Author Archives: astoffel

Change takes time. It’s so easy to get frustrated when we’ve been eating right and exercising but we don’t see results on the scale. It’s uncomfortable to work hard on a relationship but still argue over trivial things. It’s hard to see great strides in our dogs’ training only to have them break command and cause chaos. Don’t lose hope; change takes time. We may not see immediate results, and we may see behaviors revertContinue reading “Change Takes Time”

Heel is my favorite skill to teach any dog/owner because it opens your life up to so many new possibilities. If we teach your dog to remain neutral and focused on you and your movements out in the real world around distractions, you can truly go anywhere and do anything together.

It is such a relief when you have a dog that understands boundaries and rules. In the past, Copper would have darted out of the yard to say hello to everyone he saw. With solid training and expectations, he can now sit outside freely with us and just enjoy the world around him. No commands needed because he clearly understands the rules and is happy to live within the boundaries he’s been given. We focusContinue reading “Training expectations”

Have you ever heard someone say “a tired dog is a good dog”? I want to challenge that by saying “a calm dog is a good dog”. Tired dogs regain their energy and go back to whatever antics they find rewarding. Calm dogs have been trained to relax, look to us for guidance, and practice self-control in busy environments. I would take a calm dog over a tired dog any day.

Do you remember these drill sheets from elementary school? I lived for these things. I was good at math and loved racing through these sheets. What I didn’t realize at the time was that our teachers were drilling us with repetitive tasks to make sure that we really knew the material. Dog training is no different. Repetition is necessary in everything we do to really make sure that the dog (and owner) truly understand theContinue reading “Repetitions are Boring…but Necessary”

Getting your dog in the right state of mind is a game changer for your walks. The mindset that they leave the house in will be the same energy that carries over into your walks. So if you want a calm, relaxed, respectful dog on your evening stroll, you need to ask them for those behaviors before you even leave the house.