There's about about a million dog trainers out there-what sets us apart?
Aside from our varied background working with multiple species and across different settings, we believe that the support we provide to our clients truly makes all the difference.
We don't offer training sessions-we offer packages. The difference is the same as your doctor prescribing you on Amoxicillin at a time versus giving you a 10 day/2x/day script that you keep taking even when your strep throat starts to feel better. You'll also be asked to drink fluids and rest. It's a comprehensive plan to benefit your whole body's health, not to provide a "quick fix" that just doesn't last.
Our training packages include not just the coaching sessions, where we work right with and alongside you and your dog, but EVERYTHING you need to stay successful between sessions. That means providing homework resources that are specific (not "practice down," but rather " Practice for 10 repetitions, 2x/day. Here are the steps to teaching it..." and cover multiple learning styles (visuals, written, and verbal).
Let's be real-the old system of asking for directions elicits blanking. We lose people at "Go west for 1/2 mile then turn right at the intersection of Lost Me and Drawing a Blank." Dog training instructions can be the same. That's why we practice extensively in session, troubleshoot, and then make your support materials based on your individual session. We don't want to leave you in the dark between coaching sessions because practice doesn't make perfect-perfect practice makes perfect!
You can text us to set up a free Discovery Call at (813) 384-8059 if you want to learn more about how we can help you and your pet. We'd love to get started!
Happy #TrainingTipTuesday!! Tula and I have begun to get intentional about crate practice!!
Now, we have phased out the routine portion of the exercise and are practicing going into the crate during a training session, not during a mealtime.
This little change is a BIG DEAL for bunnies. Many people tell us their bunny isn’t treat-motivated, but that they are very excited about mealtimes. That’s because mealtimes are predictable-safety and knowing what to expect = a feeling of comfort that allows for emotional expression.
#zerotocrate Keep following to keep up on Tula’s progress!!
Check out superstar student Bodie!! His mom signed him up for help with reactivity to other dogs. Now, Bodie has learned that other dogs appearing can predict a treat!!
Does your dog embarrass you on walks? We can help!! Text us at (813) 384-8059 to set up a free Discovery Call!
Ready for the next crate training step? I’ve got another #zerotocrate update for you! Happy #TrainingTipTuesday!
What is one of the scariest things in the world?
The unexpected.
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So what can provide a feeling of safety when we are unsure?
Knowing what to expect.
We are leveraging the power of routine to help make the crate feel like a safe place!
Every morning and evening, Tula gets her Sherwood supplements. She LOVES THEM, and gets SUPER EXCITED about this time of day. Maybe we can slide the crate into that routine to see if we can get that same joy associated with the crate…
I started to ask her to follow me over to the crate and placed the vitamins in the edge of the crate. Once she began blasting into the crate in excitement, I began to drop it in AFTER she hopped all the way in.
Again, this is a Tula-led process. The only thing that caused us to jump to the next step was Tula’s enthusiasm.
Let’s check in on our time investment outside of Tula’s normal husbandry routine: 0 hours. 0 min. 0 sec.
All we’ve done is added a crate to her normal routine.
Next week, we’ll talk next steps! If you need to catch up, just follow #zerotocrate to watch Tula’s crate training journey!
Happy #TrainingTipTuesday everybun! Here’s a crate training update!!
The thing about our process is that it is Tula-led. I did the same thing every day once I found her beginning spot. I sprinkled forage in the crate bottom, giving her the opportunity to graze from the edge, the inside, the outside, however she felt comfortable.
Eventually, she started hopping all the way in. Whenever I noticed her interacting with the crate, I praised her (a conditioned reinforcer for her-if she didn’t care about praise, I would not use it here).
Eventually, the frequency of her hopping in all the way increased. The duration of time she spent in there increased.
This is the easy part of good desense: you do the same step over and over and the animal makes forward steps when they are comfortable.
It’s time for the next step! #zerotocrate
Happy #TrainingTipTuesday! Today’s tip: don’t take things too seriously in training! 🤣
Sometimes, the stakes are high and things ARE serious, but things can always improve if mistakes are made. That’s the beauty of the science of learning. Learning can always happen, especially when optimal conditions for learning are created!!
