Much to our chagrin, dog training is oftentimes not a linear process. What worked for one dog may not work with another. Even the same dog may need different approaches or adjustments depending on changes in their age, health and experience-level . You may also need to get creative when you take into account your dog's personality, how it is that they learn, their prior life experiences as well as a myriad of other factors.  The ability of a trainer, whether they are a professional or a dog owner, to be flexible in their approach and make adjustments to help the dog be successful is the ..read more

One of the most common questions a dog sport instructor will receive is, "Should I trial with my dog?". This loaded question has so many potential answers, with each depending on a multitude of factors. If two students come up and ask the same question at the same time, it can be an uncomfortable situation to say the least, as each may require a drastically different response.  One of the most common questions a dog sport instructor will receive is, "Should I trial with my dog?". This loaded question has so many potential answers, with each depending on a multitude of factors. If two stu ..read more

That's right. Your bundle of furry joy can get overtired and cranky. What do dogs do when they need a nap? Destroy stuff. Nip. Bark. Jump up. Zoom around. Act as though they are possessed. It runs the gambit. Your job is to preempt overtired-doggie-meltdowns and have a relaxation regiment in place for them. We will walk you through how to do just that in this blog post.  Routines Are Your Friends  Dogs crave predictability, schedules and routines. Look at your schedule and figure out a few key things: ​When does your dog wake up in the morning to start the day ..read more

"Trei-what?" Treibball. Urban herding. A combination of pool and soccer for dogs. However you want to describe it, Treibball is a wonderful activity that can be enjoyed by dogs of all ages, breeds and sizes and hits on all the goal points of any dog sport: 1. is mentally engaging, 2. provides physical exercise, 3. furthers the training prowess of the handler and 4. is fun! Treibball: Mentally Engaging  ​"I don't get it...don't the dogs just push balls around? What's so special about that?!" Treibball is a LOT more than simply pushing a ball around. It is working on physica ..read more

We are extremely fortunate to have a plethora of dog sports to choose from when we are looking for a game to play with our dogs. But not all dog sports are suitable for all dogs. Let's discuss how you can better decide which dog sport would be a better fit for your own individual dog. ​"Here we go again...what are you talking about NOW, Santos?" Dog sports are a wonderful thing. Truly. They allow dogs to play fun games with their owners, perfecting a variety of different skills and oftentimes tap into various instincts and even breed-specific traits.  "So, what is the problem?!" Eve ..read more

I have something shocking and startling to share with you, so please have a seat. Are you situated? Are you ready? You are living with an alien. Take a minute to let that sink in. I know it can be difficult to accept, but it is true. That bundle of furry joy at your feet might as well be a little green creature from Mars. Dogs and humans are completely and utterly different, in every way. As a species, dogs and humans approach life from two vastly different perspectives: humans are forward-thinking, whereas dogs live in the moment. Humans are a verbal species, whereas dogs communicate more wi ..read more

In the United States, we are officially rearing up for the holiday season to begin. Thanksgiving is in a few days, followed by Christmas and then New Years…the next few months are bound to be a bustle of activity. Not to mention a complete and total disruption of your dog's routine. We as humans find the holidays to be stressful for a whole slew of reasons, but what about our poor dogs?! The whirlwind of activity, from crazed house cleaning, to copious amount of shopping (which may even result in a tree being brought inside the house!), to having new and strange people coming and going, to to ..read more

Could there be such a thing, where a dog and handler team are tackling too many dog sports at once? “Blasphemy”, cries the owners of versatility breeds, “Our dogs are by design meant to play all the things!” While that may well be true, there is something to be said about HOW one goes about partaking in all the dog sport world has to offer. For instance, which is the better approach: to dabble a little bit in everything or to be proficient, competent, and successful in a few things? “…” And there is the rub. What we all must keep in mind is that our dogs are not machines, computers, or robots ..read more

You read that right. Your dog training is YOU! Now, I know this idea causes some people to run out of the room with their head on fire, but hear me out. This happens to everyone. Yes, even you. The fact of the matter is, our dogs are smart and thinking little beings, who have desires and interests. They oftentimes will look out for numero uno, and spoiler-alert, that is not always their person. Does this mean that your dog secretly is conspiring against you, waiting for the perfect moment to dominate you and ruin your life? Of course not. What it does mean is that we are in a constant fe ..read more

The most heartbreaking aspect of sharing our lives with dogs is having to say goodbye to them. The final act of advocacy and love is a horrendous burden for us to bear, but a necessary one nonetheless. Facing Truth and Reality  Our dogs never live long enough. Whether they are lucky enough to make it to their golden ages, or are robbed of a full life due to illness or injury or accident, they will always leave us sooner than we wish.  This is an ugly truth of dog ownership that we all must face and come to terms with. When you are in the final stretch o ..read more