Magnolia Animal Training

12/07/2025

A few days ago, I welcomed in a new pet to my little family of small pets. So far Dahlia is content doing her own thing. Can't wait to see where this goes 🥰

12/01/2025

Energy to burn? 🔥
Time to think outside the box.
Actually, it's time to think about them!

Dig in your cardboard recycling for some dog safe items for you to hide some special little morsels.
The trick with this?
There is a sweet spot.
Not too hard for them so they just "give up".
Not too easy either or we can miss giving them true enrichment.

Many dogs that are just starting with these enrichment activities do need encouragement from us at first, but then we need to grab a coffee, sit down and watch them figure it out.
Let them just go for it.
That's half the fun for them and for you !

That rolled up towel can get boring too!
Do it lengthwise and then add a loose knot. Too easy still? Put that towel in a box, or let them smell around the whole house and find where you have "hidden it".
Do a "double burrito" where a smaller rolled up towel is tied up in a larger one.

Set up an obstacle course with appropriate and safe "jumps" to go over and then think about using a kitchen chair on its side so your dog can safely crawl under the gap too.

Variety is key here and if you have a few dog puzzles, kongs or lick mats lying around, hide them and make them a challenge to even get to.

What have you always wanted to try with them?
Maybe a full circle "roll over"?
Maybe targeting an object or even beginning scent work?

Keep these ideas up your sleeve for those rainy days, well worth remembering.

11/25/2025

With the winter holidays coming up, I will be accepting some pet sitting service requests.

If you are interested in possibly booking me for something in December, please contact me as soon as possible. My schedule fills up fast between self-care and work. I want to fit you in if I can.

Before you contact me, these are a few non-negotiable restrictions:
1) Visibly fenced in yards are a requirement for ALL house sitting requests with dogs. Not required for cats or exotics. Sorry, no invisible fences will be considered "fenced in"

2) If you use aversives for any part of the daily routine, you must be completely comfortable with ME using my force free methods and nothing aversive while your pets are in my care. Common examples include shock collars, prong collars, and choke chains. I will also chat with you about why you should stop using them. Don't contact me if you do not want to practice force free training.

3) Area you live in -- if you don't in Omaha, I will not be able to provide services. I live off I-680 and Maple. Some areas of northeast and southeast Omaha are not included. *Very limited exemptions are available for Elkhorn, Bennington, and La Vista residents.*

Thanks in advance for considering me. Feel free to contact me with questions!

11/25/2025

We’re proud to share new updates to the Joint Standards of Practice (JSOP), a collaborative effort uniting leading organizations in the animal training and behavior field.

Since 2018, the JSOP has promoted science-based, humane, and ethical practices across the profession.

Endorsed by:
- Association for Professional Dog Training International
- International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants
- Karen Pryor Academy
- ADI - Assistance Dogs International
- Grisha Stewart Academy and Empowered Animals, LLC
- Science Matters Academy of Animal Behavior LLC
- Understand Horses
- Victoria Stilwell Academy for Dog Training & Behavior
- IAABC Foundation

This shared framework supports professional integrity and animal well-being. The latest updates reflect our evolving understanding of learning and behavior and reaffirm our commitment to a unified, compassionate approach.

Learn more: https://tinyurl.com/APDT-JSOP-2025

11/24/2025

11/24/2025

Very often when we get a new horse we immediately focus on training. Either we want to train important life skills they may need, train to progress to the dream goals we have with them, or enjoy the training they already know! We are often very enthusiastic and goal focused with our new dream starting!

But training is not the first step to a happy, healthy, functioning horse. Remember there's three components to a functioning sentient being, physical health, behavioral AND emotional. Training focuses on behaviors, its important but it can only be effective if the other two are in line.

The horse has to be physically healthy and well or behavioral training will be constantly fighting their physical wellness. One of the kids was just saying "Wispy has been trotting so much lately, it's like she finally learned to trot". She didn't suddenly learn how to trot at 22y.o we have finally managed to address the pain she's dealt with off and on throughout the years. She trots easilu, when her feet don't hurt! If their feet hurt, their muscles ache, their gut is on fire, if they feel like they're starving because they have inconsistent forage, how can they possibly behave appropriately in response? I know i'm not emotionally or behaviorally at my best when i'm in pain.

