Delighted Dogs- Minnesota

08/08/2024

Say hello to the newest Puppy Kindergarten class! Violet, Pineapple, D.K., and Ziggy are all so much fun to have. Lots of smiles and laughs happened in tonight’s class.

07/08/2024

Large breed puppy needed!

There’s one space left in Puppy Kindergarten starting this evening and I’m looking to fill the spot with a large breed puppy. If your dog is a large breed and between 8-16 weeks of age, head to delighteddogsmn.com/schedule to register. Use the code PKLG for a discount. There’s only one spot available so take advantage while you can!

Class is from 6:15-7:15pm for 4 weeks on Wednesdays and is held at Dakota Pet Hospital.

30/07/2024

Treat delivery hack for dogs on prescription food: stuff canned food into a squeeze tube!

Ezra is on a prescription diet right now. He’s not allowed any food or treats outside of the diet so our treat options are limited to kibble and canned food. These camping food tubes are lifesaving because they allow me to easily use canned food for treat delivery. I mash up his food and add a little bit of water to make it a smoother consistency, then stuff it and we are on our way!

Bonus perks: this is perfect for keeping your hands free of slobber and also prevents you from having to take gloves off on winter walks.

What are your favorite treat hacks?

27/06/2024

I can’t tell if Hazel was excited to graduate Puppy Kindergarten tonight.

16/06/2024

Things have been quiet over here lately so I figured I owe you all an update.

Back in January, I decided to go back to school to finally obtain a vet tech degree. As a result, I'm working full-time at Dakota Pet Hospital again. This doesn't mean I am leaving you all, just that services are limited at the moment. Here's what is available at this time:
- Group classes (held at Dakota Pet Hospital)
- Private training (very limited, with in-person and online options available)
- Photography
- Separation anxiety training (always done online)

I no longer have a training assistant so I'm working on re-vamping my reactive rover class in a way that allows me to teach it solo. Instead of having 4-5 dogs in class, there will be 2 dogs. Keep your eyes peeled for info related to this service. I know this is a popular class and I want to be able to continue supporting those who need help. Private training for reactivity is an option at this time.

To learn more or book an appointment, head to www.delighteddogsmn.com.

- Allison

Training - Education - Walking

10/06/2024

Join us for a round of Life Skills 201 starting this coming Saturday! This is an intermediate level class for dogs who completed Life Skills 101 or Puppy Kindergarten with Delighted Dogs. To learn more or register, head to delighteddogsmn.com/schedule. I look forward to seeing you again!

16/05/2024

🚨New Class Alert🚨

Life Skills 201 was created for those who wish to continue learning and practicing skills. In this class, we will work on greeting politely, going to a "place", focus & attention, and drop it. Class will run for 4 weeks and each session will last 60 minutes.

Class will be held at Dakota Pet Hospital in Lakeville. It will go from 1:15-2:15pm on Saturdays, starting this Saturday (5/18), with no class over Memorial Day weekend (5/15).

To register, head to delighteddogsmn.com/schedule or use the QR code on the image.

I look forward to seeing you and your dogs again!

02/12/2023

20/11/2023

Does your dog have a difficult time being home alone? Alone time can be scary for some dogs but there's a way to teach them that being home alone isn't something to worry about. To learn more, and to book a consultation, visit delighteddogsmn.com/schedule.

12/11/2023

To all you warm and loving pet parents out there:

We see you. We appreciate you. Thank you for helping an innocent little being feel safe in this big wide world. You're doing a great job, and your dog says thank you. 😘

07/11/2023

Classes have been added to the schedule for the remainder of 2023! These were just added so get registered while there's still space.

What other classes do you want to see on the schedule? Now that it is getting colder, training classes can be a great way to provide your dog with something to do during these winter months.

Register at delighteddogsmn.com/schedule. All classes take place at Dakota Pet Hospital in Lakeville, MN.

