Dogpoint, Miami, FL (2026)

05/25/2026

MERCURY UPDATE #6

Trust the process when rehabilitating your rescue

And here's why I say this...

A few weeks ago, Mercury would have never been this comfortable,

Where he willing comes on the bed next to me.

He was affectionate but still very skeptical.

What did I do to get him to open up?

I let him figure everything out with distant yet supportive guidance.

I let him initiate EVERYTHING.

I let him approach me for attention,

Then I pet him.

I didn't force or rush anything.

And this where most new rescue owners go wrong.

They feel so bad for their poor dog that they end up overcompensating with attention and affection.

This is actually extremely counterproductive.

Why do I say this??

Because it keeps them in a constantly anxious state as they never got a chance to adjust and decompress.

So if you just got a rescue dog and you've been struggling with their visually anxious or fearful behavior,

You could actually be the cause.

And yes, I know it isn't nice to hear,

But I am not saying this to condemn you...

I am saying this to help you make the necessary changes that will help your rescue!

If you've been struggling with your rescue and need urgent help,

DM me "HELP"

PS- How did you get your rescue to open up to you?

-Marc Windgassen
No Drive... No Joy

05/22/2026

MERCURY UPDATE #5

He's now on the bed with me!

I'm so happy that Mercury now feels comfortable enough to be so close to me on the bed,

And with his back facing me as well 😄.

For those of you that don't understand the huge significance of this:

Dogs only lay down with their back facing you, when they completely trust you and no longer see you as a threat.

Based on how skeptical Mercury behaved when I first got him,

This is welcomed progress and a big step.

It also means that soon, we can actually start obedience training.

Which means more Mercury content for y'all.

(And I'm sure you'll be excited for these vids)

To those rescue/ shelter dogs like myself...

You need to have TONS of patience and wait until your dog trusts you,

Before you can even think of training.

Because without trust you don't have much.

The best thing to do in the meantime, is to do activities that your rescue dog that your dog instigates themselves.

Did they come up to you for a pet?

Great! Pet them until they look like they're content.

Did they bring a tug toy or ball for you to play with?

Great! Do that for 5-10 mins each time.

Playing and restrained affection, are generally two of the easiest ways to gain a dog's trust.

But it requires PATIENCE!

Which is something most of us lack...

Including me 😂

Therefore, If I can do it, so can you ✅

PS- What got your rescue/ shelter dog to trust you more?

Let me know 👇

-Marc Windgassen
No Drive... No Joy

05/19/2026

Graham 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗻

And boy was he wrong 😂

(I say this in jest)

Honey is a working line field Golden Retriever.

That detail matters because Graham initially assumed she would be like the Goldens he had before.

She definitely was not.

Working-line dogs possess significantly more drive than the show line version of the same breed.

This is the trap most 'experienced' dog owners fall into.

You owned the breed before, so you expect the same dog.

It's an innocent mistake.

Here's what most dog owners don't know...

Genetics within a single breed vary massively, especially when you have show-lines and working-lines.

Here is where Honey was when Graham came to me:

✅ Pulled on the leash constantly
✅ Walks were a nightmare
✅ Reactive and stalking other dogs
✅ Recall was non-existent

Here is where Honey is now:

✅ Walks perfectly
✅ Recall is super strong
✅ Reactivity has drastically reduced
✅ Graham enjoys training with Honey

And to top all of this off...

It was all done via my live and 1-on-1 Zoom sessions.

I watched what was happening in real time and coached Graham through the corrections and timing as it unfolded.

No cookie cutter program 🙅‍♂️

I gave Graham specific guidance for his specific dog.

Graham Beal's words below.

-------------------------------

"I've seen great progress with Honey since we started working together.

Walks that used to be a nightmare are now getting better every time.

Encounters that would have triggered werewolf mode no longer bother her.

Her recall went from zero to vastly improved.

She now walks at heel. My wife calls Marc 'Honey's Yoda.'"

— Graham Beal

So if your dog drags you down the street and ignores you when it matters most,

DM me "PULL" and I'll solve your problems, just like I did with Graham 😁

PS- Does your dog have any of the same behavioral problems that Honey did?

- Marc Windgassen
No Drive... No Joy

05/15/2026

Your dog isn't pulling because they're "bad"

They're pulling because you taught them to..

Most owners walk their dog on a tight leash from day one.

The second a dog feels constant pressure, the opposition reflex kicks in and they pull harder against it.

