Model Paws Dog Training

19/03/2023

Update on Gypsy Girl 🥰

Gypsy was originally a full training client. We were working on basic obedience, manners, and thresholds as well as walking on a leash. We had 8 sessions and honestly, she made tremendous progress. However, due to life circumstances, her people couldn’t keep up with the training daily like they wanted to and needed to in order to make the training worth it.

This is a 1 year old dog, so I offered up the idea of switching to walk and trains. Now, I go twice a week, and take Gypsy on a long walk to get some exercise and energy release while also working on some manners.

Yesterday, I picked her up and her dad stopped me. He told me that he took her for a walk the day before and he couldn’t believe the difference in her. His words were “I’ve always wanted a dog who would walk like that on a leash, but I never thought I’d have one.” SUCH a proud trainer moment 🥰

I love working with this little doodle, she’s come so far and I can’t wait to watch her world expand even more.

27/02/2023

✨ Corgis! ✨

Everyone recognizes these guys from the social media fame they have. A lot of people know them as the Queen’s dogs. Their wiggle butts and goofy smiles are both things that make people fall in love with these short but long little floofs.

But let’s get into some facts about corgis shall we?

There are 2 types of Corgi. The Cardigan and the Pembroke. Most people are the most familiar with the Queen’s tail-less corgi, the pembroke. The Cardigan, has a long tail!

The Cardigan and the Pembroke both worked with farmers to take the cattle to grazing land and to guard the barnyard, but they don’t share a common ancestor and come from different sections of Wales. Cardigans were found in the rough, rocky terrain of Cardiganshire in southwest Wales. Pembrokes were found in the flatter, easier terrain of Pembrokeshire in southern Wales.

Physically, the Cardigan and Pembroke are both dwarf breeds with large heads and heavy, long bodies on short, thick legs. They both have pricked ears, but the Cardigan’s are larger and more rounded than the Pembroke and their double-coated fur requires little grooming besides regular bathing and brushing.

Cardigans are slightly larger, the male standard being up to 38 lbs, while the pembroke standard is 30.

The cardigans have a wider variety of standard colors. They come in brindle, black and white with brindle or tan points, red and sable with white markings, and blue merle. The only coat colors for the Pembroke are red, sable, and tricolor with white markings.

Corgis love people, and are generally very happy dogs. They are wicked smart, so training is essential! And don’t forget, they are a herding breed, so nipping and barking can definitely be a problem with these guys. If you want to welcome a corgi into your home, remember that they need a lot of exercise and would really benefit from having a job of some kind.

Who here loves corgis?! Let’s see some of your wiggle butt furry friends 🥰

15/02/2023

Are you bringing a new family member home or have you brought one home recently? The transition home is a big one for both you and the puppy!

From potty training and nipping to obedience training, we are here to help! 🥰 Don’t hesitate to reach out 🙂

14/02/2023

✨Breed Highlight!✨
Labrador Retrievers! Aka Labs

The Labrador was originally bred to retrieve fish and birds out of the water. Their signature water-repellant coat and webbed feet make them perfect for the job.

They are the number 1 most popular dog in America, and there are 2 types that are typically recognized. The American(field), and the English(show/bench) labs.

The American lab typically has a more lean and slender body, with a much smaller head. They typically have a higher drive and energy level than their English counterpart. They are fantastic hunting dogs. To be perfectly honest, American labs typically don’t do quite as well in a family home environment as English labs do.

The English lab is usually calmer in temperament, though still a working dog, these are much more suited to life in a family. They are happy to work, but usually just as happy to chill on the couch with you.

Regardless, labs are loving, affectionate, and have a strong desire to please. They are intelligent, kind, and very biddable.

Labs are also one of the top breeds used as service dogs!

All that being said, it should never be ignored that they are a working breed. They are bred for a job, so they have exercise and enrichment requirements that can’t and shouldn’t be ignored. They love to train and work, and should definitely be given some outlet for this.

Personally, I think everyone should be able to love a lab sometime in their lives. 🥰

12/02/2023

✨Update✨ on the goldendoodle I posted a few weeks ago, Gypsy!

If you recall, Gypsy started out bolting out of doors and choking herself on her leash whenever she could. It made it impossible for her owners to walk or exercise her, which lead to a lot of problems! Dogs need structured exercise in order to truly thrive.

Look at her now, I walk her twice a week, and there is no pulling at all! She is looking off in front of us because there is a gardener working over there, and she hadn’t been exposed to much of the outside world before I started working with her. Previously, she would have lunged at him from over-stimulation.

I’m so proud of the progress she has made in just a couple of months working with her and her people. It’s hard to believe she’s the same dog who wasn’t even able to look at me the first time I took her outside her house.

Contact me if you’d like to achieve similar goals! I’d love to help you learn how to better communicate with your dog to make living together a joy 🥰

08/02/2023

Who agrees?!

This is a furry friend appreciation post! Post a picture of your dog, or other animals in the comments below!

04/02/2023

Did you know it’s golden retriever day?!

Well lucky us, we have 2 of them!! (OK OK. maybe 1 3/4 😉)

Goldens are amazing, versatile dogs. They are among the most popular for families, and are one of the top choices for service dogs as well!

They are retrievers, bred for their soft mouth to bring ducks and other water fowl back to their handlers.

There are 2 types of goldens that are typically recognizable, field lines, and show lines. The field lines are lean and sleeker than their show line counterparts. They tend to be quite a bit darker in color, and have more of a drive to do hunt work. Some say that they are “crazier” because they do tend to be higher energy. Show lines are those big block-headed goldens you typically see in promotional things. Long coated, typically lighter in color, and stockier, these are still great workers, but are more likely to want to hang out on the couch with you and snuggle! Both great options, but it’s important to know the difference to make the right choice for you and your family.