03/10/2023

When your sister is in the same puppy class as you and the other puppies don’t show up for class, shenanigans must be had. Luna and Firefly were both adopted from Coco's Heart Dog Rescue and ended up registering for the same class. It has been fun to watch them as they reunite each week. I think they’re competing to see who is smarter and who is better at playing. Each thinks they’re winning both categories.

02/10/2023

This handsome lad is Harry. Harry just set a new record in his separation anxiety training process. Today he was able to be alone for 8 minutes 49 seconds without panic! I’m so proud of the progress he has made and am inspired by the effort Harry’s people have put into giving him the best possible life.

Will you join me in cheering on Team Harry? 🎉🎊🥳

22/09/2023

If you've been following us for a bit, you might remember that I published a few episodes of a podcast. This project ended up being paused when other business and life things got in the way. I'm so pleased to announce that I finally finished editing and publishing the remaining episodes for the first season of Digging into Dogs. You can listen to all 15 episodes on Apple Podcasts for now, but I'll hopefully be expanding to other platforms to reach accommodate all podcast listeners.

Do you have any requests for season 2? What do you want to learn about?

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/digging-into-dogs/id1641138009

19/09/2023

Let’s talk head halters! These can be a great tool to help with those strong pullers but most dogs aren’t naturally comfortable wearing things on their face. This means it’s important to spend time conditioning a dog to comfortably wear a head halter *before* you use it in real life.

Buddy, here, started out learning to put his nose into the loop when I hold the head halter. We moved to having it hang on his snout, then I clipped it, then had him wearing it while doing easy things (grabbing food off the floor, sit/down, etc.). Once he was comfortable wearing it I used a very light-weight leash and clipped that on so he could fell the weight of a leash attached to it. All of this was done before we attempted to go outside with it on.

These incremental steps are crucial so the dog is not experiencing discomfort while wearing the halter. Buddy can now wear it for short “walks” outside in yard or within a few houses of his. Soon he will be ready to wear it for the entirety of his outings to prevent injury to his people or himself.

19/09/2023

🐾 October Class Schedule 🐾

Puppy Kindergarten
- Mondays from 6:15-7:15pm starting September 25th
- Thursdays from 6:15-7:15pm starting October 5th

Polite Greetings
- Mondays from 7:30-8:15pm starting October 2nd

CGC Prep
- Tuesdays from 7:30-8:15pm starting October 3rd

Life Skills 101
- Tuesdays from 6:15-7:15pm starting October 10th

Loose Leash Walking
- Saturdays from 1:15-2:00pm starting October 7th

Reliable Recall
- Saturdays from 2:15-3:00pm starting October 7th

All classes are held at Dakota Pet Hospital in Lakeville. Register online at delighteddogsmn.com/schedule. We can't wait to see you in class!

29/08/2023

Ahsoka says it’s important to enjoy the little things, like these flowers we pass often on our walkies. What things does your dog help you to enjoy?

03/08/2023

NEW PACKAGE ALERT!

As of January 2023, we changed our group class format to allow for a more customized experience. Clients can choose to attend classes that focus on a single topic. We have loved these classes and are excited to launch a package deal!

You can now save 15% in registration fees when you purchase the new Mini-Series Class Bundle. This package includes registration for Reliable Recall, Loose Leash Walking and Polite Greetings- three of the most common behavior challenges our clients report having.

To purchase* this package, head to https://delighteddogsmn.com/gift-certificates.

*Purchasing the package does not automatically enroll you in class. You will get a redemption code to enter at checkout when you register for a class. This package will expire six months from the purchase date.

26/07/2023

Group class demand has been increasing as of late so we updated our class options, including adding Monday availability back to our schedule!

To register your dog, visit delighteddogsmn.com/schedule.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

22/07/2023

My promise to you and your dogs:

I promise to treat you with kindness and respect.

I promise not to implement training methods that cause fear or pain.

I promise to be transparent about everything I do and recommend.

I promise to protect you from the unregulated industry that is dog training.

I promise to prioritize your dog’s emotional wellness over everything else.

I promise to stay up to date on the most accurate information about dog behavior.

I promise to help instead of cause harm to you or your dog.

