Zen Doggy Den

Zen Doggy Den A Holistic based Dog Training/Daycare/Boarding Facility. Our whole dog approach to your dog needs - to keep them happy, healthy and mentally balanced.

Something very important has come up regarding you making decisions for your own pets health. Please read this blog post...
02/21/2025

Something very important has come up regarding you making decisions for your own pets health. Please read this blog post and sign the pet owner petition at the bottom!

How will the new Vaccine Protocol affect Pets and their Owner: PACFA (Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act) is a regulation system for animal facilities to ensure proper care and sanitation of animals for groomers, daycare/boarding, any facility that sells pets, and more. It creates a standard that al...

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02/13/2025

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For years, fluoxetine (Prozac) has been pushed as the answer to behavioral problems in dogs. Veterinary behaviorists and force-free advocates love to cite “science-backed” studies to justify long-term medication use. But here’s a big problem, most of these studies are flawed, biased, and rely almost entirely on owner-reported data.
Take, for example, the 2009 study on fluoxetine for compulsive disorders in dogs (Irimajiri et al., J Am Vet Med Assoc). It claimed fluoxetine helped, yet the only improvement came from owners’ OPINIONS, not actual behavioral measurements. When researchers looked at objective data the dogs’ actual behavior logs they found NO SIGNIFICANT difference between the medicated and placebo groups. But guess which result gets cited?🤫
How about the 2007 study on fluoxetine for separation anxiety (Simpson et al., Veterinary Therapeutics). The conclusion? Fluoxetine was effective … but only when paired with a structured behavior modification plan. And yet, thousands of dogs are medicated without any meaningful training, as if a pill can replace actual learning.
Sad reality is that Dogs are being drugged, not rehabilitated.
Ask any serious trainer what happens when they get a dog that’s been on fluoxetine for years. They take the dog off the meds, implement a sound training plan, and SHOCKINGLY the dog improves.
Not because fluoxetine “worked,” but because the dog finally got what it needed: clarity and proper training.
Yet, the AVSAB keeps pushing these medications while dismissing legitimate training as “aversive” or “outdated.” They’d rather chemically suppress behavior than actually address it.
The real question isn’t whether fluoxetine has some effect but why so many dogs improve when you REMOVE the drug and train them properly?!!!
Behavioral change comes from learning, not sedation. It’s time to stop pretending otherwise.
I know I am not the only one noticing that dogs on fluoxetine don’t get better - they just get dull.
The dog isn’t learning or adapting, just becoming more passive.
This can actuallY DELAY proper rehabilitation, because the dog’s emotions and responses are chemically suppressed rather than modified through learning.
Thinking about making a solo podcast to talk about the dog I have in training right now, one of the many that end up euthanized after YEARS of being on SSRI’s and the pandemic of prescribing psychotropics like flea medication

Thanksgiving meals were very much enjoyed. 🦃🍁🐾
11/29/2024

Thanksgiving meals were very much enjoyed. 🦃🍁🐾

Drumroll Pleassese…🥁Making his way to the ring, top dog and reigning champ… Louie!!!🤼🏆🐾
10/21/2024

Drumroll Pleassese…🥁

Making his way to the ring, top dog and reigning champ… Louie!!!🤼🏆🐾

Lula Mae is just the prettiest princess ever! Have the most glamorous day 🎃🎃👑
10/21/2024

Lula Mae is just the prettiest princess ever! Have the most glamorous day 🎃🎃👑

Nugget came to save the day! Spider dog cannot in fact do anything a spider can but he can look super cute trying to!
10/21/2024

Nugget came to save the day! Spider dog cannot in fact do anything a spider can but he can look super cute trying to!

CLUCK, CLUCK! 🐣🐥🐓Little Miss Tamsin dressed as a cuuutteee chicken, and she’s got a joke for you: What do you call a pra...
10/21/2024

CLUCK, CLUCK! 🐣🐥🐓

Little Miss Tamsin dressed as a cuuutteee chicken, and she’s got a joke for you:
What do you call a prankster chicken?
A practical yolker! 🎃🧡

Please give her some love!!! ☯️

It’s that time of year… Spooky Season is here!👻Please join us in participating in our annual Howl-oween Costume contest!...
10/08/2024

It’s that time of year… Spooky Season is here!👻
Please join us in participating in our annual Howl-oween Costume contest! We are starting a little earlier this year to allow for more time and in case anyone wants to do multiple costumes, you have the chance!
This year entails…
Bring your pup to daycare and/or boarding in costume to receive a spooktacular treat while entering in a chance to win your pup a Free Spa Day AND a Spooky basket filled with treats, toys and other goodies!
• ends 10/31.
• Each day kiddos come in costume, we will take a photo and post it same day in our private facebook group for clients. Clients will determine the winner by the amount of likes on each picture (comment also encouraged), so keep a look out for these!
• Multiple costumes obviously welcome!
• We will gather votes and announce winner by 11/01. Spooky basket will be handed out next visit or can be picked up. Free Spa day done on your choice of visit, just let me know!
Hope everyone is Fur-ocious and ready for Halloween like we are!! 🎃👻☯️

Yes!
09/23/2024

Yes!

