Training Tails

29/08/2024

ALL OPEN CLASSES for September:

Tuesdays Sept 10th (6 weeks $200)
7pm: Intro to Scentwork
https://form.jotform.com/242324349921153

Wednesdays Sept 11th (6 weeks $200) -Various locations TBA
6pm: Real World Manners
*This will be the last RWM class until spring!
https://form.jotform.com/242387062648160

Thursdays Sept 12th (6 weeks $175) (*No class 10/3)
6:30pm: Manners 1
https://form.jotform.com/242074429847161
7:30pm: Puppy Kindergarten
https://form.jotform.com/242074779142157

What’s Your Training Tail? Science-Based Humane Training for the Happy Family Pet We believe dog training should always be FUN for the owner and the dog. We use easy games that make training fun for the whole family and enhance your relationship with your dog every step of the way. Group Classes C...

29/08/2024

New classes begin in September!
https://form.jotform.com/242324349921153

26/08/2024

A dog lover's tale...
I've always had a very distinct memory of this moment. It was the early 90s and I was at my grandparents house with my sisters and cousins. We got to meet my aunt&uncle's new Bichon puppy, the first dog in the family. We sat outside, took a few pictures and the pup, Kugel (Jewish noodle dish and a family name), fell asleep in my lap. I thought I was the most important person in the world that she chose me.
Flash forward 30+ years and I mentioned to my aunt (when she got a new puppy!) that I remembered this moment but had never once seen the picture I knew was taken that day. Well, she found it and here we are... Little Amy feeling like the most important person in the world because a puppy fell asleep in her lap.

15/08/2024

Back to school classes begin next week!

06/08/2024

New classes are open!

22/07/2024

Still a few spots open in Intro to Scent beginning TOMORROW!

19/07/2024

Can your dog do this?
Intro to Scentwork will teach any dog with a working nose how!

Register Here! Tuesdays at 7pm
https://form.jotform.com/241763750648161

17/07/2024

There is still space in ~Intro to Scentwork~ beginning next Tuesday!

Register here:
https://form.jotform.com/241763750648161

01/07/2024

July Classes Open for Registration!

Manners 1 and Puppy K have only 2 spots left! Scent and Real World Manners are completely open!

Registration links at

Group Classes Embark on a journey of learning and bonding with your dog in our group classes. Here your canine companions can grow and learn in a safe, structured environment. Our expertly structured multi-week group classes, suitable for a range of ages and skill levels, prioritize life skills taug...

28/06/2024

4th of July is coming up!

The summer can be one of the hardest seasons for dogs and their humans as it is the season for thunderstorms and fireworks, even on days that don’t usually call for them.

The fourth of July is a holiday where fireworks are abundant and sound sensitive dogs can struggle immensely when exposed to the unpredictable, loud noises that we view as family friendly fun. Even dogs that don’t have sound problems can develop them quickly if exposed improperly to fireworks, which is something that I unfortunately see frequently this time of year. Here are some quick and easy do’s and don’ts to help you and your dog (whether sound sensitive or not) this time of year –

Do – Give your dog a safe place to go during the all the noise. Creating an environment that your dog can go to where the sound is lessened is actually fairly simple. A crate covered with a blanket, a bathroom, or even a dark room with the shades drawn, the basement even, and a fan going with some classical music playing on a Bluetooth speaker are options to help your dog feel secure. You may need to set this environment up ahead of time and encourage your dog to go there.

Do – Give your dog something fabulous to chew on or enjoy during the events. Make it something he rarely gets and that will last a while. A Kong stuffed with peanut butter and frozen is a wonderful option. This can be combined with the safe space you’ve created to not only keep your dog distracted, but also help him pair loud noises with something fun and yummy. Other Kong ideas are found online. Soda pup chews are a favorite here also. You can even do training with amazing treats too during this time. What you want to create is “loud noises = party time for me” in your dogs mind!

Do – Comfort your dog. The idea that comforting your dog when he is scared will encourage fearful behavior is false. Fear is an emotion, not a behavior, and your dog needs your support to feel safe during this time. If your dog is worried, talk to him calmly, give him a massage, or sit and hang out and even read aloud next to him. You don’t have to panic next to him, that certainly wont help, but you can comfort him without worrying it will make it worse. In fact, many clients report their dogs anxieties improve when they are offered support.

Do – Make sure your dog is wearing a collar with tags and if you have to take him out to potty, have him on leash! EVEN IN A FENCED YARD. More dogs get spooked and run away during this time and making sure your dog is secure on leash and also wearing tags is an important safety tip. Try to limit potty breaks to before and after the dusk period when random fireworks may go off.

DON’T – Take your dog to the show! It can be tempting to bring your dog with you to the big show and watch with you. I highly recommend not making this choice and leaving your dog at home. Your dog has no concept of what is going on and the loud unpredictable noises can create anxiety that lasts a lifetime. Leave him home, he’ll thank you for it.

DON’T – scold your dog! Yelling at your dog for shaking, panting, whining, or showing other anxious behavior will not help but will actually make him feel worse. Not only does he think the world is ending, now you’re upset too!

DO – try other things. Thundershirts, calming supplements, flower essences, pheromone collars and even medication for some dogs are necessary at times.

DO - Talk to your veterinarian and a certified professional trainer NOW on what they would recommend if your dog is really struggling. This is a much more common problem than you may think and there are other options! Having relief handy immediately rather than waiting is much better in the long run for both you and your dog. Don’t wait to call. As always, NMBDT is here to help too.

PLEASE SHARE if you like but give credit - Helen St. Pierre, No Monkey Business Dog Training

10/06/2024

A few spots are still open in Intro to Scentwork beginning tomorrow night!
Scent work is the perfect activity for any dog with a working nose.... come sniff with us!!!!

