So you’ve got a new little furbaby in your life and you want to make sure that your pup grows up to be a delightful, manageable and well behaved companion. Now is the time to get the fundamentals of puppy training and socialization right so you will have a happy best friend for years to come. The goal of good puppy socialization is to get your young pet accustomed to all kinds of situations and environments, so you’ll end up with an adult dog, not distressed by busy settings or when encountering new situations. A properly socialized puppy becomes a well-adjusted adult dog who is your companion ..read more

Traveling with your dog There’s nothing better than time spent exploring new places or visiting loved ones near and far and taking your dog along for the journey, especially if you are properly prepared. With a bit of planning ahead to understand the rules together with a some travel preparation, you and your pet’s next trip will be a breeze. Road Trips with your dog Before jumping into a road trip with your dog it’s a good idea to plan ahead so you can keep your pet relaxed and comfortable the whole ride. For starters, if your dog hasn’t been on a long trip, go on a few short practice trips ..read more

The holidays can be a wonderful and exciting time of year when our homes fill with family members and friends, tasty foods, interesting gifts and festive decorations but it is also an important time to stop and give some special attention to how we can keep our pets safe. By protecting your dog from certain potentially dangerous holiday-time risks you can fully enjoy the festivities with your pets and loved ones worry-free. Decorations One of the most festive parts of the holiday season is the variety of cozy decorations that we bring in to brighten up our homes. Decorations can be dangerous t ..read more

We’ve all seen adorable videos of dogs becoming fast friends with newborns – playing with them or protecting them from vacuum cleaners – but how do we safely arrive at this happy place? Strategies for introducing your furry best friend to your newborn child is an often-overlooked topic but a crucial one. There are important steps you will want to take to make sure that your dog understands how to be around your baby safely, and that both your dog and your baby understand how to spend time together. Your Baby Comes First The first thing to establish is that your newborn baby is always your prio ..read more

Puppies are cute, enthusiastic little sponges just waiting to soak up whatever social cues they can from anyone around them. Whether you are doing it consciously or not, you are training your puppy through all your actions and postures. The earlier you get started, and the more focus you put on developing positive habits, the better off you and your puppy will be. The Very Beginning The most important things to remember when you start training your new puppy are simplicity and consistency. Keep the focus on learning one command at a time and start with the basics, such as “come” and “stay.” On ..read more

As hard as the past 12 months has been, imagine it in dog years. Yes, it’s also been a long change of schedule for your dog. Whether an established member of the family beforehand or a new young pup who hasn’t experienced life beyond COVID, your dog has almost certainly become accustomed to having human companionship around the clock. There may be a rude awakening on the horizon when things change back and this could mean long hours home alone. For a social animal now used to life with the “pack,” trouble may be brewing. Signs of Dog Anxiety While we may think of anxiety as a human problem, do ..read more

No training tool will magically turn your dog into a perfectly behaved pet for all occasions. If you’re even a little familiar with the Breakthrough K9 Training balanced approach, you’ll know that we always use the safest and most effective training tools, and that balanced training means both positive and corrective reinforcement. At Breakthrough K9 Training, we use remote e-collars to get a dog’s attention and reinforce verbal commands during off-leash training, just as we use pressure from a prong collar during on-leash training. What an e-collar does and does not do? We use remote e-collar ..read more

It’s hard to resist a calm, gentle dog whose grateful eyes invite an outreached hand and a pat on the head. As the proud owner of a well-behaved calm dog, it’s easy to relax when in the company of strangers. It’s a different scene entirely when your dog snarls, bares teeth and shows other signs of aggression. This kind of behavior can test the loyalty of any pet owner, who may feel worried and embarrassed but also protective to the point of making excuses. Dog Aggression is complex If you can relate to these concerns, then you probably understand the importance of resolving the aggressive beha ..read more

With so many of us staying at home, there’s been an increased interested in adding dogs to the family. Keeping in mind that life will resume and some dogs will be left alone during the day, picking the right dog is more important than ever. For some people, it’s love at first sight. Falling in love with a puppy or a rescued adult dog is an emotional reaction, but logic and good sense must enter the mix at some point – and preferably well before you spend your energy and a small fortune on food, toys and training. Take it from the experts at Breakthrough K9 Training: no matter the emotional con ..read more

The next few weeks and months may be challenging, but everything is normal here at Breakthrough K9 Training! Located in rural Central Virginia, we continue to welcome all clients and dogs. Breakthrough K9 Training is, and always has been, meticulous about maintaining a clean and healthy environment for all our dogs in training, our clients, and ourselves. But we’ve implemented some additional precautionary procedures, anyway. Keeping you and your dog healthy There is no evidence of dogs catching the COVID-19 virus. Due to conflictin ..read more