Constellation Canine Dog Training & Education

11/20/2024

11/12/2024

The dog training industry is facing a mass exodus of skilled trainers, driven away by cancel culture, unrealistic client demands, and the pressures of social media. In this raw, honest piece, I share my personal journey navigating the industry's toxic dynamics and explain why I’m stepping away to focus on holistic services that support the animals I love. If you’ve ever wondered what’s really happening behind the scenes, this is an eye-opening read.

The dog training industry is losing skilled trainers to burnout and toxicity. Here’s why I'm stepping away to focus on holistic pet care.

11/12/2024

Thank you Veterans 🇺🇸
Both 2 and 4-legged alike.

11/10/2024

Retractable Leashes have their place but 90% of the time, that place is in the garbage 🗑

10/13/2024

For low-income and homeless owners and their pets.

Free Pet Wellness Clinic coming to Carson City. Info in link: https://www.carsonnow.org/reader-content/10/12/2024/free-pet-wellness-clinic-coming-carson-city

09/16/2024

At this time, Constellation Canine Dog Training & Education will no longer be taking training program clients until further notice.

All current clients will have their contracts completed and fulfilled, please do not worry about that.

Consultations for Nutrition, Holistic Health, and Aromatherapy will still be offered.

Day Training Programs are still an option, but we will not be doing any new Board & Train programs or Private Lesson Programs at this time.

Thank you for your continued support and patience during this time of transition for our team.

09/11/2024

Never Forget.

Our hearts go out to those affected by the events of this tragic day, both on US Soil twenty three years ago, and those later in Benghazi twelve years ago.

Your memories will not be forgotten.

To the First Responders, SAR teams, Medical Staff, Volunteers, and Citizens- thank you.

To the Working Dogs- thank you.

Twenty-three years ago, hundreds of specially trained dogs were deployed to participate in search, rescue, and recovery efforts at Ground Zero, while therapy dogs on-scene provided comfort to rescue workers. The heroism and devotion of these dogs and their handlers became a source of comfort to first responders. Today, we remember those who lost their lives on 9/11 and honor the first responders and four-legged companions for their dedication and sacrifice.

09/11/2024

⚠️ LEAVE YOUR PETS AT HOME ⚠️

September is Service Dog Awareness Month, and I'd like to share an incident that happened recently while my Assistant Trainer and I were out with our Service Dogs.

We had gone to Target in Carson City to grab some Starbucks and do some refresher training with our Service Dogs. While we were sitting at the table, a man walked in holding a kid in his arms, with a young dog in the cart, and got into the line at Starbucks.

Our girls ignored the dog, not even lifting their heads.

The guy's dog then put its paws up onto the side of the cart and started barking at our Service Dogs- who continued to ignore him. The dog's owner then said "Not right now, they don't want to play with you," to which I replied with "because they are legitimate Service Dogs, not pets."

Another customer at the counter then got involved, and began yelling at us and said that we were "too young" and carried on for a while being very rude and argumentative when we knew our rights and the law pertaining to Service Dogs.

I left to get a manager, who ended up being less than helpful.

After explaining what had happened- with the dog still barking and the other customer that made herself involved coming up behind me to yell at the manager about us- the manager told us that Target's corporate policy was that THEY WERE NOT ALLOWED TO ASK IF DOGS WERE SERVICE DOGS, NOR WERE THEY ALLOWED TO REMOVE DOGS FROM THEIR STORES.

This was upsetting and unbelievable; attempts to educate about the Americans with Disabilities Act were met with remarks about how he wishes he could bring his dogs everywhere and that our girls- who were alerting to our medical needs the entire time- were obviously well-trained and legitimate Service Dogs.

We left the store and called Corporate and filed a complaint, because it's inexcusable what happened. So many laws and rights were violated. We both ended up having medical episodes that our Service Dogs tasked for as a direct result of the issue we dealt with.

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Service Dogs are not required to be vested or marked as such.

Service Dogs are trained to mitigate or alert & respond to a person's disabilities through specialized tasks. Comfort is not a task. Emotional Support is not a task.

Service Dogs are not allowed to be placed in shopping carts, nor are they allowed on furniture.

Any breed of dog can be a Service Dog. Not all dogs have the ability to be Service Dogs based on temperament and genetics.

