIL #happyhounduniversity

Hondo, Daisy, Gracie, and Freya had so much fun this week during their wednesday night puppy 1 class playtime! In addition to playtime, they got to practice learning "leave it" and practiced having their paws handled and nails filed! Our puppy classes are for puppies ages 8 to 20 weeks of age; the curriculum focuses on proper socialization and introduces basic manners and obedience cues that all dogs will need. Our class size is kept small to allow for individual attention, and printable pdfs of homework are sent home after class each week so that you can keep working on the tasks learned during class time. Since our classes are rolling enrollment you can sign up for the class as soon as there's an opening. No waiting 6 whole weeks for the next round to start, letting your puppy's critical window of socialization pass you by! To sign up for our puppy classes please see our website or email [email protected]! Our classes are held at 1095 E Thacker St in Des Plaines, and are held on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings! #dogtrainer #dogtraining #positivedogtrainer #positivedogtraining #forcefree #forcefreetrainer #forcefreetraining #fearfree #fearfreetraining #fearfreetrainer #sciencebased #sciencebasedtraining #LIMA #cookiepusher #teamsnackies #elkgrovevillageIL #desplainesIL #mountprospectIL #ParkRidgeIL #PalatineIL #schaumburgIL #hoffmanestatesIL #happyhounduniversity

Did you bring home a new puppy over the holidays? Don’t let their critical window of socialization pass you by! Young puppies need to be socialized with other dogs and new people BEFORE their critical window of socialization starts to close around 16-18 weeks of age. There’s no better time to start puppy classes then NOW. Our classes are rolling enrollment, which means no waiting for the next class date to start! You can jump in as soon as there’s an opening! We also separate our puppy class by size and temperament, which means your puppy will be getting QUALITY socialization and our playtime isn’t a free for all. Our goal is that all puppies leave class more confident than they started! Interested in learning more about our puppy program? Email [email protected] or see our website! #dogtrainer #dogtraining #positivedogtrainer #positivedogtraining #forcefree #forcefreetrainer #forcefreetraining #fearfree #fearfreetraining #fearfreetrainer #sciencebased #sciencebasedtraining #LIMA #cookiepusher #teamsnackies #elkgrovevillageIL #desplainesIL #mountprospectIL #ParkRidgeIL #PalatineIL #schaumburgIL #hoffmanestatesIL #happyhounduniversity

Teddy the board and train puppy is hard at work on his “go to bed and stay there until released” behavior! We started with teaching him how to “target” the bed when asked, and now are adding in duration, distractions like me dropping treats and rewarding him for staying put, and having me sit down. Like everything else we do at Happy Hound University, we’re teaching using positive reinforcement, proactively rewarding Teddy for a behavior we liked, and breaking it down into small enough steps that Teddy achieved with ease! If Teddy gets off the bed before I’ve released him, that’s just information telling me that I’ve made the exercise too hard too quickly! Good boy, Teddy! Did you recently bring home a new puppy? Email [email protected] to see if your puppy is a good fit for our program! (P.s. yes those are my pajamas I am training in 😂) #dogtrainer #dogtraining #positivedogtrainer #positivedogtraining #forcefree #forcefreetrainer #forcefreetraining #fearfree #fearfreetraining #fearfreetrainer #sciencebased #sciencebasedtraining #LIMA #cookiepusher #teamsnackies #elkgrovevillageIL #desplainesIL #mountprospectIL #ParkRidgeIL #PalatineIL #schaumburgIL #hoffmanestatesIL #happyhounduniversity

