At K9 Turbo Training we have group classes that cover every age and subject from baby puppies learning about basic manners, to improving a shy dog’s confidence, reducing reactivity, or just having fun! Group classes are not the right choice for every dog, but for those dogs who learn successfully in a group, they can be enormously helpful. Here are a few tips to help you decide whether group classes could be useful for your dog: If your dog struggles to behave nicely around other dogs, group classes may or may not be the right choice. It’s tempting to think that getting your dog into a group ..read more

Systematic Racism touches every part of our lives - and pet ownership* is no different. So as Black History Month comes to a close, we wanted to shine light on what role racism was and is still playing in the world of pet ownership and care. As we start to dive in, knowing we're only touching the tip of the ice-burg, it becomes grossly apparent just how deeply racism is still effecting members of the Black and Brown communities, and we wanted to celebrate Black History Month by doing what we do best-- educating. In 'The Transparent Shelter: Building Trust With Your Community,' Kristen Auerbac ..read more

Management is a broad term that refers to anything that we might use to prevent a dog from practicing a certain behavior or increase safety for a dog (or those around him). Management can be used on its own, but is most often used in combination with training. There are hundreds of situations in which we might use management; chances are that you're already using some form of management in your dog's daily life. Below are some of the most common reasons that we use management. Preventing access to a specific space or resource. There are many reasons that you may want to keep your dog out of a ..read more

If you've ever worked in a profession that involves dogs - training, grooming, boarding, day care, shelter, vet office - you've probably heard this a million times: "So you just play with PUPPIES all day?! That sounds like so much fun!" And that does sound like fun, right? Imagine laying on the floor with a dozen puppies crawling all over you for 40 hours each week (and getting paid for it). If only that was our reality. The vast majority of us get into this industry because we love dogs. If you're thinking about pursuing one of these professions, you probably love dogs, too. There's so much m ..read more

This post is part of a series discussing euthanasia for behavior. Find the first post here and all of the posts here. Making the decision to euthanize your dog for behavior is incredibly difficult. It's a decision that only you can make - but you don't have to make it alone. In this post, we're sharing O and his human's story. O and his human are very dear to us, and their story is an important one. We hope that it will provide some comfort to anyone who feels isolated or guilty as they make a decision about euthanasia. It’s taken over three years to be able to sit down and actually let mysel ..read more

So much of our lives has transitioned to an online format. If you're new to online learning, signing up for video call training may feel intimidating or overwhelming; there are new programs and equipment to set up and use, and working with your dog on camera may feel clunky and awkward at first. We've compiled tips and tricks from people who have participated in video call consultations and group classes to help set you up for success. Setting up. Using Zoom. Zoom is an online video call platform that allows you to connect with multiple people at a time. It is compatible with almost all operat ..read more

Sometimes, teaching your dog a new behavior will feel nearly impossible. It takes forever, your dog doesn't seem to "get it," methods that you used with previous dogs don't seem to be working, and you both leave the interaction feeling frustrated. Making a few changes to the way in which we train can often significantly improve our communication with our dogs and help us train more efficiently and effectively. Reward the behavior you like. Our dogs learn new skills faster when we tell them what we want them to do rather than what we don't want them to do. If you find that you are frequently u ..read more

Note: this blog was written during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and considers the guidelines of the CDC at time of publication in its recommendations. Research into the intelligence and brain function of dogs can help us understand how to help our dogs be less stressed and better behaved during the COVID-19 quarantine. As scientists have begun studying the neurobiology of dogs, we have learned that dogs’ brains work more similarly to human brains than previously thought. To dog owners, this makes sense, having seen first hand the unique and varied personalities of dogs. Canine researcher Stanle ..read more

This post is the third in a series discussing euthanasia for behavior. Find more posts here. Making the decision to euthanize your dog for behavior is incredibly difficult. It's a decision that only you can make - but you don't have to make it alone. This post includes information on what to expect if you euthanize your dog as well as resources for those who make the decision to do so. Special note for the COVID-19 crisis. Many of us are facing a variety of new struggles. Stuck at home 24/7 and seeing the true severity or increase in severity of a behavior; new lack of resources; decrease in ..read more

Note: this blog was written during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and considers the guidelines of the CDC at time of publication in its recommendations. Right now, many people are staying home to prevent the spread of a novel coronavirus. Suddenly, with unexpected extra time on your hands, it may feel like the perfect time to bring home the new puppy you’ve been dreaming about! Having lots of time to spend with a new puppy provides a great opportunity to prepare them for the shift back to a busy lifestyle. Puppies are naturally social creatures and bond very closely with their human guardians. Ha ..read more