Diamond Dogs

06/08/2024

I have no words for Beasley he’s just a perfect creature.

01/08/2024

Jack & Ozzy are learning how to model for me. 🥰 Not an easy task for these bouncy little dudes.

26/07/2024

It took a metric ton of patience and dedication on the human end for Daphne to start smiling at me like this. She’s slowly learning that new people are safe, and maybe even kind of cool because they have snacks.

24/07/2024

Omg, a big mean scary pibble. 🧟‍♂️ On OPPOSITE DAY

24/07/2024

Bear clearly hates me. 😭

07/06/2024

Jake is one of my oldest clients since moving to Portland. He’s become an expert at posing for my photos.

05/06/2024

Those are not ears on Marlowe’s head. They are angel wings. 🪽

26/05/2024

Say hello to sweet Goblin, in a rare and special .02 seconds of stillness that allowed me to capture how cute he is.

25/05/2024

💜Beasley💜

15/11/2023

A delicious bit of satire writing from Academy graduate Torie Silletto.

From the archives, by Torie Silletto of Diamond Dogs:
https://www.academyfordogtrainers.com/blog/resignation/

08/08/2023

Very basic post today. I love how awkward Frida’s sit looks. Her natural state is an exceptionally bouncy, high energy girl. As a side effect of rewards based training, however, she feels a certain way about sitting. She LOVES sitting. And staying. 😂 We were actually just conditioning a Gentle Leader- but her sit-stays were given freely and enthusiastically since they’ve been *consistently* rewarded.

06/07/2023

Beautiful Duckie enjoying the sunshine! Today we worked on and impulse control. She’s a star student. ⭐️

27/06/2023

It’s Monday Meme Day! The internet is a virtual landfill of garbage misinformation about dog training and behavior, so tackling every myth is an insurmountable task. But I am going to go for it anyway. 😊

21/06/2023

What a nice surprise, thank you so much for voting! I truly appreciate your support. 💚

18/06/2023

My view from work. 😍

11/05/2023

Want to know the biggest 🚩🚩🚩 in ANY person who works with dogs? It’s using outdated and inaccurate language such as “alpha,” “dominance,” and “pack leader.” These are dog behavior myths that are used to justify hurting and scaring dogs.
ehaviorspecialist

16/09/2022

Meet Magnus, the handsome, majestic Belgian Malinois. Not derpy at all, not one bit!

11/09/2022

Dog training is unregulated in the US. This means *anyone* can hang up a shingle and charge for their service.

I entered the field because I passionately opposed the barbaric animal abuse being sold to the public as training. I was sorely disappointed with the lack of knowledge & competency required to do business. As a result, I invested in the most comprehensive education available, and gained hands on experience training the most challenging dogs in shelter. I’ve earned numerous professional certifications to demonstrate my knowledge and competency in my field.

I develop a relationship with my clients based on transparency and trust. I truly want what is best for you and your dog, and I am committed to ethical business practices. Please take a moment to watch the short video in my stories, to learn why this is SO crucial when shopping for a trainer. 💜

31/08/2022

Me and Charley bear.
I ❣️LOVE❣️pitties and want more of them please! Sadly, these guys are often trained with a heavy hand due to their size and strength. This creates or worsens existing fear or aggression. Like all dogs, they learn & behave best when they enjoy training and love their trainer.

13/08/2022

Today’s star students: Belle and Ty sitting still. No easy feat for these sweet little Border Collies!

05/08/2022

I’m so excited to let you all know that I'm now offering Sezzle! 4 payments, 6 weeks, 0% interest.

I'm passionate about providing the highest quality care available to your dog, and I want to remain accessible while inflation hurts us all. I'm accepting new clients for August- book online at diamonddogspdx.com!

25/07/2022

Lola’s teenie wittle teefs brighten my day, every single time!

10/07/2022

Dog smiles bring pings of joy to my heart. ❤️

27/12/2021

As the year comes to a close, what I am truly the most grateful for is you, my clients.

Working for myself *and* working with animals was a long held dream of mine that I never thought would come to fruition. I put everything I had into helping the dogs and somehow they led me here.

As if moving weren’t scary enough, I came to Portland on kind of a whim, in the middle of a pandemic, alone. You all found me and laid my fears to rest.

Thank you for entrusting me with your sweet dogs. Every one of you have been a joy to work with. I loved watching the dogs blossom into their best selves.❤️

15/12/2021

Frida nailing her sit-stays today!

Dogs are poor at generalizing. They learn specific rules apply to specific people. Your dog will first learn not to jump on you, the trainer, and others in the household. New people and situations must be added gradually for them to piece it all together.

A dog’s brain doesn’t have lightbulb 💡 moments the way humans do. No matter how hard you try, they will never have an epiphany and think “Oh! I get it! You want my butt on the floor when I say hi!” To them, training feels like the human equivalent of learning a new instrument or a set of dance steps. It takes practice, starts out pretty clunky, and their skills solidify over time.

It saves a lot of frustration on the human end to realize that the dog doesn’t “get it.” We see them do what is asked a few times, and think “but he’s done it before! He KNOWS what I want.” That is truly not the case! A dog’s behavior is varying shades of strong and weak. It’s a muscle, not a lightbulb!

21/11/2021

“Me? Act scary? I would never!” ~Jack, who is lying to me with his eyes. 😆

08/11/2021

Beanie has an incredibly strong prey drive. So strong, that her parents had to pick her up and carry her away from squirrels and crows!

When a behavior is so strong it poses a risk of injury to the dog or their caretaker, we teach the dog to do something else instead. Beanie is turning around to face Katie instead of chase the bird.

Prey drive is innate. It is crucial for a dog's welfare to provide outlets to express normal behavior. Leaving this out creates deprivation, exacerbates the problem, and makes training much more difficult. Provide lots of fetch, flirt pole, and chasing off leash in addition to training to achieve best results.

I am SO proud of Bean Bean! Patience, consistency, and having fun with your dog are so important, and Katie & Alice have done a wonderful job.
#

02/11/2021

Toy Swap!
Nov 20, 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Diamond Dogs and Jennifer Malawey Training are hosting an enrichment toy swap at Humane Society for Southwest Washington. Come learn about canine enrichment, drop off your old toys for the shelter pups, and pick up some new ones for your own!

If you do not have toys to donate, we would still love to see you. There will be toys available for $5 each, and trainers will be demonstrating how to DIY your own enrichment toys with household items, for no cost.

1100 NE 192nd Ave
Vancouver, WA 98684
RSVP here: https://forms.gle/pNKNwStKGja1bKxA6

Event Address: Humane Society for Southwest Washington 1100 NE 192nd Ave, Vancouver, WA 98684 Please direct questions to Jennifer at [email protected] Examples of canine enrichment toys: https://amzn.to/3E78b5g Don't have toys? We'd love to have you! There's lots to learn, and toys will be a...

09/10/2021

Look at that sweet smile. 🥰 Unfamiliar people freak him out, so we’re helping Asher feel safe in the world. Mom said they went to the beach and he ran up to every stranger to sniff for treats. He’s so brave.

08/10/2021

Leash reactivity training with Remy, right in front of the dog park. No prong, no shock, no leash corrections. Just a human who knows how to communicate with his dog, and a dog who actually enjoys his training.