Better Together Animal Training LLC

02/07/2025

Read this heartfelt message from Oshkosh Area Humane Society regarding some of the overlooked dogs in their care. Sometimes the dog we need doesn't arrive in the package we were expecting.

You may know from our previous post that we are full of dogs. We have a lot of medium, large and extra-large dogs. We have mostly mixed-breed dogs. We have dark-furred dogs, brindle dogs and dogs that are high-energy, maybe lack some training, maybe they seem too eager or excited. But we have great dogs. Dogs that are waiting for someone to see how special they are. Just one person to give them a chance. They didn’t pick the package they came in or the circumstances that got them to us. So we’re asking our community to take another look at them. Make 2025 the year you saved a big dark dog. Because we’ve seen thousands of times how that overlooked dog can become one of the most special creatures in someone’s life.

Kevin is a sweet, active and intelligent boy. He loves all people and has so much more love to give his new family. He enjoys butt scratches; any sort of affection really... and he LOVES toys! He knows how to play. He is an active boy who would be a great walking buddy. He needs some guidance with certain manners, as he gets excited and can be jumpy. But he is so smart and already knows his basic commands.

-1 year old, weighs 58 pounds
-VERY friendly with humans
-Knows 'sit' and 'down'
-Suggested for children age 12 and up, due to his jumpiness and over-excitement at times
-Kevin would like to be the only dog in the home
-No prior information on how Kevin does with cats
-Neutered, microchipped, vaccinated

01/17/2025

Do you feel stressed about your dog’s behavior when you entertain? I have company coming over tonight and I am pre-prepping enrichment to keep my dog busy and out of the way, either next to me, in his crate, or in a “safe room” as he can sometimes be fearful and territorial with visitors. The reason I’m pre-prepping these items:
1️⃣I don’t want to search for them and fill them while managing my dog
2️⃣I am freezing the items that contain canned dog food so they last longer later
3️⃣ I want my dog to be set up for success right away to leave less chance for rehearsing behaviors I don’t like
4️⃣ I don’t want my dog to learn that barking will make the toys come out
5️⃣ Even though I love training dogs, I want to enjoy my guests and not be a dog trainer the whole night! If I place him in a safe spot with a little project to work on, I can take both of us “off duty” for awhile
6️⃣ My dog is likely to think it’s pretty great that when people come over, good things happen to him - I care about how he feels.

I bought most of these toys at the Pampurr’d Pet in Oshkosh (Licki Mat, West Paw Toppl, Petsafe Penguin Chilly, a Snoop, and a puzzle toy. My dog will be eating his entire meal through these toys tonight. I always ask visitors to not approach my dog in his “safe spots” when he has a toy and to not try to take his toys from him.

01/17/2025

Please spread the word that Bear is still in need of a new home. Bear is a 6 year old husky ideally seeking a pet free home. He does not do well with another dog in his current home despite his guardians’ best efforts to acclimate them so they have had to make the difficult decision to let him move on to another family where he doesn’t have to share his people with other animals. He has lived with a toddler before successfully. He is a snuggle buddy and loves cuddling up with his people. He walks nicely on a leash and has some basic training. He was JUST groomed and is looking very handsome and ready to meet his new people. He is located in Appleton, WI. If you are interested in Bear you can contact his guardian Brittany - 920-527-1557

01/06/2025

AWESOME ADOPTABLE ALERT I had the pleasure of getting to work with Klaus, a 1 year old GSD mix who is available for adoption from SAFE Stray Animal Fund Endeavor and is being housed by the good folks at Wolf River Veterinary Clinic. Klaus is an active, playful young guy who enjoys going on sniffy walk adventures, partying down with toys, and spending quality time with people. He would be easiest to introduce to a home with older kids or adults-only. We are still evaluating Klaus’ ability to be mixed with other dogs, he appears to be dog selective and may do best as an only dog. He’s highly intelligent and will enjoy positive reinforcement based training. The folks at the clinic have taken care of neutering and vaccinating him and have kindly agreed to sponsor some post-adoption training support for Klaus to help him put his best paw forward - he’s an exuberant guy but is doing a great job working on foundation skills all dogs can benefit from learning - sitting and keeping four paws on the floor during greetings, focusing on his handler, gently touching his nose to a hand during a greeting, etc. Like many working breeds, Klaus is finding it difficult to be confined long term in a cage setting at the clinic and is hoping to enjoy the New Year with an adopter or in a foster home setting to give him respite if possible. Please consider sharing Klaus’ post if you may know someone who’s old be a good fit for him.

01/05/2025

Rest in peace, Karen Pryor, a visionary in animal training who helped make the science of positive reinforcement accessible to dog guardians and animal trainers around the world. I wouldn’t be a behavior consultant and trainer today without her teachings;years before the start of my career her many wonderful books, Clicker Expo Conferences and Karen Pryor Academy courses helped connect me to a movement of professionals working to make teaching more humane (and fun!) for animals and the people who love them. Karen’s legacy will live on in the many people whose hearts and minds were changed by her work. I highly recommend all her books, especially “Don’t Shoot The Dog: The New Art of Teaching and Training” and “Reaching the Animal Mind.”

