On Point Dog Training LLC

01/10/2025

We got up early and played in the snow this morning!

What a rare treat!

Let’s see pictures/videos of your pups in the snow 💕 ❄️

12/21/2024

Sometimes, it’s fun for both the owner and the dog to take a break from obedience training and try something creative! It can keep training fresh and fun for all; keeping the dog engaged and increasing the bond between the dog and the owner.

Karma managed to learn how to open doors on her own, but wasn’t great at closing them behind her. It didn’t take long for her to learn how! In just one session, this was the progress she made. (Note that this is still a work in progress; our end goal is to be able to send her from across the room to do it.)

She’s such a smart girl! Although this is just a “fun” behavior, it’s also one that service dogs must complete before becoming certified!

Notice the celebration of praise after she completed the behavior and received her food reward. Hyping your dog up and really making a big deal out of their accomplishments can be the best reward! Remember - training should be fun and it’s okay to take breaks to celebrate!

12/18/2024

One question that I get asked quite often is at what age I recommend for beginning training lessons.

Ideally, you should have a training plan in place before puppy ever comes home. Puppy should begin training the moment it walks through the door of its new home. Of course, we set reasonable expectations in relation to the puppy’s age; those expectations will increase with age.

Most puppies are welcomed into their new homes anywhere from 6-12 weeks old.

Behaviors puppies of this age should start with:
1) Potty training
2) Crate training
3) Extinguishing puppy biting/jumping
3) Name
4) Recall
5) Sit
6) Socialization
7) Desensitization to leash and collar

Harvey is setting a good example for other puppies by beginning his training lessons at 9 weeks old! He’s going to be a big boy so we definitely want to get ahead of the game!

“Hi, I’m Harvey. I’m the fox red lab from Dakota, Minnesota. I was named after Harvey Specter from the tv show Suits.

I enjoy playing with other dogs, well at least the ones that are nice to me. I’m currently learning how to not be a biter. In tv show Suits, Harvey did things his way, and I have taken after my namesake…and therefore that’s why I’m in training.”

How stinkin’ cute is he!

12/09/2024

The other day, I saw this video. It encouraged me to make a public service announcement.

Please do not EVER use retractable leashes for ANY reason. There is no reason to ever use one. Ever.

I know that some of you may think this is a freak accident, but it’s not. I, myself have suffered from retractable leash accidents.

One happened before I knew any better; I was walking a 75 pound, dog aggressive dog on one. A standard poodle came out of nowhere with no owner. I instinctively reached for the leash to pull the foster dog backward and, you guessed it. Sliced my hand, and I still had to contain two dogs anyways with my injured and bleeding hand. The second incident was when someone else’s puppy tangled around my ankles and took off; yet another slice.

Retractable leashes can slice or burn skin; they can and WILL snap, and the handles are just too easy to accidentally let go of. When you drop it (and you will), your dog will spook and take off running and will not stop (ask me how many times I’ve seen it happen).

Not only are these leashes dangerous, they allow for absolutely no communication with your dog. Your leash is a tool; you use it as a guide and to communicate messages to your dog. You absolutely cannot do this with a retractable leash.

Please, please, please do not use these. A regular, non retractable/non bungee leash is what you want. If your dog needs more room to go potty because your yard isn’t fenced in, use a training leash. They come in a variety of lengths and have a handle just as a leash does (and bonus, you can use it for recall training).

Daniella Abreu says she's blind in one eye after her dog's retractable leash broke. When her 60-pound Husky went after a rabbit, she says the leash snapped. ...

12/02/2024

In 2020, my husband and I took the most amazing trip to Hilton Head, SC. We chose this destination because we had read about how dog friendly it is. Every day of our vacation, our dogs went to the beach with us, walked around town with us and went out to eat with us.

One comment that we received repeatedly on our trip was, “Man, I wish my dog could do that! He/she could never!”

After that trip, I made it my mission to advocate for a dogs full potential. Is every dog cut out to do all that is listed above? Certainly not, and it’s not fair to assume that every dog would enjoy it. However, if it is your dream to have a dog who can accomplish this, starting early is key. It takes a lot of effort and time in the first few years of a dogs life to make it happen. If you want the perfect dog, you HAVE to put in the work.

Joey has been an amazing owner to Karma and has put in an enormous amount of time and effort into her and into her training. Although his main goal is to have Karma be his golfing buddy, he also wants to be able to bring her anywhere that he can. We are proud to show off how well she is doing in her training. Although I do not have a video to share of that, here is a compilation of her skills shown at a recent Home Depot session.

If you are getting a puppy for Christmas and want this to be you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I would love to help with all of those Christmas puppies! People often ask how old their puppy needs to be to begin training. It should begin the day that you bring puppy home. To get to the point shown in the videos, usually requires two packages (6 sessions each). Because training begins at your home, I have the ability to not have a minimum age requirement for puppy.

