Defy Gravity K9 Rehab & Training

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Defy Gravity K9 Rehab & Training

DGK9 utilizes Balanced Training methods for behavior modification.
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27/08/2024

We want you to remember today that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. As long as you are willing to learn, grow, and try new things. As long as you are consistent. As long as you are open.

Raise the ceiling for yourself. Raise the ceiling for your dog. Never put a cap on you or your dog's potential if you aren't willing to put in the work. Amazing things can happen if you are ready to accept the work and the challenge to achieve that greatness.

27/08/2024

Happy National Dog Day to the 4 adoptable dogs here at DGK9: Magnolia, Aluma, Speaker, and Jepperd!

Speaker and Jepperd are both under a year of age while Magnolia and Aluma are closer to 2-3 years of age.

Speaker is a blue masked female, Belgian Malinois, who is just the coolest little girl. We absolutely ADORE her. She has so much potential and is full of life. She has been good with other dogs and our 16 month old daughter. Excellent puppy.

Jepperd is a male, gold colored German Shepherd with a white stripe on his chest. This little fella is phenomenal with other dogs and children. He is sweet as pie and would make the perfect buddy for someone. We think the world of him!

Magnolia is a sable, female Belgian Malinois who is turning into a really cool young lady. I've been having a lot of fun working with her and getting to know her. She can be pushy with other dogs, but with boundaries and accountability in place, she can live and play with other dogs just fine but would need proper introductions to new dogs.

Aluma is a dark-sable, female Belgian Malinois with a white stripe on her chest. She has pretty intense reactivity towards strangers and will require an owner who can hold her accountable. Once she warms up to you, she's absolutely amazing! She does better with male dogs (both intact or neutered) than female dogs (both intact or spayed).

If you have any questions about any of these four adoptable dogs in our Rehabilitation to Adoption Program, please don't hesitate to ask. We are more than happy to speak to you in depth about each of their personalities.

24/08/2024

What you allow and what boundaries you set for your dog determine what you get. There are no two ways around it.

So if you don't like the results you are getting, evaluate what you are reinforcing. Because, most likely, one of those or both of those need to be tweaked.

23/08/2024

Until you put in the work and train your dog, you'll never know what's possible. You'll never know where your dog's ceiling is at because you have never put in the consistent effort to get there... or to raise the ceiling.

And until you put in the work, you can only guess where your dog's ceiling is. You can only guess where they "could" be. You can only guess the greatness you both could achieve because the effort hasn't been put in yet, consistently.

So many people are quick to judge, quick to dismiss, and quick to “know”. But the truth is unknowable, until the work has been done. There is a ceiling for every dog. And for some, that ceiling is very low. So judge slowly, cautiously, and with an open mind.

21/08/2024

Adoptable Magnolia update for everyone:

She is currently fitting in with our personal and adoptable dogs, along with earning more freedoms such as being out in the non-fenced portion of the yard. However, she still wears a long line while out of the fenced areas as a safety precaution.

Her former foster, before she was transferred to us, referred to Magnolia (they called her Ellen) as "mothering" other dogs. We're not exactly sure what that meant, but Magnolia was anything but "mothering" when it came to other dogs. She was over-aroused, pushy, bratty, dominant, started fights, and would actively latch onto another dog with her teeth. We've been working extremely hard with Magnolia to bring about more appropriate interactions with other dogs, keep her excitement levels down around other dogs, and step in if/when things start to escalate.

We've seen a lot of forward progress with Magnolia. We are still working with her to help bring her in the best headspace that she can be in, be neutral towards other dogs (especially ones outside of our pack that she isn't used to), and eventually find her a wonderful home. So here's to Magnolia, the progress she's made, and the journey ahead of her!

20/08/2024

It’s no coincidence that as the cultural shift has begun, there’s been changes in our children and in our dogs.

When society determines that shielding, protecting, negotiating, and allowing are more valuable than exposure, self-responsibility, rules, and accountability, it’s no wonder both species are struggling.

We’re so consumed with trying to ensure everyone and everything avoids discomfort that we’ve guaranteed that the lessons that come from a less protected, more honest reality are never taught.

And so we see the struggles. And funnily enough, we ask: “What’s wrong with kids/dogs these days?”

Here’s the hint: the problem isn’t them. The problem is anyone naive enough to be asking the question.

09/08/2024

It's back to school week and for many people this means getting back to the hustle and bustle of a morning routine, stressing to make sure everyone is ready to go, and rushing to get out of the door in the mornings. But what about your dog? What does this mean and do to your dog?

All summer long, your dog is used to you and your kiddos being home with him. Giving him attention. Playing with him. Going on adventures. But now that all the kiddos are going back to school, he may become depressed or develop separation anxiety. Both of which are not good for your dog's mental and physical health.

So if your dog is not handling the routine change well, here's some simple tips to help relieve stress and make the transition smoother for you and your dog:

1. Allow your dog to be part of your morning routine.

2. Create a morning schedule where, on different days, someone in the house wakes up a little early to play with or walk the dog. Every day.

3. Don't make a big deal when you leave the house or return home.

4. Create an afternoon/evening routine with your dog. Exercise and playtime with the family are always best, but remember to also ensure that you are adding in structure and discipline as well.

All of these tips will help transition your dog to the fall schedules of going back to school.

08/08/2024

Creating what you don’t want...

