Sit Happens K-9 Academy LLC

12/07/2025

Breed Spotlight: The American Bully - one of my personal favorites ❤️

The American Bully is a modern companion breed developed in the United States during the late 1980s through the 1990s.
Breeders set out to create a dog that combined the muscular build and confidence of the American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) with the steady, family-friendly temperament of the American Staffordshire Terrier (AmStaff) and select bulldog breeds such as the English Bulldog and Olde English Bulldogge.

The goal was a companion dog — not a fighting breed — with a bold look and a loyal, stable personality.

The breed was officially standardized by the American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC) in 2004, and later recognized by the United Kennel Club (UKC) on July 15, 2013.

Despite being recognized by both the ABKC and UKC, the American Bully is not recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) or the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI).
However, the breed continues to gain popularity worldwide, especially in North America, Europe, and parts of Asia.

The American Bully is known for its stocky, muscular frame, broad chest, blocky head, and confident stance. Though intimidating in appearance, the breed was created for companionship — not aggression.

There are several recognized size classes within the breed:
• Micro / Pocket – Compact and muscular, under 14–17 inches tall, with a dense, powerful build.
• Standard / Classic – 17–20 inches tall, balanced proportions, resembling the original Bully type.
• XL – Taller, heavier, and broader than the Standard, often 20–23 inches.
• XXL (Unofficial) – Extremely large, over 23 inches, not formally recognized by ABKC but popular in some breeding circles.

Average weight: 35–120 lbs depending on class and bloodline.
Males are typically larger and heavier than females.

The American Bully was bred to be loyal, affectionate, confident, and people-oriented.
They are deeply bonded to their families, often gentle with children, and thrive on structure and engagement.

They are not naturally aggressive, but can develop dog selectivity or reactivity if not socialized/ trained properly or have poor genetics.
While some lines have lower drive and are couch-friendly, others are athletic and need consistent exercise and leadership.

Like many muscular breeds, American Bullies can face certain health issues, especially when bred for extremes:
• Hip & Elbow Dysplasia
• Patellar Luxation (kneecap issues)
• Heart Conditions (aortic stenosis, congenital defects)
• Skin Allergies
• Breathing Challenges (in exaggerated short-muzzle lines)

Responsible breeders focus on moderation and health testing, avoiding the exaggerated “extreme” look that can lead to joint or respiratory problems.

• Know your size variation. A Pocket Bully will have different management and exercise needs than an XL.
• Structure & consistency matter. These dogs thrive on clear rules, calm energy, and daily direction.
• Monitor health. Choose breeders who perform genetic testing and prioritize sound movement.
• Socialize early. Balanced exposure and leadership build confidence and stability.
• Avoid overhype. The American Bully’s temperament depends on breeding and upbringing — not the “look.”

When raised and trained correctly, the American Bully is a loving, loyal, and well-balanced companion that represents power and peace in one package.

12/05/2025

Be scared of him ☹️

12/05/2025

🎉 PUPPY CONSULTATIONS ARE FREE for ALL of December & January! 🎉

I still have some availability left for this month, and January is open for booking — so if you’ve been thinking about starting training, now is the perfect time.

Whether you’re bringing home a brand-new puppy or finally tackling the training goals you’ve been putting off, I’ve got a program to fit your dog’s needs and your lifestyle.

🐕‍🦺 Training Services Offered:

• Puppy Training & Social Foundations
• Basic & Advanced Obedience
• Off-Leash Freedom / E-Collar Training
• Reactivity & Behavioral Modification
• Livestock Aversion Training
• Private Lessons (In-Home & On-Site)
• Day Training Programs
• Public Outings for Real-World Skills
• Multi-Dog Household Training
• …and more customized options to meet your dog where they are.

Every dog is different — their starting point, goals, and equipment needs all vary, which is why I build personalized training plans instead of cookie-cutter packages.

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to get started… this is it.
📅 Limited December spots left — January is filling fast!

📩 Message me to reserve your consultation and lock in your free puppy consult while it lasts!

Sit Happens K-9 Academy LLC
“Keeping dogs with their families and out of shelters.”

12/05/2025

Your dog’s history matters — but staying stuck in it can quietly sabotage their ability to grow.


I see this every single day: amazing, well-intentioned owners who love their dogs deeply… but are unintentionally holding them back by clinging to the backstory. I see this A LOT within the shelter and rescue system.

Yes — your dog may have been abused.
Yes — their past may be heartbreaking.
But here’s the truth you need to hear:
• Your dog is not being abused right here, right now, in this moment.
• Even abused dogs need leadership, structure, clarity, and boundaries.
• Healing only happens in the present — not in the memory of what happened before.

