Toto Dog Training

12/10/2024

11/29/2024

It’s that time of year again! The deals are rolling in, and so are the surprise Christmas puppies! Set up your new furry friend for success with our Santa Paws special! If you take advantage of this special, you and your four-legged friend will receive a New Client Evaluation and a three-week Private Lesson package (a $297 value) for only $250! Don’t have a new dog? This can make a great Christmas present! This special only runs until the end of the year, so don’t wait! Call or email to purchase.

10/31/2024

Did you know we have a blog?
That’s right! Head over to ‘The Dog Blog’ on our website to read about everything from opinion posts to training tips and more! Updated regularly to ensure our readers get access to exciting new content!

10/24/2024

Some people seem confused on when it’s appropriate to let their dog off-leash, so we’ve made this little roadmap to help them out! In general, it’s better to keep your dog on a leash when out and about but if you feel the need to let Fido roam, here are a few things to consider.

10/15/2024

Don’t forget about our Spooky Sale. The goblins and ghosts disappear on November 1st, so don’t delay!

Spooky month is almost upon us, but the only thing to be scared of is this scary deal! Any owner with a black dog is eligible for a 10% discount on any private lesson or behavior modification package through the month of October!

09/24/2024

Spooky month is almost upon us, but the only thing to be scared of is this scary deal! Any owner with a black dog is eligible for a 10% discount on any private lesson or behavior modification package through the month of October!

09/13/2024

Good luck to the Black Bears this year! We’re proud to be a sponsor. Go Bears!

08/26/2024

We’d love to see these little cuties get adopted! Each of these puppy adopters will be eligible for a $60 New Family Member Consultation ( normally $102) to discuss how to integrate your new family member into your new home, how to introduce potty training and crate training, and so much more. This is also available virtually, which is a great option for adopters who live farther away. But that’s not all: for each additional dollar donated to Friends of Animals, we’ll take $1 off the bill. You could potentially receive the consultation for free!
Save a life and adopt today!
*Proof of adoption and donation required.*

08/19/2024

We’ve been doing some behind-the-scenes work, and we’re now proud to show it off! Check out this video and more at www.totodogtraining.net.
*Credit to Kate Rowland for videography and editing.*

08/02/2024

We’ve been busy with some projects behind the scenes, and we can’t wait to share them with you! Keep watching our Facebook and Instagram for a special announcement coming soon!

07/10/2024

The force-free training mentality is not passive training; it’s a commitment to an animal’s overall welfare and state of mind instead of immediate, outward results. The future of dog training is here, and it’s built on respect instead of force.

Given the statements that we see so often from those using aversive or 'balanced' training methods, those of us who use a force free approach need to clear up some of the issues with what is said.

As well as the red flags so often seen of 'positive only' or 'purely positive', these statements will usually trot out the old misunderstanding that all we do is toss cheese at a dog when they do something right and ignore everything else. This is absolutely untrue and does not reflect the force free approach at all.

Successful force free training involves SO much more than that.

• It needs a deep understanding of learning theory.
• What the dog's welfare needs are and how to make sure they are met.
• The potential impact of health on behaviour.
• The emotional states that underly behaviours.
• How to manage situations so that the dogs don't carry out the undesired behaviours and perhaps get an internal reward for doing them.
• How to train other behaviours the dog can do in that situation that will be rewarded so that the undesirable behaviour is no longer the best choice for them in that situation.
• When training isn’t the right answer at all.

The factors involved in getting the force free approach and training right are far too many for me to list in this post or on this image, but these are the things that a good force free trainer or behaviour professional is doing every time they are working with a dog and their humans.

It's so much more than just lobbing food at a dog.

07/04/2024

The theme this year is “The Dog Days of Summer.”
We think we should win by default.
Come see us in the Sterling Old Fashioned Fourth of July Parade at five here in Sterling.
Have a Happy Fourth of July from your friends at Toto Dog Training!

07/01/2024

News flash: Your dog is not a service dog just because you say it is! Training a service dog takes many years and several thousands of dollars. Please don’t distract real services dogs by bringing Fluffy into a non pet-friendly store (Also an ‘emotional support dog’ is not a service animal. Just saying.)

06/24/2024

Heads up! This week is looking to be toasty. Make sure you have a safety plan for your pets.

06/19/2024

Firework season is almost upon us, which means stress and anxiety for many pets. The time is now to help your pet weather the colorful storm! Here are some tips to make sure you are prepared:
-Make sure your pet has a dog tag or microchip with your contact info in case they escape.
-Talk to your vet about calming and anti-anxiety medications.
-Consider a Thundershirt or turning on the TV to block out the noise.
-Training! Counter-conditioning your dog to the sound of fireworks with tasty treats can help reduce their anxiety.

06/07/2024

Wellness is an important part of living a vibrant life, for humans and their pets! At Toto Dog Training, we value wellness and is involved with each training exercise and plan that we create. How can you implement more wellness into your dog’s life?

What does welfare mean to us?

🐾Wellness emotionally and physically to ensure a balanced companion
🐾Enrichment that is appropriate, safe, and easy
🐾Learning and exposure that is positive and safe
🐾Family bonds that are strong and restored
🐾Agency and consent to help your companion feel safe and heard
🐾Rewards-based training that builds long-lasting life skills and self-regulation
🐾Ethology and helping you understand the genetics/breeding background of your companion

All of these things help your companion feel secure and help you feel better prepared to meet their needs and yours. With security comes better communication, better bonds, and better behavior. All of this will help your entire household feel less stressed. We're here for you 🥰

05/27/2024

May we take this time to remember all those who have fallen this Memorial Day.

05/01/2024

We’d like to wish a Happy Birthday to…well, us!
It’s our one-year anniversary, and we’d like to thank everyone for the support we have received this past year. As a gift, we’re giving away a FREE custom Toto Dog Training clicker to anyone who books private lessons or behavior modification sessions with us during the month of May. And don’t forget to come see us in Sterling on Saturday, May 4th for Pots ‘N Pedals!