Now that you have made it through that all-important first week home, you can start setting up for the long term. If you haven't already, check out the other posts in the Puppy Grow-Up Guide for 0-8 week and 8-9 week old puppies. During this first month, we are going to update your schedule for potty training, work on some beginner puppy training, address jumping, and most importantly, puppy socialization! Potty Training Your goal is still to prevent your puppy from ever going potty inside. When we last left off, you have been taking your puppy out every 2 hours. By the time they are 12 weeks ..read more

In this series, I am going to take you through the process of setting your new puppy up for success. I will include steps you should be taking for potty training, feeding, obedience training and tackling puppy behaviors as they come. Each month, there will be a new article on the next stage of your puppy's development. If you are wondering where to get your puppy, what kind of puppy you should get, or if you should even get one, check out this article on Bringing Home the Right Dog. This first post is about preparing your home and family for your new puppy to come home. Whether you are getting ..read more

With so many options out there, it can be hard to choose which treat to get. Go to any pet supply store and there is an entire aisle dedicated to treats. Training treats, dental treats, dehydrated treats, bones, treats to fill toys, and the list goes on and on. It can be overwhelming! So this post is to help you narrow down your choices a little bit. But at the end of the day, the most important thing in choosing a treat is one that your dog loves! Does the quality and nutrition matter? Yes, but it's not as critical as feeding a nutritious food. Treats are not meant to be a large part of your ..read more

Are you confused about what a Service Dog, Emotional Support Animal (ESA) or Therapy Dog is? Do you want one, but aren't sure which you need? Are you a professional and unsure about what dogs you can allow into your business store or business? This article is a crash course on the subject. I am sharing information based on national and Colorado state laws, but keep in mind, each state may have slightly different rules. Emotional Support Animals Emotional Support Animals (ESA) is an animal that provides companionship, comfort and emotional support for a person. An ESA can be almost any type of ..read more

Remember back in the day when it was all the rage for socialites to cart around a teacup pup in a Gucci bag? As if a living, breathing animal was no more than a cute accessory? That was some bullshit. Not that there’s anything wrong with your dog tagging along, but your relationship is so much more than that. Dogs aren’t like family - they are family. They’re our ride-or-die constant companions. Our best friends. Our dogs should always be by our side. Or so we imagined. If you adopted a velcro dog, there might be something about that pet-person relationship that you’re feeling a bit reluctant ..read more

How many times have you told your dog exactly what to do and the little monster didn’t listen? “Percy, I told you to stay off the couch. How hard is it? I’m not saying it again… don’t look at me like you’re confused. This time, I mean it!” Sound familiar? I’m going to take a wild guess and say Percy probably didn’t listen this time, either. Not because your dog is an asshole that’s doing it to spite you. It’s because your dog seriously has no clue what you just said. It’s not exactly breaking news that dogs don’t speak human. We all know this. But when we don’t know how to communicate with dog ..read more

Often you’ll hear a dog trainer throw out the phrase “set your dog up for success,” but what exactly do we mean by that? For us trainers, usually what that phrase means is setting up realistic expectations and goals for you and your dog. Setting your dog up for success helps in reducing frustration felt by you and your pet. It also helps in building bonds and trust in each other. Think about it this way, when you start a new job you go through a training phase where they teach you what is expected and how to perform your job correctly. They don’t just throw you out on the floor and say, “I exp ..read more

So you want to bring your dog to the dog park? I mean, why not?! It’s a great place for dogs to play and socialize with each other. It helps tire them out and distract them while you hang out with your friends and catch up on life. What could possibly go wrong? Dog parks can be controversial. Some people bring their dogs every day and have a wonderful time and their dogs are very happy and content. While others will tell horror stories about dog parks and how their dog got attacked and ended up at the ER. So what gives? Are dog parks good to go to or not? Large Dog Parks vs Small Dog Parks vs ..read more

This is a fun command to teach your dog to get out from under your feet while you're cooking. You can also use this for any room or boundary in your house. Your office, laundry room, bedroom, etc. You can watch the video for a demonstration of each step, but this post will break it down even more for you and give you some tips to help your dog learn this trick quick and easy. This is a blend of 3 skills: send away, boundary command and a release. If your dog already knows these skills it will make learning much easier on your dog. If they don't already know these skills, your dog can still lea ..read more

If one dog is good, an entire pack is even better! Right? Not so fast. Unless you’re plotting to reinvent yourself as an Alaskan musher, you probably don’t need a whole team. But adding a second dog to your family can be a smart move for you and your current pet. A doggie duo isn’t always the best choice, but many pups function better with a buddy around. If you’ve been thinking it’s time to grow the fam, read on for five important questions you should ask yourself first. Does Your Dog Even Like Other Dogs? Pups are social creatures by nature, but they’re definitely not a monolith. Some dogs s ..read more