Pupdates From Some Minor Dog Training

Pupdates From Some Minor Dog Training Updates for Some Minor Dog Training's Board-and-Train Program

06/22/2026

Maui's reactivity is rooted in anxiety, so for him, training isn't just about obedience. It's about learning how to stay calm and make good decisions when exciting things are happening around him.

Today, that meant practicing Place while I tossed a soccer ball and a tennis ball nearby. To some dogs, that's easy. For Maui, movement can pull him out of his thinking brain and into his emotional brain. By asking him to remain on Place despite those distractions, we're teaching him an important skill: impulse control.

Many people think once a dog learns Place in the house, they're done. But dogs don't generalize well. A behavior that looks solid in the living room can completely fall apart outside, especially for an anxious, reactive dog. That's why we continue practicing the basics in new environments and with gradually increasing distractions.

For Maui, holding Place isn't really about staying on a cot. It's about learning that he can see exciting things happen, feel those emotions, and still choose calmness. Those are the skills that will ultimately help him navigate the world with more confidence and less reactivity. 🐶❤️

06/20/2026

One of Maui's biggest challenges has always been feeling the need to control the environment around him. If he gets too focused on what's ahead, behind, or off in the distance, he's much more likely to become tense, hypervigilant, and eventually reactive.

Today, we worked on something simple but incredibly important: checking in.

As Maui explored the trail on a long leash, every time he approached the end of the leash, I called him back, asked for a sit, and rewarded him for reconnecting with me. The goal isn't to keep him glued to my side. It's to teach him that distance doesn't mean disconnection.

Over time, Maui learns that even when he's 10, 15, or 20 feet away, he's still part of the team. He doesn't have to make decisions on his own, scan for threats, or carry the responsibility of managing the environment. He can investigate, enjoy the hike, and then voluntarily come back to his person for guidance, reinforcement, and reassurance.

For dogs like Maui, these small check-ins add up. They help replace hypervigilance with communication, independence with partnership, and anxiety with predictability. 🐶❤️

06/19/2026

In this video, Maui is worked alongside another reactive dog with a very different emotional state. Maui's reactivity comes from anxiety and uncertainty, so being able to sit near another dog, walk together, and calmly remain in a sit while the other dog passed him is huge for him.

For dogs like Maui, confidence isn't built by avoiding triggers forever. It's built through controlled exposure, clear expectations, and repeated experiences where they realize, "I've seen this before, I know what to do, and nothing bad happened."

Each calm repetition helps replace old habits with new ones. Less reacting, more thinking. Less worrying, more understanding. That's how dogs like Maui gradually change their default response to the world around them. 🐶❤️

06/17/2026

Maui is working through some reactivity and anxiety. One of the things we are doing to help him is exposure.

We sit outside of businesses, like Wawa, and allow him have structured, carefully monitoring his body language and communicating what is and is not appropriate. We are keeping Maui in a "sit" or "down", no pacing or investigating, and working on being neutral to people.

20 minutes condensed into less than 1 minute. Reactivity takes time, patience and structured exposure with clear advocacy for both the dog and those around us.

06/16/2026

Maui has reached a point where the goal isn't teaching new skills anymore. The goal is practicing them.

A lot of reactive dogs eventually learn what to do. They learn how to walk on a loose leash. They learn how to disengage. They learn how to focus on their handler. They learn that seeing another dog doesn't automatically mean they need to bark, lunge, or react.

The challenge is getting those skills to become their default response.

That's where repetition comes in.

For Maui, every successful pass by another dog is another opportunity to rehearse calm behavior. Every time he notices the other dog and chooses to check in with me instead, he's strengthening a different habit than the one he's practiced in the past.

We're not trying to convince him that other dogs don't exist. We're teaching him that he can see them, acknowledge them, stay calm, and continue moving through the world without making them his responsibility.

The more successful repetitions he gets, the more automatic that choice becomes.

That's why you'll see us doing simple exercises like this over and over again. Not because he doesn't know the lesson. Because we're turning the lesson into a habit. 🐶❤️

06/15/2026

While Ghost is here for his Board and Tune we are tuning up his walking skills and leash manners. Ghost was so excited for this adventure that he almost couldn't contain himself between the people, dogs and ducks at the pack!