This is a super common mistake, and one that is made by many people. Their goal is to improve their dog’s behavior by reinforcing “positive” experiences and feelings. The problem is, reinforcing, does just that... it reinforces. And if your dog is doing anything that you don’t want more of - jumping, barking, growling, pulling, possessing, guarding, or reacting aggressively or fearfully, etc. - then sharing food, affection, or playing with your dog when they are engaging in these behaviors means you’re going to get more, not less of them.

How do you get a dog to sit more? You reinforce it. How do you get a dog down more? You reinforce it.

But if you’ve got a dog exhibiting unwanted behavior, reinforcing is the exact opposite of what you want to be doing.

The appropriate approach is to punish/correct the unwanted behavior (even if it's fear, nervousness, uncertainty, etc.), and THEN reinforce the new wanted behavior through leadership and guidance.

It’s a simple concept, but it’s done wrong so often that most dogs are trained to do exactly what the owners DON’T want, rather than what they do. Most dogs are conditioned to become exactly what owners don’t want and create more of a mess.

Instead, keep it simple. Punish what you don’t want, and reward what you do. Don’t attempt to soothe, relax, or comfort through reward, and don’t attempt to stop poor choices through reward.

Get this right, and you’re on your way to a much improved dog.

07/08/2024

Intuition. Navigation. Empowerment.

These three things are the very recipe we provide to everyone we work with. Every training session has these three simple ingredients. Every single time.

Why? Because consistency is key and we need to be able to inspire, equip, and encourage everyone we work with during the training and far after their dog leaves training with us. Because otherwise, the owner will not be successful on their own.

With each new training, we have to be intuitive and be able to read the situation. The owners may tell us one thing, but the dog tells a completely different story all through body language. Is there a stimulus that causes over excitedness, or is there hidden anxiety, frustration, fear, etc?

This leads to the next ingredient: navigation. This means being able to see ahead. Once we evaluate the situation, we then come up with a plan of action that we convey in detail thoroughly to the owners so that we are all on the same page with what training needs to happen. And not only that, but what needs to happen in the coming weeks or months.

Once this plan is in place and everyone is on board and in agreement, then we shift to empowerment. We equip every owner with the know-how to help their dog stay in the best headspace possible, how and when to make corrections, the intensity the corrections should be made at, how to set rules/boundaries/limitations in the household, and the proper moments to give affection. We pass on that knowledge to every owner so that they can be successful with their dog (or future dogs they may get) long after we leave. Honestly, we can balance the dog, and we can train the dog, but ultimately, it is up to the owner to keep all of this alive and going strong.

We lay the groundwork, but without consistent work from the owner, the dog and owner will fail. This means physical and emotional shifts for many owners to overcome in their daily life with their dogs. This is why we work so hard to educate owners and help them learn to read their dog's body language and to help fulfill their dog's needs daily.

P.S. pictured is Magnolia, who is currently in our Rehabilitation to Adoption Program

07/08/2024

How do we go about creating wildly positive transformations in dogs? The answer may not be what you think.

We aim to turn off the dog's "auto pilot." You know, where the dog completely doesn't think before making a decision and instead just reacts. While in auto pilot, the dog has zero impulse control and do as they please. We see this often at our drop-off consultations where, a lot of the time, the dog is already barking in the car or creating havoc while the owner attempts to get out of the vehicle. They drag the owner around, head to the ground, sniffing, barking, jumping, and yes, sometimes growling and lunging.

Now, this doesn't stop as soon as the owner leaves either. This is something we have to work on to achieve the desired outcome. We have to "reboot" the dog. We have to teach impulse control and teach the dog how to make better choices. They start to become aware of their actions and understand there are consequences for the negative choices they make. They become "self-aware."

That's when the magic starts to happen. That's when the truly transformative stuff occurs. The kind of stuff where the dog goes from being anxious to being relaxed, from being reactive to chilling, and from being overly goofy to learning when being silly is appropriate and when it's not. And it all happens through the little moments: not bolting out of doors, being respectful in a crate, structured walking, learning to be patient, etc. And you know what? The end product is a far more peaceful and enjoyable life for both you and your dog.

03/08/2024

Nope, it’s not the training. Nope, it’s not the tools.
Nope, it’s not the amazing presence you have.

For many dog trainers, their job title can mislead them. They get so focused on the dog and the amazing work they are able to do with the dog that they forget what actually changes dogs deeply and permanently.

Owners.

You can be an amazing trainer, but without owner follow through, owner transformation (lifestyle and emotional), and owner desire to put in the above work to get the desired outcome, all that amazingness will be for naught.

Yes, owners need the boost, insight, and the foundation you can provide, but the only thing that will create lasting and continuously improving results are changes in the environment the dog lives in every day.

Whatever YOU do, if it isn’t passed on, understood, and implemented by the owners, it will fade. Promise.

So this means we’ve got mutual responsibilities going on. We need to train the dog and get them into the best space. We then need to train the owners and help them to understand what they need to do and why they need to do it. And then, it’s up to the owners to make it all stick.

Trainers can struggle by being too dog-centric and missing the human element (you have to be a great communicator with humans and actually care about them, too). They can struggle by taking whoever comes through the door (taking just any client guarantees you’ll have many who aren’t as committed as you are). And trainers can struggle because they forget that they’re only the beginning (you are at best the reset or new launching point, not the finish line).

When trainers and owners both understand how the process works, both parties can find success and dodge disappointment and frustration.

