Model SITIzen Canine

02/22/2025

This questionable dog wisdom has circulated and been championed, without question, for years.

And while I get the sentiment, and the simple logic behind it, it’s one of those training concepts that’s leaning heavily on a short-sighted, superficial view.

What owners (and many trainers) miss, is that you can actually condition/train a dog to learn how to be calm, chilled, and relaxed, even without having run a marathon. We train this all the time. Duration work actually conditions the dog to turn off and relax, even when their batteries are fully charged. Along with that, simply having rules, or standards of acceptable behavior—which don’t get a pass because the dog hasn’t been exhausted yet—rules and standards which are enforced, teach a dog that good behavior is required, even when they’re brimming with energy.

Yes, a dog who’s too tired to misbehave might be considered a “good” dog while he or she is incapacitated, but as soon as the battery is recharged, the same “not good” dog will be present. And if repeated enough, the refreshed dog will gain stamina and strength, and what’s needed to make them “good” will only increase.

PS, no, this isn’t a suggestion (or excuse) to NOT exercise your dog. Exercise is a critical aspect of having a healthy, happy dog. What it is, is a reminder that good behavior shouldn’t be dependent upon your dog being exhausted—it should simply be the standard. Your dog is capable, and there will be many times in life where exhausting them won’t be possible. Teach them how to be good regardless, and then you’ll be good regardless.

02/18/2025

Welcome Mr Schmidt!!! This young man is here to learn some stellar obedience and a bit of impulse control! We have a habit at home of yelling at the tv when we’re overstimulated, so calming his little noodle is paramount.

Schmidt has an interesting combination of genetics so we will be working hard on figuring out what makes him his best dog and what motivates him to succeeded. He’s a cool little dude who is very very people friendly but has to learn a little bit of social boundaries when it comes to other dogs. As a young puppy, he is typical in that he’s just a little pushy when he wants to play.

Looking forward to seeing this dude thrive with a little bit of motivation and some clear communication!

02/18/2025

Miss Sumi is here for the week while her dad is on a little vacation! Good girl Sumi! 🖤

02/14/2025

A LOT of issues that we are medicating can be fixed with clarity and consistency in training vs drugging your dog.

For years, fluoxetine (Prozac) has been pushed as the answer to behavioral problems in dogs. Veterinary behaviorists and force-free advocates love to cite “science-backed” studies to justify long-term medication use. But here’s a big problem, most of these studies are flawed, biased, and rely almost entirely on owner-reported data.
Take, for example, the 2009 study on fluoxetine for compulsive disorders in dogs (Irimajiri et al., J Am Vet Med Assoc). It claimed fluoxetine helped, yet the only improvement came from owners’ OPINIONS, not actual behavioral measurements. When researchers looked at objective data the dogs’ actual behavior logs they found NO SIGNIFICANT difference between the medicated and placebo groups. But guess which result gets cited?🤫
How about the 2007 study on fluoxetine for separation anxiety (Simpson et al., Veterinary Therapeutics). The conclusion? Fluoxetine was effective … but only when paired with a structured behavior modification plan. And yet, thousands of dogs are medicated without any meaningful training, as if a pill can replace actual learning.
Sad reality is that Dogs are being drugged, not rehabilitated.
Ask any serious trainer what happens when they get a dog that’s been on fluoxetine for years. They take the dog off the meds, implement a sound training plan, and SHOCKINGLY the dog improves.
Not because fluoxetine “worked,” but because the dog finally got what it needed: clarity and proper training.
Yet, the AVSAB keeps pushing these medications while dismissing legitimate training as “aversive” or “outdated.” They’d rather chemically suppress behavior than actually address it.
The real question isn’t whether fluoxetine has some effect but why so many dogs improve when you REMOVE the drug and train them properly?!!!
Behavioral change comes from learning, not sedation. It’s time to stop pretending otherwise.
I know I am not the only one noticing that dogs on fluoxetine don’t get better - they just get dull.
The dog isn’t learning or adapting, just becoming more passive.
This can actuallY DELAY proper rehabilitation, because the dog’s emotions and responses are chemically suppressed rather than modified through learning.
Thinking about making a solo podcast to talk about the dog I have in training right now, one of the many that end up euthanized after YEARS of being on SSRI’s and the pandemic of prescribing psychotropics like flea medication

02/12/2025

Mindset inside matters most! Clear expectations make for calm behaviors. Be clear with your direction and show them how to be successful in your life together.