Register at this link:
https://form.jotform.com/241544007466151

05/06/2024

Register at trainingtailsdog.com

04/06/2024

*NEW CLASSES* in Woburn!

Manners 1 Begins Wednesdays 6/12 6pm (6 weeks $175)
https://form.jotform.com/241543722765156

"Real World Manners" Wednesdays 6/12 7:15 (6 weeks $200)
https://form.jotform.com/241544451246150
*please note this class will meet off site*

Intro to Scentwork Tuesdays 6/11 7pm (6 weeks $200)
https://form.jotform.com/241544007466151

Also there is still space in our puppy class that already began!
Thursdays 6:30pm Puppy Kindergarten
https://form.jotform.com/241396577524163

28/05/2024

Join us this week for a 5 week session of Basic Manners and Puppy Kindergarten!
Conveniently located in Woburn, great price (Only $165!!!!!), and lots of fun and education for you and your dog!

Manners 1 (Basic Manners)
https://form.jotform.com/241396172958165
Puppy Kindergarten
https://form.jotform.com/241396577524163

20/05/2024

NEW CLASSES!
Begin Thursdays May 30th (5 weeks, $165)

5:30pm Manners 1
https://form.jotform.com/241396172958165
6:30pm Puppy K
https://form.jotform.com/241396577524163

Group dog training classes in Woburn, MA!

Private lessons & Day Training Eastern Massachusetts

06/05/2024

Here’s a PSA on behalf of all dogs.

Stop correcting your dog for sniffing.

Stop it. Please.

How would you like it if I corrected you for looking around a room? Imagine if you raised your head to look around a new place and I popped you or shoved you or said “HEY! PAY ATTENTION” You’d get pretty upset pretty quickly I’d imagine.

Dogs don’t smell because they are ignoring you or being stubborn. We humans primarily depend on sight, but dogs use smell AND sight to assess their surroundings and communicate. People spend more time interpreting visual data than olfactory information. Dogs are just the opposite.

Dogs devote lots of brain power to interpreting smells. They have more than 100 million sensory receptor sites in the nasal cavity as compared to 6 million in people, and the area of the canine brain devoted to analyzing odors is about 40 times larger than the comparable part of the human brain. In fact, it’s been estimated that dogs can smell anywhere from 1,000 to 10,000 times better than people.

Scent gives information. Smelling is normal. Smelling is necessary and natural. Smelling is relaxing. Air scenting is HUGE for recovering reactive dogs. LET YOUR DOG SMELL!

Correcting a dog for sniffing is one of the worst things I watch people do. It’s another example of how controlling we try to be in our dogs lives. If you don’t want your dog to smell, teach him to focus on you instead for part of the time, and then give other ample times to smell. If he’s pulling you to smell, use a different tool that inhibits pulling but still allows for some nasal exploration. Even better work on collar pressure work too so your dog learns to smell when there’s less pressure! Walks on a long line on a dirt road or in a field for your dog to zig zag back and forth on to smell is MUCH healthier and more tiring for them as animals than trying to keep them within 6 feet of you on a neighborhood walk.

Please accept that smelling is normal and work WITH your dog on it, rather than just trying to suppress it. Just because that blade of grass or tree isn’t interesting to YOU doesn’t mean your dog deserves a correction. Who cares if you don’t walk the extra block - spend those 5 minutes on that one tree if you need to. Your dog doesn’t complain when you watch YouTube videos of kittens for hours or read the news or binge on Netflix, so let him get his scent binge in to.

Happy smelling pups!

20/02/2024

Next Intro to Scentwork will begin next Tuesday the 27th at 6pm. A few spots still open!

14/02/2024

Welcome Ozzy to Puppy Head Start!

08/02/2024

Our next Into to Scentwork begins Tuesday at 6pm in Woburn!

https://www.newsweek.com/dogs-behave-better-after-training-detect-smells-1864971?fbclid=IwAR2-ioJxGreY-m3p9kUDO9XNTk9gX7eRDLCYfSRWVayuTjtUJp8sJZb_lBA

Dogs that were scent trained were found to be better at impulse control when tasked with treat based challenges, a study has found.

06/02/2024

New classes in Woburn begin next week!

01/02/2024

Bailey thinks new sessions of Puppy Kindergarten, Basic Manners and Intro to Nosework are being announced very soon... and he may be right!

01/02/2024

Amy and Arex are getting back to practicing Rally! The squares in the background are Rally signs. Amy hopes to enter some rally trials this year. What are your goals for this year?

16/01/2024

Very cool article on using invasive species to provide protein sources in dog food and treats. Many of you heard how excited I was to try cricket treats last year (novel protein, though not invasive)! I'm looking forward to trying Green Monstah from Polka Dog.

Invasive species are organisms that can cause harm when introduced to a new environment. But, it turns out they are actually beneficial for your pet’s diet — and to rebalance ecosystems. Here are some invasive-species treats to shop from..

12/01/2024

Classes in Salem begin Wednesday!
https://trainingtailsdog.com/group-classes/

08/01/2024

Hope all your pups are enjoying the snow! Information on upcoming classes will be coming soon!

01/01/2024

Happy New Year!
We are so excited to see what is in store for Training Tails in 2024!

29/12/2023

*NEW* Intro to Scentwork class finally coming to Woburn!
Registration here: Trainingtailsdog.com

26/12/2023

Happy 4th Birthday to trainer Amy's dog, Arex!

25/12/2023

Merry Christmas to all Training Tails friends that celebrate! Hope your day is surrounded by people, pets and places that bring you joy!

20/12/2023

Excited to announce trainingtailsdog.com is live AND we have registration open for all classes beginning in January listed!!!!