Whatever the dog experiences consistently and continuously is what the dog will become. So unless the dog is going to live with you, the trainer, you better make sure you and your owner/client understand this concept very clearly.

01/08/2024

"My dog is only a puppy once."

Yep, and while this should mean that it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to create the most healthy, solid foundation for your pup’s transformation into an adult dog, more often than not is interpreted to mean it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to spoil, coddle, allow, and create a very different adult dog.

Here’s the secret - it’s not an either or equation. It’s about a simple understanding that you get one chance to do this right or as right as any of us can. It’s also the only time your pup will be a pup, so we don’t want to miss that aspect either.

The good news is, you don’t have to. As stated above, it’s not an either or thing. It’s about keeping your eye on the prize. What kind of dog do you want to live with? What habits do you want/not want? What kind of lifestyle would you like to have? Hopefully, a dog so good that you can include them in all aspects of your life, or as many as you prefer. You get to decide all this and create it. You do so by what you allow and what you don’t, what you reward and what you punish.

As the old saying goes, you’re raising a dog, not a puppy. This is your opportunity to help instill the skills and the attitude you want to live with for the next 10-16 years...

But then there’s that puppy thing. We get it. Truly. But, simple facts are, you don’t serve your puppy, and you don’t serve yourself by omitting discipline, structure, and accountability early on.

Yes, you can play and have fun and get silly and affectionate, and you should...as long as you balance it all out with the other stuff. The not so fun stuff. The stuff that makes cute pups into great dogs.

Our pups receive plenty of play, silliness, and love, but they also receive clear communication when they overstep a boundary or push a limit or do something that’s unwanted. And they have come along beautifully.

They're well-loved and well-led.

We wish the same for you and your pup.

If you need help with training your pup, we have our step by step DGK9 Puppy Training Series Group, which covers the exact, indepth process we use to train puppies ;)

P.S. pictured is little Miss Speaker who is currently in our Rehabilitation to Adoption Program. She is a feisty little lady who is full of s***k! She's roughly 5 months old and will be looking for an experienced malinois handler. She's mouthy and has energy for days. We've worked with many Mal pups, but she definitely lives up to what the breed is. She's not watered down in the slightest 🤣

31/07/2024

Give a warm welcome to Magnolia, who is adoptable through our Rehabilitation to Adoption Program!

This young lady spent the day working on her leash manners, which are severely lacking. We'll post more updates of her and her progress as we move along in training with her. We are looking forward to continuing to learn more about her and where she would be best suited once she's ready for adoption.

We currently have 4 dogs in our Rehabilitation to Adoption Program that will be looking for homes of their own:

1. Jepperd: ~8 month, male, German Shepherd. Sweet as pie and great with the other dogs and our 1 year old daughter. He's a favorite here for so many reasons!

2. Speaker: ~5 month, female, blue mask Belgian Malinois. She is feisty, full of s***k, and mouthy. Will need an experienced malinois owner.

3. Magnolia: ~2-3 years, spayed female, Belgian Malinois. We are still learning about her, and she will need more training. Can be dominant/pushy towards other dogs.

4. Aluma: ~2-3 years, female, Belgian Malinois. She is intensely reactive to strangers yet can also be fine in public if not pressured by others. Extremely smart and loving to "her person." Pushy with other female dogs, but great with males (both intact and neutered). I actually adore her, but she's an interesting dog with her quirks. She'll need an experienced handler who understands reactive dogs.

17/07/2024

Until you do the work, until you fix yourself, until you rebuild your relationship, until you understand what helps and what hinders progress...you’ll never know what you can have.

Dogs are capable of amazing transformations, but only if there’s someone to lead them.

What could you have? Who could your dog be?

You’ll never know until you do the work.

P.S. pictured is the reformed "don't touch my neck" Harry, who is here for a little vacay

16/07/2024

The absence of structure, rules, accountability, and authority results in many dogs feeling anxious, stressed, pushy, bratty, and even fearful. Why? Because without structure, the world around them is unclear. They don't know how to navigate effectively through blurred lines because anything is possible, which in turn means anything can happen. The dog becomes on edge as stress heightens. Often resulting in reactivity of some form.

Without the presence of authority, rules, structure, or accountability, we start to see dogs who are looking out for their best interests. We see dogs who start to offer their worst instead of their best. On the flip side, they can also become overexcited/overaroused and very opportunistic to get what they want.

But what happens when the presence of authority steps back into the picture and fair leadership is provided? Stress levels decrease, the dog knows where the boundaries are, what is and is not expected of him, and he can relax. We start to see the dog's best offered again, not because he has to give his best but because he wants to. The dog's mindset is able to soften because leadership is present.

13/07/2024

What’s the number one cause of behavior problems? Likely, it’s not what you think.

When dogs fill emotional gaps within us, gaps that should be filled by other things (family, friends, romantic relationships, self-love, self-care, etc.) we find ourselves unable to provide for them what they truly need.

And it’s not for a lack of information, resources, or effective approaches — no, it’s the lack of willingness to search them out.

Why?

Because when your dog is everything, the most difficult thing to explore is anything that might make them “unhappy” or uncomfortable. Even if in the long run, the exploration would create exactly what you DO want: happy, comfortable, and balanced dogs.

How do we know? Because we’ve been there. We’ve done all the stuff our clients have. We’ve created the mess and have had to deal with the consequences of it. But we’ve also found our way out...