Goldens are very loyal, but do tend to love everyone. If you want a non-shedding breed, this is NOT the dog for you, they do shed year-round but have heavier periods when the seasons change.

Don’t be fooled, just because they are widely known as the “easy” family dog, they still need training! They can be slow to mature, and love to put everything in their mouths.

Model Paws’ owner/trainer is lucky enough to have a new baby golden, as well as her older golden mix!

This is the first of a breed profil series we will be starting on our page. 🙂 please post breed requests below!!

01/02/2023

Did you know that the treats you’re using are wildly important to the success of your dog?

From kibble to hot dogs, you want to match the treat to the situation.

Think of it like this, if someone offered you 10 cents to make a big speech in front of a huge crowd, you probably wouldn’t do it right? But if someone offered you $1,000, you’d be a little more likely to do it. If someone offered you $1,000,000 I’m pretty sure you’d do it! It’s the same for your dog. You want to match the treat to the difficulty of the situation.

The more difficult the task, the better the treat should be!

Message me to start your journey to communicating clearly with your dog to ensure a smooth life with your furry friends 🐾

29/01/2023

Did you know that we offer walk and trains?

Do you find yourself lacking the time to give your dog the walks you wish you could?

Maybe you can’t walk your dog due to poor leash manners?

Well walk and trains are for you! I will come and walk your dog, while adding some basic manners and leash walking skills into it!

If you contact me, and mention this ad, I’ll give you 20% off a walking package of your choice!

28/01/2023

Crawling into the weekend like…

Featuring one of our demo dogs, Tucker!

27/01/2023

Dog Training is hard sometimes. I wish I could say it was as simple as wanting a well trained dog, but I’d be lying to you!

The good news is, it’s not impossible! If you put in the work now, you’re setting yourself up for a life of living smoothly with your pup.

Give me a call, and let’s get started on your journey together! I can teach you how to communicate with your dog in the most effective way possible. And trust me, all the time and energy is beyond worth it.

14/01/2023

Our first website is up and running! Find more info here 🙂

My name is Allie! I am an experienced dog trainer in the Columbia, SC area. My love of animals started at a very young age, I always knew I wanted to do something with them, and training has turned into my biggest passion. I have spent my career learning everything I can about many different types o...

14/01/2023

Meet Gypsy!

Gypsy is an approximately 10 month old golden doodle. Her owners came to me a couple months ago telling me that Gypsy was almost uncontrollable. She would fly out the door if she got past you, pull as hard as she could on leash, jump on anyone who walked in, and terrorize her older sister Wrigley.

She is still working on a lot of things, but Gypsy has made amazing strides! She has learned to stay on her place when asked, how to wait at the door rather than burst through it, and today, she even walked for almost 20 minutes on a loose leash! While that doesn’t seem like much, for Gypsy, that is a HUGE deal.

So proud of Gypsy girl, I can’t wait to see what she does in the future 🥰

01/01/2023

I thought I’d make a post about some of the services that I offer:

Puppy Selection:

Temperament testing and selecting puppies is one of my favorite things that I get to do! I can help you pick the right fit for your family to start your journey off right! Whether it’s for service work or just a family pet, temperament is a huge part of making sure those 4 paws fit almost seamlessly into your life.

Obedience/Manners:

Whether you just brought home a new puppy or are trying to teach an older dog some manners, I can help! From basic to advanced obedience and manners that make living with your dog easier, I can help you communicate with your dog what is and isn’t acceptable as well as teach them how to respond to cues effectively every time!

Behavior Modification:

Does your dog resource guard or have fear problems? These among many other issues can make life very stressful. Sometimes these issues can be very dangerous for you an your family, so send me a message to see if I’m the right fit to help you learn to manage and overcome these behaviors safely.

These are just some of the things I can help you and your dog with! If you’re unsure, don’t hesitate to send me a message to discuss exactly what you’re looking for! I will link my inquiry sheet in this post 🙂 I look forward to hearing from you!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScQmEjuWMD6ZlyOynvucZMYfZcfj6Ss0fw8m0q7i5ubouUIHw/viewform

01/01/2023

Introducing the Model Paws unofficial mascots and demo dogs!

Tucker is almost 5 and he is 3/4 golden retriever, 1/4 Labrador. He has his CGC, CGCA, and CGCU along with his novice and intermediate trick titles through AKC. He is also my fully trained, multipurpose service dog. In many ways, Tucker is the dog who started it all. While I had been working with dogs for a while before I got him, he’s been by my side through a lot of change, and he has taught me so much as a trainer. He performs medical alerts and response based tasks for me daily as well as serving as the BEST big bro ever to my newest addition. Fun fact about Tucker: he HATES eggs. Will not eat them.

Link (Lincoln) is an 11 week old golden retriever and the newest addition to my family. He is being trained both as a demo dog and as a service dog. I have big plans for this little guy, I hope he will eventually take over when Tucker retires. But for now, he’s just enjoying being a puppy! He is extremely confident, and super goofy. He has the “golden grumble” down and is quick to respond to anything that is asked (as long as you have food of course!) fun fact about Link: he thinks popcorn is a toy. Not food.

01/01/2023

Hi Everyone!

My name is Allie, I am the owner of Model Paws. I have been working with dogs for a long time now, and I look forward to being able to help you with your pups!

I specialize in pet obedience, service dogs, therapy dogs, and behavior modification. I use positive reinforcement based methods, and focus on creating clear communication between you and your dog.

Whether you just got a new puppy, or are looking to teach an older dog some new tricks, I can help!

Message me today for more information and to schedule a consult. I look forward to hearing from you!