Chaos to Calm K9 Training

07/31/2024

Now accepting new clients!

Link in bio for all details and to sign up, but here’s the gist of it:

Private lessons are one-on-one coaching—me, you, and your dog (other household members are welcome too!). They come in 5-lesson and 6-lesson packages, depending on your goals.

All lessons are held at your home, which is a major advantage because that’s where both you and your dog are most comfortable! We may also decide to meet in a public space if that aligns with the skills and contexts we’re working on.

Since I come to you, you’ll need to live within 20 minutes of the University of Delaware.

Common goals addressed in private lessons:
✏️obedience commands
✏️reliable recall
✏️stellar leash manners
✏️learning to settle in the house
✏️and much more.

LINK IN BIO to apply for the private lesson program, to learn more about the options and prices, and to contact me!

07/12/2024

The client who sent me this photo and update is working on place duration with distractions.

She’s an excitable pup, and her owner knew that the ultimate distraction would be to stay on place while neighborhood activity goes on around her.

So, she gathered her coffee and the place cot and they headed out front!

Only… there was no “neighborhood activity” that morning. Or so she thought.

Turns out, she just needed to exercise a little patience for the usual distractions to start passing by. It was worth the wait!

👉That said, the real takeaway here is that no practice session is a waste of time!

One way or another, your dog is practicing staying in place, and that’s always time well spent.

Drop an emoji in the comments if you appreciate that reminder!

06/19/2024

THIS is what it’s all about—including your dog in more of your life! Inclusion is the greatest reward. ♥️

As a dog trainer, I’m not aiming to solve all “problems” forever and always, but to equip dog owners with the information and skill set they need to navigate real life with their dogs.

When I see dogs I’ve trained doing things with their families, whether it’s bike rides with the kids, Netflix family movie night, hiking the trails, or something else, that’s a good sign that their owners are applying what they’ve learned during our time together. 🙌

And that, in turn, helps the dogs apply what they learned.

Dogs aren’t robots; they need our help to know when and where to utilize the skills they learned during training. That’s why my training programs include SO much owner coaching! I want both your dog AND you to feel confident applying the training in real life.

If you want you and your dog to have a skill set that leads to good behavior in real life, then follow along!

I’ll be opening up my private lesson program and group classes in a few months (perhaps as early as this summer…) and I’ll be announcing it here on social media!

Huuuge thanks to Kiwi’s family for sending me this update. You made my day!! 🤗

06/05/2024

If you’re anything like my clients, you’re on a journey to live your best life WITH your dog.

So I’ll save you the internet search and give it to you straight…

You gotta follow through with your training! 🔥🔥🔥

This is true no matter what kind of trainer or training format (board & train, private lessons, group classes, internet tutorials, etc) you choose.

If you stay CONSISTENT with the training you started, before you know it you’ll be sending your dog trainer messages like the ones my client just sent me:

“Just wanted to share some pics from when I took Ellie camping for the first time… Lots of good place and keeping close while hiking. Wouldn’t have been able to do this without you!

AND she had some great peaceful coexistence with another dog she met for the first time on the trip!”

The photos on this post are of Ellie during her camping trip. SO PROUD of Ellie and her dad for all their hard work!!!

This can be you, folks!

05/24/2024

Community support is SO VALUABLE to our dog training efforts!

Struggling with your dog can be such an isolating experience. It often feels like you’re the only one having these problems. Everyone else’s dog seems so mannerly, and you’re the only one with the whirling dervish. 🫠

But that’s not true AT ALL. It only feels like it!

When we come together to train and practice as a group, we’re reminded that we’re not alone. It’s an opportunity to empathize with each other, to cheer each other on, and to receive support from others who truly get it.

Group training is always one part training and one part support group. It’s a beautiful thing! ♥️

Do you have a supportive community of dog owners to connect with? If so, how has it impacted your journey?

05/08/2024

And I’m a proud trainer! Macie’s fam has done such a marvelous job of keeping up with her training, and that’s what’s made moments like this possible. 🥰

Training really is one of those things that you get as much as you give. If you give consistency over a sustained period of time, then you get moments like this.

I’m so proud of Macie and her fam!!!

05/06/2024

It’s a season of change!

After a decade in little ol’ Newark, we moved! Newark really grew on me over the years, and I will dearly miss being a daily part of the community. But we didn’t go far—just a few minutes down the road—so I’ll still stay in touch with everyone. 🫶

Chaos to Calm is changing too. I’m no longer offering board & trains because I’ve been focused on group classes and private lessons. These new learning formats have been really valuable to my clients, so they will be continuing!

