Heel Dog Training Academy - Clifton Park, NY

09/16/2025

Do you want a dog that will walk nicely on a leash? Be able to call your dog to you? Have a canine companion that is fun to be around and become part of your family?
Let us help you with your dog or puppy.

New Class Session starting in October.


Great Foundation for Puppies is a 6-week class, cost $185 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park at 1868 Rte 9. For dogs 6 months and younger. The class will start an introduction to common obedience commands like sit, down, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will also go over common behavioral puppy issues like biting, barking and house training. Also included in the class is getting the puppy better socialized to new people, environments and structured meetings with other puppies. A new class will start on

October 15th (Wednesday) from 7 - 8 pm

Manners for the Family Dog is a 6-week class, cost $185 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park. The class will cover sit, down, stays, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will show you how to teach these commands and also how to get reliability. Also covered are common behavioral problems like jumping and barking. A new class will start on

October 14th (Tuesday) from 7 - 8 pm

09/08/2025

Heel Dog Training Academy is having a class on learning the skills needed to compete in Advanced, Excellent and Masters. It will be hosted at Working Dogs NY, LLC

Please contact Mary at [email protected] to register or get more information.

09/04/2025

Rally Run thrus this Sunday September 7th.

09/02/2025

Obedience Road Workshop part II

09/02/2025

Had a wonderful Obedience Road Workshop with Connie Cleveland-Nolan and Kelsey Wehr at Working Dogs NY LLC this past Labor Day Weekend. Wonderful to meet follow members of Obedience Road and people that share the passion of training dogs. Part 1

07/25/2025

I wrote this 8 years ago. Although it never appeared here, it probably should have.

The reason I am recycling it is because stuff like this still happens. Recently with a female Golden, a Shepherd mix of some sort, and a member of the overindulged, obnoxious, generic 'fluffy little white dog' club.

It's not OK. Your dog isn't trying to protect you. Your dog is an ass and you have successfully endorsed it to the point that there is genuine risk.

Do better.

If you want to read the comments on the original post, the link will be in the comments.

_________________________________

Earlier today I had an encounter with an individual that sort of left a bad taste in my mouth. I am pretty rigid when it comes to effective management and have found after 4 decades of practical application, that careless owners make for poorly behaved dogs.

The dog ran afoul of my hand, and I corrected him, with some volume. Now before anybody starts speculating, I didn't bend, fold, or mutilate the dog. What I did do was sn**ch his sassyass up and tell him to knock it off and "STOPTHATNONSENSERIGHTNOWORELSE!" No harm, no foul. He remembered his wits and removed his mouth from my appendage.

The encounter was entirely preventable and I chastised the owner for allowing the dog so much freedom as to take such liberties. The owner responded that (s)he "didn't want people to think (s)he was being cruel" to which I almost responded, "but you seem to think it's OK that [the dog] can just race up to me and grab my hand! IN WHAT WORLD IS THIS EVER OK?"

Correcting your dog in public need not be the messy affair I apparently made it, but I will be the first to tell you that if you think your public persona is more important than my (or anybody's, for that matter) safety, YOU'LL have a problem that transcends what may happen to your dog.

In the interest of public safety, YOUR DOG'S BEHAVIOR IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY, AND YOUR FAILURE TO CONTROL YOUR DOG ADEQUATELY IS A DIRECT REFLECTION OF YOUR LACK OF INITIATIVE AND OVERBLOWN SENSE OF SELF IMPORTANCE.

My body bears the scars from dozens of encounters by animals being poorly handled. Just because I'm a dog trainer doesn't make me enjoy getting bit, scratched, bled or otherwise molested.

If you struggle so mightily with the concept of telling your dog "NO" in any meaningful way, your dog ceases to be your *problem*. It doesn't make it *my* problem either. Figure it out. In the meantime, if your dog bites me, after I drop him?

I'm coming for you.

07/15/2025

Rally run thrus starting again at Working Dogs NY, LLC

07/06/2025

We have had some working spots open for the Obedience Road Workshop with Connie Cleveland-Nolan and Kelsey Wehr for August 30 and 31st, 2025 in Amsterdam, New York at Working Dogs NY, LLC. There is also plenty of room for auditors. Auditors can bring dogs if they are good in a crate. Auditors are welcomed to ask questions during the workshop.

06/30/2025

📌 This week we’re breaking down how to use reward markers to build a dog that LOVES obedience!

(2/7)

1️⃣ Carry-On Marker

This is a word like “Good” that tells your dog:
✔️ “Keep doing what you are doing and you will be rewarded!”

Example:
Your dog is heeling with great attention, and in perfect position.
You say, “Good!”
You’re giving feedback that your dog is correct, and he should keep doing what he is doing and he will receive a reward.

You can reward your dog with a treat when you use your carry-on marker, but you don’t have to give a reward every time you say it. Use your carry-on marker to support your dog while he is working—but don’t overdo it or say it mindlessly. Mean it!

2️⃣ Reward Marker

A Reward Marker is a sound or a word that you teach your dog. It serves 3 purposes:

🔹 It is a conditioned reinforcer because it is always followed by reward
🔹 It is a terminal signal because when the dog hears it, he is free to pursue reward
🔹 It bridges the gap in time between the behavior and the delivery of reward

Once you condition the Reward Marker, the greatest reinforcement occurs when your dog hears it, not when he receives the reward.

Common markers:
🔸 “Yes!”
🔸 “Nice!”
🔸 A click (from a clicker)

Example:

Your dog races in with the dumbbell, and adjusts himself to sit perfectly straight in front position.
You say, “Yes!”
You’re telling him that sitting straight in front earned reward.

06/26/2025

05/23/2025

Do you want a dog that will walk nicely on a leash? Be able to call your dog to you? Have a canine companion that is fun to be around and become part of your family?
Let us help you with your dog or puppy.

New Class Session starting in July

Great Foundation for Puppies is a 6-week class, cost $185 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park at 1868 Rte 9. For dogs 6 months and younger. The class will start an introduction to common obedience commands like sit, down, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will also go over common behavioral puppy issues like biting, barking and house training. Also included in the class is getting the puppy better socialized to new people, environments and structured meetings with other puppies. A new class will start on

July 9th (Wednesday) from 7 - 8 pm

Manners for the Family Dog is a 6-week class, cost $185 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park. The class will cover sit, down, stays, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will show you how to teach these commands and also how to get reliability. Also covered are common behavioral problems like jumping and barking. A new class will start on

July 8th (Tuesday) from 7 - 8 pm

05/06/2025

Offering an AKC Master/Excellent Rally Class in June at Working Dogs NY, LLC