What are the opening hours?

Tuesday 10am - 8pm Wednesday 10am - 8pm Thursday 10am - 8pm Friday 12pm - 5pm Saturday 10am - 4pm Sunday 10am - 4pm

Positive Dog

Home
Canada
Nanaimo, BC
Positive Dog

Call Directions Website Contact the business

Specializing in Treatment and Prevention of Aggression & Reactivity

11/01/2026

Good training is proactive.

❓️ How can you set your dog up to practice the habits you'd like?

❓️ If the situation is above their training level, how can you manage them to prevent rehearsal of habits you dont want?

I took Runa to the local park today.. on a sunny Saturday afternoon. There were A LOT more people than she is used to seeing there.

Typically, I ask her to sit beside me, people say how cute she is, and we move along.

Today though, there were SO MANY people and dogs that her little brain was too excited to think. 3 people ended up with pupy footprints on their pants. Then I realized thatshe wasnt ready for this level of challenge so I leashed her. I should have leashed her earlier. Next time its so busy, Ill hopefully remember to leash her BEFORE she jumps up to kiss people she sees!

This all holds true for any kind of behaviour challenges like reactivity, intrahousehold issues, overarousal issues.. how can you break problems down to set your dog up to succeed? How can you manage situations that are above their current abilities ?

11/01/2026

REGISTRATION CLOSES TONIGHT!

I am so excited about Dream Dog. We are going to have so much fun diving into what each dog needs, what each person needs, and how to help our dogs progress to the next level

Building your dream dog isn’t about changing who they are.
It’s about meeting them where they are, celebrating their unique personality, and growing together as a team.

Now's the time! Don't miss out.

Dream Dog won't open again until 2027 and this type of connection directly to me is only available in Dream Dog

❓ If you have questions, shoot me a DM and I'll be happy to answer them =)

✅ Join Dream Dog www.positive.dog/dreamdog

Dream Dog is designed to teach you how to train your dog in a way that makes sense for YOUR dog and for YOUR goals.

Dream Dog is OPEN for enrollment now UNTIL THE END OF TODAY.

10/31/2026

🚨Do you hold back from letting your dog get excited?

If your dog gets worked up about other dogs, the doorbell, or bunnies, maybe you skip tug or keep things boring around them. You worry you'll make it worse when you just wish they'd calm TF down.

🤓Arousal isn't the enemy.

It's what makes our dogs fun and good at sports, hiking, and tricks. Once your dog learns to go from excited back to settled (that's arousal modulation), the real training can begin.

Until then, asking them to calm down won't work. They don't have the skills yet. Has someone ever told you to "just calm down" when you were worked up? 🙃

Calm isn't something dogs can do on cue until we teach it, and teaching it can be fun!

What gets your dog most worked up? Tell me in the comments 👇

Registration for Dream Dog closes tonight! www.positive.dog/dreamdog

10/29/2026

Nuance in dog training 🐾

Pulling on the leash, barking at the door, lunging at a passing dog, melting down over a kid on a skateboard: dogs can do the exact same thing for completely different reasons.

One dog is overexcited. One is unsure. One dog has low frustration tolerance. One is terrified. One dog needs instruction about what to do. One dog needs to learn how to ask for help. Another dog needs to learn to walk away.

I watch for the small stuff: a weight shift, a lip lick, an ear twitch, a slow blink. Every dog has its own cues. The fix usually isn't a whole new plan. It's a few small tweaks that match your dog.

Dream Dog is open for registration for just 3 more days! https://positive.dog/dreamdog/

💕 Picture of my friend Jack whom is missed by many 💕

10/28/2026

❓ "Aren't we reinforcing the wrong thing?"

I hear this one a lot. And yes, you can make those behaviours worse if you use food, toys or praise the wrong way.

In regular training, we cue, mark, reinforce. Ask, say "yes," treat. That's how we build behaviours.

Changing emotions works differently. First we use food, toys or praise to create a better emotional state. Then we work on behaviour.

🐕 The frustrated barker: 1️⃣ Interrupt the behaviour with as little fallout as possible. No threats, no pain. Sometimes that means pulling out the cheese or the tug toy, and that's okay. 2️⃣ Lower arousal. Teach your dog to calm down near the exciting thing. 3️⃣ Get proactive. Use what worked in step 2, starting from farther away, before your dog gets worked up.

