Playful Pups

04/01/2025

01/30/2025

How good is your dog's listening skills??? Zeb knows he has to hear the entire word "Release" before he can have his treat. Share your videos of your dog doing an awesome job of listening to any cue!

Playful Pups

01/15/2025

This week I'd love to see videos of your dogs doing a "Touch" cue!

01/08/2025

I am trying something new! As a dog trainer, one of the best parts of my job is getting to watch as your pups learn new cues and grow in their abilities. I love seeing the progress they make during every session. However, once they graduate, I don't get to see them anymore. So I have decided to ask for videos! Each week I am going to ask for a video of the cue of the week. You can share it in the comments section or you can send it to me by messenger, text or email. If you don't want to shared on social media, please send me a video anyway and just let me know to keep it private, I'd still love to see your pup!
The cue of the week today is "Down". Here is a video of Annie, Sabine, and Zeb doing their down cue.

01/06/2025

We are deeply saddened to learn of Karen Pryor's passing. She was a pioneer in animal training and behaviour whose contributions have shaped modern dog training as we know it. Her innovative approach and entrepreneurial spirit transformed the industry, paving the way for countless trainers and animals to benefit from science-based, positive reinforcement methods.

Karen’s work extended far beyond the Karen Pryor Academy, which has educated and inspired trainers worldwide. Her book, Don’t Shoot the Dog, introduced an entire generation of trainers to the principles of clicker training and remains a cornerstone of dog training literature. The annual Clicker Expos she founded became vital opportunities for professional growth, collaboration, and community-building within the field. Her legacy also includes Reaching the Animal Mind, a profound exploration of the science and art of animal training.

Karen’s vision, intelligence, and compassion revolutionised how we communicate with and understand our canine companions. Her contributions have had a lasting impact on the lives of trainers and the dogs they work and live with. She will be greatly missed, but her legacy will continue to inspire and guide the animal training community for generations to come.

Our thoughts are with Karen’s family, friends, and all those whose lives she touched.

https://karenwpryor.com/

12/29/2024

Classes are starting up SOON! Make sure you sign your pup up soon! Spread the word!!

Puppy Pre-K starts Monday 1/13 at 6:30pm and Family Dog 1 starts Monday 1/20 at 7:30pm!

We are so proud to be teaming up with Playful Pups dog training!!

12/14/2024

I'm so sorry, the links do not work! You can sign up by going to www.playfulpupsllc.com or you can email me at [email protected]

09/30/2024

Yup, 😂

09/25/2024

BEYOND CESAR MILLAN

20 YEARS LATER.....The following review was submitted to National Geographic by Dr. Andrew Luescher, DVM, Ph.D, DACVB (board-certified veterinary behaviorist).

Dr. Luescher, former director of the Purdue University Veterinary Behavior Clinic was asked to provide feedback on "Dog Whisperer" tapes prior to the show's airing.

In this letter to National Geographic (date unknown), Dr. Luescher writes,

"I think this series, if aired, would be a major embarrassment for National Geographic. It is not stimulating or thought-provoking, since none of the presented techniques are new. They are outdated and have long been abandoned by most responsible trainers, let alone behaviorists, as inappropriate and cruel. I very much hope National Geographic will pull the plug on this program."

Please read the entire letter (It's not long.) and share: http://beyondcesarmillan.weebly.com/andrew-luescher.html

This program and trainers who have mimicked the behavior seen in this program have done so much damage to the dog training industry, dogs, and the human-animal bond.

I have met and spoken to Dr. Luescher personally, and I share his sentiments, as do all other trainers in the evidence-based, best practice camp. Meanwhile, much of the unsuspecting public still looks to National Geographic as an authority and has no idea it has thrown science to the wind, at least in terms of dog behavior and training.

Cindy Ludwig, MA, BS, RN, KPA-CTP, CPDT-KA
Canine Connection LLC
Willard, MO

Image copyright Valder Beebe Show, CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/Cesar_Millan_Mar_2018.png

09/16/2024

09/13/2024

Our Towne Magazine thank you!

Katie Roppolo - owner of Playful Pups dog training comes to YOUR HOME for private training sessions! Call Katie now and schedule your lessons with this fantastic certified dog trainer that many pups and humans love!

09/03/2024