Perfect Paws Preparatory School

07/17/2024

Heelwork with River yesterday! He rocked it, 💪

05/11/2024

Fun times with River and Bebe!

04/28/2024

Starting the week of May 14th 3PS will have open availability for doggy day training on Tuesdays and Thursdays! Day training is a fantastic option for those who aren't ready for or don't need a full training program but want their dogs to enjoy structured outings with a trusted professional.

Day training is a 3 hour block of time where we pick up your pooch and provide them with a multi purpose day of fun combining structured obedience training, playtime, hiking adventures/walks, mental stimulation games, trick training, maintenance training for reactivity, public access, manners etc., socialization, and whatever else your dog may enjoy!

Benefits include:

- Meeting all the needs of your dog: mental, physical, and emotional makes for a much happier, calmer dog at the end of the day.
- Maintaining basic obedience allows for long term retention of training
- Confidence knowing your dog is getting a customized 1-on-1 experience
- if appropriate, outings include socializing with a trusted, trained dog (Kaya)
- peace of mind knowing if any behavioral issues arise, we can be there to coach your pup through it
- safer and more controlled fun that puts the dog's needs first vs. a hectic daycare environment

Contact us today to book! Can buy a one time block of 3 hours or packages!

04/01/2024

Casper absolutely thrived today! We had a rough class on Friday due to stressful circumstances beforehand but today he was back to himself! We went to a new location and he was a bit timid at first but soon settled in and was able to follow cues well. We even overcame some hesitation with playground equipment! He climbed up slides, crossed metal walkways and even went through a tunnel with minimal encouragement. Thankfully the world set up our session perfectly and children did not start appearing until an hour into our session and he was able to handle watching them from a distance without barking. He even accepted treats from a maintenance man who drove up to us on a work cart! It definitely spooked him but he was able to handle it and accept treats for sitting. I could not have asked for a better chain of events for training in a new location. 10/10 proud, Casper! Kirya Linda

03/25/2024

Let's go, Casper! Another 6 weeks! ❤️ We successfully completed an hour and half training session out in public with NO stress breakdown reactions to anyone! He faced crowds, scary carts and toddlers, and said hi to a handful of people! Very proud, buddy.

03/05/2024

Casper finished his first 6 weeks with 3PS! He absolutely rocked it, 💪 onto the next session after Spring break!

02/13/2024

Good puppers enjoying their training/playdate. :)

02/09/2024

Welcome Casper to 3PS!

I've been working with this handsome man for a long time and today we made some MAJOR headway in his reactivity. Casper has your typical stranger danger but his triggers are semi random-- moreso, if he doesn't understand what he's looking at or suddenly realizes there's something there, it'll set him off alarm barking. Intense energy (power walking, straightline walking + eye contact/staring etc.) is his main trigger so we've been working hard on being neutral in public and taking time to slowly mentally process his surroundings while slowly acclimating him to tougher situations.

The past couple classes we've been able to move on from simply people watching to doing all the basic obedience he's learned around the people too. There still needs to be a balance but today he shocked myself and his parents by doing a confident down stay on the side of the walkway as people wandered by! I carefully set up scenarios of difficulty to push him further today and he absolutely blew me away. We got to see a glimpse of a confident future for Casper out in public! The key is patience, reading body language and advocating for your dog. Don't put them in scenarios they're going to fail and listen to what they're telling you. He did have one bark upset over a lady sitting on a stone barrier--- I think she blended in somewhat and when he saw movement it startled him. He recovered well though and it was my bad for not catching his concern sooner. Regardless, I'm so proud of Casper today, ❤️

01/25/2024

It's a party! Training maintenance for Bebe and playdate for Kaya and River! Oni is just along for the ride. ❤️

09/27/2023

It's such a joy to bring Kaya to walk Bebe and River. They have a grand 'ole time traipsing through the woods and keeping those basic obedience cues up to date. Bebe is doing amazing. The girl that would once air snap at me for looking at her too long now comes up on the couch to cuddle with me, ❤️

09/13/2023

We are excited to announce that beginning today we are starting our new Urgent Care Service at Erie Canal Animal Hospital! This means we will have an additional veterinarian available Monday through Thursday 8am-4pm to see urgent / critical patients who cannot wait until our next available regular appointment. We realize it has become increasingly difficult to find veterinary care in the Rochester area and hope this new service will help to bridge the gap when our local emergency hospital closes soon. Apple Country Veterinary Hospital and Erie Canal Animal Hospital clients will be prioritized for this service which will operate by appointment only.