Address

4575 Wadsworth Boulevard
Wheat Ridge, CO
80033

Opening Hours

Monday 7am - 10am
3pm - 7pm
Tuesday 7am - 10am
3pm - 7pm
Wednesday 7am - 10am
3pm - 7pm
Thursday 7am - 10am
3pm - 7pm
Friday 7am - 10am
3pm - 7pm
Saturday 9am - 11am
5pm - 7pm
Sunday 9am - 11am
5pm - 7pm

Telephone

+17205077364

Website

https://zenmasterdogtraining.com/

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Videos

Had a blast at the last @denver_dogdays Thanks for sending along this video clip. Not sure why I look angry when I’m talking haha. Can’t wait for the next event. See you there! #denverdogdays #denverdogdays2025 #sloanslake #denverdogevents

#happyholidays #denverdogdaycare #zendoggyden

Teaching an emergency down command can be really helpful for dogs with high drive especially prey driven dogs. #zendoggyden #dogtrainingtips #fyp #denverdogtrainer #balanceddogtraining #ecollartraining #dogtraining #dogadvice #dogtrainingadvice

We are very strategic with how we run our daycare. Everything is done with behavior in mind. #zendoggyden #denverdogdaycare #dogdaycare #dogdaycarelife #balanceddog #balanceddogtraining #dogtips #dogadvice #dogsofinstagram

Some work fun. Louie came dressed as Mason! #zendoggyden #workfun #denverdogdaycare #dogdaycare #halloweendog #halloweendogcostume

I’m honored to be featured in Shoutout Colorado! Read about my journey as a Professional Dog Trainer. Click the link in my bio to check it out! Let me know your thoughts in the comments. 🐕🐾

Mj towards the end of her 2 week board and train. She’s a good girl. #zendoggyden #goldenretriever #dogtraining #boardandtrain #boardandtrainprogram #dogimpulsecontrol #balancedtraining

Ok I had to. Just a handful of some of our dogs over the last few days. #zendoggyden #capcut #pixar #disney #cutedog #dogdaycare #denverdogdaycare

I am a little obsessed. I may have to do this on a bunch of our dogs. Here’s MJ one of our board and train dogs. #zendoggyden #goldenretriever #boardandtrain #denverdogdaycare

I highly recommend traveling with your dog in a secure crate whenever possible. These crates are also great for dogs that didn’t do well in open metal wire crates as those are the easiest to escape from. These enclosed feeling can also make many dogs feel more secure and relaxed. @ruff_land_kennels #zendoggyden #dogtraining #dogcrate #dogtravel #dogseparationanxiety #rufflandkennels

Have you been thinking about getting a Ruffland kennel? They are the easiest and safest option to travel with your dog, and make a great home kennel. They currently have PINK for the month of October. We will be placing an order if we get at least 6 orders so reach out if you’d like to get one! You can order their regular colors as well if pink isn’t your thing. Message or email us to place an order - kennels will be delivered to wheat ridge Colorado . #rufflandkennels #pink #dogtravel #denverdogtraining

Teaching dogs to be more social is so rewarding. #zendoggyden #balanceddogtraining #denverdogtraining #boardandtrainprogram #belgianmalinois #belgianmalinoisofinstagram #reactivedogtraining #dogintroductions #dogtrainersofig #dogtrainingtips #dogtrainingadvice

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Where did Zen Doggy Den come from?

As a dog trainer mainly going to owners homes, I always get asked – ‘where can I bring my dog for daycare or Boarding?’ I always hesitate slightly when answering this question because in the back of my mind I am wondering to myself – ‘where would I bring my own dogs?’ There were places I considered acceptable but for one reason or another there’s always something about their practices that kept me from whole heartedly saying I would feel comfortable bringing my own dogs there. That is where the Zen Doggy Den was born. For the past 11 years I have been collecting information from facilities I’ve dealt with, owners needs and wants, and then what I would want for my own dogs. I finally got the opportunity to make this dream happen. A place where I can say I would leave my own dogs. There’s still so much in the works and improvements I already have in my mind for the future but it’s amazing clients like you that will make that possible. Welcome to your dogs home-away-from-home.