When people ask me this question the first response is because you haven’t taught the dog to heel. Putting a choker collar on a dog and punishing it when it moves away from you doesn’t teach the dog to heel. Dragging the dog around by the leash doesn’t teach the dog to heel. First we need to address the handler – You. Do you know what heel means? Before you start teaching a dog to…   Continue

The working breeds make amazing pets and are well adapted to urban life. They do have more needs than a house dog, but the more you invest into your working or herding breed, the more you will get back. Our course for training working dogs is designed to help you learn to handle a dog, speak its language, and learn to communicate in a way your dog understands. It is easier to train puppies, but…   Continue

What are dog zoomies?  Our previous article explains a few facts about the zoomies you need to know before trying to manage the behavior. It is important to know that zoomies are normal. They are a part of growing development. Some people never try to stop the behavior. In come cases they cannot be stopped, only managed. While I am attempting to help you solve a mild case of the zoomies that your dog should…   Continue

One of the most common asked questions is ‘How to train a hyper dog.’ The Puppy zoomies, or dog zoomies turns what should be a wonderful experience into a nightmare. What are puppy zoomies? Or FRAPs – Frenetic Random Activity Periods They are typically a sudden explosion of activity in an otherwise good and trainable dog. When I say sudden explosion that is exactly what I mean. If you’ve ever had a dog with the…   Continue

Sometimes puppies make a mess when they are playing. Sometimes they are being clever, but that gets them in trouble. When you are working with a puppy you need to set boundaries ‘before’ the puppy starts acting bad. Set the ground rules and do not break them. Let your puppy know where the limits are. A puppy who is punished without knowing what it is doing wrong can develop ‘reactive issues’. These are stress and…   Continue

Leave it. A puppy who understands this has the foundation for good manners and reliable control. Every puppy obedience task is built on the leave it command. To heel well a puppy needs to learn not to pull towards things it is interested in. A long, reliable, stay cannot be accomplished unless the puppy understands the leave it command. Teaching the leave it command without using punishment is vital to building a trust relationship with…   Continue

  There are several ways to teach heeling. Before choosing the right one for you it is important to define your objectives. Obedience Competition, Rally Obedience, Schutzhund and IPO Walking and control in public, especially in crowds Control when visiting, going to the vets, or walking to and from the car. Each of these methods require a different style of heeling. Looking to owner for cues. Happy demeanor. Fully following the owner’s lead. While this…   Continue

The Proper Way to Use Food as a Training Tool There are many misconceptions associated with using food as the reward. When used right food is a strong motivator. Food is not a replacement for relationship Food is not a replacement for play You must work to wean your dog off food. (Would you work for no paycheck?) Food is not a substitute for training and practice Food is not a replacement for spending time…   Continue

Socialization is one of the most misunderstood aspects of dog training. Almost everyone knows puppies need to be exposed to as many situations as possible so they will grow up to be confident, well behaved dogs. Wrong This is possibly one of the main reasons why the number of reactive dogs in urban centers is high. It is also possibly one of the main reasons why small dogs are most likely to drop out of…   Continue

The crib note series are designed to help you understand the basic terms and offer explanations designed to help dog owners understand the theories and practices behind positive dog training. Hopefully these quick reference words will help explain some of the more indepth information available to pet owners and novice sport dog trainers. It is important to understand that everything you do reinforces a dog’s behavior, good or bad. Even when you are watching TV, and ignoring…   Continue