You created the very thing you're frustrated by.

The other half of the problem is engagement.

Your dog comes outside and gets hit with new scents, new sounds, and new sights,

Which means that you become the most boring thing on the walk 😂

So they drag you toward whatever is interesting.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝘅 𝗶𝘁

The leash stays slack. Always.

The moment your dog moves to tighten it, you give a small tug and turn 180 degrees in the opposite direction.

Then you keep walking that way until they catch up and pay attention.

The point is to make pulling annoying and unfavorable.

Dogs only repeat what is efficient and gets them the outcome they want.

If pulling toward the squirrel results in them ending up further away from it every single time, pulling stops being worth the effort.

When they come back to your side, they get rewarded with verbal and physical praise/ affection.

(an encouraging 'good boy!' in a high voice for example)

When you stop walking, they sit.

No shooting forward, no choking themselves, no dragging you down the street.

You need to have relaxed arms, slack leash, clear communication.

That's how you achieve loose leash walking.

If your dog turns every walk into a workout and has you looking like you're water-skiing behind them...

You know who to message...

Spoiler, it's me 🫣

PS- 97% of my clients have been able to stop their dog's leash pulling in 30 days or less!

PSS- Have you stopped going for walks with your dog because it's too stressful?

I won't judge, I'm here to help you as best as I can

-Marc Windgassen
No Drive... No Joy

05/13/2026

If you think online dog training can't possibly work, you are the problem. Not your dog...

I hear it constantly, "Zoom training? That can't actually work for my dog."

Said with full confidence by people who have never tried it once.

Here is what they are really saying.

They want someone to come fix the dog for them.

They want to outsource the responsibility

OR

They don't want to get out of their comfort zone.

Because the moment you realize you are the one training your dog regardless of the format,

Your excuse is null and void.

In person or online, your hands are on the leash.

It's your responsibilty.

Your voice is the one your dog has to listen to... not mine!

Your consistency between sessions is what creates the change.

A trainer cannot magically fix the dog without you doing anything.

Now here is the part that should make the skeptics uncomfortable.

A huge portion of my online clients are middle aged, retired or full on senior citizens.

The exact group everyone assumes would struggle with technology and learning a new format.

They show up every week, follow the plan, implement changes based on my advice and their dogs transform.

If people the age of your parents and grandparents can do this successfully, what is your excuse?

Your dog is not getting better while you wait for the "right" trainer to magically appear in your area.

Every week you delay is another week of pulling, lunging, jumping, separation anxiety, or barking getting more ingrained.

DM me "VIRTUAL" and I'll show you how it actually works.

PS- What part of online dog training makes your skeptical?

- Marc Windgassen
No Drive... No Joy

05/11/2026

Your puppy is destroying everything

And you're losing your f*cking mind 🤪

Its extremely frustrating and it's costing you lots of money in property damage and vet bills.

But here's something that you may not know...

Puppies don't destroy things because they're "bad."

They destroy things because their needs are not being met, and they have no other outlet.

Three reasons it happens:

𝗣𝗲𝗻𝘁-𝘂𝗽 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆

Most puppies are underexercised mentally and physically.

A walk around the block does not cut it. They need engagement games, not just movement.

𝗦𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Puppies need 18 to 20 hours of sleep a day.

Most owners play with them constantly and never let them rest.

An overtired puppy becomes anxious and highly irritated which results in destruction.

𝗦𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝘅𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆

When you're gone, a stressed puppy has no safe way to release that energy.

So your couch, shoes, and baseboards become the outlet.

The fix is pretty simple.

They need rules, boundaries, structure, routine, and engagement.

✅ Tug of war, food puzzles, scent work, and obedience drills to drain the mental and physical battery

✅ Crate train them so they actually sleep, undisturbed, for the hours they need

✅ Stop the dramatic hellos and goodbyes, stop being a helicopter parent, and start enforcing real rules and boundaries from day one

A special note... Crate training is not cruel.

It is one of the most important requirements for raising a balanced, secure puppy who is not chewing through your house out of stress.

So if you're struggling with your puppy that's wrecking your house,

DM me "CHEW" if your puppy is destroying everything and you want a clear plan to fix it.

PS- What has your dog destroyed?

I'm curious to know 😂

- Marc Windgassen
No Drive... No Joy

05/09/2026

Engagement is one of the secrets to fixing your dog's reactivity

If your dog only sees you as the boring person at the end of the leash, you'll never beat, fix, or manage their reactivity.

