Envy My Dog: Obedience And Behavior Solutions

08/19/2026

Our EMD Rescue's family is in need of love and support! Please help however you can 💚

Kenji was abandoned in an airline crate at a Georgia park when he was just 4 months old.

A kind woman found him and tried to find his family, but no one ever came forward. He was adopted and returned several times through no fault of his own.

Then, in 2024, he met Cheyenne and her fiancé, Tommy.

They knew immediately that Kenji was coming home with them. And this time, he finally had a family determined to make sure he would never feel unwanted again. ❤️

The goofy, gentle giant has become so much more than a family pet.

Kenji has helped domestic violence survivors feel safe and loved through Cheyenne’s work. He makes strangers smile, greets everyone he meets and has brought an incredible amount of joy into his family’s lives.

But the past two years have brought some painful challenges.

Kenji has faced several unexpected and expensive health problems. Tommy, just 30 years old, was also diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer.

Then, on August 4, Kenji became extremely ill.

An emergency vet discovered a blockage in his small intestine, and he needed emergency surgery. The family was facing a $5,000 to $7,000 bill they simply weren't prepared to pay on top of Tommy’s medical expenses and Cheyenne’s work at a nonprofit domestic violence agency.

They turned to their community for help.

And people showed up for Kenji.

Donations covered a large portion of his emergency surgery, but his recovery has not been easy. He has had to return to the vet twice because of complications, bringing his care to around $6,000.

He is now on day 10 of recovery, past the most dangerous period after surgery. But he is still battling an infection around his incision and needs continued care.

His family says Kenji has faced more adversity than any dog should have to endure, yet he continues to be the sweetest, happiest boy.

They aren't ready to say goodbye.

They are asking for help covering the remaining cost of his care and anything he may need as he continues to recover.

And if you can't donate, sharing Kenji’s story could help get it in front of someone who can. ❤️

08/18/2026

Need a new dog groomer??

While we typically exclusively take bite-risk cases for our grooming program, we are happy to announce that we have opened our schedule to field general grooming clientele.

We always have been and always will be a small, low volume operation to ensure each dog gets plenty of table time with us as well as access to the yard and fresh water without the stress of having to complete a long list of dogs each day.

Pricing varies based on service requested, size of the dog, and current coat condition. Shoot us a message or text today to discuss your needs and see if we're the right fit for your dog!

08/16/2026

Buying or Adopting a Puppy??

HAVE PATIENCE

Licensed rescues and ethical breeders (and also many shelters) screen their buyers/adopters to make sure they're going to the right home because they care about both the puppies AND the adopter/buyer they're trusting with their puppy.

Backyard breeders and large commercial operations won't discriminate who they sell to so long as the buyer is willing to pay the asking price. This, conveniently is why people who have serious puppy fever easily fall for unfounded claims of quality and often fall into the trap of impulsive purchase.

Sometimes it's lack of patience and desire for instant gratification. Sometimes it's misinformation from predatory sellers.

If we are going to make any progress in enforcing better standards for the pet community, we have GOT to think long term and invest the time necessary to screen the people we're acquiring pets from. Simply screening isn't even good enough - we must have the SELF CONTROL to pass on a purchase/adoption if the seller can't answer the right questions. It benefits all parties (the buyer, the seller, and the puppy) to acquire from someone that cares about what they're doing and someone who strives to provide the best for their clientele (and their puppies).

You aren't missing out if you pass on a bad deal with a cute face.

Take a deep breath.

Ask all the right questions. Don't lower your standards because you've already fallen in love with their picture. Make an informed decision.

The alternative frequently results in acquiring puppies destined for expensive health conditions, problematic behavior abnormalities, and lack of support and guidance when you have issues with the aforementioned hardships. This isn't always the case. Many new pet owners get lucky, but every time I hear of these issues and I ask where the dog came from... you can guess what the answer *always* is.

If you adopt, do so responsibly from rescues with insurance, screening protocols, solid contracts, and lifelong support - choosing a personality based on what you can handle.

If you buy from a breeder, do so from someone who intentionally selects their breeding pairs to produce pups of outstanding genetic health, functionality, and sound temperament. Someone who can show proof through review of pedigrees, temperament tests, and health test results/databases.

Be patient, there's no rush. Dogs aren't going anywhere. We can help you find and prep your new best friend.

08/08/2026

IT'S OUR 9 YEAR ANNIVERSARY 🎉

In celebration, we are offering the community 10% off our board and train programs for the month of August. We want to give thanks to those that supported us over the years.

This offer expires on 10 September so let's get training!

