Pawsitive Pups Academy

04/03/2025

Pawsitive Pups Academy may be coming to a city near you!

The pups and I are taking a road trip and hoping to work with a few new clients along the way.

We will have a handful of sessions available to dog owners, trainers and pet professionals (including facility lunch and learns) in or near:

📍Denver, CO
📍Des Moines, IA
📍Chicago, IL
📍Cleveland, OH

These sessions could be for your own personal dog OR for trainers and other pet pros to work on skills to use with their client dogs.

My specialties include:
🐾Food Fluency
🐾Dog to Dog Socialization
🐾Errorless Training
🐾Emotional/Self Regulation (for reactive and/or high arousal dogs)
🐾Force Free Off Leash Skills

Please email me at: [email protected] for dates, pricing and additional information

01/20/2025

New freebie post just dropped on Patreon!

This is the beginning steps on how I (sometimes) use a restrained release to teach dogs to stay, focused forward, while I throw a toy (or treat!)

It’s a method of shaping stillness using minimal pressure. It’s a really great foundation skill for humans to learn about gentle leash handling, too.

The trick is to apply JUST enough pressure to stop your dog and then immediately start releasing it as long as they are still.

It’s not the best method for spatially sensitive dogs but it’s very quick and easy for those who don’t find collar grabs aversive. Future lessons will go into how to shape out longer wait times.

Get more from Pawsitive Pups Academy on Patreon

12/01/2024

Exciting news! I finally moved all of my membership content over to Patreon. I've added some new tiers and perks for monthly memberships, including unlimited text support at the higher tiers AND a mentorship option. The schedule for the 2025 classes and office hours is already posted, so you can see if you're interested in the upcoming events.

There is also a library full of workshops, webinars and previous courses already available. At the student level, you can submit questions and homework assignments on those previous classes any time you'd like.

You can get your first month for 50% off using this code: A8195
(If you are already a member, don't use this code! Check your email for the member loyalty code.)

Access the Patreon here:

Patreon is empowering a new generation of creators. Support and engage with artists and creators as they live out their passions!

10/30/2024

PUPPY BOARD AND TRAIN SPOT AVAILABLE!

As most of you know, I have not been able to offer board and trains through PPA for the past year since I have been partnered with Errorless Service Dogs.

This December, I will have a gap in my calendar, and I've decided to open up ONE puppy B&T spot for the month of December!

This program is for puppies *8 months and younger to learn basic skills and socialization. We will work on:

Crate training
Settle/station training (in the house and in public)
Socialization
Engagement (food/toy skills), which will be the foundation for loose leash walking and off leash reliability

Details:
Price: $2500

Length of Program: 4 weeks, M-F, with weekend visits home
(If you are traveling or have holiday plans and do not want weekend visits, there will be an additional fee of $50/night for weekends.) *Transport to and from your home is included!

Training Details: Puppies will receive a minimum of three out and about training sessions per week and daily in-home training. You will receive one training session video update daily. You will also receive an hour long go home session to practice new skills and ask any questions you may have.

Follow up training: You will receive a discount of 20% on all follow up training services for one year, including field trips and private sessions.

If you are interested, please email me at [email protected]

*Puppies must be fully vaccinated prior to the start date.

This program is not suited to older dogs or dogs experiencing serious behavioral issues such as resource guarding, aggression towards other dogs or people, or separation anxiety. We will do a free evaluation prior to the start of the program to ensure that your puppy is the right fit.

08/15/2024

Playing in the pool at the park with Rex and Mako!

I like to take our enrichment activities out to different public spaces to work on building confidence and decreasing arousal around distractions. I am using low value treats in the pool (apple, watermelon and some charlee bear crackers). That way, they are able to move back and forth between the environment and the game. They can explore when they’re feeling curious, and return to the game to cool off (physically and emotionally) when they get overwhelmed.

I can also use high value treats to prompt them back to the pool as needed if I see they need help but aren’t capable of making a good decision.

08/15/2024

Morning field trip enrichment with Aspen and Gambit 🩷

We did some pool games, practiced our fetch skills (using food today! We will work on toy motivation in future sessions) and took a little walk!

08/14/2024

FIELD TRIP OPENING!

I have ONE spot left for field trips starting in September! This spot is with my Thursday morning group (approximately 10AM to 12PM).

Must be located in the Papillion/La Vista area for drop off/pick up.

Field trips are an enrichment based service focused on providing dogs with fun and fulfilling experiences through a variety of different activities in a variety of different environments.

We will also work on basic training and social skills during these outings and field trip clients receive a discount on additional training services, as needed.

Cost $75/trip for the first 3 months. Long term clients (3 or more months of consecutive field trip bookings) pay a lower rate of $65/trip.

Email [email protected] if you are interested!

