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A Better Dog

A Better Dog Offering specialized dog training that works around your schedule. Our focus is to give you the tools to improve your relationship with your dog.
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ABD seeks to improve relationships between dogs and their owners through focused, attentive training sessions to address a variety of issues including pulling, lunging, jumping up, resource guarding and aggression.

01/25/2025

Approaches to SOCIALIZATION…..

Unfortunately this term has a variety of meanings for dog owners leading to a lot of confusion and stress for both dogs and owners.

First, what socialization is not:

It’s NOT meeting 100 people & 100 dogs in the first 100 days

It’s NOT taking your new dog/puppy with you everywhere you go.

It’s NOT allowing a high number of people and dogs to interact with your dog in public.

These pursuits tend to contribute to a dog that is constantly hyped (or stressed, yes there are dogs like that) for the next encounter. This also impairs the dogs’ ability to calm themselves. This can lead to reactivity, resource guarding, separation anxiety, and even aggression.

Meeting dogs and people constantly creates a patterned response in your dog that won’t involve permission from you to engage. We have a steady stream of clients whose dog blows them off at the sight of a new person or dog who must be there to pet or play with them.

Our goal with Socializing is to help the dogs reach neutrality in a variety of environments.

Instead, have your dog AROUND many more people and dogs then they actually interact with. How many people do you have direct contact with during your day? You might give nod or wave to a stranger but it’s not handshakes and hugs for everyone.

When Emma was a puppy I spent time exposing her to a variety of environments in a controlled manner. With each new positive experience her trust in me grew making our bond stronger.

Socializing your dog takes time and effort. Being able to recognize when you’re dog is comfortable or stressed in these moments is of the utmost importance. Choose wisely.

01/22/2025

This 5 year old was aggressive with men, nips family members during rowdy play and is “protective” of certain family members. The behavior was getting worse.

Knowing the value of a good first impression we had Kingston on a slip lead when we met. The family was shocked at how well behaved & quiet the dog was. In this calmer state Kingston actually had an interest in meeting me. After a few minutes the slip lead was removed and his good choices continued.

We put an end to his protective (guarding) behavior by correcting the dog early in his decision process to guard. This was done in incremental steps such as having mom and dad hug in silence, then adding the increased animated behaviors common during this personal interaction. This kept the dogs’ behavior from escalating.

We used the same approach to improve Kingstons’ over the top response to guests arriving. Individually addressing all of the things that have led to this problem such as knocking, the door opening and later adding the doorbell allowed us to build the dog to a point where he could calmly handle all of these things together.

We introduced Kingston to the Place command to further help with impulse control.

Finally I wanted to see if Kingston would show any guarding tendencies with the family sat in the living room. I fully expected him to go to his person and “claim” them. Instead, Kingston chose to sit by me on the other side of the room. He even tried nuzzling me for affection. How can this be? He hates men?!

Dogs thrive in an environment based on clear communication. In every session I am a yes/no person. There is no “sometimes or kinda” option.

From the start of this session we made communication clear with Kingston. The result was a calmer, trainable and engaged little guy.

01/20/2025

Penny’s progression…..

Penny was a 1 yr old rescue last January when we met. She was reacting aggressively with a child in the home and had begun practicing guarding behaviors.

Jan. 2024: First session. We started the process of adding structure and engagement.

Feb. 2024: Accompanied client to Vet appointment to help teach them how to work through this stressful situation.

May 2024: Phone consult to discuss handling Penny at seasonal campsite & her poor behavior in the car.

May 2024: Second session. Penny’s first visit to a store (Home Depot). Met with client to help them navigate a variety of situations to a positive outcome for Penny.

June 2024: Phone consult to discuss some nipping behavior.

Jan 2025: Third session. Penny has made great progress. She was very relaxed in her crate when I arrived so I suggested giving her a chance to hang out. Now Penny has had her moments this past year so the family has been cautious with her around guests but I agreed to be the test subject 🤦🏻‍♂️. Penny was relaxed and playful (see pics).
We also started the process of introducing her to three cats the family had just adopted. Again, Penny did very well.

We have really enjoyed being a part of Penny’s journey.

I started ABD to show clients how to train their dog to be successful in any environment. Penny is the perfect example of what can be accomplished when we share some of our knowledge and experience with owners determined to make their dogs’ life better. Bravo!!👏🏼👏🏼

01/09/2025

Emma update…

Our girl has had her stitches removed and the biopsy was negative! 🎉🎉

I wanted to touch on how we used the training “tools” in our toolbox to help in the recovery process.

