I had a frustrating situation at work today that I just need to talk about in here. I was in the back and my coworker came back all excited because there were like 5 service dogs from an organization here just doing training. We are very serious about asking the two permissible ADA questions, which my coworkers did and the dogs were from an organization I recognized (but not naming here because people have opinions of orgs and I’m not going to get into that lol). So I went over without Atlas (left him in the back) and just introduced myself and told them I had my service dog in the back so that they were aware and that I’d leave him in the back so I set them (and him) up for success. They thanked me and I went back in the back. This is where it gets frustrating… a coworker came and was like “One of the girls wants to see Atlas because she’s thinking about getting a poodle next” and I was like “I’ll come out with him but not with another dog around for both dogs’ safety” so I go out and kinda peek around the corner and she had a golden retriever SDIT with her. We kept our distance and she complimented how handsome he is and then I gave Atlas a treat for not focusing on the dog and not 2 seconds later bro decided to run up to said dog. I was SO mad at him, but also didn’t love that my coworker said there wouldn’t be a dog and then there was so both our dogs weren’t set up for success. I’m embarassed he did that and upset because if the dog had wanted to, it also could have decided to cause a problem. I corrected him (on like 70 before he finally refocused and stopped pulling on the leash…) and it was over and she didn’t say anything to me about it at all but I’m paranoid and frustrated by both Atlas’ behavior and my coworker not understanding the importance of the dogs not being near each other. I expected them to be all the way across the library because that’s what she indicated to me. Ugh.

All dogs have drives—natural motivations that influence what they’re drawn to and how they respond to the world and training. Every breed has tendencies, and every individual dog has their own unique mix. Some common dog drives you’ll see: - Food drive – working for treats or meals (Labs are famous for this 😄) - Toy / ball drive – obsessed with fetch, tug, or squeaky toys - Prey drive – instinct to chase things that move (skateboards, bikes, squirrels 👀) - Social drive – motivated by people, praise, and connection - Hunt / search drive – loves using their nose and problem-solving - Play drive – movement, interaction, and fun are the reward 🎥 What you’re seeing in this video: Sandy working through her prey drive. She naturally wants to chase fast-moving objects—but this was her first day at the skate park, and she absolutely rocked it. Instead of locking onto the skateboard, Sandy chose to: ✔ listen to her handler ✔ trust the guidance being given ✔ stay engaged ✔ earn praise, reinforcement, and lots of love That’s not suppression—that’s learning, confidence, and choice! Way to go, Sandy. And major props to @Reagan Hunink for clear handling and trust-building 💪🐶 💬 Now your turn: What do you think your dog’s strongest drive is? - Food? - Squeaky toys? - Chasing movement? - People? - Something else? Drop it in the comments 👇

Alright, let’s have some fun. This is a cute, simple game that's fun and helps increase your dog’s eye contact with you! Prerequisite: Your dog should have a solid Place / Climb / Platform (whatever you call it) where they can stay put. How the game works: 1️⃣ Put your dog on place. 2️⃣ Have their food ready (meal or training food). 3️⃣ Start a few steps away and look at your dog. 4️⃣ When your dog makes eye contact, take a step toward them. 5️⃣ The moment they break eye contact — you stop moving. 6️⃣ When they re-engage and look back at you, move closer again. 7️⃣ Repeat until you’re right next to them and they’re giving you great eye contact. 8️⃣ Mark with “YES” and reward — either the full meal or a variable amount of food. Reset, try again, and repeat. Reward them for staying on place and choosing to look at you. This should feel fun, calm, and engaging — not rushed. I can’t wait to see everyone’s videos 👀🐶 Post them below and/or under "Eye Contact Game 💪 CHALLENGE" 💥🐾

Sandy was doing some training with my mom so she could practice working with someone else. At the end she decided just to be sure she got a treat that she would put all four paws on the spot. Please enjoy 🤣

Hello! Sandy is working on stand, stay, and backup. Now that she is more confident in her heel we are working with lots of distractions. Thank you 😀