We've had some complaints about spammers or bots DMing people. As a result I've turned the chat feature off for users under level 4 (you gain levels by posting, commenting etc.). If you have received any such messages please let me know and I'll report and block them. I believe you can also report said users fyi. This is meant to be a helpful community for dog owners and dog trainers alike to learn, share struggles and wins and get better together. I'll do my best to keep out the riff raff, it's unfortunately a reality of platforms like this however. We will also be moving to a paid community soon which will further keep out obnoxious users like that. On a lighter note: I was not able to get a new video up last week in the "how to train your dog" series due to being on a short vacation. I will get the next one up ASAP. That is all, let's all get back to training.

This is where most people start doing things wrong—even if Step 1 (engagement) went well. Now that your dog is choosing to stay with you and focus, the next step is teaching them how to follow food correctly so we can start shaping real behaviors. This is what allows us to: - Guide the dog into positions (sit, down, heel, place) - Build clarity in communication - Prevent confusion and frustration later on If your dog doesn’t understand how to follow food properly, everything we build on top of this gets sloppy. 🎯 What We’re Working On This Week 1. Straight Line LuringYour dog should be able to follow your hand in clean, controlled movements. 2. Timing the “Yes” MarkerThe reward only happens when the dog is doing the right thing—nose on the hand. 3. Proper Food HandlingHow you hold the food matters more than you think. This is what gives you control instead of the dog just grabbing at it. 4. Building EnthusiasmIf your dog isn’t super engaged, you need to bring more energy and contrast (freeze vs movement) to make the game more exciting. ⚠️ Common Mistakes - Moving too fast and losing the dog - Saying “yes” when the dog isn’t actually in position - Letting the dog fall behind your hand - Treating food like a bribe instead of a communication tool 🧠 Big Takeaway We’re not just “giving treats.” We’re teaching the dog:👉 “If you stay connected to my hand, that’s what makes the reward happen.” That understanding is what allows us to start building real obedience next. 🎥 Your Homework - Practice short sessions (2–5 minutes at a time) - Focus on clean reps, not speed - Mix in engagement work if your dog starts to check out If you’re unsure if you’re doing it right, post a video in the group and I’ll take a look.

This is the first video in a new instructional series I’m building out for you guys. The goal with this series is to walk you through the entire training process step by step — the same way we do it with dogs in our programs. If you follow this in order, you’ll have a clear roadmap from day one all the way to off-leash reliability. We’re starting with Focus & Engagement, because nothing else matters if your dog isn’t tuned into you. Before we ever teach commands like sit, down, or heel…we need the dog to: - Want to work with us - Understand that value comes from us - Start volunteering attention instead of being forced into it In this video, I show you how to: - Build your dog’s expectation to eat from your hand - Start creating engagement through food - Get your dog offering focus on their own This is the foundation for everything we’re going to build next. Quick note: I planned to have this up Monday, but we lost power after that wind storm over the weekend. That said — moving forward, you can expect a new video in this series every Monday. Next up: we’ll take this engagement and start turning it into luring and movement.

Welcome to this March group of dogs and their owners! Hazel, the pit lab mix that she is reactive towards other dogs. Rip, the Rottweiler who you can’t put him into a crate safely. Winnie, the German Shepard is here for lack manners. We also have another dog who will be coming to us tomorrow. Louie, the Golden doodle is coming for obnoxious barking. Stay tuned to follow along with their progress, happy training guys! Stetson the black lab is going home tomorrow and loves to play fetch and tug!

This week with our March group, we hit one of the most important phases in the entire training process: 👉 Generalization Up until now, everything we’ve done has been about teaching the dogs: - How to focus - How to respond to commands - How to understand pressure and rewards But here’s the reality… A dog that listens in your house but ignores you outside… isn’t trained. They’re just familiar with one environment. 🌎 What We’re Working On This Week Now we take everything we’ve taught and bring it into the real world. That means: - New environments (parks, public spaces, etc.) - New smells, sights, and distractions - Other dogs, people, movement, noise And the goal is simple: 👉 The rules don’t change just because the environment does ⚠️ The Problem Most Owners Run Into Your dog can: - Sit perfectly in the living room - Heel great in the driveway But the second you go somewhere new? ❌ Pulling❌ Ignoring commands❌ Locked onto distractions That’s not stubbornness —that’s a lack of generalization and proofing. 🧠 How We Fix It We don’t just throw dogs into chaos and hope for the best. We build it step by step: 1️⃣ Start in low-distraction environments 2️⃣ Reinforce known behaviors 3️⃣ Introduce controlled distractions 4️⃣ Increase difficulty gradually 5️⃣ Hold the same expectations everywhere This is how you build real reliability. 🔑 Key Takeaway Your dog needs to learn: 👉 “The same rules apply everywhere.” Not just: - In your house - In your yard - When it’s quiet and easy But in the real world — where it actually matters. 🎥 Watch This Week’s Training In this video, you’ll see exactly how we: - Introduce new environments - Work through distractions - Start the off-leash transition - And build real-world obedience Drop your questions below 👇 Or let me know what your dog struggles with most outside the house — I’ll help you troubleshoot it.