Just this one single change in your thinking, habits, actions can have a massive impact on your dog’s indoor behavior… and your sanity.

Dogs develop associations with events or environments (and time — see below) which predict consistent outcomes, and respond accordingly.

The doorbell predicts visitors/intruders and that repeated association creates the wild and crazy response that most of us are all too familiar with.

Same goes for environments. If an environment predicts play, romping, and nonsense (because that’s what’s been trained/allowed/encouraged), you should expect dogs to behave that way when in said environment. And if an environment predicts calm, relaxed, lowkey behavior (because that’s what’s been trained/allowed/encouraged), you should expect dogs to behave accordingly.

People who have trained/conditioned their dogs to have these associations with the inside/outside environments have dogs who will happily go bananas in the yard (or wherever the designated play area is) and then walk in the house and immediately shift gears and chill — typically with little to no effort from the owner to make it so.

I’m sure many of you will be saying, “But how do I create this?” Firstly, by simply following the indoor/outdoor behavior rule — consistently. Secondly, work on a solid place command (it must be proofed and reliable to the point that the dog will hold it even when interesting things are occurring — if the dog breaks whenever it desires, you have trained a trick not a command and you won’t receive any of the benefits), and build a good amount of duration into it (your dog should be able to hold place for multiple hours if you really want a solid “Off-Switch” association with the command).

But what about when the dog is inside and not in command (they’re free/at liberty), and they get too jazzed up and crazy? Here comes the part no one likes — correct the unwanted excitement. Yep. Your dog won’t hate you or be brokenhearted, it will just have clear information that indoor behavior is different than outdoor behavior. Once corrected, simply go about life and let them do their thing.

It’s really that simple, and boy does it make living with dogs much more enjoyable

PS, I can hear the folks complaining that they don’t have yards or that the weather is too nasty and so they have no choice — or they don’t want to create this contrasting behavior. (F-U Sean! 😂) If you don’t have a choice, I get it. My 3 big dogs lived with me for the first 10 years of their lives in a one bedroom apartment, and we had no yard or other area to play in. So we romped like crazy indoors (and I DO mean crazy!!!). But, we had very clear “romping times” — every morning after our 90 minute walk we would cut loose and go nuts. The end of the walk and the time of day became the association. (We didn’t romp after evening walks.) And after “romping time” the indoors was for chill behavior, period. Any over-the-top nonsense after that was addressed appropriately — and that meant that even small apartment living with 3 very big dogs was actually really easy, super comfortable, and fun.

And for all the F-U Sean folks, this post wasn’t for you! Carry on. 😘

02/11/2025

Message!!!

Why Is Your Dog Barking at You? (Hint: It’s Not a Love Song)

“Oh, look! He’s barking because he loves me and wants to ‘talk’ to me!”
—Said every dog owner right before their dog completely ignores them outside.

Let’s set the record straight:
Your dog isn’t composing a heartfelt ballad every time they bark at you. They’re not Shakespeare. They’re not serenading you.
What they are doing is… well, let’s just say it’s less “cute conversation” and more:

“Hey, human! Chop-chop, I’m in charge here!”

“I’m bored. Entertain me!”

“Why are you not obeying ME right now?”

Barking—especially the demand bark—isn’t your dog’s way of bonding.
It’s a symptom of unclear leadership and a relationship dynamic where your dog thinks they’re calling the shots.

So, Why Is This Happening?

Because… it works.

You respond.

You give attention.

You give in.

Dogs are master psychologists. If barking gets them what they want, guess what? Barking becomes the go-to strategy.

How to Break the Cycle:

1. Stop rewarding the noise. Attention (even negative attention) reinforces the behavior.

2. Teach patience as a skill. Reward calm, not chaos.

3. Clear leadership. Boundaries aren’t mean—they’re clarifying.

At Precision Dog Sport, we help you flip the script. Less barking, more clarity. Less frustration, more connection.
Because honestly, wouldn’t it be nice if the only “woof” you heard was a sigh of contentment?

01/30/2025

Stellar thing to think about!!

