Monticello Dog Training

10/28/2026

We recently went on a trip to Washington with 4 of our Papillons for a week. We spent time in 3 National parks, downtown Seattle, and 1 National forest.

I was shocked that out of the hundreds of dogs we passed and interacted with, there was only 1 that went after our dogs. Now, to understand where I’m coming from, you have to understand that Seattle is a VERY dog and pet friendly city and we mostly stuck with pet friendly hikes, so we were around a lot of dogs.

This got me thinking about the commonality of out of control dogs in the Midwest and left me with the following question. Does a community that is more pet friendly inherently create better trained dogs?

Some could disagree, but I believe that overwhelmingly, the answer is yes. Of course there are still owners who only keep their dogs only at home, reactive dogs trying their best, and the out of control dogs in public, but there are SO MANY MORE well behaved dogs. Dogs in taxis, at the market, hanging out on restaurant patios, in national parks, on the ferry, etc. The dogs can’t do these things if their owners don’t put in the work. Having so many options in such a pet friendly city gives motivation to have better trained dogs.

This is just all food for thought as I recap our trip. I would love to hear what others have to say on the topic and any ideas they may have to encourage the general public to spend more time training their dogs in towns that are not as pet friendly!

10/28/2026

Some dogs are tethered to a kennel.
Others are tethered to our expectations.
And that tether is much harder to see.

They live inside our homes now.
They sleep on orthopaedic beds.
A few toys to play with. A wardrobe full of coats.
They are loved. Oh, how they are loved.

But a loved life is not always a lived life.

We shrink their world for convenience.
We want a dog that fits into our life,
not a life that stretches to fit a dog.

So before they even arrive, the plan is made.
They will be calm when people come over.
They will be fine with 10 minutes around the same block.
They won't complain when we skip it.
Five minutes of fetch while dinner cooks.
And they will be my loyal companion.

But what if who they are doesn't fit the plan?
What if they were bred to run for miles and we give them a block?
What if they were bred to use their nose, and we never give them anything worth sniffing?

So the cracks show.
The chewed rug.
The paint scratched off the wall.
Whining at the door.
Jumping all over guests because it's the most excitement they've had in 8 days.

And we call it misbehaviour.

So we train them harder.
Not to understand them better-
but to make them fit neatly again.
Calmer.
Quieter.
They need to accept this is the life we decided they should have.

After all, dogs are meant to be loyal companions.
We never stop to ask if we are being a loyal companion to them.

We look at photos of dogs chained to kennels and feel angry.
We all agree, that's no life for a dog.
We give ours a bed instead of a rag on the ground.
A beautiful home instead of a chain.
A couple of toys instead of dirt and twigs.
We just don't see that the chain can still be there

10/28/2026

Lessons have been in full swing the past few weeks!

Our spotlight dog is Savannah who was recently adopted from Happy Tails Animal Shelter of White County In.. While everything has been going pretty smoothly in her new home, her mom took advantage of her free first lesson to help clarify a few points and help build a routine that works for both of them!

A free first lesson is always offered to any dog recently adopted from Happy Tails or White County Animal Wellness Center.

10/27/2026

Edit: it’s full!

I just had a Day School spot open up for tomorrow, the 28th.

Day school is a structured day for your pup. Upon arrival, dogs will spend time in a crate or on a tether with a frozen enrichment toy until everyone arrives. Licking is a calming behavior which helps the dogs settle in a new place. Once everyone arrives, we get to work. Dogs will have at least 2 individual training sessions while also working on settling on other dogs are working. Once everyone has been worked, it’s time for play groups. Dogs are organized into groups with similar temperament to ensure the best matches. We heavily monitor the dogs during this time to make sure they are respecting each other, are not being too pushy, and are able to walk away if playing gets too rough. Following school, owners will receive a video compilation of what their dog worked on so they can continue the training at home!

Day school is $50/day with drop off from 8-9am and pickup from 4-4:45pm. For any questions or to reserve the spot, please comment or send me a message!

10/02/2026

Update: Savannah has been ADOPTED!!

Meet Savannah, a shepherd mix sitting around 34 pounds. Although she has some grey on her face and is estimated to be around 8 years old, she is one of the sweetest gals. Today she got a break from the shelter and joined me for day school. She walks fairly well on a leash, is quiet, and kept her crate very clean. She is highly food motivated and is the best at catching treats!

Savannah is available through Happy Tails Animal Shelter of White County In. And just like all of their other dogs, she will receive a free 30 minute lesson after her adopting to help set her up for success in her new home!

09/23/2026

Exciting October Day School!

I have 3(!) days of Day School planned for October.

Day school is a structured day for your pup. Upon arrival, dogs will spend time in a crate or on a tether with a frozen enrichment toy until everyone arrives. Licking is a calming behavior which helps the dogs settle in a new place. Once everyone arrives, we get to work. Dogs will have at least 2 individual training sessions while also working on settling on other dogs are working. Once everyone has been worked, it’s time for play groups. Dogs are organized into groups with similar temperament to ensure the best matches. We heavily monitor the dogs during this time to make sure they are respecting each other, are not being too pushy, and are able to walk away if playing gets too rough. Following school, owners will receive a video compilation of what their dog worked on so they can continue the training at home!

10/2: FULL
10/26: FULL
10/28: FULL

Day school is $50/day with drop off from 8-9am and pickup from 4-4:45pm. For any questions or to reserve a spot, please comment or send me a message!

09/17/2026

💩 Update!

Please help us continue to be good neighbors and potty your dogs only behind the building or in the side yard by Main St. There is now a p**p station to the right of the door. Feel free to use these bags and please throw all tied p**p bags into the bin. Thanks!

09/09/2026

Some great information about service dogs!

September is Service Dog Awareness month. As many of yall know, Fox is my service dog. She is a medical response service dog - she responds to the medical episodes I experience and allows me to lead a fuller life than I would without her.

Some service dog quick facts:
- There is no certifying body for SDs in the US. All that is required is that the handler is disabled and that the dog is task trained to mitigate that disability.
- Some examples of tasks: grounding, item retrieval, medication reminders, seizure alert/response, diabetic alert/response, alarm notification for deaf handlers, etc. Emotional support is not a task.
- SDs should be well behaved in public. It should be the norm that the public doesn't even know the dog is there most of the time!
- A *lot* of training goes into becoming a SD, and most dogs don't have the genetic temperament suited for SD work.
- If you encounter a SD out in public, IGNORE THEM! Do not stare, take photos, try to touch, make kissy noises, etc. SDs are trained to ignore these things, but it's annoying and disrespectful. Complimenting the dog to their handler is fine, but please remember that SD handlers are just living their life as well. They probably just want to get their grocery shopping done 😂
- Faking a service dog is a crime!

For more information, go to ADA.gov

08/31/2026

Edit: All spots are full!

Day School for September will be on the 17th.

All information is in the flier but feel free to send me a message for more info or to see if your pup is a good fit for this program!

Important update: Quality of services is always my priority over quantity. As we are still in the early days of Day School, I am still working out all the kinks. That being said, school is going to be now limited to 8 dogs, instead of the previous 10. While each dog still got their individual training sessions, having fewer dogs will allow for even more one-on-one time and individualized care. Thank you for understanding the changes that are made to improve this program!