Pawsitive Dog Training

06/30/2025

Beginning Tracking starts tonight at Pawsitive Dog Training 6:00pm. Prerequisite for this class is scent games so they know how to find articles with human scent. We will do urban tracking and grass tracking This a prep class for AKC tracking tests, TD and TDU. Also, it is just fun to track for the fun of it! Here is the direct link as our we site is not working for the tracking sign ups.

Schedule your appointment online Pawsitive Dog Training

06/26/2025

Please share!

06/18/2025

🐾 A to Z of Dog Things

A – Attention Seeking

When your dog brings you a soggy sock again, it’s not because they think you’re underdressed, it’s attention-seeking 101. Learn when to ignore it and when to redirect it.

B – Barking

It’s communication, not chaos. But if your dog’s running a one-dog opera every time a leaf moves, it’s time to look at boundaries, boredom, and unmet needs.

C – Crate Training

Not a cage, not cruel, it’s a bedroom with a view. When done properly, crate training builds independence, security, and a spot to hide from the hoover.

D – Did You Know?

Dogs have about 300 million scent receptors in their noses. You? Roughly 5 million. Let that sink in before you argue with a dog about where a trail went cold.

E – Enrichment

A walk isn’t always enough. Sniffing, shredding, licking, chewing, and foraging—that’s how dogs unwind. Enrichment isn’t optional. It’s a need, not a luxury.

F – Fetch (Or Not)

Some dogs love it. Others look at you like, “You threw it, you fetch it.” Respect the breed and don’t force the retrievers out of terriers.

G – Grooming

It’s not just a beauty routine, it’s bonding, health checking, and desensitisation rolled into one. And yes, even your ‘non-shedding’ dog still needs brushing.

H – Heelwork

Walking to heel isn’t a punishment. It’s a polite conversation on a lead. Teach it right and it becomes poetry in motion, not a tug of war with squirrels.

I – Impulse Control

Just because he can sn**ch the sandwich doesn’t mean he should. Teaching ‘leave it’ and waiting at doorways might not seem flashy, but they’re gold-standard life skills.

J – Jumping Up

Cute at 10 weeks. Chaos at 30 kilos. Let’s stop rewarding it with attention and start reinforcing calm greetings, shall we?

K – Kisses

Let’s be honest, most dogs define kisses as ‘enthusiastic face licking’. Some love dishing them out, others hate being smooched. Just remember: licking isn’t always affection, sometimes it’s appeasement, anxiety, or “you taste like beef crisps.”

L – Loose Lead Walking

Ah yes, the mythical walk where the lead has slack. It can exist. But only with consistency, structure, and not letting the dog take you water skiing every morning.

M – Myths

“Letting your dog on the sofa makes them dominant.”
Right. And wearing sunglasses makes you a pilot. Let’s retire outdated dominance theory and focus on relationship-based training instead.

N – Nose Work

It’s not just for sniffer dogs or show-offs. Nose work builds confidence, focus, and calmness and it’s one of the most natural forms of enrichment you can offer.

O – Obedience

It’s not about creating robots, it’s about communication. Sit, down, heel, recall, place… it’s your shared language, not a list of demands.

P – Play

Play is serious business. It builds bond, tests control, teaches rules, and channels energy. Plus, it’s fun. And who doesn’t need more of that?

Q – Quiet Isn’t Always Calm

A quiet dog isn’t always a content dog. Suppressed stress is real. Know the difference between ‘relaxed’ and ‘shut down’.

R – Recall

The holy grail. If you don’t practise it, don’t expect it to work. And no, shouting their name louder and angrier won’t improve results.

S – Sit

One of the first things most people teach and often the first thing the dog learns to ignore. Sit isn’t just a trick; it’s a pause button for life.

T – Trigger Stacking

A bin lorry, a noisy child, a tight lead… and then boom. That “random outburst” probably wasn’t so random. Learn to spot the signs before they stack up.

U – Unwanted Behaviours

They’re usually not ‘bad’ behaviours, they’re unmet needs in disguise. Dig into the ‘why’ before you jump to correction

V – Vet Visits

Make them less traumatic by preparing at home: handling paws, opening mouths, practising lifts. And always bring the good treats. Always.

W – Whining

Annoying, yes. But it’s communication. Anxiety, anticipation, or simply bad habits, it’s up to us to decode the cause, not just hush the sound.

X – X Marks the Spot (Scenting Edition)

Dogs follow invisible scent trails like you follow Google Maps. You just can’t see the X. They can. Trust the nose.

Y – You Are the Difference

Training is 90% owner, 10% dog. Consistency, tone, timing, patience, leadership, it’s your energy that sets the tone. Train yourself first.

Z – Zoomies

That post-bath, post-poo, mad five-minute dash? Perfectly normal. Often hilarious. But also a clue your dog’s letting off steam. Zoomies = unspent energy.

06/16/2025

Important information! Please read!❤️🐾

Dog Myths Debunked: 10 Misconceptions That Deserve to Be Put to Bed (Preferably Not in Your Dog’s Crate)

Dogs are brilliant. The things people say about them? Less so. Myths, half-truths, and pub logic have been passed down like family recipes, except this stuff doesn’t age well, and unlike your gran’s shepherd’s pie, it doesn’t do anyone any good.

