The best way to solve undesirable dog behavior is by teaching the dog a replacement behavior. This means that we train the dog to do what we WANT them to do instead of what we DON’T WANT. The entire philosophy is based on the idea of choice based dog training. Choice based dog training is about teaching dogs how to make their own choices and is by far the kindest and most effective way to change unwanted dog behaviors. It empowers dogs and helps them feel confident. All dog training takes time and patience but this method can also be fun and very rewarding! 
 
When your dog is acting up I ask you to think about what you’d RATHER them be doing and start working on that. This will give the both of you something to do together and it will also increase your bond. 
 
For example:

1. Jumping – your dog jumps on EVERYONE! Perhaps you’ve tried yelling, turning your back on them, crossing your arms, ignoring them, maybe even a knee to the chest (sad but true that some recommend this!) but they still jump. It’s time to teach them to sit, stand or go to a mat instead (we have a free video on Jumping in our videos section).
2. Barking – your dog barks at everything and you’ve had it. I recommend teaching “Thank You” which allows the dog to bark a few times then quiet down or, “Quiet” which teaches the dog to stop barking or not bark in the first place). I will be posting this free video this month.
3. Chewing/Biting – If your dog bites your hands or grabs your shoe and runs off teach them “leave it” or “drop it”.  I would also recommend you offer them an alternative such as a chew toy or a stuffed Kong - in case your dog simply needs to chew or bite on something. Chewing is a very normal and satisfying need for a dog. If they are chewing on things they shouldn’t be, it’s up to us keep valuable things out of their reach and to offer them alternatives that will satisfy this need. It’s important to allow your dog to make good choices and Leave It/Drop It are both great alternatives to destructive behavior. (Leave it is included in our Basic Manners training video). If they are trashing the house while you are away, you may consider crate training.
4. Your dog pulls on leash. You’ve tried pulling back on the leash, “correcting them”, maybe a prong or choke collar (ouch!), or even a front clip harness but the STILL PULL. It’s time to teach them how to walk nicely on leash without relying on a “tool”. Let’s change the behavior from pulling on leash to NOT pulling. You can teach loose leash walking, heel or both. Both of these are guaranteed to work if you follow a training plan. Leash training is an important skill and I highly recommend it. (We offer a very affordable video on teaching loose leash walking. Click here to learn more).
5. Leash Reactivity – Your dog barks and lunges on leash when they see another dog. There are a few things you can do for this but, one of my favorites is “Where’s the doggy”. This is a game that teaches your dog to look at YOU when they see another dog instead of acting crazy. You can also teach “Watch Me” and ask your dog to do this instead.

It is always my goal to provide free dog advice and affordable training to help ensure that NO dog is ever surrendered to a shelter because of behavior problems and/or their humans didn’t have access to the tools needed to solve problems. 
 
Please feel free to reach out to me anytime if you need help.

Teaching your dog to go to a mat is a wonderful way for your dog to relax while guests enter and visit your home, at times when you need a break and when you visit public places with your dog.

Mat training is one of the first behaviors I teach when I am working with young or very active dogs. Some dogs don't truly understand how it feels to relax and once they do, they learn to do it instead of other behaviors. We can begin teaching a dog to go to a mat and settle at any age, regardless of breed or activity level. Visit our Videos page for a short intro to this training or, our store to purchase the complete video.

Some tips to get you started on training your dog to go to a mat:

1. Select a flat, slip proof mat (a short pile rug or a yoga mat cut to fit your dog's size are great choices).
2. Have some delicious treats on hand.
3. Lay the mat down and reward your dog for showing ANY interest in it. This can be simply walking over to it, sniffing it or stepping on it. 
4. Continue to reward your dog for interest in the mat for a few "sessions".
5. Next, stop rewarding for interest and only reward for your dog stepping on the mat.
6. Once your dog enjoys stepping on the mat, only reward for them stepping ALL the way on the mat and so on....until they begin to relax and eventually lay down! 

​Visit our video page to learn more about mat training!