Author Archives: astoffel

Car manners! I see way too many dogs sitting in their owners’ laps with their heads sticking out the window, or jumping from front seat to back barking at everything they see. It’s just not safe. For you, for your dog, for anyone else on the road. When you get your dog in the car, ask for a down. And then hold your dog accountable for that command for the entire ride. The easiest wayContinue reading “Car manners”

Field trips are a huge part of our board and train program. We want to make sure that your dog understands how to focus and perform all of their commands, whether at home, or in a busy environment. Check out this clip of Opal and Loki working at a local park last week. We had different goals for each dog, but the process is really similar. For Loki, we are building up her confidence aroundContinue reading “Field trip with Opal and Loki”

Dog training isn’t about restricting our dogs or shutting down their personalities. It’s about bringing out that personality… at the right times. There are times I’m going to need a dog to sit silently by my side while I pay at the cash register.There are times I’m going to need her to stay focused on me and in a tight heel as we walk through a busy market or cross a busy road.And there areContinue reading “Training for more freedom”

We’re increasing the challenge for Opal by taking her out to a wide open field with another (well-behaved) dog. We have a long line on for safety, and just have her dragging it in case we need to grab it. In this session, we’re having some off-leash fun, working on our sit-stays and down-stays, and recall. She actually likes hanging out close to us, so recall isn’t the biggest challenge for this girl. It’s learningContinue reading “Recall session with Opal”

Dogs don’t need exercise to be calm!We have two dogs with very different behaviors and needs, but both are starting their days the same way: with the place command! Calm is becoming the standard for them every day. We’ll allow fun and play later, but we don’t want that to be their default mindset.*Please excuse my shaky camera skills.

We had the privilege of meeting with Josh Spreiter from News 3 Now / Channel 3000 to talk about dog training, the benefits of having some fun with your training, and going over some fun tips and tricks. Check out the story and let us know your thoughts!

We’ve all seen those dogs that stare so lovingly at their owner as if nothing else seems to matter to them. Coincidence? No. Magic? No. Hard work? Yes. Something every owner can achieve? Also, yes. Here’s the secret: if you want to be the most important thing to your dog, your dog needs to believe that everything of value comes from you. That means food, toys, love and affection -your dog needs to see youContinue reading “Get – and keep – your dog’s focus”