Citizen Canine

15/09/2022

Spots available for the fall season!! Reach out before they’re gone!

04/07/2022

Have a very happy fourth from our very happy Monday crew!

27/06/2022

By choosing Sit ‘n Stay, you have decided on the path of fear free dog training. Gone are the days of intimidation techniques and dominance theory; science has moved forward and so shall we!

24/06/2022

It’s SO easy to “yeah, but” your way out of trying something new (we do it too!)

BUT if we can start piecing together what works and what doesn’t, we can make adjustments that lead to real progress ❤️

Trainers hear the Yeah But’s a lot.
Yeah, but…
⁉️ “I don’t know if we can…”
😵‍💫 “That seems like a lot…”
👎🏻 “I don’t want to do…”
⏸ “I like how we do it now…”
💭 “It worked with my old dog…”

& I get it! I recently worked with another trainer with Maxwell, and I warned her up front that I have Push Back and Yeah But’s in my bloodstream, but I would be trying to work past it, but sometimes I just need to verbalize it!

The thing that I kept coming back to with Maxwell?

⭐️ If I didn’t change anything, nothing would change. ⭐️

Most of us don’t reach out for professional help (in any capacity!) if we had it figured out ourselves. If what we were doing was already working, we wouldn’t be paying for a professional to help us problem solve.

Something HAS to change - changing your training, your mechanics, your methods, your management, your enrichment, your brain chemistry! - to see change.

Next time you feel that nagging little voice inside your head when your trainer asks you to try something new and maybe uncomfortable, remember: if nothing changes, nothing will change.

Talk to your trainer about what part, specifically, is bringing out that little Yeah But voice, and see if they can help figure out an alternative, or if they can explain why they’re so adamant about the recommendation in the first place. You might be surprised.

💜💙

01/06/2022

Wednesday crew! Who’s your favorite?

30/05/2022

Manners Class made easy!

Spots are available in Starting Zone - Like Magic’s answer to a group beginner class. In Starting Zone, help is at your fingertips with self-led online instruction that you can explore the moment you sign up. View the videos and tips for each lesson and chat with your instructor directly, all before meeting in person.

In our in person class, rather than trying to introduce something brand new while your dog is distracted, practice perfecting those behaviors with games and activities to bring your abilities to the next level!

Classes start Wednesdays - June 8th at 5:30.

Time doesn’t work for you but eager to start training your dog? Starting Zone online is available for separate purchase - start now and supplement with Level Up classes or private training when you need it!

Register here:
https://www.likemagicdogtraining.com/group-classes

29/05/2022

💯

My colleagues and I are often asked, "When can I stop giving treats?" Would never be an acceptable answer?

Truth is, it's not about giving less treats, it's about asking for more and better behavior before giving treats. This is what the pros do that many don't.

Not to mention, when you reward behavior often enough, it can become self-reinforcing. When that happens, you can ask for many behaviors in a row and reward at the very end of the sequence.

ID: Fabulous trainer and agility competitor wearing black pants, a black t-shirt, and a black baseball cap. She's holding her arms out, making a circle. Her black and white dog is jumping through her arms (think barrel roll). All the while a golden retriever sits off leash, watching and waiting for their turn. Text: Don't give less, ask for more.

26/05/2022

Does your dog overreact to things you wish they wouldn't?
Reactivity is a broad term that boils down to BIG feelings - those feelings might be fear, excitement, frustration, or anger, but they are united in one thing: they are disproportionate responses.
In our approach to reactive dog classes, your dog first learns the skills they need without being asked to use them - instead we spend four weeks working virtually in your home. After Foundations, if you're ready to take the show on the road, you'll join our in person reactivity Society Debut, where we will work hard to continue to set your dog up for success while they work on implementing those skills in real life situations.
Rabble Rousers: Foundations starts online on Wednesday, June 1st at 7:45pm! Register here to get started with our pre-recorded orientation today! https://www.citizencaninetraining.com/group-classes/

23/05/2022

It’s happening! Beginner group classes start on Wednesday, June 8, from 5:30-6:15. This class turns instruction on its head as you access the behavior work ahead of time through an online portal so you can ask questions, play games, and implement skills during your class time. This class will run for 8 weeks at Rockburn Park.

