Pivotal Dog Training

08/30/2024

Today is National Beach Day! 🌊☀️🐾

Taking your dog to beach can be SO much fun! Make sure you know these tips to keep them safe when you go.

08/28/2024

“The Three D’s”: Distance, Duration, and Distraction.

This is means we want to make sure the dog can learn the appropriate behaviors in a variety of situations and environments. We always devise a training plan that involves on setting the dog up for success. For example, in the first session, we will NOT go to the park or outside of the home. That would likely lead to failure and lack of focus from the dog. The latter would not be the dog’s fault, but rather ours, because we unfairly chose to put a dog in a place with many distractions as they are trying to learn how to completely revamp their current behavior and lifestyle.

However, once we get the dog acclimated to their prescribed training regimen, and they become successful and learn the appropriate behaviors, we want to really begin challenging the dog more. After all, many clients sign their dogs up for training in order to get the dog under control so that they can freely play in the park or happily have free reign of the home, WITHOUT any problems or disobedience.

The way we apply Distance, Duration and Distractions is once we laid the foundation down for the dog, then we work on our training exercises with more stimuli (distractions). For instance, if we have a dog that is aggressive to men, and once we feel that the dog is equipped and ready to face this trigger, we will then create a setup where the dog can become more desensitized to this trigger and demonstrate their new learned behaviors.

With duration, we want to make sure that the dog can still be able to focus on the owner’s commands and lead for an extended period of time. This will teach the dog that while quick response is encouraged, that doesn’t mean they should completely lose focus and run amok right after performing a command.

Lastly, there’s distance. Through this, we create a greater distance between dog and owner, testing their ability to focus even though their owner is much further away. By increasing the distance, we are preparing your dog for times when they are off leash with distractions and still need to be capable of following their owner’s lead whenever needed.

08/26/2024

Dogs are the best 🖤

08/23/2024

Does your dog do this?

https://www.petmd.com/dog/behavior/dog-behavior-why-do-dogs-kick-their-feet-after-pooping?linkId=100000277002074&fbclid=IwY2xjawEoVnVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHWKicuZG6FRjvCGA6kjL3VmxS_YKqkI_Q144zn7xrnLLlXClQ7Z_56HO_Q_aem_cv0RyWN6U5cYsVwkg_9U7g

Dr. Wailani Sung explains why dogs kick after pooping and what the research shows about why dogs engage in this weird behavior.

08/21/2024

How long does it take a dog to adjust to a new home?

We generally like to follow the 3-3-3 rule:

3 days – It takes 3 days to adjust to the new surroundings.

3 weeks – During the first 3 weeks you should begin a training program and start working towards building a bond of trust and respect.

3 months - The first 3 months should consist of training, socializing, and desensitizing your dog to new places, people, and situations under the guidance of a professional dog trainer.

While we generally follow this rule, the reality is every dog and situation is different. It could take more or less time (usually more) for your dog to adjust to a new family and life. No matter what, starting a training program right away will be beneficial and prevent behavior problems from developing.

To learn more about our in-home training packages and what they include, visit us online.

08/19/2024

Did you know all of our dog training packages include training in real-world locations, like the park or a busy neighborhood?

We always begin training at home, but you need to feel confident your dog will listen to you when surrounded by distractions and triggers.

08/16/2024

Car Safety for Pets 🐾 🚗

Make sure your pet is safe when riding in the car either in a crash tested harness, or crate.

Learn about car safety for dogs and cats, and what to consider when traveling with pets in your car.

08/14/2024

Tugging is a great way to engage with your dog while also draining their energy.

What are your favorite ways to engage with your dog?

08/12/2024

Impulse Control

Impulses are part of life especially when it comes to dogs. Teaching your dog to control them helps prevent behavior problems and will help create good behaviors.

If your dog has a hard time when they are excited or over stimulated, they need impulse control skills. Send us a message or visit us online to learn what we can do to help!

08/09/2024

Happy weekend, friends! 🐾🤎

08/07/2024

Learn more about our commitment-based training services! 🤍

08/05/2024

Dogs show signs of stress in different ways, below are just a few:

• Shaking
• Panting
• Yawning
• Pacing
• Wide Eyes
• Scratching

It’s crucial to understand the signs of stress in a dog and react accordingly. Dogs can’t speak with words, but they can speak through body language and behavior.

08/02/2024

Salt Water Safety Tips for Dogs! 🌊🐾☀️

Keep your dog safe while swimming in the ocean. Learn what breeds might can dogs swim in the ocean and what to look out for while in the water.

08/01/2024

Why Dogs Bark?

Your dog barks to communicate. But what exactly are they communicating? It can be that your dog is feeling:

• Excited
• Bored
• Afraid
• Distressed
• Frustrated
• Worried
• Territorial

You may be able to identify the trigger, or you may need one of our canine behaviorists to help dig up the root cause of your dog’s excessive barking. Once we know the why, we can begin to implement new habits and behavior.
We help barking dogs learn new ways to communicate.

Again, if your dog barks when they’re excited and it doesn’t bother you, you don’t need us. However, barking due to fear, worry, possessiveness, frustration, and even boredom should be addressed. Your dog is communicating that something is bothering them, and if ignored, the barking will worsen until they receive attention.

Once they receive that attention, they’ll believe the only way to get attention is to bark.

We break the cycle.

07/29/2024

Every dog could benefit from training. Your dog may have minor issues like pulling on the leash or failing to consistently respond to commands, or your dog may have major issues like biting or excessive (and disruptive) barking.