How did we get there? Honesty. Honesty with ourselves, and all we were unintentionally creating in our world. So I made a promise to myself and my dogs. We'd fix us — as best as we could — so we could fix them. Of course, there is no fix. Just progress, but that’s good enough.

After lots of studying and an obsessive drive to make our “mess” better, we did. While still a work in progress, we kept our promise to our dogs and ourselves. We shifted from leaning on them to leading them. We gifted them with humans who put their true “happiness” and comfort above our own needs. And what transpired was something close to a miracle.

Different us, different dogs.

Did we use the tools and the training and all the resources? You bet. It wasn’t simply a “change your mindset and your dogs are all better” feel-good, new-age approach. But the mindset shift WAS the gateway to begin looking for what was missing, to begin searching out, and to begin putting in the hard work to create the changes we desired.

The upshot: As long as you’re broken, the chances of you having healthy, un-broken dogs are just about zero. But if you’re willing to be honest with yourself and willing to do the uncomfortable work, the chances of massively turning things around are...enormous.

12/07/2024

This information is SPOT-ON from an excellent trainer 🙌🏼

11/07/2024

Why do we and many trainers succeed with challenging dogs? Because we are experienced and skillful at not only reading the dogs but also ourselves and training methodologies.

Want the same for you as the owner? Then you have to do the same. You have to dive deep into your own emotional state and start there. Work on yourself, your dog, and training. You have to become aware of each and what to work on. You need to have the correct mindset, training, and tools. It's a multifaceted puzzle, but you will need to learn to leverage all three of the above-mentioned. Only then will you start to see things change.

09/07/2024

If you’ve got “that” dog: you know, the one who recalls every time, walks with a loose lead, and who is an all-around polite dog.... then you've hit the jackpot!

If you don’t need the structure, the rules, the tools, and the leadership we constantly talk about every day... jackpot!

But remember, your experience with that dog doesn’t equate to a universal one with all dogs.

There are many people out there who don’t have “that” dog. Many people are struggling every day. Whether it’s with the anxiety/stress/fear of getting through another walk/vet visit/guest arrival/dog fight or it’s the hope of even keeping their dog in the home, or alive. There are many not so lucky.

So if you find yourself looking down your nose at those with all the gear and all the rules, boundaries, and limitations, then be sure to pause. Judgment comes easy when you have it good...

But it’s those with limited empathy and imagination... and inflated ego and accomplishment, who do so.

We've had “both” dogs. We've had dogs with severe behavior issues that need constant management, and we’ve had dream dogs we could take anywhere without worry. We needed different rules, different structure, different management, and yes, different tools for each.

Having been on both sides, we don’t confuse luck with skill and accomplishment or failure and shame.

Both of these dogs came to us like that, and it was our job to work with them individually. Each dog had its own specific training and rehabilitation process tailored just for it. But here's the kicker: our energy, leadership, guidance, and consistency stayed the same for each. It never wavered.

Remember that next time you feel the need to judge another for using the tools, rules, and leadership you may find unnecessary.

07/07/2024

Trade Day is full of sights, sounds, smells, people, animals, you name it... it's probably there. So it makes an excellent place to start to proof the dogs in high traffic areas. It can be quite a challenge for dogs who aren't tuned in to their owners or who are easily aroused by things happening around them. This is why we work the dogs with fewer distractions at the start of training and build them up to this point. We want to see them succeed by working on their foundation before throwing them off into the deep-end.

So, how does a dog with a high prey drive that has previously had very negative reactions around livestock and fowl be able to take on a place like this so effortlessly? It's all about building a new and healthier relationship together. One built on trust and respect for each other. One where there are rules, boundaries, and limitations along with accountability for negative behaviors but also praise for positive behaviors. There needs to be a great shift in a better direction in the dog/owner relationship.

07/07/2024

Working with a dog who has impeccable obedience but who also has a high prey drive can be quite the task. We see this a good bit in working/sporting dogs (such as the one in the video).

Owners of working/sporting dogs spend a great deal of time building drive for various sports/work along with working on obedience. But obedience can only get you so far in the "state of mind" game.

Navi is well-versed in obedience commands. Exceptional, actually. But even with all that excellent obedience training, she still becomes over-aroused/over-excited around livestock and starts whining, chatterboxing, forging forward, pinpointing, and eventually lunging, barking, biting, redirecting, etc. It's not an obedience issue. It's a state of mind issue, and working a dog's state of mind is a different ballgame entirely.

The over-arousal mixed with a lack of accountability (or missed accountability at the appropriate time/intensity) results in dogs not being able to make "good" choices or think clearly at all. This can also be for pet dogs with sometimes different and sometimes similar manifestations of behaviors. It's really dog dependent, but the outcome is still the same with a dog who isn't living up to their full potential and making poor decisions.

So what combats this? Working on the dog's state of mind. Slowing them down. Teaching the dog to relax even if their biggest trigger is present. Patterning healthier behaviors. And mostly, holding the dog accountable for their actions. All of this won't hurt the relationship between you and your dog or diminish their drive. It's quite the opposite, in fact. You'll start to see just how deep the owner/dog bond can truly be and watch your dog live up to their full potential.

P.S. this was Navi's first time working around the cows since starting training with us a few days ago.