20/05/2022

Free Sunday? Beat the heat and exercise your dog’s brain early by joining us at 9:00 on 5/22 to work on *your* priorities with your dog! Register here: https://www.likemagicdogtraining.com/group-classes

11/05/2022

✨ What do you need training help with right now? ✨

Extracurriculars are our single session workshops - and each dog attending gets their own curriculum! Whether you want to work on polite greetings, attention and engagement, loose leash walking, or recall - we can introduce and coach behaviors with you while you work with the distraction of other dogs and people working nearby.

Get coaching for known behaviors, make things more challenging by working off distractions, or learn something brand new - the choice is all yours!

May Classes: Sundays at 9:00 on May 15 and May 22 at Rockburn Park in Elkridge

https://www.citizencaninetraining.com/group-classes/

18/04/2022

🙌🙌🙌🙌

Behavior is seldom an all-or-nothing deal.⁠
⁠
⁠

07/04/2022

Rainy days won’t stop us!! Day school pups went on a field trip yesterday to Pet Barn!

30/03/2022

⚠️Attention!⚠️

There will be an AKC Canine Good Citizen test held April 14 starting at 6pm

Testing will start for CGC and CGC Advanced at Wheaton Woods Elementary School Parking Lot and then we will drive down the road to the Home Depot for the CGC Urban test.

Tests will be $15 for CGC & CGCA and $20 for CGCU

Very limited private session spots are available for prepping!

Register at
https://www.citizencaninetraining.com/group-classes

29/03/2022

Did you know? Rabble Rousers: Foundations starts tomorrow! Begin working with your reactive dog and sign up today!
https://www.citizencaninetraining.com/group-classes

Learning TogetherGroup classes give you the opportunity to practice your training in a controlled environment, with a learners all working towards the same goals! Working together means we all can achieve our goals that much more quickly, and connects you with our wonderful Citizen Canine community!...

22/03/2022

Pickle says “unless I see the meatballs, I’m not listening” 🙉

PD1: a grey and white pitbull is sitting on a wooden walking bridge with her ears pulled so far back, you can’t see them. She has a teal harness and a bandana on.

PD2: same photo, but her ears have reappeared! They are standing up with the tips flopped down.

10/03/2022

You really can have it all! Register at https://www.citizencaninetraining.com/group-classes

07/03/2022

Huge shoutout to our Day Trainers today!

The normally quiet park we use to train at surprised us when a bunch of emergency vehicles showed up while we were hiking. They were there for some training exercises and demonstrations, spraying foam and water, and generally making a ruckus.

Each one of our students has different challenges, but each one made us proud with how they handled the unexpected distraction! They showed bravery, focus, the ability to settle, and a few even got to get pets from the firefighters.

Awesome job to Reign (pictured), Clover, Arlo, and Oliver!

PD: a black and tan german shepherd lays on grass in front of a parking lot. In the lot are two firetrucks and people standing around them. The dog is relaxed and looking off in the distance past the camera.

01/03/2022

Did you know ALL THREE Citizen Canine Trainers are on this list and up for a ranking among the best trainers in MD? You can vote for *each one of us* here: https://form.jotform.com/220466155218049

24/02/2022

Life skills in day school today! Since it was gray and rainy (and COLD!) we took training inside and worked on attention and engagement in an exciting pet store. The pups are permitted - even encouraged - to look around and take everything in, and rewarded for making the choice to offer attention. This builds behavior that makes your dog more likely to choose attention on you, but also able to politely cope with other stimuli.

09/02/2022

Rabble Rousers starts in ONE WEEK! Have you registered?

Does your dog have BIG feelings?

If your dogs disproportionate reactions to dogs or people make walks stressful, time in the yard a chore, or even your home an alarm barking battle zone, we are here to help!

✨ Rabble Rousers ✨ starts you off with a 4 week foundations class - virtually introducing behaviors to help you manage and train your dog to avoid overreactions in the wild.

