Let’s talk about the importance of having a solid heel command. Is it always necessary? No. Is it incredibly useful when you need it? Absolutely!

We went camping last weekend with our dog, Copper. We got a morning hike in before the heat hit, and halfway through the trail we noticed that we were surrounded by poison ivy and stinging nettles.

Now typically Copper is allowed to wander with a loose leash on hikes. The goal is to enjoy our journey and I want him to be able to do the same. But as soon as we saw what was in our path, I called him into a strict heel for the remainder of our hike. This means he is walking tight at my side with his right shoulder in line with my left calf, and he regularly checks in with me.

Having this skill allowed me to focus on the path and my own footing without worrying about what he was getting into. And we finished our hike without incident.

We don’t always need to have our dogs in a strict heel position on walks, but we do need to know that they can get into this position immediately when asked. Can you imagine walking a mile through poison ivy/stinging nettles with a dog that has no concept of where his body needs to be? Unfortunately, I’m guessing many of you can. And I bet that would be an incredibly stressful mile.

Train for the unexpected moments like these so that you can enjoy anything that gets thrown at you!

We’ve talked about self-care a lot this month. Dog training is about more than just training your dog. It is about training ourselves to be stronger, more consistent, and more stable for our dogs. If you truly want to lead your dog, you need to start by taking care of yourself.

This year has been one of many unexpected twists and turns that can wear you down pretty quickly if you let them. This International Self-Care Day, do something that builds you up, revives your energy, and gives you strength. You deserve it.

Visit here for more information on the seven pillars of self-care: https://www.fittlifefitnessgym.com/post/international-self-care-day

It’s so easy to focus on the tangible behaviors that we can easily address: sit, come, stay, down. Those are important for having a well-rounded dog, but obedience commands are only a piece of the puzzle.

It’s important that we also address the behaviors that affect our dogs’ mindsets. Whining, panting, following us around the house, etc. are all signs that our dogs are uncomfortable, uneasy, anxious. How can we expect them to relax and meet our expectations when they are in an aroused state like this?

Let’s work on addressing our dogs’ state of mind so that they can truly relax. Then we will truly see a dog living up to its full potential.

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Nope! We will most likely have some stubborn behaviors to work through, but your dog is never too old to learn. Don’t let your dog’s age stop you from giving it the best life possible!

Here’s a breakdown of our two-week Board and Train program. We go over what we train during the program, and what you can expect after your training program. Take a look, this could be just the thing that you were looking for!

Piper is selective when it comes to recall. If she’s into something interesting, there’s a good chance that she won’t come when called. So we’re working on her recall in a controlled environment here so that she can really learn a) exactly what “come” means, and b) that she needs to come immediately. Once she has a good understanding, we’ll up the distractions and really test her. But for now, we’re in the learning phase where there’s lots of repetitions and lots of treats to help her out.

Dogs and thunder. If your dog is afraid of loud noises, please take them outside on a leash during thunderstorms. Fear can make dogs act unpredictably, including run away. If you have them on leash, you can keep them close and get them back inside safely and quickly.