Birch & Sage Training

Birch & Sage Training The dog you always knew they could be… that’s what we build. Private Lessons | Board & Train | Raise & Train | Group Experiences | Trained Dogs for Sale
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08/13/2026

📢 Resilience comes from experience 📢

We’ve gotten very good at trying to prevent our dogs from ever experiencing frustration, stress, pressure, or discomfort. The moment something becomes difficult, we step in, remove the challenge, or avoid it altogether.

Confidence develops when a dog encounters a challenge, works through it, and learns they can handle it.

Our job is to teach them how to navigate those things…not to make sure they never experience them.

For years I was that person. Adopt don't shop, always, no exceptions. I said it loud and I said it often.I worked in res...
08/13/2026

For years I was that person.

Adopt don't shop, always, no exceptions. I said it loud and I said it often.

I worked in rescue for a long time and really believed it was the only ethical choice. I didn't know what I didn't know.

I no longer feel that way.

Dogs get adopted out with no history, no idea what breeds made them, already past the most important developmental windows, poor assessments, and no training.

That's a big gamble. The first months of a dog's life shape a huge amount of who they become. When you adopt an unknown mix at eight months or two years old, you're taking on all of that unknown history with none of the information that would help you prepare for it.

Add unknown breed on top of unknown history and the risk goes up. Drive, prey instinct, guarding tendencies, energy level, none of that is something you can guess by looking at a dog in a kennel. I've watched unsuspecting families end up with dogs who needed something completely different from what they were ready for. I've seen it end badly, for the dog and for the people. And I’ve lived it personally.

That's why Rehab & Rehome works the way it does here. Every dog in the program gets a real assessment and a foundation for training before they go anywhere. We get to know who a dog actually is before we hand them to a family. We breed and health test each dog, connect with the original breeder if possible, provide necessary veterinary services, and a NH health certificate from our veterinarian partner. There’s no guessing involved. The dog becomes an investment rather than a liability.
I still believe in giving dogs second chances. I just believe it has to be done right.

08/12/2026

Afternoon stroll with one dog who came to us for pretty severe reactivity towards dogs and men (among other things) being walked by a man around another dog.

And another dog who, just 3 weeks ago, was at the end of the leash trying his hardest to find somewhere to hide while also being terrified of men (and literally everything else in the world)

Neither dog are in any command…just a leisurely walk on a quiet road enjoying the New England summer.

Everyone who meets Tonka has a guess about what's mixed in there. Time to make it official.For $5 (or more if you’re fee...
08/12/2026

Everyone who meets Tonka has a guess about what's mixed in there. Time to make it official.

For $5 (or more if you’re feeling generous) submit your guess at Tonka's top 2 breeds. We’ve submitted his DNA and are waiting on the results. Whoever names it right wins a Birch & Sage training basket: a tug toy, one of our leashes, a ball, and a bag of our freeze dried treats. If more than one person gets it right, we'll draw a name to pick the winner.

➡️ Enter through this link.

https://buy.stripe.com/dRm28jgLJ36d3bM2JY1oI03

One guess per person, payment due at entry. Every dollar goes straight to our Rehab & Rehome program.

We'll announce the winner and Tonka's actual results together once the test comes back, in about a week.

Guess for fun, guess for the basket, help a dog in the program while you're at it.

🐾 Quill is ready for his forever home.Quill has officially settled into his foster home, and we’re really happy with how...
08/11/2026

🐾 Quill is ready for his forever home.

Quill has officially settled into his foster home, and we’re really happy with how he’s doing. He’s living with a couple, a toddler, multiple cats, one large puppy, and two small dogs. He’s handling the household beautifully.

Now we’re looking for the right forever home for this special guy.

Quill would thrive with an active person or family who wants a dog to do things with. A fenced yard or property where he can run and stretch his legs would be ideal, and he absolutely loves getting out for off leash hikes and exploring.

Even better? If you’re involved in bird dog training, hunting, scent work, or another active working dog lifestyle, Quill could be a fantastic fit. He has the energy and drive to be more than just a house dog.

