I started working with Cara, Zephyr, and the rest of the family a couple months ago. Cara and her husband have the sweetest little girl, and their senior dog, Murray, in the house and a FULL SCHEDULE. Two full time jobs, two dogs, and one amazing little girl… it’s a lot to juggle! I totally understand crazy schedules (I mean, I work 6 days a week every week and am rarely home before 9🤪), so we meet just once a month, and I make sure their lessons are easy to implement during every day life.
Cara came to me for help teaching Z to settle down in the house, walk nicely on leash, and not trample her and her daughter during playtime. Z is a big, tall hound mix with all the enthusiasm of adolescence 😏
It can feel really overwhelming trying to fit dog training into your busy life. You feel like you should be spending so much more time working toward your training goals, but you have to get dinner on the table, take care of the house, and make sure your family is happy and healthy.
My private training programs come with personalized training plans and homework assignments – all designed to help you meet your training goals as stress-free as possible. Most of the skills you will work on need just 3 to 5 minutes of work a day!
The last session we had, Zephyr would lay down, then IMMEDIATELY pop back up. He is super
Well, even though we only meet once a month, I can really tell they are doing their homework! Look at this best boy!
Cara and Zephyr are doing a great job showing how easy it can be to tag team with your partner or roommate and fit dog training into everyday life! Cara’s husband and young daughter are in the kitchen, getting pizza on plates for dinner; Murray, their senior dog, is trying his best to be a big distraction, and Zephyr is staying right on his bed!
Here are 3 ways you can simplify your training program to fit it into your busy life:
1) Stash treats around the house
I love keeping storage containers stashed around the house with tasty treats, or even your dog’s kibble! A big part of being successful with your dog’s training is to make it as much of a part of daily life as possible.
If you can stash treats around the house, within easy reach for you (but not your dog!), it will be so easy to reward them when you see them doing something great, or to have an impromptu training session. I like using the containers with lids that screw on or have the sides that snap down. That way, if the container falls your dog can’t get into it.
2) Sofa training!
You can teach your dog to sit/stay, down/stay, or settle on their mat, even while watching TV! Just set their bed up right in front of you, ask them to lay down, and feed them their dinner one kibble at a time. Drop or place one kibble between their paws every few seconds, slowly taking more and more time between kibbles. Do this a couple times a week and your dog will be a Bed Settle master! Plus, you still get to enjoy your favorite show
3) Food Puzzles
If you are like most of my clients, your dog is full of enthusiasm… and probably too much of it! Getting them out for a walk or a rousing game of tug can be a real chore, not to mention finding the time for it. Feeding your dog a meal or two a week from an interactive toy goes a LONG way.
Studies show that interactive toys, food puzzles, and play can reduce your dog’s sensitive to the environment (neighborhood noises, storms) and decrease most problem behaviors like barking, digging, and problem chewing. (You can read more here)
I am SO proud of this team and all the progress they are making. Don’t let a hectic schedule hold you back from getting the help you need to enjoy life with your dog. Let me help you discover how easy it is to train your dog, without rescheduling your whole life.