Just like any other professional, dog trainers need to have a solid plan in place in order to be successful. This means having a clear understanding of your goals, what you and your student need to do to achieve them, and how you will measure progress along the way. While every trainer's approach will be slightly different, there are some essential elements that should be included in every dog training plan. In this blog post, I'll share some tips on how to write an organized and successful training plan that your students can stick to. By following these guidelines, you can set yourself up for success and ensure that you're providing the best possible experience for your students and their dogs.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are offering shipping to our current and previous students with their usual student discount on dog toys, treats, leashes, and more from our store! If you need products for your pup shipped to you fast that you know your trainer gives the seal of approval, this is a great way to do just that. Below is a list of the items we currently have in stock, our student pricing (without shipping cost or tax included), and some information about each product.

This is a COVID-19 update for students who had their program paused due to COVID-19, re-scheduling for your private programs starts Nov. 1st, 2020 for January 2021 private session dates!

You guys are getting first pick of the dates before we open enrollment to the general public again on Dec. 1st, 2020 for January 2021 sessions. So, make sure you get in touch with us when you are ready to restart your program by using the contact form at this link.

Please keep in mind, restarting your program in January 2021 means you will be asked to wear a mask during your session and that sessions will be held outside only with our staff wearing masks.

We have finally reached the end of our Teamwork for Trainers series about the takeaway for pet professionals from the Ferrazzi’s book, “Leading Without Authority” (2020). The final chapters of the book included several gems about overcoming negativity within team settings, which is something all pet professionals will experience at some point in their careers; whether this is with students or other professionals. Gossip, negative remarks, and bringing down others is something everyone will fail victims to dishing out and receiving at some point throughout their career.

As we near the end of this blog series, as I was reading in Ferrazzi’s book, “Leading Without Authority” (2020) we are following for this series, I wondered when we would reach the topic of positive reinforcement. Any experienced animal trainers know how important reinforcing desired behavior is, but they also know about the positive effects on psychology in both animals and humans. And finally, that chapter has come!

Photo Credit: https://puppyhero.com/breed/nova-scotia-duck-tolling-retriever

Life, however, doesn’t just give us people we agree with, and sometimes there will be a good reason for us to need to peacefully collaborate with people whose ethical stances are different from our own. Even in professional debates and conversations at conferences, there is a chance for each person to input their opinion into the conversation for review by the group.

As professional animal trainers, trust is a colossal part of our job whether we are aware of it or not. We need the trust of the animal so, we can function as a team with the animal and we aren’t injured. However, we also need the trust of the human-side of the equation. The animal’s owner must trust in our opinion, expertise, and ability to provide the results they are asking for in a humane and effective way.

The dog’s owner, vet, vet behaviorist, doggie daycare, pet sitter, and anyone else interacting with the animal on a semi-usual basis is on our broader team. We must consider if what they are doing is working for us or against us and how we can extend what Ferrazzi describes as “care, concern, commitment, and camaraderie” to everyone on our broader team to accomplish our common goal; a happy, healthy animal the owner can live with (Ferrazzi, 2020).

With my training students, I have found many come to classes or private sessions after attempting to follow step-by-step guides, DVDs, or YouTube videos on how to train a dog.

They are often frustrated that the dog in these books or videos isn't like *their* dog. That dog is already well-trained, a different breed, more focused, or just simply *better* in some way than their own dog…