Author Archives: astoffel

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.

Dogs aren’t always trying to be stubborn or dismissive. All too often they aren’t doing what you asked because you haven’t been clear enough with your expectations. Before you blame your dog’s unwillingness to listen, be sure that you are communicating clearly. -What is my body language telling my dog?-Have I failed to follow through with this in the past?-Did I ask my dog to do something, or did I tell it?-How is my toneContinue reading “Clear Communication”

Here’s a short working session that we did with Babe to work on his commands. He already has a solid understanding of come, sit, down, and heel, so in this session we’re stringing them all together and challenging him by adding distractions. This is a really crucial step in getting him ready to go on walks and be calm around distractions. Why? If he can’t sit or down inside with minimal distractions, there’s no chanceContinue reading “Start with small indoor sessions”

Independence Day is just a month away! It may seem early, but now is the best time to start preparing your dog for the holiday and all of its festivities, including fireworks. The long day filled with lots of people, food, yard games, and fireworks is a lot of commotion to expect our dogs to behave through. Help prepare your dog for success by practicing kennel time and place time now so that they areContinue reading “Dogs and Fireworks”