We have been working hard to find and train additional team members to prepare for this new service. We ask that you welcome our new doctor(s) and team members when you have the opportunity to meet them. Thank you in advance for helping us to make this new service successful. We appreciate your continued support and are thankful for the opportunity to care for your pets.

Although we are not currently accepting new clients to our general practice, this urgent care service is available to non-clients. Records will be shared same day so that you have them to follow up with your regular veterinarian when they are available.

07/22/2023

THIS

These dogs really are everywhere.
They are often mislabeled as friendly by the guardian/owner as that is how they are seen by them.....They barge right in to "play" with other dogs the second the lead is taken off, before then they are straining, bursting out of their skin to get to whatever they are desiring at the time....and allowing dogs to do this is half the issue.

This behaviour has been rewarded by the "play" and fun of interacting.....Why would they behave any other way around other dogs?
They are not friendly.
Dogs do not consider these dogs friendly either.
Why?
These dogs take no time to assess the situation, their energy is off the charts and they immediately assert themselves into play, and demand interaction from other dogs.

They cannot read cues, or they completely ignore them when given by other dogs.
Reading other dogs play styles is non existent.
Focusing on you or redirecting is impossible.
There is absolutely no impulse control or emotional self regulation.

These dogs are often seen at a dog park running from dog to dog in a hyper aroused state and they often have an almost manic appearance, all of this causes fights, injury, stress and is a direct causation of reactivity occurring in either dog.

I have used the term "socialisation" but socialisation is NOT play....it never was....it is about calmly accepting other dogs exist through controlled exposure.
That calmness allows self regulation, allows reading cues from others and impulse control is practiced.
As a society we have a twisted view that socialisation means dogs play with all other dogs....and they should get on.
The reality of TRUE socialisation is the opposite.

If you do have a dog that has these issues...you can help (but if you reach out to a good behaviour modification trainer, you will save yourself years and years of issues).

Teach engagement with you in ever increasing distractions.
Practice and learn calmness....it is a skill.
Manage the environment for calm and limited exposure at a distance....and reward calm.
Praise and reward when they look away from the other dogs....that IS praise worthy.
Mental enrichment with these dogs helps everything.
Learn the body language of your dog (and others).

You are not alone in struggling with this behaviour, it is very common.
Take a chance that your dog CAN behave in a different way, they just need to be shown how by you or a great trainer.

Limit where and when they can practice this behaviour......and most important dog parks and meeting endless other dogs will do nothing but fuel all of this behaviour.

07/16/2023

Petsitting for Bebe and River tonight! We just came in from running around outside and everyone went right to their spots. Good doggos, ❤️

07/16/2023

It's not about not being "mean". It's about acknowledging that animals have individual personalities with individual needs who have experienced individual lives that needs to be seen, heard and respected.

07/12/2023

07/07/2023

Dogs are individuals. They each have different experiences with the world that have shaped who they are. Just like with people, we may experience the same moment completely differently from some one who's standing right next to us.

Our past influences how we view and respond to the world. Just take this past fourth of July! Some people respond with awe and excitement to fireworks, and some respond to them with alarm and panic. Everything in this world is contextual and subjective.

So when your dog suddenly spooks at a bicycle leaning against a tree, take a moment to wonder why! Maybe something similar fell on them as a puppy. Or maybe the sun is glinting off the metal spokes just right to cause eye harm on their walking level. Who knows!

Point is, just because we don't understand a dog's reaction to a situation, doesn't mean their feelings aren't valid and we need to trust what they're saying and believe them. Our society doesn't tend to allow us to be authentic in our emotions and that seems to bleed onto our expectations of our dogs as well. They're not supposed to fearful, or reactive, or overly excited and we have to control it or cover up the symptoms with rigid obedience. This is doing a huge injustice to the dog training industry.

True behavioral change takes understanding your dog's history, who they are, and coming up with a plan to help them move forward. Sometimes we can only guess the Why, but at least we're acknowledging their feelings exist and working together towards a better tomorrow.

06/20/2023

The best helper girl ❤️ "pick up" is such an important task for me with my autoimmune disorder and spinal disc issues. Kaya loves to help out at the laundromat cause I tend to drop a lot of socks! Feel free to contact 3PS any time to discuss what it entails to train a service dog or for any other training needs!

06/02/2023

Remember to keep an eye on your pets in this heat! Especially working dogs. For service dogs, going from the hot car crate into a store and back again is very taxing on our service animals. Same for pups going to the park, lake or pet stores! Be mindful to keep water on hand and blast your air in the car Before you load back up. Safety first! ❤️

Dog pup cup from Moonie's Two Scoops in Leicester! (I added a few of her training treats)