Our certified dog trainers are fellow dog-lovers and certified professionals who adhere to a proven, committed training philosophy. Our trainers received certification through Canine Trade Group, a company that provides intensive classes for those individuals who desire to become canine behavior specialists.

The course involves 320 hours of combined book work and hands-on experience. By the time students graduate, they are experts in canine psychology, history, and training methods.

07/26/2024

🌟 Friday Facts 🌟

07/24/2024

What is dog enrichment? Learn more about it here:

Dog enrichment prevents boredom, burns energy, and reduces stress or anxiety for dogs. Read about what canine enrichment is, enrichment ideas, and DIY tips

07/22/2024

This is the first step for all of our dog training programs, and it carries no obligation to continue with training. The initial behavior consultation is always held at your home so that we can observe your dog in his/her home environment. This is important whether or not the behavior problems are occuring in your home because it is important to consider all of the variables that influence your dog’s behavior.

By far two of the most influential factors are the dog’s lifestyle in his/her home environment, and the dog’s relationship to his/her family members, both canine and human.

We’ll also talk with you at length about your training goals, what you’ve tried in the past, and your preferences. Finally, we’ll let you know exactly what’s causing your dog’s behavior problems, and exactly how we plan to go about fixing it. If you decide you’d like to work with us, we’ll then define specific goals for our training, and we’ll commit to working with you until we achieve all of these goals!

07/19/2024

This summer has been a HOT one 🔥🥵

Make sure you know how to keep your dog cool and safe from overheating.

07/17/2024

Dog parks and daycares are NOT for every dog. It’s important to know and understand your dog’s personality and needs. Those types of settings can be triggering for certain dogs, just like people. Not everyone likes to go out and be social, dogs can be the same way and that is okay.

Training can change a dog’s behavior, but it does not change who they are! If they don’t enjoy high stress, social situations – you can’t make them and it’s not fair to force them to.

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t train your aggressive or reactive dog; it just means you need to have realistic expectations and goals for your dog.

07/15/2024

Behaviors are the way your dog speaks. For example, if your dog is panting, pacing, whining or acting nervous they are telling you they are scared and uncomfortable.

The same goes for aggressive behaviors (i.e. growling, lunging, stiff body, looking overall uncomfortable) – they are communicating in the only way they know how, through their behavior.

It’s important to recognize behaviors and understand what your dog is trying to tell you. Our training programs not only teach your dog, but we also teach you how to understand dog behavior and communicate with your dog effectively.

07/12/2024

Have you encountered a reactive dog before? Here are a few tips if you ever find yourself in that situation with your dog.

07/11/2024

Today is National Swimming Pool Day! Does your dog like to swim? Show us some pictures of your pup swimming in the comments 🐾💦

07/08/2024

When a new dog is adopted, they may be entering into a home where is only one dog, being the only adult dog in the home. Puppies can be very easy to train, as they are a clean slate and owners have the advantage to teach good behaviors while also preventing bad ones from forming. A new dog might make things easier when introducing and acclimating to another dog, as many dogs will recognize that the puppy is younger, smaller (most of the time…at least early on!), and therefore, ranking below them in the pack hierarchy.

It still might take a while for a dog that is already settled and established in their home and pack, to accept a newcomer, even with a puppy!

Dog owners need to know what a dogs body language means, with one dog, the new dog and the adult dogs in the home. The resident dog may have a hard time adjusting to the new dog. When introducing a new dog the dog pack dynamic will change. After all you are adding a new family member to the the dog home. 🤍

07/04/2024

Happy 4th of July! 🇺🇸🎆🐾

07/03/2024

Anxiety in dogs shows itself in multiple ways. For some anxious dogs, the early warning signs of anxiety are what you’d expect: trembling, hiding, whimpering, and tucking their tail between their legs. For others, it can look more like overstimulation or even aggression.

It may be hard to believe that training an anxious dog could be done by using behavioral techniques, but with consistent training and the help of a knowledgeable canine behavior trainer, your dog’s anxiety will improve.

07/01/2024

More pets go missing on 4th of July than any other day of the year. Keep your pets safe and prevent them from going missing with these safety tips! ❤️🤍💙

06/28/2024

We proudly train ALL breeds of dogs, no matter how big or small 🐾🤎

06/26/2024

Dogs that are impaired, whether hearing or visually, can be difficult to work with. It takes creativity to find the right approach for a deaf dog with behavioral issues. Many dogs rely on verbal cues from their owners and other dogs (ie: commands from owners, or barking and growling from other dogs).

Being deaf for some dogs can even cause more on-guard behavior from the dog, where anxiety, fear, and aggression can form, if not trained and socialized properly. This can cause issues with other dogs, but we have a training process in place for deaf dogs. No matter what you are dealing with with your deaf dog, our reward training process will teach hand signals, visual cues, and make sure the deaf dog knows how to look for eye contact from their owner.

When you have a deaf dog, speaking commands are not going to be very helpful for them. But there are other ways to communicate with a deaf dog. The primary language between dogs and people is body language. Your deaf dog may not be able to hear what you are saying, but they might be able to see or feel what you are saying through your body language or hand signals.

06/24/2024

We offer private, in-home dog training programs for dogs of all ages, specializing in basic obedience, puppy training, and behavior modification. Our trainers aren’t afraid of a challenge, and we never discriminate based on your dog’s age, breed, or temperament.

What makes us unique to dog owners? We stay committed to your training goals until they’ve been met—no matter how long it takes and without additional fees. 💚