Pawsonal Training

11/14/2025

Introducing our board and train graduate: Bo!! 🐶

Bo is a 1 year old Staffy mix who was enrolled in our 2 week Basic Obedience Board and Train program. Bo is a very, VERY sweet and friendly boy who had some bad habits his family wanted to help fix.

Bo is a very loving boy, but that means he often jumps on his mom and anyone else he meets. He is also easily distracted, meaning listening consistently, holding commands for longer than a couple seconds, and staying focused with any distractions present has been quite a challenge. He learns commands quickly, but rarely executes them with any sort of consistency. He’s also a bit skittish and nervous on walks, so walking him has been a challenge.

We spent 2 weeks together teaching a solid understanding of his obedience commands, teaching a healthy dose of manners and impulse control, and building his confidence and impulse control to allow for reliable listening skills, even with distractions around. He even got to play scent work games at !!

His family picked him up at the end of training and worked through all of his new skills with him where he was beyond thrilled to show off. He’s the bestest, sweetest, cutest boy and the smartest little student! Great work, Bo! 🐾

11/05/2025

More education at work, this time how all 4 quadrants are used in the example of herding! Balanced training utilizes all 4 quadrants to help dogs shift their behavior in a way they easily understand, because it’s how they (and all animals) naturally operate. Great read from a different perspective!

The Quadrants of Learning (and How They Show Up in Herding)

You can read more in the brand new second edition of Urban Sheepdog. Order here: https://amzn.to/3Kx3yK0

Few things in dog training get mixed up as much as the four quadrants of learning, but they aren’t opinions or methods. They’re just a way to describe what happens after a behaviour, and whether that behaviour becomes more or less likely next time.

The other day, there was a post in a herding group with so many comments trying to unpack how the quadrants apply in herding. Some suggested it was all positive reinforcement, some said it wasn’t. Some thought herding is void of the quadrants.

Let’s unpack what is actually taking place!

•Positive reinforcement: You add something the dog wants, and the behaviour increases. Example: You give your dog a treat for sitting, and they sit more often.

•Negative reinforcement: You remove something the dog doesn’t want, and the behaviour increases. Example: You loosen leash pressure when your dog stops pulling, so they learn that staying close makes the discomfort go away.

•Positive punishment: You add something the dog doesn’t want, and the behaviour decreases. Example: You say “hey!” sharply when they jump up, and they stop jumping as much.

•Negative punishment: You remove something the dog wants, and the behaviour decreases. Example: You stop the game when they bite too hard, so they learn that rough play makes the fun end.

That’s all it is.

“Positive” and “negative” mean add or remove, like math. It’s not “positive is good” and “negative is bad.” “Reinforcement” means the behaviour goes up. “Punishment” means it goes down.

Now, picture a herding dog on stock. The learning theory is happening constantly:

When a handler steps in toward the dog, swings a stick, or uses a sharp tone, that’s positive punishment: something unpleasant is added to make the current behaviour (like diving in too close or gripping) less likely.

When the dog changes their behaviour and backs off, gives space, finds balance, and the "pressure" or correction stops, that’s negative reinforcement: the removal of something the dog finds aversive makes that better behaviour more likely next time.

When a dog works well and the handler lets them keep working or praises quietly, that’s positive reinforcement. The praise is added, and we're using the sheep as the reinforcer: something the dog wants is added, and the work continues because the dog’s choices keep paying off.

When a dog loses the chance to work because they ignored cues or got too wound up, that’s negative punishment: the thing they wanted most (the sheep) disappears, so that behaviour is less likely.

The Sheep Are Learning Too!

Learning theory doesn’t just apply to the dog. The sheep are also responding to consequences in real time. Every movement from the dog or handler changes what they feel, want, or avoid, and that shapes their behaviour too.

Negative reinforcement: When they move away from the dog, and the dog eases up on its intensity, the "pressure" from the dog decreases. The removal of that discomfort (the dog’s eye, movement, or proximity) makes them more likely to respond in the same way next time.

Positive punishment: If they challenge the dog or refuse to move, and the dog rushes in, grips, or blocks hard, something unpleasant is added. That makes the bold behaviour less likely.

Negative punishment: If a sheep drifts too far from the group and loses the safety of the flock, the loss itself is punishing, and they’re more likely to stay closer next time.

