There For You Dog Training

12/29/2025

Management. This is a key word in helping your dog succeed in many scenarios.
We use management more than you may think. Some examples include:
🐾 Using a leash to prevent your dog from jumping on someone while they learn not to do this.
🐾 Using a crate to stop destructive chewing when a puppy can't be supervised.
🐾 Using a gate to prevent your dog from running out the door.
🐾 Walking your reactive dog in a secluded area to give them a break from seeing their triggers.
🐾 Using baby gates to keep animals separated while you slowly introduce them to each other.
🐾 Using a muzzle to stop a dog from eating things off the ground while they learn a solid "leave it" or are figuring out medical issues... and more!

12/04/2025

12/02/2025

we go over a very simple cue with a lot of potential, "Touch"!
Touch is when you put your hand out and your dog touches your hand with their nose. This cue can be used as a secondary recall and a way to position a dog without physically moving them yourself like switching which side they are walking on, getting them on the scale at the vet, and on or off of anything else.

11/10/2025

I go over one of the easiest and cheapest enrichment activities you can do with your dog: scatter feeding!

10/31/2025

Happy Halloween and stay safe everyone!

So I know many of you are probably off to trick or treat tonight, or you're getting ready for the barrage of cute kids to come knocking on your door. But, while we're busy having fun this evening lets remember some simple things for our dogs -

1. Management is key. If you're going to have lots of people coming to the door, keep a gate or pen set up so your dog can't barge through the door in excitement or behave in a way that may not be welcome. Some dogs don't take to visitors at the door well and its best to have them not set up for failure by giving them a buffer. Even for those who can't or don't have a gate, have your dog dragging a leash so you can move him quickly away if you need to or step on it should he decide he wants to go out too.

2. If your dog truly hates people coming to the door or may get too anxious/excited, there is nothing wrong with creating a safe space in a separate area of the house where you can have white noise going and give him something wonderful to chew on stay busy. You can also then sit by the door and be ahead of the game so no one has to ring the doorbell multiple times. It's a perfect opportunity for you to eat all your favorite candy too before giving any away.

3. Take your dog out right before the activity and then wait until after the activity to take him out again. Don't take him out when he may be surprised by a scary silhouette or something spooky. Make sure he’s wearing appropriate identification!

4. Bringing your dog with you trick or treating can go badly quickly, Only bring your dog if you feel he is going to tolerate all the noise excitement and chaos well. Always have an extra adult with you so they can take the dog home or bring him to a safe spot (crate in the car with a chew ready) should he get overwhelmed or scared.

5. Chocolate is my favorite food, but it is not good for dogs. In all the excitement please make sure you watch where you put the candy or where it is left out. keep it out of your pets reach. If you aren't sure where to put it, send it to my house.

6. Dressing pets up is fun, but it shouldnt be a requirement for a dog to love it. If your dog is not enjoying all the handling or dress up, stop. Its not worth having an incident just to try to get a cute picture. Your dog will thank you!

Happy Howloween everyone!

- Helen St. Pierre and a Cabbage Margarita (salt and drool on the rim)

10/18/2025

We’re just one week away from Sarge’s Halloween Party at Frog Level Brewing Company on Saturday, October 25th from 5–8PM!

Looking for an excuse to dress your dog in that adorable (or hilarious) costume? You’re in luck — we’ll have a pet costume contest with prizes and bragging rights up for grabs!

🍺 Enjoy the fall weather, grab a tasty brew and dinner from Frog Level Brewing, and check out local pet portrait artist and dog trainer There For You Dog Training.

Don’t forget to enter our 50/50 raffle — half the pot goes to one lucky winner, and the other half supports Sarge’s behavior department, helping more pets find their forever homes.

Need a costume for your pup? Stop by our booth at Cornerstone Mercantile, Inc. to snag one at a great price before the big day!

We can’t wait to see you (and your four-legged ghouls and goblins) this Saturday!

10/13/2025

Being able to pill your dog! is a video of me training Roo to take a pill without having to hide it, cover it in anything, or push it down her throat.
I start with practice runs of kibble and reward her for swallowing her kibble, do the same with the pill, and then follow it up with more practice runs to end on an even better note.
Not seen here that can greatly help is putting the medication in empty gel capsules. This will help with not being able to taste really gross medications. Please ask your veterinarian if the medication can be given in those first in case it interferes with the medication.

10/08/2025

Who doesn't like cheap and easy enrichment that gives your dog an outlet to be a dog?

is something I'm thinking of doing. The idea is to show, at least, weekly videos of a part of my day as a dog trainer with my dog, Roo (closed captions spelt her name wrong haha). It will cover things from training tips, enrichment ideas, different concepts and topics pertaining to training and dogs in general, and really anything I think would be fun or good to share. What do you think? Would you like to see weekly videos of Roo?

09/29/2025

I had such an amazing time at the Aggression in Dogs Conference this past weekend. There were so many great talks and people, I didn't want it to end.
Huge shout out to Big Snoof Dog Gear for letting me help out at their booth this weekend!

“No one ever told me that the scars from dog bites would be nothing compared to the scars each dog leaves on our hearts when we think we failed them.”

Michael Shikashio, opened the Aggression in Dogs Conference with a reminder of the hidden weight so many professionals carry. Beyond the techniques and long hours, it is the stories that stay with us. The dogs trembling with fear. The guardians facing impossible choices. The nights we question if we did enough.

This community is where we remind each other that we are not alone in that weight. The work is difficult, but it matters deeply. And together we find the strength to keep showing up.

09/28/2025

Having a great time at the Aggression in Dogs conference! Thank you , and for the fun photo op! It's been great learning so much and getting to meet amazing people.
I had to grab the tiny "extra spicy" muzzle 😂