Krystal Z. Dog Training

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United States
Norfolk, VA
Krystal Z. Dog Training

Canine obedience trainer handling private in home lessons in the Norfolk, VA and surrounding areas as well as drop in pet care.
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I am an Animal Behavior College certified dog trainer. I have been training my own dogs for the last 10+ years. I received my certification in March 2012. I fell in love with dog training as a kid working with a neighbors dog but my love of training was solidified with my first rescue shepherd. She challenged me and taught me how to teach her. At that time, I had no idea about dog sports so all we

did was basic obedience at home and went about our days. Now I have three German Shepherds. Two have taken and passed their AKC Canine Good Citizen tests as well as having earned various Trick Dog titles and I'm hoping soon to have my younger male take and pass his CGC. You can find individual information about each of my dogs on my training website! I have been teaching private lessons off and on since earning my certification having taken time off between my husband's deployments and training schedule. I enjoy working with dogs and helping their people learn how to work with their dogs in learning to be better members of the family.

04/13/2024

My drop in stop buddies for the next two weeks. Look at that sweet face!!!
I'm scheduling training sessions and drop in stops through the end of May currently!! Message me to schedule!!

03/18/2024

I will be unavailable for messages, phone calls, emails, evaluations, lessons and drop in care stops from Saturday July 20, 2024 to Thursday August 1, 2024.

Prior to and after my return, I will be available for scheduling. Please don't hesitate to reach out with inquires but be aware if it's during the dates above, I will be unavailable for immediate response.

Thank you for your understanding and patience!

02/27/2024

Kori does it again! She rocked her tricks and earned her AKC Trick Dog Intermediate title! Way to go!!!

02/24/2024

This lovely is Koriand'r and she absolutely rocked her AKC trick dog novice title submission! She and her handler worked wonderfully together and it was easy to see the fun they were both having.

Congratulations on your new TKN title!!!

12/21/2023

Had my last training session of 2023 tonight and I can't begin to tell you how incredibly proud I am of Murphy and his people! When I first met them, Murphy was very nervous and unsure. His first reaction used to automatically be to resort to barking, growling, huffing and just general fearful behavior responses. Like always, we began working at home in a familiar environment and work on not only showing the dog that he can trust that his people will be in his corner and have his back, we also work on teaching him better responses to things that make him nervous.
Fast forward to tonight. This was Murphy's 10th session with me, his 6th new environment session and he did a phenomenal job. He is happy and curious and engaging! He is no longer reacting to things that previously would have been a trigger for him. He is eager to go and do and explore!
In this video, there is a bunch of forklift activity happening just ahead so lots of noises and moving parts. He took everything in stride like the champ that he is!!
I am so proud of them!! Murphy and his owners are kicking butt and taking names! Go team! Keep up the awesome work and I'll see you guys in the new year!!!
*I sadly didn't get any videos of Murphy working with mom but they're also an awesome team!*

12/19/2023

From December 19, 2023 through January 12, 2024 I will be unavailable!
If you have already been in touch with me for scheduling, you're good! If you're reaching out for training or drop in stops, I will not be scheduling anything until after January 12, 2024 at the earliest. We'll be taking some time to spend with family. Thank you and happy holidays!

08/11/2023

Keep on hand for your information

🚨IMPORTANT UPDATE!🚨
Yesterday we received news regarding one of the local emergency clinics, The Cove. They announced they will be closed on the weekends and open only during the week for urgent care. Animal Emergency Center has always been our recommended clinic for emergency care. Below is a list of additional Emergency clinics and their hours of operation.

‼️ We cannot stress enough how important it is that you call to inquire about availability before attempting to seek care for your pet. ‼️
It seems there is an ever-changing schedule for Emergency or Urgent care facilities due to the severe shortage of emergency veterinarians and staff. Unfortunately, the days of readily available after-hours care for sick patients seem to be diminishing. Keeping this information in an easily accessible area will allow for quick reference. We have been told that clients can expect an average wait time of 4-6 hours. We will keep you updated as information is provided, however, please understand facilities do not notify us of their current availability.

