"I Said Sit!" School for Dogs

10/31/2024

Some important things to consider this spooky season -

As we revel in being spooked and frightened, let’s consider how are dogs are feeling during halloween and make sure they aren’t being subjected to their personal monsters and ghouls.

If your dog is frightened of children, make sure that they have a safe space away from the commotion while you hand out candy to trick or treaters.
Be sure to take your dog out to potty before all the people in scary costumes come out for the night.
Keep a close eye on your dog to catch any signs of fear. Lots of dogs can be frightened of novel objects like inflatable halloween decorations.
Before putting on your costume, give your dog some time to get familiar with it. Let the sniff it and give them treats. Build up a positive association.
If you plan to dress up your dog, spend lots of time getting them comfortable with their outfit. As cute as it is to dress dogs up for halloween, we don’t want to traumatize our dogs just for a laugh.
Be careful to prevent you dog from accessing any candy. Nothing is more spooky than having to rush your dog to the emergency vet because they got into your kid’s stash of chocolate.
As with any holidays, big disruptions in your dog’s daily routine can cause a lot of stress, so while you’re out having fun, try to maintain as much normality as possible.

10/28/2024

Learn how to stay calm and guide your destructive pup toward better behavior with some tips from Elisha.

Learn how to react when your new dog chews, tears, or destroys items in your home. Plus, discover expert tips for guiding your dog toward better habits.

10/28/2024

Why do dogs tilt their heads? Elisha chimes in on some reasons why:

Why do dogs tilt their heads? There are some instances when a head tilt can be a signal that it’s time for a trip to the vet.

10/17/2024

We had a great time at the annual conference. So many amazing speakers.
An amazing expo to walk around and shop at too

08/26/2024

Happy National Dog Day 🐶

04/16/2024

"I Said Sit!" School for Dogs is looking to hire a full time trainer. We have benefits and support CEU opportunities for certified trainers.

07/03/2022

Pua is here to remind you that school is OUT tomorrow for the 4th of July! 🎉

That means that there is no daycare during the day tomorrow, instead go out and enjoy your morning before the start of fireworks later in the evening. Make sure your pups are prepared for the night to come!

We can’t wait to see our students again on Tuesday 💕✨

🎇 Happy Independence Day! 🎆

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07/01/2022

Plan on having a BBQ this weekend? The 4th of July is not only about the fireworks but the food too. 🇺🇸 Let’s take a look at some common holiday foods your pet can can cannot eat.

If your pet does eat something they shouldn’t contact your Veterinarian right away! If you don’t already know, NOW is the time to find out where your closest 24-hour animal emergency hospital is. 🚨🏥

🦴 Rib, steak, and chicken bones can all be very harmful to your dog. They can splinter and puncture organs, cause obstructions, and even be a choking hazard. But the meat 🥩 can be a great high-value reward for your dog. The same goes for hotdogs 🌭 and hamburgers 🍔 although they have no bones, avoid the buns and give the meat as a treat.

🌽 🍉🍑 Fruit and veggie rinds, cobs, and pits can cause stomach aches, and diarrhea, and can even cause obstructions.

🥙 Fruits & veggies can be great snacks for your dog, but always double-check before giving them something you have never given them before. Avoid grapes 🍇 avocado 🥑 and onions 🧅 these are toxic to dogs and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and even organ failure. Carrots🥕 broccoli 🥦 blueberries 🫐 bell peppers 🫑 strawberries 🍓 and bananas 🍌are generally safe for your dog as long as they have no known allergies.

🍫🍪🧁 Unless you make your own doggie cupcakes or treats, avoid giving your dog any desserts. Chocolates and some sugars can be very toxic to dogs and cause organ failure.

🥛 yogurt and some cheeses 🧀 can be okay to give your pet in small amounts but can cause some diarrhea or gas.

Have a safe and fun holiday weekend! 🥳
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06/28/2022

Tip Tuesday: Prepare for the 4th of July BEFORE the 4th of July part 4 Final reminders

The 4th of July is less than a week away!