What do dog trainers do on their days off?
Anything that doesn’t involve training 😆 Just like our pets, our brains need a break from training, too!
How do you enjoy your breaks?
Did you know that dog tricks can actually be quite useful? Today's #TrainingTipTuesday tip highlights the usefulness of one trick in particular-it's called "Peekaboo!"
In this trick, your dog circles behind you and sits between your legs. This trick can be perfect for dogs who don't want to greet other people. This behavior puts your dog in a position to be very close to you, buying you a bit more time to tell people that they need to respect your dog's space and boundaries.
It creates an uncomfortable paradigm where someone would need to invade YOUR space in order to invade your dog's space. Social etiquette usually helps protect your pup's boundaries in this instance!!
And in some situations, such as Ariel's, it just helps highlight how cute and smart they are, increasing the likelihood of an adopter spotting them!!
#nationaltrainyourdogmonth #pitbull #rescuedog #adoptme
The biggest mistake you could make in training is trying to do all the things. Why is that?
Because you're human, and you have to do all the training!
But you also have to cut yourself some slack because it's simply not natural to tackle everything all at once. In fact, it's a surefire recipe for burnout at a job, and it's a surefire path to frustration and simply not enjoying your dog. So what do you do?
1. Pick your battles. Does your dog jump on visitors, countersurf, pee in the house, pick up everything they can find, and get into all of your trash cans? Let's not tackle all of those because that's your whole day.
2. Start with bandaids. Use baby gates to keep your dog out of the kitchen and doors to keep them away from your bathroom trash. Pick your stuff up off the floor and take a break from hosting for a second. Breathe. Now let's focus on one thing: potty training. It's labor intensive, requires some vigilance, and is probably the thing that, of all of these, is the most likely to cause you frustration (in my experience, anyway!). While you tackle potty training, you've stopped the bleeding on all of these other problems.
I tried to make a step 3 for this, but honestly, it wasn't needed. Use these two steps to relieve your stress and have more success!!
Happy #TrainingTipTuesday! Do you have a dog who is uncomfortable with certain things? Of course you do! Every living thing is uncomfortable with SOMETHING. The question is-what is it, and does it impact quality of life?
Hot take: Not every fear needs to be worked on. If it impacts quality of life, then it does, but otherwise, perhaps it causes more stress than it's worth. Sometimes, though, it is necessary if it is damaging that animal's ability to lead a full and happy life or cope with common occurrences in daily life.
Patterns can be a great way to help create a sense of comfort and security in a situation that can be scary. Superbowls is a pattern game created by the amazing Leslie McDevitt, and I'm going to use it to help Patrick acclimate to new spaces. Currently, he lives his life like groundhog day, and that's how he likes it. He's been making great strides in getting comfortable with changes, and this pattern can be presented in any new situation to give him a framework where he knows what to expect.
#nationaltrainyourdogmonth #rescuedogs #rescuedismyfavoritebreed #dogtraining #controlunleashed
Simple hack for puppy stealing: trade up!
Puppies love to chew and carry things in their mouth, and they very quickly learn that grabbing something random off of the floor is a surefire way to get your attention!! When we drop everything and run after our dogs to pry out the stolen treasure, we may accidentally teach the following:
1) When I find something, my human will chase me and play a fun game!!
2) When I find something, I better hide because my human will take it.
3) When I find something, I better swallow it quick because my human will take it.
Of course, the biggest concern with puppy stealing is that the puppy might steal something very dangerous, and the last thing you’d want to be on their mind is any of the above!!
What if, instead, your puppy saw you coming, spit out the item immediately, and began to come towards you? Or even came and brought the item to you? Sounds like a dream, right? Let me help your dreams come true with a #trainingtip.
If your puppy has something you want DO:
1) Go get a VERY YUMMY treat
2) Call your puppy (or calmly approach them-no chasing!)
3) Hold the treat in front of their nose
4) When they spit out the object, hand them the treat while grabbing the object with your other hand
With enough practice, your puppy will start spitting out items as soon as they notice you noticing them!!
Don’t want them to steal in the first place? Clean up! Otherwise, pay your puppy in treats to do your chores for you!
