Happy Dog Training

01/05/2026

Dogs love to play! Some dogs prefer playing with toys and will enjoy some toys more than others. Some dogs enjoy playing with food and some dogs enjoy personal play. Just like with humans, Play is an essential part of canine development. Dogs that play and socialize regularly are healthier, more balanced, more curious, calmer, less reactive and just a lot more fun to live with.

If you want to have the best relationship you can have with your dog and you want your friend to be happy, make sure your furry family member gets to play with you, with other dogs, and with toys.

Play is fun, helps learning and supports mental health.

For this reason, play-based-training is the most enjoyable for your dog and leads to the fastest training results, while also improving your relationship. If learning doesn’t feel like work, you want to do more and learn faster, that is no different for your dog.

😊🐕🐾 Read more at https://SoCal.Dog/Play to take your dog to the next level!

12/30/2025

I am not a veterinarian and am not permitted to give medical advice regarding canine health. I am not going to. I am going to share some publicly available information, published by the National Institute of Health and other reputable and well-respected veterinary scientists. The studies I am going to share are something every dog owner should know about. Their findings indicate, that some things we have become accustomed to doing to our dogs, are ill-advised and need a fresh look. I am also going to outline some of my own decisions and opinions formed based on this information. The full article is available here: https://socal.dog/Vet

😊🐾 Visit HappyDogTraining.info to take your dog to the next level!🐕

😊🐕🐾 Subscribe to our channel at SoCal.Dog/YouTube for full versions of our videos and other great training clips. 🖥 🐾

12/24/2025

Leash aggression in dogs is one of those phrases we hear regularly. Most dog owners use this term if their dog loses their mind at other dogs, or people, or cars, or bikes, or whatever, when on a leash. Off-leash the dog may even be totally fine. Just on a leash, it acts like a lunatic. And there is of course the close relative of this term, leash-reactivity. Both are used quite interchangeably, so for the purpose of explaining this behavior, I will stick with leash aggression as it is probably more commonly used.

But what does leash aggression actually mean? It’s a pretty useless phrase as it doesn’t provide any kind of description of what is happening. It just indicates that a dog is having an aggressive reaction for some reason.

😊🐕🐾 Read more at https://SoCal.Dog/LeashAggression to take your dog to the next level!

12/21/2025

Enrichment is important for most species. We all have experienced boredom. It’s the birthplace of regrettable ideas. Just remember some of the things you came up with as a teenager when you were bored. Some of them probably got you into trouble. But this is not just about the sins of our youth. Boredom and mental stagnation are rarely a good thing. Once we stop engaging our minds, we are at higher risk of Alzheimer’s Disease and mental decline in general. Mental stimulation is important for long-term health. This is no different for dogs. Teaching dogs to make good decisions and solve problems doesn’t happen through solitary confinement. Engaging dogs on multiple levels is essential for happiness and well-being.

😊🐕🐾 Read more at https://socal.dog/Enrichment to take your dog to the next level!

12/18/2025

Hiking with dogs is fun! I love hiking and especially enjoy bringing my dogs along. My hikes usually last anywhere from four to twelve hours and include significant elevation changes over distance in remote locations. During my excursions into the wild, I learned a lot about hiking from an experienced friend; my regular hiking partner. I also made my own observations regarding human and canine needs on the trails. Read More: http://socal.dog/Hiking

😊🐾 Visit HappyDogTraining.info to take your dog to the next level!🐕

😊🐕🐾 Subscribe to our channel at SoCal.Dog/YouTube for full versions of our videos and other great training clips. 🖥 🐾

12/12/2025

Dogs are apex predators. That means, they sit on top of the food chain and don’t have natural enemies for whom they are a primary food source. Dogs are the hunters, not the hunted. As such, it is entirely normal for a dog to chase and kill smaller animals. That doesn’t mean your dog is aggressive and will proceed to murdering you or your children in your sleep. You are family. The squirrel is prey. 🐕 Read more: https://socal.dog/Squirrel 🐾

Visit us at HappyDogTraining.info to take your dog to the next level 😊

😊🐕🐾 Subscribe to our channel at SoCal.Dog/YouTube for full versions of our videos and other great training clips. 🖥 🐾

12/06/2025

Let’s stop walking our dogs, we are doing that to them. Let’s stop taking our dogs on a walk, we are doing that for them. Let’s walk with our dogs—together, as a team! Read more about our philosophy on how walking with your dog should be like.

😊🐕🐾 Read more at https://socal.dog/Walk to take your dog to the next level!

11/30/2025

Are dog parks safe? Dog parks can be fun for dogs and people. You can bring your dog to these fenced areas to socialize and play off-leash games. Play with other dogs, or whatever else you and your furry companion might enjoy doing. Dog parks are a great way to add some variety to your dog’s routine. It helps with their biological fulfillment, and results in a happier dog.

However, most of us have probably seen how one single, misbehaved, hyper-active, or simply very pushy dog can change the entire atmosphere at a dog park in an instant; creating a not-so-safe environment. Whoever brought that dog in usually earns nasty looks from the other dog owners but more importantly, it turns what should be a fun time for people and their dogs into a stressful situation for everyone involved. That dog park is no longer safe.

Let’s review a couple of simple tips on how you can do your part to ensure that dog parks are fun for everyone and remain as safe as possible for all people and dogs.

😊🐕🐾 Read more at https://socal.dog/DogParks to take your dog to the next level!

11/24/2025

Accidents happen and it is better to be prepared beforehand. This includes putting together a great first aid kit for your dog. Obviously, there are many dog first aid kits on the market and I have rarely seen one that was inherently bad. However, once you are in an emergency situation with your dog and only have one of these minimalist first aid kits, you wish you had planned better.

I have dealt with my fair share of emergency situations and have discovered which items are most valuable to have on hand and which not so much. This article covers what I have in my mobile dog first aid kit—I also have a really big one for people and dogs but that is not something I would want to carry around. The first aid kit must be small and light enough to be carried or even attached to your dog’s vest, harness, or pouch, but still contain all vital components in case things go wrong.

😊🐕🐾 Read more at https://socal.dog/FirstAid to take your dog to the next level!

11/18/2025

Summer is here and many of us like to go on vacation or road trips during this time of year. But what about your canine family member? Ideally, your dog gets to come along and several websites can help find accommodations away from home for you and your dog. Separation from the family, especially for an extended period is stressful to most dogs. So, if you can avoid it, please do. Some dogs handle these separations better than others, but no dog enjoys being left behind. In case your buddy can’t join in, boarding your dog at a good daycare and boarding facility can be an option. Let’s look at some considerations to keep in mind.

😊🐕🐾 Read more at https://socal.dog/Daycare to take your dog to the next level!

11/16/2025

Training in the rain :)

Play-based training with Gigi. 😊 Dogs love playing, rain or shine. It was a very wet day, but we still had a great time.🐕🐾 Visit HappyDogTraining.info to ...