So while the dog is learning how to influence the sheep, the sheep are learning how to respond to the dog.

The whole system is built on feedback loops of what they call “pressure and release”, which is really just the quadrants!

It's happening to the humans, too. We buy a bunch of sheep, realize how expensive hay is, lose money and stop buying sheep, that's negative punishment (the loss of something good ($), which decreases my behaviour in the future!

11/02/2025

🚨SALE! SALE! SALE!🚨

Our largest sale of the year is HERE!! This year it’s a big one. If you have a dog, YOU CAN SAVE MONEY!! 💰

NEW DOGS:
🐾20% off Private Lesson programs
🐾20% off Day Training programs

LESSON & DAY TRAINING GRADS:
🐾25% off Private Lesson programs
🐾25% off Day Training programs
🐾$500 off Board and Train programs

BOARD AND TRAIN GRADS:
🐾$200 off additional Board and Train weeks

This huge sale is designed to help every dog we can, whether we’ve worked with you or not! Whether you have a puppy working through potty training, an adult working toward high level advanced obedience, or something in between, our expert trainers are here to help.

Not sure which program is right for you? We’re happy to help talk through your goals, or you can compare and contrast on our website:

www.ThePawsonalTrainer.com

Reach out today to get started and take advantage of this deal before it ends! 🐕

10/31/2025

Happy Howl-ween 🎃🦇👻

10/28/2025

These are my dogs!! Let’s talk about their flaws!

Echo (almost 9 year old husky/shepherd mix)- DISOBEDIENT!! I don’t think he’s ever successfully done a command 3 times in a row. He has a huge prey drive, his recall is fine at best, he’s incredibly vocal when he sees a dog he can’t play with, and he likes to jump up on his friends and family. He’s incredibly well behaved in the sense that he’s great with other dogs, loves all people, and is generally a “good” boy naturally, which has meant my obedience with him has never been strong because… he’s just a good boy 🤣

Dagger (almost 7 year old German Shepherd)- He’s struggled with dog reactivity since we brought him home at 9 weeks, so his entire life has involved management. He’s annoyingly persistent, he polices other dogs when they have too much fun, he’s vocal and whiney when he wants to play, and he will not stop dropping toys at your feet. He’s my most obedient dog, the best at sports, very reliable around people and other dogs, and often gets made fun of for being “not a real shepherd” because of his calm temperament that we’ve worked hard for 🤪

Barrett 🙄 (5 year old Leonberger)- Ohhhhh, Barrett. My most difficult dog. He is a forever puppy. Every day I tell him to stop doing the exact same behavior, and every day he tries it again. He has no concept of personal space, he licks everything, steals food off tables if given the chance, annoys/steals from his brothers, constantly tests the boundaries of our electric fence (and us), has good recall if you say his name 5x like you’re mad at him, and has a massive prey drive. He’s 165 lbs of pure love, sheds in a way I guarantee you’ve never experienced, and is the goofiest, silliest dog in the world who doesn’t take anything seriously.

Why am I trash talking my dogs? Because every dog sucks just a little bit. Every dog has flaws, every dog has areas they need to improve, and every dog has traits that we as owners wish were different. But, they’re our dogs. My dogs are exactly who they SHOULD be. We manage their flaws and celebrate their desirable traits. So just a reminder, LOVE your dog for who they are, not who you wish they would’ve been.

10/27/2025

Buckle in for a long post as I tell you about one of our most recent board and train graduates: Dexter & Murray!

Dexter (3) and Murray (6) are full blooded Havanese brothers (3 years apart, so not littermates) from the same family who had begun viciously fighting about 6 months prior, resulting in them needed to be totally separated for their safety. Prior to this the brothers got along, though it was far from a healthy relationship.

Murray was an only child for 3 years before Dexter was brought home, but he struggled with intense resource guarding (even guarding humans from other humans), not stellar obedience, and was just generally a bit naughty. Dexter is quite submissive, anxious, and even a bit fear reactive. For the first few years, they got along in the sense that Murray did what he wanted and Dexter dealt with it, with their play often escalating. Eventually, they began sincerely fighting and needed to be totally separated.