11/11/2024

YOU have to put in the work. Too often, people expect me to fix everything or want to use tools that offer a quick “solution”. I’m not a miracle worker. Life isn’t one episode of Cesar Millan’s show. I am there to teach you, teach your dog and get behaviors started (or stopped). I can’t accomplish training a behavior in an hour, once a week. You’ve got to put in the time and work in between sessions. Training takes time and effort, and if you aren’t willing to put in the work that I’ve advised is needed, then you don’t need a dog.

Dog trainers are actually coaches. Yes we can train obedience but when we are working with behavioral issues the dog owners are the real key to success.

10/02/2024

As a dog trainer/behaviorist, I often hear how “cruel” it is to keep a dog in a crate.

This statement is so disheartening. There are many, many reasons as to why crate training is the opposite of cruel and is a very important skill for your dog to learn. Compare it to containing a baby in a crib or playpen when unsupervised. You wouldn’t leave a crawling baby to wander the house alone, would you? Babies can’t be trusted to make good decisions unsupervised and neither can puppies/young dogs.

We’ve all seen pictures and videos of the devastation across the coast. The attached screenshot is the reality that dogs, cats and other domestic animals are facing right now. Weeks on end, living their lives SAFELY in a crate.

Imagine the chaos of this scene, happening day to day, and on top of that your dog is not crate trained. They are stressed, anxious, biting at it, even flipping and failing. Now their world is EVEN harder. Meanwhile the crate trained dogs are likely sleeping. Which would you rather for your dog?

This image also relays the importance of your dog being able to function without you. Can your dog eat without you? Can they maintain their composure without you? Are they confident (and therefore adaptable and calm) without you?

Send your dog to the petsitter for the weekend, to a parents house, to a friends house; on a REGULAR basis. Crate train your dog. Regularly use it. Do not sell the crate once crate training is “over”. Keep it out, keep it an item that’s regularly viewed within the house. Put a blanket over it with a bed inside. Make it a comfortable, safe place. Make it a place they desire to relax in.

“She doesn’t like it.”
“She whines in it.”
“She barks in it.”

All of this can be worked through and solved. Your dog CAN be comfortable in the crate. I have successfully trained chickens, foxes, cats and more to be comfortable in a crate. If those animals can do it, your dog can be comfortable in one too.

There are many, many more reasons to crate train your dog than to prepare for a possible disaster. This one is just the most heartbreaking.

If you have not crate trained your dog, please reach out to me. This situation is very real for our area.

Be PROACTIVE not REACTIVE. Your dog will never not thank you for it.

09/19/2024

Have you ever heard of that game where you describe your job without saying what it actually is?

If I had to do that, I would say, “I tell people to stop repeating themselves all day.”

Why shouldn’t you repeat yourself when instructing your dog? This video shows it perfectly.

If your dog doesn’t know what a word means, what does repeating it accomplish? It’s comparable to someone saying a word in a different language to you, on repeat. Imagine how that would feel!

If it is a word that you have been working on, often times your dog is processing and thinking through what you’ve said. If you stay silent, they’ll figure it out. If you interrupt, they have to start the thinking process all over again. By not repeating yourself, you’re not only teaching your dog to think (which is a step that gets missed often in training) but also to respond to you the FIRST time you ask. Do you want to have to repeat yourself ten times, or do you want to say it once? Think about how annoying it is to tell spouse, teenager or toddler the same request a thousand times. Not fun!

If the behavior is something that your dog has proven to know, but isn’t completing it, then there is missing information and it’s YOUR job to figure out what it is. Maybe you need to go back a step, maybe your body language needs to shift, maybe you don’t have their attention. There’s ALWAYS a reason your dog isn’t completing something they “know”. Look at this as a training opportunity instead of letting it lead to frustration for the both of you.

This video is just to poke fun at a dog trainers struggles, but it is also actually very educational. Please don’t take offense, because I absolutely LOVE helping close the gap of communication between dogs and their owners, bringing them closer together and putting them on the same page.

But y’all, stop repeating yourselves, haha!

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/Yp8SrwzRTVGP3sij/?mibextid=UalRPS

09/19/2024

Karma: Consists of two different moods.

1) “I is not hungry, salad is uninteresting.”

2) “Ma’am please share that garlic bread of yours.”

I’ll let you take a guess as to which picture is which food.

Typically, I would have sent all three pups to their “bed” (also known as “place”) as I sat down to eat. Today I decided to give them some freedom to make their own choices. Choices were definitely made. One choice was rewarded, one choice was corrected. 😅

Tired of your dog begging while you eat? I can help with that! Let’s teach them one of the most versatile behaviors, together. The behavior “bed” or “place” can be used for a variety of situations. If you have trouble with your dog jumping on guests entering your home, we can teach your dog to “place”. If you have toddlers running around with food in their hand, we can teach your dog to “place”. If you want to take your dog out to eat without embarrassment, we can teach your dog to “place”. It is also a great way to start teaching “stay”.