07/03/2023

Remember that if it's too hot for you to walk barefoot, it's too hot for your dog.

06/25/2023

If you're seeking AKC Virtual Home Manners evaluations, please fill out the attached form. This form is for AKC Virtual Home Manners Puppy and Adult submissions.

Event Timing: Ongoing Event Address: Online Contact us at [email protected] Each evaluation is $15. Please include your full mailing address when registering. You will need to upload your tricks video to youtube and attach the link for your video in the appropriate box below. If you are su...

06/25/2023

If you're seeking AKC Trick Dog evaluations, please fill out the attached form. This form is for AKC Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced trick dog submissions. If you're seeking performer level, please message me.

06/09/2023

It's always awesome getting to see dogs I worked with when they were younger and see how wonderful they have grown up to be! This guy was a wild man on 4 legs as a puppy and he's grown into such a fantastic companion for his family! This handsome fella is on my drop in stops this weekend and he's been so fun to work with again!

04/19/2023

This absolutely stunning collie is Bashir. Bashir and his handler, Natasha at ChivalrousCollies have shown some wonderful teamwork and achieved the Do More With Your Dog tricks title for Intermediate and Advanced trick titles!!
Congrats guys!! You rocked it!! Keep up the good work!!

02/15/2023

My guys get all sorts of safe for them options for treats. I don't allow begging (staring intently, licking lips, etc) and they're not allowed in the kitchen while cooking unless invited and must immediately leave once they've had their treat. They also have to earn them (sit, down, spin, etc) but we've never had any GI issues! We also don't give rawhides.

New research finds a link between the foods puppies eat and their gut health later in life

02/13/2023

I am having trouble with messages from my laptop and recently my phone as well. Please reach out via TEXT at 719 301 6339. I'm trying to get this issue fixed but until then, text is going to be the best course in reaching me.

02/12/2023

This is where I'm at this weekend with Galaxy Fire Creations ! Come support the amazing vendors there hosted by Craft Fair- Landstown High School Band!! Come see us!!!
2001 Concert Dr, Virginia Beach, VA 23456

01/11/2023

Hey folks, if you've messaged me, I'm having to respond from my phone because for some reason FB is glitching really bad when using a computer and not sending responses (and in some cases, not even showing the message without refreshing the page). Bear with me as I go back and forth with FB on trying to correct the problem. It's happening across the board for my other pages where messenger is used and I've seen reports from others having the same problem. Hopefully the issue will be fixed soon but until then, I'll be 100% replying from my phone which means my responses may take a little bit longer to type out than were I on my computer.
Thank you!

12/04/2022

The last few weeks have been... chaotic. It appears the next few weeks will be following that same track. I will be scheduling into January for now as we prepare for the holiday.
At this time, I have limited availability for drop in stops. I am able to schedule meet and greets for training but officially, lessons wouldn't begin until after the near year.
Thank you!

10/19/2022

Hey everyone. I know it's been a bit. I am currently looking for a new website provider and will be working to adjust as I'm able. Despite being with weebly for several years, when they integrated with square for payment processing, they really complicated the ease of use and now I can no longer update my site. Please bear with me as I work to find a more reliable avenue for continued updates. Thank you.

09/22/2022

100% agree. There is NO reason for your dog to mark constantly. Potty your dog before you leave for the walk. Take p**p bags with you and teach your dog a firm leave it. Walks are not about "how many spots can my dog p*e at?"
Property owners also don't appreciate it when people allow their dogs to mark. It's rude.

This one might be met with some push back. I do not care.

Marking in dogs is NOT natural to the human world. It stinks, it’s rude, it creates a “chain reaction” from every dog from there on, and it can be damaging.

I do not allow dogs to mark while they are here with me. Period.

The small potty yard I have, sure. That’s a 24x24 space for them to eliminate however they’d like. But once we hit that gate, the game is over.

I’m seeing a wave of male dogs here lately who are literally OBSESSED with marking. I’m talking, they don’t give a single s**t that they’re in a new environment with other dogs around and cows 50 feet away and tons of space to run and frolic.

