Some Minor Dog Training

07/14/2025

ONLY FOR CURRENT AND PAST CLIENTS:
Even though we're still in summer, we fill up fast and are already booking our Board-and-Tunes for the holiday months (November, December, and January).

So if you need us to watch your pup during the holidays, reach out sooner rather than later because we have limited spots available. 🐶❤️

**If you are interested in boarding with us, your dog must be evaluated and trained by us before staying overnight.

07/11/2025

Boredom is a part of life for both people and dogs. There's not always going to be something or someone there to entertain us. And we need to teach our puppies (and children) how to be okay with that.

It's such an important skill to be able to just relax when nothing is going on. But that's something that must be taught, otherwise they may start to constantly search for something to do to keep them busy or entertained. And, if nothing is provided, then they'll find it themselves (and, for some dogs, it's often something they shouldn't be doing, or that they're doing at the wrong time).

So we want to intentionally teach our dogs to be okay with being bored, instead of NEEDING that constant stimulation. 🐶❤️

07/08/2025

If a child is having a temper tantrum, there's no way that we're going to be able to teach them math. Similarly, a dog that's overexcited, overstimulated, over-aroused, or in any way unable to control themselves is not going to be able to learn anything. They're in strict survival mode, acting on instinct. We want to teach them how to calm down, and then the learning can start.

That means that we, as the handlers, need to model that behavior, and we also need to recognize when the dog is at that uncontrollable point so we can figure out what they need in order to calm down and regulate their mind. 🐶❤️

07/07/2025

If we want a child to have manners when something is given to them, we have to tell them, "Say 'please' and 'thank you'" every time they're given something. Between the ages of birth and 5 years old, we may have to repeat that to them a million times. But, eventually it becomes a habit, and they'll say it without us prompting them.

It's the same with dogs. If we want them to "Sit" when someone comes through the door, for example, we have to tell them every single time that someone comes through the door, until eventually it becomes a habit, and they'll do it without us prompting them. And that goes for any behavior.

If we're inconsistent, the dog will also be inconsistent. 🐶❤️

07/05/2025

If your dog or puppy had a hard time with the fireworks, don't wait until the next firework holiday to start training and conditioning.

You can use YouTube to get them used to fireworks; there are videos of JUST fireworks going off that you can play. You can also teach them a solid Place cue. If you've discovered that your dog needs to be crated during those times for their safety, start conditioning them to it now.

Figure out a plan for the next holiday, a way to keep the atmosphere light and calm. Every dog is an individual, so while you're conditioning them to firework sounds, experiment a little to see what works best for your dog. Some dogs will thrive with doing basic obedience when they're scared, because it gives them a job to do. Other dogs shut down completely, and the added pressure from us trying to get them to do something will freak them out even more. Some dogs will do great with play when they're scared, because it "gets them out of their head." With other dogs, however, they're so wired with anxiety that the added excitement from you trying to play can push them into panic.

So figure out what works best for your dog, but do it slowly, and give them a chance to figure it out. What I mean is: If the dog won't pay attention to you enough to do basic obedience, that doesn't automatically mean that basic obedience won't work with them. You may have to simply be persistent until the dog realizes that the distraction is a good thing.

That's where a trainer can help, because they can guide you in the right direction as to what will work best with that particular dog. So don't wait until the next holiday before reaching out and getting help, if you need it. ❤️💕

07/04/2025

07/03/2025

Remember, as we approach the 4th of July, to take the time to make sure our pets are safe and secure!

On the 4th of July (and sometimes for days before/after) leash your pet, even if just going outside to potty in the yard. Unexpected, sudden noises can startle even the most solid, unphased dogs and cause them to potentially run off. The continued eruption of noises can cause dogs who do run off to continue running, trying to hide, and can end up putting themselves in dangerous situations during their panicked state.

On the day of (or during fireworks), consider giving your dog some yummy treats to keep them distracted, and to build a positive association to the noise in a safe, structured manner. For anxious dogs you can also use calming chews, cat nip, or seek advice from your veterinarian to help make this day/week as stress free as possible.

We have already started our pack, and training clients, on calming exercises, prepared calming goodies, and have stuffed, frozen toppls prepped for the day of (which includes their kibble, pumpkin blend, raw ground ostrich, raw egg, cat nip, no-hide chews and freeze dried sardines).

