Working with multiple dogs doesn’t have to be chaotic!
By giving each dog a job to do, they can all co-exist safely. Even dogs that struggle with reactivity, aggression, resource guarding, fear, anxiety, or pushiness can be taught to do this successfully. Whether they are training, playing, walking, or resting — we can all learn to live harmoniously together.
Good job, everyone! 🐾❤️🐶
Prong & Ecollar training with George & Ginny!
Being able to provide directions and enforce commands using the leash is the first step to Ecollar training. Once adjustable Ecollar pressure is added, we can create clarity with known leash guidance whenever they need extra help as they learn. When used together, these tools form a new language that can be used to easily manage behavior especially in multi-dog homes. On-leash obedience is the first step to off-leash obedience.
Good job, George & Ginny! 🐾❤️🐶
Prong collar intro with Buddy!
This energetic boy is rather impatient, chews items in the house, and pulls heavily on the leash. He’s pretty food and toy motivated, but like most dogs, loses interest around anything distracting. By pairing positive reinforcement with a prong collar, we can provide him with leash guidance that he can more easily perceive and respond to. This means we can reward more, and struggle less! Even with added distractions 🐈 he’s learning that it pays to follow the leader and make more polite choices.
Good boy, Buddy! 🐾❤️👏
Kona‘s family joined us for her mid training session!
They learned how to advocate for her space (so she can trust that they will protect her around strange dogs or people) and how to enforce rules with an Ecollar (so they can eliminate stressful blowups with clear communication).
PUPS Grad Kalo, who had just gotten dropped off for general boarding, was a perfect helper as Kona’s parents practiced new techniques around an unfamiliar dog. Instead of holding her back while she barks and lunges, they can guide her with ease so outings can be more enjoyable.
Good girl, Kona! 🐾❤️🐕
Field trip with Kobe & Maxx!
These two used to pull on the leash, especially Maxx who was very vocal. They were also nervous and insecure in new places especially around unfamiliar objects or loud noises.
Now that they are finishing up their programs with us, they are enjoying the benefits of PUPS training! 😎 Whether we’re exploring a new trail, playing by the lake, or shopping at a store — these two are an absolute pleasure to have by your side.
No matter where we go, learning and proofing around real-world distractions never stops. Maintaining strong bodies and minds takes dedication! Fortunately, practicing your skills together with your dog can be so much fun. It can also build their confidence and trust in you as a stable leader when working through challenges.
Good boys, Maxx & Kobe! 🐾❤️🤩
What difference can Ecollar training make?
Kona is here to address here reactivity on walks and when people arrive at the house. She also lacks listening skills, jumps, mouths, and has made unsafe choices. She’s worked with another trainer in the past and is used to walking on a prong collar but will blows this off and is still very vocal and anxious at the site of any triggers.
By conditioning Kona to an Ecollar we create a new language that can ultimately help her succeed in all areas of life! This tool gives subtle information that empowers owners to do more with their dog. Behavior on walks/outings affects behavior at home — and vice versa. This is just the beginning of Kona’s PUPS transformation! We’ll be testing Kona around different triggers while setting consistent expectations.
Good girl, Kona! 🐾❤️🐕
Field trip with Kobe & Maxx!
These two used to be very pushy on leash and pull hard. Maxx would bark at everything and Kobe would get freaked out by loud/sudden noises. We’ve been teaching them how to follow along instead! Known rules are enforced using an ecollar and/or leash while we proof their skills around real-world distractions and mix things up as we go. Having a predictable routine and leadership helps them stay successful around challenges like reactive dogs or noisy work sites. So that outings are much more fun and peaceful for everyone.
Good boys, Maxx & Kobe! 🐾❤️🐕
Re-introducing Maxx & Kobe!
Maxx recently arrived to join his older housemate, Kobe, for training. Maxx pulls on the leash, jumps, barks excessively, can be insecure at times, and has been a bully to Kobe.