That said, I’m heading back to school this month, so I’m not taking new clients at the moment. Group classes and private lessons will reopen later in the summer—stay tuned. ☀️

In the meantime, pack walks are still happening for current and past clients. Pack walks are still a highlight of my week, and I love staying in touch with everyone in this way.

And of course I’ll still be posting here, so this isn’t goodbye… just wanted to share these updates with you all. Thank you so much for all the support. Wish me luck as I head back to school!

05/02/2024

I love when my clients live close to each other and we can arrange playdates!

Gidget (left) is currently a private lesson student, and Kiwi (right) is an alum of my board & train program.

Kiwi is a really well rounded dog with great dog social skills, and her family has done a wonderful job of keeping up with her training. I knew she had the right temperament and skillset to be a great teacher for Gidget, who is young, playful, and still needed to learn social skills.

We got the two of them together for a playdate and they did not disappoint!

Gidget got to learn appropriate dog boundaries, work on her overall arousal levels, and had an absolute BLAST.

Has your dog learned social skills from other dogs?

03/12/2024

Let’s get this puppy started! 🥳

My group puppy training class is designed to help puppy pawrents through the early stages of puppyhood.

You’ll receive my support and guidance on a variety of topics:
👉potty training
👉crate training
👉socialization
👉daily routine
👉the basics of sit, down and leash manners

Doing structured training with your puppy at this early age will establish a good working relationship between you and your puppy early on, which will do wonders for your relationship as they mature. 🥰

This class is for puppies between 3 and 5 months old at the start of class, and all puppies MUST have age-appropriate vaccines!

Click the link in my bio or visit chaostocalmk9training.com/group-classes to sign up!

03/11/2024

SPRING TRAINING is almost here!

Join our spring group dog training class to work on practical skills with your dog and establish a good working relationship that will serve you well throughout your summer adventures 😎and beyond!

Classes are held in downtown Newark, Delaware. During our last class we’ll put together everything you’ve learned with a field trip to dog-friendly establishments on Main Street. 😱

After class ends, all graduates can continue to receive support and community during our weekly pack walks and training excursions.

Click on the link in my bio to sign up, or go to chaostocalmk9training.com/group-classes

See you soon!!

03/08/2024

Can your dog share space with other dogs *without* interacting?

If not, you may want to consider teaching skills like the place command and a down/stay.

These skills are essentially “off buttons” that allow your dog to be near other dogs, people, cats, etc. without interacting. We call this “calm coexistence” and it’s the very best way to let dogs acclimate to potential new friends.

Calm coexistence gives your dog an opportunity to adjust to the smells, sounds and sights of others without having to navigate social interactions. This sets the dogs up for success when you do finally allow them to interact.

And if you have two dogs who don’t particularly care for each other?

Well, in that case the ability to calmly coexist in the same room is a GAME CHANGER.

It’s the difference between always having to separate them, and being able to spend time with everyone in the room together.

How do you use the place command or down/stay in your dog’s life?

02/15/2024

Happy Valentine’s Day from Lucky & Lou!

Lou’s face when the treats aren’t being dispensed at a fast enough speed😂

02/12/2024

✨REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!✨

This is a HIGHLY PRACTICAL dog training class!

We focus on skills that your dog will actually need in real life, and building a solid working relationship between you and your dog.

I mean, what obedience class do you know that does their final lesson on MAIN STREET?! 🤯

Doesn’t get more “real life” than that!

There are only 5 spots for this class, so if you’re interested, please visit chaostocalmk9training.com/group-classes to fill out the application!

01/14/2024

South Jersey friends, check this out!⤵️
🆓 Workshop for kids❤️

Calling All Parents!

We are hosting a free workshop for kids to learn more about safely interacting with dogs, whether they have dogs at home or not!

Kids will get to learn basic body language, learn how to politely and safely interact with dogs, and how to greet dogs they don’t know.

The workshop will take place at TORQ Physical Therapy at the corner of Broad Street & Main Street in Riverton.

Spots are limited, so please register by messaging me or emailing [email protected]!

All kids must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Please do not bring your dog to the workshop.

12/18/2023

Class starts in about 3 weeks! Join us!

Sign up now—follow the link in my bio, or visit chaostocalmk9training.com/group-classes.

Class size is intentionally limited to 5 dog-owner teams so that I can give everyone plenty of one-on-one attention!

Your dog will learn the basic obedience commands and YOU will learn how to apply those commands in everyday situations. This class is designed to be super practical and relevant for pet dog life.

The best part of these group classes is that they come with long term support and weekly opportunities to practice together as a group, even after class has ended! All graduates receive a standing invitation to my weekly pack walks. Our community gathers once a week to practice our skills and be around like minded folks. It’s a great time!