If you find your dog struggles during this loud, chaotic week, please seek the help of a trainer to prepare your dog for the next set of firework holidays and make it as stress-free as possible in the future. ❤️

07/02/2025

BACK-TO-SCHOOL SALE: We are offering a 20% discount on all of our in-home dog training programs that are booked for August and September!

Now that the kids are back in school, and we have a little more time on our hands, this is a great opportunity to work on our dog training!

Shoot us a message for a FREE consultation (depending on location)! Prices available on our website:

www.SomeMinorDogTraining.com

07/02/2025

We are big fans of feeding a raw diet to dogs, BUT....

A lot of people don't think about the fact that the ingredients in processed dog food (like kibble) are very carefully balanced to ensure that the dog is getting the necessary amounts of each vitamin and nutrient. Raw food, obviously, often doesn't have this benefit especially with home prepared raw. Meaning that, when people switch to a raw diet, they often won't consider the fact that they have to balance those ingredients themselves. If they don't, the dog will become deficient in certain vitamins and nutrients, and they will get an overabundance of others.

That's why we always recommend talking to a vet, nutritionist, or other dog professional that deals with canine dietary requirements before switching over to raw meals. There are A LOT of benefits that come with raw feeding, especially for dogs that have allergies. But it's not a matter of simply giving them the food; it's an intentional mixing of certain ingredients to ensure that they're maintaining the proper balance of vitamins and nutrients for your individual dog and their lifestyle.🐶❤️

07/02/2025

We all want to give our dogs toys that they'll actually play with, but oftentimes we'll give them free access to every toy we buy them at the same time. What happens is that the dog gets bored of one, because it's always available, so they move onto the next, and then the next, until, eventually, they're not really interested in any of them.

If we rotate the toys, however, and only give them a couple at a time, and then switch them out for others, the dog won't have time to get bored. Each time you switch them out, it's as if the dog is getting a brand new toy, which makes it very exciting. This will keep them interested in all of their toys, and ensures that they get maximum enrichment from each one.

This also applies to toys that you're using for interactive play, like rope toys. Maybe the dog is bored of that particular toy, because it's always available, even if you're not around. So ensure that certain interactive toys are put away until you're ready to play. This will ensure that the novelty of the toy is maintained, while also making the association in the dog's mind that this particular toy is for a different type of play (not solitary play, but fun interactions between dog and human). ❤️💕

06/30/2025

"EXTINCTION BURSTS" IN DOG TRAINING:

"Extinction" refers to the process of gradually reducing or eliminating a behavior by stopping the reinforcement that was previously maintaining it. Reinforcement could be a reward from us, but it could also be the satisfaction they get from performing a behavior (like jumping or barking).

An "Extinction Burst" refers to the temporary increase in the intensity or frequency of an unwanted behavior when the reinforcement for that behavior is removed. It's a natural part of the extinction process where the dog tries harder to get the desired outcome before eventually giving up.

This is why we say that management is the other side of the dog training coin, because Extinction Bursts DO happen, so we want to prevent them from practicing the undesired behaviors while we teach them the appropriate ones.

This is also why it's so important that, once we start the behavior training process, we can't stop. Otherwise the behaviors can often come back stronger and more intense than they were before.

So stay strong. If the dog was doing great, and they start to regress, we want to maintain that consistency and structure, and it'll pass. Just remember that dogs get better at what they practice, so if we give in and say we're not going to reinforce something because we don't feel like it, then the dog WILL return to their previous behaviors. I always say: The hardest part of dog training for most people is not the actual training, but rather the consistency necessary to turn those things into habits. 🐶❤️

06/28/2025

It's impossible to have a baby AND continue living the same lifestyle you had beforehand. Similarly, dog ownership is not about fitting the dog into your current lifestyle; it's about creating a whole new life WITH your dog.

So, if we want to change the dog's behavior, we're going to have to change with them. If we want them to "Sit" every time we open the front door, for example, then we're going to have to ensure that we're stopping and having them "Sit" every single time until it becomes a habit. If we only enforce things when WE feel like it, then the dog will only listen when THEY feel like it.

This also means, if our dog is having behavioral issues, there's often something within our lifestyle that is allowing them to continue. That's not to say that we're CAUSING the issues (a lot of dogs naturally have their own problems), but that something about how we're interacting with them, or something about our household/lifestyle, is making the dog feel like their current behavior is acceptable. So we need to figure out what that is and change it if we expect to see lasting change within the dog. 🐶❤️