Purple Dog

12/05/2025

Foundations Graduation!! These wonderful handlers, with this diverse group of dogs (with all different needs), did an outstanding job of training the dog in front of them! Well done dog trainers! Good dogs Bowie, Rooster, Chilli, and Gus! 💜🐾

12/05/2025

Congratulations to Elaina & Larry with the brilliant and effervescent Luna! This trio completed their private lesson package! Onward through adolescence to adventure! Good girl Luna 💜🐾. Well done humans!

12/05/2025

We have a Canine Fitness class starting in January! The dates are posted under featured! Its one of the best classes I've ever attended!

Exercise for dogs is important for keeping your dog in good health. Canine conditioning for athletic dogs can also help prevent injuries.

12/04/2025

Walking your dog in the center of the City should not be a test of control and obedience.
- loose leash for freedom of movement
- slowing your pace to fit your dog's leg length and he can walk relaxed and at ease
- be free to look and sniff and enjoy the environment, not being hurried on at a stressful and uncomfortable speed
- not heeling. - that has nothing to do at a walk.
- No commands, no treats, Just be a good walking partner for your dog.
The chance is so much higher that your dog behaves politely and lovely, because he does not need to stress.
No particular training, Just a relaxed attitude and respect for the dog's natural speed. And let him have a little space till he feels he can cope with everything.

I have done it with more than 60 000 dogs of all sizes, so maybe it could work with your dog too.

Observe your dog and enjoy his curiosity and pleasure. No walk can be better than that.

12/03/2025

This list is outstanding! All dogs would benefit from this set of skills! Your dogs life will be much more balanced with these life skills!

Thank you SpiritDog Training !

Spirit Dog Training Podcast · Episode

12/01/2025

🎄DECEMBER HAPPENINGS! ⭐️JANUARY UPCOMING CLASSES!
Text Tammy at 7809331320 or email [email protected] to get registered!

🎄DECEMBER ONLY🎄
🌠Friday Night SNIFF-Ins $20/dog/week - 6pm-730pm pre-sign-up required - no Purple Dog experience needed - dogs should have no history of aggression toward people or dogs
November 28 Intro to Scent Detection Searches
December 12 Intro to Urban Locate (Gerbil) Searches

💜PURPLE PLAY 'N TRAIN **Purple Dog experience required** free for current & past Purple Dogs - Saturdays at 12noon - 1pm
🎄December 6 Terrific Teens
🎄December 13 All Dogs Alumni
🎄December 20 Holiday Howl! All Dogs Alumni play - Annual dog toy collection for local animal shelters! Please bring your gently used toys or new toys for local rescue dogs! We support Bandaged Paws Animal Rescue Association & Found Rescue Society!
🎄December 31 Wednesday at 12 noon New Years Eve Group Walk - All Dogs Alumni

💜PURPLE PUPPY - start immediately!
Designed with puppies less than 20 weeks of age in mind! The Purple Puppy Program starts when your vaccinated puppy (1 set required) has been home for more than 10 days. Book your lesson days and begin shaping your puppy's future. $395 buys 6 flexible private lessons, weekly Puppy Gym, Purple PlayNTrain groups for life, and lots of Purple Puppy People support (videos, notes, and links to make raising your puppy easier) through our private Facebook group! No waiting for a group class, start immediately!

❄️FOUNDATIONS (manners) $295/6 weeks - for all dogs 5 months and older - Our signature class to get you and your dog ready for the real world!
Sundays at 430pm starts January 4
Thursdays at 730pm starts January 15

❄️BEYOND FOUNDATIONS (obedience and real world skills) for graduates of Purple Foundations (required**) $175/4 weeks
⭐️Rally O' Signs - Saturdays at 130pm starts January 24 - keep building your loose leash walking and connection!

❄️AGILITY/PARKOUR $175/4 weeks **Purple Dog experience preferred**
⭐️Itty Bitty Parkour - small dogs only! - Saturdays at 430pm starts January 17

❄️SCENT DETECTION $175/4 weeks **Purple Dog experience required**
⭐️Intro to Scent Detection - Saturdays at 3pm starting January 10
🌠NEW! Sniff-gility! Scent Detection + Agility skills! No prior experience with either needed! - Thursdays at 6pm starts January 15
⭐️Intro to Lost Item Searches - Wednesdays at 730pm starting January 28 - this super fun sport can be played anywhere and NASDA has online competition! Teach your dog to find things!