• We used “Place” and her “Down stay” to limit her movement and eliminate the need to keep her on leash in the house.

• Emma learned from an early age to tolerate her feet/legs being handled which allowed us to check and clean her incision as needed as well as putting on her protective sleeve when necessary.

• Emma will go to the bathroom (“Empty”) on command which helped when she needed to be on leash in the yard (a totally new concept) for potty breaks.

The “Belly” command directs Emma to lay on her side. Maintaining this position at the Vet made removing her stitches a pretty quick process.

Training does not end after the class you attend or the board & train you send your dog to. Training is not setting aside time to work on something with your dog. Training is an ongoing process of using your daily interactions with your dog to teach and reinforce the good choices they learn to make.

Every one of these learned behaviors Emma used during her recovery she learned years ago and they are only still available to us because we’ve continue to practice them to this day. Training never stops.

01/04/2025

I just wanted everyone to see this good looking dog who we had the pleasure of working with during a walking session.

Tripp wants you to know that it’s important to walk your dog even when the weather is less than ideal.

01/01/2025

Yet again, my humans have deemed it necessary to decorate me for another holiday. I have no privacy in this house . Also, you will all be happy to know I am recovering well from my surgery. I can’t wait to play in the snow again. Thank you for all your messages of support. Happy New Year!!!

Emma (and ABD)

12/30/2024

We regularly talk with clients about having as many “tools” as possible available in their “toolbox” when it comes to living with your dog. You never know when you may need them.

Admittedly, we give our nearly 8 year old dog Emma some slack on a daily basis but we’ve always kept our toolbox full.

Emma had surgery the day after Christmas to remove a growth on her elbow. As part of her recovery she needs to have her activity limited. While we are using a leash for bathroom breaks we have called on our “Place” command to keep her in one spot even when things that interest her are going on in the house. Our “Out” command is useful for keeping her away from the incision (in addition to the bandaging). Even our “Empty” command is helpful so Emma can get her business done quickly outside and get back off her feet.

These are not commands I use every day but I’ve kept them available to be used as needed. The clarity of good obedience has led to the calmness I need from her during her recovery.

12/28/2024

It even works at parties…

At our family Christmas get together my sister allowed three of her dogs to mingle with guests near the end of the night. This included Ms. Wednesday. Now, this sweet girl didn’t like when the other dogs were getting attention so she was running around and barking. I realize she’s the size of a sandwich but her bark was a bit much for everybody to tolerate so I was asked for advice on how to handle it. I made a slip lead out of a leash and had Wednesday simply stay with me for a couple of minutes.

After physically attaching myself to the dog I said nothing. The dogs’ brain now had fewer options. The barking stopped and the dog calmed. I removed the slip lead and allowed her to rejoin the festivities in her new, calmer state. For the remainder of the evening there was no more barking.

I did not have a relationship with Wednesday that would have allowed me to correct her behavior verbally so I didn’t even try. By connecting myself directly to her I was able to raise my influence and correct her barking. Food for thought.

12/25/2024

Merry Christmas from Emma (reluctantly) and all of us at ABD!!

12/22/2024

The shelter environment is often stressful and chaotic, especially when a dog first arrives. Understandably, dogs can develop bad habits like excessive barking and jumping on the kennel door. This can make it harder for them to get adopted. When I first meet a dog this is where we start by trading calmness for a treat. Looks like we have some good students!!

12/18/2024

Living with fear….. name withheld for privacy.

Working with a fearful dog is very challenging. The 1 year old dog in this case is afraid of many things including the dark and blowing leaves. This dog is overly attached to one of the owners and has become reactive as well. The dog has also struggled to share space with a young child in the home leading to some aggressive responses from the dog.

We started with stabilizing the situation by using a slip lead inside the home for the owners to have direct control and influence over this dog. By reducing the dog’s options (responsibilities) the dog was able to calm down. This allowed us to use food to shape new responses to things like wiping off the dog’s feet without the usual conflict.

We practiced claiming personal space so the dog could learn that it’s ok to be separate from the owners. This also helped reduce conflict between the dog and the child over the same people.

We also added more walking to the “to do” list to increase engagement and leadership for the owners.

Update…… two weeks later.

I received the following client update with some photos. I’ve creatively edited this photo of the dog with the child for privacy (no comments on my editing please).