Over the past several weeks we have dedicated our Tip Tuesdays to help prepare your homes, and dogs for the holiday. Please review our previous posts. Here are some final reminders and tips:

🎆 This is the busiest time of year for animal shelters. So busy in fact that some shelters are asking for people to foster shelter pets so they can make room in their kennels for pets who run away or get lost due to the fireworks. With this in mind. Please make sure your pet has their collar with identification on at ALL times. Additionally, ask your veterinarian about microchipping your pet as a 2nd form of identification as collars can come off.

🎇 4th of July is not all about fireworks. Gathering with friends and family is a big part of it too. Be an advocate for your dog, don’t pressure your pup to meet or greet people or dogs if they feel uncomfortable. Bring a crate, pen, or tether to your gathering to help provide your dog with a safe area.

🎆 With gatherings often come food. We don’t want your dog to practice counter surfing, digging in the trash, or stealing food from little ones. Bring your treat pouch with your dog's favorite treats, and reward them for good behavior. Bring a bed or mat and reinforce your dog for settling. A long-lasting chew item or stuffed Kong can aid in keeping them busy and settled as people eat.

Let us know if you need more help or ideas getting prepared for the 4th.

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06/25/2022

Does your dog have dog friends? What activities do your dog and their friends enjoy doing together? Comment below ⬇️

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06/21/2022

Tip Tuesday: Prepare for the 4th of July BEFORE the 4th of July part 3 Setting up for success.

As the 4th of July gets closer now is the time to do some home preparations to make sure you and your dog are set up. Here are some things you can do:

🎇Cut up a variety of yummy treats to give your dog when they hear fireworks. Know what your dog likes and make sure you have plenty. You may also want to think outside the box of their normal treats and make sure you have extra delicious treats.

🎆Have some prepared enrichment. Kongs, chews, snuffle mats, new or favorite toys to keep keep them entertained and focused on.

🎇Make sure your dog has access to a safe and comfortable area they can go to hide. This can be a crate or pen, it can also be an area where you know they are likely to hide such as the back of a closest, the bathroom or under a table. Clear these areas so your dog can hide, add blankets or covering for comfort.

🎆Do a door/ gate/ window walkthrough every night. Make sure as it starts to get dark all doors and gates are shut and locked and windows are closed. For extra soundproofing you can cover your windows with blankets.

🎇Tuning out the sounds. Leave the TV on, play some music or some white nose to aid in canceling out some if the firework screeches and booms.

🎆Burn off energy. Being your dog is going to be inside for the evening, make sure to go for a long daytime walk, a morning hike, spend some time playing fetch in the yard before the sun goes down.

Review our previous Tip Tuesdays for more tips and ways to prepare for July 4th.

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06/14/2022

Tip Tuesday: Prepare for the 4th of July BEFORE the 4th of July part 2 Desensitization.

🎇What is Desensitization? Desensitization is the process of exposing your dog to a scary thing at a very LOW level and SLOWLY increasing intensity over TIME. In short turning something scary into something not so scary. We do this by pairing this process with classical counter-conditioning by creating a positive/ good association with the scary thing.

🎆How can I help desensitize my dog to fireworks? There are several ways, think of the different senses and how fireworks may affect your dog. Depending on how many fireworks and what kind of fireworks occur in your area your dog may 🖐FEEL vibrations, your dog may 👀SEE flashing lights, your dog may 👃SMELL fire, your dog may👂HEAR booms and crackling, your dog may 👅 TASTE new medication to help calm them or taste yummy treats.

🧨 Desensitization sometimes requires creativity. Here are a few things you can try to help simulate the different sensations your dog may experience with fireworks. Keep in mind we need to 1. Go slow and start at a very low level and gradually increase intensity. Going too fast too soon can make things WORSE! 2. Creat good associations by using things your dog enjoys such as food, toys, petting, or praise.

🖐Feel- Place a speaker on the floor to simulate the vibrations they may feel.
👀 Sight- Use a flashlight to simulate the flashing lights they may see
👃Smell- Light a match, lighter, or candle and blow it out to simulate the fire they may smell.
👂Hear- Play firework sounds on your phone or TV to simulate the booms, bangs, and crackling they may hear.
👅Taste- Offer extra yummy treats that are very high value for your dog and can help create good associations with all of the above.

💥Need help getting started? Need more desensitization ideas? Please let us know, we want to make sure you and your dog have a safe and happy 4th of July.

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06/04/2022

Call it urban agility or call it parkour, get out and have fun with your dog!