We got right to work conditioning Maxx to new tools for clear communication and teaching him polite expectations. This gave us more leverage to provide feedback when greeting each other for the first time after a week apart. Whether we’re working with them during an active training session or allowing free time, we’ll be advocating for their needs and ensuring a respectful relationship.
So many people expect dogs to just figure things out on their own — which can inevitably lead to conflicts, dependency issues, toxic relationships, and dangerous situations. By taking the lead as their caregivers, we can nurture positive associations and life-long friendships.
Good job, Maxx & Kobe! 🐾❤️🐕
Prong collar intro with Kobe!
This big sweetie is fearful of loud noises, pulls hard on the leash, and will refuse to move at times. He also doesn’t always return when called and lacks motivation to work. By teaching him what to do with pressure, we can help him gain confidence and overcome fears/insecurities.
We start by teaching dogs to yield to leash pressure instead of resisting and pulling away. A prong collar provides a noticeable sensation that the dogs learns to respond to while also protecting the dog’s airways.
Understanding leash pressure helps us teach commands, like recall and following along in heel, and prepares the dog for more advanced pressure on/off communication with the Ecollar. Outings will be safer and more enjoyable now that Kobe is learning new expectations.
Good job, Kobe! 🐾❤️😎
A big THANK YOU to everyone who joined for Group Class yesterday!
It was a beautiful day to practice different communication techniques, fine-tune handling methods, and have fun showing off everyone’s progress. Every expert starts as a beginner and the only way to make progress is by taking the time to practice! We’re so proud of our dedicated clients who continue to put in the work.
Great job, everyone! Our next class is Wednesday, August 14th from 6-7pm in Waterville. 🐾❤️🤩
Field trip with Bentley & Curry!
Instead of barking, pulling, and not listening, they were able to practice their new skills while hiking and shopping at a dog-friendly store. We always work on building engagement and ensuring listening skills before proceeding. This prepares them to make safe choices especially in busy stores or around surprise encounters with other animals. 🐮
Great job, Curry & Bentley! 🐾❤️👏
Practicing polite greetings with Curry!
He used to jump on, paw, and mouth people excessively out of excitement. Despite his size, this behavior was overwhelming and a bit dangerous as he could easily scratch or knock into someone especially with young kids at home.
After conditioning him to communication and feedback techniques, we practice greeting someone he hasn’t met before during his first big test! We start by ensuring he’s attentive to his trainer — pulling and lunging towards the guest no longer gets him what he wants. Then we conduct the following sequence using a leash and/or Ecollar to enforce rules:
1. Give permission to approach — “break”.
2. See what choice the dog makes.
3. Correct for unwanted choice OR reward for desired choice.
4. Reset and repeat for more practice.
With persistent dogs, ignoring unwanted behavior or redirecting them will not deter the unwanted choices in the future. A fair and well-timed consequence can quickly give dogs the feedback they desperately need to make a different choice that we can then reward. This teaches dogs how to get the rewards they’re seeking faster! It also reduces stress and confusion because there’s less guess work when you provide clear feedback.
Good boy, Curry! 🐾❤️😍
Pass by practice with Bentley!
After teaching basic communication techniques, we then prepare dogs for “real-world” scenarios by practicing with our personal dogs or other training students. This patterns actions and gives them time to understand new expectations before we add bigger variables and distractions in public settings.
Bentley is used to pulling and barking excessively at anyone he sees! We are breaking these impulsive habits and building a more predictable and stable routine. This will ensure that outings are more enjoyable for everyone and help Bentley become a well-rounded companion.
Good boy, Bentley! 🐾❤️😘
Stopping unwanted puppy antics with Curry!
This little cutie arrived pulling and biting on the leash — giving us a glimpse of their struggles with him. He also jumps like crazy, mouths, and gets too rough with others especially the young children in the house. His family has been trying to redirect him with toys but are still battling with his unruliness.
By fairly correcting unwanted/unsafe choices and providing directions with motivating rewards, we can reduce stress (for both dogs and people) while building healthier habits and relationships. High-quality Ecollars are one of the most gentle ways of deterring, correcting, and providing safe consequences. While we play with Curry, we tap the Ecollar on a low-level to deter him from biting the leash. Then we can redirect his energy efficiently onto an appropriate toy by engaging in play again.
