Treats and Triumphs Dog Training

09/11/2024

We're having the best time running our SmörgåsBORK at Aussie Rescue of the Mid-Atlantic - ARMA's 2nd anniversary party!

22/10/2024

Taking turns isn't just for humans - dogs do it too! It's one way we can tell they're having a great time.

When we monitor play during our "Rover-Achiever" Puppy Play & Learns, we're always watching for "yes" signs and "no" signs. Are both puppies having fun? Is somebody trying to say "I'm done!"?

"Role reversal" is a big ole "yes" sign! Puppy 1 chases Puppy 2, then they switch. Puppy A is on top for wrestling, then Puppy B is. No one gets stuck in one role.

What are your puppy's "yes" and "no" signs? Come to a "Rover-Achiever" Puppy Play & Learn to find out!

🐶 Wednesdays at 6pm & 7:30pm
🐶 Fairfax, VA
🐶 $30
🐶 For puppies up to 4 months old

Visit https://treatsandtriumphs.com/rover-achiever/ to register!

21/10/2024

We're excited to be a vendor at Aussie Rescue of the Mid-Atlantic - ARMA's anniversary party! We'll have fun games and lots of tasty treats (of course). We can't wait to spend the day with all those adorable fluffy nubbins*!

*No shade to Aussies with tails. You're all 🔥🤩🤗

04/10/2024

Can you even handle the cuteness? Katie Ledecky and Torri Huske were our Homeward Trails foster puppy guests during this week's "Rover-Achiever" Puppy Play & Learns!

If you have a puppy under 4 months old, join us for fun, education, and socialization on Wednesdays at 6pm and 7:30pm in Fairfax.

Visit https://treatsandtriumphs.com/rover-achiever/ to learn more and register!

27/09/2024

Would you look at the head tilt on Miss Suzie? You know you need it in your life. Suzie is available for adoption at Homeward Trails Animal Rescue - go see her!

P.S. This lady is FOOD. MOTIVATED. She should be fun to train!

26/09/2024

"Rover-Achiever" Puppy Play & Learns start next week! Come for the play, stay for the learnin'!

In addition to puppy play time, Puppy Play & Learns will feature exercises and discussion about puppy body language, play behavior, and proper socialization practices. You and your puppy will have a blast!

For puppies under 4 months old.

Visit https://treatsandtriumphs.com/rover-achiever/ to learn more and register! 🐶

19/08/2024

We're SOOOO excited to offer enhanced puppy socials this fall!

Learn to monitor puppy play and read body language like a pro, and have a ball watching puppy antics!

- When: Wednesdays at 6pm and 7:30pm - starting October 2nd
- Where: Animal Behavior Wellness Center in Fairfax, VA
- Cost: $30 per puppy (advance registration required)
- Age range: 8 weeks - 4 months

Visit https://treatsandtriumphs.com/rover-achiever/ to learn more and register!

15/08/2024

New blog post about our new credential from Family Paws Parent Education! We're ready to help expectant families and families with young children succeed.

Check out the 1-min read, then schedule a free 15-min call!

Treats and Triumphs Dog Training is a licensed Family Paws Parent Educator. We can help you prepare for life with a dog and baby or toddler.

11/07/2024

A few simple enrichment tips from the Animal Positive Coalition (which we are a proud member of!).

Which one do you think your dog would enjoy?

Allowing and encouraging dogs to sniff is so beneficial for dogs. We must give them outlets for their natural dog behaviors.

03/07/2024

Congratulations to The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria and Vindicated Pit Bull Rescue for their top spots on Sniffspot's Best Dog Rescues & Shelters list for Northern VA! (Also #2 & #3 in the whole state - dag!)

https://www.sniffspot.com/dog-rescues/washington-va

Send a message to learn more

20/06/2024

Our inaugural Success Social is about to start! So excited to chat about young dogs and their shenanigans!

12/06/2024

Do you have a dog under (roughly) 2 years old? Are they a little... nutso?

Come hang out, and tell us all about it over smoothies.

“Success Socials: Guidance & Gab for People Living with Young Dogs” are informal humans-only gatherings where you can blow off steam and learn to tame the canine chaos in your home.

- Compare struggles with other caregivers
- Quiz our multi-certified trainer about positive Doggy Drama solutions
- Return to life with your pup feeling calmer and more confident

$5
3rd Thursdays, 6:30-7:30pm, Springfield, VA
Starting 6/20

Free bonus:
Virtual Follow-up: 1st Saturdays, 4:30-5:30pm

Link to website on page

06/06/2024

Our puppy blues workshop, Puplifted, is coming up on Thursday 6/13, 6:30-8pm in Springfield, VA!

If you're feeling weighed down by puppy parenthood, you are not alone. Our certified trainer will teach you ways to make life easier (on you AND your puppy), and our guest therapist will discuss strategies for dealing with tough emotions.

Visit treatsandtriumphs.com/puplifted to register.

