Bone-A-Fide K9

04/24/2025

For those that don't understand: Gameness is the unwavering spirit to keep driving forward no matter how bad it hurts.

This isn't just a trait found in fighting dogs. This trait is also found in the mother willing to die to protect her children. Or the father who works those 70 hour weeks at the job he hates, even though his body is being broken down daily, because his family depends on him. Or the person struggling with su***de, knowing dying would be easier than living but they keep waking up every day because they're just not a quitter.

Gameness is something that will never be understood by the weak hearted. For those of us who understand what it's like to fight through the pain, the APBT will always be a symbol to remind us to keep scratching.

04/24/2025

04/23/2025

Behavioral Euthanasia: Something I've only had to do 1 time in my entire life, and I regretted it afterwards.

Puppycat is a dog I want everyone to see and remember. She was bounced around from home to home. Attacked dogs and bit several humans. Recommended for euthanasia by "Force free" trainers as well as "balanced trainers " and rescues. NO ONE in the UNITED STATES was willing to take this dog.

This video is compiled of clips from the first month she was with us. A few things I want to point out.

1. E-collar abuse. She was fried with an e-collar to the point she shut down when you put it on her. "Lay down and stay there" is what it meant to her. You see we fixed that immediately. You see her overjoyed learning a new meaning to this tool.

2. Suppression. You don't see us suppressing anything. She is punished and corrected. Emphasis on CORRECTED. We didn't just punish the bad behavior. We punished and immediately followed with directions she understood. Always ending on a positive note.

3. You see her working with and without the e-collar. The tool is not the cure. It's not to be a crutch nor a hammer. It's a communication device, not a punishment tool.

4. You see the results, and you see that she's not suppressed, depressed, timid, nervy, or fearful.

We loved this dog, and she lived out the rest of her life with us due to her bite history. No more attacks, no more bites. True permanent results. This is what I do it for. It's not for the $$$. It's not for fame. It's not for ego. It's for the dogs that deserve a chance to live.

Never forget Puppycat

04/22/2025

In every trade, it's kinda easy to spot the ones who know what they're doing. 😉

04/21/2025

Expand to see full photo. Having some shirts and coffee mugs made looking for some feedback. Rate it 1-10

04/21/2025

My Easter eggs hatched. How bout that. 😁

04/21/2025

Fact: No dog has ever been trained without the use of punishment. End statement

Be honest. How many of these have you done? I have done all 38.

1. Walking away from a pushy dog
2. Pausing or stopping a game until they release the ball/tug
3. Putting your dog back on a leash if they ignore a recall command
4. Removing a bed or couch privilege (after a growl or just needing personal space)
5. Leaving the yard if you call them but they don’t come.
6. Putting toys away because they keep bringing them to you or are resource guarding
7. Leashing up during playdates when your dog gets a bit too much
8. Closing your hand on kibble for training and waiting until they’re polite.
9. Taking away water if they play in it and make a mess inside the house
10. Stopping sniff time on a walk because you have to go or because they’re dragging you around.
11. Ending belly rubs because your dog is getting too excited.
12. Removing them from the area where they chewed on furniture
13. Waiting longer to open the crate if your dog is being pushy
14. Waiting longer to open the car door if your dog is not waiting for the ‘okay’.
15. Waiting to put their food down/pick it up until they sit calmly
16. If your dog refuses to sit before jumping into the car, you shut the door and try again later.
17. Stopping a flirt pole game or game of tug because your dog keeps grabbing your hand instead of the toy.
18. Leaving the room if they whine
19. Ignoring whining or attention seeking
20. Refusing to let them greet people, because they jump and waiting until they calm down. You might use the leash to hold them back, put them in a different room or in a crate.
21. If your dog gets too excited when you pick up the leash, you put it back down until they sit.
22. If your dog spins or bounces when you try to put on their harness, you step back and wait for them to settle.
23. Ignoring a barking dog
24. Taking away or withholding a treat for not complying with a command
25. Pausing a walk → If your dog pulls on the leash, you stop walking until they stop pulling.
26. Turning away on a walk, if your dog pulls and you go 180 in a different directions and moving away from what your dog wants
27. Turning your back on jumping
28. Closing the door if they rush doors and try again until they’re calm.
29. Not petting a pushy or overexcited dog
30. Delaying food bowl → If your dog jumps or barks while you prepare their meal, you wait until they are sitting quietly before putting the bowl down.
31. Making an “ah-ah” or “no” sound when the dog does something unwanted.
32. Using spatial pressure (stepping toward the dog) to get them to move away.
33. Withholding affection or turning away when its not the right time
34. Applying leash pressure to stop your dog from eating something they shouldn’t on a walk.
35. Telling your dog to MOVE when they lie on your spot on the couch
36. Putting a harness / piece of equipment on that your dog doesn’t like wearing
37. Following and petting a dog that walks away from you
38. Picking up a small dog when they don’t expect it or feel uncomfortable

