Freedom and anarchy are two very different situations that result from two very different approaches to living with a dog. The owner who desires to give their dog freedom, to let their dog enjoy the world and get the most out of every walk and trip to the park, has every good intention for their dog. But if that owner has not communicated any conditions for these wonderful experiences, the owner is unintentionally creating a world for their dog that is full of greys. A world that allows much and restricts little. A world wherein there is no pattern a dog can discern in the way his owner reacts ..read more

Some dogs just don’t like other dogs. ... . ... This is terrible news for the many who have gotten a dog envisioning for themselves America’s dream. In this dream, dog ownership looks like a dog food commercial. It looks like carefree running and hiking and walking and playing. It looks like a happy group of dogs romping in an idyllic pasture or park together. In this dream, dog ownership is fairly simple and the benefits are huge. Dog parks are the go-to for exercise and fun for your dog. Walks are fun and social, and you and your dog can pause and say hi to another neighborhood walker with a ..read more

Part 2: Puppy Socialization vs. Flooding A lot of people think they are socializing their puppy, when instead they are doing what we call “flooding.” Flooding is a term that describes changing a dog’s behavior toward a certain stimulus by totally inundating him with that stimulus. It has many applications, but here are a couple of examples. Please do not try any of these on your own! Please consult a dog trainer. We are dog trainers who are local to Austin, TX and we specialize in puppy socialization. ,When you are ready to do this with the best, let us know here! Ex. 1: Resource Guarding - Th ..read more

**Note** In some places, this post assumes that your puppy is clicker-conditioned (meaning, he knows that a click on a clicker announces that amazing delicious treats are coming, and he runs to you to collect them). Clicker conditioning your puppy is SO beneficial for so many reasons! It helps clarify learning experiences, and can even change the way your puppy feels about something (from being scared or uncertain, to being quite happy and enthusiastic). What IS Socialization? Let’s start with some things it’s NOT: * letting every human you cross pet and pick up your puppy * letting every dog ..read more

"How do I teach my dog to be more dog-friendly?" "How do I introduce my dog to my friends' dogs?" "I'm considering adding a dog to our family... how do I make sure my dog gets along with the new puppy/dog?" "My dog was kicked out of daycare. I need him to get along with other dogs." These are common things we hear, and I want to help! First, let's introduce some terms. Integrating and socializing are two different things. Integration is the process of teaching an established dog to live with a new dog in the day-to-day. Dogs who need to integrate are dogs who will be living together for the l ..read more

How can you make sure things stay clear and crisp for your dog? Make sure your investment of time and money counts in the long term? Keep your dog getting better in their new skills, rather than watching their skills seem to mysteriously deteriorate? My answer might surprise you. Because I’m not going to say “drill behaviors and commands,” though that can help depending on the execution of those drills. I’m also not going to say “consistency consistency consistency,” because while that is true and extremely important, that word alone is not very helpful to you. It’s not clear enough to guide y ..read more

Crate Training is a hot topic when it comes to raising a puppy. There are many questions and opinions about crating, and we'd like to answer some for you! We will start with why crate training is a GREAT tool for helping you raise your puppy into the best adult dog ever. First, crate training can help you avoid making the most common mistake in puppy raising: Not making sure your puppy is getting enough sleep. Puppies need anywhere from 16 to 20 hours of sleep per day, depending on age and breed. In fact, some of the most common problems people have with their puppies, such as too much biting ..read more

Part 3: So How is Puppy Socialization Different from Flooding? Puppy socialization is about introducing your young dog to new things in a gradual and neutral way, and ensuring that the experience ends very positively. These experiences are intended to build your puppy’s confidence in himself and you, and to make him believe that pretty much anything new will end up working out great for him (this won’t always be true in life, but instilling that belief in your dog will make him very resilient in the future when/if something doesn’t go so well). Rule of Sevens Something that can help you ensure ..read more

“when should I fade out treats (or other rewards)?” What if the government cut you a check each month you don’t speed? Would it reduce the likelihood of you speeding? What if the check was $1 for every day you don’t speed? 30-31 days in a month. So long as you don’t speed at least one day a month, you’ll get a check. I’d probably say “meh.” What if it was $5? I’d probably be quite a bit more vigilant about the speedometer. That’s a potential for $150 per month, after all. Depends on how big of a hurry I’m in. What if you never get a check except on randomly selected months each year, but that ..read more

How Do I Socialize My Puppy? Updated: 10/17/2022 **Note** In some places, this article assumes that your puppy is clicker-conditioned (meaning, he knows that a click on a clicker announces that amazing delicious treats are coming, and he runs to you to collect them). Clicker conditioning your puppy is SO beneficial for so many reasons! We help clicker condition puppies from the Austin, TX area at our home based boutique dog training facility. It’s often easier for someone else to start this for the puppy owner. Clicker conditioning your puppy helps clarify their learning experiences, and can ..read more