Amica is working on retrieving my Essentials Bag from various places in different rooms of the house. She was definitely hesitant at first. I love how she looks back at me for reassurance and that I can help her by encouraging her that she can do this.

I haven’t shown any training sessions with my big boi, so here he is! He knows “back up”, but being over 100lbs, he could definitely use some more rear end awareness! It’s always so interesting seeing the differences in training him vs. Dexter! Dexter is very praise motivated and eager to please. Negan is super food motivated and easily excitable. So too much high energy praise or high reward food and he won’t be able to focus! I included Dexter’s session here too. I did some spot training with him as a puppy, so he had an advantage 🤭

We are starting to focus more on nudge so we can start working on scent training. She does well with the nudge command for the wand or hand on the leg. She does a gentle hold, not hard repetitive nudging. She is not as strong as with one finger, still aims more for the finger than the leg. So we need to work more on pointing and rewarding.

First Step: I taught Amica to grab hold of the Handle and Bring It To Me. Next Step: I clipped the Handle to my Essentials Travel Bag, so that she can grab the Handle and bring the Essentials Travel Bag to me. By having her grab the Handle I don’t have to worry about her damaging any of the items inside the bag.

Joy is looking pretty COOOL — becoming desensitized to wearing her new pink Rex Specs! 🐾 When introducing something new like this, it’s all about small steps and positive associations: 1. First, let your dog sniff the gear to get familiar with it. 2. Then, place it briefly on their face. 3. Finally, clip it on their head for a short moment. For now, we’re only working with the frames (no lenses) so Joy can get used to the feeling without too much change at once. Every step is paired with verbal praise, treats, and lots of positive reinforcement. 🐶 Training Takeaway You might notice your dog looking a little uncomfortable or unsure with new gear at first. That’s totally normal! What matters most is what they remember about the experience. At the end of this video, you can see how excited Joy was — and that’s intentional. The "after-training" experience is just as important as the training itself. When you wrap up with 2–5 minutes of fun, play, and “you’re the coolest dog ever” energy, your dog walks away remembering: ✨ “Training with my person is FUN!” ✨ That memory makes them more eager and excited to try again next time. It also helps them shake off any hesitation, bond closer with you, and look forward to learning. Key tip: Always finish on a positive note. Even if the session is calm or a little challenging, end with fun so your dog leaves happy, confident, and ready for the next round!!