Upward Hound

Upward Hound Force-free behavior consulting and dog training for all breeds in Star Prairie, New Richmond, Amery, Somerset, Osceola and Stillwater.
(50)

Casey McGee, CTC, CPDT-KA, CSAT

Graduate of the Academy for Dog Trainers with a Certificate in Training and Counseling
Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed
Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer

TL;DR It is estimated that over 40% of dogs surrendered to shelters are relinquished because of behavior problems. Many ...
11/15/2024

TL;DR It is estimated that over 40% of dogs surrendered to shelters are relinquished because of behavior problems.

Many behavior problems can be prevented with proper socialization during the first few months of puppyhood.

Looking at current position statements from organizations like AVSAB (American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior), who are the leaders on veterinary care and behavior, they are abundantly clear that the outdated belief of avoiding socialization until vaccines are completed has no place in current standards. This is relevant because in many cases this fear of strangers or a particular group of people, results from lack of socialization during this critical period and can have lifelong impacts into adulthood.

Anyone wanting to take their puppy kindergarten graduate's skills to the next level? The Puppy Intermediate class beginn...
11/13/2024

Anyone wanting to take their puppy kindergarten graduate's skills to the next level? The Puppy Intermediate class beginning December 9th still has a few openings!

Help your Puppy Kindergarten grad polish up and learn new impulse control and foundational behaviors like Leave It while on-leash, Sit for greeting, Down-stay, Rocket Recall, Loose Leash Walking and Go To Mat. Where will classes be held? Classes will be held in our indoor training facility at 2134

Wilma, a chocolate Labrador, joined us in Super Puppy recently. Her big brother is a Canine Good Citizen graduate, so sh...
11/13/2024

Wilma, a chocolate Labrador, joined us in Super Puppy recently. Her big brother is a Canine Good Citizen graduate, so she was very excited to see what "school" was all about! Wilma quickly made friends due to her sweet, calm personality and learns new skills every day.

Maverick joined a family with other dogs just recently. He's a big fan of his Mom and the older dogs in the family. He a...
10/22/2024

Maverick joined a family with other dogs just recently. He's a big fan of his Mom and the older dogs in the family. He and his Mom decided that his learning good obedience and social skills was an excellent plan, so he joined us in Super Puppy October 14th. Maverick is an active participant in both learning skills to interact with people and skills to interact with other dogs. He's doing great! Welcome Maverick!

Walter, a micro goldendoodle, joined Super Puppy on October 14th. He and his parents were already working on his obedien...
10/22/2024

Walter, a micro goldendoodle, joined Super Puppy on October 14th. He and his parents were already working on his obedience training, but they wanted him to feel more confident with people, other dogs, and out in the world so he can live his best life. Walter's a bit of an introvert when facing new experiences, however he has been working hard and his bravery and confidence is growing by leaps and bounds! Welcome Walter!

"[Separation anxiety]... is a debilitating panic issue, akin to a phobia, that leaves the dog flooded with fear when lef...
10/22/2024

"[Separation anxiety]... is a debilitating panic issue, akin to a phobia, that leaves the dog flooded with fear when left home alone.

Not all dogs need medication to overcome separation anxiety, but for those who do, it should not be a last resort."

This is the first blog in a 3-part series about separation anxiety medications co-authored by Dr. Sophie Liu, Malena DeMartini, and Kathryn Gabriele. Let’s talk about medication! For many guardians of dogs with separation anxiety, medication considerations are top of mind before they begin workin...

Today in puppy kindergarten: say yes to the dress, socialization edition. Those of you trying this at home, follow these...
10/20/2024

Today in puppy kindergarten: say yes to the dress, socialization edition.

Those of you trying this at home, follow these principles strictly:
* go slowly and allow your puppy to say no whenever they want - no forcing through a new outfit, no matter what
* use lots of diced cheese and chicken 😊

10/09/2024

Kobe’s a teenager with lots of energy and enthusiasm. But his family has an infant so loose-leash-walking skills are no longer just on a wish list - they’re a must!

He joins us three days a week for private training and is ACING walking nicely next to a stroller as well as staying on a mat amidst household distractions. Kobe’s the total package. 🥰

Daisy, a Great Dane puppy, joined us in Super Puppy this past week. Her parents, having had Danes before, knew what a di...
10/06/2024

Daisy, a Great Dane puppy, joined us in Super Puppy this past week. Her parents, having had Danes before, knew what a difference gaining social and obedience skills early could make for this sweet girl. She's busting out of her shell! Welcome Daisy!

Frank, a young chocolate labrador, recently found his forever home. Wanting him to be comfortable, and well-behaved, soc...
10/06/2024

Frank, a young chocolate labrador, recently found his forever home. Wanting him to be comfortable, and well-behaved, socially and at home, his parents started him in Super Puppy. Frank quickly found his footing and is becoming a gentle leader in the class. Welcome Frank!

This! A lot of judgey stuff and uninvited advice comes with dog ownership. (And parenting too, amiright?!) As long as yo...
10/06/2024

This! A lot of judgey stuff and uninvited advice comes with dog ownership. (And parenting too, amiright?!)