Understanding Mixed Breeds: When Genetics Work Against Each Other

One of the biggest challenges in dog training today isn’t just dealing with behavioral issues—it’s understanding why those behaviors exist in the first place. And sometimes, the answer lies in the genetic blueprint of the dog itself.

With the rise of designer breeds and accidental mixed breeds, we often see dogs whose genetic traits conflict with each other. While mixing breeds can sometimes create a well-balanced dog, other times, it results in a dog that is in a constant state of internal contradiction.

Conflicted Genetics in Action

Imagine a Border Collie / Great Pyrenees mix. The Border Collie was bred to be highly responsive to human direction, eager to work, and quick to react to movement. The Great Pyrenees, on the other hand, was bred to work independently, making its own decisions while guarding livestock. When these instincts collide in one dog, you might get a dog that wants to chase and herd but also refuses to take direction from a handler. This isn’t stubbornness—it’s genetics at war.

Or take a German Shepherd / Greyhound mix. The German Shepherd was bred for biddability, structure, and handler engagement, while the Greyhound was bred to be reactive, explosive, and highly sensitive to environmental stimulation. A mix of the two might result in a dog that wants to work but mentally shuts down under stress—or one that is reactive but difficult to engage in training.

Now, let’s talk about Enzo, my own dog, who is 60% Akita and 40% Labrador Retriever. That combination alone presents a fascinating contrast in drive, temperament, and response to training.

Akita Traits: Independent, aloof, highly selective with people, territorial, and naturally distrustful of strangers. Akitas were bred to be guardians and hunters, meaning they make their own decisions and don’t always seek human approval.

Labrador Retriever Traits: Social, friendly, handler-focused, and eager to please. Labs are known for being food-motivated, playful, and engaged, often seeking human interaction.

Now, you put these two opposite instincts in one dog and what do you get? A dog that can love his people deeply while also being incredibly discerning with strangers. A dog that may show affectionate, playful behaviors like a Lab in some moments but revert to serious, independent decision-making like an Akita in others.

With Enzo, I’ve noticed this dynamic firsthand. He’s affectionate and bonded with his people, but when meeting someone new, he doesn't give away his trust easily. He assesses the energy of a person before engaging. He’s also extremely sensitive to tone, pressure, and intention, meaning that while a Lab might bounce back from a correction quickly, an Akita’s response is more calculated. This is crucial for trainers and owners to understand—he isn’t stubborn; he’s selective.

Why This Matters for Owners and Trainers

When trainers don’t account for these genetic conflicts, we end up labeling dogs incorrectly. A dog that appears stubborn might actually be struggling with instincts that contradict each other. A dog that seems anxious might just be wired for both high drive and high independence—an internal tug-of-war they never asked for.

This is why breed knowledge is critical, even for mixed breeds. If we can understand what the dog was built for at a genetic level, we can adjust our training expectations, find the right motivation, and work with the dog rather than against it.

Takeaways for Dog Owners & Trainers

✔️ Know Your Dog’s Genetics – If you have a mixed breed, research both parent breeds and look for contradictions in drive, temperament, and working purpose.
✔️ Recognize Internal Conflict – If your dog seems inconsistent in their behavior, consider whether they are genetically wired for two opposing instincts.
✔️ Adjust Your Training Approach – Some dogs need more clarity, while others need less pressure. A one-size-fits-all method doesn’t work for dogs that are wired in opposing ways.
✔️ Be Patient – If a dog is genetically predisposed to two conflicting behaviors, training them won’t be as straightforward as a single-purpose breed. Give them time to work through it.

This is why dog training is not just about behavior—it’s about understanding the individual dog. The more we educate ourselves on how genetics influence behavior, the better we can set dogs up for success instead of setting them up for failure.

Would love to hear your thoughts! Have you worked with a dog whose genetics were in conflict? Drop your experiences in the comments!

01/25/2025

Baby Jay, Mr Jet and Franklin enjoying a sunny but chilly day today!

01/24/2025

Mr Franklin in his dapper sweater💙

01/24/2025

Bella Boo enjoying the last of the snow

01/24/2025

Miss Millie!!! Aka Mildred💜💜💜

12/31/2024

A little fun with Duck toys for the boys today🧡🖤

12/31/2024

Leo and Ozzy also got some serious zooms in yesterday!

