National Pet Obesity Awareness Day
October 12 is National Pet Obesity Awareness Day. I wanted to take the chance to share a few facts with you, as well as 6 simple ways to get your dog in shape! Did you know that 52% of dogs and 58% of cats are overweight or obese? Did you know that pet obesity is...
Tyson loves class – and so will you!
You guys know I'm passionate about Level Up Classes... But, you don't need to take my word for it. Here is what Elisabeth had to say about classes with me! "If you didn't know how much we LOVE taking Level Up classes with Positive Partners Dog Training Community...
Misbehaving Doggies
Do you have a dog who can be a bit of a .... nuisance? Did you know that many problem behaviors arise because your dog doesn't have all of his needs met? If you have a problem behavior, make sure to check that these five needs are being properly met: 1) Adequate...
Working with a Distracted Dog
There is nothing quite so frustrating as taking your dog out to play in the yard or trying to go for a nice walk with them, only to have them totally distracted by the birds, the neighbors, or just a scent on the breeze! The good news is... your dog isn't doing...
Beat the Heat – Summer Dog Safety Tips
Summer is finally here! It's the season of hiking, swimming, art festivals, and more! If you're like me, you want to take your dog everywhere you can! Unfortunately, taking your buddy out in the summer heat and sun isn't always the safest or most fun thing for them to...
Adding Verbal Cues to Hand Signals
Many of us want our dogs to reliably respond to both verbal cues (“sit!”) as well as our hand signals separately. As humans, we primarily use our voices to communicate. Our dogs probably think we're crazy just chattering away! I hope that Knox finds it endearing how...
Fireworks & Thunderstorms: Dealing with Sound Phobia
Fireworks & Thunderstorms - your dog's worst nightmare For dogs who are noise sensitive, summertime can be a very difficult season for them. Thunderstorms, fireworks, neighbors shooting off guns... it's just one thing after another! Did you know that only 14% of...
Pet Friendly High Country: Banner Elk Restaurants
As you probably know, the High Country is a very dog friendly community! Knox and I have explored several of the local restaurants, shops, and trails. This summer, I’ll be sharing some of our favorite places with you through my blog, social media, and newsletter! We...
Doggie Zen – Eye contact around distracions
Doggie Zen is a simple game to get our dog focused, even in the face of treats! Many people have experience with some form of this game, so this may be familiar. Doggie Zen teaches our dogs to look away from treats (or toys, later) and make eye contact with us. One...
Charging a Marker Word or Clicker
When we teach our dogs a new behavior, we need a fast and effective way of telling them that they are doing the right thing. We do this with a “marker.” We will be using a clicker ( small box like noise device) or a verbal marker (a short, distinct, one syllable word...