Burnt out on virtual learning? We get it! We want to see you in person as soon as possible - but there’s a couple reasons it’s important to meet virtually first:

☑️ Setting your dog up for success! Virtual training allows you to work in low distractions - it’s so much easier for your dog to learn new skills when they aren’t on the verge of losing their marbles!

☑️ That all-important relationship. We want your dog looking *to you* for the treats by the time we meet in person - not us. If you’ve worked with a trainer before, you might be familiar with how exciting a new Treat Person can be. We want YOU to be your dog’s Treat Person!

☑️ Safety safety safety. Getting on the same page before we meet in person means your dogs know the rules before we start trying to apply them in public - and in a group of dogs with strong opinions, that matters even more than usual!

Rabble Rousers Foundations can immediately be followed by your dog’s Society Debut - our 4 week 🙌 in-person 🙌 class where your dog can practice the behaviors they learn in Foundations with exercises and games meant to demonstrate how to use these skills in real life scenarios!

Reactivity can be draining. Community can help - and making your dog a part of the reactive dog community unlocks support, information, and opportunities to practice that will make your life together easier and better- for both of you ❤️ 🐕

Register for Rabble Rousers: Foundations today, or reach out to Citizen Canine trainers with any questions you have!

29/01/2022

🙌🙌🙌 SO well said!!!

A well behaved dog is a dog whose behaviors allow everyone in the family to live comfortably and safely. That picture looks so different depending on individual needs. Train behaviors that matter for you, your pet, and your family.

I can't tell you how often people mention to me that the dog sleeps in bed with them, and they look embarrassed. They apologize profusely when the dog jumps up to greet me. They blush when the dog barks at the door.

The thing is - those things don't bother me. Really. If they bother you, we can definitely help you change that. But if they don't? It's your family. You make the rules. Don't fix what's not broken.



[image description: on a green background is the image of a couch with multiple dogs sitting and lying on it. Below a dog is jumping up on a person. Nearby another dog is barking. The text reads "Oscar Winning Behavior is about pets - and their families. Does the behavior bother you? No? Then it doesn't bother us."]

29/01/2022

Reactivity work is challenging, but the weight of each small change is so rewarding.

One of the first questions I get from folks who know me, upon hearing about the addition of Fig to our household - is about how Mouse is doing with a new dog. After all, I’m very upfront about her reactivity, and it’s not at all a stretch to say that the challenges I faced with her changed just about everything in my life. There was a long time when I didn’t know if I could ever have a second dog.

The truth is, she’s doing phenomenal with the new dog. Not in ways most people might think - there are no posed pictures, both faces turned up at the camera, hoping for a treat or a toy. There hasn’t been rowdy play sessions, or evening cuddle sessions.

Reactivity doesn’t work like that. And Mouse is and will always be a reactive dog.

In truth, she’s been handling Fig’s introduction to our household well long before Fig ever came home. She parallel walks with other dogs well, and we’ve been able to get to a point where I don’t need to start off at any special distance - we park, gather things, and head off. She passes dogs on walks. She’s demo-ed for reactive dog classes and privates. She has met and interacted with carefully introduced playmates, and accepted boarders in crates and kennels in her home, even showing polite interest and playing with them. We saw an amazing , without whom most of this would not have been possible. Without all of this, we could not have brought Fig home.

Right now, Mouse is learning that the dog in the house is not going to leave, unlike the boarders. She’s learning that sometimes this dog gets free reign of the house while Mouse sleeps in the bedroom. She’s learning that she doesn’t have to try to peek behind the curtain of the crate, but can relax nearby it. She’s learning the sound of her, the smells of her.

Later, when it’s warmer and Mouse accepts the outdoors as a viable option, we will take them on parallel walks. Later we will take them to Sniffspots where they can have first interactions off leash with lots of space. Later we will work on shared training and relaxation sessions in the house. All piece by piece setting up a successful and happy home with our whole family.

That’s later. Right now, this is what success looks like. Mouse found a bone and brought it to the basement, where Fig is quietly crated, and chose to settle in the same room as her new sister. It might not seem like much, but from the perspective of a reactive dog mom, it’s a resounding success.