Note: All three naughty doggos were asked to “place” after undesirable choices were made.

09/06/2024

Sorry, I had to!

09/03/2024

My job is so fun!

Ever wondered what the most popular breed is amongst my clients?

#1 Mini Doodles
#2 Labs
#3 Mixed breed

Occasionally, I get an uncommon breed like this big guy!

Meet Baggio! A current client of mine, Baggio is a Cane Corso. He weighs in at 115 pounds at just under 1 year old. He’s a sweet, big boy who is goofy at heart.

Not to be overshadowed is his sweet sister Indie. Indie is an Aussiedoodle and is the best behaved girl! At 8 years old, she’s basically a pro and sets a good example for Baggio (unless she decides to bolt; thus the impulse control training). Indie says that there is always something new to learn, no matter your age!

Both of these siblings are working on distraction and impulse training. Be on the look out next week for a video of them in action!

08/07/2024

Thought y’all could use a chuckle halfway through the week (and the first day of school for many of us).

In all seriousness, this is one of the most common requests that I receive!

When you change your way of thinking from correction of a natural behavior to redirection, behaviors such as this will eventually diminish and even potentially extinguish. Barking is natural; it should never be punished or corrected but instead the dog should be taught how to adapt to the situation and if still unsure, allowed to communicate so appropriately.

Note: There is a difference between redirection/desensitization and extinguishing. I do not recommend extinguishing barking or any other vocalization, as this is a form of communication that can be dangerous if bypassed.

In public areas, my dogs have been taught to give me a cue other than barking to let me know when they are unsure or uncomfortable. At home, they are allowed to bark at strangers on the property (Amazon, UPS, etc) but have been taught to stop after I say “okay, thank you.” I prefer that my dogs guard the house as such but I also prefer them to stop barking once I’ve been made aware and am confident that I can handle the situation (ex. The delivery man).

07/17/2024

Are y’all hot or is it just me?

One great way to cool down (or at least feel the breeze) is a golf cart ride!

Speaking of which, you may wonder how Karma, the golf cart puppy, has been doing!

Here’s a video update sent to me by her dad.

I think it’s safe to say she likes riding on the golf cart 😂

07/11/2024

Gee, do you think he has a hard life or what (as he snores away)?

Let’s see some pictures of your lazy, contortionist fur babies!

07/08/2024

PAR!

Meet Karma! Karma’s owner reached out to me with an interest in basic training with a side of becoming a golf cart buddy.

Living on a golf course, Karma’s owner plays golf frequently and doesn’t want to leave Karma behind when he goes. The only catch is, she must remain on the cart.

Luckily, we started Karma’s training shortly after she came home. This allowed for desensitization of the golf cart and course to begin early on in her life, giving us quite a hand up in her training process.

We first practiced on the golf cart in the garage, and then in the driveway. When we felt confident she wouldn’t jump out, we moved to the course. In the first videos, I’m holding onto her leash for safety and to cue her back into a sit if needed. Our expectation graduated from Karma holding in place for a few seconds to holding in place for a minute and a half. By the end of the six session package, we both were able to walk away from her (and her owner was nearly out of site). Karma will continue her training so that she can complete an entire course while remaining in her place.

Karma also began basic obedience during her puppy package. She’s already a pro on walks!

It is important to remember that desensitization is a large part of training; the earlier you begin with it the better.

It is also important to remember that baby steps are pertinent in reaching an end goal that will last. Slow and steady wins the race! Once we began timing Karma holding in place, it allowed her owner to really see this point in action. Seconds seem like minutes and minutes seem like hours. Always start small and build upon each step. Cliff notes and skipping steps won’t get you an A+ in training.

Do you have a unique goal you’d like to reach with your dog buddy? Let me know, I’d love to help!

07/03/2024

**ALERT! THERE ARE FIREWORKS SHOWS TONIGHT**

What is your plan? Set a plan and discuss as a family! This is one of the easiest nights to prevent your pet from escaping, yet tons of pets will show up lost for the rest of the week.

Make. A. Plan. Make. Family. Aware.

1) Fireworks will begin tonight and likely last through the weekend
2) Bring pets inside (even if not allowed in the house).
3) Secure in a crate, in a bedroom. Shut bedroom door. This ESPECIALLY applies if you will be having guests over! Use white noise to help.
4) NO off leash potty time after 8pm! On leash potty breaks only after. Double check collar tightness before going outside; walk on leash in fenced in area if possible.
5) Use calming meds as needed. For future reference, canna pets CBD is fantastic.

All of this applies to ALL DOGS! Animals are unpredictable; I have personally known a dog who never once flinched for gunshots or fireworks and one day he jumped over a six foot privacy fence and straight into the woods of the country when a firework went off.

Y’all, this isn’t hard. Just do it. Please. Please share this post!

*not my picture*