“I just wanted to say thank you and this is the best gift I’ve received all from your help I am so grateful for all you helped me through so far this is how they are doing so much better lots more work to come but this is amazing”

All of the changes we asked the owners to make focused on increasing engagement & leadership for the owner and more structure for the dog. Progress is the goal here.

12/09/2024

Tonka is a 4 month old Dane who’s always on the go. She accompanies her mom to work (salon), walks between client appointments, and takes trips to pet friendly stores. The amount of interactions Tonka was having with the public started to cause a new problem. The dog was now seeking / expecting attention which made a young, good sized dog, harder to manage.

We met at a local park to work on our leash manners before moving to Home Depot where we sat just inside the door. Why? We practiced watching the public pass us by. The number of people who got to pet Tonka…ZERO.

We discussed a future where Tonka has a more balanced use of the “gas & brake” of socializing the dog.

12/02/2024

I wanted to share with you some details about our time spent working with Jango Animal Rescue Project
I happened to be at the shelter the same day Jango arrived (11/23). I met with him daily for the next week. In this short time Jango has learned to wait at thresholds, like exiting his kennel. He’s started loose leash walking and crate training as well. Jango will sit to get his leash on/off and has shown zero issues with body handling. Remember, all of this training is done in a very distracting environment.
I have also had time to observe Jango around my 10 year olds in the play yard at the Rescue. The kids stood calmly in the yard when they first met the dog and then ran and played with him in the yard a few days later, all off leash and without issue. I’ve also seen him exposed to other dogs without getting overly excited.
Jango is a super sweet dog that has improved each and every day I’ve seen him. He as shown to be motivated to work for both food and affection which is a big training plus. Jango has even taken to smiling at me when I show up (“submissive grin”).
If you’re interested in meeting Jango contact ARP. If you’d like me to be there when you meet Jango, please feel free to shoot me a message to make arrangements.

11/28/2024

Happy Thanksgiving!!!🦃

We volunteer our training services Animal Rescue Project in Kalamazoo. We usually spend our time addressing a variety behavioral issues but today we took a more casual approach. Our entire family spent time with several different shelter residents sharing time and attention with as many dogs (and cats) as we could.
Contact ARP to volunteer/donate or apply for any of these sweet faces!

11/20/2024

What this picture doesn’t show……

Resource guarding (dog protects an “item” from other dogs &/or people) is Elka’s go to move. This has resulted in injuries to her people and to Mango, as well as an increased level of stress for all.

Mom is one of those resources,so we showed her how to claim her personal space; not allowing Elka to “claim” mom. Elka was very quick to pick this up.
We also introduced an understanding of trading. Elka would no longer get affection from Mom just for being Elka. Instead, she would have to sit, down, recall, etc first. An important shift in her relationship dynamic.

We added structure and leadership through increased crate usage, Place training and suspending “lap time” with mom. The close proximity to mom and elevated position for Elka were a bad combination.
Additionally, we took away any “like to have’s” such as bones that contributed to resource guarding and aren’t necessary.

The goal is a calmer existence for both dog(s) and human!

11/03/2024

“At what age should we start training?”

This is one of the most common questions we get asked. These videos feature 9 week old Maverick. First, we tossed some of his food into a pool full of plastic bottles. We used his food motivation to overcome his initial hesitation to get into the pool.

Listen closely to the pool video. You WILL hear the dog using his nose. You WILL NOT hear any talking from the owner. The goal of this exercise was to have the dog work through this drill on his own. Mission accomplished. 👍🏻

We also worked on changes to aid in potty training and improve leash manners.

After some much needed down time, we introduced Maverick to Recall, Place and crate training.

Initially he wasn’t happy about taking a break in the crate, but after a bit of training, he learned the crate could be a calmer place. You can actually hear Maverick snoring during his nap. 💤

Remember, your dog is never too young to learn, grow and be challenged. All involved will be better for it.

10/19/2024

Let me tell you about Ty…

Ty came to his new family via Detroit Animal control. I first heard about this two year old when Ty’s mom called the second night he was in their home. Ty had displayed some aggressive responses to some very unusual triggers. After talking with mom we made some suggestions about how to proceed in the immediate future and set a training date for a few days later.

I am happy to report that by the time training day came, those aggressive responses were history. Admittedly, the dog had very unusual social queues and was hard to read. These unusual responses left us wondering how things would go.

After seeing how well Ty did with Structured walking and Place, we decided Ty was “deceptively intelligent” 😬.

We regularly hear from owners who use words like “awesome” or “great” to describe their dogs followed by the phrase “except for..”.
Ty appears to be well on his way to just being awesome!!

