Rise Above Dog Training

12/05/2024

Hey all! If you are looking for a charity to donate to to offset taxes this year I wanted to throw my suggestion and support out there for a cause I’m working closely with. In case you haven’t heard I accepted a job with Soldier's Best Friend this summer and am officially training service dog teams for the organization part time! This not only has been the perfect situation for me to ride the waves of being a small business with some extra income, but has also broadened my knowledge and experience even further as a trainer, and has put me in a position to do some truly meaningful work with people and dogs.

Soldier’s Best Friend is a 501c3 based out of Peoria who pairs combat veterans across Arizona with rescue dogs and provides the training and support the veteran needs to train their own service dog. It’s been half a year of shadowing, training, and learning from not only the staff, but the veterans themselves. There are so many powerful and deeply impactful stories I’ve heard and gotten to witness in my time with them so far and I feel very proud to be part of what they do!

Thanks to the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit, you can donate up to $841 and get it right back on your Arizona tax return, so don’t miss out on an opportunity to support veterans and rescue dogs across Arizona!

11/30/2024

This one goes out to every dog that ever had to get a bath… Alexa, play “Angel” by Sarah McLachlan 🎶😔 Shout out to Fiona for being very brave at the DIY Pet Wash during her lesson today 🙏❤️

11/22/2024

Had to say goodbye to our personal dog Hobbes today. Hobbes is a dog I adopted off of the euthanasia list back in 2014 right before I went to dog training school. He’s seen us through so many iterations of this business and taught me so much. His smile was the thing that made me fall in love with him, and he was my unofficial emotional support animal for years. There’s a phrase we use in our house called “black holed” which means a dog cuddles up with you and before you know it you’re waking up from a nap you didn’t plan for. Hobbes was the king of that. His heavy cuddles are unmatched.

He was surrendered to the shelter a decade ago for “biting” and I can safely say after seeing his behavior for the last 10 years that was not true. This dog didn’t have a mean bone in his body. A true sweet heart who was an exuberant expresser of affection at his worst. I feel lucky we got to see him off in style and comfort with a last mosey through the park, a bag full of weinerschnitzle, and all the cuddles from his mom and dad. In his memory please take your pups on a hotdog date for my boy Hobbes. Forever our Hot Dog Prince. Run free buddy 💘🌭🐾

11/16/2024

A huge loss to our rescue community. I can only imagine the enormous pack who met him at the rainbow bridge.

John McLean, a Democratic candidate for the state Senate who lost last week's election, was killed in a traffic collision near Broadway and Houghton Road on Friday morning, police said.

11/10/2024

It takes a special kind of heart to love a difficult dog. In a world full of quick fixes and a “what’s in it for me?” attitude there’s no good reason to. It doesn’t add to your bank account, it’s not easy on your house, it’s not great for your social life… So when I meet people who love a “bad” dog, I pay attention. These hearts exist within people of all walks. I could never pick them out on sight alone. You can only tell which ones they are by the way they navigate difficult things, and don’t let the hard stuff change what they value. They’re loyal. They’re brave. They don’t cop out for convenience. So rare in this life.

A heart that can stand up to every single wave of hurt this world throws at it, maybe tired, maybe sad, but never wavering in letting the love it carries to shine through. That kind of love transcends every law of physics, reality, time, and space. Long after the heart stops beating the love carries on. It’s in the wind. It’s in the sun on your face. It’s in the rain drops on your garden. It’s in every flower and bird that makes your day more beautiful. And that’s just a corny (but true!) way of saying love never leaves.

I know this, because I loved a difficult dog who’s no longer here and I feel that love between me and him every day. In moments of doubt I feel that he’s here. In happy moments I know he’s around. Even as I type this out with a heavy heart I look up and see the angel number 444 on the clock that I associate with him. He’s telling me to be brave, and not to doubt myself in sharing this message. I loved that dog so much, and our love for each other is the tether between our two worlds until I see him again. Like the longest long line that never tangles, our hearts are forever connected and it will be the way we find our way back to each other when it’s time for me to go home.

And although it hurts to have to be here when he’s there, that love for my dog has led me to connect with people who love their dogs the same way. Unconditional. Unstoppable. As they say, “Real recognizes real.” and I’m grateful to know each of these humans and to bear witness to their love in action. It’s my own personal sun on my face moment. A time when me and my dog are close again for a brief moment, as I walk with people down their own path of loving their own difficult dog.

11/08/2024

Hanging out with adoptables Duke and Sasha today, and we’re out here frolicking at the park. What are you and your dogs doing with the cooler weather in full swing?

11/07/2024

Woola is a big beautiful bully breed girlie who is working on engagement to have more pleasant walks with her dad. They are the first family to take us up on our Rescue rate and we’re really excited to be able to offer this resource to the rescue pups of Pima County. Now until the end of the year rescue dogs get the rescue rate for private lessons which takes our $125 private lessons down to only $90. This is available to any rescue dog with their adoption paperwork from either a shelter or 501c3 rescue. New to the family or a long time member of your pack, all rescue dogs are eligible!

10/12/2024

Hi all,
In light of the unrelenting overpopulation at local shelters I’ve decided to offer discounted private lessons to shelter and rescue dogs new and old. Starting now until the end of 2024 our hour long private lessons (normally $125) will be $90 for rescue pups with proof of adoption from a local shelter or rescue org.

Below is our link to schedule a $45 half hour phone consultation to get started. The phone consult is an awesome resource full of training advice for people looking for affordable training support as well.

This economy is tough and I know that is a huge part of why the shelters are full. I want to make it easier for dogs to stay in their homes if money is a barrier to training, so I’m extending the rate I offer our rescue partners to the humans who have committed to homeless dogs in Pima County until the end of the year. I wish I could do more, but this is what I’ve come up with to contribute to the issue for now. Spread the word to those in need.

