Not Impawsible

04/07/2024

DEALING WITH FIREWORKS:
I know this is a difficult & frustrating time of year for dog owners. As a certified professional trainer & behavior specialist I've used this method of counter conditioning (changing how a dog feels) to help dogs with these fears. Since we know fireworks aren't going to go away, here's how to start changing the way your dog feels when they hear fireworks.

If possible, turn on some background noise, TV, fans, music, etc. Make sure you're carrying really yummy treats on you at all times. No treats are given just because your dog smells them on you, they have to wait until you hear a boom and then the magic happens. Every time you hear a Boom, immediately pull out a treat & give it to your dog. Every boom you hear gets a treat. Boom-treat, boom-treat, boom-treat, etc. This is how I taught my dogs & my clients' dogs to like hearing fireworks. Some dogs respond quicker than others but keep it up, it can make a huge difference!

If you would like additional help or information feel free to reach out to me. Have a Happy & Safe 4th of July!

02/06/2024

Had a great time helping M learn Obedience & Manners in Board & Train. We know his family has missed him & are so happy to have him home. Keep up the good work!

12/05/2024

Just another example of using our Play-stays... letting our visitors get comfortable around all of us without being overwhelmed.

27/04/2024

Respecting the dog & the human... it's what I do

21/04/2024

Proofing a trained behavior is vital to making sure your dog has solidly learned it in a variety of situations. Here we are working on leaving items like a plate with egg on it.... even when it's down on the ground.

18/04/2024

Tessa had a busy day shopping & testing to be an ambassador dog for Lifetime Bonds/SAFE Humane. So proud of this girl... so far still bomb proof in her temperament & calm confidence.

18/03/2024

What did this little girl do today? ...she visited a PreSchool and politely let a class of Littles each come up to say Hi while giving her pets, and of course some treats. She handled it like a trooper, even with the nervous kiddos! Such a good girl! ❤️🐾❤️🐾❤️
Demonstrating the importance of appropriately socializing your dog to a variety of sights, sounds, surfaces, & situations.

22/01/2024

One of the most important house rules to develop from the start... Everyone MUST Sit & Stay to go outside until they are released.

24/10/2023

Training for attention out & about downtown Rochelle. We had to do a little photoshoot before heading home. A lot of distractions out tonight but what a great way for Tessa to earn her dinner... 1 or 2 pieces of kibble at a time every time she gave me solid eye contact without me asking!

20/07/2023

Update*** Casey has been returned

STOLEN DOG: Border Collie, 1.5 yo male, named Casey. He's a working farm dog.

Taken by young man of dark complexion in a small light colored 4 door car (tan or gray) and took him Wednesday evening around 4:50 pm. Police report has been filed.

This is a client's dog. Please DM me or contact police.

Any information is appreciated!

16/06/2023

Teaching your dog a solid "Place"-stay is invaluable for managing behavior & energy levels.

28/05/2023

As summer time fun begins, remember our dogs rely on us to keep them safe. Be mindful of the heat & hot surfaces, test it with your hand... if it's too hot for you to press your hand on it, it's too hot for your dog's feet.

Make sure to provide shade, plenty of water & rest periods. Like kids, dogs don't always realize they're over-doing & need a break to cool off for a bit. This is especially true for dogs with FOMO... insist on rest breaks in the shade.

Watermelon & berries are refreshing & healthy treats for your dog but say NO to grapes... they can be toxic to your dog. Never give your dog a corn cob to chew... cobs do not break down in the stomach and can easily get stuck causing a blockage.

Following a few simple tips can lead to lots of summertime fun with your dog!
Have a Happy and Safe Summer!

16/05/2023

Not Impawsible: Behavior Training for Dogs was started over 8 years ago when, as a trainer, I realized knowing how to train a dog was only one piece of the pie when it came to helping dogs with behavioral issues. I did an intensive behavioral training internship with world class trainers and Not Impawsible: Behavior Training for Dogs was born.

Since then I have worked with thousands of dogs and owners on everything from Puppy Training through Advanced Obedience, Behavior Management and Modification of unwanted behaviors, Service Dog Training, and more.

Not Impawsible is who to call for your dog training and dog behavior concerns.

15/05/2023

As the weather gets nicer some of our dogs prefer to spend more time outside, make sure to provide shade, water, and check on your dog often to see if he/she needs to come inside. Dark or black coats are going to get hot quicker than light color coats; light color or short coats often leave dogs susceptible to sunburn (only use dog-safe sunscreen on your dog). Remember, our dogs do not always make the best choices so we need to manage their sun and heat exposure to keep them healthy and safe.

12/05/2023

Practicing Obedience all together!

15/04/2023

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=601612851999714&id=100064530143303&mibextid=Nif5oz

If you have ever considered adopting a dog, now is the time! Our shelter is completely full with some really GREAT dogs, with even more homeless dogs waiting and hoping a spot at Tails will open up for them. When you adopt a dog you're not just taking home a new best friend, you're making space for another dog who desperately needs it!

Click here to see all of our available dogs: https://www.tailshumanesociety.org/adopt/dogs-for-adoption/

14/04/2023

Apologies, it's been a while since I posted. Been busy working with families to resolve behavioral issues in their homes. If you haven't heard, shelters are overwhelmed with the number of dogs being relinquished, abandoned, or confiscated. As a result of current events, adoptions are not keeping up with supply. The struggle is real... these dogs need our help. If you, or someone you know, is in a position to foster or adopt please do so.

04/08/2022

Harvey's success story!
Harvey started out life as a puppy terrified of everything... strangers, other dogs, anything new. Harvey was fortunate, his family recognized he needed help and were committed to helping him. They attended Puppy, then Adolescent, then Basic Obedience classes I teach at Tails and hired me to help work on his specific behavioral concerns with private sessions. Slowly class after class, session after session he began to come around.