But underneath all that drive, Quill is an incredibly affectionate dog. ❤️ He loves people, enjoys being part of the family, and has an incredibly sweet personality.

He’s looking for someone who wants a dog they can live with, adventure with, and continue developing with.

Current adoption investment: $2,000

Quill is available now for the right home.

📍 Located in Vermont
📩 Message us for more information about Quill and our adoption process.
💻 Apply right from our website

https://www.birchandsagetraining.com/availabledogs

We’re evaluating an Aussie in need of a new home this coming Friday. Herding behaviors present per owner description. An...
08/10/2026

We’re evaluating an Aussie in need of a new home this coming Friday.

Herding behaviors present per owner description.

Any experienced Aussie or BC homes looking for a neutered 3 year old boy to add to their pack? We’re at our capacity for rehab/rehome dogs.

Dog, kid, cat friendly.

Someone asked me recently, “Would you take an Aussie that bit someone?”I said, “Probably. Tell me more.”Here's what happ...
08/10/2026

Someone asked me recently, “Would you take an Aussie that bit someone?”

I said, “Probably. Tell me more.”

Here's what happened.

A 5 year old Australian Shepherd needed a new home. An older gentleman drove from Vermont to New Jersey to pick him up. The very next day, he took the dog to the gym. He went inside to work out for an hour while the dog sat outside in a place he'd never been. Then he brought gym employees out to meet him.

The dog bit one of them during a forced interaction.

He called a trainer. The trainer labeled the dog aggressive and told him to euthanize it. He brought the dog to a humane society. They put him down.

Read that again.

This dog lost his family, was handed to a stranger, driven across many states, and brought to an unfamiliar place. Less than 24 hours later, he was expected to happily greet strangers he'd never met. That's not aggression. That's a dog who never had a chance.

Dogs don't understand “congratulations, this is your new owner.” From his perspective, his whole world disappeared overnight. No relationship. No trust. No security. No predictability. Then we ask him to tolerate more strangers in a strange place and act surprised when he tells us he's overwhelmed.

The man who took him in didn't understand dogs. The trainer jumped straight to “aggressive” instead of considering the entire picture. And the humane society euthanized him over a single incident without looking at the context.

Behavior doesn't happen in a vacuum. Context matters. History matters. Stress matters. Decompression matters. Every bite should be taken seriously, but not every bite means a dog is beyond help.

If you were being attacked by someone, would you fight back? Does that make you an aggressive person? No, it doesn't.

This dog didn't need to die. He needed someone who understood dogs.

If this makes you angry, it should. And if anyone ever tells you to euthanize your dog, call us first.

Behavioral euthanasia is appropriate at times. In the 15+ years I've been working with dogs, I've suggested it 3 times and 1 of those times included complex medical issues.

08/09/2026

The Mals love their tug setup. These are easy to create (doesn’t have to be a tree) and allow for your dog to work without you having to do much. Most of the work is in the beginning teaching them to tug (and not bite the rope, just the bite pad).

Today has been a great day for some light training and cooling off in the water. When people think about training dogs t...
08/09/2026

Today has been a great day for some light training and cooling off in the water.

When people think about training dogs they often (in our experience) think of long training sessions that involve a lot of time. When we tell our clients that they can achieve a lot in a 10-15 minute period they’re often surprised. Surprise is often followed by some relief and excitement. Training a pet dog doesn’t have to consume your entire life. Especially when started before unwanted behaviors set in. This means you can enjoy your life and your time with your pet, just as you see here. We trained for a brief period, then spent time doing exactly what we wanted to do.

This is what pet ownership should look like. Enjoying our time with one another, creating happy memories.

Bjorn has been steadily improving these last few weeks. We’re extremely happy to have him and are eager to see his progr...
08/07/2026

Bjorn has been steadily improving these last few weeks. We’re extremely happy to have him and are eager to see his progress as time goes on. Currently we’re continuing to work on recall and basic commands like “sit” and “down”. We have also begun the introduction of an e-collar with the goal of getting him off leash. He’s an incredible dog. We’re very grateful for the opportunity to get to work with him before finding him a new home.

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Hinsdale, NH
03451

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Thursday 11am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 7pm

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+18023808450

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