So, let’s throw a lead around 10 of the biggest dog myths, give them a firm “leave it”, and set the record straight.

1. “A Wagging Tail Means a Happy Dog”

Tail wagging? Must be happy, right? Not quite. Dogs wag their tails when they’re excited, anxious, aroused, or plotting a tactical sock theft. It’s not the wag, it’s how they wag and what the rest of the body’s doing.

Truth: A loose, sweeping wag with a wiggly bum? Likely joy. A stiff, high wag with locked shoulders? That’s “back off” in dog language.

2. “Let Dogs ‘Work It Out’ Themselves”

Ah yes, the “natural order” myth. Pop two dogs in a room, let them have a disagreement, and wait for harmony to magically emerge, what could go wrong? (Spoiler: a vet bill.)

Truth: Dogs don’t need to be left to battle it out. They need guidance, structure, and a human who steps in before fur flies. You’re the referee, not a spectator.

3. “You Have to Be the Alpha”

The ‘alpha theory’ should’ve died out with flip phones. It was based on flawed wolf studies from the 1940s and has no place in modern dog training. Your dog isn’t planning a coup, it just wants to know what works.

Truth: Dogs thrive on leadership, not intimidation. Be calm, consistent, and clear, not a wannabe drill sergeant with a superiority complex.

4. “You Can’t Teach an Old Dog New Tricks”

Tell that to the twelve-year-old Collie who just learned scentwork. Age might slow the body, but the brain still wants a job. It’s not that old dogs can’t learn, they just don’t suffer fools or faff.

Truth: Older dogs can absolutely learn. You just need to adjust the pace and make sure the reward’s worth getting off the sofa for.

5. “My Dog Knows They’ve Done Something Wrong”

The guilty look? That’s not guilt, it’s appeasement. Your dog’s not reliving the moment they ate your dinner; they’re responding to your voice, posture, or the fact that you’ve just found half a cushion in the hallway.

Truth: Dogs live in the now. If they look sorry, it’s because you look scary. Not because they regret doing the thing.

6. “A Big Garden Means You Don’t Need Walks”

Oh, the classic “he has loads of space to run about”. Yes, and most of us have kitchens, but we still go out for a meal. Dogs need more than a patch of grass, they need smells, novelty, and interaction.

Truth: A garden’s a toilet. A walk is a sensory experience. One drains the bladder, the other fulfils the brain.

7. “Let Them Say Hello to Every Dog – It’s Good Socialisation”

If your dog greets every dog like it’s their long-lost sibling at an airport reunion, that’s not socialisation, it’s chaos. Not every dog wants to meet yours. And not every dog is safe.

Truth: Proper socialisation is about manners and neutrality, not meet-and-greet mania.

8. “My Dog Pulls Because He’s Dominant”

No, he pulls because he’s never been taught not to and because the world is full of exciting smells, squirrels, and possibly chips. It’s not about dominance. It’s about training (and a bit of patience).

Truth: Pulling on the lead is a lack of leash skills, not a power struggle. Stop taking it personally and start teaching calmly.

9. “If You Use Treats, You’re Bribing Your Dog”

Bribery is when you wave a sausage in panic after your dog ignores you. Training with treats is reinforcement. You’re paying your dog for a job well done, not handing out hush money.

Truth: Dogs work for food just like you work for wages. No one does their best work for free, not even your dog.

10. “Playing Tug Makes Dogs Aggressive”

Nope. Tug doesn’t create aggression, poor rules and no boundaries do. In fact, tug can build confidence, engagement, and control, if it’s structured properly.

Truth: Tug isn’t a gateway to violence. It’s a brilliant training tool and an outlet for energy as long as you play with rules and know when to end the game.

Final Thoughts

The dog world is full of noise. But in your dog’s life, you are the filter. So ditch the folklore, ignore the bloke in the park who thinks your dog needs a “firm hand”, or the woman in says smother it with “love and affection” and everything will be fine and lean into what the science, logic, and results tell us.

Dogs don’t need outdated myths. They need understanding, structure, and someone willing to lead with fairness and a few biscuits.
www.k9manhuntscotland.co.uk

06/14/2025

Just a reminder, no reactive dog classes today at 4:15pm

05/30/2025

New Summer Class Schedule

05/24/2025

No classes this Memorial Day weekend 🐾

04/21/2025

Interested in Tracking? Come to the TVKC Tracking Seminar tonight April 21 at 5:30 at Pawsitive Dog Training. $20 at the door. This is a tracking fundraiser for TVKC tracking group.

04/20/2025

TVKC TRACKING SEMINAR Monday April 21st at Pawsitive Dog Training 3304 International Str. 5:30-6:30pm
Cost is $20 at the door. This is a fundraiser for Tanana Valley Kennel Club Tracking Committee.
All you need to know about Tracking/Trailing for all the AKC tests.
Lots of information and techniques to be a successful tracking team.
There will be an equipment swap. Please bring any equipment you no longer use.
Any questions, please text Susan at 907 385-7785.

04/10/2025

Here is the Barn Hunt Run Thrus for Monday April 14th. This is our last for the season.

SignUp.com makes it easy to coordinate school events & classroom activities, fundraisers, snack schedules, potlucks & more!

03/28/2025

New class flyer for Spring Fever!! Note the two Workshops to sign up for: AKC Fetch class and Recall workshop. Both are 3 week classes.