Many dogs feel anxious about handling and restraint, especially if they find new experiences scary or if they have had bad past experiences. They may associate being held still with something unpleasant about to happen. However, by introducing handling and restraint positively from the start, you can teach puppies that being held is a sign of good things to come! The post Puppy Socialization: Introduce Your Puppy to Handling appeared first on Karen Pryor Academy ..read more

Introducing reactive dogs to new people requires careful planning and execution to ensure a positive experience and minimize the risk of negative behaviors. Effective introductions can prevent fear-based reactions and promote social confidence, making introductions a crucial aspect of training—especially for dogs with heightened sensitivity or previous negative experiences. Hand targeting is one non-confrontational way to teach a dog to engage with a new person. The post How to Introduce Reactive Dogs to New People Safely appeared first on Karen Pryor Academy ..read more

Keira Moore, PhD, BCBA-D, KPA CTP, is a trailblazer in the world of animal training, combining her expertise in behavior analysis with a passion for helping animals and their owners. Based in Escondido, California, Keira is the owner and head trainer at Pet Project Dog Training. She graduated from Karen Pryor Academy's Dog Trainer Professional program (KPA DTP) in 2023 under the mentorship of Terry Ryan. With a unique background that includes everything from clicker training foxes to teaching flying trapeze, Keira has an impressive range of skills and experiences. The post September KPA CTP of ..read more

Jenn Rodzinka of Endicott, New York, has dedicated her life to enhancing the lives of both animals and humans through positive reinforcement training. Her journey into dog training officially began in 2021 when she graduated from the Karen Pryor Academy (KPA) Dog Trainer Professional (DTP) program under instructor Lindsay Wood Brown. As the owner and trainer at Yappy Hour Clicker Training Academy and the Communications Manager/Satellite Trainer Coordinator for Pets for Vets, Inc., Jenn enjoys helping dogs and people make powerful, life-changing connections. The post August KPA CTP of the Month ..read more

Jenn Rodzinka of Endicott, New York, has dedicated her life to enhancing the lives of both animals and humans through positive reinforcement training. Her journey into dog training officially began in 2021 when she graduated from the Karen Pryor Academy (KPA) Dog Trainer Professional (DTP) program under instructor Lindsay Wood Brown. As the owner and trainer at Yappy Hour Clicker Training Academy and the Communications Manager/Satellite Trainer Coordinator for Pets for Vets, Inc., Jenn enjoys helping dogs and people make powerful, life-changing connections. The post August KPA CTP of the Month ..read more

How to Evaluate De-Escalation Activities One skill set that many pups need to learn is how to sit back, take a breather, and hang out in a safe space while the world continues to move around them. While there are a number of approaches to teaching and bolstering this skill set, de-escalation activities or long-term calming projects are foundational and effective ways to start! The good news is that you can get started right away with a few easy steps.  In this video, KPA CTP Ellen Yoakum demonstrates how small activities can make big impacts on our pets’ behavior. With the help of G ..read more

july 2024 KPA CTP of the Month Sarah Stoycos, owner of Laughing Dog Academy in Rockville, Maryland, embarked on a transformative journey in 2009 when she completed the Karen Pryor Academy (KPA) Dog Trainer Professional (DTP) program led by Laurie Luck. Transitioning from a career as a college professor, Sarah found her true passion in animal training, spurred on by her certification as a KPA Certified Training Partner (CTP). In this interview, Sarah reflects on the profound impact the KPA certification has had on her career trajectory and how it has helped her contribute positive change ..read more

Michele pouliot teaches head in a prop Canine freestyle, also known as musical freestyle, is a modern sport where dogs and handlers perform dazzling choreographed routines set to music. Each behavior is taught individually and cued throughout the performance.  Canine freestyle champion Michele Pouliot’s award-winning routines often feature the trick behavior “head in a prop.” Teaching Trick Behaviors_Head in a Prop from Karen Pryor Clicker Training on Vimeo. Head in a prop entails the dog placing his/her head in a prop or piece of equipment and remaining there for duration. In this ..read more

june 2024 KPA CTP of the Month Hailing from Federal Way, WA, Nathan Andrews graduated from the Karen Pryor Academy (KPA) Dog Trainer Professional (DTP) program in 2017 and currently serves as the KPA Education Initiatives Coordinator. With more than 15 years of experience in animal care and welfare, Nathan has worked with numerous species across various groups and has co-published two peer-reviewed articles on Ursid behavior under human care and management. In this interview, Nathan reflects on his journey: How has completing the Dog Trainer Professional program and becoming a KPA CTP (C ..read more

the pizza delivery game Many pet parents and their dogs struggle when they try to apply the tools and techniques that they learned in training class to real-life situations. Dogs may offer a down-stay in the classroom, but when they are at home and the doorbell rings, chaos ensues. By incorporating games in your group training classes, you can help your students and their dogs learn under conditions that resemble real-life environments. In this video, students are practicing the pizza delivery game to teach the dogs to wait patiently when a delivery person is at the door. Learn how to us ..read more