Happy Dog Institute

01/13/2026

01/11/2026

This Sunday staff highlight is Ashley!

Working her way through Stranger Danger classes and winning your dogs hearts with cheese and silly play styles Ashley is a core part of our instructor staff with a long history of working with rescues and a heart for our pitty/bully friends.

01/09/2026

What the point of meeting our staff, if you can't meet our dogs as well!

Today we highlight Heather's pups Wyete ad Myles!
Maybe you have seen them all snuffling their way through classes? these two have noses of gold.

01/08/2026

New Year, New Introductions!
It's been a minute since we introduced you all to our team!
Today we have co-owners Emma and Heather! We've got some fun facts to share about them as well.

(Thanks for for these awesome photos!)

12/20/2025

Is your puppy ready to be a S.T.A.R ?
Our puppy curriculum follows the requirements for your puppy to earn a Puppy STAR title!
Just reach out when you enroll and we will make sure to help you track all the steps you need to reach this goal! Check out some past STAR Students!

12/17/2025

Roxy and her bestest human worked on some patience and arousal games to help Roxy learn to be more patient around her kiddos. Love when kids start to understand why their critters might need school as well.

12/11/2025

Hope everyone is staying safe! We are watching weather reports and road closures closely, please contact your trainer to identify any cancelations or reschedules.

Reminder! With storms like this some regression in potty training is normal, especially for our youngest and oldest pups! Keep everyone safe, look for breaks in the weather for potty outings, or if you can setup an indoor potty space in your garage or on your deck!

12/07/2025

Courtesy post: Potato is looking for a new home! See below:

"Due to significant upcoming changes in our lives we are urgently searching for a loving home for the sweetest Potato. She is a 9 year old pittie/staffy mix, 44lbs, spayed, microchipped, and up to date on shots for the next year. She is highly food motivated and loves to lounge around under her many blankets like a proper potato. She struggles with separation anxiety and can be fear-reactive, but she’s not aggressive. She may bark or whine at new people but will eventually warm up - especially when treats are involved. She has never destroyed any furniture or had accidents in the house in the 2 years we've had her in our care. She will bark and howl when left alone - this is really important to consider if you have neighbors! She's very smart and responds well to consistent training. She knows basic "commands" and some extras like ~spin~ and ~paw~. She is leash trained and goes for daily 40-60 min walks. She may be able to live with other dogs if there is proper introduction, as she lived with other 3 dogs for most of her life without problems (until 1 dog started being provoked by her anxiety and attacking her). She is not crate trained and being crated amplifies her anxiety. She is insured through Prudent Pet and we are happy to continue paying for her insurance until her policy ends in July 2026. We are also happy to provide food, treats, and pay for medications for the first few months. She takes medication to help with anxiety, pain, and digestion. We think she would thrive in a relaxing environment that isn't loud or chaotic, and with someone who is a homebody or works from home. Located in Olympia, WA. Please reach out if you or someone you know have any leads or are able to provide Potato a loving home!"

12/06/2025

Grad photos from Heather's Focus and Control for Teens class!
This group of pups learned manners, loose leash walking, and confidence around other dogs!
Each class covers impulse control, cooperative care, some foundation sports games, and more!
Follow the link in our bio for more information!

12/03/2025

11/23/2025

Check out our cute pup testing out the scratch board.

11/20/2025

https://vimeo.com/1137714774?fe=sh&fl=pl&ref=fb-share

One of our Bull Terrier students is holding strong with his second year of getting into the Naughty Dog video!

We all love you Gatsby 🤣

2025 BTCA Silverwood-National Naughty Dog Video