Hope to meet you and your dog soon. 🙂

12/13/2023

Raise your hand if you quit the dog park 🤚

Believe it or not, I used to be a regular at the dog park. Not anymore!

There are a lot of reasons why I stopped going, but here are a few.

👉You don’t know those dogs!

You have no control over who shows up to the dog park. Ill-behaved dogs can show up, and they might have humans who believe in “letting the dogs work it out” (NOT recommended!). Not all dogs handle these kinds of encounters well—your own dog might surprise you, too.

👉Not all dogs are a fan.

Super social settings like dog parks and daycares aren’t for all canine personalities, but most folks don’t realize that. This doesn’t make them bad dogs or dogs who need help, it just means they don’t enjoy interacting with random dogs, some of whom don’t have very good manners or don’t get the hint!

👉The germs are… plentiful 😷

Who sanitizes a dog park? No one. Daycares fare a *little* better on this front because they’re usually cleaner; however, they still can’t control what their attendees might bring in with them (and spread to others).

I require all of my trainees to have a f***l exam with negative results prior to arriving here for their board & train, and I’ve seen firsthand that dog park and daycare dogs test positive for various parasites at a much higher rate than dogs who don’t frequent these environments. And most of them were asymptomatic!

For all of these reasons (and others) I stopped going to dog parks, and I no longer suggest them to anyone else.

How do you feel about dog parks and daycares?

12/11/2023

Psychologically, celebrating your “wins” is a crucial part of progress as you’re working toward a goal. That’s just as true in your dog training efforts as it is in anything else!

But we’re only human, and we have the tendency to really dwell on the negative—the things that our dog is STILL doing “wrong”, or the things we haven’t accomplished yet. Social media often makes this worse. It’s easy to feel like everyone’s dog is an angel but yours. That’s not true!

So, let’s take a moment to flip that script and focus on our wins, big and small. (The small ones are just as important!)

Comment below and tell me one dog-related thing you’re especially proud of right now.

12/05/2023

What puppy questions do you have? (“Asking for a friend” questions welcome! 🤪)

I’m going to be sharing lots of puppy-related info and answering as many puppy training questions as I can in preparation for all the new puppies who will arrive in their new homes this month, so ask away!

Having a puppy is not unlike having an infant—you are likely to lose some sleep and some sanity in the process, but it’s all worth it!

And just like infants require a special kind of care (special sleep efforts, special dietary needs, special developmental needs, etc), so do puppies. There’s so much to know!

Housebreaking!
Crate training!
Leash training!
Puppy nipping!
Socialization!

What aspect of puppy care and puppy training are you most curious about? Let me know!

11/29/2023

There is still time to make sure the December holidays go smoothly!

Your dog’s behavior on Thanksgiving tells you a LOT about how they’re likely to behave during the next holiday gathering. Here’s a few things to consider as you prepare for the future:

👉If your dog was doing things like counter-surfing or jumping on guests, then try working on the place command.

👉If your dog was really uncomfortable with guests OR was wayyyy to amped about them, then try working on calm crate behavior.

👉If your dog was pretty good but just a bit restless, then try working on a plan to meet their physical and mental needs prior to your next gathering.

What was your dog’s strength during Thanksgiving? What was their weakness?

11/23/2023

From our household to yours, Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃

I hope your day is filled with all the things you love most, whether that’s dogs, food, certain people, parades, or football.

And if you need to leave your dog at home today, try not to feel guilty! These guys don’t all go with me to holiday gatherings, but that’s okay—they have no idea it’s a holiday. 🙃

11/15/2023

This is Stay Out of Trouble 101 🤪

If your dog is driving you absolutely nuts, the advice in this post should help!

There are some hard truths here, like the fact that dogs need supervision. They’re like perpetual toddlers in that sense. It’s tough—no, impossible to keep your dog out of trouble if you’re not there to supervise.

But we have busy lives too, and we can’t devote 100% of our attention to our dog all day every day. That’s where the strategies in this post come in handy.

Using strategies like crate time, using the leash in the house, and making time to fulfill your dog’s needs are all part of a PRACTICAL strategy for minimizing chaos!

Save this post to come back to later, or share with a friend who’s struggling with their dog!

11/11/2023

Happy Veterans Day 🇺🇸

11/10/2023

Hi, I’m Christine and I love dogs of all sizes. 👋

At this point, it’s pretty much common knowledge that I have a thing for Danes, but many folks don’t realize I also have a very small dog, too. This is a photo of me with one of my Great Danes and my Chihuahua mix. These two are the best of friends!

I share this because a lot of folks think I only work with large dogs, but that’s not the case at all. I work with dogs of all sizes, and if you scroll through my social media accounts you’ll see photos of other smaller dogs I’ve worked with.