02/07/2024

We talk about everyday "life training" fairly often, but it's such an overlooked aspect of training for many owners. Most owners believe they will need to spend basically all day working with their dog to make any progress. This can be a highly overwhelming notion and one that makes it hard to even start with where to begin. But here's a secret from trainers who work with multiple dogs in a day: we allot a generous amount of time to going through obedience commands (active training) with dogs both indoors, outdoors, and leash walking but we spend the remaining time keeping the dog from falling back into former negative behaviors.

The amount of time is dependent on each dog. That's the same for you as the owner. You will need to find that "sweet spot" that works for your life, routine, and your dog. Once you have that dedicated time for working on obedience commands and fun things (active training), then you will spend the rest of the time making sure your dog is having positive behaviors. This doesn't mean your dog isn't allowed to "mess up," but it does mean you are being consistent and keeping your dog from backsliding into old patterns through holding them accountable.

Today, we challenge you to take a look at how your current view of training your dog is. Don't get overwhelmed. Instead, start small because that's still highly rewarding in the long run ;)

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Adoptable Magnolia update for everyone: She is currently fitting in with our personal and adoptable dogs, along with earning more freedoms such as being out in the non-fenced portion of the yard. However, she still wears a long line while out of the fenced areas as a safety precaution. Her former foster, before she was transferred to us, referred to Magnolia (they called her Ellen) as "mothering" other dogs. We're not exactly sure what that meant, but Magnolia was anything but "mothering" when it came to other dogs. She was over-aroused, pushy, bratty, dominant, started fights, and would actively latch onto another dog with her teeth. We've been working extremely hard with Magnolia to bring about more appropriate interactions with other dogs, keep her excitement levels down around other dogs, and step in if/when things start to escalate. We've seen a lot of forward progress with Magnolia. We are still working with her to help bring her in the best headspace that she can be in, be neutral towards other dogs (especially ones outside of our pack that she isn't used to), and eventually find her a wonderful home. So here's to Magnolia, the progress she's made, and the journey ahead of her! #defygravityk9rehabandtraining #DGK9 #pupalongpack #adoptablepupalong #stayandtrain #RehabandTrain #dgk9puppyprogram

Give a warm welcome to Magnolia, who is adoptable through our Rehabilitation to Adoption Program! This young lady spent the day working on her leash manners, which are severely lacking. We'll post more updates of her and her progress as we move along in training with her. We are looking forward to continuing to learn more about her and where she would be best suited once she's ready for adoption. We currently have 4 dogs in our Rehabilitation to Adoption Program that will be looking for homes of their own: 1. Jepperd: ~8 month, male, German Shepherd. Sweet as pie and great with the other dogs and our 1 year old daughter. He's a favorite here for so many reasons! 2. Speaker: ~5 month, female, blue mask Belgian Malinois. She is feisty, full of spunk, and mouthy. Will need an experienced malinois owner. 3. Magnolia: ~2-3 years, spayed female, Belgian Malinois. We are still learning about her, and she will need more training. Can be dominant/pushy towards other dogs. 4. Aluma: ~2-3 years, female, Belgian Malinois. She is intensely reactive to strangers yet can also be fine in public if not pressured by others. Extremely smart and loving to "her person." Pushy with other female dogs, but great with males (both intact and neutered). I actually adore her, but she's an interesting dog with her quirks. She'll need an experienced handler who understands reactive dogs. #defygravityk9rehabandtraining #DGK9 #pupalongpack #adoptablepupalong #stayandtrain #RehabandTrain #dgk9puppyprogram

Why do we and many trainers succeed with challenging dogs? Because we are experienced and skillful at not only reading the dogs but also ourselves and training methodologies. Want the same for you as the owner? Then you have to do the same. You have to dive deep into your own emotional state and start there. Work on yourself, your dog, and training. You have to become aware of each and what to work on. You need to have the correct mindset, training, and tools. It's a multifaceted puzzle, but you will need to learn to leverage all three of the above-mentioned. Only then will you start to see things change. #defygravityk9rehabandtraining #DGK9 #pupalongpack #stayandtrain #RehabandTrain #dgk9puppyprogram

Trade Day is full of sights, sounds, smells, people, animals, you name it... it's probably there. So it makes an excellent place to start to proof the dogs in high traffic areas. It can be quite a challenge for dogs who aren't tuned in to their owners or who are easily aroused by things happening around them. This is why we work the dogs with fewer distractions at the start of training and build them up to this point. We want to see them succeed by working on their foundation before throwing them off into the deep-end. So, how does a dog with a high prey drive that has previously had very negative reactions around livestock and fowl be able to take on a place like this so effortlessly? It's all about building a new and healthier relationship together. One built on trust and respect for each other. One where there are rules, boundaries, and limitations along with accountability for negative behaviors but also praise for positive behaviors. There needs to be a great shift in a better direction in the dog/owner relationship. #defygravityk9rehabandtraining #DGK9 #pupalongpack #stayandtrain #RehabandTrain #dgk9puppyprogram