Find areas that can be opportunities to jump on, go over, and go under. Use the environment you are in and create your own obstacle course.

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06/04/2022

New Blog! New Class!

Visit our website and check out our latest blog: Does Your Dog Rock Their Recall? DON’T MAKE “COME” A FOUR LETTER WORD. 

Check out our new class “Rock the Recall” a 3 week class dedicated to working with you and your dog on skills to help your dog come when called.

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05/31/2022

Tip Tuesday: Take the time to reinforce yourself!

Training is a roller coaster, there are ups and downs don’t forget that. So when you have a win with your dog reward yourself.

Go for a walk 🚶(without your dog)
Have a glass of wine or some coffee ☕️ 🍷
Treat yourself to a special meal 🍔
Enjoy watching a little extra TV 📺

You are doing your best, keep up the good work.

Have a puppy who just started sleeping through the night? Yes! Celebrate that! 🎉

Have a reactive dog who only barked 3x on your walk versus your entire walk? Yes! Celebrate that! 🎉

Took your dog for coffee and they did not jump on anyone? Yes, Celebrate that! 🎉

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05/28/2022

Charlie is recovering from surgery. So what do you do when you have a smart active dog who is restricted in their activity?

We do Brain Games! 🧠

There is no specific game to play but instead, think of ways to challenge your dog's mind.

This can be done in several ways:

💡Teach a new trick
🍽Introduce a new feeding device
🦉Refine your obedience
🎾Hide toys or food
🔺Shape a behavior

It can be anything really, be creative and have fun! 🎉

Swipe through to see a simple brain game we played with Charlie.

2 🐾 Paws on

1. We started with a large item and LURED him until he got 2 paws on it, we clicked treated and then repeated. (Luring is when we took a treat to his noes and guided him into position- like 2 magnets that are connected 🧲 one magnet is his nose/mouth the other our hand with treats.)
2. After several reps we then captured him offering 2 paws. (Capturing is waiting patiently for the exact moment the dog does the behavior - like taking a photograph 📷 with our clicker.)
3. We made it a bit harder by making the surface smaller. Depending on how fast your dog catches on you can capture or go back a step and lure onto the smaller surface.
4. And then we made it even harder by making the surface even smaller. (Only one paw on, that’s okay, it’s a work in progress).

This brain game over all was about Shaping! (Shaping is taking a behavior and breaking it down into smaller stages- like baby steps 👶👟)

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05/20/2022

It’s National Rescue Dog Day!

If you have a shelter or rescue dog give them some extra love today!

There are animal shelters and rescue organizations across the country full of wonderful pets who need a home. If you are thinking of adding a new furry family member and want to adopt, read our latest Blog “A little talk about dog adoption.” This blog is full of information to help with your journey.

Link in bio for access to our Blog

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05/17/2022

Tip Tuesday: Avoid The Wrap!

Several components go into teaching your dog to walk with you nicely on a leash. One big component is how you hold the leash.

The Wrap has a few disadvantages:
1. You can get injured. If your dog pulls unexpectedly you can end up with a sprained wrist.
2. You do not have easy access to control your dog's leash length. Shorting the leash or giving more length for sniff breaks.

Here are a few ways to hold the leash. Practice the different options without your dog. Find what works best for you. Get accustomed to holding the leash, adding length, and shortening it quickly while your dog is NOT attached. This way you are ready and have prepared your mind and body for when you DO need to quickly adjust your dog's leash length.
* The Lasso
* The U
* The Finger grip
* The Bracelet
* The Thumb grip
* The Accordion
* The 2 Hand Hold

There are more options to holding the leash, let us know if these don’t work for you, we may be able to help find a better option. When thinking of what works best for you may also want to consider or rethink your current leash options, stay tuned we’ll discuss more about that in a future Tip Tuesday.

Don’t forget to practice!

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05/14/2022

🏝Making summer vacation plans?

🏕Going out of town?

🏫If you would like to board your dog with us while you are on vacation make your appointments now!

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05/12/2022

DID YOU KNOW? 🤔

A dog’s sense of smell is legendary, but did you know that their nose has as many as 300 million receptors?

To compare, a human nose has about 5 million. 👃🏻

That’s why it’s so incredibly important for us to give our dogs appropriate opportunities to sniff! Not only is it good for their brains, but also good for their health!

