Preparing for Success: Rewards

One of the most important pieces of Positive, Force-Free training is the REWARDS your dog earns! Before embarking upon the journey of training your dog, you need to first figure out what your dog finds rewarding – what makes them happy. Many people believe that...

Preparing for Success: Environment

One of the keys to being successful in any training endeavor with your dog is preparing for success by taking all variables into consideration before you even get the treats out. There are several things we encourage our students to do before beginning a training...

I did it! Officially a T/O!

So excited to step up to the #BragTable! While checking email on my lunch break I found out I am officially a Tester/Observer for Therapy Dogs, INC! Whoohoo! In November of 2013, I drove 2 hours and 75 miles to the closest Tester/Observer so that my dog ( Knox the...

Refocusing on Training

I’m not sure if it’s just me, or if every other person that trains dogs as a hobby or as a profession, but I find that I’m a little lazy when it comes to training my own dog. I spend an average of two hours a week at the Watauga Humane Society...

Positive Loose Leash Walking

Before we start: This blog is outlining loose-leash walking, not heeling. The goal of this exercise is to teach your dog to walk politely by your side without pulling. This is not about competition heeling where your dog’s entire focus is on you. In this form of...