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Thank you to the rescues and shelters that allow us to help them place dogs in loving homes.

Thank you to the animal control officers that have shown extreme compassion for those struggling with difficult behaviors and connecting them with us to help.

Thank you to the veterinary professionals who work together with us to help anxious and nervous dogs find stability.

Thank you to the groomers that work with us to help dogs learn that grooming doesn't have to be a scary or uncomfortable experience.

Thank you to boarding and daycare facilities that seek our help to learn how to reinforce proper social interactions and tolerance for handling.

Thank you to pet food stores for helping us promote fitness and nutrition to offer our mutual clients the best experience possible.

Thank you to other dog trainers who send us clients with cases that don't fit their skill set, and those who eagerly take our cases that don't fit our skill set. Thank you to all the friends we've made who remain open to developing their training methods and hold meaningful discussions about the cases we take on.

Lastly, the biggest thank you to the pet parents who trust us to find real and fair solutions to behavior concerns. Your success is what we live for and we strive to empower you so you can enjoy the dogs you love to the fullest.

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If you're an EMD graduate, drop a photo of your dogs and share a bit about your journey with us!

05/07/2026

Dear fellow dog trainers,

A really cool trait that many of us must possess to be effective is compassion, patience, and empathy.

Not just for dogs, but for people too.

When it comes to dogs and behavior, we are the subject matter experts. Our clients trust us to know more than them so we can teach them how to better coexist with their companions.

Sometimes our clients make mistakes with their dogs, exacerbating bad behaviors. Sometimes clients do REALLY dumb things to exacerbate their dog's behavior. I'd be lying if I said I didn't facepalm multiple times a week making consult calls with client leads.

Those nifty traits called compassion, patience, and empathy? You kinda need that if you want to build a platform with which to educate your client in a way they are receptive to. You can't effectively do that if they feel judged, attacked, laughed at, or scolded. Also, its not helpful for you as a service provider who needs that money to pay their bills. There aren't many people who *want* to give money to someone who makes them feel bad.

Fun fact. If they're calling you, they are already having a bad time.

People don't know what they don't know and like dogs, not a single person on this earth is born with infinite knowledge on how to tackle issues. Both dog and human do with life what they think is appropriate and sometimes its not the right thing. When dogs make bad decisions based on the wrong information, we give them the right information and show them how to make better decisions. When humans make bad decisions based on the wrong information we... tell them they don't deserve a dog?

We're not talking someone who curb stomps dogs for fun and laughs at their pain. We're talking normal people who love their dogs who don't know what they don't know regarding behavior.

A professional trainer should listen to the whole problem, ask questions to have all the information, and then educate the client why the problem developed, why it continues, and how to change it. That's our entire job. If we determine that a person is not compatible with the responsibility of ownership after education, there's a way to say that too. But you can't determine that without investigation or education.

If you shut down the platform for education, you turn off reception. If both of those avenues are left closed, the person continues doing whatever they think is the right thing to do. And you missed a prime opportunity to enrich someone's life, whether thats the human's, the dog's, or both.

05/06/2026

TEMPORARY FOSTER NEEDED

Hey friends! We did an eval on one of these guys last year and boy has he flourished in his new home!

They need help though with temporary housing for two GSDs. Can anyone spare a safe space for these dogs?

Message for more details

04/23/2026

What did you teach your dog this month?

I've personally been working on my disc throw as I'm notoriously bad at throwing in a way that my dog can track and catch effectively.

With the skills I'm strengthening in myself, Boberto was able to track his discs and sn**ch them before they fall so he can bring them back to me quicker.

Report in! What have you taught your dog this month?

04/23/2026

Belle the Boykin Spaniel came to us for exposure to stranger dogs and people while learning to cope with overarousal and reactivity.

She went home this week and while training is a journey, we are very pleased with what she's shown us so far. She still has a ways to go now that she has to hustle for her owners, but she showed us just how spectacular she could be during her board and train.

Look at her making dog friends at our local brewery event!

04/23/2026

Wi******er has been in our program since he was a wee lad learning puppy foundations. He's caught the dog show bug, started hustling for titles as he matures, and is now with us for precision in prep for service work and competitive obedience.

German Pinschers are not at all a common face in our program, but we're glad Wi******er is a frequent familiar face with us.

04/23/2026

When you acquire a new puppy, regardless of breed, you are responsible for ensuring that puppy learns how to live in our world.

Gunner the Boxer puppy is steadily checking all the boxes to sail through his board and train with us. This guy is so happy to engage in all our exercises and explore new situations.

Let's get it, little dude!