Working with a dog who has impeccable obedience but who also has a high prey drive can be quite the task. We see this a good bit in working/sporting dogs (such as the one in the video). Owners of working/sporting dogs spend a great deal of time building drive for various sports/work along with working on obedience. But obedience can only get you so far in the "state of mind" game. Navi is well-versed in obedience commands. Exceptional, actually. But even with all that excellent obedience training, she still becomes over-aroused/over-excited around livestock and starts whining, chatterboxing, forging forward, pinpointing, and eventually lunging, barking, biting, redirecting, etc. It's not an obedience issue. It's a state of mind issue, and working a dog's state of mind is a different ballgame entirely. The over-arousal mixed with a lack of accountability (or missed accountability at the appropriate time/intensity) results in dogs not being able to make "good" choices or think clearly at all. This can also be for pet dogs with sometimes different and sometimes similar manifestations of behaviors. It's really dog dependent, but the outcome is still the same with a dog who isn't living up to their full potential and making poor decisions. So what combats this? Working on the dog's state of mind. Slowing them down. Teaching the dog to relax even if their biggest trigger is present. Patterning healthier behaviors. And mostly, holding the dog accountable for their actions. All of this won't hurt the relationship between you and your dog or diminish their drive. It's quite the opposite, in fact. You'll start to see just how deep the owner/dog bond can truly be and watch your dog live up to their full potential. #defygravityk9rehabandtraining #DGK9 #pupalongpack #stayandtrain #RehabandTrain #dgk9puppyprogram P.S. this was Navi's first time working around the cows since starting training with us a few days ago.

We see this all the time, people bringing home a new dog or puppy & smothering it in "love" before they ever set in place the rules of the house. Do you want to know what happens several months down the road when the new dog has settled in? Take a wild guess.... that dog takes over the title of being the leader & his leadership consists of some pretty awful behavior issues. Frightening even. Why? Because the owner failed to set in place clear & consistent rules, boundaries, and limitations. The owner failed to introduce the new pup/dog appropriately in his new home. The owner, in essence, told the dog, "Anything you do is fine!". The owner FAILED that dog. Don't get us wrong, you should absolutely give affection to your dog, but at the correct time. You'll hear us stress over & over the importance of exercise, discipline, and affection (in that order) but so many owners either do it out of order or leave one of the three off entirely. Don't be like them. Evaluate your own relationship with your dog and grow from there. Be the leader your dog needs & deserves. Give them all the information they need to thrive. We like to relate it to children without structure in their home. Think about it, if a parent never told their child not to run in the road, what will happen? That child may run out in the middle of traffic and get injured. By setting clear rules early on, that child will know to stay out of the road. That's why setting clear & consistent rules, boundaries, and limitations from DAY 1 is vital to ensuring your dog's (or kiddo's) safety. #defygravityk9rehabandtraining #pupalongpack #pupalongpackalumni #StayandTrain #RehabandTrain #DGK9puppyprogram

Tacking on some more place training with distractions for Mr. Shiloh. Because honestly, you can never work on this enough. It's what we call "every day life training". What kind of "every day life" training are you doing with your dog today? It could be as easy as having your dog stay on place while you cook supper, play with the kiddos, watch a movie, or any number of things. The point is, training doesn't have to be long and strenuous, it can be accomplished through small things like what Shiloh has been doing. It's in these small moments that stellar dogs are created. #defygravityk9rehabandtraining #DGK9 #pupalongpack #StayandTrain #RehabandTrain #DGK9puppyprogram

The ULTIMATE "real-life" training for Shiloh this morning 🙌🏼 It is imperative that Shiloh stays on "place" (the elevated cot), even when the distractions, temptations, toys, and even my daughter heavily encourage him to do otherwise. He is corrected if he breaks command and gets off the cot or even just sits up on the cot (the way we train the place command is the dog has to be in a down). This means he has to learn to listen to the handler rather than simply listen to whatever his little brain, and little human, tells him to do (which for him, is to go excitedly love on every single person he meets). This, along with many other training scenarios, begins to change the way Shiloh sees himself and the humans around him. Bringing him into a much more calm and respectful headspace. #defygravityk9rehabandtraining #DGK9 #stayandtrain #RehabandTrain #dgk9puppyprogram P.S. Shiloh is extremely people and kid-friendly. There is no danger here unless he accidentally knocks her over 😅 P.P.S. my daughter has been learning to stay off the dog's cots when they are on it. P.P.P.S. every interaction is heavily monitored with my daughter. P.P.P.P.S. they both looked at me like they were about to get into some trouble together 🤣

Mr. Shiloh checking in as the "bestest boy" at Lowe's! This was his first outing to Lowe's since training and I am incredibly proud of how well he handled everything. When I train, I want the dog to be able to listen to me above all the noise, bustle, and chaos of the world that may be going on around us. I want the dog to be able to tune everything else out except for my subtle cues or quiet commands given while we are out and about. I want the dog listening and focusing to what I am asking of him. But before all that can happen, new behaviors must be patterned and the dog learns that I have everything under control and he can relax. Because without being his advocate and guiding him in a healthy manner through the world or things that may worry or excite him, he will never grow. And that's the ultimate goal: growth. Much like our personal growth. We strive to be better than we were yesterday and that's my goal for the dogs I train. I want them to improve each day in a positive direction. This was, by far, the best training day at Lowe's as far as people go that I've ever had. It was such a fun outing and everyone was extremely friendly, kind, polite, and respectful. People were genuinely excited to watch Shiloh learn, grow, and be a "fine fella". I'm really excited to see what all this coming week has in store for him! #defygravityk9rehabandtraining #DGK9 #pupalongpack #stayandtrain #RehabandTrain #dgk9puppyprogram