When you live in their past, you steal the future they could have.

And I’ll say this plainly:
None of my personal dogs would be where they are today — some wouldn’t even be alive — if I had kept dwelling on their past instead of leading them forward.

One of the hardest parts of my job is helping owners see that over-coddling, over-accommodating, or avoiding structure because you “feel bad” doesn’t actually help the dog.
It hurts them.

Your dog needs you grounded.
Your dog needs you leading.
Your dog needs you focused on today.

Because today is where growth happens, trust is built, and healing becomes real.

12/05/2025

Visiting dad at work showing off his new jacket after coming to a client with me .

12/04/2025

Hello everyone,

I wanted to take a moment to explain why I begin all training with a consultation, why there is a fee for consults, and why I do not give set pricing before meeting your dog.

First, consultations are the foundation of every training plan I create. I typically prefer to do them in person, because it allows me to observe your dog’s behavior, your handling, your home environment, and the dynamics that may be contributing to the issues you’re experiencing. For very simple concerns—such as basic puppy potty-training—I may offer a phone consultation, but most cases truly require me to see your dog to give you proper direction.

Second, I charge for consultations because they require both my time and my travel. When I come to you, I am dedicating that time exclusively to your dog, evaluating their behavior, discussing your goals, answering your questions, and creating a personalized plan. This is the professional foundation for every training program I offer, and it is an important part of my business.

Third, I do not provide set pricing before consultations because every dog is different. Dogs come to me with different starting points, different behavioral challenges, different energy levels, and different goals from their owners. Equipment needs vary as well, and many of my larger training packages include those tools in the final price. While I do have baseline pricing, it would not be fair or accurate to give a firm number without meeting your dog and understanding exactly what they need. I do have baseline pricing tho so you have a rough idea.

I also want to mention that I do run specials and discounted consultation days throughout the year to help make training accessible for as many families as possible.

My goal has always been simple: to help keep dogs with their families and out of shelters. Beginning with a proper consultation ensures I can give you and your dog the most accurate, honest, and effective plan from the very start.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation, please feel free to reach out.

12/03/2025

🎄✨ FINLEY IS HOPING FOR A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS ✨🎄

📍 Nicholson, PA 18446

Meet Finley, a Beagle mix who has spent almost his entire young life waiting for someone to choose him. He’ll be 2 years old in February, and all he wants this holiday season is a family to call his own.

Finley came into foster back in February and has worked incredibly hard on his training and confidence. He’s had three meet & greets that didn’t work out — none of them his fault — and we’re hoping someone sees this and gives him the chance he deserves.

And guess what we recently learned?
❄️ Finley LOVES the snow.
He runs, he zooms, he buries his nose in it — it’s the happiest we’ve ever seen him.

🐶 Why Finley Is Such a Great Dog

• Great with dogs AND cats
• Lives comfortably with farm animals
• Great with people
• Smart, goofy, eager, and SO happy
• Crate trained, housebroken, and e-collar conditioned
• Knows: Crate, Sit, Stay, Heel, Drop It, Leave It, “Enough,” Place
• Walks great on leash
• Loves tug, fetch, car rides, swimming, hiking, and playing with his dog friends and snow!
•Microchipped
•Neutered
•UTD on rabies

He truly has a joy for life — he just needs a family who will guide him, love him, and keep up the structure that has helped him thrive.

🧠 What Finley Needs

Finley is still young, enthusiastic, and learning. He can be pushy in play, so if your dog doesn’t naturally correct that, you’ll need to help him with boundaries.

Adoption Requirements

• Active lifestyle
•existing dog in the home
•breed or similar breed experience
• Homeowner (no renters)
• Meet & greet with existing dogs
• ❗ Minimum of 4 training sessions with me to set him up for success FREE OF CHARGE
• Feed separately in his crate

❤️ Finley has waited long enough.

He’s been in foster since last February.
He’s trained, social, happy, healthy, and SO ready.

Please consider opening your home — and your heart — to Finley this holiday season.

📩 Message to schedule a meet & greet or for more info!

12/03/2025

I met this girl when she first came in and she is truly a good girl❤️

We don’t understand why this truly spectacular girl hasn’t found a home yet.

Maddie is a 4 year old Shepherd who recently gave birth to another litter of puppies .
We are happy to report that it will be the last litter for her.

She is one of our event dogs and has proven that she does well in large crowds with humans of all ages and dogs of all sizes. She shines in a public setting, enjoying all of the attention!

