We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday filled with family, food, and gratitude! 🦃
As we head into more of the holiday season, don’t forget about the importance of door manners! Whether it’s greeting guests or heading out for festive outings, practicing threshold drills can help your pup stay calm and safe!
Watch Bonnie and Emily crush it, proof that good manners are always in season! 🎄✨
Musical “PLACE” 🎶
Bonnie and Ringo worked with Trainer Emily, and her personal pup Q, on one of the most underrated obedience commands, “place”.
The rules are simple:
•all four paws must be on the dog cot
•dog can be in either a sit or down position on cot
•dog must stay on cot until released or given another command
You can really see that each dog has a different skill level during this exercise, but the expectations are the same for everyone! Practice makes perfect and repetitions are imperative. Train, rinse, repeat!
Your dogs are what keeps us smiling!
Jack is here for boarding before joining us in January for a board and train. He’s new to the training world and is discovering the ins and out of his new home away from home 🤭
Ever wonder what clients go through at the end of a board and train program? 🤔
Here’s is an unedited, unfiltered clip from a go home session for Miss Rosie a few weeks ago. No secrets, gate-keeping, or hand off without explanation. We want you and your dog to succeed long term!
Our trainers are exceptional at walking you through each and every step of training and explaining the “how” and “why”. Trainer Emily does a great job here at pointing out the subtleties of keeping Rosie confidently guided through Home Depot. (Most go home sessions are held out in public for real world scenarios).
Great job Team!! 🐕
If you do nothing else today, listen to this incredible owner testimonial! 🔥
Diesel has undergone an incredible transformation during his time with us at PSK9. When he first arrived, he was extremely reactive on leash, which made his owners hesitant to take him anywhere. Now, after two weeks of dedicated training, Diesel is not only more manageable on leash but is also socializing with other dogs, both familiar faces and new ones. 🐶✨
But how did we get here?
We started by getting to know Diesel and understanding what triggered his reactivity. Establishing a bond with Diesel was our first priority, in order to make him feel secure and comfortable. A crucial technique we used, that can often times be overlooked for quick results, was counter-conditioning. By associating previously stressful situations with positive experiences, we helped Diesel learn to stay calm and collected.
Socialization played a vital role too. We introduced Diesel to other dogs in a controlled environment, starting with familiar faces and gradually included new ones, helping him learn appropriate social interactions.
Obedience training has been a cornerstone of Diesel’s progress as well. Teaching him basic commands and ensuring he responds reliably will now equip his owners with the tools to manage his behavior confidently. (Obedience training lays the foundation for good behavior, making it easier for dogs like Diesel to navigate various situations with calmness and confidence.)
Throughout his stay, we’ve kept Diesel’s owners updated daily on his progress. Tomorrow, Diesel will be heading home, with new skills and a better understanding of how to interact with the world around him. We are excited for his owners to experience the positive changes firsthand and continue building on the foundation we’ve established!
On this 4th of July, we want to remind everyone that as dog trainers, we never stop training! Whether it’s a holiday or an ordinary day, we’re dedicated to helping our dog friendly community become the best they can be. 🇺🇸
Meet Blu! 🐾
We’re excited to introduce Blu, a 6 month old Pit Bull mix, to our PSK9 family! Blu is enrolled in our Basic and Advanced Obedience Lessons program, and her owner has some key training goals for her. We’re here to help Blu become more acceptably sociable with other dogs and humans, stop mouthing, and manage her excitability around children and at the vet’s office.
Take a look at the progress made in this lesson! 📸 ✨
Grooming Help at PSK9! ✨🐾
While we aren’t groomers ourselves, we understand that grooming can be a challenge for some dogs that need it regularly. That’s why we’re here to help with counter-conditioning those naughty behaviors that make bathing, brushing, and nail trims difficult.
Counter-conditioning is a behavior modification technique that involves changing a dog’s emotional response to a stimulus. By pairing the grooming process with positive experiences, we help dogs learn to stay calm and relaxed during grooming sessions.
Check out this video of Wax, who initially struggled with tolerating brushing and nail trims. With our help, Wax is learning to stay calm, tolerant, and relaxed!
In this real-time video, Brewer is picking up on door manners, learning to pause and wait at thresholds with basic tools like a leash and positive praise. Mastering this behavior is crucial for dogs—it teaches them to follow cues before entering or leaving and enhances their safety. Brewer is showing great improvement, thanks to straightforward, effective methods!
Molly is nailing her recall and independent check-ins with Trainer Emily, which are key for off-leash reliability. We’re also introducing ‘break’ as a cue to enjoy freedom responsibly. These protocols not only enhance Molly’s obedience but also educate her on boundaries, crucial for any dog’s safety and independence! Way to go team!
Early training for puppies, like Birdie, is essential to help them learn appropriate behaviors and responses to the world around them. At six months old, she is being taught that controlled behavior leads to new opportunities for exploration and learning. Just look at that happy tail! 🐕
Little Islay is training at Home Depot, learning to remain focused despite distractions. This exercise helps him develop the ability to ignore interruptions like people making noises or calling him cute (which we all know he is!), essential for maintaining calm in any situation. Watch as he practices staying composed in a busy environment. #PublicTraining #FocusedPuppy
