CastleHill Obedience Training

05/31/2022

04/04/2022

To my CastleHill Pack,

A family member of mine passed away today. Some sessions may need to be rescheduled towards the end of this week. I will get messages sent out as funeral plans are made.

Thank you for your patience, I’m grateful for you all ❤️

04/01/2022

CastleHill is currently undergoing some changes to better meet my clients needs. Due to this, I’m considering expanding my course options to include:

GROUP CLASSES! These classes would be for dogs and puppies learning their basic obedience skills. Please send me a message if you are interested in attending these classes!

For those interested in individual lessons, and wanting to learn more about CastleHill, please see the link below for course options.

https://www.castlehillobedience.com/courses

Individualized Dog Training for the Sioux Falls Community

03/26/2022

Which course is the best fit for your pup?

Let me know, and let’s get started! You can still book your April spot!

https://www.castlehillobedience.com/courses

Individualized Dog Training for the Sioux Falls Community

03/26/2022

We are currently accepting bookings for April!!

You can send me a message on Facebook, or contact me at (605) 906-8025 to book your course.

Here are some of CastleHill’s current fuzzy students!

03/25/2022

03/25/2022

02/22/2022

If anyone’s looking for a local ethical Mini American Shepherd (Mini Aussie) breeder, I highly recommend Waterfall! These pups are going to make the best family members!

02/17/2022

Hello all!

Today is my birthday, so I am taking a personal day. I will not be accepting any calls or messages about training, but I will get back to everyone this weekend. 😊

01/25/2022

Winter in South Dakota brings extra challenges as pet owners. It’s cold and building up that motivation to get outside and exercise your dog can be so hard! At CastleHill we know and understand how you feel. While dogs need proper exercise regularly, mental stimulation is equally as important and can help channel that excess energy into positive behaviors.

Mental Stimulation: anything that stimulates, activates, or enriches the mind.
These activities can help reduce stress and boredom in your dogs life.

There are many ways to add enrichment to your dogs life, and most of them take very little time and effort from the owner. Items such as lick mats, kong toys, marrow bones, toppls, etc. can be filled and frozen for a longer activity. Varieties in shapes and texture keep the brain more stimulated. Snufflemats are a great alternative to a traditional dog bowl, and provide outlets for foraging. Cardboard boxes and paper towels are a cheap alternative to store bought snufflemats and provide the same experience. You can sprinkle kibble into a blanket and roll it up and tie into a large knot for a more advanced puzzle. The possibilities are endless.

Another option is TRAINING! Every dog is an individual with their own learning style and desires. What’s very enriching for one dog may be boring for another, and that’s okay. Have fun with your dog, try to teach a new trick that makes you smile. If you’re teaching something boring, spice it up with an intense game of tug as the reward. The possibilities are endless here too.

Keep up the good work, I see you guys out there walking your dogs! Add in some mental stimulation too, and winters might just be a little bit easier!

11/21/2021

Your rescue dog probably wasn’t abused…Let’s talk about why!

The primary socialization period is between 4-8 weeks, so very young. Fears typically begin to emerge around 8 weeks. A lot of rescue dogs are strays, raised by fosters/owners who lack experience, or put in a shelter environment. Because of this proper socialization rarely takes place. If proper training and socialization wasn’t continued after that period, these fear based behaviors only get worse.

The second factor is genetics. Genetics play a huge roll in behavior, you can’t breed an unstable dog and expect stable puppies. Behavior can be and is often passed down. Rescue dogs are often the result of unplanned breedings, irresponsible breedings, or natural stray breedings. Many dogs with those backgrounds have fear based behaviors, so there’s an extremely high chance the offspring will as well.

Some rescue dogs are abused, and it’s heartbreaking. Most however, likely were not. Their socialization was simply neglected or they were dealt a poor genetic hand. Retail rescues love to make up sob stories to get their dogs adopted, but unfortunately this usually ends with the dog not being the right fit for the owners.

Rescuing is an amazing, beautiful part of the dog world. The dogs just come with a higher risk factor due to their unknown backgrounds. In order to ensure your rescue dog is the right fit, always ask specific questions regarding canine behaviors. You can also hire a trainer to evaluate the dog for you.

11/20/2021

If you are considering adding a new furry family member this holiday season, I’d love to offer my assistance.

• I will help you to find a breed that suits your lifestyle and get you connected to a responsible, reputable preservation breeder. There are also ethical pet AND doodle breeders these days that I can help you find. Choosing a breed that fits your lifestyle is of upmost importance, and I promise to be nothing but honest and upfront about the breed and lines you’re considering. There are a lot of factors that go into ethical breeding, but the dogs that get produced are so worth the effort.

