Creekside Dog Training

03/10/2022

01/18/2022

Welcome “Scout” to our day train family!

12/18/2021

Vega wants to know what’s on all of his dog friends’ Christmas lists. He agrees that there isn’t much better present than that of a well trained dog! Give us a call at (609)352-4478 or drop us a message to schedule your free consultation. Any training purchased before 1/31 will receive 10% off!

11/26/2021

This morning is brought to you by the letter P… while Porter the pup works on the “place” command ❤️

08/31/2021

Let me tell you a story about Babe, a pup that I had for a board and train. Babe came from a puppy mill in Lancaster and was adopted by a wonderful owner who lives in Philadelphia. Happy ending right? Right… except Babe was scared of everything! She ran away from anyone who came in the house, hated noises, and was terrified to step foot outside the house. This dog made me work hard, and the challenge was totally worth it! We exposed Babe to life in the burbs, took her on so many walks in town, taught her that she needed to trust the humans and the commands that they give, and of course gave her so much love.
Since she went home, her owner has been amazing regarding following through with the training. Slowly she has started branching out where she has walked Babe, but still mostly on quiet side streets. Today was their first follow up and after walking some quiet streets Babe and her mom were both doing really well, so I decided to up the ante big time. Nothing says “let’s test your obedience and trust” like a walk up South St, then Broad, then through city hall, stopping to hang out on a bench and watch the world go by! I couldn’t be more proud with how today went… there are so many fun walks that this pair will be going on all over the city!

06/24/2021

It’s been awhile since I posted, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been busy! I’ve had a constant flow of dogs in for the board and train and plenty of private lessons in between.
Meet my newest board and train student, Forrest!

03/06/2021

Here’s the video of what “Baby” looked like walking on a leash when she came to me... swerving all over the place, nose glued to the ground, and no regard for the person holding the leash.
Check out her progress video in the comments!

02/25/2021

Tada! Miss “Ruby” has been transformed from a dog who tries to slip out of her collar instead of jumping into the car, to this!

02/25/2021

Today was a super successful day for “Ruby”! I was told she absolutely refused to jump not her mom’s suv, so today we tackled that hurdle. Teaching a dog to jump into a car isn’t difficult, it actually only takes two words... and a lot of patience! Check out my next post to see how the session ended!

02/23/2021

“Baby” was working on place this morning, and getting some love from my daughter ❤️

02/21/2021

Step 1: learning that the word “kennel” means walk in the crate and stay there, even if the crate door is open

02/21/2021

Say hi to “Baby”, the newest board and train! “Baby” is a 1yo pit bull/cattle dog mix who needs to learn some manners and life skills, and most importantly, to learn that crates are awesome, not scary!

02/18/2021

“Ruby” the board and train is about as tired of the snow and ice as I am. Thankfully she has a comfy bed, her trainer has some coffee and a home made fastnacht, and we both have the wood stove!

02/12/2021

Learning to be a good dog is really exhausting work! “Ruby” is doing well so far with her board and train, she has settled in and learning her obedience and starting to gain some confidence. Now that she’s learned the rules of the game I can start putting her in situations that would’ve caused her to be reactive in the past and work her through it!

02/10/2021

I do what I do so that dogs can be their best selves!

02/08/2021

Let’s talk about treadmills! I have been putting my dogs on a treadmill for the past 10 years and can’t say enough about the benefits! Not only does it physically condition dogs, especially when it’s either too hot or cold for them to safely exercise outside, but it teaches them focus and to be mentally aware. Here’s a video of Vega, my 6.5 month old pit bull, during his session this morning.
People tend to have a lot of questions about putting their dog on a treadmill so here’s your chance, comment below and ask away!

Ps: feel free to share this post with any other dog friends who might benefit from this information... sharing is caring!

02/07/2021

Meet “Ruby”, our newest Board and Train! Ruby is a 1yo lab/shepherd mix who came to us because among other habits, she has been using her mouth when she doesn’t get her way. After a day with me so far, I’ve established that she is a fairly timid dog who is unsure of her role in her pack. I’ll spend her time here teaching her through obedience that humans are in control and that she can just relax and be a dog!

02/03/2021

Sometimes training dogs involves teaching them how to walk on a leash and not jump on people... other times it also involves teaching them to not eat things. Starting Monday morning teaching Baloo not to eat a tissue, something that he previously would’ve swallowed in 0.2 seconds
Don’t forget, this awesome boy is up for adoption through Don’t Bully Us Rescue!

01/28/2021

This is what control looks like! My husband is one of Baloo’s favorite people and when he first came to us, he would’ve been running around, jumping on him, and mouthing him out of excitement. The goal with training isn’t to take away that excitement, just to contain it appropriately!

01/22/2021

Baloo is learning that he can be calm in a sit... even when he’s near the chickens!

01/21/2021

Meet Cosmo, the other current board and train! Cosmo is the third standard poodle I’ve trained for this client over the years and is another awesome dog! Learning to be a good dog is hard work, but we always get some cuddles in too!

01/21/2021

Baloo started his morning going for a walk with some distraction training. One of the complaints was that he was over the top and just couldn’t contain himself when there are exciting things going ... he’s doing a pretty good job learning that “heel” still applies, even with a kid running away from you!

01/20/2021

I’d like to introduce you to Baloo! Over the summer my family and I fostered a litter of 9 puppies and their mom for Don’t Bully Us Rescue, and their founder reached out to me to ask about training for this exuberant guy. Baloo is a 1yo pit/lab mix who has had trouble finding a home because sometimes he just can’t help himself from using his retriever mouth on hands and to pick up things he shouldn’t. We have had him for a week so far and he is a the goofiest, sweetest boy around! He is great with other dogs and with grown and young humans, and is learning how to control his impulses! Have I mentioned that he is looking for a home? Stay tuned for more updates on the awesome boy!

01/19/2021

01/19/2021

Welcome to Creekside Dog Training! I am Kristin Zimmerman, owner and head trainer, and I'd love to tell you a little bit about myself and how Creekside came into existence. I have a bachelor's degree from Delaware Valley College in small animal science and a minor in psychology. After working as a veterinary assistant and technician during college, after graduation I began apprenticing under a local trainer. For the past 13 years, I worked as a trainer, then as an ownerand head trainer for a nationwide dog training franchise. After choosing to strike out on my own, Creekside Dog Training was born! My goal has always been and still remains, using my knowledge to help strengthen the relationship between dogs and their owners. During my 1.5 decades of training, I've worked with every age, breed, and training issue under the sun, and have always taken to heart the satisfaction of my clients (both two and four-legged). It would be my pleasure to help evaluate and address your training needs!

ps: These pictures are of the dogs that myself, my husband, and our kids have owned over the years that continue to help me every single day to improve my skills as a trainer.

01/16/2021