Take The Lead Dog Training by Mandi

12/09/2024

Say good morning to Coco!
She is a 4 year old Chow/Sharpei/Pit mix.
Her owners signed her up for a board and train program for Basic Obedience on/off leash to not only teach her the basic commands (stay/sit/down/heel/come), but to teach her she can’t go after and attack her older siblings in the household, to work on some slight food aggression, to help with some house training challenges she has been having after a recent move, and to help build Coco’s confidence to alleviate her anxiety.
She is super sweet though and Wayne approved!

12/06/2024

Before the sun comes up and before I even have a cup of coffee, I’m outside with the dogs. Anna thought that was the perfect time to make her first snow angel 🤗🥰

12/06/2024

“If you choose not to find joy in the snow, you will have less joy in your life but the same amount of snow.”

12/05/2024

What retirement will look like for my husband and I…probably.

12/04/2024

Jo went home today and her owners brought me back some sunshine. 🤗🥰

12/03/2024

11/30/2024

It’s an unwritten law that as a dog trainer your outside Christmas decorations can only consist of lighted dogs.

11/30/2024

Throwback to November 2022
Spike and Thor 🥰

11/29/2024

Snow day!

11/29/2024

Jo has met Bolt, Sarge, and Anna before, but today was her first time meeting Zoe.
Zoe is 7 years old and was a dog who couldn’t be around other dogs. When she first came to my house (I’m fostering her for a family) she wouldn’t let another dog smell her (which is a dogs way of saying I don’t want you to get to know me) and would show her teeth and snap whenever they came near her (more fear based than aggression). Jo is not spayed and just a straight up a bossy girl. They both were able to smell each other and get to know each other before engaging in play.
If they would’ve met untrained, I can guarantee a fight would’ve happened so they could establish who’s more dominant and who’s in charge.
I take that role away by leading through obedience training.
Remember dogs are pack animals and in a pack there is always a leader. If left to their own demise dogs will eventually pick who’s leader by fighting. When I have clients who have dogs in the same household fighting amongst themselves, it’s because there is no true leader in their household/pack and the position is up for grabs. Does your household/pack have order, structure, and boundaries or is it a free for all? Having no leader can lead to a lot of anxiety issues, reactivity issues, and keeps fearful dogs fearful because the household/pack is chaotic, vulnerable, and dogs don’t feel protected. It puts dogs in a position to think it’s their job to make decisions in a world they will never understand.
Think about how dogs pick who’s leader- they don’t hand in ballots, they don’t draw straws, they don’t give each treats to decide, or rock paper scissors for who’s the alpha…they physically fight. Thats just their nature. Humanizing a dog doesn’t take away their animal instincts. Neither does domestication. Treating your dog like a dog and not a child doesn’t mean you love them less…it actually shows that you love them more by trying to understand them. That’s why I teach owners to think like a dog instead of expecting them to think like us and fill the role of alpha simply through obedience training. Which in a way is the “fight” for who is stronger. It’s takes commitment and consistency, but gets dramatic results in a short amount of time and never changes the dogs personality.
Seeing them all running in the snow and playing makes my heart happy and makes them happy. 🥰

11/28/2024

From my pack to yours 💝

11/27/2024

I have some of the sweetest clients!
Thank you to Stella’s owners.
I love it! 💕

11/27/2024

Distraction work session with Stella and Anna! 💕

11/26/2024

11/26/2024

Buddy learning how to properly engage and interact with not only other dogs, but other male dogs. I, for the most part, let dogs figure it out on their own.
It is fascinating to me to just watch and observe dogs interacting with each other, their body language, and how they communicate. I can tell before a fight breaks out and can diffuse it by stepping in as the alpha if need be. There is behavior I will allow to play out, and then there is behavior I will not allow. It’s crazy the respect, relationship, and dynamics I have with these dogs just through the psychology aspect of how I train.
Where I can bring dogs that I’ve trained, dogs that have never met other dogs, dogs that have bite histories with other dogs, and introduce them to my pack with no issues.

11/25/2024

Working Buddy with Sarge and Jo with Anna.

11/24/2024

3 German Shepherds, 2 Dobermans, 1 Australian Cattledog, and 1 Hound Mix.

11/24/2024

Buddy went through in-home training in February 2024 and just arrived today for a short stay to help socialize him with other dogs.
Wayne, being the official welcoming committee, already did his job by saying hello.