She weighs 64 pounds and is missing fur due to an extreme flea infestation, thankfully we have also eliminated that suffering for her as well.

She is very sweet and is enjoying the attention shes receiving at the shelter.

She behaves very well on leash walks and is treat motivated.

No cats.

She has a lot of energy, so an active family would be best.

She would love a forever family to show her what it means to be loved and cared for.

Please help us find Maddie the best home where she won’t end up on Craigslist again.

Apply to meet Maddie here : https://www.cognitoforms.com/griffinpondanimalshelter1/griffinpondanimalshelteradoptionapplicationfordogs

Griffin Pond Animal Shelter
967 Griffin Pond Rd
South Abington Twp Pa 18411
Kennel License #2236

12/03/2025

The holidays are exciting for us, but for a lot of dogs it’s a completely different experience. All the noise, movement, new people, food, and changes in routine can turn into stress, overstimulation, and unwanted behavior—especially if you have a relatively new dog who’s still learning the rules of your home.

Most of the chaos I see around the holidays comes from dogs suddenly having less structure, more freedom, and way too much stimulation all at once. The best thing you can do is start managing the environment before anyone even walks through the door.

Set yourself up with crates, gates, leashes, and a solid “place” command. Those tools aren’t punishment—they’re guidance. A dog who has structure from the start won’t spiral later.

The front door is usually the biggest trigger. People coming in, excitement levels rising, the door opening and closing nonstop… it’s overwhelming. Putting your dog on a leash, in a crate, or holding a place command during arrivals prevents rushing, jumping, and door bolting long before it becomes a problem.

A lot of dogs struggle when guests show up simply because they have no idea what to do. That’s why practicing your obedience before the holiday madness matters. A dog with direction is a dog who succeeds.

Then there’s the food. Holiday meals come with rich foods, toxic ingredients, and well-meaning guests who love handing out scraps. Protect your dog by using crates, gates, or place during mealtimes. No table feeding, no guests slipping treats—this prevents begging, resource guarding, and accidental ingestion of something dangerous.

If your dog is nervous, advocate for them. Not all dogs want to be pet by strangers, and that’s okay. No grabbing, hugging, crowding, or leaning over a dog who’s unsure. Let your dog choose if they want to interact.

And remember—kids. Kids move fast, get loud, grab suddenly, and don’t always read body language. Combine that with a stressed dog and you’ve got a bite risk. Kids + dogs = full supervision. Every time.

Even the friendliest dog needs downtime too! Crate breaks or quiet-room time throughout the day help them decompress so they don’t build stress, get overstimulated, or shut down.

❤️ Holidays can absolutely be fun AND calm.

12/02/2025

He’s a gem 💎

12/02/2025

Old-school advice like “stare them down,” “pin them,” or “show them who’s boss” is outdated and often dangerous.
Dogs don’t respect us because we intimidate them — they respect us because we’re calm, consistent, and clear with our rules and boundaries .

The entire concept came from a 1940s wolf study that’s been scientifically debunked.
Researchers studied unrelated wolves forced to live together — of course they fought. But real wolf packs are families, and leadership is based on guidance and cooperation, not fear.

When owners try to “be the alpha” by yelling, looming, or getting physical, they aren’t building respect — they’re breaking trust.
Your dog might stop the behavior in the moment, but not because they learned… simply because they shut down or became unsure.

Leadership is calm, fair, and consistent — not forceful.

✅ Calm confidence, not chaos
✅ Clear rules, routines, and expectations
✅ Good timing and communication
✅ Respecting the dog’s emotional state
✅ Teaching, guiding, and reinforcing — not intimidating

Dogs follow leaders who make them feel safe, not scared.

A true leader doesn’t have to “prove” they’re in charge.
They just are — through their energy, consistency, and clarity. 🐾

12/01/2025

I am beyond proud of these two. After SEVEN years — yes, seven long years — of struggling with reactivity, today we hit a massive milestone.

We went to a public park, put Duke on a long line with it dragging, and this boy absolutely showed up.
✨ Called off dogs
✨ Called off squirrels
✨ Stayed connected
✨ Stayed thinking

We even took a peaceful walk with one of my own dogs and introduced the beginnings of an off-leash heel.

One more session to go, and Duke is well on his way to the complete off-leash freedom he deserves. ❤️

This is what happens when owners commit, show up, learn, and stay consistent.
I couldn’t be more proud of you both.
Pics of Duke and the crew I brought along for help

(even if it’s not Tuesday 😆)