😟 Fear reactivity: build confidence and choice first, then work through the steps above.
⚡ Stimulation seekers: use calm energy and little to no food. These dogs often need LESS, not more, but they still have to be taught how to settle.

Energy matters. Bring too much and the hard moment turns into a big exciting event. Bring too little and you can't reach your dog.

The goal is to understand what your dog needs, meet them there, then help them regulate their emotions.

Dream Dog is open until the end of the week! https://positive.dog/dreamdog/

10/23/2026

😆Did you know that at first I wondered if Runa was a bit ...ummm... slow? Or maybe I really wasn't as good of a trainer as I thought I was.

I wasn't having any success teaching her regular puppy things: down, stay, hand touch. In a session, we wouldn't progress at all.

Maybe I was used to border collie puppies and they really are just that much smarter than other dogs?

I was confused.

Let it all go for a bit - just play with the puppy. Enjoy her. She's very cute and very sweet! Stay at her level. Don't press things.

But then I tried 'down' again - and not only did she know what I wanted, she could respond to my cue anytime and anywhere. That's unheard of! We need to teach puppies skills in all types of environments before they can generalize like that.

Don't we??

And then 'hand touch' (touch her nose to my hand). This is a basic skill that is the foundation for recall, heeling, and so many other things. Guess what.. she knew that too. She suddenly had an amazing full contact hand touch.

Anytime. Anywhere.

Yesterday it was her 'stay'! Can you even see her in that picture? We are at the park and a dog is walking by. "No problem!" says Runa. I wouldn't have bet $10 on a 20 second stay at home, let alone out in a busy park.

Runa learns once she has had a chance to think about things. She doesn't think and progress as much in the moment like my herding dogs did.

Good training comes down to one thing: short, successful sessions. Some days your dog will be on fire, and some days they'll need an easier session. Both are completely fine, and your dog can change day to day, week to week..

Every dog learns in their own way, so train the dog in front of you and keep sessions light, fun, and sort. Respect how your dog learns, and you'll build skills that are stable and reliable.

🐾Dream Dog is open for registration! https://positive.dog/dreamdog/

10/23/2026

What's your favourite thing about your dog? A friend asked me this today and I have to say for Runa, how danged sweet she is. For Riker, his silly demanding behaviours crack me up daily!

10/22/2026

Do you have a dog with dog-to-dog resource guarding? Or maybe you want to be proactive and get ahead of the issue?

Living with a dog who guards can be stressful, but there's so much we can do to help. This weekend I'm teaching a workshop at Fenzi covering the skills I use every day with dogs who guard food, toys, resting spots, or people from other dogs. Whether you're working through guarding now or want to prevent it with a new pooch, check it out!

Working spots are sold out, but it is only $30 to audit

https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/index.php/courses/55124

10/21/2026

FREE TRAINING tomorrow!

Do you feel like you have tried everything, but your dog’s big feelings still seem unpredictable or out of control?

Reactivity, anxiety, frustration, over-excitement—these challenges can feel overwhelming, but they don't have to define your life together.

In this session, you'll learn how to use simple games and targeted skills to help your dog regulate their emotions. We'll cover practical strategies you can start using right away—no complicated equipment, no punishment, just connection, play, and strategic games.

Whether your dog struggles on walks, loses it when guests arrive, or just can't seem to settle, this webinar will give you a fresh perspective and real tools to move forward.

Plus, during the presentation, registration opens for Dream Dog!

Time: Oct 21st, 6:00 PM Pacific Time
LINK ▶▶▶ https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85200533125

10/20/2026

Do you spend more time researching dog training than actually training? 📱🐕

It's easy to get stuck - You don't need the whole plan. You only need the next step.

Training a dog with big feelings is like doing a jigsaw puzzle without the box. Start with the edges or start with the blue sky. Either way works, as long as you're putting pieces together. 🧩

New episode of Dogs with Big Feelings is out now.

🎧 Listen on Apple
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/86-stuck-in-research-mode/id1896934685?i=1000797346328

🎧Listen on Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2CymLCmi0C4hoUeGQ5xTRi?si=2F0O970GSOuEZ6Bo0vJIUg

Address

Nanaimo, BC

Opening Hours

Tuesday	10am - 8pm
Wednesday	10am - 8pm
Thursday	10am - 8pm
Friday	12pm - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 4pm
Sunday	10am - 4pm

Telephone

+12506160306

Website

http://www.Positive.dog/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Positive Dog posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.