Heal Cove Dog Training

25/10/2025

I tell my students/clients - without focus you cannot teach skills. That eye contact is soooooo important and not enough folks jackpot the heck out of that super essential behavior… 🤦‍♀️

Mr. Dog Training Walk your Dog Challenge, Day 24....To Sit or not to Sit?

Sit is one of those behaviors that people seem to be obsessed with getting their dog to do, so much so that it is often detrimental to their training goals.
I see people, both in classes and out walking their dogs in the real world, who ignore all sorts of AMAZING behaviors just to get that “ever important” Sit.

Dog is distracted, human says their name, dog looks at them (oh my god, so much YESSSSSS) and they ask the dog to sit. They ignore the MOST important thing and that is that their dog chose them over the distraction just to get that stupid sit. 🤯

In this example jackpot that engagement and if you must ask them to sit they go for it but it’s not important there, the eye contact/engagement is.

This is just one tiny example of how sit is overused and abused and I can go on and on but I just wanted to get you thinking about if that sit is really the behavior that you should be asking for the next time you ask for it.

What are the three behaviors I feel are most important to have in your toolbox???
Hand Target, engagement/eye contact/check in, and Settle and all three are useful and important when walking your dog!

Speaking of walking, how are we doing? I hope that you are loving the challenge and looking forward to your daily walks!

20/10/2025

It's a Puppy, Not a Problem.

In the past, I trained pet dogs. The first session would almost always go something like this:

Student would pull a list of problem behaviors out of their pocket. Meanwhile, their four month old puppy chewed on the leash and pulled various directions, causing the student to express obvious irritation. The student would then lay out all of the problems that they wanted to fix.

"We're having problems with barking, wanting to play all the time, running through the house with dirty feet, jumping on people, chewing stuff up, excessive interest in human food, constant pulling on the leash to get to things, and digging holes in the garden. Oh yeah – could you teach a reliable recall, off leash, so that when I'm ready to leave the park we can go without me having to chase my dog?"

In short, could I make their young puppy behave like a grown up dog?

Think of puppies as pre-verbal children. Show patience. Structure the environment for success. Accept that inconvenience will happen. Remember that what you do now is going to determine the type of relationship you will have into the future. What are you looking for? Do you want to be seen as an accommodating person who creates opportunities to do interesting things, or as a domineering tyrant that is best avoided? When you ask your dog or child to come see you, do you want them to come running with enthusiasm, or to experience worry and anxiety about your presence?

But start by understanding that there is nothing wrong – there is no problem. There is only a puppy, and training to be done. What happens now is up to you.

Excerpted from the 2019 article, "It's a Puppy, Not a Problem," written by . https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/blog/it-s-a-puppy-not-a-problem

20/10/2025

yup, exactly

15/10/2025

Great article by Don Hanson at Green Acres Kennel Shop, Bangor....

Having Reasonable Expectations While Being Patient and Kind Countless times, I have heard: • “I wish he were more like my old dog,” • “The breeder said this breed is always good with children,“ • “She’s always getting into things,” • “The shelter said he wouldn’t run off,.....

15/10/2025

Great program!

PLEASE SHARE: Are you considering getting a puppy, a kitten, a cat or a dog? At Green Acres Kennel Shop we offer a FREE program called Which Pet for Me/Our Family?

This program is an opportunity for you to discuss getting a pet with pet care professionals that are NOT trying to convince you to adopt or purchase a pet. You will be able to ask us questions, and we will offer objective advice based on over twenty years of experience with thousands of dogs and cats of various breeds and types. Unlike a breeder, pet store, shelter or rescue we will not be trying to get you to purchase or adopt a pet from us. We will ask you questions as well; about your lifestyle; current and future, and what you are looking for in a pet. Additionally, we suggest that you consider asking us all of the following questions:

• What type of pet will be best for us, a dog or a cat?
• What are the pros and cons of an adult pet vs. a youngster?
• Is getting two pets at the same time a good idea?
• How important is the age of the pet I choose?
• What breed of pet will best match our lifestyle?
• Are their breeds we should avoid?
• Small pet versus a big pet; pros and cons?
• Coat type (short versus long); pros and cons?
• Mix vs.a purebred; pros and cons?
• How can I find reputable breeder or shelter/rescue?
• How will children impact my decision?
• What level of training will my pet require?
• How much is a pet going to cost me, now and in the future?

We offer this program for FREE because we want to help you make the best decision possible so that your pet and you become and remain, best friends for life. Which Pet For Me/Our Family? is scheduled on an individual basis, so give us a call at 945-6841.

06/09/2025

Another great post and video about puppy socialization!! ❤️❤️

31/08/2025

Yes! Sara has a great example of using management to build good habits in your dog! ❤️❤️

It’s not cheating, it’s management! And management is a HUGE part of training. Management so your dog has one choice - the right one.

Behold the power of management! This is a topic I talk extensively about during my week five Brilliant Basics class.

When Kenzie was little, her person, Mary, popped her in the crate every night while mopping. No zoomies, no mop-chasing, no chaos.

Management

Now, as an adult, the mop comes out and she voluntarily hops into her crate like, “I know the drill.”

That’s the power of management → it quietly trains the right habit without the battle. 🙌

Remember, a rehearsed behavior will be repeated.

A few other examples:
Baby gates keep counter-surfers from becoming counter-surfers. They are like the bouncers your kitchen didn’t know it needed.

Leashes prevent “oops” moments from turning into runaway recall problems.

Tidy shoes = no shoe-chewing addiction.

Management isn’t cheating—it’s the hack that makes training a whole lot easier. 😉

31/08/2025

W***y and I went to Eliot, ME yesterday (Saturday 8/30) afternoon for a NASCW Element Specialty Test (EST) for Level 1 exterior. One hide in each of the four searches. It was a nice change of pace to have (and know) only one hide! This is a great opportunity as more ESTs are popping up. All dogs must start at Level 1 no matter their NW level and you move up through each element individually. The parking area had no shade (big field) but a nice breeze kept it reasonable. There were 30 dogs for this event.

There are no walkthrough for ESTs. Here is the link to the debrief videos. Enjoy!

NACSW Virtual Walk Throughs

24/08/2025

Some great tips for dogs that pull on leash from Problem Solved, LLC ❤️❤️🐾

20/08/2025

🤣🤣

I wrote a comic about what it's like to be walked (from my dog's perspective.)

13/08/2025

Think about how emotional contagion works in humans. When you walk into a room where everyone is tense and stressed, you feel it immediately—your shoulders tighten, your breathing changes. If you’ve ever been out and about with a friend who was tense and not enjoying the outing, you know that it affects your experience and can even lead you to say, “Shall we just go?”

On the other hand, being around genuinely calm people is wonderful, and can naturally settle your own nervous system. If you’ve ever had a great massage, the calm, quiet movements of the masseuse go a long way to helping you relax.

Dogs experience this phenomenon too, and depending on the dog, possibly even more intensely than we do. Have you ever stopped to look at YOUR emotional state when you are teaching relaxation?

More on the blog:
➡ https://suzanneclothier.com/social-heart-really-real-relaxation-dogs/