12/31/2024

Baby Jay and Mr Arrow enjoying the nice sunny day yesterday!

12/31/2024

Miss Kami is back to finish up her Ecollar training!

12/19/2024

Rescue pups!!! Time takes time!

The Truth About Rescuing Puppies 🐾: What You Need to Know

With the holidays approaching, many people will bring home puppies—some from breeders, others from rescues. While it’s beautiful to give a puppy a home, it’s also important to approach this decision with understanding, not just emotion.

Rescues often share sob stories to pull at our hearts, but here’s the truth:
A puppy’s behavior is shaped not just by what happened to them but also by the environments and developmental stages they’ve experienced.

🧠 The First 16 Weeks Matter More Than the Story

This early window is when a puppy’s nervous system develops its understanding of the world. A chaotic or overstimulating environment—like crowded shelters, flea markets, or constant handling—can leave lasting effects.

For example, consider puppies displayed in X-pens at flea markets or events:

Noise Overload: Constant chatter, movement, and loud sounds overstimulate their developing nervous systems.

Abrupt Handling: People bending over, picking them up, petting them without permission. This teaches puppies that touch = loss of control.

No Safe Space: Puppies don’t have a choice to retreat, leaving them vulnerable to stress stacking.

The result? A puppy whose nervous system adapts to chaos—leading to sensitivities to noise, touch, and sudden movements as they grow.

🚨 What This Means for You as an Owner

Bringing home a rescue puppy isn’t always as simple as love and cuddles. You need to be aware of:
1️⃣ The Developmental Impact: If their early experiences were overstimulating, your puppy may be sensitive to things like noise, sudden touch, or new environments.
2️⃣ Behavioral Fallout: This isn’t “bad behavior”—it’s their nervous system’s attempt to adapt to stress. They’re not broken; they’re coping.
3️⃣ The Need for Advocacy: Puppies need safe, structured introductions to the world, not overwhelming stimulation.

⚠️ What This Fallout Looks Like As They Mature

When puppies raised in overstimulating environments grow up without intervention, common behavioral challenges emerge:

🐾 Noise Sensitivity: Sudden or loud noises (like vacuums, fireworks, or traffic) trigger fear-based reactions, such as barking, trembling, or avoidance.

🐾 Touch Aversion: The dog becomes uncomfortable with petting, grooming, or handling, often backing away or even snapping to protect themselves.

🐾 Overreaction to Sudden Movements: Someone bending over, approaching quickly, or moving abruptly can trigger defensive behaviors like barking, fleeing, or avoidance.

🐾 Generalized Anxiety: The dog may seem hyper-alert, unable to settle, or excessively clingy. They are constantly scanning their environment for perceived "threats."

🐾 Poor Social Skills: Overstimulation in early life can cause a lack of confidence around people, dogs, or new environments, leading to reactive or fearful behaviors.

🐾 Difficulty With Boundaries: Puppies who had no choice in interactions struggle to respect others’ space or set healthy boundaries themselves. This can manifest as jumping, mouthing, or pushy behaviors.

💡 Things to Consider Before Rescuing or Buying a Puppy

Ask about the environment: Where did the puppy grow up? Was it calm or chaotic?

Be realistic: Puppies from overstimulating rescues may need more time, patience, and understanding.

Look for early signs: Is the puppy comfortable with handling? How do they react to loud sounds or sudden movements?

🎄 Holiday Puppies: What’s the Real Gift?

Bringing a puppy home is a lifelong commitment. The “real gift” isn’t the puppy—it’s the time, patience, and understanding you give them.

Rescue puppies often come with nervous system imprints shaped by their early environments. They need humans who are willing to:

Build trust slowly.

Provide calm, predictable routines.

Respect their boundaries and help them feel safe.

At Precision Dog Sport, we believe education is key. Before you bring a puppy home this season, take a moment to understand:
🐶 Their behavior is not just the story you’re told—it’s the story their nervous system tells.

With awareness, structure, and care, you can help them rewrite that story into one of trust, safety, and love.

📣 Share this post to help others make informed decisions this holiday season. Puppies aren’t just presents—they’re partners for life.

12/19/2024

Miss Kami💓💓

12/19/2024

Miss Zoey!