Underdog Behavior and Consulting

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Fort Collins, CO
Underdog Behavior and Consulting

Dog training and consulting specializing in rescue dogs with fear, anxiety, or reactivity

09/01/2025

🚀 Ready to Level Up Your Dog Training Career?
Our Mentorship Program is your all-access pass to becoming a confident, skilled, and adaptable dog trainer.

With Underdog, you’ll:
🐾 Shadow real training sessions (and get hands-on practice)
🐾 Learn effective intervention strategies
🐾 Get personalized feedback from experienced trainers
🐾 Build confidence and savvy communication skills when working with clients

This isn’t just theory — it’s real-world experience that sets you apart.
Whether you’re starting fresh or adding skills to your toolbox, we’ve got you covered.

📅 Limited spots available — your journey starts here: underdog.dog/mentorship-program-1

08/29/2025

If your dog wrote you a completely honest Yelp review, what would it say? 🤣
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ “Excellent belly rubs. Treat service could be faster.”
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ “Good human. Needs work on fetch accuracy.”

Drop yours in the comments 👇

08/27/2025

🐾 Dogs Aren’t Being Difficult — They’re Trying to Get Their Needs Met

Your dog isn’t being “bad.”
They’re not trying to make your life harder.
They’re trying to meet a need — in the only way they know how.

🐶 Jumping = “I need connection.”
🐶 Barking = “I’m scared” or “I’m excited” or “I don’t know what else to do.”
🐶 Mouthing = “I’m overstimulated or need to play.”
🐶 Hu***ng = “I’m aroused, anxious, or under-exercised.”
🐶 Stealing shoes = “I’m bored and this gets a GREAT reaction.”

When we call behavior “bad,” we stop asking why.
But behavior always has a reason.

🧠 At Underdog, we ask better questions:
What is your dog trying to communicate?
What need are they trying to meet?
How can we help them get it in a way that works for everyone?

That’s smart, compassionate behavior work.

Because when dogs feel safe, understood, and supported and are getting their needs met, “problem” behaviors tend to shrink — all on their own.

💛 Ready to start decoding your dog instead of battling them?
Stick with us.
Over the next few weeks, we’re breaking down the most common “bad” behaviors we hear about — and what’s really going on underneath.

Let’s reframe “bad dog” energy — together.

08/25/2025

Think training dogs is fancy? Try training humans to train dogs. That’s where the real magic lies—and that’s exactly where DTD — Dog Trainer Development comes in.

Underdog is offering a mentorship program for dog trainers who want to improve their client communication skills and uplevel their training skills.

Here’s your insider look at what we’re building:

What’s Inside the Mentorship
1. Decode Dog Behavior Like a Pro

Get geeky with us as we explore the whys behind what pups do—from evolutionary roots to learning theory.

2. Intervention Strategies That Actually Work

Learn to address fear, anxiety, and aggression with science-based tools.

3. Coach the Humans, Too

Training is only half the battle. We’ll help you master clear communication, empathy, and real-world client support.

4. Weekly Training & In-Person Shadow Sessions

Dive into weekly 2–3 hour virtual sessions with Molly and the Underdog team, plus optional hands-on coaching for real growth.

Program Details
Starts: Fall 2025
Format: 12-week virtual mentorship
Bonus: Real-life in-person training opportunities (Fort Collins area)

Why This Matters

Sure, you can train dogs on the basics—but what about getting your clients to listen to you? This program teaches you how to navigate resistance, shift trust, and foster real mastery for both dogs and their people.

Ready to Level Up?

Reach out, ask questions, or apply now—and let’s set your path toward thoughtful, confident, compassionate dog training.

Learn more: underdog.dog/mentorship-program-1
Spots are limited—sign up today!

08/24/2025

LETTER TO NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ABOUT THE DOG WHISPERER

by Dr. A. Luescher, DVM, Ph.D, DACVB (Diplomate American College of Veterinary Behaviorists)

Former Director of the Animal Behavior Clinic
School of Veterinary Medicine
Purdue University

I personally met Dr. Luescher when I took a week-long dog behavior modification course at Purdue University Veterinary Behavior Clinic 15 years ago.

This is a review he wrote of preview videotapes of the Dog Whisperer show in which he discouraged airing of the program.

".....I think this series, if aired, would be a major embarrassment for National Geographic. It is not stimulating or thought-provoking, since none of the presented techniques are new. They are outdated and have long been abandoned by most responsible trainers, let alone behaviorists, as inappropriate and cruel. I very much hope National Geographic will pull the plug on this program.