Their entire objective is to p**s. On EVERYTHING.

This annoys me to no end. A dog who is more worried about marking than ANYTHING else is a dog who can’t be worked, trained, reasoned with, or even enjoyed. It’s their entire focus and reason for being outside. How fun. 🙄

When I get a dog like this in, I teach a “leave it” using a long line and ecollar. Very quickly the dogs learn to not attempt to mark everything. In return, they also learn to open their freaking eyes and engage with me and enjoy this new space. They learn to listen with their ear holes and observe with their face holes. It’s glorious.

The added side effect: they now know a “leave it”, and a damn solid one at that. I will save the “leave it” story, and why I teach it the way I do and won’t change that, for another day. Suffice to say, because it saves lives.

It also saves bushes, trees, and air conditioners. 😏

Your dog isn’t being a “big boy”, he’s being an ass hole. 🤷‍♀️

08/30/2022

This. If your dog is a safety hazard both to themselves and your home, they have not earned free reign yet.

08/14/2022

⚠️WARNING WHEN FREEZING TREAT TOYS

Please ensure that if you are stuffing treat toys and freezing them for your pets to help keep them cool, dont forget to ensure there is a HOLE ALL OF THE WAY THROUGH IT.

WHY YOU MAY ASK ?

Toys such as Kongs have 2 holes in their toys for a reason - TO PREVENT SUCTION.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT ?

When your pet licks at the contents of the toy or squeezes it in its mouth, their tongue can get SUCKED into the hole and get STUCK on the dogs tongue and cause horrific injuries to the point where the animal can actually die.

Having 2 HOLES in the toy PREVENTS this from happening.

So if you STUFF your toys with treats, push a straw through it to ensure the 2 HOLES ARE NOT BLOCKED.

If you are going to FREEZE the toy, do so with the straw in place and then REMOVE the straw before giving it to your pet.

So when buying your pet toys, please keep this in mind.

Hope this little tip helps you keep your animals safe!

07/18/2022

Beginning Friday August 26th, I will have limited availability for lessons into mid December! This will primarily be limited to evening availability. I will still be available for drop in care stops. This is due to a change in our family schedules for a short time. I appreciate your patience and understanding.

06/19/2022

I love getting a message from their owner asking me to drop in on these guys. They make me smile with their antics.

06/16/2022

This handsome little man is pretty typical for his breed. If he could climb into your skin with you, he absolutely would. Luckily for us, he is also a happy little sponge ready to absorb all of the new and cool information we're showing him. That being said, due to health issues for his handler (don't worry! Handler is improving!), rather than teaching him to move forward to engage with us, we're having to teach him to shift out to the side or back away while working with us. This is for his safety as much as it's for his handlers safety.
He is absolutely LOVING the learning games and remains actively engaged while also learning to spot when it's a good time to change his path for the situation. He has learned that it's more rewarding to not be a trip hazard. Little rockstar is rocking it!
Can't wait to see how far he goes!

06/03/2022

Today we said goodbye to our old lady of our pack. Shasta passed away peacefully surrounded by her family but most importantly, her boy, whom she had grown up with. Run free sweet girl. We'll miss you.

Shasta of the Shadows CGC, ATD, SSH, SOR, TC, T3, VHMA, 2K-9
May 5, 2010 - June 2, 2022

05/27/2022

The list has gotten longer

This xylitol products list can help you identify the brands to keep out of reach of your dog. Xylitol toxicity can be fatal to dogs. Use extreme caution!

05/19/2022

Some hot weather info for you.

05/15/2022

Kalpyso does it again! Today she met the requirements for and earned her AKC Virtual Home Manners Puppy title! Congrats team! You did a wonderful job! Keep up the good work!