Guess what. Most of these are examples of negative punishment.

04/20/2025

Unknown dog but he was having a blast at the race tonight. I love seeing dogs at these events. On Facebook, most people can't have their dog around a vacuum. 😅

04/17/2025

"It's the quiet ones you gotta watch". Confidence is not portrayed through noise. Weakness is.

04/15/2025

Zak George did you know that we can SEE you? Did you know that people actually watch your videos and see the abuse you let slip through editing?

All the lies and propaganda spread by this boy for a paycheck is pathetic. It doesn't affect real dog trainers nearly as much as it does the average pet owner and their pets. He not hurting us, he's hurting the average family and their dogs. Making people feel like his fairy tale methods are the only humane way to train a dog is the epitome of narcissistic. It gets good dogs killed and hearts broken on a daily basis.

Many who fall for this nonsense don't have the funds or the ability to keep seeking help after it fails and have no choice but to surrender dogs or euthanize them. Keep your foot on his neck and expose this predator for what he really is. This fade is almost dead, we just need to keep setting good examples and show the public there are alternatives.

04/13/2025

Cowboy might take a walk on the Wildside. 😉 Next heat, we'll attempt Patterdale x APBT. As long as the vet says they're good to go, we're going for it.

I've been on the fence about this for a long time, but this is the best Patterdale blood on the east coast. His sire is known from Maine to Florida. Arguably the best APBT blood in the south. Both dogs are special individuals, so with a little luck we're going to produce some of the baddest terriers to ever run above ground. Fingers crossed. 🤞

04/13/2025

We got Freya at 5 weeks old. If she lasts 3 more weeks she will be 9 years old. I don't think she's going to make it that long and there's not a damn thing I can do about it. The meds aren't helping anymore, she can barely go in and out of the door by herself. Carrying this dog into the vet knowing she won't be coming back home is gonna break me. I know it's cruel to let her suffer, but this is a decision I'm really sick of making.

04/08/2025

I'm seeing this more often and it's absolutely not true. I can actually prove this on video with Lucy. Dogs feed off our energy the same way we feed off each other. If you're in public and your friend who is normally cool, calm amd collected starts sweating and fidgeting and their hands are shaking, you notice that. When you notice they're nervous but don't understand why, your anxiety will also start to increase because your brain processes the fact their must be a threat present.

Some dogs may take the leadership role in those situations but very few will. Most will see that you perceived a threat so they will assume a threat is present. This is psychology 101. Basic day 1 stuff.

Your dog isn’t anxious because you are.

This one gets thrown around all the time.
“Your dog feeds off your energy.”
“He's not anxious when I walk him, only when you do.”
“Your anxiety is making your dog anxious.”

It sounds neat and simple. But it’s not true.

Dogs are not emotional mirrors. They don’t become anxious just because you are. They aren’t downloading your mental health through the leash. They are living animals with their own genetics, history, and experiences. Some dogs are just wired to be more sensitive, hyperaware, sound-sensitive, movement-sensitive. That doesn’t come from you.

But here’s what is true: dogs respond to our behaviour.
Not just our feelings, but what we do when we’re anxious.