• If you choose to rescue, I will help you find a responsible rescue to go through. Not all are created equal. I will also help you with knowing the right questions to ask, so you get the most honest answers you can and the best fit for your family.

• If you need help finding a food for your puppy that you maybe got from a not so great place, I will help you. I know that there is some scary and contradictory information out there these days, and I can help give you resources to sort through it all.

• If you need help finding a trainer, groomer, vet, etc in your area, I will help you! I KNOW how overwhelming it is to get a dog or want a dog and not know what to do. I have experience and resources and I'd love to use them to help you.

Basically, PLEASE don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I can promise you will be met with honesty, kindness, and a desire to educate. I have a poorly bred dog from an irresponsible breeder with both health and behavioral issues. I’m on a list for a wonderfully bred dog from a preservation breeder who does everything right. I also help with rescue efforts in every way I can. I’ve made the mistakes and learned the lessons, and now I’m here to help the Sioux Falls Community!

11/17/2021

Meet the newest member of CastleHill’s Train and Save program! Zeke is up for adoption!

This is Ezekiel, but everyone calls him Zeke. He is a Great Pyrenees/Akbash mix, a true livestock guardian dog at heart. Being almost 100 pounds at 11 months old, he has earned the title “Gentle Giant”. Zeke is good with strangers, dogs, cats, and absolutely adores kids. He has been around livestock at a distance with no issues, but has never directly interacted with them. Zeke loves hanging out in his yard, going for rides in the pickup, going to the farm, chewing on bones and logs, and spending time with his owner no matter what they’re doing. All he wants is the simple family farm life!

Zeke is being rehomed because wasn’t made for the 9-5 city lifestyle. Both breeds in Zeke’s mix are Livestock Guardian Dogs, meaning they’ve been bred for hundreds of years to roam and protect livestock unattended. While Zeke has not been evaluated for working ability, he does exhibit some of these traits. We are hoping to find Zeke a forever home in the country, where he will have more freedom to be the dog he was made to be. Zeke has been crated during working hours his entire life, however he will need more assistance to become fully crate trained. He does not like the crate and barks when people are around. Zeke also has a tendency to demand bark for attention.

Zeke is being placed with a complimentary 6 week training course through CastleHill Obedience. This course will cover basic commands, manners, and helping him adjust to his new family. There is an application process as well as a rehoming fee for Zeke.

Give me a call at (605) 359-7399 to learn more!

11/15/2021

Interested in 2 FREE sessions? Checkout our Current Promotion!

CastleHill offers Individualized Dog Training to the Sioux Falls Community. From Puppy Foundations to Behavior Mod, I’m here for you! Shoot me a message to setup your FREE Consultation Today.

Find more information at https://www.castlehillobedience.com/courses

11/15/2021

Looking for information on CastleHill Courses?
Checkout our Courses page at https://www.castlehillobedience.com/courses

Individualized Dog Training for the Sioux Falls Community

11/15/2021

11/13/2021

Some fun photos with current CastleHill Students! It was such a fun day!

11/03/2021

Thanks for your patience while I work through all the messages I’ve received today! I promise I will get back to you as soon as I’m able.

For those that have sent me a message, first step is setting up your free in person or phone consultation. If you could include a few times you’re free in your message, we can set that up to go over details. Pricing varies widely depending on the dogs needs, current promotions, and payment plan options. Due to this I cannot quote you until I’ve learned more about your dog during the consultation. Thank you!

11/03/2021

Hello Everyone! There has been an influx of people trying to send me messages, and for some reason Facebook has shut down my messaging option. Please give me a call or shoot me a text at (605) 359-7399 to get ahold of me! Thanks!

10/19/2021

10/13/2021

All CastleHill courses are currently booked out for 4 weeks!

If you’d like to get your pup in for training in November or December, shoot me a message! Spots are filling up fast!

Happy Wednesday from Bowen and Bri!

10/05/2021

My name is Brianna Castle and I am the trainer/owner of CastleHill Obedience Training. My mission is to help pet owners achieve their goals and enjoy life with their pets. I specialize in obedience (basic to advanced) and puppy foundations. I own one dog (Bowen) and one cat (Kovu), and have been heavily involved in pet care most of my life.

I was born and raised in Sioux Falls, but moved down to Georgia after highschool for my apprenticeship. In Georgia I worked with all ages of dogs with various levels of drive and different learning styles. I worked directly under the guidance of my mentor at https://www.thesunshine-cottage.com.

With the knowledge I gained during my apprenticeship I hope to help owners learn how to communicate with their dogs. Thus promoting a wonderful relationship built on trust and clear communication. Dogs can make the best companions, let’s go teach them how to be one together!