08/14/2024

Assistant trainer Pretzel demonstrating this week’s field trip enrichment activity! We are having a little pool party with slices of watermelon, apples and some toys for the pups to fish out of the water.

08/12/2024

I’m super excited to announce I will be teaching an in person Remedial Socialization workshop in Fayetteville Arkansas in October!

This workshop is being hosted by Inside Out Dog Daycare and Training

You can sign up at their website: http://Insideoutdogs.com

08/10/2024

Meet our newest employee, Eggbert!

Egg will hopefully be joining our team of rat helpers in a couple of months, provided he takes well to training. Our rat helpers provide prey based scent enrichment for the field trip dogs and allow us to work on teaching control around prey, but it’s really important to me that they feel 100% safe and secure during any dog interactions. (Of course, they are ALWAYS physically safe and secure, but I want them to be emotionally secure as well!)

Once he settled in, Egg will start on a dog desensitization program where he will slowly learn that dogs are not a threat to him, and that he gets lots of snacks when they are around.

If he’s not into it, that’s okay too! He’ll live out his life as a pampered pet. But he’s a pretty confident little fella, so I have no doubt he’ll be just fine.

08/10/2024

Stella girl working on the August skill of the month: Retrieves!

Retrieving games are my favorite way to practice stay, focus and delayed/off body reinforcement — meaning I don’t have any toys or treats on me, but you’ll eventually get rewarded for playing the game anyways.

Stella is an absolute pro! She has been doing field trips with me for over four years and is such a rockstar.

08/10/2024

Hank on his scavenger hunt during his field trip today!

He thought the food hides were cool and all but was much more interested in searching for critters. We will be incorporating some NASDA hunting games into our field trips in October, and I am SO excited to see this boy work some rat hides! He is a very talented hunter.

08/09/2024

The idea of using food in group play this way is terrifying for a lot of people, but it’s a skill just like anything else! You need good timing and observation skills, and it helps if the majority of the dogs in the group already understand the protocol. Of course, I wouldn’t ever do this with severe resource guarders, but most dogs are totally fine with some mindful group scatters!

08/08/2024

Mako’s first field trip!

This sweet little girl is working on her confidence. Our first step is getting her really comfortable with her new crew. Then, we’ll start exposing her to lots of new places, sights and sounds.

Since she is a bit nervous, we used a group scatter method to introduce her to her new friends. I didn’t want her to walk in and suddenly be bombarded by other dogs! This crew is particularly rambunctious, which will be good for Mako in the long run, but would be overwhelming if I didn’t manage them closely at first.

Stay tuned for video footage of the introduction process!

08/08/2024

Off leash hike field trip with Asami, Jama, Lucy and assistant trainer Pretzel 🥨

08/07/2024

Winnie, Tigger, Jama and Pretzel enjoying their morning field trip!

✅ We started off with a scavenger hunt! The group had to use their noses to sniff out kibble and little bits of chicken nuggets in the yard. Some were hidden in snuffle mats, some in food toys and some in the grass.

✅ Then we did some structured social time. This was Winnie and Tiggers first time meeting Jama, so we aimed for neutrality today.

✅ We ended with a skill of the month session! This month we are working on retrieves. Winnie and Tigger are just working on toy motivation. Jama has moved on from toys and is now practicing retrieving antlers!

(We will have 2 field trip spots available in September. Please reach out to [email protected] if you are interested.)

07/26/2024

Morning Sniffspot enrichment field trip with Pretzel and Jama!

We LOVE sniffspot. It’s a huge part of my field trip program. There are nearly 100 options in the Omaha/Lincoln area and new ones are being added all the time! This is “Freya’s Playground” in Loess Hills and it features a private, wooded hiking trail that is PERFECT for off leash training and tons of enriching spaces to explore throughout the 5 acre property.

Drop a picture of your favorite sniffspot in the comments!

07/22/2024

Edit: this spot has been filled!

I have a spot open for enrichment field trips on Thursdays!

Pick up/drop off service area: Elkhorn (and nearby)

Time: early afternoons (1PM - 3PM)

Service: enrichment field trips, which consist of off leash group play, training sessions, groups hikes, swimming, etc.! We do all sorts of fun stuff.

Cost: $75/day for the first 3 months. The price drops to $65 for long term clients.

I pick up and drop off. Dogs are safely transported in Ruffland travel crates. They will be in a group of 5 dogs, maximum.

This service is great for: socializing and exercising puppies, confidence boosting for shy dogs, giving over the top adolescents a safe and productive energy outlet

It is not appropriate for dogs with serious behavior concerns, but is great for dogs with mild/excitement based reactivity!

DM or email me at [email protected] if you’re interested and are in or near the service area.

Please share if you’re local 😊