Bringing up Puppy! We have a name!

Join us in this series, where we follow in the footsteps of our lead trainer and owner Linda Brennen, as she gets her new puppy and experiences all the challenges and joys of adding a new puppy to the family. Each day we will be sharing videos, pictures and blog posts that includes great tips…

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Bringing up Puppy! Puppy Proofing & Redirecting to Toys

Join us in this series, where we follow in the footsteps of our lead trainer and owner Linda Brennen, as she gets her new puppy and experiences all the challenges and joys of adding a new puppy to the family. Each day we will be sharing videos, pictures and blog posts that includes great tips…

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Puppies and Cookies and Teeth, Oh My!

Are you living with a land shark? When you give your dog a treat does he take a finger with it? There are several reasons dogs take treats too hard: they haven’t been taught not to, they are overly aroused or anxious, or you are simply holding the treat too high. The most common reason…

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Door Dashing

Does your dog make a mad dash for freedom every time he sees an open door? Door Dashing strikes fear in the hearts of most dog owners, as every dog will try it at least once. Knowing what to do could save your dog’s life. First let’s talk about what you can do to prevent…

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Yogi the Corgi

For my Training Tip this month I had to look no further than the internet. It amazes me the things that dogs do that people think are funny, until they are not. For those who missed it, check out this video that went viral of Yogi the Corgi setting his kitchen on fire. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEtg7QZCbPk The…

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Dog Training while Playing Games: Tug and Chase

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! In our busy daily lives it’s very easy to become focused on all the things we have to do, and forget about all the things we like to do. And while I’m the first to point out how important it is to spend time training your dog, playing with your dog…

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Holidays with your Dog

It’s that busy, crazy Holiday time of year again! Here are some Holiday Training Tips for your dog: 1. Maintain as normal a schedule as possible for your dog, including feeding, walking, and quiet or nap time. 2. Make sure your dog is getting plenty of regular exercise, with walks, trips to the park, or…

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Train your Dog to Stop Jumping

Dogs jump up on people for two reasons. Jumping begins because it is s normal greeting behavior among dogs, especially for puppies greeting older “pack members”. It continues because it works. Dogs always get attention for jumping. In some cases, especially with smaller dogs, people will actually reward the puppy by petting him when he…

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Dog Leash Manners

The concept of dog leash manners is really simple, but to be successful you must consistently follow these rules: 1. Don’t pull on your dog. Many people try to use their leash to control, and to communicate with, their dog. If you steer your dog with the leash or you pull your dog along when…

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Puppy Socialization

I talk a lot about socialization with young puppies both in my seminar Understanding Your New Puppy, and in Puppy Kindergarten class. But even after laying a firm foundation in early puppyhood, socialization is an ongoing process, as Karl reminded me over the last few days. He recently began showing fear towards unfamiliar men in…

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Be A Good Dog

What does “Be a good dog” mean, really? During my first contact with a client, either on the phone, or in class, I always ask “What are your goals?” I usually receive one of two answers. Either they reply “I just want the dog to be good”, which I will follow with “define good”. Or…

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What’s In A Dog’s Growl

Often clients will ask me, “My dog growled at (me, another dog, my neighbor, etc.), what should I do?” By growling, your dog is trying to tell you, in the least threatening way possible, that he feels uncomfortable with what is happening. So what you shouldn’t do is reprimand or punish him. By correcting him…

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