But a little guidance and structure in the beginning, recalibrating with 180s and then moving into the walk itself was key to regaining his focus and having a successful outting.

06/15/2026

As a anxious/reactive dog, Maui has a hard time simply watching the world go by. This isn't uncommon with Australian Shepherds, in fact their instincts to herd often lead them to reactivity when living in more human dense environments where there are so many fast moving things around.

To help Maui, we are slowing his world down. We are taking time to watch other dogs work, and to watch the ducks at the pond. Things that trigger those herding instincts, anxiety or excitement, we are taking time to expose him in a structured, calm way. Building up his neutrality, reliability and confidence with clear communication and teaching him patience.

Charlie went home yesterday! When she first arrived, she was a very anxious little Mini Dachshund. New people were scary...
06/14/2026

Charlie went home yesterday! When she first arrived, she was a very anxious little Mini Dachshund. New people were scary. New environments were overwhelming. She was especially nervous around men, reactive to people, her dad's cane, and struggled to confidently navigate the world around her.

Over the last few weeks, we've focused less on creating a perfectly obedient dog and more on helping Charlie feel better about life.

We worked on confidence building, existence socialization, Place training, leash communication, recall, boundaries, neutrality around distractions, and learning how to work through stress instead of immediately reacting to it. We spent a lot of time helping her become more comfortable around her dad's cane through structured desensitization exercises. We also transitioned her onto a healthier diet and started the process of getting her weight moving in the right direction, which is especially important for a Dachshund's long-term health.

The Charlie that went home yesterday is more confident, more engaged, more capable of handling challenges, and better equipped to navigate the world than the Charlie who arrived.

Most importantly, we know her parents are committed to continuing the work. We'll be right there alongside them during our follow-up in-home sessions to make sure everything transfers successfully from our house to theirs and to help them continue building on the progress she's made.

We're incredibly proud of Charlie and how hard she worked. She has come a long way, and we can't wait to watch her continue growing at home.

Good job, Charlie! 🐶❤️

Ghost's family went on vacation, but their boarding plans got disrupted last minute, so he's staying with us for a week ...
06/14/2026

Ghost's family went on vacation, but their boarding plans got disrupted last minute, so he's staying with us for a week for a Board-and-Tune.

If you've been following this page for a while, you'll remember the husky Ghost, who was with us back in January. He's a year old now, and is doing great.

You also may or may not be familiar with the term "Board-and-Tune." That's what we call our boarding program, which is only available to past and current clients. During their stay with us for however long that is, they're in a comfortable home environment with people they already know, and we "tune up" their basic obedience while they're here.

We're very excited to get the chance to see how Ghost is progressing, and to incorporate him into our training adventures over the next week! 🐶❤️

One of the most important things we've worked on with Charlie hasn't been obedience at all. It's been her weight.When Ch...
06/13/2026

One of the most important things we've worked on with Charlie hasn't been obedience at all. It's been her weight.

When Charlie arrived, she weighed 20.4 pounds. Today she's down to 18 pounds, and we're still working toward her goal weight of 14 pounds.

To help her get there, we transitioned her onto a new diet and adjusted her daily routine. The difference is already becoming obvious. Her waistline is more defined, she's moving more comfortably, and she's carrying far less unnecessary weight.

For any dog, excess weight can affect energy, mobility, and overall health. For Dachshunds, it's even more important.

Dachshunds are already built with long backs and short legs. Every extra pound places additional stress on their spine, joints, and connective tissues. Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the best things owners can do to help reduce strain on their body and support long-term mobility. That strain can also impact reactivity.

We're incredibly proud of the progress Charlie has made during her stay, both physically and behaviorally. Just as importantly, we're confident her family will continue her new diet and healthy habits at home so she can keep moving toward her ideal weight.

The training has been important.
The confidence-building has been important.
But giving Charlie a healthier body to carry through life is going to pay dividends for years to come. 🐶❤️

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