❄️DO MORE WITH YOUR DOGS TRICKS $175 4 weeks **prior Purple Dog experience required**
⭐️Tricky Tricks for Any Dog! Tuesdays at 7pm starts February 3

❄️DOG ENRICHMENT & CANINE FITNESS $175 4 weeks **prior Purple Dog experience required**
⭐️Enrichment for Life - Tuesdays at 7pm starts January 6 - Winter is a tough time for busy dogs - enrichment gets them tired, is an awful lot of fun, and gives you both something different to do, together!

📌Purple Dog is 15 minutes west of Grande Prairie at 713002B RR80. It's the 2nd place along the driveway. Stay Right! Right is Right! Left is baaaaad. Keep going (slowly) until you turn right at the Big Purple Chair!
💜Email [email protected] for details & registration
💜More info can also be found at https://purpledogschool.com
❄️Private Dogs walks for you and yours are available for $20/hour
Text Tammy at 7809331320 or email [email protected] to book some dog time.

🥏K9 FRISBEE TOSSnFETCH $25/5weeks **no experience necessary - the season is 5 weeks at a time from April to November 2026 - please send us a message at the Purple TnF page (if you would like more information)! Next League starts April 2026!
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083140488270

🐕‍🦺MANTRAILING $155 https://www.mantrailing-canada.com/
*no experience necessary* returns in April 2026!

12/01/2025

Getting that 'maybe a baby' feeling? I couldn't love this post more!

There’s this idea floating around that if you want another dog, you should just go for it. Follow your heart. YOLO.
“Life is short. Follow your heart. Just get the puppy.”
I disagree.
Not because I don’t want people to have dogs (I absolutely do).
But because *YOLO also applies to the dog you already have*.
Your current dog only gets one life.
One chance at the daily walks they love.
One chance at the training, the attention, the enrichment you give them.
And adding another dog before they’re ready can make their world much smaller.
I see it all the time in my career ...
People add a second (or third) dog too early.
Their first dog is still reactive, still struggling, still learning basic skills…
And suddenly the household becomes harder to manage, not happier.
Walks become separate.
Training becomes doubled.
The original dog gets less attention, less exercise, less calm time with you.
And the human feels guilty - because they didn’t expect this to happen.
This is the part few consider:
Most dogs are not truly “done with training” in under two or three years.
Almost no professional trainers I know add dogs quickly.
Most pros wait three to five years between dogs.
Not because they don’t love having multiple dogs… but because they know what it takes to give each dog a full life.
I’m not trying to discourage anyone from having dogs.
I’m trying to discourage having so many that nobody in the family (including you) can live their most fulfilled, calm, happy life together.
If bringing in another dog makes your first dog’s world smaller, then it’s not the right time.
Not yet.
You only live once.
And so does the dog who is already counting on you.

12/01/2025

This is a lot of fun to play along! You should do it!! Think of all the training value you will build before Christmas!!

11/30/2025

Playgroup today was a little crazy and wild! Too many days cooped up for these wonderful fuzzy buddies! BUT! Letting dogs be dogs and getting outside really took the edge off! Everyone played nice and despite cold - it was a great play group!! Thanks for coming out to play everyone! Bug is still tired! Gordy is never tired so... 💜🐾

11/29/2025

Hey! It's almost December! The class list for January is posted under FEATURED! From NOW to December 24 ALL Group Class registrations are $50 off and Private Lesson Packages are 25%off! This only happens 1x a year! If you are thinking about training your dog in the new year - now is the time to do it!
Book you and your dog before end of day December 24 to get in on the deal!

PS. Some programs are having a wee little price increase in January! This sale is a good deal!

11/29/2025

What is Sudden Environmental Contrast?

If your dog reacts when someone stands up from a sitting position…
Or barks at one random person on the street but ignores a full crowd…
Or barks at a garbage can that wasn’t there yesterday…
Or startles when someone appears around a corner…

That’s Sudden Environmental Contrast.

It sounds odd, but it’s very common. Herding breeds feel it even more because they’re built to notice movement and changes. Their job was to spot the one animal doing something different from the rest. The same sensitivity that made an Australian Cattle Dog good at noticing a cow that broke from the group is the same wiring that makes your dog react to a person standing up, or a shape appearing in a doorway.

In the webinar, Sudden Environmental Contrast and How It Shapes Your Dog’s Behaviour, we’ll break down:

•what SEC actually is
•why it shows up so much in border collies, Aussies, Shepherds and cattle dogs
•what the dog is feeling in those moments
•how to support a dog who struggles with fast changes

You can join me live on January 22, 2026, at 10 am Pacific, or register to get the recording.

https://wildatheartdogtraining.as.me/?appointmentType=86098535