The Family Fido

12/19/2024

🚫One common mistake I see is dog owners rushing their pups into new environments. It’s so important to give your dog the choice to move forward at their own pace.

🚦↩️ 🔙What you don’t see in this video are the moments we moved backward, to the left, and to the right before even approaching Petco. I allowed the puppy plenty of time to gather their bearings and only proceeded when they were ready.

By ensuring our dogs are comfortable before moving forward, we help build their confidence and create positive experiences in new environments. Slow and steady wins the race!

🥩Of course if you don’t have time to proceed at the puppies pace, you should always use a food lure rather than tugging or pulling on their leash.

12/15/2024

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12/13/2024

Looking for ways to tire your pup out during this cold snap? Try shaping for some extra mental exercise!

Shaping is all about letting your dog figure things out while you guide them with a clicker or marker to let them know they’re on the right track. It’s a great way to build confidence, focus, and problem-solving skills—all while burning off some energy indoors.

In this video, you’ll see snippets of an 8-minute session where we started with simply engaging with a pillow, and by the end, the pup offered the cutest little head rest!

Give it a try and let us know what creative behaviors your pup comes up with!

12/13/2024

Is it just me, or are everyone else’s pups extra barky with this cold snap and the lack of exercise and outdoor enrichment?

Counting down the days (or bully sticks and Topples) until warmer days over here to get these terriers some outside time!

12/11/2024

Chloe went to Scheels today for a training field trip! How adorable is she!

If you have a puppy and need extra help training and socializing, reach out for additional info on our day training options!

12/10/2024

Anyone who has worked with me has heard me say "We are rewarding effort, not results." Probably in several different ways. But it's one of the most steadfast truths about learning that exists; if we wait for the results we miss out on all the chances to build a rock solid reinforcement history by rewarding effort. Especially when I am teaching dogs skills that are emotionally or physically challenging for them, I focus only on effort. Any minor nudge in the right direction is worthy of reinforcement. Remember; goals are achieved one EFFORT at a time.

12/07/2024

One of the most common questions I get is: “Why does my puppy go to the bathroom in the house even after spending an hour or two outside?”

Here’s the answer: just because they were outside playing doesn’t mean they went potty! Puppies get distracted by all the fun—exploring, sniffing, and romping around—so they might forget to take care of business.

Another common reason? After coming inside, they drink a bunch of water and then suddenly need to go again! To avoid this, I’ll often give them water outside after a romp and walk around for another 15–20 minutes, waiting for them to go to the bathroom and reward outside with them.

Here’s my full routine:
✅ After a fun romp outside, we go straight back into the crate if I haven’t seen them potty.
✅ I set a timer for 15–20 minutes, then take them back outside.
✅ 90% of the time, they potty right away!

Once they’ve done their business, they earn free access to the house. This routine helps reinforce good habits and keeps accidents to a minimum!

What’s your biggest potty training challenge? Drop your questions below! 👇

Picture of us romping in the beautiful sunset this evening!

12/05/2024

It’s completely normal for puppies to nip, jump, bark, and play hard—these are all part of being a puppy! However, when these behaviors become excessive or problematic, it’s worth taking a closer look at their daily routine.

Ask yourself:
• Exercise: Is your puppy getting enough physical activity and mental stimulation? Walks should allow for plenty of sniffing, foraging, and exploring—not just “power walks.” Sniffing their surroundings is like reading a book for them—it’s enriching and tiring in the best way!
• Meals: Are they gulping down food in seconds from a basic bowl? Try using puzzle feeders or toys that make meals last 10–20 minutes while engaging their brain.
• Training: Are you regularly teaching them new things? Fun training games and exercises don’t just improve their behavior; they also burn energy by making your puppy think!

Here’s a real-life example: Yesterday, I had an emergency and couldn’t stick to my usual routine with my foster puppies. They were crated from 3 PM to 8 AM the next morning, with only quick potty breaks. This morning? They were WILD! Their bites hurt, the won’t stop barking at each other and myself. They are playing rough with each other and the adults. They hadn’t had their usual exercise or enrichment, and it showed. Puppies need outlets for their energy to stay happy and balanced.

Needless to say we bundled up and went on a long walk with bouts of making them run off some steam; followed by a shaping training session and puzzle!

When in doubt, think about how you can tire out their brain as well as their body—it makes a huge difference!

What are your puppy’s favorite enrichment activities? Share below!

12/05/2024

Happy National Cookie Day from one Cookie pusher to the next!

11/30/2024

Great points on wants VS needs. It’s important to remember that dogs are individuals, shaped by genetics, early life socialization, and experiences and have preferences too!

11/24/2024

Any guesses on what’s happening here?

If you manage a multi dog household; it’s subtle communication like this that is imperative to watch and analyze to avoid any intra-household aggression and keep the peace.

Dogs are talking all the time! Are you listening?

11/19/2024

Show me those rocket recalls!

Recall and Stay are two of the most important behaviors your dog needs!

Don’t have either? We can fix that!

11/16/2024

11/15/2024

Last night at 3:00 am, the five little foster puppies decided it was the perfect time for a choir practice. They can howl so amazing!

Half asleep, I shot out of bed, sprinted downstairs, whispered, “Shhh, don’t wake the whole house!” (as if they cared), threw food at them like I was scattering birdseed, and topped it off with water bowls. Wanted to make sure all needs were met! (They have access to substrate over night)

If that’s not a masterclass in do as I say, not as I do, I don’t know what is. Fingers crossed I didn’t just sign up for nightly 3:00 am puppy room service!

Remember friends, Reinforcement Drives Behavior! Anything that works or gets your pup attention when they want it, is likely to reproduce the behavior.

🥂Cheers to the 3am feeding I just created in puppies who have been sleeping through the night!

11/09/2024

This week in our basic manners class we discussed how to phase out treats, avoid using them as bribes, and use real life reinforcers as rewards. The treat toys are used in class but we spoke about how greeting a friend, sniffing their favorite spot, or getting off leash play time are all examples of rewards we can use to train basic behaviors!