10/15/2024

Investing in Karma…

Karma is a 3 yr old rescue who got off to a tough start in his forever home. Let’s go through the ABD process with him.

First, the Pre-Training Interview (PTI) where we talk with every client about important background information. In Karma’s case, we learned about a laundry list of reactive triggers and general unease in certain encounters. Based on our conversation I asked the client to move away from free feeding and crate the dog more.

Next, we met for our first session focusing on Place, Structured walking and tips for introducing new people to Karma.

Over the next two weeks we answered client questions and analyzed multiple videos of Karma’s behavior via our free phone support.

During session number two we got to slow things down and practice on addressing poor behavior choices as they were developing, helping the dog understand the yes & no of his choices.

The picture of Karma by the fire shows how far this dog has come. Initially, this dog was barking at anything that passed the house, both on the street in front and the water in back. He was even too scared to be out in the dark.

By focusing on limiting his “responsibilities” and increasing his engagement with his owners, Karma is learning he can be calmer in a greater variety of situations, even the ones that once scared him. Bravo.

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Portage, MI

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Videos

Oh no, Littermates!! We were contacted to help 6 month old littermates with basic manners and leash training (something they hadn’t done yet). Getting littermates is often extremely challenging due in part to the bond between the puppies that can make bonding with the owner difficult. Our first visit was a bit chaotic, especially when we introduced Ace & Bella to walking on leash. By our second visit three weeks later, things vastly improved. The video in the post came from the client just two weeks after our second visit. I’d like to take credit for the tremendous improvement but that wouldn’t be the whole story. The family did all the heavy lifting. Each dog had a dedicated human sibling who worked very hard to give these two dogs the structure they needed to bond with the entire family. Great job to you all. 🎩🎩 #ABetterDog #dogtraining #puppytraining #leashtraining #dogbehavior #portagemichigan

Puppy training with LILO and her family!

Puppy training with Lilo and her family.

Ms. Lilo is a four month old who likes to use her teeth to communicate. This was made even more challenging by having two young children in the home. We got involved and worked towards adding some boundaries, structure and engagement. Following our session the clients were kind enough to post a recommendation to our page. A couple days later we got a great update with videos. Here is part of that update….. “Wanted to send some videos- our quality of life has literally improved! Thanks again…” “Lots of progress with her being more calm in general and that’s really helping build some positive interactions with the cats. We really appreciate you! Have a great weekend!!!” We can’t say it enough! We love what we do! #ABetterDog #dogtraining #puppytraining #portage #michigan

Meet Charlotte

CHARLOTTE 4yr old GSD This is the face of a nervous, anxious and dog-reactive dog who was attacked twice by dogs last year after… We met for a Walking session where Charlotte introduced herself by hitting the end of the leash expressing her displeasure with me being there. After… Lunging and barking at passing dogs during our walk. After… We implemented a structured walk where she could follow instead of lead. After… Charlotte learned to trust us. The client said that Charlotte has always been skittish and anxious and that she would “jump as high as 4ft in the air and pull away to get to a dog.” We wanted Charlotte and her owner to know that this can get better and it took one session to prove us right! This isn’t a one and done session. It’s a step in a new direction towards a “new normal” that Charlotte and her owner can both enjoy. This short video shows what a truly sweet dog she is. ♥️ #ABetterDog #dogtraining #dogbehavior #germanshephard

“How much time should I spend on training?” For us, “training” is a combination of time spent on specific behaviors and making teachable moments out of our daily interactions with our dog. This videos of our dog Emma is an example of the latter. Occasionally we have a family member hide for Emma to sniff out. It’s super fun for Emma as she loves using her nose. During a moment of playing ball, I added our “easy” command, which means Emma has to take the item (toy or food) gently. Emma has learned that play and listening go hand in hand. Look down in our comments too for another example with Emma.👇🏻 These spontaneous interactions go a long way toward improving your relationship with your dog. #ABetterDog #dogtraining #dogbehavior #familytime #lifewithadog #portage #michigan

What to do at the Vets office….

For many dogs, including mine, a trip to the Vet is not their first choice. While waiting to be seen I got Emma focused on some nose work by hiding treats in different spots around the room. This video is hide number 5 or 6, so she is having trouble with residual odor in the small space. You can see at one point she decides to cheat and just go to the treat container👎🏼. I got her back in work mode and a few seconds later she found the last treat. Getting Emma on a task that she loved, in an environment that she didn’t, reduced her stress by giving her brain a job to do. She was very proud of herself I must say.