17/05/2024

We are teaching two short courses for Arlington Community Learning this summer!

Check out "Preparing for Your New Dog or Puppy" and "Getting Started with Force-Free Dog Training" in the General Interest section. We'd love to see you in class!

The ACL Team is excited to announce that registration for our summer 2024 semester is now open. Here's a link to the PDF version of our course catalog.
https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/57/2024/05/2024-Summer-Catalog-Interactive.pdf
We hope you find something you like.

19/10/2023

Big winner alert!

Lio is the most recent Treats and Triumphs graduate. He learned to *love* when people join him on the couch, and he got a shiny trophy of his very own to celebrate!

Want your dog or puppy to win big too? Check out our website to schedule a free call!

11/10/2023

Yes! In the US, many unscrupulous trainers call themselves "behaviorists" without having the qualifications to back it up. Then they can wind up doing a lot of damage.

Is that person REALLY a behaviorist?

Before diving into this post, I want to say that the things said in this post only apply to the United States, not outside of the US. Regulations will vary depending on the country you are in!

I often hear new clients tell me that they worked with a ‘behaviorist’ before coming to work with me. Huh, that’s odd. A behaviorist is actually a step ABOVE me on the referral ladder, why would this client call ME to replace their behaviorist? It's typical for a behaviorist and trainer to work in conjunction, but not for the client to work with the trainer INSTEAD of a behaviorist!

Upon further digging what this usually means it that they worked with a dog trainer who CALLED themselves a behaviorist, but to be completely frank had no business calling themselves that. Let me explain.

I am a dog trainer. I am also a dog behavior consultant. I am NOT a behaviorist. The title of ‘behaviorist’ should be reserved for Veterinary Behaviorists (basically doggy psychiatrists, see: https://www.dacvb.org/page/AnimalOwners) or Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists (behavior professionals who have pursued graduate and doctoral level work in animal behavior, see:https://www.animalbehaviorsociety.org/web/index.php). This might seem like splitting hairs, but when a trainer without these qualifications refers to themselves as a behaviorist they are being dishonest and disrespecting the years of work that VB’s and CAAB’s put in. I like to think that I am an accomplished, knowledgeable behavior professional. I am still NOT a behaviorist. (Maybe one day, if I win the lottery and can go back to school for a doctorate in animal behavior! 😉)

As an aside, whenever I hear a trainer call themselves a “behaviorist” it has always, ALWAYS, meant that that trainer offered terrible advice and honestly had no idea what they were doing. I am not being hyperbolic. I have never seen an unqualified trainer who called themselves a behaviorist NOT make things worse. The trainer typically applied shock and prong collars to the dog, and the dog was worse for the wear. In the United States a reputable, knowledgeable trainer will not call themselves a behaviorist.

If a behavior professional you are in touch with is calling themselves a behaviorist, and you would like to double check, see the listings at: https://www.dacvb.org/search/custom.asp?id=4709 and https://www.animalbehaviorsociety.org/web/applied-behavior-caab-directory.php. If their name is not listed there, they are likely a fake ‘behaviorist’, and my recommendation would be to find someone who is more honest about their qualifications.

Some great places to start are:

The Pet Professional Guild: https://www.petprofessionalguild.com

The Academy for Dog Trainers: https://www.academyfordogtrainers.com

Pat Miller’s Peaceable Paws Academies: https://peaceablepaws.com/pat-miller-certified-trainers/

The Karen Pryor Academy: https://karenpryoracademy.com/find-a-trainer/

If you need a veterinary behaviorist to work with in the Chicagoland area, check out:

https://chicagovetbehavior.com

And

https://www.insightfulanimals.com

And always remember: dog training in this country is completely unregulated. Just because someone calls themselves a behaviorist (heck, just because someone calls themselves a trainer!) doesn’t make it so! Always check for education and credentials! Always!

07/10/2023

Do you hope to bring home a new dog or puppy this fall or winter? Treats and Triumphs can assist you - no matter where you are in the process - with our "Ready, Set, Succeed!" package.

Just starting your search? We can discuss how to find the right breeder or rescue, how to choose a breed or individual dog, how to read dog body language, what behavior issues commonly present in adopted dogs, and how to properly socialize a puppy.

Picking up soon? Let’s make a plan for the first few days: preparing for a smooth pick-up, setting up a routine, dog-proofing, getting to know each other, dealing with behavior issues, and getting puppy socialization started.

Since you’re starting off on the right foot by getting ready for your pup ahead of time, why not set yourself up for continued success after they arrive? The "Package Powers, Unite!" combo gives you an added discount for purchasing a training package at the same time as your "Ready, Set, Succeed!" package.

Visit our website (link in bio) to schedule a call about our "Ready, Set, Succeed!" package or a "Package Powers, Unite!" combo.

27/09/2023

We have a new blog post up! It's short and fun and oh so savory.

Bone appétit!

Celebrating reactive dogs and delicious poultry