Dogs of all sizes benefit from training. There are some things I do differently when training a small dog, but it’s the “little things” (no pun intended 🙃) that change, not the overall principles of training.

For example, when I train a little dog, I may have to shift my expectations when teaching car manners. Typically I teach a dog to jump right in, but for a smaller dog that may not be practical.

Another example: Smaller dogs are also more intimidated by a difference in height. When that happens, I’ll intentionally move differently so that the dog can feel comfortable.

No matter the size, dogs are still dogs and training is still training. I’m happy to work with them all.

When you first learned that I have a small dog too, were you surprised?? Tell me in the comments!

11/09/2023

The number one thing I want you to know is that it’s not your fault. It’s really, truly not.

The good news is you’re not alone—this has happened to nearly every dog owner at some point. The bad news is I don’t think this problem is going away anytime soon.

I think pretty much every dog owner’s nightmares include:

😱“Don’t worry, she’s friendly!” hollered from a distance,
😱loose dogs rounding the corner toward us, no owner in sight
😱dogs bolting out of gates and doors that weren’t shut all the way.

Being charged by a loose or off-leash dog, ESPECIALLY if your dog is working through reactivity, is truly the worst case scenario.

There is only so much you can control in an encounter with a loose dog. My latest blog post discusses some of the things you can do, including preventing an encounter, how to respond when you’re being charged, and how to recover afterwards. Here's the link: https://www.chaostocalmk9training.com/blog/2023/11/9/how-to-handle-a-loose-dog-situation

Have you and your dog been charged by a loose dog?

If you feel comfortable sharing, please comment with your experience and any tips you might give others. (And please be kind when responding to others.) I think it’s helpful for folks to know that they’re not alone!

10/30/2023

It’s hard to believe the year is almost over, but it’s true!

🤯Our last group class of the year starts on Wednesday—will we see you there?!

My group training classes are designed to teach dogs basic obedience skills and teach their owners how to apply them to real life situations. Our last class is a field trip to Main Street in Newark, where we put your dog’s skills to the test in public!

Group class graduates also receive a standing invitation to our weekly practice sessions, aka our pack walks. This means you have lifetime access to ongoing coaching and community of like minded dog owners.

If you’d like to be a part of our Chaos to Calm community and teach your dog new skills in the process, DM me for more info or visit chaostocalmk9training.com/group-classes.

See you there!

10/24/2023

Join us! This group class is unlike any other!!

Here’s what makes it different (and worthwhile):

✨Focus on PRACTICAL skills. We don’t just teach obedience, we show you how to integrate it into your dog’s life to form better behavior in real life situations.

✨LIFELONG group follow up support! All graduates of my group classes have a standing invitation to my weekly client-only pack walks. Pack walks include skills practice, coaching from me, and the occasional “Saturday Switch Up” where we focus on socialization, calm coexistence, and other fun skills.

REGISTER NOW or DM me with questions!

Hope to see you there!!!

10/19/2023

Here’s the secret ⬇️

In order to make the place command fully functional—meaning you can use it to better your dog’s behavior in “regular” life, not just training—you need to intentionally practice the skills they’ll need for regular life during your practice session.

These are broadly known as “the 3 D’s”: distance, duration and distractions.

You’ll add one at a time to your training sessions and you’ll make it EASY at first—resist the urge to jump right to the hard stuff (you walking out of the room, your dog staying put for 20 minutes, or the kids running through the house).

Make it easy, then slowly increase the difficulty of each one until you feel like your dog is ready for some real life practice. In your first real life practice session, make it easy again! Start with a scenario where your dog is most likely to be successful. Maybe that’s holding place while you empty the dishwasher, or maybe that’s holding place while you watch an episode of your favorite show.

Again, resist the temptation to jump right to the hardest real life scenario. Start small and work your way up!

Which of the 3 D’s does your dog most need to work on?

PS — Place is a skill we teach and practice during my group classes. Come join us starting November 1st!! Check out the link in my bio for more information and to sign up, or DM me!

10/17/2023

NEXT ROUND OF GROUP CLASSES STARTS SOOOOOON!

Join us! This group class is unlike any other. Here’s what makes it different (and worthwhile):

✨Focus on PRACTICAL skills. We don’t just teach obedience, we show you how to integrate it into your dog’s life to form better behavior in real life situations.

✨LIFELONG group follow up support! All graduates of my group classes have a standing invitation to my weekly client-only pack walks. Pack walks include skills practice, coaching from me, and the occasional “Saturday Switch Up” where we focus on socialization, calm coexistence, and other fun skills.

REGISTER NOW or DM me with questions!

Hope to see you there!!!