Nakama Dog Training

10/29/2024

Always use a harness!

https://phys.org/news/2020-05-collars-neck-injuries-dogs.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawGORtpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHZnrqRXUUpUHVZV-QPmNxF5CzalsM7hPmUax8CwjZSLRNJUJp_EvWg26fA_aem_-jnZgLunsH5IcjC72K560w&sfnsn=mo

A study led by a canine scientist at Nottingham Trent University looked at the potential impact of pulling on the lead and the related pressure on the neck, using a variety of of collar-types and styles.

10/29/2024

Oops! Looks like Auggie has to take a break from training!
Auggie the Mini Goldendoodle was signed up for puppy training a month before he even got home and was doing great before he took a tumble.
After he heals up we'll continue his socialization, basic obedience and leash manners. Get well soon, Auggie!

10/23/2024

Annie the Black Mouth Cur Mix has spent most of her life afraid of strangers and reactive to other dogs, but that ends today! She will be working on allowing things to go by the house unaccosted and staying calm on her walks (so she doesn't knock Dad over again!)
Stay tuned for updates!

10/21/2024

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10/17/2024

Coco the Dachshund Mix and Wrigley the Vizsla Mix are running their guardians ragged! Barking at noises outside, uncontrollably jumping and climbing on guests, pulling on walks and barking & lunging at dogs and strangers on walks.
We've had a few sessions so far and even though their mom doesn't always have time to practice, they are already doing so much better! Yesterday we had a successful walk without any barking!
With more practice and fading out their prong and bark collars, Coco & Wrigley will be brand new dogs. Stay tuned for updates!

10/15/2024

An update on Piper!
Piper has made huge progress in her frustration reactivity, and we were able to have a successful practice session at the farmer's market! She was able to relax enough to lay down without being asked!
Piper still needed some space from other dogs, but this was after being trigger-stacked by multiple dogs on the walk over. She can ignore most dogs now if they're not too close and barely even looks up when she hears barking.
Great job, Piper!

10/13/2024

Pendleton is looking for a forever home! He's a 4 year old cattle dog that would thrive in a quiet neighborhood with a big yard all to himself!
Pendleton is a rockstar at obedience and he would probably love to be involved in a sport like agility or tag along on a hike.
Pendleton is working on his dog reactivity and tries to go after cats, so he will need to be the only pet at home. Fearful dog experience is a huge plus, and his family will need to be committed to continuing his training & his meds.
Interested in Pendleton? Contact for more information!

10/09/2024

Daisy the Sharpei Mix has had a tough time finding her forever home; she is on home #9 (!) after being pulled from the euthanasia list.
Daisy is a sweet & friendly dog, but she struggles with dog reactivity and has a strong prey drive, which is making her introduction to the cat a little complicated.
We're working on integrating Daisy and the cat together and giving her an outlet for that urge to chase small furry things, as well as staying calm when she sees a dog.
Stay tuned for updates!

10/06/2024

Archer the Catahoula Mix is a miracle dog! Abandoned on a remote road in wildfire country, he was a stray for several weeks until he chose his guardians by coming up and sitting on their steps.
Now that he's found his forever home, Archer has decided to defend it fiercely by barking and chasing any car that goes by the property. He also will not tolerate people moving away from him or getting too close to his mom.
Archer's behavior seems to be a mix of anxiety and unmet herding/hunting needs. His guardians took potentially dangerous training advice that hasn't worked, so they are ready to make a more positive change. Archer has shown improvement in just 2 sessions and we'll continue to work on having him chase toys instead of cars and not be so concerned with movement and strangers.
Stay tuned for updates!

10/04/2024

Charlotte needs her forever home!

Charlotte is a 4 month old Boxer Mix who is another hoarding survivor. She is very shy in her current foster home, but as she gets more comfortable her playful side will come out!
She would do best in a quiet home with either no kids or older kids. A friendly doggie sibling would be ideal, and her new family will need to be patient and committed to training and socialization. Someone with fearful dog experience would be a big plus!
Interested? Contact !

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10/03/2024

Lewis the Boxer Mix is a survivor of a hoarding case & has a lot of trauma to sort through. He is still very scared of his forever family and it's effecting everything from potty training to his appetite.

Dogs like Lewis need patience, space and a lot of positive experiences to gain confidence. His guardians have some new strategies in place and hopefully he'll soon be able to act like a normal puppy.

Some of Lewis' siblings and fellow survivors are still up for adoption from .

Stay tuned for updates!

09/29/2024

Gotta keep this in mind for the next few months!

Posted • When everything goes out the window during adolescence or other challenging times throughout your dogs life. It can be easy to feel like all you’ve put in was a waste of time.

But all that work is still there, and may be the very thing that makes the difference between those that get through these challenges and those who don’t.

Everything you put into your dog, will always be worth it.

09/27/2024

Chuck the Cattle Dog Mix needs a forever home!
Chuck is 5 months old and has a ton of energy already; an active family with older kids or no kids would be perfect! Herding breed experience is definitely a plus!
Chuck gets along with the older dog in the house and loves people. He enjoys playing ball and chewing bones and toys.
We had a training session yesterday and he picked up new behaviors so quick; such a smarty!

Interested in adopting? Contact !

09/21/2024

For a limited time, every new client gets a FREE treat pouch!

09/17/2024

Need some training advice? Come chat with me, grab a beer and maybe go home with a new pup!