Any questions, feel free to touch base at
RiseAboveDogTraining@ gmail.com

https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=21500309&appointmentType=33129105

09/25/2024

Come find us on Nextdoor! Tag us in the neighborhood gossip. Tell your neighbors you think we’re awesome with a review. Support us as we try yet another avenue to market our dog training services to Tucson 🌵❤️🐾

https://nextdoor.com/pages/rise-above-dog-training-tucson-az-1?init_source=org_pages

09/14/2024

"Pima Paws for Life" animal shelter rescues sick and injured pets, at risk of closing due to lack of funds

08/18/2024

Relaxing around distractions is the mission and BNT Mack is taking his job VERY seriously 😂😅

08/16/2024

Board and Train Mack looking happy and relaxed as we proof his down stay around a puppy mosh pit 😅😎 We always aim for enthusiastic obedience where the dog is exuding confidence and comfort under command. Even if they have behavioral issues, we never want to see a dog whose spirit is crushed when we ask them to comply, so this kind of smile and soft expression as Mack works next to some tough distractions is a win in our book ❤️🐾

08/14/2024

Max is a dog I took on as a foster from PACC back in April. I’m cracking up realizing how much he’s fluffed out since we brought him home🤣 He was on a deadline for a behavioral past, but in shelter and here in our house he has shown little to no issues. Max is one of the most mellow dogs at my house and has mastered the art of chill. When he’s in the yard many times I find him laying somewhere shady with his paws crossed just watching the world go by. When he’s in his kennel he is more than content with a chew and makes no fuss about being in there. He’s been lovely when he’s joined us on group walks with little to no issues being neutral around people and dogs.

Max was confiscated from a home along with a few other dogs after the group of them broke out of the yard in pursuit of a little dog and the little dog was killed. There was also another situation where Max broke out of the yard and bit the ankle of someone passing by the house. In the past 5 months the closest thing I have seen to the bite/ or breaking out of a yard in pursuit of anything is some mild barrier reactivity to high energy situations. I don’t want to minimize his behavior, because rehoming a behavior dog is a responsibility I don’t take lightly; however, I truly believe that Max most likely was living in a situation with a highly frustrated group of dogs, outside with minimal stimulation, and the group dynamic mixed with a yard that wasn’t secure was a perfect storm for a dangerous situation. Outside of that environment I have experienced Max as a very balanced dog who is capable of being a very loving and mellow pet.

Because of his history and hesitancy around people I would not suggest a home with young children, because I think he needs to be around people who can read his body language and will respond appropriately. I also think in terms of dogs he would benefit from other easy going medium to large size dogs. Because of his history and wanting to ensure his success in his adoption I am donating 4 private lessons and 4 group walk sessions to his adopter during his transition into his new home.

If you’d like more info on Max please send us an email at [email protected]

08/12/2024

Support your local rescues. Please share and donate ❤️

🐾Please consider a donation for the fur babies🐾
$980.00 is still urgently needed to cover utilities, medical costs & rent. Please help us keep the lights on, roof over their heads & the care they need. Please donate if you can. ❤️ Or share please.
❤️Thank you to all who have donated so far to help us reach our goal.❤️
Tax deductible donations are accepted online, by mail & in person.
Links to donate: http://m.pimapawsforlife.org/donate.html
http://account.venmo.com/PimaPawsForLife

Pima Paws For Life is a non profit, no kill animal shelter that takes in dogs & cats in our community. Many that were most at risk. You help us give many the chance they deserve for a quality life full of love.

The brothers Gomer, Jasper & Blue enjoying some freshly washed beds we set out to dry. They are part of our feral colony and have lived here since babies. They are as much a part of our family as the ones we can touch. We love them!

08/08/2024

Just our current Board and Train Mack cozying up to a new human friend after his evening obedience session ❤️ Mack is reactive and suspicious of unfamiliar people, so watching him expand his social circle and build his confidence is what it’s all about for us. We take a dog centered approach which can be one of the biggest hurdles for clients. People want answers. People want solutions. And people want it now. Dog’s like Mack want to know you’re not a weirdo before he’s going to let you get anywhere near him, and no amount of rushing it is going to change how he feels. If anything that might validate that he was right, you are a weirdo after all! So we let the dog show us when they’re comfortable and we adjust where we can to streamline the process. When your mere existence is experienced as an intense form of pressure for the dog, you have to let them acclimate while you demonstrate your intentions. And in the beginning our only intention is to coexist. The level of interest Josh is showing in this interaction is done with the intention of taking the pressure off of Mack to let him approach without all that weird eye contact, leaning over, and hand offering that humans can’t help but do. Body language that’s less interested is way more approachable for a dog like Mack, so we do a lot of looking bored around the very not boring dogs 😅 Playing it cool and trying not to be weird helps the dogs not be weird. So please enjoy this is picture of a couple of cool guys doing a very nice job together of not being weird. Not bad for just passing the 2 week mark in this little buddy’s Board and Train😂❤️

07/25/2024

Spent lunch in a shady spot with Duke and Sasha working on building some duration into their “Down”. These pups are both so smart and getting to take their skills out into the real world to start practicing around bigger distractions is exciting! They are still looking for their forever homes!

07/15/2024

Hope everyone is ok after the wild storm we had yesterday. We had a power line go down on our property so we spent last night with all the windows open and spent the morning picking up the pieces and getting a crash course in running a generator to keep the pups cool. Grateful to all clients and colleagues who showed us flexibility and understanding while we figured it out. Super grateful to Tucson Electric Power for getting the power back on in our area before it got really hot. Thinking about everyone who’s still waiting for their turn and hoping everyone human and pet is staying safe out there ❤️