Address

Little Creek Road
Norfolk, VA
23505

Telephone

+17193016339

Website

http://krystalzdogtraining.weebly.com/

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Videos

Had my last training session of 2023 tonight and I can't begin to tell you how incredibly proud I am of Murphy and his people! When I first met them, Murphy was very nervous and unsure. His first reaction used to automatically be to resort to barking, growling, huffing and just general fearful behavior responses. Like always, we began working at home in a familiar environment and work on not only showing the dog that he can trust that his people will be in his corner and have his back, we also work on teaching him better responses to things that make him nervous. Fast forward to tonight. This was Murphy's 10th session with me, his 6th new environment session and he did a phenomenal job. He is happy and curious and engaging! He is no longer reacting to things that previously would have been a trigger for him. He is eager to go and do and explore! In this video, there is a bunch of forklift activity happening just ahead so lots of noises and moving parts. He took everything in stride like the champ that he is!! I am so proud of them!! Murphy and his owners are kicking butt and taking names! Go team! Keep up the awesome work and I'll see you guys in the new year!!! *I sadly didn't get any videos of Murphy working with mom but they're also an awesome team!*

Little Rockstar Fergie

I have to share this little rockstar with you. He is such an amazingly smart puppy. He has rocked everything we've thrown his way so far and then some. Today was his first session with a big distraction- another dog he has never met. Fergie absolutely nailed it and his handler has some seriously pawsome goals for him. Can't wait for our next session! *Guest appearance by my boy Dax.*

Rainy Day Play Dead Newly Taught Trick

What can you do on a rainy day off? You can teach your dog to play dead of course! This is my 8 year old male German Shepherd, Dax. He is learning how to play dead by getting a shot. It was the method he best understood so I ran with it and I'm highly amused. He can be such a character.

Our third session of today but our second of the night. (Gilmore Girls in the background lol.)

Hades is a quick study! Little man only learned the in four tries this morning and is already a rockstar!

Last day with these guys doing drop in pet care today. Buster has decided I'm a hostage.

He's a hoot. He and his three siblings are some of my drop in care clients this week. Hes being a silly boy this morning while his siblings are off doing very important cat things in other parts of the house.

Just a couple of my adorable drop in care clients this week. They're all so sweet. I wasnt allowed to leave without giving more scratches and even Miss Sadie wanted attention!

Bear is one of my drop in care dogs. He is very sweet and playful... and determined to get me to play tug with him until my arms fall off. <3

This very sweet boy is one of my drop in pet care clients this week! He's such a love <3

Jade has the game figured out... she's a good girl but we still need to improve her recall some more for mom. She will fly to dad.

Willow is one of my drop in pet care dogs. I stop in to give her and her older buddy their lunch and weather dependent, Willow and I will go for a walk as well. She and I have been working on better leash manners as she was kind of a wild child our first couple walks. She's very smart.

Check out Hannah with her puppy Scarlet! Scarlet is a little rockstar. Here she's learning that it's better to stay on one side next to Hannah rather than doing a bob and weave all over the place. Such a smart little girl!

Hannah and Scarlett

Check out Scarlett!!! This little pup is rocking her sit's and already shows serious enthusiasm for her beginning down command! This was only our second session! Such a smart little girl with so much enthusiam! She's a very happy little pup and I can't wait to see her continued progress as she and her owner, Hannah, continue learning to work together!

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Our Story

I am an Animal Behavior College certified dog trainer who tailors the training to the dog in front of us. This means I use balanced methods. I have been training my own dogs for the last 10+t years. I received my certification in March 2012. I fell in love with dog training as a kid with a neighbors dog but it was solidified with my first rescue shepherd. She challenged me and taught me how to teach her. At that time, I had no idea about dog sports so all we did was basic obedience at home and went about our days. Now I have two German Shepherds. One has taken and passed her AKC Canine Good Citizen test as well as having earned her Novice and Intermediate Trick Dog titles. My other, a male, is working through towards his next level title for AKC Coursing Ability. He has his Novice, Intermediate, Advanced and Expert Trick Dog titles as well as his Barn Hunt Instinct and Barn Hunt Novice titles. At the present time, we are working our way towards rally obedience titles in various venues. He recently passed and earned his CGC (Canine Good Citizen) title. I have been teaching private lessons off and on since earning my certification having taken time off between my husband's deployments and training schedule. I enjoy working with dogs and helping their people learn how to work with their dogs in learning to be better members of the family.