Everyone who stops by will get a FREE clicker and a coupon for my training services!

Posted • - 🐶🐾 Join Us This Sunday! 🐾🐶 -

We’re excited to invite you to join this Sunday Sept. 22nd from 2-6PM at Ratchet Brewery !

Nakama Dog Training will be there hosting a FREE Q&A session from 4-6PM to answer all your dog training questions. She’ll be handing out training coupons to help you and your pup get off to a great start!

**Special Guests:** Meet the “Princess and the Frog” litter! These sweet pups were rescued from a hoarding situation right here in Salem and are now looking for their forever homes.

- Free Q&A with Nakama Dog Training
- Training Coupons
- Meet & Greet with the Princess and the Frog Litter
- Grab a pint and hang out!

Whether you’re thinking about adopting, need some training tips, or just want to hang out with some adorable dogs, this is the place to be. Come grab a drink, chat with fellow dog lovers, and make a difference for these amazing pups.

We can’t wait to see you there! 🐕🍻

09/16/2024

Yogi the Mini Schnauzer gets so nervous when he's outside (where his triggers, dogs and strangers are) that he's on high alert as soon as he steps out the door! He also feels the need to put his 2 cents in when he hears other dogs barking, and going camping is anything but relaxing.
Yogi is going to learn how to calm down around his triggers and do something else besides bark at them. Stay tuned for updates!

09/03/2024

Piper's cattle dog side comes out when she sees other animals; she wants to chase (playfully) and gets very frustrated when she can't!
During her first lesson she worked on disengagement and some herding games for an appropriate outlet, and she was able to watch 2 dogs without barking!

08/21/2024

Rosie the Golden Retriever has always struggled with big feelings and frustrations, and now she's a teen so it's cranked up to 11!
She will be working on leash manners, relaxation and impulse control. In our last session she started to understand that barking, jumping and biting her leash was not going to get her attention any more and went from a 40 second leash-biting tantrum to a 3 second one.
Stay tuned for updates!

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08/18/2024

Ollie the Goldendoodle has hit the ground running since day 1; he is bitey, humpy, torments his older sister and doesn't listen at all. And he's only 4 months old!
I took a deep dive into Ollie's history today and along with no training, his sleep habits and Mom's past attempts at discipline may be part of the problem. He also may switch to a new vet who can give him a more thorough check-up to make sure he's physically healthy.
Behavior can be multi-faceted, so I always try to look at the entire dog, their environment and their daily routines to help me solve issues.
Ollie was very attentive and calm during his evaluation, and responded very well to the training we started. Even during a thunderstorm!
Stay tuned for updates!

08/15/2024

I started working with Ahsoka virtually, but we recently moved to in-person sessions and I got to meet her!

Ahsoka the Pitbull is a very insecure girl, which manifests as reactivity and resource guarding. She guarded several objects from her sister Leia and her guardians, including the baby! She also was very scared of going out in public, so she hadn't had a real walk in months.

Ahsoka no longer guards the baby and she is much more accepting of her guardians being near her other treasures. She is able to be called away from barking at the fence and made it out to the front yard to do some small loops in the grass.

Stay tuned for updates!

07/31/2024

Posted • A common definition for freedom is the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.
E-collars work by suppressing behaviour.
Shock (or a beep threatening shock) is applied after an “unwanted” behaviour.
That behaviour might be looking/moving away from the handler or any other behaviour that the person holding the remote doesn’t like.
If the purpose of the tool is to suppress behaviour, the dog doesn’t have the power to act without restraint.
And yet, many shock collar die-hards will say that a shock collar is what gives their dog freedom.
Freedom to be off leash (often whether or not it’s legal).
Freedom to interact with other dogs or people.
Freedom to not be placed in a shelter or euthanized.
And I suppose if there wasn’t so much evidence supporting the effectiveness of training without behaviour suppression (punishment) and the harmful side effects of training with behaviour suppression, this might pass for truth.

But, that’s not the world we live in. Dogs aren’t experiencing this supposed freedom, but humans definitely are.
Freedom to not bother carrying a leash (or a treat pouch).
Freedom to not maintain a connection with their dog’s body language and needs.
Freedom to not proactively manage their dog’s environment and instead wait till something goes wrong.
Freedom to ignore the science of behaviour and prioritize mythical labels and explanations.
Freedom to hold their dog accountable for their own human actions.
Freedom to feel entitled to a quick fix.

07/18/2024

An update on Milo! ( )

Milo has been working hard on his reactivity and also working on some focus and relaxation skills. He's doing a phenomenal job! He can leave mom alone while he's working and takes regular walks downtown. He even went to a farmer's market and has made some new human friends!
See more in my "Progress" highlight!

07/09/2024

Hank the Mastiff Mix needs some help with leash manners and excitability around other dogs. We're also getting rid of his choke chain!
Stay tuned for updates!

07/07/2024

Hime visited a dog show in Puyallup today and was an absolute angel! I was so impressed with her behavior.
She had her longest car ride to date (4 hours both ways), was surrounded by tons of people and dogs and had to stay in one spot for almost an hour (a BIG deal for her). She wanted to say hello to everyone, so I did have to keep a short leash on her. Almost every person and dog ignored her, so it was great practice for neutrality; not everyone is going to say hi to you and that's fine! She also did great being handled by someone else while I helped put dogs away.
I definitely think she could participate in the show next time!
She got a new crate bed and some toys for being so awesome.