Businesses are allowed to ask two questions: Is that a task-trained Service Dog and what tasks is it trained to perform?

A business may ask a Service Dog be removed for uncontrollable behavior such as barking or marking.

Pet Dogs are not allowed in places that serve or sell food items. Stores like Target are NOT places to socialize your dog or puppy.

All it takes is ONE TIME for a Service Dog to be attacked by a pet dog in a store for that Service Dog to develop reactivity or fear and be washed from Service Work entirely, all because someone wanted to bring their pet dog with them instead of leaving them at home. That's THOUSANDS of hours and dollars wasted because of selfishness.

Don't be That Person. Leave your pet dog at home when going to non-pet-friendly stores.

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Picture of Astrid, my semi-retired Service Dog, in a down-stay at Starbucks inside Target off of Jack's Valley Road in Carson City. She is not vested but has a leash wrap that says "Working Service Dog - Do Not Approach" over her Sidekick Leash. This was taken several minutes before the incident in the post occurred.

09/09/2024

Attention CVVH friends 🐕✨

The Nevada Humane Society is reaching out for donations to support pets displaced by the Davis fire. They need pet food, treats, and blankets/towels to help these animals feel safe and loved.

If you’re interested in helping or want to know more about their specific needs, please get in touch with them directly. Their phone number is 775-856-2000 and they are located at 2825 Longley Lane Suite B in Reno, NV

Let’s show our support! 💖

08/30/2024

✨️ I am proud to announce that I have officially completed my Canine Nutrition Certification, and am proud to add "Certified Professional Canine Nutritionist" to my credentials! ✨️

This has been something I've been extremely passionate about for a long time, and I am excited to help more people and dogs live happier, healthier lives.

The link between diet, nutrition, behavior, and health is unquestionable, yet often very overlooked by pet professionals and pet owners alike. I want to help bring awareness to this, and help more dogs and their owners as a result.

Far too often I've seen reactive dogs, fearful dogs, and overly-excited dogs have significant behavioral changes from a simple diet change alone! Now, that's not to replace training by any means whatsoever, but by addressing the behaviors from the inside out, we are able to make a lot more progress in a shorter time than if we overlooked the nutrition piece and focused solely on the behavior instead.

Our food sources and practices have changed drastically over the last few decades, and dogs in general are getting cancer and other major health issues at a younger age than in years past. A healthy, properly balanced and formulated diet can help change that!

Huge thank you to Feed Real Institute and REAL DOG BOX for what they're doing to educate owners and professionals alike!

If you want to help your dog live its best life, then let's talk about a Nutritional Consultation and get your pup on the path to holistic health! 🐾

08/27/2024

Happy National Dog Day!

What did you and your pup get up to today?

08/22/2024

✨️Did You Know?✨️

Ripped and torn nails require a vet visit.

This is because when a nail gets ripped or torn and the quick gets exposed, there's a direct pathway for infection to enter your dog's body.

Infection can spread quickly and can cause many issues if not addressed, even death if left untreated.

When I went to trim my puppy's nails last night as part of her routine grooming, I noticed her nail was broken in two places. Seeing how she was acting normally with good vitals and the bleeding was controlled, I didn't feel it warranted a 1.5 hour trip to the only 24-hour ER vet in the area and could wait until the morning for a same-day urgent care visit.

I cleaned the area as best as I could with the pet first aid items I had on-hand, put a cone on her, crated her, and went to bed.

She had her vet visit this morning, and now has a bandaged foot and the proper medications to manage pain and prevent infection.

Knowing how to triage an injury is an important part of pet ownership! While this incident absolutely warranted an urgent-care appointment, it was not by any means an emergency. Now, if I was unable to get bleeding to stop or if she showed significant pain or signs of shock, that would be a different story, and we would have immediately gone to the ER vet in Reno last night. Thankfully, it wasn't that type of situation and we were able to be seen at Carson Valley Veterinary Hospital first thing this morning!

Thanks CVV Team for taking care of my girl!

08/05/2024

I am excited to share that we will be attending (and participating in) the first-ever Dog Biz Summit this week in Austin, Texas!

I cannot wait to be with a group of open-minded individuals that are passionate about their businesses and the future of the dog training industry, eager to drop labels and egos at the door and come together - regardless of methodology or background- for the betterment of the dogs and people that we serve.

