Birch & Sage Training

14/11/2025

Learning from Chris has been the best choice I’ve made as a professional dog trainer.

‼️INSTRUCTOR SPOTLIGHT‼️
Chris Altherr

Class: The Complete Opposite of Everything You've Been Told About E-Collars & Training in General

Chris Altherr is the CEO and founder of MyDogTrainer.com & the E-FLO Training System. His 22 years in the industry has given him extensive experience in all areas of the dog training world including pet dogs, sport dogs, police & military K9’s, and more. Chris is known for his impressive unedited training videos on his continuously growing social media platforms. In 23yrs, Chris is the 34th person in the world to earn a PSA Level 3 title in a very short time, 21 months, with what might be the youngest dog to ever do so.

He currently holds the world record with his dog Yada, as the youngest bat dog to ever run for AAA baseball where he retrieved bats during the game at just 8 months of age. He also holds the world record for being the first ever to run his dog Eli, at the Las Vegas Aviators Stadium during the AAA Baseball Championship game in 2023. Chris and his wife, Bre, offer a school for trainers, competitors, K9 handlers and dog enthusiasts where they can learn his training system, E-FLO. He also travels the world, putting on seminars where he is able to do what he loves best, teaching his training system.

For more on Chris' class, click here!
https://www.policek9magazine.com/chris-altherr/

Join us and Chris Altherr the 12th Annual International Police K-9 Conference & Vendor Show in
Las Vegas, Nevada - March 10th, 11th & 12th - 2026

Check out our website!
https://www.policek9magazine.com/welcome/

Register Now!
https://www.policek9magazine.com/conference/

One-Day Pass - https://www.policek9magazine.com/one-day-pass/

If you have any questions, contact us!
(270) 534-0500 or email us at
[email protected]

09/11/2025

💥Your Dog Can Only Be As Consistent As You Are

If you sometimes let it slide and sometimes don’t, your dog has no idea what you actually want.

❌Dogs don’t test you out of spite. They test because the rules keep changing.

✅Be consistent.
✅Mean what you say.

That’s leadership, not control.

01/11/2025

We’re on a much needed vacation 🌺Can’t wait to see all your progress when we return!
🐕🐕‍🦺

“I don’t have to train my dog. I get to train my dog.” 🐶

24/10/2025

The dog in front of you is a reflection of who you’ve been. Training is your chance to become someone better.

24/10/2025

My training isnt transactional…it’s relationship building.

Most people don’t like to hear that their relationship with their dog isn’t as great as they think it is.
It makes them defensive, and I get it…that stings.

But here’s the truth:
If your dog leaves you every chance it gets to chase the ball, run to a stranger, play with another dog, bark at the car… your relationship really isn’t as solid as you think it is.

If you have to bribe your dog with food or toys just to keep their attention… that’s not connection, that’s transaction.

Training changes that.
When you start working on engagement and communication, and you become the thing your dog looks for in every environment, that’s when you start building a real relationship.

Because your dog’s bond with you shouldn’t just be built on what you give them.
Think about it in human terms…if your friends only come around when you have something they want, that’s not a real friendship. They’re benefiting from what you provide, not showing up for who you are.

It’s the same with dogs.

One guy told me recently that his new dog (a super smart, high drive one that required way more effort than previous dogs) completely changed how he saw training. He said, “We know each other better now.”

And honestly, that gave me goosebumps.

Because that’s exactly what this work is about.
It’s not about obedience or control…it’s about learning each other’s language.
And when you do that, the bond you build isn’t something you can fake or buy or bribe your way into.

It’s earned.
And it’s incredible.

24/10/2025

Training a dog will test your consistency, your patience, and your energy…the same things that build character everywhere else in life. You build more than obedience…you build yourself.

23/10/2025

🐕 training equipment > 👠👗💄

13/10/2025

Rainy day, restless dog.
Ten minutes of work and she remembers how to function again.
No fancy setup, no sunshine, just direction.
That’s the thing about structure…it’s not punishment. It’s peace.

12/10/2025

Another heartbreaking reminder of why real life training matters.

A recent story shared that a man with epilepsy lost his life after being bitten multiple times by the family dog during a seizure. It’s tragic. And it’s also a wake up call.

Seizures can mimic the movements and sounds of an injured animal, which can trigger a dog’s prey drive. In this case, the man’s service dog didn’t attack him, the family dog did. That distinction matters.

Too many people assume the family dog is “just a pet” and doesn’t need serious training. But if you live with medical conditions, kids, or elderly family members, your dog absolutely needs to be prepared for emergencies. (It’s my opinion ALL dogs do) That means exposure and conditioning for what those moments actually look, sound, and feel like including the chaos when EMS shows up.

Real life training is more than sit, stay, and come. It’s about safety, stability, and setting your dog up to handle the world as it is, not as we wish it were.

Please open your eyes to the holes in your dogs training so you can ensure they’re set up for success.

If you don’t know where to start or would like help, please reach out.

11/10/2025

Once you understand what your dog really needs, everything starts making sense.

That’s when progress starts.

Birch & Sage helps you stop apologizing for your dog and start enjoying them.

10/10/2025

Imagine not liking me and I’m just over here splitting a cheese stick with my dogs