Infinite Pawsibilities

09/06/2024

Allowing your dog to get what they want when they want it is a recipe for reactivity.

08/06/2024

Here’s a glimpse of your dog’s average day in our care. It’s no easy task, but we take pride in treating your dogs like our own. Some days are different depending on field trips, weather, etc. But we always have a full day of fun and lots of nap time in between! I am grateful for the help of to meet all of these dog’s needs.

05/06/2024

Let’s talk energy and its place in reactive dog rehab. I’m sure you’ve heard it before; being a calm, confident leader will get you a dog who calmly follows. This statement in itself is a catch 22 as we constantly try to squash our feelings of shame, fear, and embarrassment surrounding our dog’s behavior. “We have to be strong for our dogs so they view us as a leader”. I along with many others have always preached this ideology. The truth is, I struggled with my own dogs for a long time despite following that mindset. Sure, to most everyone they looked great. And they were great, most of the time. However, I found myself trapped in this idea that as a dog trainer my dogs were supposed to be 100% perfect 100% of the time. Anything less than that left me feeling defeated. I walked through life always trying to be one step ahead of their behavior. Trying to have perfect timing so as to not fail them. It wasn’t until I chose to remove judgement from myself that they got significantly better. I finally realized my fear of failure was actually leading us to failure. So when it comes to trying to be the best leader for your dog… stop trying to squash those feelings. Know that they are valid, but you are your own worst critic. The energy your dog needs you to carry is free of judgement, free of guilt, and ready get back up and try again. If you read this far and you’re worried about being a good enough dog owner, then you’re ahead of the game already. Pat yourself on the back today!

03/06/2024

Welcome Reggie to the pack!
Reggie is here to work on impulse control and off leash obedience so be can become the best go everywhere kind of dog. So far he is super smart and motivated. I am so excited to see where the next few weeks takes him!

02/06/2024

What an honor to be nominated for Best of the West. We love our clients dearly ❤️. Please take a moment to cast your vote!

https://www.gjsentinel.com/bestofthewest/ #/gallery/433930441/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR13pVFtGzHA_qEDQtrtfTDwwRfUnG2StjktspZf9cnnSjAVBJJV0HbpAHc_aem_AczjBkMkwCZGFXv03hrU4SHT9ym14h9ZcEeAn0LYiYw9HsVKKRqvZuPQqNjQa0JfX62ge0kORcNF65WZQ82pqEG1

12/05/2024

A bunch of really good dogs

04/05/2024

Blonde Squad

02/05/2024

01/05/2024

Abby went home today. She was such a fun board and train because her owners (who really should have been dog trainers) put in so much foundational work with her. She just came for some fine tuning and a good time. We’re going to miss having this noodle around!

23/04/2024

When you finally reach the stream 🙌

19/04/2024

Don't forget about our free Community Pack Walk tomorrow!

Starting at 4pm at Veterans Memorial Park within Mesa County Fairgrounds, 2785 Highway 50.

We will have trainers on site helping coordinate and answering any questions you may have regardless of your skill level or training style.

We hope to see all our doggo friends there!

19/04/2024

Paisley update! We are on week 8 of Paisleys behavioral rehabilitation. She has taught me so much, most of all to trust the process. We have some more work to do, but she will soon be available for adoption!

08/04/2024

Welcome Abby the Mali-noodle (Yep, Mal X poodle rescue) to the pack! Her family has been doing private lessons and they’ve made a ton of progress. They decided to send her for board and train while they’re out of town to fine tune her impulse control and off leash obedience around distractions.

07/04/2024

Not on the checklist but also 👇🐕

You need to stop thinking of your dog like an independent being that has the capacity to make healthy good choices in this modern human world and start being proactive to set your dog up for success

If you are constantly REACTING to your dog's behavior or decisions, you need to take a step back and shift your energy into parent-figure or leadership mindset

Your dog will never be more mature than a 5yo Child ⚠️

You need to learn about the ins and outs of dog psychology, the canine nervous system, and how it impacts behavior so you can help your dog regulate its feelings and guide them in the world so they feel safe, like if they were with their mom still in the original pack.

