Both of these dogs are under 9 months old. So, what’s your excuse? 😉
Living life with a small zoo sometimes has its struggles. Between three dogs, a cat, a rabbit, and a parakeet, there’s always someone who needs fed, a cage that needs cleaned, grooming, play, enrichment…you get the point. While it’s a very fulfilling life, it can definitely get chaotic and it requires a ton of responsibility and daily care.
I certainly couldn’t manage this household with the order and peace that we have, without training. It is through training and LOTS of communication that my animals all coexist as well as they do. The dogs know they aren’t allowed to chase the cat or the bunny. They understand that just because cages are open does not mean they have free access to whatever is inside. If I need a more structured approach to a chore, I can send them into their crate, onto a place, or simply tell them to stop whatever shenanigans they’re up too and avoid tripping over furry bodies.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or out of control in your own house, training might be a great option for you. A month’s worth of work is worth a lifetime of peace, if you ask me.
On the hunt!
Want a good way to put your dog’s nose and brain to use? Fallen leaves provide the perfect snuffle mats for meals and treats!
Oh, Mr. Benny Beans. This guy will be working towards off-leash freedom for the next four weeks with me, but this week we just worked on the basics. This video is equal parts obedience and relationship building.
Benny was not the most enthusiastic student at the beginning of our week. He missed his brother, he missed his house, and, suddenly, his kibble tasted like dirt. The only thing he lit up for was a ball and some tasty treats. If you watch to the end, you can see a sudden existential crisis when I ask for a sit from down, but most importantly, you can see how I how I help him through it.
I’m so excited to see what this guy can do and how he will continue to grow.
Okay. I have a confession.
I often forget to record sessions with the dogs, making it hard to keep up social media appearances.
And this video will seem insignificant to a lot of owners and trainers alike. It’s not flashy. It’s not cute. It’s far from perfect.
BUT, if you had seen this dog before this video was taken. If you had watched him “starfish” and refuse to move and been stressed out of his mind to the point where he completely shut down, then you would know just how big of a deal this is.
Thank you, Templeton, for testing my training and knowledge in every way.
Just a dog being a dog. No commands, no pressure. This girl has worked so hard to get her off-leash freedom and now she gets to reap the benefits! Bailey is a 2.5 year old Weimaraner that just completed our 20 day Off-Leash Residency. This video is a short clip of her being at calm liberty to sniff and move away from me and a demonstration of an “emergency down”.
I would say life is pretty peachy for this young girl and I’m so excited to see her progress continue with her owners. Stay tuned to see her sister, Bella, later on!
Mo (affectionately called Mosephus during his stay) is a 5 month old mini bernadoodle who spent a week with me learning how to be a better member of society. This guy came along with the usual puppy antics, but look at how much he learned! We worked on basic obedience as well as calm greetings and a little impulse control.
Good Boy, Mo! 🥳
Missing this sweet little face this week.
Daisy is a mini goldendoodle that hung out with me for a couple of weeks to work on some basic manners and advanced obedience. She was a quick learner and an enthusiastic student.
Good girl, Daisy 💛
Trial of the Squeaky Toy 🦖
Winston is an 8 month old Pomsky who is finishing up his training program tomorrow. Aside from general manners, his family wanted to focus on his general inattentiveness to them. A huge part of that was his lack of impulse control, paired with his high prey drive. After a couple of weeks learning some basic obedience and getting exposure to different stimuli, Winston was ready to kick it up a notch.
How do you think he did?
Whose Name Is It?
Sully got to play with the big dogs today! (pun intended)
This is a fun game I like to play with the dogs to help proof their place commands. Sully is finishing up his off-leash program and has been rocking his distractions, so we decided to up the ante. This higher energy game lets me see if the dogs are more interested in their surroundings, the other dogs, or me!
I love watching their brains work and their enthusiasm to engage. 🥰