My colleagues and I and innumerable leaders in the dog training community have worked now for decades to eliminate such cruel, ineffective (in terms of true cure) and inappropriate techniques. It would be a major blow for all our efforts if National Geographic portrayed these very techniques as the current standard in training and behavior modification....."

National Geographic aired it anyway, and this is why I've lost all respect for the National Geographic I knew growing up as a child, whose mission I understood to include a commitment to education and scientific excellence.

Cindy Ludwig, MA, BS, RN, KPA-CTP, CPDT-KA
Owner, Canine Connection LLC
Willard, Missouri

https://beyondcesarmillan.weebly.com/andrew-luescher.html

08/22/2025

What would your dog’s job be if they had to work 9–5?

08/20/2025

“If you just give it time, he’ll get over it.”
👎 Not quite.

Dogs don’t just forget scary things.
And they don’t magically grow out of behavior that’s rooted in fear, trauma, or stress.

🧠 Why?
Because behavior isn’t about being stubborn.
It’s about safety.
And when a dog doesn’t feel safe, no amount of time will change that —
Only trust-building, predictability, and positive reinforcement will.

🚫 What doesn’t work:
- Forcing exposure (“she needs to get used to it”)
- Ignoring the behavior
- Punishing communication (like growling)

✅ What does work:
- Listening to early signals (remember the body language post?)
- Using high-value food to change how the dog feels
- Setting up safe, supported training sessions
- Giving them choice — and letting them say “no”

💛 Fear doesn’t fade just because time passes.
It fades when your dog learns:
“You’ve got me. You understand me. You’ll keep me safe.”

That’s the work. That’s the heart of what we do at Underdog.

08/18/2025

Let’s be real for a second.

We know there are a lot of dog trainers out there.
And a lot of noise about what’s “right,” what’s “wrong,” and who you should listen to.

Here’s what you can expect from Underdog 👇

💬 We’re going to be 100% real with you.
We won’t sugarcoat behavior issues, and we won’t pretend change happens overnight.
But we’ll also never judge you. You’re here, and that means something.

🧠 We’re behavior nerds — and we teach like it.
Our methods are grounded in science, experience, and deep compassion.
We’ll explain the why, not just the how — so you actually understand your dog.

💛 We believe dogs deserve to feel safe.
That goes for people too. We create an environment where learning feels good — for everyone.

🎉 And yes, we’re going to have some fun.
Because training shouldn’t feel like a chore, and your relationship with your dog should feel like joy.

If you’re ready to try something kinder, smarter, and more effective — welcome to Underdog.

08/15/2025

We’re normalizing weird dog behavior.
“My dog is weird because __________.”
Fill in the blank. We’ll go first in the comments.

08/13/2025

Ever wonder why your dog completely shuts down during training…
Or goes from “fine” to “freaking out” in 0.2 seconds?

It’s all about threshold — the moment your dog goes from “I see it” to “I can’t.”

💡 So what is threshold?
It’s the point where your dog crosses from noticing a trigger…
👉 into overwhelm, barking, lunging, or shutting down.
At that point, learning stops. Survival mode starts.

🔄 What does that look like?
👀 Under threshold = dog sees the trigger, maybe tenses slightly, but can eat treats and respond to you

🚨 Over threshold = barking, pulling, stiff body, won't take food, doesn’t hear you

🧠 Learning only happens when your dog is under threshold.

✅ How to work under threshold:
Use distance! More space = more brainpower.

- Train before they explode, not after
- Lower the intensity: one dog at a time, quiet areas, short sessions
- Use the good stuff — chicken, cheese, sausage, oh my 🧀

🎯 Want to work under threshold with real-world support? We gotchu.

08/11/2025

🎬 Final Call for Take Two!
We’re kicking off another round of Take Two — our group class for rescued & adopted pups — and this is your last chance to snag a spot. 🐾

Over 6 weeks, we’ll help you:
✅ Understand why your dog does what they do
✅ Build trust & confidence together
✅ Practice real-world skills in a safe, supportive space (with zero judgment)

📍 Starts: Saturday, August 16th
📍 Where: Fort Collins, CO
📍 1 spot left!

Don’t wait — doors close Friday, August 15th!
👉 Register now: underdog.dog/take-two

💛 Because every dog deserves a second shot

08/08/2025

We once heard a Chihuahua named Craig and haven’t been the same since.
What's the weirdest or best dog name you’ve ever heard?

Address

Fort Collins, CO

Website

http://www.underdog.dog/

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