The boys came to me for 6 weeks of intensive training. We focused on their individual obedience, confidence, impulse control, and manners prior to bringing them together. We muzzle conditioned them, provided strong leadership, and allowed them to begin making better decisions. After 6 weeks, they were able to coexist peacefully, and even play, without muzzles.

We spent 5+ hours with their family at the end of training ensuring their confidence in continuing the training, and we’ve received nothing but positive updates of their continued growth! These boys made a phenomenal turnaround that took quite a bit of work, but this is why we do what we do! Great work, boys 🐶

10/26/2025

ANUBIS is available for ADOPTION!! 🖤

Anubis is a 2 year old German shepherd who graduated from our 3 week board and train program a couple of months ago. He’s a sweet, confident, smart boy who excelled in training. He’s available for adoption at no fault of his own. He was neutral with dogs and people during his stay with me, though entered training for reactivity to both, so a proper introduction would be needed to any other dogs in the home. He’s up to date on all vaccines, crate trained, obedience trained, and very loving. He’s a big, strong shepherd who’s true to his breed, and would make a fantastic companion.

10/25/2025

Check out these future THERAPY DOGS!! 🐶

Pearl & Samson are two 6 month old Old English Bulldogs enrolled in our Therapy Dog Development program! These two cutie pups are working hard to become certified Therapy Dogs for Ovid-Elsie Area Schools where they can help bring comfort and joy to those lucky kids! 🐕‍🦺

Because therapy dogs need to be at least a year old to certify, we’re starting these pups off on the right paw by earning them their AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy title and their AKC Canine Good Citizen title, the latter being a pre-requisite for Therapy Dog certification. They started off their program with a mock test for both titles to identify areas of strength and areas that needed focused practice, and here is their progress 3 lessons later!

We will be ending their program with their AKC exams, plus a mock Therapy Dog test to identify which areas need more work. This extensive prep will help ensure their success of passing their official Therapy Dog test when they turn 1, which will be the best birthday present ever!

If you have interest in your pup becoming a Therapy Dog, reach out!! We have development programs designed to prep your puppy for future success, for adult dogs to fine tune their skills, or if you’re ready to certify, we offer standalone testing. Do you have a puppy but don’t have Therapy Dog aspirations? No worries! Your pup can learn the same skills as Samson and Pearl here for better manners and obedience in your normal day-to-day life. Reach out to get started! 🐾

10/24/2025

Want to hear something SPOOKY?! 👻🧟‍♂️👹

We only have ONE board and train slot remaining for the entire year! If your pup’s behavior is SCARY 🫣😈 reach out to see how we can teach helpful TRICKS for yummy TREATS 🍬🎃

10/21/2025

Introducing the smiling BAILEY!! 🐶

Bailey is a 3 year old black lab who was enrolled in our 2 week basic obedience board and train program. Bailey’s mom first reached out to us months and months ago after really struggling to manage her 2 dogs. After much discussion and thought, she decided to send her “problem child” our way to see how training improved their overall family dynamic.

Bailey is a SWEET girl, no one can argue that, but at 90+ lbs, she was hard to control. She chased/barked at anyone who walked by their house, jumped on/pushed people, was pushy and rude with other dogs, pulled quite a bit on the leash, and barked/whined any time she wanted anything (which was seemingly always). Her family struggled to even show her affection or bond with her because she would immediately get over the top with her energy and begin jumping and going crazy. They tried another local trainer but didn’t see the results they were hoping for.

We spent 2 short weeks in training together teaching her basic obedience, impulse control, and really simple manners. Quite literally all Bailey was missing in her 3 years of life was the ability to slow down and think before acting. This small but very important skill changed the entire way Bailey existed. No longer was she charging dogs/people/animals, no longer was she demand barking, no longer was she jumping or counter surfing or yanking on the leash. She could FINALLY just relax 😌

At her turnover session, her family just couldn’t stop petting her. It was the first time they were really able to in 3 years! Just sitting down, relaxed, showing and receiving affection. There were definitely tears shed 🥹

These types of real life results may not be the flashiest, but my goodness do they make a huge impact! Bailey has been doing great back at home and, after receiving an update (swipe to the end to see ➡️), we learned that the family’s other dog is now taking over Bailey’s stubborn role 🤣 We’re so proud of Bailey and her family for enjoying this new journey together! 🐾