12/18/2024

I am hoping to help a former client rehome her dog Bear. Bear is a 6 year old wooly coated Siberan Husky looking for a new home. Bear is healthy, neutered and up to date on his vaccinations. Bear is a constant companion and loves snuggling with his family - he will lay on your feet if there's no room on the couch. Like many huskies Bear has a great attitude about going outside during our Wisconsin winters and will not protest going outside to potty in January. He loves eating ice cubes! Bear has lived successfully with a young child and has interacted with other children in the family - he may be easier to introduce to school age children but has been living successfully with a toddler. Bear is being rehomed because he is incompatible with another male dog living in the home despite his guardians best attempts to acclimate them. He has been peacefully coexisting with an older female dog but may do best as your one and only pet- he would love having his human family members all to himself. Bear has been groomed by the team at Petco twice a year and his guardians will have him groomed before going to his new home so he’s looking his best for the holidays. He does really well on his kibble, so his family will be providing two bags of that along with some of his favorite chew items / toys and belongings. He is a cherished family member whose people would like to see him get the best chance he can in a home setting better suited for him. Bear walks nicely on a leash, is housetrained, and has had some basic training / knows several useful cues.
If you are interested in Bear, you can contact his guardian Brittany for more information: 920-573-1653 Please share to help Bear find a home!

10/21/2024

I want to share a moment of joy from my sessions last week. Maru the GSD has big feelings about meeting new dogs and requires a slow and structured introduction process. Maru has a new housemate, Will the mastiff, so her person reached out for help to prepare the dogs for life together before integrating them. We’ve been working on skills to help Maru calmly dismiss Will at a distance, parallel walk with him, and move away from him when cued. Maru learned some basket muzzle conditioning skills as a backup safety option and we have worked diligently on reading her body language carefully as we go to ensure she’s as comfortable as possible during the introduction process. Will is a pretty easy going guy and is a big fan of getting treats for being a great helper and doing what comes naturally to him. 🙂 I snapped this photo after a second successful session mixing, mingling and training together without barriers in place. I love what I do! Getting to work with guardians who are so patient and supportive of their animals’ special needs makes my heart soar.

09/02/2024

Great example of setting up a “leave the dog alone zone” to keep little ones safe and dogs more comfortable. I love the little foot stickers and tape on the floor to make it extra clear to a toddler where they’re allowed to be.

08/20/2024

Establishing a safe room or “zen den” is a very useful life skill for all dogs, but is especially important if your dog is afraid, anxious or aggressive with visitors. Check out these great tips!

08/01/2024

I have met and worked with this kiddo and I can confirm he is SUCH a sweetheart. Smart, playful, funny, and a certified “good boy.” Check out his description and see if he might be a good fit for your family.

07/20/2024

Thanks for inviting me to present Oshkosh Area Humane Society! It was very rewarding and fun to explore safety and defensive handling concepts with staff members doing such nuanced and important work with animals in our community.

A huge thank you to Cari of Better Together Animal Training LLC for conducting a training presentation for our staff on dog behavior and handling!

It is always good to share continuing education on the best ways to ensure the dogs who come into our care feel safe and are comfortable while they are with us. We learned the latest about leash techniques, body language and much more during her presentation. Thank you Cari!

07/13/2024

Do nail trims feel like a wrestling match? Are grooming or care tasks an impossible feat? Join me for my next Cooperative Care Class starting Sunday, August 4th at 3:45pm. Info about this course and signup can be found in the link in the comments.

06/26/2024

Way to go, U*i!!! It is the ultimate reinforcer to me to hear when clients’ animals are feeling more calm and comfortable in the real life situations they’ve trained for. Thanks for the update and being a great collaborative partner Animal Hospital of Oshkosh 🥰

U*i is today's Pawsitive Star! Because U*i was always so unhappy at his veterinary visits in Texas, mom moved here with a new plan. After months of work with Cari at https://trainbettertogether.com/ and Behavioral Wellness visits with Kelley, U*i had his vaccines! He still wasn't that fond of them, but as soon as he was back on the ground, he was immediately ready to start his Behavior Visit and get his treats. U*i, you and your mom have worked hard, and it shows!

06/19/2024

💯🙌

Something everyone should know👇

We should always avoid putting dogs in uncomfortable situations. Regardless of whether they're muzzled or not.

Just because a muzzle negates the risk to others, doesn’t mean that it changes the way our dogs FEEL!

It’s so important to treat your dog as you would if there was still a high risk of injury to another being because in doing so you will be more likely to keep your dog out of situations you know they’re unlikely to be able to cope with.

👉 Your dog will still be uncomfortable with dogs even if they're muzzled.

👉 With a muzzle on, your dog will still be uncomfortable at the vet.

👉 If your dog was so fearful they tried to bite your neighbour before, they still might try with a muzzle on.

A muzzle is a MANAGEMENT TOOL that keeps dogs and others safe, but a muzzle alone doesn’t create emotional change. 💕

Putting on a muzzle doesn't mean we can throw everything at our dogs that we couldn't before, just because the risk to others is lower. We help our dogs grow in confidence and feel safe, not them. We do it with good management, great, ethical training, and considering whether our dogs will enjoy our situations.

Let me know if you agree! 💗

06/10/2024

I am so proud of these Cooperative Care Part One grads. Every dog and guardian in this class worked as a team to make everyday care tasks more comfortable and successful. From tail brushing to nail trimming, to being up on the grooming table, around a loud clippers or holding still for body exam and face fur trimming - we broke each task down into little achievable steps and made a ton of progress towards our goals together. Thank you for prioritizing your dogs comfort and confidence while taking good care of their bodies.

05/20/2024

🖤🤍💕🐾

05/14/2024

I recently ordered a complete classroom set of basket muzzles from The Muzzle Movement and have been finding them to fit much bettter than the standard sizes offered by other popular brands. My favorite things about these muzzles is the amount of room they provide for panting, the ease of giving treats through the front, the level of bite protection provided by the design, and the SUPER FUN color combinations available. I am now partnering with Muzzle Movement as an affiliate and you can use the code “trainbettertogether” if you’d like to get 10% off your order if you’d like to try one out yourself! Existing clients, please let me know if you’d like to try these and I’ll be happy to bring them to a session - they fit most medium, large and XL sized dogs well. Link to their site in the comments.