SideKick Dog Training

20/12/2025

Welcome to Home School, Skylar! This cutie patootie is going to be working on some house manners-type behaviors - specifically, stealing less items, diving into the dishwasher to lick dishes less, and less demand-related behaviors when the humans are cooking or eating! So far, so good; and she's happy to work!

19/12/2025

We use the word "No" a lot in our daily interactions with our SideKicks; and we use it to mean a whole bunch of different things: • Get off the couch! • Don't eat that dead squirrel! • Don't p*e on the living room rug! • Don't pull on the leash! • I asked for a Sit - not a Down! • Stop b...

18/12/2025

What an adorable smile, right?! Or is it the smile of a doggo getting away with some stuff....?? A bit of both in Violet, probably 😆Violet's pawrents weren't used to a doggo with Violet's energy and...spunk, we'll say, so were looking for some help navigating her energy and behavior! She's a smart gal, for sure!

17/12/2025

TIP TUESDAY
Not much to add to the quote - take the time to listen to what your dog has to tell you! Both you and your dog will benefit immensely!

16/12/2025

Dog parks! In a perfect world, they're such awesome places to take our SideKicks: You can get some great off-leash training practice in; dogs are able to run free and really stretch their legs inside secure fencing (and, sometimes, parks even have agility equipment for your dog to climb around on);....

13/12/2025

Just look at this pair! I don't know for sure, but there can't be more than 15 pounds between the two of them soaking wet! 😆

I visited Ruby and Maxine's pawrents mostly to chat about Maxine, the newest addition to the household, but, with there being two gals and with Ruby not being the absolute sweetest, bestest angel....it's pretty easy for the two of them to feed off of each other! When visiting a multi-dog household, we, inevitably, end up talking about and working with both/each of the dogs to help the whole household dynamic! As you can see, not a single issue with either doggo and interest in participating 😄

12/12/2025

11/12/2025

How stinkin' cute is Betty?? This relaxed position is especially lovely to have seen during our session, since Betty struggled initially to get comfortable with me - and still wasn't pumped when I wasn't just sitting still and settled in on the couch; to take treats and make the choice to relax on the couch a few feet away from me was big for Betty!

10/12/2025

TIP TUESDAY
> Socializing your dog means pairing good stuff (treats, toys, sniffs, etc.) with new experiences/people/things; meeting new people and other dogs is only a small part of that!
> Introduce your puppy or dog to new people, places, surfaces, other animals or pets, kids, and sounds! This introduction isn't about dropping them in the deep end, but more about creating opportunities for POSITIVE exposure and low-pressure interactions - even if that means from a small distance!
> If Fido seems a little scared or overwhelmed, don't force them to experience the new thing and let them decide if they want to interact.
> Socialization is important throughout your dog's life! All of us (including your dog) never stop seeing/experiencing/interacting with new things!

09/12/2025

A kennel-trained dog makes traveling, potty training, and bedtime much easier and more enjoyable for both you and your SideKick. A kennel also provides a safe haven, a little den for rest and relaxation when your SideKick needs a break from the hustle and bustle of the family. This blog post covers....

06/12/2025

Look at those frickin' ears - how adorable is Ruthie?!? Ruthie was newer to her pawrents' household and I had worked with them and their previous doggo, so they reached out to get a bit of help (it had been a bit since they had a puppy/adolescent doggo)!

Note: Ruthie isn't wearing an e-collar/shock collar; the black piece on her collar is a GPS device!