When to use treats in training. Treats are like any other tool used for training. Not every training tool works on every dog. We have to figure out what method works best for each dog that comes in to training. Some dogs are hyper, excited, up beat, just full of energy. Typically we do not like to use treats or food for this type of dog. Reason being is because the drive to work is already in place. It's a matter of finding what will calm him down so he will be more focused.

How failing is important to learning. In order to succeed you must fail first. When you fail, you try over and over again until you finally get it. Each time you learn from your mistakes and correct them. No one starts off knowing or getting everything right the first time. It takes failure, practice, and dedication to fully learn and understand whatever task you trying to get accomplished. Some of the most well known inventors and millionaires failed 100 times before they

Daily Tip! Teach your children how to interact with dogs in public. Often while in public, we will get asked frequently by children if they can pet the dogs we have with us. Sometimes they don't even ask, they just run up and do it. While we do bring dogs into public to work on socialization skills, it is important for children to understand and have knowledge of why they are out in public. We have dogs that come in with high anxiety, aggression, and that are reactive. Althou

The Benefit of a pack walk. We always tell our clients one of the things their dog will be doing is learning how to walk in a pack. Although all of their training and skills they learn are important, walking in a pack is on the higher end of the chart and here are a few reasons why: 1. Structured pack walks help build a dog's confidence. Once they learn to look to the trainer/handler/owner as pack leader, they know they can rely on that person for guidance. They do not ha

Does your dog have to know basic commands to be well behaved? The answer is No, they do not! Here's why: It's similar to children. Some parents have experienced raising two children in a completely different way. One child always did as told, never really got into trouble, did well in school, etc. The other child required a lot more discipline, guidance, and direction. Both children had the potential to be great members of society but one just required more than the othe

Weekly Q&A "How do I stop my outside dog from tearing up bedding? " This is a great question and we have answers for you! A couple of you suggested using straw or shavings instead of an actual bed. This is one of the answers! We suggest using straw in the winter time and cedar shavings in the summertime. The straw works as an insulator for your dog and will help keep him warm when it is cold outside. One of the reasons a dog has destructive chewing is because he is b