A to Z Dog Training – A to Z Dog Training

Coping After The Loss Of A Pet

The pain, emptiness, and loneliness we can feel when we lose our dog might be confusing to those who do not own a dog. Dogs are not just our pets, but they are our unconditional companions that can bring us such laughter, motivation, and sometimes tears! Unfortunately for most, there is not a quick way to get over the loss of a pet. The time it takes for you to grieve can be different from others. That is ok. First, recognize there are stages of grief you may encounter: Shock or denial Anger Bargaining Depression Acceptance Not everyone may encounter these stages, but those that do go through these stages may find solace that these are normal emotions. How can we deal with all of these painful emotions? Here are some ideas to help you cope with the loss of a pet. Talk to others about your loss, especially other

Tammy Nunes August 24, 2021 No Comments

Dog Park Etiquette

After a busy day at work it’s time to toss our work clothes aside, throw on the casual wear, grab our dog’s leash, load up Fido, and head to the dog park! For many of us, this trip is not just about socializing with our four-legged friend; it’s about catching up with our two-legged friends as well. While it’s easy to see the benefits of a dog park, sometimes we might fail to take note of things that could turn a great social occasion into a small disaster. I want to take the opportunity to raise your awareness and, hopefully, give you a few tips to make the most of your dog park adventures. What should you be looking for while taking part in the fun and games to ensure your dog and others are having fun at the dog park? 3 Things you need to be aware of… Owners

Tammy Nunes July 26, 2021 No Comments

Recognizing Stress In Your Dog

Do you understand what your dog is telling you through their body language? I feel it is a great disservice to our dogs if we only expect them to learn what we want through training, but not look deeper at what our dogs need through their body language. Keep in mind, behaviorally, anything our dog does is information to us. For example, if your dog barks and lunges on their leash, they may be telling you they are scared of something in the environment or frustrated they cannot be free to say hi to another dog friend that they see. To understand if your dog is scared or frustrated in this situation, you can look at their body language. When I teach classes, I train students to recognize stress in their dogs. If your dog is stressed, it’s very hard for them to learn in that state of mind. If a dog

Tammy Nunes July 13, 2021 No Comments

Recognizing Signs Of Stress In Your Dog

Tammy Nunes July 10, 2021 No Comments

Stop Your Dog From Barking!

With any problem behavior, it is important to figure out why your dog is doing that particular behavior. Once you can figure out why they are doing what they are doing, you can address the problem behavior. I find that many problem behaviors can be eliminated by making sure dogs receive enough exercise and you are consistent with redirecting their problem behavior, all while setting their environment and your dog up for success. Why do dogs bark? Separation anxiety Protection or alert Fun or attention seeking Fear Boredom Over-stimulated Separation Anxiety If your dog is barking due to separation anxiety, you will want to address the separation anxiety issue itself, as that is a bigger issue than just barking alone. I am here to help. Protection If your dog is barking at people or other dogs passing by the house, ‘turn off their tv’ by blocking their view from

Tammy Nunes June 15, 2021 No Comments

6 Tips to Gaining Your Dog’s Attention

If you find yourself saying ‘I just wish my dog would pay attention to me more’ try these simple tips to help. Bonus, keep in mind #6 when you OR your dog are learning anything new. Engage with your dog Your dog knows when you are not paying attention. I will often tell students, “if you are not engaging with your dog, why in the world would your dog engage with you?” What do I mean by engage with your dog? Talk to your dog on your walks or when you are out and about. Yep, be that crazy dog owner who tells your dog about your day, praise your dog for walking next to you and paying attention to you. Make your walks unpredictable to keep your dog guessing where your next move will be. For example, if I am walking a dog, I will randomly turn to the

Tammy Nunes June 1, 2021 No Comments

Try This Before Your Walks

Did you know that the way you start your walks with your dog can set a precedent to how your walks will go? If you allow your dog to pull you out the door at the beginning of your walk, it is more likely your dog will pull you during the entirety of your walk. Consequently, it will take that much longer to gain their attention. I quickly learned that if I allowed a dog to jump all over me while putting on their leash, or allowed them to pull me out the door, it took me and my furry companion much longer to get anywhere without them pulling. I’m not sure about you, but I do not find walking a dog that pulls me to be fun, at all. One of the first things that I do when training one of our Board and Train or Day Train dogs

Jen Chapman December 15, 2020 No Comments

3 Keys To Successful Dog Training

Setting boundaries/ guideline/ expectations/ rules, however you want to look at it can help dogs, adults, kids, animals thrive with knowing what is expected of them. Knowing that there are rules, keeps pure and utter chaos from ensuing. Boundaries/ guidelines/ expectations/ rules takes the guess work out of what needs to happen in various situations and in order to get attention. For example, I have found training your dog to ‘sit’ to get attention instead of them jumping can be life changing for both the dog and their owner. The best part of that? It’s not that hard as long as your consistent and follow through. In my son’s Taekwondo dog class their Black Belt Success Cycle is something I have always followed and implement with my students. I feel these are the 3 keys to successful training, setting boundaries, and obtaining goals in life. The key steps are: Know

Jen Chapman September 21, 2020 No Comments

Taming The Tooth Monster

Some dogs take treats too hard. As in, they manage to scrape your hands painfully when they grab the goody. Usually these dogs weren’t taught as puppies what is an acceptable amount of pressure for big pearly canines on human skin. They are not trying to hurt us; they just never learned to regulate jaw pressure. Sometimes this tendency is exacerbated by excitement (Ooh! My favorite treat!) or stress (Yikes, another dog is close by and she might also be interested in my favorite treat). What to do about it Stop letting go. Get a good hold on a treat before you offer it and only release the treat if your dog uses a soft mouth, i.e. light pressure or, preferably, all lips and no teeth. If your dog grabs too hard, say, “Too bad” or “Bummer” in an oh-what-a-shame tone of voice and pull the treat away. As long

Jen Chapman June 27, 2016 No Comments

Building A Lifelong Relationship

The American Veterinary Medical Association defines the human-animal bond as “a mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between people and animals that is influenced by behaviors that are essential to the health and well-being of both.” So, what are the behaviors in question? Being a responsible caretaker is at the foundation, of course, and includes providing food, water, shelter, and safety, as well as medical care when needed. But aside from that, what influences a person’s relationship with her dog? What takes it from good to great? In the human world, psychologist John Gottman spent four decades studying couples to find out what makes marriages happy and lasting. His major takeaway was that a deep sense of connection and trust is built between couples that make many “bids”—verbal or nonverbal requests for attention and connection—and offer positive responses to those bids. Positive reinforcement training shows us that the same principles apply