Pawfect Pooch Dog Training

02/12/2022

Pawfect pooch is regrettably temporarily closing until I get my health issues back in check. In the meantime feel free to message me and I'll give you contacts for other trainers in the area that I would trust with my own dogs as well as any resources at my disposal to help with issues you may be having

01/04/2022

01/04/2022

A few updates! I've been terrible at posting over here

First, because I'm attending classes at UARK to further my knowledge the hours here are changing to fit my schedule. As of this week we'll be available Tuesdays/Thursdays 10:00-6:00 and Saturdays 10:00-4:00 for appointments.

Second, we have a website up now! Take a look there and as always, we're just a message away :)

www.PawfectPoochDogTraining.com

Pawfect Pooch offers science-based training to help your dog reach their fullest potential! We're proud to offer all individual one on one training where we come to you to work on obedience, manners, tricks and more! At this time, we are not accepting aggression or other severe behavior cases.

11/25/2021

Happy Thanksgiving! Please be aware of what's safe to share with your four legged family members and what is bad for them as you go about your meals today

This is not a comprehensive list, go here for more info - https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/thanksgiving-foods-to-share-with-your-dog-or-avoid/

11/10/2021

"I don't want to train with food because then they won't ever listen without it"

This is such a common thought so let's talk through it.

A reinforcer is anything that makes a behavior more like to happen again - that can be food, toys, praise, anything the dog finds rewarding. Some dogs aren't food motivated and need alternatives but most really love treats and are happy to learn in exchange for food. That motivation leads to faster learning because you're working with a good reinforcer.

As for the second part - concern that the dog will never listen without food? Part of the training process is weaning off the rewards so they listen whether you have food or not. It's a critical component and when people say their dogs don't listen without treats it's because they've completely skipped this step, went straight from initial training to nothing, and expected the behavior to remain consistent.

A random reinforcement schedule has been proven to be the most effective at maintaining behavior over the longterm - not just in dogs but across species (even in humans!). So once a behavior is rock solid you'll want to sporadically reward it to insure that it stays at that level but you don't have to constantly offer food anymore.

10/31/2021

Happy Halloween!

10/21/2021

It's so important to work with your dog so it's well mannered in your house, in your friends/ families houses (if you take him with you), as well as just around your friends/family. You don't want to have to be constantly on top of your dog making sure he doesn't jump on people, steal food, or do any of the naughty things people don't like

This weekend I brought Ashim to my grandparents house where we had up to 16 people in the house at a time - mostly strangers to him and a few were elderly and too frail for him to interact with.

I'm happy to help you get your dogs to this point too

10/13/2021

09/23/2021

Breed plays a huge role in what traits your dog will display

09/16/2021

NAME CHANGE ANNOUNCEMENT

It only took a few months but I finally settled on a permanent name. Ashims dog training was just a placeholder while I came up with a name I liked that wasn't already taken. I'm happy to say Pawfect Pooch Dog Training is the name that I've settled on :)

09/16/2021

Socialization actually has very little to do with meeting tons of people and as many dogs as possible and everything to do with teaching them how to stay focused in a busy world.

You should include different surfaces, sounds, sights, and people watching (not always interacting). Plus handle different parts of your puppies body every day - ears, mouth, and paws at least

Great infographic.
Be careful to not overload your best friend!

09/12/2021

Every dog considers different things rewarding! It doesn't always have to be food, take a look at the list and see what else you can utilize to reward your dog

Reinforcement goes beyond the use of treats or toys, it encompasses everything in your dog's life. A reward is anything that your dog receives reinforcement from.

09/11/2021

09/09/2021

Building a strong relationship between dog and handler is such an intrinsic part of training. Every second of work you put in will be returned to you tenfold by the partnership you're forming

09/08/2021

Daily exercise is important for all dogs. Whether it's walks, fetch, free run in the yard, swimming, whatever you and your dog enjoy. A dog with too much physical energy is going to be far more prone to behavioral issues because they need to do *something* in order to alleviate that energy and relax

09/02/2021

Ashim is my dog, he's a six year old Newfoundland. He's my mobility service dog so obedience and tasks have been at the forefront but he also trains in tricks, water rescue work, and starting in scentwork.

Over the years I've worked with a number of dogs. A great Dane, Malec, who came to me from an abusive service dog program in need of a tremendous amount of help. After a lot of intensive rehab he moved on to his permanent home with a friend of mine where he loves life. I've raised two Australian Shepherds, one for a service dog program and one for a friend. Both were a lot of fun and challenging in their own ways as all dogs are :)

I've helped friends with their dogs and obsessively studied dog training and behavior for the last several years. I'm thrilled to start training for others after devoting so much of my life to preparing to do just that