The Puppy Professor

07/01/2025

Our first training session of the year at the Main Street Rec Center in Glen Ellyn starts one week from today, don't miss out on the fun and learning! For prices, registration, session dates, and more detailed class descriptions, please visit the website, www.thepuppyprof.com. Class sizes are small and fill up quickly!

25/12/2024

Here's hoping that Santa Paws brought you everything you wished for and more this holiday season! ❤️🐾💚

18/12/2024

"I just like to smile. Smiling's my favorite!" - Buddy the Elf

We can't who has the bigger smiles from completing their Holiday Manners class... the pups or their peeps! 😁

17/12/2024

These gorgeous pups are now graduated Polite Pups just in time for the holidays! 🐾🎓🎄 We hope to see them all in the new year in Manners 2.

03/12/2024

Indy working hard on stay work in our Holiday Manners class, and having fun while doing it! We can't believe how much he has grown since his first puppy class! 😍

28/11/2024

From all of us at The Puppy Professor, wishing you and your families a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving! 🦃

26/11/2024

It’s been a while since we’ve shared some graduation pics, but we haven’t forgotten these fab grads! 🎓 These pups finished Manners Level 1 recently with honors… what a great group!

31/10/2024

Happy Halloween 🎃 from our Boo crew to you!

Make sure to keep sweet treats out of reach for your pups, have a management strategy in place for the door, and some great enrichment items pre-loaded (like Kongs or lickimats) to give them breaks should they get worried or overstimulated by all the excitement!

23/10/2024

12/10/2024

Indy may be all legs right now but he mastered the platform with ease during his first Manners Level 2 class!

07/10/2024

Hello! Not dog related at all. Simply a shameless plug for Amy’s daughter’s upcoming show. You are invited!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/family-tree-bash-an-evening-with-meghan-saletta-w-mike-maicke-tickets-1005832922347?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabOi-G_jRFE3KSbn5i-PlVo9HhjmqvpewO_vfa7UaGcVd_btEQyU3176S8_aem_U9mhBLvcX1unh1pM3SOnzw

An evening of songs & stories at Artifact Events.

03/10/2024

Congrats to our latest Young Puppy Social grads! What a wonderful group of sweet pups! 🎓

There are still a few spots in our next session starting on October 8th! www.thepuppyprof.com

29/09/2024

These puppies have been hard at work at puppy school! But with classes ending this week, we are looking for even more friends to join us for the start of our next session on October 8th. Openings available at every level. Check out the website for class info, schedule, registration >>> www.thepuppyprof.com 🐕

19/09/2024

🎃 October will be here before you know it! Don't miss your chance to join our next session of classes, now open for registration on the website www.thepuppyprof.com

10/09/2024

Whether chewing, sniffin', or stationing, our Manners Level 1 pups were having a good time!

06/09/2024

The struggle is real! Adolescence is a time for more structure and consistency as your pup continues to develop.

Adolescence occurs between six months and 18 months of age—a time when guardians typically struggle the most with their dogs. Some guardians are so overwhelmed and underprepared for this developmental stage of their dog’s life, they choose to surrender the dog to a local shelter or rescue group. In a recent study published in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science found that the majority of the surrendered dogs (47.7 percent) ) were between 5 months and 3 years of age (M.D. Salman,John G. New, Jr.,Janet M. Scarlett,Philip H. Kass,Rebecca Ruch-Gallie &Suzanne Hetts, 2010)

The neurobiology of adolescence is fascinating, with some key events that alter both the structure and function of the brain.

During canine adolescence, changing s*x hormones effect the animals stress responses. Adolescent dogs have a decreased ability to process information they are receiving from the environment including the presence of dogs, vehicles, people, or really anything around them. They behave in ways that might feel frustrating or upsetting for the dog’s person.

The connectivity between the frontal cortex (responsible for decision making) and amygdala (responsible for emotional processing) decreases, resulting in less behavioral control. We see increased risk taking and more sensitivity to fear.

So what does this mean? This could mean that what was once no big deal to the dog now feels scary; what was once easy to do is now stressful; what once made sense is now confusing. At times, the world can feel like ‘too much’ for the adolescent dog.

As your puppy undergoes this transition into adulthood their inner world is intense, even chaotic. Many pet owners experience an increase in undesirable behavior and find themselves becoming increasingly frustrated. In turn, our own frustration and impatience can cause us to act unpredictably. This adds to our puppy’s inner turmoil. When the inside and the outside are both unpredictable it can be difficult for our dogs to adjust.

If you have an adolescent dog, what can you do? You can give your dog the time and space to observe what is going on around them when on leash at a distance away from the activity when possible. You can give your dog long walks to sniff and explore in nature, giving their brain time to decompress. You can offer your dog a quiet space to sleep so that they can consolidate memories effectively. You can continue training various skills, breaking them down into easier steps that can be generously reinforced.

By understanding what our adolescent dog is experiencing we gain greater compassion and understanding. When we approach adolescence with patience we create a world that is predictable and gentle so our puppies grow up to be their best adult selves.

02/09/2024

Looking for a daytime training class? This could be your lucky day! Our Manners Level 1-Polite Pup class now starts September 10th (Tuesdays at 12:30 PM) so there is still time to sign up. Join us!
https://puppyprofessor.dogbizpro.com/public/registration/index.aspx?schedule=603

29/08/2024

Are you ready to take your pups training up another level? Join our Manners Level 3 class where you learn skills to help your dog be their most polite self when they are out and about. We will also be introducing components of the Canine Good Citizen test for dog teams interested in going through the test in the future, which is a helpful step towards Therapy Dog work!

Register today at www.thepuppyprof.com and continue your training journey next week!