Dogs are pack animals and packs live in a very particular way

You can emulate that by using training designed to teach you how to think, act, & speak like a dog by changing your energy & integrating sustainable daily rituals + habits that empower you to

💫 change your dog's unwanted behavior
💫 teach your dog to calm down
💫 build a healthy relationship so you can love life together

Once your dog recognizes you as the source of all good things, they will give you trust & respect

As they learn you’re a consistent and strong leader, they will love you & be loyal to you in any environment

& that's the way to transforming your life with your dog

& when you're ready, I can teach you how. Enrollment closes on the upcoming March Transform Group Training Experience, in 1 week! 4 VIPs spots are left.

Fully online or in-person in Raleigh and Cary NC for dogs 6mos+

DM or Comment "TRAINING" for full program details!

07/04/2024

See you there!

28/03/2024

Mom?

26/03/2024

Yin is a bit bigger than Yang

21/03/2024

😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂

20/03/2024

Welcome Berg to the pack!
He is here for our puppy kindergarten board and train. He is going to be a gem of a dog!
His owners have done an amazing job with him so far and I want to point out the things they did right:
1. Researched the breed. They spend a ton of time on the river, so what better than a Newfoundland!
2. They are being proactive with training.
3. Crate training and lots of naps.
4. Hand feeding kibble for training instead of relying on treats.
5. No free feeding.
6. Applied boundaries around furniture in the home.
7. Started exposure to things like cats, vacuums, car rides, grooming, etc.
8. Started teaching recall.
9. Gut health support including probiotics and fish oil.
10. Understanding that they as humans need training just as much as the dog.
Sometimes I can’t believe that I get to play with puppies for a living, and it makes it that much better when the owners are on the right track! 😍

19/03/2024

There was once a time where I believed that feeding your dog when they were fearful would only reward “fear”. My knowledge came from an understanding of basic operant conditioning. “You get what you feed.”

Here’s the thing, my understanding of dogs has shifted over time (as I’m sure most dog trainers can relate to). I started to recognize emotion vs behavior.

1. Emotions like fear, anxiety, etc. are something that your dog does not make a decision to feel.

2. Physical behaviors like whining, barking, lunging, fleeing, are usually (not always) a symptom of that emotion.

3. We can use positive reinforcement like food or play to help change your dog’s emotion behind the behavior.

3. Taking food from your hand is a lot of commitment for a fearful dog. We can encourage them into seeking or “use your nose” mode by throwing food on the ground. (Something I would gawk at years ago).

You can see in these videos that Koda is nervous about the barking dogs and the loud man, but his recovery is miles better than where we started training a few weeks ago. He used to bark and flee to the end of the line trying to get away from strange people, dogs, or loud noises. Playing with food has allowed Koda to get to a state of mind where he is coachable around these triggers!

Koda is almost 5 months old and getting ready to graduate from our puppy kindergarten program where our #1 focus is SOCIALIZATION. This means teaching Koda that the sights, sounds, scents, and surfaces of the world are nothing to be afraid of. These are very important skills to work on with a livestock guardian breed!

17/03/2024

01/03/2024

Welcome Abby and Margo to the pack! We have been working together in private training and their owners have done an outstanding job! They are here over the weekend for a mini board and train to fine tune some of their skills while their owners are out of town. So far they have been a breeze to walk, socialize and love relaxing in their crates for nap time. A dog trainers dream 😍.

29/02/2024

Thank you for donating some supplements to rescue dog Paisley!
Paisley is struggling with some emotional regulation and we are focused on addressing both mind and body holistically to help her become the best version of herself.

Did you know? 🤔
-fish oil makes your dog smarter and reduces inflammation.
-your dog’s microbiome health is directly correlated with their mood.

28/02/2024

Welcome Koda to the pack!
He is here for our 3 week puppy kindergarten retreat to work on basic manners and socialization. Koda is a Meremma Sheepdog, bred for guarding livestock. It is so important to have good early socialization and strong leadership to help these dogs be stable members of society. He’s a big boy at only four months old!

28/02/2024

Welcome Shelter dog Paisley to the pack!
Paisley is a classic example of a dog who is stuck in the wrong drive. She is here for 6 weeks to work out some kinks in her behavior. Her foster home did a phenomenal job teaching her obedience, but obedience is only 20% of the equation. When dealing with behavior issues we must focus on the dog’s state of mind to achieve results in the real world. If you’re a cattle dog savvy person looking to foster or adopt, please reach out!