If you gasp, freeze, tighten the leash, or suddenly change direction, your dog notices. If you start scanning the environment, speed up your walk, or pull them behind you, that tells them something’s up. If you yell at someone to leash their dog or get mad at the situation (even if it’s not at your dog), they pick up on that tension too.

Some dogs are also just harder to hide your emotions from. People say, “you can’t lie to a Border Collie,” and there’s truth in that. If you’ve ever tried to act sweet and calm while hiding the nail trimmers behind your back, you’ve experienced this. You crouch down, speak in a gentle voice, and your dog still slinks away. That’s not mind reading. That’s learning. They’ve figured out that when you act that way, the clippers or ear meds are coming. They’ve seen this pattern before, and they’re responding to it.

Border Collies are especially good at this because they’ve been bred to be hyper aware of their handler. Dogs who are selected to notice subtle movements, posture, voice tone, and small shifts in body language are going to be sensitive. That’s what they were designed for. Sensitivity isn’t a flaw in these dogs. It’s part of what makes them good at what they do. But it also means they’re more likely to respond to little changes that other dogs might ignore.

I’ve also worked with people whose partners have flat-out told them they caused the dog’s anxiety. They say things like, “he’s fine when I walk him,” or “you’re making him nervous.” That’s one, not true. And two, even if it was true, that kind of attitude helps no one. If your partner is struggling with the dog, you support them. You don’t build yourself up by tearing them down. It’s not a competition.

That’s not your fault. It’s human to react. Especially when your dog is struggling or you feel out of control.

And I want to say this clearly: walking a sensitive or reactive dog isn’t the same as walking a “normal” dog. It’s not a peaceful stroll around the block. It’s scanning the environment, adjusting leash tension, managing thresholds, staying aware of escape routes, and sometimes needing to respond in a split second. This is skilled work. It takes practice. And it can be emotionally exhausting. So, if you feel tired, overwhelmed, or burned out, you’re not weak. You’re doing advanced handling as a green dog owner under pressure.

This is where “fake it till you make it” can really help. You can absolutely be freaking out on the inside while staying calm on the outside. You can show your dog that you’ve got it handled, even when you don’t feel like you do.

That doesn’t mean masking or ignoring your anxiety. It means practicing what to do in tough moments so your body knows how to respond. I teach my clients simple emergency response skills they rehearse over and over. Leash moves, positioning, redirection. So when things go sideways, they can act on autopilot. And their dogs feel safer because of it.

And here’s the thing: your anxiety doesn’t disqualify you. You don’t need to be calm all the time to be a good dog guardian. The best trainers I know have off days. You just need tools that work for both of you. If you’re trying, if you’re learning, if you’re showing up for your dog, then you’re doing enough. Your nervous system isn’t a training flaw.

I also recommend that my clients skip days when their dog is already stressed and more likely to react. The same goes for you. If you had a rough day at work, or your nerves are already shot, and you know the walk is going to feel like a battle, skip it. Do something fun with your dog at home instead. Trick training, practicing your emergency moves outside of the problem context, a little scent work, a game of fetch. Not every moment has to be a training session. If you skip the walk, you might not make progress that day, but you’re also not making it worse. Breaks are part of progress. Rest matters.

Anxiety isn’t contagious. It’s not something your dog ‘catches’ from you like a virus. They respond to patterns, tone, movement, and tension, not your internal emotional state by itself.

So, if you’ve been carrying around guilt because you gave your anxiety to your dog, let it go. Your dog has likely learned that your responses predict their trigger, or that your reactions mean something bad is coming, or they might simply not like it when you're triggered. It’s time to pretend to be in control on the outside, teach you and your dog some get-out-of-dodge tricks for those sticky moments, and let go of the guilt.

To get more insight into your herding breed dog, check out my book, Urban Sheepdog: https://amzn.to/4g0o6VT

For a primer on working with a reactive herder, check out Reactivity in Herding Breed Dogs: https://amzn.to/48eQP6w