Myth Busting Monday: Wait until your puppy is fully vaccinated to socialize them According to the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, the foremost experts in pet dog behavior: “… puppies can start puppy socialization classes as early as 7-8 weeks of age. Puppies should receive a minimum of one set of vaccines at least 7 days prior to the first class and a first deworming. They should be kept up-to-date on vaccines throughout the class.” This cannot be overstated: puppies are only in their critical window of socialization (the period of time when puppies are most sociable and less fearful of novelty) until about 12-16 weeks of age. Once a puppy leaves their critical window of socialization they are more likely to meet novel situations with fear and hesitation, and to be less accepting overall. Early positive exposure (done at the puppy’s pace!) to a wide variety of new people, other dogs/puppies, environments, and situations will teach your puppy how to expect and enjoy novelty as adult dogs! Our puppy and adolescents classes are Happy Hound University’s specialty. We offer multiple class times each week, and set puppies up to succeed by matching them with similar sized and tempered playmates. And we have openings as soon as we start back up in January! Interested in learning more about our puppy program? Email [email protected]! #dogtrainer #dogtraining #positivedogtrainer #positivedogtraining #forcefree #forcefreetrainer #forcefreetraining #fearfree #fearfreetraining #fearfreetrainer #sciencebased #sciencebasedtraining #LIMA #cookiepusher #teamsnackies #elkgrovevillageIL #desplainesIL #mountprospectIL #ParkRidgeIL #PalatineIL #schaumburgIL #hoffmanestatesIL #happyhounduniversity

With the holidays coming up it can be tempting to put off training for your new puppy. But did you know that puppies have a limited window of time during which they can be properly socialized? Your puppy’s critical window of socialization begins before they even come home, but it starts to close around 16 weeks depending on the breed and individual. This window of time is when your puppy is most open to novel experiences, and when they need to be introduced to new people, dogs, and environments. Early positive socialization helps young puppies become resilient, confident adult dogs! That being said, DON’T wait to get your puppy into a puppy class. Socialization truly is time sensitive and needs to be done as soon as possible (as long as your puppy has had their first round of shots!) We have openings in our puppy classes starting as soon as this week! Email [email protected] or see our website for complete details about our puppy class program! #dogtrainer #dogtraining #positivedogtrainer #positivedogtraining #forcefree #forcefreetrainer #forcefreetraining #fearfree #fearfreetraining #fearfreetrainer #sciencebased #sciencebasedtraining #LIMA #cookiepusher #teamsnackies #elkgrovevillageIL #desplainesIL #mountprospectIL #ParkRidgeIL #PalatineIL #schaumburgIL #hoffmanestatesIL #happyhounduniversity

Do you want your puppy to be highly sociable, but also to able to focus in the presence of distractions? Our group puppy classes focus on that very thing! The four puppies in this puppy 2 class are great friends! Olive, Frankie, Mila, and Butters love to romp and play with the best of them, but they also know how to focus and get to work when it’s time to train! This is because their owners have all committed to training from a very young age, and have stayed in classes consistently. These four dogs get regular play sessions with each other, but they’re also expected to control their impulses and practice polite behavior when training! We have openings in our puppy classes starting as soon as next week! If you want your puppy so be well socialized while also learning the necessary skills to be polite out and about, we’d love to see you there! Email [email protected] for more information about our group and private training! #dogtrainer #dogtraining #positivedogtrainer #positivedogtraining #forcefree #forcefreetrainer #forcefreetraining #fearfree #fearfreetraining #fearfreetrainer #desplainesillinois #mountprospectil #elkgrovevillageillinois #schaumburgillinois #parkridgeillinois #wheelingillinois #nilesillinois #arlingtonheightsillinois #palatineillinois #cooperation #cookiepusher #groupclasses

With the holidays coming up it can be tempting to put off training for your new puppy. But did you know that puppies have a limited window of time during which they can be properly socialized? Your puppy’s critical window of socialization begins before they even come home, but it starts to close around 16 weeks depending on the breed and individual. This window of time is when your puppy is most open to novel experiences, and when they need to be introduced to new people, dogs, and environments. Early positive socialization helps young puppies become resilient, confident adult dogs! That being said, DON’T wait to get your puppy into a puppy class. Socialization truly is time sensitive and needs to be done as soon as possible (as long as your puppy has had their first round of shots!) We have openings in our puppy classes starting in December! Email [email protected] or see our website for complete details about our puppy class program! #dogtrainer #dogtraining #positivedogtrainer #positivedogtraining #forcefree #forcefreetrainer #forcefreetraining #fearfree #fearfreetraining #fearfreetrainer #sciencebased #sciencebasedtraining #LIMA #cookiepusher #teamsnackies #elkgrovevillageIL #desplainesIL #mountprospectIL #ParkRidgeIL #PalatineIL #schaumburgIL #hoffmanestatesIL #happyhounduniversity

Happy Hound University

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