21/01/2022

What is your dog saying during play?

Come out to our workshop on Sunday on “How to Speak Dog” - looking at dog-dog interactions and discussing appropriate play.

Registration is for an *audit* spot - while we would love to have all dogs attend, we want to have carefully planned play partners to make sure everyone has a safe and fun time - and gives us lots to discuss.

Register Here: https://www.citizencaninetraining.com/classes-and-events/event-one-dhf3b-x8hnk-ggyds-h7fz8-yjf34-2gahp-4lysk

13/01/2022

Welcome puppies! We welcomed Heidi and Knight to day school today. Scroll through to see them side by side…there’s a *bit* of a size difference going on 😂

02/01/2022

Rabble Rousers starts Wednesday! Does your dog have BIG feelings?

If your dogs disproportionate reactions to dogs or people make walks stressful, time in the yard a chore, or even your home an alarm barking battle zone, we are here to help!

✨ Rabble Rousers ✨ starts you off with a 4 week foundations class - virtually introducing behaviors to help you manage and train your dog to avoid overreactions in the wild.

Burnt out on virtual learning? We get it! We want to see you in person as soon as possible - but there’s a couple reasons it’s important to meet virtually first:

☑️ Setting your dog up for success! Virtual training allows you to work in low distractions - it’s so much easier for your dog to learn new skills when they aren’t on the verge of losing their marbles!

☑️Easy review - Recorded sessions mean you can review any behavior you aren’t sure of, whenever you need!

☑️ That all-important relationship. We want your dog looking *to you* for the treats by the time we meet in person - not us. If you’ve worked with a trainer before, you might be familiar with how exciting a new Treat Person can be. We want YOU to be your dog’s Treat Person!

☑️ Safety safety safety. Getting on the same page before we meet in person means your dogs know the rules before we start trying to apply them in public - and in a group of dogs with strong opinions, that matters even more than usual!

Rabble Rousers Foundations can immediately be followed by your dog’s Society Debut - our 4 week 🙌 in-person 🙌 class where your dog can practice the behaviors they learn in Foundations with exercises and games meant to demonstrate how to use these skills in real life scenarios!

Reactivity can be draining. Community can help - and making your dog a part of the reactive dog community unlocks support, information, and opportunities to practice that will make your life together easier and better- for both of you ❤️ 🐕

Register for Rabble Rousers: Foundations today, or reach out to Citizen Canine trainers with any questions you have!

31/12/2021

May your new year make you as happy as streams make Dexter ❤️

25/12/2021

More Christmas pups here to spread holiday cheer!

PD1: two german shepherds, a yellow lab, and a tricolor aussie puppy pose neatly in front of a decorated christmas tree.

PD2: a light beige shepherd mix is sitting with his back to the camera, showing a gingerbread man christmas sweater.

PD3: a beagle lays on a red couch with a red checkered blanket draped over top. Behind the couch is a Charlie Brown christmas tree.

PD4: a yellow doodle and a brown brindle pitbull sit posted in front of a christmas tree, each wearing holiday bandanas.

PD5: a black german shepherd and a black and tan german shepherd puppy lay on dog beds underneath a christmas tree. Scattered about are toys and shredded wrapping paper.

25/12/2021

Regardless of what you celebrate, we hope you’re having a wonderful weekend and enjoying some quiet moments before the end of the year.

We have a lot to reflect on as the year comes to a close, as this time last year we were just gearing up for a launch in the new year. After a year in business, we wanted to extend personal thanks to everyone who supported us - came to classes, entrusted us with their dogs in day school, shared posts, shared their experiences, sent us words of encouragement.

It’s rare to get to do what you love every day. Rare to get to do it with people you love. Rarer still is to immediately find this extraordinary community of people to work with.

Thank you for being a part of ours. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year! 🎊

- Liz, Alyse, and Charlotte

25/12/2021

Things sure are getting festive in our Citizen Canine Facebook Community Group! Check out some of our adorable canine (and feline!) members ^

Wishing you all a happy and healthy holiday 🎄

PD1: a collage of a brown and white hound and a beige curly haired dog both wearing red checkered ties.