A little clip from the 2nd owner transfer session with Shiloh who is currently enrolled in our three week Stay & Train Program. This second training session was all about building upon what the owners learned at the first training session and implementing that even further. This time, we took the relationship building steps indoors; a place where Shiloh can quickly get a little rowdy. This building block is crucial for both Shiloh and his owners to have a much more respectful indoor living situation with each other, especially when guests visit. During these steps, one owner is able to help hold him accountable by keeping him on "place" (he's pretty easily excitable) while the other owner greets the guest at the door. This is fabulous teamwork and helps keep owners on the same page with training and working together. That's one of the biggest components is ensuring that everyone in the household is on board with training and everyone in the household practices together. This helps tie everything together and keep the training alive. #defygravityk9rehabandtraining #DGK9 #pupalongpack #StayandTrain #RehabandTrain #DGK9puppyprogram

Shiloh and his owners had their 1st training session today at the start of his two weeks into our three week Stay and Train Program. (Shew, that was a whole run-on sentence 😅). The first training session is all about rebuilding relationships, learning how to handle a leash, learning how to control our own emotions, and working on simple obedience tasks. While all this may seem benign or even pointless, it is actually a huge part of setting the foundation for a more respectful relationship between the dog and owner. One where the owner has relevance and the dog has to start listening to their owners. It's all just simple building blocks to a healthier relationship. If you ever wondered how we get from Point A to Point B with the dogs we train: it's through relationship building blocks like this to build that solid foundation along with patterning the behaviors that we do want through rewarding them and correcting the behaviors we don't want. We are structured the first week while patterning new behaviors and relationship building. The second week, we start proofing them in different situations, and the third week is always a lot of fun while still correcting any shenanigans. So, for today, Shiloh's owners started the process of building a much healthier relationship with him. It may seem small, but this is how it all starts. It's how the "big" stuff is created. It's how amazing owners and respectful dog relationships are formed: in the small stuff. #defygravityk9rehabandtraining #DGK9 #pupalongpack #stayandtrain #RehabandTrain #dgk9puppyprogram

Happy Friday, everyone! Here's a little progress report from Shiloh's first week of our Stay & Train Program. This video is sped up in areas because I train slow and steady to make sure the dog understands what I am asking of them and ensuring they are following my cues instead of moving at a pace that they enjoy. Shiloh was previously an intense leash puller and jumper with some selective listening unless treats were involved. But check him out after a week of training: listening and following commands even with heavy distractions! Is he ready to go home yet? Not quite. There's still proofing to do and making sure he is in the best state of mind possible before heading back to his owners at the end of the program. But here's to 1 year old Shiloh the LabxGreat Pyrenees and the bright future he has ahead of him! I am looking forward to seeing how he will progress in the next two weeks! #defygravityk9rehabandtraining #DGK9 #pupalongpack #StayandTrain #RehabandTrain #DGK9puppyprogram

And that's a wrap on "don't touch my neck" Harry 🙌🏼 Harry, who's owner deployed three weeks ago, came to us with a major aversion to his neck being touched. So much so that he left a nice bite resulting in four stitches on the neighbor a few months ago that would take care of him when the owner had a long day at work. But, check Harry out now working with the same neighbor that received the bite and stitches. We cannot express enough how proud we are to see this progress with not only Harry but also the confidence be built with the neighbor! The neighbors will now be the primary caretakers until Harry's owner returns home in approximately a year. They are the true MVPs for being so willing to not only take care of Harry but to also learn and build their confidence to safely interact with him. These fine folks are the true epitome of southern hospitality. So here's to Harry, his new caretakers, and the bright road ahead of them! ❤️ And yall don't forget to keep Harry's owner in your thoughts and prayers while he is deployed overseas. #defygravityk9rehabandtraining #DGK9 #pupalongpack #StayandTrain #RehabandTrain #DGK9puppyprogram

Sirius had his first outing to Lowe's over the weekend 🙌🏼 He did exceptionally well following us, listening to us, and learning that no matter what happens around him that we have everything under control. Was he a little nervous? Yes, and we expected that but he did very well overall. So if he doesn't look "happy" in the video, just know it's because he's really having to think and he's in a novel environment which brings all new challenges for him to overcome while building confidence. And if you really think about, we humans never look "happy", "thrilled", "overjoyed", etc when we are first learning something new or overcoming our fears while building confidence. #defygravityk9rehabandtraining #DGK9 #pupalongpack #pupalongpackalumni #StayandTrain #RehabandTrain #DGK9puppyprogram P.S. he did make friends with every person he met though. He absolutely LOVES meeting new people but is very respectful when meeting them ❤️

Shiloh the 1 year old LabxGreat Pyrenees is brand spanking new to our 3 week Stay & Train Program as of this morning and he's one sweet fella! We value our shoulders so working on having a better walk experience for us both was where we started. We will also be working on recall, general manners, basic obedience, avoiding distractions while focusing on us, keeping his four feet on the ground, and just general puppy shenanigans. We'll be seeing what all is possible with him as his time progresses with us but we see a bright future ahead of him. The progress made in this video was over a 5 minute span. Yes, you read thay correctly. He is definitely eager to learn but he'd still also rather do his own thing but that's okay because we are both still building a relationship. We are looking forward to diving in deeper with him a d help him be a true gentleman for his owners. #defygravityk9rehabandtraining #DGK9 #pupalongpack #StayandTrain #RehabandTrain #DGK9puppyprogram

