Packman Dog Training & Better Behavior

16/08/2019

This one is for all the dog moms and dads out there.

The real MVPs -the ones that want to live their best life with their pup..

Whether it's Netflix and chill.

Hiking the mountains that have been calling you both.

Beers and food trucks under the stars.

Or maybe, just maybe, the quiet, calm walk around the ol' neighborhood.

No tension. No pounding heartbeat in your neck and ears.

No hiding or looking for the quickest escape.

BREAKING the pattern of hesitation, fear, and shame that has been weighing heavy on both you and your loved dog.

Just purely, you and your dog. In tune, in sync with each other in the moment. Together.

Because, the thing is, you deserve this.

Your dog deserves it.

Your future life with your pup is a canvas.

Let's paint it.

18/07/2019

Holy heck is it hot out there today.

Stay safe, use grass and keep a watch on your dog's body for signs of overheating - especially those with bigger dogs and pushed in faces.

Don't walk the dog on the hot pavement! You don't want to burn the pads on their paws! Keep it to shade and grass for the rest of the day.

01/06/2019

Our amazing pup client Olive, enjoying the chill summer vibes in upstate New York.

Shoutout to Olives owner, Sarah for putting in the hard ass work this spring to have the perfect summer dog.

01/06/2019

Good ol Duke is always a fan favorite. Even for the Heels fans. 😂🤷🏻‍♀️

Such an honor to watch this big guy mature over the last few years.

15/05/2019

When food is life and you’re learning just to chill with your mama without melting down. 💜

07/04/2019

And on Sunday’s we drink cider with our clients.

24/03/2019

A great resource if you plan to bring home a new dog from a shelter:

💯💯

Learn what the single most important thing is to do first when thinking about rescuing or adopting a dog from a shelter or any other environment!

08/02/2019

Training a local sitter

24/01/2019

The thing is, having the perfect dog that listens to all the commands: aka sit, stay, etc... Isn't important to us. At all.

Say whaaaa?????

It's about having the perfect companion that you can have a beer with, without having to worry about every other dog in the same space.

So freaking proud of our amazing clients. ❤️

24/10/2018

Very well said by Street Wise Canine. 💯

While cage-free boarding can seem like the best option, especially if you really don't crate... it can be a very dangerous option.

A new environment, unfamiliar and unbalanced dogs plus stress = recipe for disaster.

And, we've seen it happen with the most trustworthy pups.

Always do your research and always advocate for your dog.

Sleeping with a Stranger 🛌

My thoughts on cage free boarding kennels.

Let me first describe what I define as a cage free boarding kennel.

- more then one dog from a different home left UNSUPERVISED or UNATTENDED with dogs they do not live with. This could be during the day or overnight stay.

The post that I made on Facebook and the topic now for this article came up in conversation during an assessment.

I assessed a dog last week, whom was both human and dog aggressive. This means that under the right circumstances, this dog has caused harm to a human and a dog in its lifetime. He wasn’t walking around foaming at the mouth, to an inexperienced eye, the dog might have just looked a bit stressed.

The owners began to tell me how they had left this dog at a cage free boarding kennel, twice I believe, with amazing feedback from the kennel owner, “ Little Junior loved his sleepover with his new friends”.

I immediately looked at my client in shock, thinking to myself how dangerous it was, not only for her personal dog, but for the other dogs this guy “slept with”. This women did not lie about her dogs behaviour to the kennel owner. She was very honest and open with them about his bite history with people and dogs. Which BTW isn’t usually the case, most owners will lie or omit the truth when it comes to their “Little Juniors”. They did a quick assessment and BOOM, this dog was a candidate to join and have cage free sleepovers.

I will end the story there with this client and her situation, you can imagine once I went into details about the dangers of this concept, she realized it was not a great idea.

When the Lights Go Out

The concept to me doesn’t even sound luxurious, it sounds humanized to the fullest. Lets take a bunch of predators, and throw them all in a room together for a sleep over, unsupervised and unattended. What could possibly go wrong??

This is completely unsafe and unnatural. Remember this word, this word is the most important word out of this entire article, UNNATURAL .

U-N-N-A-T-U-R-A-L

This is something EVERY dog owner struggles with, we talk about it with our clients everyday and I will say it again in this article. Your dog does not need to be friends, with every dog it meets. FACT! SERIOUS FACT!

Did you know kennels are stressful environments?

SO stressful. The smells, the sounds, the dogs, the people, the room, the air, everything about a kennel is stressful to your dog.

Do you know how your dog responds to stress?

