Most dogs naturally want to heel on the outside of a shopping cart. Why? ➡️ It’s more comfortable. ➡️ It doesn’t block their view. ➡️ They can see what’s happening around them. Walking behind a cart feels different. It partially obstructs their vision and changes the picture they’re used to in heel position — so it takes practice. Here’s how to help them succeed: ➡️ When first introducing the cart, don’t stand centered behind it. ➡️ Shift your body slightly to the right side while pushing. ➡️ This creates a small “pocket” of space behind the cart. ➡️ Your dog can heel comfortably in that pocket — without drifting to the outside. You’re not forcing the position — you’re shaping it. Over time: ➡️ Practice short distances. ➡️ Build duration. ➡️ Gradually move back to pushing more centered. Cart work is a skill. Teach it like one! 🐕‍🦺 For those of you who already have a service dog — Does your dog naturally prefer the outside of the cart? Or were they confident walking behind it right away? Curious to hear your experiences 👇

Be honest … what does Ollie’s new hairdo remind you of? 🤣

In this video, I’m working with our new poodle pup and introducing one of the most important foundations in our program: Marker Training (also commonly called clicker training). I use the verbal marker “yes” to clearly communicate the exact behavior I want. The dog performs the behavior → I mark → then immediately reward with food. This method works for every dog, at any age, and it’s how I start all of our new trainees. In this first lesson, we’re focusing on: - Building confidence - Making training fun and easy to understand - Desensitization and exposure - Stepping on/off objects - Getting comfortable with the training environment As we progress, we’ll move into: - Eye contact - Sit - Down - Stand - Confidence-building games - And a variety of other foundational service dog skills This is the very first step in creating a clear communication system and helping the dog feel confident, successful, and excited to work.

Atlas puts up with so much 🤪🤣 We have twinning Christmas spirit jerseys so we took some quick pics last night!

Alright doggo friends… I need to see your dogs living their BEST goofy, off-duty (aka “free dog”) life. Post a pic of your service dog (or pet) being a total happy potato! 😂🐶