Many of us know to check for pain when there is a behavioral problem, but sometimes we have to dig a little deeper. Sometimes the problem is hard to dig out, but if your horse tells you they have pain, believe them.

The part many people forget about is the emotional component. Oof i'm so guilty of this myself, its easy to overlook, especially because most horses Love R+ so seem happy when playing with R+. But maybe they get overaroused, easily frustrated, short temper, or hide their feelings and explode "out of nowhere". They enjoy the R+ but their underlying emotions are distracting them and interrupting their learning.

Emotions can be harder to grip. They aren't concrete or measureable, they can't tell us "hey i miss my old friend" or "i'm worried about if we'll be fed enough today" or "another horse is harrassing me and i can't escape them". They can only show their agitation through behaviors. Sometimes, again, it's hard to find the problem, because maybe its not something current but something old continuing to weigh on them.

Ensuring your horse has a fully healthy lifestyle, with plenty of time outdoors, with friendly peer horses, with all their resource needs met, and plenty of enrichment is not at as easy as it sounds. Life, our own resources, boarding options, which horses go out with who, whether we are allowed to use enrichment or not, so much is beyond our control. But we do the best we can to ensure our horses are as emotionally tended as we need. Sometimes a break, focusing on the things they enjoy rather than what we enjoy, sometimes just resting, sharing space, and being there for each other is all we need, even when things aren't perfect. Don't forget to include this time with your horse.

11/24/2025

We may be tempted to give our pets a little bite of Thanksgiving dinner, but there are a few foods to avoid. Share with a fellow pet parent! 🦃 PetMD

11/24/2025

We're often asked for indoor enrichment ideas and "Find It" is one of our favorite ways!

In this case, "Find It" means putting food on the ground and the dog needs to use their nose to find and get the food.

There are lots of different ways to play find it but make sure you start at a very simple version if your dog is new to this!

Remember you can always help them out if they’re having a hard time locating the snacks. We don’t want our dogs to be frustrated around food, and we want this to be fun!

Looking for more indoor enrichment ideas? Check out this blog: https://petharmonytraining.com/indoor-adventure-time/

08/01/2025

🐶 Puppy Biting and Mouthing Checklist ☑️

Puppies are going to bite and mouth; it's part of how they explore the world! Even then, we realize that it's not an enjoyable experience. Those teeth are sharp!

How do we address it?

☑️ Have all of their needs been met? Food, water, potty, and exercise
☑️ Have they been getting enough sleep, or have they been awake for too long? Puppies need up to 18-20 hours of sleep per day.
☑️ What appropriate chewing items are readily available to them? They should have access to chews, enrichment items, and toys of different textures and types
☑️ Are they being handled too much? Sometimes we unintentionally frustrate puppies by constantly touching them, restraining them, picking them up, and interrupting them without redirecting them, which can lead to an increase in mouthiness.

Redirecting puppies to appropriate chews, toys, or other activities is the best way to combat mouthiness. If the biting continues after attempts to redirect, return to the checklist!

While most puppy biting and mouthing is to be expected, there are times when it escalates past the point of what is "normal". Do not hesitate to reach out to us if it feels extreme or atypical. We can help, whether you're local to us or not! 💙

05/17/2025

I recently polled my audience - a diverse cross-section of dog guardians, professional trainers, enthusiasts, and yes, even plenty of balanced trainers who frequently disagree with me. Right now 81% of respondents have a negative view of the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, Inc. (CCPDT).

My community is actively engaged, deeply knowledgeable, and represents a broad spectrum of viewpoints. Such overwhelming negative perception is a significant red flag and should be a wake-up call for CCPDT.

So why the concern?

🚩CCPDT continues to permit training tools and methodologies that are widely deemed harmful, such as shock and prong collars they do this in spite of clear guidance from the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior - AVSAB and the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (ACVB), both of which explicitly reject these methods.

CCPDT bases their standards on a non-peer-reviewed educational framework without considering veterinary behavior organizations in their decision-making process.

This matters because veterinary behaviorists are uniquely qualified to evaluate how outdated training methods directly impact an animal’s physical AND psychological well-being.

Their specialized expertise is precisely why veterinary behaviorists are recognized worldwide as the most credible voices on humane and effective dog training practices.