Quickly stopping unwanted behavior means we can spend more time teaching and rewarding good choices! It also makes other learning methods, like positive reinforcement, become more effective because dogs are in a calmer mindset ideal for learning. Clear feedback for their choices allows for more progress during training sessions because there is less stress and confusion.
Curry is already making huge improvements with his leash skills and manners in general! With the right communication, even challenging dogs can become fast learners that truly enjoy following their leader.
Good boy, Curry! 🐾❤️🥰
Leash manners with Bentley!
He barks a lot when passing others and will pull, jump, and nip out of excitement. We got right to work building his engagement by using his daily kibble as food lures/rewards. This is utilized when teaching them to come towards leash pressure and figure out the meaning of new tools like a slip lead or prong collar. Having the ability to effectively communicate with him using a leash will allow his family to provide directional guidance and enforce rules on walks. He’s already off to a great start! On-leash skills will prepare him for more advanced communication like off-leash recall.
Good boy, Bentley! 🐾❤️😍
3 different ways to “walk” your dog:
Training drills — Practicing commands with quick repetition in a small area. Prioritizing engagement over distance traveled while working around distractions. This is great for fine-tuning while dogs are still learning or to stay sharp with known skills.
Structured walks — Having the dog follow us in command about 90% of the time and allowing potty/sniff breaks in designated areas about 10% of the time. This helps dogs stay safe and under more control when walking in busy areas like cities, sidewalks, or stores.
Hikes — Allowing freedom to explore about 90% of the time and having them follow commands about 10% of the time. When dogs make safer choices and understand communication tools, we can provide them with more room to roam on trails or open areas. We still use commands to make space for others and to ensure a consistent respond periodically.
Whether we stay in the parking lot or hike a mountain, we can still have fun by spending more quality time together! We adjust the balance of structure vs freedom based on the dog’s current knowledge and our surroundings. Walks don’t have to be the same mundane task — learn to mix it up and keep you and your dog progressing.
Good job, everyone! 🐾❤️🥰
Prong collar intro with Clover!
She’s not used to being leashed and is pretty scatter brained around any distractions. We’ve been working on teaching her to come towards leash pressure and follow her leader when told. Having clear directions is helping her slow down her busy-brain and choose more polite actions.
Good girl, Clover! 🍀❤️🐾
Mid-training session with Whiskey's family!
His housemate, Duke, also joined to start learning better manners. They can be a handful together at home and Whiskey was ready to be his rowdy self again! We worked on teaching their owners how to use new techniques in order to have better control and set healthier expectations. By the end of the session, these two powerful dogs were following instructions politely and learning a more peaceful way of life together.
Good job, Whiskey (and Duke)! 🐾❤️🙌
Stanley, the 7 month old pup, joined us for a private training session!
He’s a rambunctious fella that will jump and get a bit too excited with others. We worked on deterring unwanted choices, practicing new commands/cues, and teaching his mom how to add structure to his daily routine. Puppies are a lot of work! We love helping families start of on the right foot with their new companions.
Good boy, Stanley! 🐾❤️🥰
Nail trim conditioning with Ryder & Luna!
This grooming procedure is an essential part of keeping your dog in tip-top shape. However, it can be very stressful for dogs (or nearly impossible) if they are not conditioned to the process and maintained.
By taking steps to ensure safety and understanding, we can help things go much more smoothly! For some dogs like Ryder, who will growl just at the sight of the clippers, this means starting with muzzle conditioning and counter-conditioning exercises with the clippers. For dogs like Luna, who become nervous during handling, we can begin by simply tapping the clippers to the nail so they can adjust to the sensation. During this process we address any unwanted choices and rewarding/encouraging good choices. Although it may never be truly enjoyable, dogs can be taught to tolerate nail trims and other grooming/medical procedures by taking the time to prepare them.
Good job, Ryder & Luna! 🐾❤️💅