A sniffing dog is a happy dog, so next time you go out for a walk make sure to find some time to let them stop to smell the flowers! 🌸

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05/10/2022

Tip Tuesday: Get your dog used to the car before they need to be transported.

Whether it is a car ride to the park, a yearly checkup to the vet office, or to school for a training session, your dog will need to take a trip in the car at some point. Don’t wait until you need to get your dog in the car to find out if they like the car. Here are a few steps you can take to prepare your dog for car rides.

🚗 Practice training around the car while the car is off. Walk towards the car, reward, then walk away. Mix up some fun cues your dog may know such as sit, down, or hand touch as you are walking to the car or around the car.

🚙 Make the above step more challenging by opening the car door. Practice having your dog jump in and out of the car. Use high-value reinforcement! Add a step/ stair to help your dog jump into the car if getting into the car is too challenging for your dog. Once you can approach your car and your dog is willing to jump in, add a wait cue to enter and exit.

🚘 Start building on duration, and have your dog start to settle in the car with the car off. As they learn to settle in the car, turn the car on. Take small steps by moving the car to the end of the driveway, to the end of the block, and take short trips before you plan a super long road adventure.

Let us know if you need more information or assistance in creating positive experiences for your dog and car rides.

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05/08/2022

Check out Bodhi, one of the dogs here at school who has earned a couple of trick titles! A total of 3 actually! 🎉🤩

⭐️ Novice Trick Title
⭐️ Intermediate Trick Title
⭐️ Advanced Trick Title

— but…what even IS a “trick title”?

Titles are awarded to our companion animals for a bunch of different reasons, from scent work to agility to tricks to hunting, there are plenty of title types that can be awarded to your pooch!

Usually represented by letters around your pups name and is earned by demonstrating the required behaviors.

In Bodhi’s case that means an extensive lists of fun and entertaining tricks for both him to perform and us to enjoy! 👏🏻🎬

Now he’s on to the next title: Expert Trick Title. 😎

Does your dog have any titles? Have you considered trying to earn them some? Let us know below! 🐶🎗

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05/04/2022

🦊 It’s foxtail season!

…and there are some things you should know. So we wrote up a new blog post all about the dangerous aspects of these prickly plants!

Here in California we are no stranger to these harmless looking plants but under what seems like a soft bushy exterior is an arrow shaped plant piece that burrows into dog bodies with ease.

This obviously makes them very dangerous, as getting a foxtail out isn’t always an easy feat and may even require veterinary attention.

Stay safe out there and check out our newest blog post for more about these pesky foxtails! 🦊🌿

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05/03/2022

Tip Tuesday: Treat your dog as an individual.

This is a more challenging tip but an important one. Each dog has their unique personality, along with needs, and all dogs learn at a different pace.

Those who have had dogs throughout their life can draw from the memories of those past experiences. Comparing previous pets with current ones is very easy to do but it can lead to a road creating unrealistic expectations for your current dog.

Keeping all this in mind, training can be a roller coaster. There will be ups and downs. There is no quick fix or one specific training plan that will work for every dog.

So when feeling frustrated, take a deep breath and remember your dog is an individual, just as you are! Training can be challenging at times, remember to take steps to take care of yourself. And when in doubt ask for help, that’s what we are here for.

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05/01/2022

Today we’re celebrating Elisha Stynchula, CPDT-KA, CNWI, CTDI ✨

We learned something new last week, turns out that May 1st is 🎉 school principal day 🎉 and we just had to use this chance to talk about our school principal — Elisha Stynchula!

Elisha took ownership of “I Said Sit” in 2017 but this hasn’t prevented her from continuing her own journey for knowledge by furthering her education. She attends various seminars in dog sports, training and behavior. This dedication to her own continued education can also be seen in her active involvement with her personal canine companions in fun competitions over the years.

She even has some special letters that follow her name and we want to tell you what they stand for!

🐾 CPDT-KA : stands for “certified professional dog trainer - knowledge assessed”
🐾 CNWI : stands for “certified nose work instructor”
🐾 CTDI : stands for “certified trick dog instructor”

We are very lucky to have her knowledge and support here at the school and couldn’t ask for a better principal. 📚