Prestigious Pooch

09/07/2026

For Miss Daisy(and dogs like her), establishing a relationship based on trust and safety is necessary before she can become comfortable and confident interacting with others. Once you’ve earned and been invited into that intimate circle of trust, it’s a bond that you cherish and never want to betray. This is why we work together with the amazing Veterinarian Dr Patrick Mahaney on cooperative care during her veterinary exams so help make them less scary for her. It takes a lot of patience and dedication from not only a qualified trainer, but also her incredible owners and especially a veterinarian who understands the importance of positive reinforcement during exams. Yes, I am still restraining her, but this is for her safety as well as the veterinarians. We have worked on her accepting and trusting me to hold her in this manner before the “scary” scenario happens. Injections may sting a little and surprise her causing her to jump so I’m there to be the equivalent of a friend holding her hand to help her feel safe. (Her mom was there as well to give a lot of high value treats during this process!) We’re all so proud of the immense progress that Daisy has made since being rescued by her wonderful, dedicated family (including her beautiful big sister Lily!) !

08/24/2026

Operant vs Classical Conditioning

08/21/2026

We recently had the pleasure of getting to meet and do a little work with the mighty Dookie & Spartacus!

When my good friend Nate Walker told me a couple of months ago that he and Dani Walker were looking into adopting a Belgian Malinois X French Bulldog puppy from an accidental litter, I believe my first words were “well…you’re gonna have your hands full”, so when he told me a week later that they were adopting the last two brothers, I believe my words were then, “well, your hands are gonna be even more full now!” 😆

That said, you’re always going to have your “hands full” whenever you make the conscious decision to bring any super-intelligent, high drive dog into your world! Whether it’s a Border Collie, Jack Russel, American Lab, Beagle, Cattle Dog, etc…

Breed specific behavioral traits in high drive dogs need to be understood and exercised, other than suppressed and “corrected”. Thankfully for these two VERY sweet and EXTREMELY intelligent young pups, they’re in the hands of those that prioritize welfare over anything 🙌🏼

08/19/2026

08/15/2026

Heres’s a throwback of Sadie and myself when we were both young(er) pups! It’s difficult to believe that she’s now 16 and a half years old now. Time sure does fly…be sure to make the most of your time with your dogs, they will be seniors before you know it and the activities you enjoy together will change. Sadie was a wild woman in her younger years (I was one myself) who enjoyed climbing trees, herding sheep, keeping coyotes at bay, swimming in the ocean, and raising a bit of hell. Nowadays she sleeps a lot more, but still enjoys her outings in her spiffy Jeep cart, light physical therapy exercises, massages and puzzles. The activities have changed, but she still enjoys life!

08/03/2026

When it comes to any form of mouthy behavior, did you know that simply redirecting and rewarding your dog for displacing their energy elsewhere is one of the quickest and safest ways to ensure long term success?

If you have a dog that was designed to use their mouth in someway, you may find yourself on the “sharp end” from time to time…Especially when in the midst of any kind of energetic change!

Be it the excitable pulling of the pant legs and nibbling of the fingers that you might find in a sociable little terrier, the slobbery arm grabbing of a loyal and loving retriever, or the more intense, nipping of the ankle from a Heeler that’s just trying to do their job well; mouthy behavior can be an extremely off putting, and sometimes risky behavioral trait…

Oral fixation is as much of a coping mechanism as it is an inherent trait, for most dog breeds. So, for the modern pet dog, the genetic need to lean on something familiar when faced with a potentially anxiety inducing situation or environment, often means that we find ourselves on receiving end of that said anxious behavior.

Instead of focusing on shutting the behavior (and dog) down completely and taking away their coping mechanisms, we prefer to redirect them to an alternative, whatever that may be.

It’s called “Behavior Modification” for a reason 😉

07/19/2026

Peggy wanted to remind you that scorching temperatures don’t always equal “no more fun”…especially when you’re a fun loving, playful pooch!

There are many quick, easy and affordable ways to stimulate your dog both mentally and physically during the summer months. And it none of it requires much time or space!

Allowing your dogs to expel some much needed energy throughout the day will make those evening walks just that bit more relaxing!

Leave us a comment of you want to find out how you can exercise YOUR dog during a heatwave!

07/10/2026

Nothing beats the feeling of when you first witness that “light bulb” moment that happens when a dog is able to overcome a physical or mental obstacle! No matter how big, small or in-between!

The three take away’s from this post?

- Dog “training” is the study of one.
- Teamwork makes the dream work.
- Be adaptable.

07/01/2026

We’re forever grateful for what we do and who we get to do it for! 🌄🐕🦆☮️

06/29/2026

Bonjour 🇫🇷

This adorable little nugget is Lilou! She is a 17 week old French Brittany, and to say she’s adorable is an understatement!!

We’ve been working with Lilou and her incredibly loving and devoted parents for the past month or so now. Needless to say, it’s been a real privilege to work with this pocket sized gun dog! Eager, keen and full of love, this girl has made huge strides in her general obedience training within such a short period of time! This is due to nature of the breed as-well as the consistence of training time, both with private sessions and day to day work, that her devoted parents have dedicated themselves to within the last month…

You’ll be seeing a lot more of this one! 😍