I promise to provide you with a safe space to work through whatever behavior challenges your dog is exhibiting.

Your dog deserves every one of these promises and so do you.

26/06/2023

The group class schedule has been posted for July and August! Head to delighteddogsmn.com/schedule to view class options. Lots of fun ones to choose from!!

23/06/2023

7 hours. That’s how long Bert was home alone for today. Not only was he alone, he was comfortable. To say I’m proud of this team would be an understatement.

Bert and his moms have worked so hard to get to this point. When we started working together, Bert would become anxious before his moms opened the door and now he watches the departure then alternates between watching out the window and napping.

Please join me in celebrating this amazing progress! 🎉🎊🍾

08/06/2023

How is that he takes up so much space on a king size bed? Who else has to fight for mattress space?

02/06/2023

We are still in the process of securing the most perfect space to make Lakeville our permanent home! This has been a dream of ours and we are doing all that we can to ensure it works out. We have been serving Lakeville for 7 years now and can't imagine setting up shop anywhere else.

We are seeking sponsors to help fund this exciting adventure. After processing fees, 100% of your sponsorship will go towards our new home. If, for some reason, things don't work out, your sponsorship will be refunded. To make a donation or become a sponsor, visit our GoFundMe page (link below) and donate your desired amount. We will keep track of donation amounts. If you prefer to be anonymous on the donation page but wish to be a sponsor, email us a screenshot of the donation confirmation.
If you're not close enough to take advantage of the in-person sponsorship rewards, I would be happy to customize something for you!

We are so excited to have been presented with this opportunity and look forward to having a space of our own!

gofundme.com/f/help-delighted-dogs-secure-a-home

12/05/2023

We have space in our upcoming group classes! Some of these classes were just added to the schedule today, including the long awaited return of Out and About. Visit delighteddogsmn.com/schedule to register. Space is limited so secure your spot today!

Classes are held at Dakota Pet Hospital, with the exception of online classes, which are held via Zoom, and Out and About, which is held at varying locations in the Lakeville area.

08/04/2023

Details are still being sorted out but we are moving along in securing a space to call home.

If you’re interested in becoming a sponsor, you can do so at https://gofund.me/10ebf9dc.

We want to thank everyone who has supported us so far. We appreciate you!

27/03/2023

Presley, Kena and Archie completed Life Skills 101 recently and we miss them already! This group was so soft and sweet, with the occasional sass mixed in. It was lovely to watch them learn and grow. We hope to see them again!

Join us in congratulating them for their hard work!

26/03/2023

We have been working with Buddy for a few months now through our Day Training program. He is learning that the world is safe, he doesn't need to jump on people, leaves aren't ideal snacks, the couch is his human sister's safe space, nail trims aren't so scary, and lots of other skills. At 5 months old, he is such a lovely dog. We are obsessed with Buddy and his family. Our sessions with him are the highlight of the week! With a face like that, do you blame us?

26/03/2023

At risk of jinxing it, we are in the process of securing the most perfect space to make Lakeville our permanent home! This has been a dream of ours and we are doing all that we can to ensure it works out. We have been serving Lakeville for 7 years now and can't imagine setting up shop anywhere else.

We are seeking sponsors to help fund this exciting adventure. After processing fees, 100% of your sponsorship will go towards our new home. If, for some reason, things don't work out, your sponsorship will be refunded. To make a donation or become a sponsor, visit our GoFundMe page (link below) and donate your desired amount. We will keep track of donation amounts. If you prefer to be anonymous on the donation page but wish to be a sponsor, email us a screenshot of the donation confirmation.

If you're not close enough to take advantage of the in-person sponsorship rewards, I would be happy to customize something for you!

We are so excited to have been presented with this opportunity and look forward to having a space of our own!
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-delighted-dogs-secure-a-home?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1

25/03/2023

Join us in welcoming Jonsey, Baxter, Harvey, Maverick, and Sofi to class! This group of teenagers is a joy and we loved watching them learn in their first class session. I have a feeling these kids will prove to be smarties based on how well they have done already.