⚠️When a certifying organization disregards the expert consensus established by the most credentialed bodies in animal behavior, it raises legitimate concerns about professional ethics, responsibility, and public trust.

By continuing to certify trainers who may use aversive tools, CCPDT risks endorsing methods that have been scientifically shown to contribute to increased fear, anxiety, and aggression in dogs, which results in genuine, significant public health and safety concerns.

CCPDT’s stance is not just controversial, it’s potentially negligent. Negligence means failing to act with the prudence that a reasonable organization would exercise under similar circumstances (remember: the vast majority of certifying organizations have already rejected these methods around the world), especially when credible and scientific expert advisement clearly opposes their policies. CCPDT seems to be insisting on opening themselves up to significant liability and scrutiny, and potentially jeopardizing the trainers they certify and the clients those trainers serve as well.

It’s critical that we keep pressing for clarity, ethics, and accountability in dog training.

Our call to action is to withdraw from the organization asap, and to not renew certifications in order to push back against this irresponsible tolerance of outdated methods on the public’s dogs.

Outdated dog training can no longer go unchallenged.

POLL: Do you view CCPDT negatively?
(Leave your answer in the comments!)

05/17/2025

NOTICE: Independent Investigation into Certification Standards and Practices of Dog Training Organizations: CCPDT and IACP

In response to growing concerns regarding potential harm and negligence associated with certification standards of the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, Inc. (CCPDT) and the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP), we are formally initiating an independent, fact-finding investigation into these organizations’ practices.

Specifically, CCPDT and IACP openly certify trainers who are permitted to use outdated, aversive methods, including shock collars, prong collars, and choke chains, on dogs belonging to members of the public.

These methods have been scientifically linked to many behavioral issues including increased aggression, anxiety, fear-based behaviors, and deterioration of the dog-guardian relationship.

We are currently gathering documented evidence and firsthand accounts involving CCPDT or IACP certified trainers, particularly in cases where dogs or guardians experienced:

• Increased aggression or reactivity
• Heightened fearfulness or anxiety
• Avoidance or withdrawal behaviors
• Suppressed or shut-down behavior
• Physical injuries or trauma linked to training methods
• Increased stress-related behaviors (e.g., repetitive pacing, licking, excessive panting)
• Behavioral deterioration leading to rehoming or euthanasia
• Veterinary expenses or medical interventions due to training-related harm
• Emotional distress for dogs or their guardians
• Significant financial or emotional burdens resulting from inappropriate training methods

This fact finding investigation is not aimed at individual trainers. Rather, our goal is addressing broader systemic issues within these certification organizations that potentially compromise public safety and animal welfare and are known to result in the problems listed above.

We welcome confidential contributions from dog guardians, industry professionals, credentialed experts, legal experts, consumer advocates, and those experienced in animal welfare.

Current or former affiliates, members, or insiders from CCPDT and IACP who have knowledge of internal policies or ethical practices are strongly encouraged to confidentially share their experiences.

If you have information or insights to contribute, or if you wish to offer professional support or guidance, please reach out privately. [email protected]

Your confidentiality and privacy will be fully respected and protected.

05/15/2025

Hey everyone. I am in the process of sorting out my life. I have a severe disability that causes significant pain and prevents me from doing simple tasks. I love what I do and take pride in my work. In order to maintain my ethics, I need to be healthy.

Since I am not able to manage my disability and work schedule at this time, I am going to be closing down Magnolia Animal Training temporarily. I do not have a return date yet.

I will not be taking on clients for anything other than pet sitting. This will include house sitting and dog walks or check-ins. If you are interested in booking me, please either message me here or send a request through my Rover page. https://www.rover.com/sit/lauras96571

I am still monitoring this page on an infrequent basis. I welcome messages regarding shelter behavior or other topics mentioned in my "About" section. Please be mindful that I am not able to provide timely responses. (Why I'm shutting down temporarily)

Thank you in advance for anyone who expresses concern or reaches out to me -- disability or topic messages. I hope to recover quickly and be back up before winter. Your respect for my situation will help me do this.

Find 5 star dog sitters on Rover.com. Book dog sitting or dog boarding online! 24/7 customer support, peace of mind protection. Better than a dog kennel.