Makes Sense Dog Training

10/26/2026

Meet Frankie! 🐶

Frankie had a squirrel-chasing problem, and today we made great progress in just 45 minutes!

Does that mean every squirrel-chasing problem can be solved that quickly? Of course not.

Before today, we worked on Frankie’s recall, obedience, play, exercise, sleep, and other aspects of his daily life. The foundation was already there.

In the before video, you’ll see Frankie chasing squirrels. In the after video, you’ll see the results with Frankie wearing a flat collar and walking on a flexi leash.

And we didn’t use any treats!

It’s not about tools or how quickly you fix a problem. It’s about understanding the dog, having the right plan, building a strong foundation, and working with committed owners.

You can also watch Frankie’s off-leash recall videos in the woods on our page!

🐾 Struggling with your dog’s behavior? Book a free phone consultation!

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10/19/2026

This is Bernard. He bit his owner twice and sent her to the ER when she tried to stop him from lunging at other dogs. They had to cross streets and hide around corners when they saw dogs coming. He had to wear a muzzle when they went out.

Now he is doing way better, as you can see. Today during training, we saw hundreds of Golden Retrievers coming to Castle Island in Boston for a Halloween parade. That was the most chaotic environment to be in with a dog who used to lunge at other dogs. And he walked better than every dog there. He was the friendliest, calmest, happiest dog there.

He had training before. They tried marking and rewarding him with treats when he looked at dogs. That strategy never worked, and most of the time, it doesn’t work with dogs with real problems. Sometimes it is much simpler than that.

10/11/2026

Sola is learning “place”

09/29/2026

Your dog listens when you have treats at home. Outside, a squirrel or another dog appears—and you might as well be invisible.

Sound familiar?

In this article, I explain five common training problems treats alone often don’t solve—and why real life requires more than a better snack.

Read the full article below 👇

09/27/2026

We ask dogs to stay calm indoors, then take them outside and say: don’t pull, don’t sniff, just walk next to me.

So when are they allowed to be dogs?

In this article, I explain why I look beyond the leash—and how an “unfinished sequence” connects to pulling.

Read more:

Leash pulling isn’t disobedience—it’s a need. Dogs need exercise, play, and mental stimulation. Fix leash pulling with proper dog training, not tools. A fulfilled dog walks better.

09/05/2026

I’ve been doing that exercise since day one. I can still pick her up when she goes crazy and calm her down. I hope it still works when she’s a teenager 😀

08/30/2026

Frankie’s family reached out to us for off-leash recall training so they could take him to beaches and parks.

Now, he comes when they call—and he’s happy to do it.

Training should result in more freedom and more control.

08/19/2026

I wish I had recorded more of her barking and how she kept going for almost 20 minutes while I was inside the apartment during our first meeting.

After only a couple of sessions, I’m now the only person she doesn’t bark at—and the only person she genuinely wants hugs and kisses from and wants to build a friendship with.

The treat you see in the video was the first treat I ever gave her. It wasn’t a reward for not barking, good behavior, or anything else. We were simply breaking bread together.

There are thousands of ways to help a dog stop barking and build a relationship. For me, giving treats from a distance is not one of them.

The next step is to replicate the process we went through together with new people and help her make more friends.

07/28/2026

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06/18/2026

What do you think helped Lincoln the most? (Full story below)

Today we finished Lincoln’s 9th and final session, and I couldn’t be more proud. He went from being on Prozac and Trazodone for severe reactivity to walking calmly through busy streets.

The Background:
Before meeting me, Lincoln’s family tried everything. They worked with positive-only trainers, stayed far away from other dogs, and used constant treats. None of it worked. His owner was becoming more anxious, and walks felt like a battlefield.

The Turning Point:
When they moved and Lincoln lost his dog brother, the barking started. My first recommendation wasn’t more training—it was more freedom.

How we did it:
We switched to a flexi leash so he could explore.
We visited new parks and focused on movement.
We didn’t use treats or punishment for the barking. We simply kept moving.

You’ll see a prong and e-collar in the video, but they were never used for the reactivity. They are there to give the owner the confidence she needs to keep Lincoln’s world big instead of small.

Lincoln is proof that dogs with “problems” often need more freedom, not less.