They'll always find other dogs, people, or squirrels more interesting than you.

That's the real problem most owners ignore.

Engagement means your dog sees you as the most fun, rewarding, and exciting thing in their world.

Not the treats in your pocket. You.

When that bond is built properly, your dog naturally checks in with you instead of locking onto every trigger you walk past.

Here is what that looks like in real life.

Another dog appears across the street...

And instead of fixating, lunging, and embarrassing you in front of your neighbors,

Your dog glances at you because they already know focusing on you pays better than barking at other dogs or strangers ever could.

Engagement is a massive piece of the puzzle when it comes to fixing a dog's reactivity.

Without it, no correction, tool, or technique will hold up when the world gets overstimulating.

And this is exactly what Rosie's owner and I leveraged to fix her reactivity.

(Rosie is the cute dog in the photo)

If your dog ignores you the second something triggering walks by,

DM me "ENGAGE" and I will show you how we can your dog's reactivity!

PS- What usually triggers your reactive dog on walks?

I'm curious to know so tell me down below 👇

- Marc Windgassen
No Drive... No Joy

05/07/2026

IMPORTANT UPDATE

Mercury is officially a foster fail…

In other words, my wife and I have decided to adopt him!

I think many of you that know me well, saw this coming from a mile away.

He’s just such a chill house dog and so lovable.

And I really didn’t want him to start this process all over again after he opened up to us and trusted us.

I will still publish Mercury updates as the days go by because I know that many of you are invested 😂.

Did you see this coming?

Let me know down below 👇

PS- Have you ever had a foster fail like me 😅?

05/06/2026

How I fix separation anxiety in dogs whose owners caused it without realizing it.

Separation anxiety is one of the most common problems I see,

Especially in toy breeds and rescue dogs whose owners give them attention from the second they wake up until they fall asleep.

Here is how it actually gets created:

Loaded hellos and goodbyes that turn every entry and exit into an emotional event.

Zero crate training, so the dog never learned that being alone is normal.

Constant fussing and physical contact, so the dog has no concept of independence.

No routine, no rules, no boundaries, no structure.

And unclear leadership, so the dog feels like it has to manage you as well as the household instead of the other way around.

The fix is the inverse of every single one of those.

Neutral departures, Neutral returns.

Your dog doesn't need a speech when you leave or a parade when you come home.

Crate train your dog in short, structured intervals and slowly increase the time over the period of a few weeks or months.

Stop fussing 24/7 and let your dog have its own space.

Build a predictable routine.

Give your dog actual rules and boundaries.

Lead the them with clarity so they can finally relax.

Dogs don't develop separation anxiety in homes with structure.

They develop it in homes where they were never taught that being alone is okay.

If your dog falls apart the moment you walk out the door,

DM me "CALM" and I will help you fix it.

PS - Are you currently experiencing Separation Anxiety with your dog?

If yes, let me know down below👇

And I'll try my best to help.

- Marc Windgassen
No Drive... No Joy

05/05/2026

𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗺's golden retriever was chasing seagulls
on the beach and came back with ONE CALL..

This is only Honey's second time ever on a beach.

In the video you can see her far out, completely locked in, chasing seagulls because that's exactly what prey and hunt drive looks like in a Golden Retriever.

When these instincts fire... most dogs are gone.

You can call until your throat gives out, they won't come.

That used to be Graham's reality.

Honey's recall was essentially nonexistent.

Plus she was reactive on walks.

We worked on it session by session through my live 1-on-1 Zoom consultations,

Towards the exact goals Graham laid out in our very first session together.

A solid recall was one of them.

He messaged me right after this video. Elated.

Here's how he described it:

"Her recall is amazing now compared to before we started training. Her reactivity is getting better...

Anything over about 8ft away on a dog walk and she doesn't react, and that is a huge improvement from before we started when she would react to everything."

This is what the result of consistent work and training actually looks like.

Not overnight, not magic, just a clear plan and the commitment to follow it through.

Together, 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗺 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝗹 and I have achieved one of his dream goals with Honey,

And that's an extremely rewarding feeling as a trainer.

I'm so proud of him and Honey!

If you'd like your dog to have a solid recall like Honey,

DM me "RECALL"

PS- What challenges do you face or experience with your dog's recall?

Marc Windgassen
No Drive... No Joy

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