Good Shepherd Dog Training

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Good Shepherd Dog Training Hello! I am a certified professional dog trainer (CPDT-KA) who uses a science-based, positive reward training approach.

I can help with socialization, obedience, and unwanted behavior modification.

13/11/2024

A Tribute to the World's Most Perfect Dog

Trigger warning: Pet Loss & Grief

Happy 1st Birthday, Reign! Girl, we been through it this first trip around the sun and as soon as I recover from confere...
06/10/2024

Happy 1st Birthday, Reign!

Girl, we been through it this first trip around the sun and as soon as I recover from conference-induced brain fog, I have many thoughts I'd like to share.

In the meantime, I love you, you crazy girl.

I'm here enjoying Day 1 at Fenzi Camp! This conference is chock-full of seminars, labs, and lectures with topics like re...
04/10/2024

I'm here enjoying Day 1 at Fenzi Camp!

This conference is chock-full of seminars, labs, and lectures with topics like recall and loose leash walking, nose work skills, improving your agility foundations, and optimal learning states. How do I decide what to attend? I think about what my clients want help with and I think about what could help Reign. Then I think about what sounds fun!

These continuing education opportunities are crucial to making sure I am staying informed and inspired and they are one of the best parts of my job.

16/09/2024

Ensure your puppy's socialization is dull and boring by:

1. Maintaining enough distance from any potential triggers
2. Find or bring a comfortable seat to encourage a relaxed, laid back vibe
3. Pre-plan escape routes that are unlikely to trigger your dog, should the situation change

It's graduation weekend at our house! In September? Yes 🤷We will have a boatload of people coming and going at our house...
13/09/2024

It's graduation weekend at our house! In September? Yes 🤷

We will have a boatload of people coming and going at our house for 3 days straight and that is a lot for Reign. Here are some things I am doing to set her up for success:

- Eliminated the door bell and silenced motion notifications. These noises only get Reign more fired up and harder to calm down. We've asked our guests to text so we can prepare Reign or simply put her away while guests come inside.

- SO MUCH SLOW ENRICHMENT. We got toppls, we got lickimats, we got bully sticks and tracheas, we got cardboard boxes, we've got big, juicy beef cheeks. Reign is going to need help settling down and these will help facilitate that.

- A reliable noise-cancelling playlist. It is a reality that Reign will spend more time in her crate than usual. As much as I want a middle-of-the-party, well-adjusted family dog, that requires way more skill and experience than 11 month old Reign has. So she will get her party time in small, achievable increments, and chill in her crate the rest of the time with an enjoyable treat. I'm partial to the Newsies soundtrack because 1) the loud, shout-y songs do a great job of covering boisterous laughter and dynamic crowd sounds and 2) it's awesome.

It's so important when you have goals for your young dog that you differentiate between the end goal and the dog currently in front of you. Rome wasn't built in a day and resilient dogs take time and patience.

If you look at the extended forecast and think: tomorrow is a definite stay home day, but Friday looks promising.You mig...
07/09/2024

If you look at the extended forecast and think: tomorrow is a definite stay home day, but Friday looks promising.

You might be a reactive pet parent. IYKYK

03/09/2024

Self-handicapping is a healthy play strategy in which dogs adjust their play style to better accommodate their playmate. Here, Reign gets low to even the playing field for Noelle.

Other examples of self-handicapping include running slower, biting with a soft mouth, and tugging on toys gently to maintain happy, engaging play with their pal.

For better or worse, Reign is a fantastic communicator. We typically take her flirt pole on walks. It is her favorite an...
31/07/2024

For better or worse, Reign is a fantastic communicator.

We typically take her flirt pole on walks. It is her favorite and most consistent reinforcer. Not sure about those people across the street? Chase your bunny. That car was so noisy! Get dat bunny. I see that dog too, but bunny! It has proven to be an effective redirection for her big feelings about this big, big world.

Lately, Reign has taken to stepping on bunny with increased frequency during our walks. It's so frustrating. Everything comes to a stop. I can't make bunny move or get bunny back until Reign steps off. Such a pain!

But let's flip the perspective for a minute...

I'm a German Shepherd puppy and everything is thrilling. It's 85 degrees outside but that can't stop me. People and dogs and smells and sounds are fabulous, so much so I often don't know what to do with myself. But if I see my bunny, I know just what to do. It's awesome. And tiring. And, like, really really hot. When I step on my bunny, I can catch my breath. I can look around without feeling such big things. As long as I'm standing on my bunny, I know it can't move and we're not going anywhere. It's nice to have that break.

Is Reign being a pain? Or is she communicating?

Sometimes it's a matter of perspective.

The downside to working so hard to get Reign comfortable in the car is that now she is completely silent, riding in her ...
22/07/2024

The downside to working so hard to get Reign comfortable in the car is that now she is completely silent, riding in her crate way in the back of my mama-bus. This tag is attached to the door of her crate and when I put her in, I move it to my visor. Once I get home, it goes back on her crate door. A $7 visor clip, a little bit of sharpie, and hopefully a tragedy prevented on a hot summer day.

Maybe it sounds crazy to forget you have a dog in the car, but keep in mind, I leave the house everyday with my training pouch, a leash, and my training bag. Sometimes I have Reign, sometimes I don't. I'm often on my way to a client training session. I also have chronic mom brain. Whatever your reason may be, consider this easy way to keep your dog safe.

Watch out, Carrie, you got some knots tied in your long line! I sure do. If I'm working with a dog on a leash (or "line"...
10/05/2024

Watch out, Carrie, you got some knots tied in your long line!

