The Dog House Academy

The Dog House Academy Balanced, professional, home-based dog training for the family dog. Training professionally since 2012.

Now offering in-home stay and trains based out of Mesa, AZ!

08/29/2026

Rockie took her training on the road today with a trip to PetSmart! 🐾

We worked on engagement, obedience, and staying neutral around distractions. She definitely had a few moments where the environment won 😂 but she redirected nicely and did a great job tuning back in.

She even handled an unexpected kiddo running up and giving her a hug like a champ! 😅 Overall, I was really happy with how she worked through a busy environment and recovered from distractions. Such good progress from this girl! 👏

08/29/2026

I swear I never remember to record midway sessions 😂 But they’re such an important part of the process!

I believe strongly in owners getting hands-on during training; not just being handed a “trained dog” at the end. Midway sessions give owners a chance to see the progress, learn how I’m handling their dog, ask questions, and start practicing everything themselves before go-home. Training works best when everyone is on the same page! 🙌🏼🐾

So naturally, I have zero footage of that today… but here’s a video of cute puppies playing for your viewing pleasure instead. 😂

08/27/2026

Day 7 with Miss Rockie! 🥹

Today we took her obedience on the road with a walk, then worked more on distance and duration out in the yard. She also held place through dinner and only broke 2–3 times before settling in like a pro. 🙌

She has come such a long way in just one week, especially with her impulse control and ability to actually settle instead of needing to be involved in everything. 😂 I’m so excited to show her off tomorrow in their midway lesson!

08/24/2026

Miss Rockie learned PLACE today! 🙌

Go to the bed, turn around, lay down, and stay there until released: and she picked it up QUICK!

We also spent a lot of time working on settling quietly in the crate. Like a lot of family dogs, Rockie was mostly used to the crate being for bedtime or when everyone leaves the house. But the crate can be such a useful everyday training tool!

Using it during normal household activity helps teach a dog that they don’t have to be involved in everything happening around them. For a dog like Rockie, who has a pretty serious case of FOMO 😂, learning to settle with a calm, still body can make a huge difference in overall excitability and impulse control.

Not every training session makes for exciting video, but these “boring” skills are the ones that make everyday life SO much easier. 👏

08/23/2026

Day 3 with Rockie! 🐾

Today we focused on cleaning up her down and beginning to fade the food lure. I start by pairing the lure with light, steady leash pressure downward. I’ll often use my foot on the leash to apply that pressure too because… save the trainer’s back. 😂

Once she understands what that pressure means, I can start taking the food out of the picture; pressure on, she downs, pressure off, then reward.

The goal is to teach first, then gradually remove the help so the dog truly understands the command instead of just following the treat. Rockie is catching on FAST! 👏

08/22/2026

Day Two with Rockie! 🐾

Today was all about building impulse control; because sometimes the simplest things make the biggest difference.

Waiting at thresholds instead of barging through, entering and exiting the crate calmly, holding a sit or down until released… these may seem like little pieces of obedience, but for an excitable dog like Rockie, they’re HUGE.

Every time she learns, “I don’t have to react to everything immediately,” we’re teaching her how to slow her brain down, think first, and make better choices. That impulse control will eventually carry over into the bigger things: jumping on people, over-the-top greetings, couch manners, walking nicely on leash, and settling when life is happening around her.

She’s a smart little cookie and already catching on quickly. Now we’re just helping all that enthusiasm come with an off switch. 😂❤️

08/21/2026

Meet Rockie 🐾🤎 Our newest Residency Program student!

Rockie is a mini Bernedoodle who’s here to work on all things puppy: jumping, getting a little too excited, counter surfing, general obedience, and learning how to make better choices even when life gets exciting.

We’ll be building structure, manners, confidence, and a solid obedience foundation she can take home with her. Follow along to watch Rockie’s progress over the next few weeks! 🐶✨

08/18/2026

A good heel is taught at home before you ever expect it to hold up in the real world.

We start with shaping and reward: teaching the dog exactly where we want them to walk and making that position valuable. Once they understand the assignment, we can layer in corrections and consequences to hold them accountable for maintaining it.

Teach first. Hold accountable second. That’s how you build a heel you can actually depend on when distractions show up. 👏🐾

Address

Mesa, AZ

Telephone

+14802034327

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