They either become shut down to the environment or they become reactive to the environment. If they become either of those things, do you really want them unsupervised or left unattended with a bunch of dogs they don’t know?

Do you know how long it takes to break up a dog fight?

Well, when there isn’t anyone around, a LONG time !

Do you know that dogs die in cage free boarding kennels?

Unfortunately being in the dog industry, our gossip involves different topics then most. This is an absolute fact and I really wish it wasn’t but it is true.

Do you know how quickly a dog, being a predator , can kill another dog?

Faster then you can pull them apart.

Did you know that even dogs from the SAME home can cause each other serious harm, even death in a boarding kennel?

This is due to the levels of stress and frustration the dogs deal with in those environments.

I wanted to keep this article short, and really just voice an opinion, because some people really do not understand the risks. The client I mentioned above was so thankful for my honesty and really had never thought of the risks.

I hope this article helps shed some light on the concept of dogs sleeping with strangers and what happens when the lights go out.

All the above for me personally, is why I would NEVER risk leaving my personal dogs or my clients dogs lose to sleep with strangers. This is not worth the risk of my family members or your own.

We have some amazing boarding kennels to chose from whom do not leave your pets unsupervised or unattended.

We do offer safe and secure boarding for dogs of all shapes and sizes. ✅✅

03/10/2018

An EXCELLENT video from The Canine Professor, Christie on why obedience has it's place (get it place?); but when it comes to fearful/aggression its about building a relationship with your dog and building your confidence.

20/09/2018

Ready for that perfect life with your dog that you always envisioned?

One where you go anywhere together, partners in crime WITHOUT the crime of consistent pulling, unable to settle peacefully...

Be sure to download the guide.

Your new, calm life and pup are waiting.💙

19/09/2018

Meet Julia + Toby

Not too long ago, Toby's owner, Julia was at a crossroads with him.

The lunging.
The barking.
The arm pain from trying to walk him down the street.
The consistent lookout for other dogs.

The fear, the embarrassment, and the shame.

Then, the bite. Yes, a bite.

Julia, being the badass momma bear of 3 small children was determined not to give up on him. She loved Toby with all of her heart.

She knew life could be better with him and she wanted life to be better for him.

But, the thoughts of his increasingly worrisome behavior danced around in her head every day:

"Will I ever just be able to walk him down the street without him causing a massive scene?"
"Can we ever be exercise partner's again?"
"Will I ever be able to TRUST him again after the bite?"

Deciding enough was enough, know LIFE could be better and safer with Toby and her entire family, she reached out for help.

And, she got to work, building a new relationship with Toby.

She put new rules into place, and she worked with him even when things started to backslide a bit (truth is: it does happen).

She never gave up, even though the demands of her home, family, social life weighed heavily on her shoulders as a mom and head of her household.

She committed to being the very best and at the end, she preserved.

Her life changed 360. Toby is changed because of her grit, hard work and humbleness to do the work in his training program.

Three years ago, he pulled her down on her bike.

Today, the results speak for themselves.

21/05/2018

We couldn't agree more with Ayumi Senesac. This video is NOT funny, nor should this worker be berated.... but this is an inside look at what happens on a DAILY BASIS when tasks are left to untrained workers.

Thank you for your well-written post Ayumi Senesac!

PS: If you're on the West Coast, check out Paw by Paw.

28/02/2018

Often, the best reward/reinforcer to your dog is that FEELING of pride and trust as you rebuild the relationship.

Often, I tell clients "Relax and smile...feel that energy transfer."

Because the feeling of accomplishment and pride on the human end of the leash is where it matters.

24/02/2018

04/02/2018

Calm is King (or Queen).

Meet Cooper, a high energy hound mix.

But she is the Queen of Calm with her relaxed state of mind and body in her crate.

As you know, early crate training is crucial. Crates keep our pups safe and secure when we cannot monitor them.

But, many times, crate training is paired with over excitement.

Yes, the pup might be calm when entering and staying his/her crate, but the moment its time to come out - it's like a caged bull behind the rodeo doors. Owners don't know what hit them,

And, often, when crate training is paired with overexcitement, dogs can develop massive separation anxiety while being left alone.

When crate training (puppy or older dog), remember and practice patience.

Encourage your dog to ENTER calmly. And only close the dog when the dog is relaxed. Even if you have to sit and read a book as they're settling.

Practice opening the door slowly without OVEREXCITEMENT. I challenge most of my clients not to say a word. If the dog rushes the door, close it (safely) and wait until the dog is laying down, with a relaxed body.

Lather, rinse repeat until the door is open and your dog is looking at you for direction.

Pretty soon, your pup will be as calm as Cooper.