I sure do. If I'm working with a dog on a leash (or "line") over 8 feet, I strategically tie knots every few feet. Were I to need less than the 10, 15, or in this case 25 feet, these knots provide a safety brake. I'd rather not get the worst rope burn of my life or watch as 25 feet of leash slides under my shoe!

Make sure to regularly inspect your long lines, as these knots can eventually lead to fraying or loss of structural integrity.

It is commonly joked amongst science-backed trainers that our job, done right, is as exciting as watching paint dry. It'...
10/04/2024

It is commonly joked amongst science-backed trainers that our job, done right, is as exciting as watching paint dry. It's dull. Slow. Boring.

I think most clients picture reactivity training as high action, loud, and up close to those things that trigger their dog. But in reality, we aim for well outside that trigger zone. And progress is sometimes measured in inches.

Today Reign worked from 60 feet away from a trigger See our friend, that dot in the corner? Over the course of an hour, we got to about 35 feet away. And that's a big win for Reign.

Throw out your timeline. Throw out visions of walking side by side with that dog or that stranger by the end of the first session. Or the second. Or the ninth. Let your dog set the pace. And be patient.

I say this for me as much as for anyone else going through the process. ❤️

04/04/2024

What a fantastic way to help reactive dogs and their owners feel a little less isolated!

Do you know of any pet stores in the Miami Valley that do this or would be willing to let me pitch the idea?

This weekend, I'm here at Canine Con, getting inspired by industry leaders like Mike Shikashio, Dr. Kelly Ballantyne, an...
16/03/2024

This weekend, I'm here at Canine Con, getting inspired by industry leaders like Mike Shikashio, Dr. Kelly Ballantyne, and Dr. Amy Cook.

Continuing education is a top priority for me. When I'm done learning about animal behavior, I should be done working in animal behavior. No matter how many conferences, classes, or seminars I attend, I am always learn something new.

15/03/2024

Zoos continue to lead by example when it comes to cooperative care!

One of my favorite and least favorite things about training animals is that there's not one tried and true way of doing ...
03/03/2024

One of my favorite and least favorite things about training animals is that there's not one tried and true way of doing something. On one hand, the problem solving is fun and stimulating. On the other, it can be really hard to let go of how something is "supposed to go".

I've been taking Reign on morning walks (carried or leashed) since bringing her home. And they almost always have been a disaster. She's fearful, over threshold, and reactive. We typically come home feeling worse than when we left the house. But her afternoon walks are lovely. She has a much clearer head, more boldness, and enjoys the walks so much more. Once I came to terms with the idea that morning walks are just not benefitting her the way I wanted them to, everything got better. And we can bring back morning walks in the future.

Another example: I have long preached to my students that getting to training class early sets you and your dog up for success. It gives you time to sniff, walk around, and decompress before class. But for 7 weeks (yup, it took 7 weeks to change my mind), those extra 10-15 minutes got Reign so fired up. And I'd blow through so many high value treats just trying to keep her calm before we could take our spot behind very helpful visual barriers. It just doesn't compute in my brain to show up to class right when it starts or even a few minutes after. But here I am, chilling in my car up until the last minute.

And you know what? Reign did so much better.

It can be scary, letting go of what you "know" or what you "should" be doing. But sometimes the results speak for themselves!

25/02/2024

An unexpected update on Reign.

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Wednesday 11:00 - 19:00
Thursday 11:00 - 19:00
Friday 09:00 - 14:00
Saturday 09:00 - 14:00

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Meeting our Thanksgiving foster dog Shelby! #sicsa #thanksgiving #thanksgivingfoster

A Tribute to the World's Most Perfect Dog Trigger warning: Pet Loss & Grief

Ensure your puppy's socialization is dull and boring by: 1. Maintaining enough distance from any potential triggers 2. Find or bring a comfortable seat to encourage a relaxed, laid back vibe 3. Pre-plan escape routes that are unlikely to trigger your dog, should the situation change

Self-handicapping is a healthy play strategy in which dogs adjust their play style to better accommodate their playmate. Here, Reign gets low to even the playing field for Noelle. Other examples of self-handicapping include running slower, biting with a soft mouth, and tugging on toys gently to maintain happy, engaging play with their pal.

Good enrichment is like a Roomba. The plan is this is something that will keep my dog busy while I can get other stuff done. The reality is you sit and watch the entire time because it's so darn entertaining.

An unexpected update on Reign.

Let's talk about Reign. When things are hard, seek help from qualified professionals.

NOISE WARNING: Video contains barking dogs and jingling leashes. If you have a reactive dog, you might want to hit that MUTE button. Next time you feel envious that your neighbor, cousin, or classmate has the "easy" dog, remember that not all struggles are obvious. I, in NO WAY, want to minimize Reign's wins. She has been absolutely killing it in her puppy class. But if that was the only version of Reign you've seen, you might think that our puppy life has been rainbows and sunshine. And you would be wrong.

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Meet Your Trainer

My name is Carrie D'Agostino. I got my start in dog training with The Seeing Eye, raising and training guide dogs for the blind. Then I spent several years working towards my certification in positive reward-based dog training. I was a member of the Association for Pet Dog Trainers and worked with families, doing everything from puppy socialization to unwanted behavior modification. My approach to dog training is using food, toys, and/or praise to reward the good behavior. I don’t use physical reprimands at all.

Due to life, deployments, and babies, I haven’t been an active trainer in 3 years and I’ve let my certification lapse. If you’re interested, I would be willing to do sessions at a reduced rate until I get enough hours and experience to re-certify. My availability is varied, I could do weekends, evenings, and the occasional weekday. We could do hour or half hour sessions, depending on your pup's needs.

Let me know if you have any questions or if you’d be interested in setting up a session.