PD2: a grey striped cat with bright orange eyes stands looking up at the camera. She is wearing a red cape with santa claus on it.

PD3: a light brown blocky headed dog sports a huge, happy smile while sitting next to Santa and between some christmas trees. Santa’s smile is just as big as the dog’s!

PD4: a light brown terrier with floppy-tipped ears sits in front of a bunch of colorful christmas trees.

PD5: a dark german shepherd sits next to a white fluffy samoyed with a fake christmas tree and pine garland at their feet.

15/12/2021

Bailey is working hard on her “wait”s!

One of the cool things about Day School is that we can tailor the training sessions to what each dog needs, and enjoys, the most!

PD1: a beagle is sitting in a patch of grass with her handler a few feet away.

PD2: the handler is right in front of the beagle, feeding her as her head reaches upwards to get the treat.

07/12/2021

The holidays are a stressful time for everyone, our dogs included! Now’s the time to prepare to meet their needs and *ahem* keep them out of the way. In this virtual class, you’ll learn:

❄️ Easy, indoor games to expel excess energy without freezing your butt off

❄️ How to keep your pup happy and occupied when you can’t spend time with them

❄️ New ways to enhance the bond with your dog while also enriching their lives!

You won’t want to miss it! Running virtually on December 15th at 6:30pm eastern time. Visit www.citizencaninetraining.com to sign up today!

01/12/2021

Our day school pups very quickly figure out which one of the trainers is giving out the most treats. Can you tell who it was today?

PD: a woman in a light pink sweatshirt stands facing the camera with a treat held up in her right hand. Three dogs sit neatly in front of her, patiently waiting for theirs.

24/11/2021

A tale of two puppers… school is out this week for Thanksgiving, so Biscuit and Bailey are enjoying a special Thanksgiving break hike. Bailey is off exploring delicious scents and Biscuit would like to know why it is I’m not feeding her please. 🤣

13/11/2021

Looking for new ways to have fun with your dog? Preferably without needing to brave the cold? Maybe you think your pup has what it takes to earn an AKC Trick Title!

Check our our next Model Citizen class this Monday night, all on how to teach your dog fun new tricks! All experience levels welcome.

06/11/2021

Ready for Rabble Rousers? Class starts this Tuesday, 11/09!

04/11/2021

What if there was a class perfectly tailored to what your dog needs to learn?

A workshop geared towards introducing new behaviors, tweaking and troubleshooting, or coaching through what you already know?

What if this class was happening this weekend?

Your dog.
Your class.
Your choice.

Join us at the Handler’s Choice Model Citizen workshop at 8:45 Sunday morning on 11/7 to work on *exactly* what you want to.

Sign up at www.citizencaninetraining.com/group-classes

See you there!

03/11/2021

Wondering what we’ve been up to in Day School lately? Here’s a peek into one of our training sessions!

Biscuit and Enzo are taking turns

1️⃣ approaching each other
2️⃣ on a loose leash
3️⃣ WITHOUT treats on their handlers!

How impressive is that? So proud of these two and all of our other students!

VD: a medium sized brown dog and a large white dog are at opposite ends of a parking lot. They are taking turns walking towards one another, sitting, and then following their handlers back to their stations. Both dogs are calm and under control, happily working for their handlers.

02/11/2021

🎃 Halloween is over…

🦃 Thanksgiving is coming!

🎄 Christmas, too!

In fact, all sorts of holidays celebrated around the chilliest and darkest nights of the year are coming up fast!

This is a tough time of year for our pups - days are getting shorter and soon the afternoons and evenings will be dark. It can be tough to find time for their usual exercise - just in time for their routines to be happily disrupted with celebrations with family and friends!

Get your dog ready to cement their spot on Santa’s Nice List 🎅 with Table Manners on Wednesday evening - in the comfort of your home, at YOUR holiday table.

Set yourself up for happy holidays, sign up at www.citizencaninetraining.com/group-classes today!