Professional Dog Trainer based in central Maine, U.S. Virtual sessions available. Central Maine and virtual sessions.
Training for shelters, rescues, foster groups and vet staff in person and on line. KPA CTP certification #67518
Anthrozoology MSc
Wag It Games Instructor, Certified Trick Dog Instructor, Puppy Start Right Instructor
Offering workshops to Vet Staff, Shelter Staff, Rescue Groups and Student Groups. Building positive relationships and problem solving with dogs through tricks, games, play and cooperative care.
07/10/2025
Do you think the same can be said for dogs, cats or other animals?
I do. Training and behavior seen in film may cause misunderstandings for pet guardians.
"The pervasiveness of fictional portrayals of dolphins in popular culture could make it difficult for the general public to distinguish fact from fiction and may pose a barrier for science learning."
Dolphins in Popular Literature and Media
Fraser et al. 2006
07/09/2025
Dogs don't want stuff, they want time.
Want to spoil your dog? They don't need fancy dog treats or expensive collars and leashes. Spend time together. It's free.
I am not a fan of the term "spoiled" especially when saying an animal is spoiled because people take care of the animals that they took home.
Your dog doesn't care about Prime deals or an Amazon shopping spree.
If we are using the word and you want to "spoil" the dog here are some ways to do it:
Go on a hike/walk
Go to the lake
Sit outside with them
Allow them time to sniff
Let them choose the walk
Brush them
Teach them using positive reinforcement
Play with them
Go visit a dog or human friend together
Or something else that they would enjoy.
It's not about shopping, it's about time.
07/08/2025
If you are waiting for the dog to complete the entire thing* before reinforcing you might be missing valuable times to reinforce the behaviors and may inadvertently be adding in errors and punishment.
Break it down.
They don't need to complete the entire thing* today.
What is this thing*?
It could be any goal that you have, jump in the car, walk down the driveway on a loose leash, walk by the neighbor's dog without barking, an agility obstacle, a retrieve, recall when it is time to go inside, hang out on a mat while the door is open.
If you only see one time to reinforce the goal behavior, stop! Break this down and then break it down some more if need be.
🐕The dog is learning what you practice, not what you want unless these are the same.
Practice makes perfect. Don't like the behavior? Stop the practice!
There are many points to reinforce, don't skip over them or they might go away.
Waiting to reinforce only at the very end of the behavior:
⭐ May miss critically important steps to reinforce.
⭐ The dog may not understand how to start the behavior and will need to make something up.
⭐ May inadvertently reinforce unwanted steps.
⭐ May confuse or frustrate the dog and the human.
⭐ The training may only focus on the end, but skip the vitally important beginning and middle parts of the goal.
Don't be shocked when the same thing happens again and again. After all, it may be what you've been practicing.
Break it down.
Unsure how to do that? This is where a skilled trainer can help coach you.
07/03/2025
It might be a trial, a training class, a walk in town, the park or even your house when guests come over.
We really need to be aware of how much energy goes into processing the enviroment. Many dogs I work with that shut down in the ring are what I call over-processors. The trial environment is a big energy suck for them; they are constantly taking it all in at once with no filter and no break. There is just not much energy left to give the performance for which their handler was hoping. Think about how much energy it takes to do a complex task with full concentration for a dog! A dog that has been walking around a trial going, "Holy heck, there is a lot going on here." It's not surprising, somewhere after the adrenaline rush of the first few obstacles (the last burst of energy before the burn out), the dog has nothing left to give. Once you are aware of this issue, there are steps you can take to minimize its effect.
Leslie McDevitt
Control Unleashed The Puppy Program
06/30/2025
Living in a multi dog household it's important to me to give each dog one on one time.
I try to do it once a week with each dog. I know some people try to do it every day.
For some of my clients this is a new and sometimes even scary idea because the dogs are always together but we often start to practice this in some way right at the start of lessons.
Last night our Loon, our Pyr mix had a private date at the park which she seemed to really enjoy.
06/27/2025
Training should not be considered a luxury but should be a key component of any good animal-care program. Behavior management, which includes training and enrichment, ought to be a cornerstone of good animal care alongside veterinary care, nutrition, a proper environment, and appropriate social structure. In many animal-care programs training is an afterthought, something to do if there is time. Elevating the importance of training in the minds of the public and in the minds of animal-care professionals is one of my ongoing life missions.
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Canine Insights, LLC posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Group Classes, Private Lessons and Play and Train dog walks available.
Working with dogs, cats, small “pocket” pets and more.
Talks and workshops offered for vet clinics, humane societies, sanctuaries, rehab centers, pet stores (selling small animals) and more. Topics include enrichment, husbandry, animal care training and more.
KPA-CTP certified trainer.
Fear Free Certified.
Wag It Games Instructor, Certified Trick Dog Instructor, Puppy Start Right classes, Dog Parkour, Behavior consultations and modification, Games, Enrichment and more.
Offering Dog body language and Dog Bite Prevention workshops to adult and student groups.
Pet Professional Guild member and certified in Pet First Aid.
Serving the Waterville, Skowhegan, Pittsfield, Unity area.
Building positive relationships and problem solving with dogs through tricks, games, play and more.
Saturday Morning and Wednesday Evening classes held in Pittsfield.
Friday morning Classes held at Waterville Pet Quarters .
Find out more about protecting wild carnivores here: http://farmingwithcarnivoresnetwork.com/
Project Trade:
How Would You Like to Trade Your Old Dog Training Equipment for Great Discounts?
We want to swap great discounts on our most popular services FOR your choke, prong or shock collars or any other qualifying pet gear. By participating in “Project tRade” you can earn up to 15% off our most popular services simply by giving us old pet gear* you have laying around. It couldn’t be easier!
What is “Project tRade”?
Project tRade is the Pet Professional Guild's (PPG) international advocacy program that promotes the use of force-free pet training equipment by asking pet guardians to swap choke, prong and shock collars (and any other devices that are designed to change behavior through pain or fear). Because we want all pets and their guardians to experience the huge advantages and long-lasting effectiveness of force-free training and pet care, we will give you great discounts on our most popular, effective, fun and pain-free training and pet care services in exchange for your old gear.
