Blog — training

  When you listen to your dog, your dog listens to you... But what does this actually mean? Your dog is like an outer manifestation of your nervous system. When you listen to your nervous system and practice good habits of self-care and self-regulation, your nervous system receives cues of safety. When you listen to your dog and respond to their need for connection and co-regulation, your dog receives cues of safety. Cues of safety calm the dog just like they calm your nervous system. Now we have a positive feedback loop. You are calm, your dog is calm, and...

Have you ever felt overwhelmed with your dog's behavior, but didn't know where to start? Here's a simple solution: Take your dog's "existential food" and hand feed them every day for just a few minutes per day. This means, instead of feeding them out of bowl, you put their regular food in a pouch, bait bag, or even your pockets and simply feed them out of your hand. You can do this while on walks to get engagement and loose-leash walking, or if you have a fenced yard, your dog can follow you around the yard. Now, to incorporate training,...

Our Training Methods and Philosophy on Dogs A positive approach to Drive-Training (no e-collars or harsh corrections) We use the primal instincts built into the canine mind to channel his drive to the owner. Emotional and physical wellness through attention to the WHOLE dog: His nervous system, physical health, mental health, etc. (see Polyvagal Theory by Stephen Porges) Movement-Based Training: Behavior is movement, and a dog’s movement is dictated by his drive, therefore, if we engage their drive, we can modify their behavior. Relationship-Based Training: The owner is the answer to any stress the dog is facing Play-Based Training for...

Of course it's normal to get irritated, frustrated, or even feel disappointment when we work with our dogs. Dogs do not speak our language, so it can be frustrating trying to communicate with them. In addition to this, I would say MOST dogs have some quirky behavioral issue that gets on their owner's nerves. Some dogs even have severe emotional traumas that cause them to be fearful, reactive, and even aggressive. The question I want you ask you, is: Can you love your dog exactly the way he is, RIGHT NOW? Can you love your dog with all his flaws,...

Natural Obedience Level One: Working with Your Dog's Drive May 13th thru June 10th, 2023 In this course, we help you learn what truly motivates your dog and how to train obedience behaviors using their natural drive. We use food, toys, and praise to shape the following commands: Sit, Down, Stay, Place, and Recall. This class is for dogs 6 months and older. We will meet once per week for 5 weeks, and each class runs for 45 minutes. While we are shaping obedience behaviors, we will also be working on: Movement, Engagement, and Nervous System Regulation. You will learn...