Still he was extremely fearful around other dogs. Harvey's family then had a trip and didn't know what to do with Harvey. His family reached out to ask about my board & train program.

Harvey came to stay with me, my dogs and a couple of other appropriate dogs in board. It took him a couple days to relax but once he did... he realized how fun other dogs can be.

Harvey's back home with his family who report they have now had several large parties of 20+ people and, rather than needing to be shut away, he has been out socializing, approaching strangers for pets, and not reacting when strangers & strange dogs go by barking at him when they're camping. Now Harvey's a much happier and more confident dog.

If you have a dog that needs help, contact me... your dog depends on you. (Story published with family's permission)

22/05/2022

Even on vacation the rules don't change....

22/05/2022

Bear was never taught to do this but when he rolled and lost his collar one morning he understood & responded to my request for him to go find his lost collar so he could go outside. #

25/12/2021

Use your recall word (i.e. Come, Here, etc.) to call your dog to you when giving them something super fun or exciting... like new Benebones for Christmas! This keeps their recall word strong and meaning good things are about to happen.

15/06/2021

Dog treats are a Big business in today's society. We love to spoil our dogs, showering them with treats of all shapes and sizes... just for being a dog.

I'm not against giving treats BUT getting a treat just for existing sends the wrong message to our dogs. Often our dogs develop a sense of entitlement, thinking they can/should have whatever they want.

We work for a paycheck which allows us to treat ourselves. Our things have more value because we had to earn them. Next time you want to treat your dog, give your dog a job (touch, sit, down, come, paw, etc) to "earn" his treat. Dogs do love to work, give them a job!

Note: This does not pertain if we are working to change our dog's perception of a person, place, thing, or behavior. We actually are having our dogs work in this situation, they just don't realize they're working.

01/04/2021

Puppies are NOT meant to leave their mom & siblings until they are 8 weeks of age!!! Puppies learn SO much about bite control, manners, comfort with handling, etc. all between the ages of 5 to 8 weeks of age. If someone has puppies available (intentional or unintentional) Please, Please, PLEASE do the puppy and yourself a favor and Do Not Buy/Adopt if they're being removed from the litter before 8 weeks old!
If you do get a pup who was separated too early, please get the help of a reliable behavior trainer asap.

16/12/2020

We, humans, do not all respond to events in the same way so why would we expect our dogs to? Just like us, our dogs are individuals, each with their own unique way of seeing the world. We know Cookie-cutter education doesn't work for us, neither does Cookie-cutter dog training. Learning to communicate clearly with our dogs so that they will be able to quickly understand what we want them to do is Super Important. The result is a polite, well-mannered, more confident dog.
Not sure how to get started... contact me via fb or email [email protected] .

26/11/2020

Guess what we're doing today... nail trim time! Bear likes to bring me the trimmer more than the actual trimming but that's ok, he tolerates it with the goodies.

26/11/2020

Many are getting together despite the recommendations to stay with your regular family unit. If you're choosing to have visitors, please be mindful of your dog. Tips to have a celebration that is safe and fun for all.
Unless your dog is well-acquainted with your visitors, consider leashing your dog or giving them a safe place to hang out while the visitors enter and everyone settles down. Once things are a little calmer, instruct your visitors to let the dog approach them and ask to be touched... just because a dog sniffs us does not mean they want to be pet. Watch your dog and intercede as necessary. You may want to hand out treats to be offered from an open hand then bring your dog out to greet everyone on your dog's terms. If your dog isn't interested in approaching "Uncle Bill" don't force an interaction, explain to Uncle Bill "Rover" will come around when he is ready and please just give him some time.
Make sure your dog has access to a quiet space they can take themselves to for some peace and quiet. If you notice your dog getting overly-stimulated with all the commotion, yummy food smells, kids running around, etc. then you may need to insist "Rover" takes a break from it all by putting him in his crate or a room with the door closed for a little while for some downtime. (He will thank you for it once he's rested.)
Also remember to always monitor your dog with children visitors. Not all children make good choices in how they interact with dogs. Not all dogs are comfortable with things children may inadvertently do around/to them so it's best to make sure someone who knows the dog and what he is/isn't comfortable with will always be present.
Following these steps can lead to a happy and safe holiday with your pet.

03/10/2020

No matter how many dogs you have, it's important to insist on on everyone politely sitting and waiting until they are told one-by-one who can begin eating. This builds a solid SIT-Stay for things they want and prevents trouble at feeding time if someone starts to head to the wrong bowl. I release them in order of whomever has held their stay the best or responded the quickest when I first said SIT. Obedience Pays!

27/08/2020

A client asked me, "How long do I need to work on socializing my dog?" We talk about socializing puppies but I realized we don't really address this much in the training world and it's a very good question. My answer, "You need to continue to socialize your dog for the rest of its life."
Puppy socialization gets your dog off on the right foot. The more socializing done in the younger ages, the broader the solid base you have to build on and the easier it is to build. The less socialization done early in life, for whatever reason, means you may have to be a little more creative or work a little harder to get that solid footing laid.
As our dogs become adults we need to give them opportunities to continue to practice their social skills and work on things that make them uncomfortable. We never stop growing and learning and neither do our dogs. Follow this page for more info on socializing your dog. To schedule a private session, contact me via PM.

14/08/2020

https://www.facebook.com/382718828574715/posts/1632736260239626/

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09/06/2020

As we get busy with summer, remember to make time to play with your dog. Practicing his "Bring" & "Give" cues in a fun way.