As we will be out of office and very busy this week, all inquiries, emails, texts, and calls will be returned once we are back in office on Tuesday, August 13th.

Thank you for your patience!

08/03/2024

Mr. Benny is ready for Fall and the cooler temperatures it brings, and we can't blame him!

Benny was boarded at Country Inn Kennels recently and his owners asked for him to get some training while he was there. We happily obliged- we love Benny!

He did great at Michael's Craft Store and we got to work on leash manners, obedience, and confidence.

Super proud of this boy! He's come quite far!

--🍂🐶🍂--

We know we've been a bit quiet recently, but that's because we've been working hard on a few things, while also trying to beat the heat we've been dealing with for weeks now.

Stay tuned for some update posts over the next few days!

07/30/2024

This past Saturday we had our Monthly Pack Walk for our clients! We decided to try out a new location, and everyone loved it and had a fantastic time.

Our Pack Walks are open to all of our clients past and present! They're a fantastic way to put your training to the test in Real World Situations, as well as build confidence in your dog.

We incorporate leash work, basic obedience, socialization, confidence building, and other skills into the Pack Walk so both you and your dog can keep your skills up to date!

Interested in joining us next time? Drop me a message and let's talk about how we can get you and your dog set up for success!

07/23/2024

Make sure your pets have an updated Rabies vaccine!

Whenever possible, always opt for the THREE YEAR vaccine! This way you are not over-vaccinating your dog and potentially putting them at risk, as the one-year vaccine is the same as the three year, just labeled differently.

Over-vaccinating for rabies (and other vaccines) can lead to a slew of behavioral and health issues, so always opt for the fewest required vaccines and try to titer-test for the more routine ones.

If your dog has been over-vaccinated, look into detoxing their liver and add some pure milk thistle to their diet, at 2-5mg per pound, not exceeding 50mg once per day.

*I am not a DVM, I am sharing information based on personal research and experience. This is not official medical advice. Always consult with your vet (ideally one knowledgeable about vaccine toxicity) before making any changes. Milk thistle should not be given if your dog is on anxiety medication, seizure medication, allergy medication, or blood thinners.*

Protect your household from rabies, case confirmed in Carson City. Info in link: https://www.carsonnow.org/story/07/23/2024/protect-your-household-rabies-case-confirmed-carson-city

07/23/2024

My recent trips to Utah to visit Legendary Service Dogs also brought me time with this lovely girl!

Cinder, now Raven, was a fantastic candidate for my Aromatherapy sessions. Using certified pure therapeutic grade and animal-safe essential oils, we were able to help her feel safe and secure enough to actually calm, ground, and trust. This allowed her to make leaps and bounds of progress with the L*D Team!

Thank you Legendary Service Dogs for allowing us to be a part of Raven's journey, and congratulations on getting her placed in a wonderful and fantastic home! ✨️

As a Certified Animal Aromatherapy Specialist, incorporating Essential Oils into training sessions can make a huge difference for fearful and anxious dogs. Ask how we can help your pup today!

It took 6 weeks of dedicated training to get here!

After months of waiting, Cinder, now Raven, was adopted by her forever family today!!

There were a lot of the incredible people who helped Raven on her journey and made this possible!

A special thanks to Hope's Rescue for taking a chance on Raven and her sister when they were found as young puppies on the side of the road.

A huge thanks to Cinder's foster, who put so much time and patience into raising both puppies.

A big thank you to Constellation Canine Dog Training & Education for helping us several times during her trips to Utah not only on the training side, but also adding in Aroma Therapy that helped calm Cinder's anxious brain. Thank you to all the others who contributed to Raven's journey.

I can not thank our trainer Fox enough for all her hard work and dedication as we worked together day after day with a very scared puppy who was terrified of the world. Fox hadn't trained with a dog that was so fearful. She learned a ton, and I couldn't be more proud of her hard work, commitment, and willingness to grow as a person and trainer through working with Raven.

In this time when so many dogs and puppies find themselves homeless, abandoned, and in need of help, we are so glad that this one got her forever family! A special thanks to Raven's family for taking a chance on her as well as following through so well with the training to help her transition, which allowed her to feel welcome in your house.

Here's a link showing Raven's journey with us from the time we first met to when she went home with her family: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTNu73X7B/