As long as you're compassionate and kind with your pup, you and only you get to decide what behaviors are important. Gone are the days that dogs must learn how to heel, never jump up, love every single person and every single dog, stay off the furniture, and never eat "people food". Thank goodness.

Someone having a problem with your dog’s behavior is different than your dog having behavior problems. Other people’s opinions are not facts. 💞

Alt text: a plaid background with a small dog in a sweater on a chair with her tennis ball.

Kobe, a teenage Golden Retriever, recently joined us in Super Puppy. Kobe and his parents have taken classes at Upward H...
10/06/2024

Kobe, a teenage Golden Retriever, recently joined us in Super Puppy. Kobe and his parents have taken classes at Upward Hound before and his parents reached out to us about some specialized fine-tuning of his skills. Kobe jumped right into the training pool demonstrating how smart and gentle he can be. Welcome Kobe!

This is Gypsy. She’s one of our newest students for nail-care training. Gypsy is 5 months old. Today, in 30 minutes, our...
10/01/2024

This is Gypsy. She’s one of our newest students for nail-care training.

Gypsy is 5 months old. Today, in 30 minutes, our grooming trainer Lilly was able to teach Gypsy ALL steps of the nail care process. The next appointment will be all nail filing. We have needed no restraint; she has happily participated in the process.

This type of training can take an adult dog anywhere from 1 to 20 sessions (sometimes more if they’re afraid of unfamiliar people or locations).

However, old dogs CAN learn new tricks. Lilly has seen it time and time again, and even taught her (late) senior dog this exact behavior.

Train your puppies young, if you can. They learn and absorb information like little furry sponges.

So proud of this little gal. 💙

We have our smart phones, dogs have their noses.
09/21/2024

We have our smart phones, dogs have their noses.

Have you noticed that your dog zigs and zags on walks? Your dog isn’t trying to drive you crazy. They’re following their incredibly powerful sense of smell, which is how dogs experience the world!

Humans have 6 million olfactory receptors, compared to dogs, who have up to 300 million!

Those zigzags (and let me tell you, Finch is the zig-zaggiest) are your dog following scent trails, catching up on neighborhood gossip, and gathering information. (If only they could share what they learn with us!)

If you start to feel frustrated on walks, remember that sniffing is essential to your dog’s happiness, enrichment, and well-being! ❤️

Alt text: A small gray dog on a blue background with a speech bubble that reads, “Walking in a straight line is more of a human thing.”

Please help us welcome LuLu to Super Puppy! She's the younger sister to Stella, a Super Puppy alum, and is equally charm...
09/19/2024

Please help us welcome LuLu to Super Puppy! She's the younger sister to Stella, a Super Puppy alum, and is equally charming and outgoing. Welcome, LuLu!

Our awesome colleague Gracia, who runs the Super Puppy program, lost everything to a house fire a week ago. Some of you ...
09/11/2024

Our awesome colleague Gracia, who runs the Super Puppy program, lost everything to a house fire a week ago. Some of you have asked how to help so we set this up. Thanks, all, and hug your babies close! ❤

On September 3, Gracia lost her family home and three beloved pets to a house fire in… Casey McGee needs your support for Help Gracia Rebuild After House Fire

Hey-oh all you puppy parents out there! I feel you!
09/04/2024

Hey-oh all you puppy parents out there! I feel you!

When walking your puppy, they will likely:

🐶 stop often
🐶 ”plop” down or sit at inconvenient times
🐶 hesitate when encountering something new like people, bikes, cars, etc.
🐶 meander back and forth
🐶 sniff a ton
🐶 pick stuff up in their mouths
🐶 not be able to go very far

These are all normal, typical puppy behaviors. In my experience puppies don’t turn into dogs who want to “walk” until they start to approach 5 or 6 months of age and they’re a bit more physically coordinated and have more stamina.

It’s critical that you allow your puppy to do the things listed above on walks; this will help them learn to cope and handle the world better. Your puppy is stopping and “plopping” because they’re registering what’s going on, and they’re not ready to keep going yet. It’s not because they’re “stubborn”, it’s because they’re processing! They’re going to sniff, which should be encouraged! Puppies who sniff are puppies who will be able to regulate their emotions! And of course they’re going to pick things up in their mouths, puppies use their mouths like human toddlers use their hands! Exploration is huge, and as long as it’s not something that will really hurt your puppy, try not to make too big of a deal out of every little thing.

Humans have this idea of what a “walk” needs to look like, and want to push puppies to hurry along, when what the puppy really needs is patience and the ability to experience the world at their own pace.

If you have a puppy, don’t worry about how far you get on walks and don’t set distance goals at first. Instead, treat each walk as a new adventure to go on, and allow your puppy to take their time. Bring high value treats so that if your puppy seems worried about something you can give them some snacks and help them feel better.

If you give your puppy the time to experience the world on their terms, you will have an adult dog that enjoys walks with you and is able to cope with the world’s unexpected changes.

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2134 Highway 64
New Richmond, WI
54017

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