So here's the thing: when you are out and about, you can only be responsible for you and your dog. You have no control over anything happening around you. But what you do have control over is how you and your dog react to that external stimuli. The world could be crumbling in around you but it's up to you to keep not only yourself, but also your dog, in check. If not, you'll fall into the depths of the chaos. And there are sharks lurking there. Instead of becoming part of the "problem", alternatively focus on you and your dog. Tune out the world around you but yet still be keenly aware of the happenings around you. Watch your dog's body language for signs of stress, overexcitement, reactivity, pinpointing, etc. Correct from there. Work on creating a sound, "bombproof" dog who can go through the fires of life alongside you. We challenge you to lead your dog. Guide them. Set clear and consistent rules, boundaries, and limitations in a fair and concise manner. Don't focus on others or their dogs, put your attention towards you and your dog and working towards building the best relationship possible. #defygravityk9rehabandtraining #DGK9 #pupalongpack #adoptablepupalong #StayandTrain #RehabandTrain #DGK9puppyprogram

Threshold training for Harry and Aluma who are in our Stay & Train Program and Rehabilitation to Adoption Program. We work towards dogs waiting patiently at thresholds until being released. And this can be any door/threshold. This keeps the dogs from either pulling you through a door that opened or from your dog bolting out of an open door and escaping. Waiting at thresholds keeps both you and your dog safe. We've all seen the grim realities of what can happen to a dog that bolts out of an open door - lost, injured, possible death. Don't let that happen to your dog by not teaching them how to wait at thresholds. #defygravityk9rehabandtraining #DGK9 #pupalongpack #adoptablepupalong #StayandTrain #RehabandTrain #DGK9puppyprogram

Environmental Training, Confidence Building, and Proofing with Harry at Lowe's, OH MY! Harry the Belgian Malinois is currently in our Stay & Train Program here at DGK9. He's made some vast improvements from when he first arrived in our program and we are excited about his progress. So an outing to Lowe's for environmental stability training and proofing behaviors in public along with confidence building exercises was just what he needed. And he knocked it out of the park! He was people neutral, followed commands well, and was up for anything asked of him no matter the surface. And this is something we do with all dogs we train: proof them in public and in real life situations besides just training in controlled environments. But only after the dog has a clear and solid foundation. This helps us to know where the training gaps may be that we need to fill, where to continue helping the dog at in real life situations, and overall guiding and leading the dog through those every day life moments that are inevitably going to happen that are outside our control. This helps to create a well-rounded dog who can take on the world and know that no matter what happens, the handler has everything under control even through the chaos that life sometimes throws at us. So what is the relationship like with you and your dog? Have you paved the foundation for a well-balanced dog or are you still currently working on it? We are all at different stages with not only our dogs but also working on ourselves as well. #defygravityk9rehabandtraining #pupalongpack #stayandtrain #RehabandTrain #dgk9puppyprogram

Enjoy this fun little afternoon training session with Stay and Train Harry featuring whiny Aluma and our daughter making noises in the background 🤣 Harry has a major aversion to people touching his neck which is why I'm making a point to touch his neck so much during training. And not only that, but also more erratic movements now that we have a rapport with each other. You'll also notice that he is wearing a 2" I.D. collar, a Herm Sprenger Fur Saver, and a Mini Educator collar. None of these training tools are being utilized in the traditional sense in this training session (he's working all off verbal commands). Instead, I periodically take the collars off and put them back on to work on desensitization and collar aversion. Sometimes training is thinking outside of the box and it's always working the dog in front of you in the fashion that works best for them. #defygravityk9rehabandtraining #pupalongpack #StayandTrain #RehabandTrain #dgk9puppyprogram

Give a warm welcome to Harry who is currently here for training! Harry's owner deployed for a year on Sunday so please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Harry's owner wanted to be proactive and have Harry brushed up on his basics along with working on a few trigger points and quirks before living with a family member after training. Harry was previously trained very well by another trainer and had some PPD training. We're brushing up those commands and working towards Harry being able to take commands from other people (which is something he is going to need to be able to do while his owner is deployed for a year). Harry is quite the interesting fella about his neck being touched. To the point that he has left a bite and four stitches on a person. Along with some growling, teeth showing, and snapping at other people who have touched his neck area. We've been working on narrowing that down and you'll notice that we now able to do pretty fast and erratic touches with him on his neck. This is one of the main things that we are working on with Harry but that is only one part of the training equation. We don't just focus on individual issues, otherwise we'd be chasing problem behaviors, but instead focus on the macro. The dog's state of mind. Work with that first, get down to the root of things, find out what's just below the surface, and dive in. And we usually start to see a very different dog fairly quickly. So here's to Harry, the training ahead of him, the family members that will be taking care of him after training, and prayers of safety for his deployed owner. #defygravityk9rehabandtraining #pupalongpack #StayandTrain #RehabandTrain #DGK9puppyprogram

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We’ve been there! That’s right, we’ve been the people with the unruly dogs that everyone avoids. We’ve been the people whose dog is aggressive. We’ve been the people that couldn’t go to the dog park. We’ve been the people whose dog controlled the walk. We’ve been there! We understand what you are going through without a doubt.

Here’s the good news, it doesn’t have to be that way! Once we applied our proven dog psychology techniques, our pack became balanced almost overnight. This can be the same for you too!

We are certified in dog psychology and will help you to read your dog’s body language to what they are trying to tell you. We decided on the name, Defy Gravity, as not so much of a physical thing (however exercise and obstacle training goes along with it), but we also rehabilitate death row dogs that we have given another chance at life and have now found loving homes for. So in a sense, we are beating the odds for these dogs and “defying gravity”.

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