Quick Brown Dogs

02/01/2023

Quick Brown Dogs is currently taking a hiatus as of February 1st, 2023

09/22/2022

Mmm, fresh baked farm bread from Benny's Bakery. Sorry its not dog related, just delicious.

09/19/2022

When training dogs who are reactive, I always try to prioritize the dog having freedom and choice over getting closer to a trigger.

During this walk with Arlo, if I wanted, I could have walked past those dogs much closer if I was really monitoring his every move, or telling him constantly to leave it. However, this leads to a dog who can really only deal with their triggers when their human is really focused on their every move.

While I give a lot of praise and reward for the choices Arlo made, I don't try to give him a lot of cues to follow - instead letting him deal with that stress in his way, but at the distance where he can handle it.

03/13/2022

This is such a fantastic video! Kikopup (aka, Emily Larlham) has some amazing resources. Honestly, I would say that 80% of the training I do is what's shown in this video which is basically desensitization and counter conditioning to various "triggers".

The key to good and long lasting training is figuring out how to break down the steps into manageable chunks that the dog can succeed at, and to figure out the dog's body language when they're having problems, but before they react explosively.

This video is footage of a private dog training lesson with a wonderful rescue dog named Mowgli. Mowgli can become excited by the sound and sight of a skate...

02/02/2022

This is a fun way to let your dogs dig, and it's great mental simulation. Plus, it's a great snowy day activity!

When first trying this out, start easy with maybe just one blanket in a shallow box, then as your dog gains experience and confidence, you can add more stuff to it. And yes, this even is fun for larger dogs, although you likely won't get the butt-in-air pose!

11/02/2021

To sign up, follow this link: https://www.quickbrowndogs.com/classes-nov2021

I'm offering classes again in Milan at Your Pets Desire, starting Nov. 9th (in a week!). Reducing Rewards is for dogs that already know things like sit, stay, come, but maybe only do them when you've got a treat in your hand, or when they know they'll get to play with a toy.

Manners 101 is a fantastic introduction to learning to communicate with your dog while also learning the basics like sit, stay, come.
Let me know what questions you have!

09/25/2021

While I'm preparing for my upcoming class I wonder what kind of class would you get excited about? More than just training fundamentals, what problems need addressing between you and your dog?

Shameless plug:

I’m excited to announce that I am partnering with Your Pets Desire, a fantastic pet store in Milan, MI. I will be offering both a puppy and basic obedience class. Each class runs for 4 weeks, giving you a fantastic overview of training. Additionally, each class can be taken multiple times, and I w...

09/24/2021

If you're not sure if play is good between dogs, the key is to look if there's give and take between the two. Even though Laika in this video was rude, Laika slightly diffused play by running away, and then Merlin still wanted to play and showed that by running after her.

Note that this intensity of play wouldn't be appropriate in a public setting like a dog park! If Laika and Merlin were in an area with other dogs, I would have stepped in far before this and redirected them to do something else, like sniffing something, or following me.

09/22/2021

Happy Equinox! I absolutely love fall, and Laika, Merlin and I are looking forward to when the leaves will be changing, and when it's no longer too warm to cuddle up on the couch.

09/21/2021

Happy birthday to the best girl, Laika!

Laika is the original Quick Brown Dog - the reason why I am a dog trainer. Many professional trainers had a personal dog who was just... hard. Learning to train that dog is what made them get into the profession. Laika is that dog for me.

You might not believe it now, but when I first got her, she had separation anxiety, fairly severe resource guarding, was eating walls, was so energetic she wouldn't settle even after hours of exercise, literally screamed every single time she saw critters, and she outsmarted me every step of the way.

Through her I really had to learn about enrichment, mental simulation, dealing with "stubbornness", enrichment training, assessing needs, teaching a settle, reading minute body language, and just so much more.

She was not an easy dog, but she is amazing. She's now my decoy dog I use for dog reactivity cases, my demo in so many videos, a fantastic dog sports partner, and just an amazing pet and friend.

So if I ever help you and your dog, just know Laika is the one who sent me.

09/21/2021

Sign up at https://www.quickbrowndogs.com/classes

I’m really excited to be offering Manners 101 at Your Pets Desire in Milan, MI starting October 5th! In this 4 week class, we’ll be going over the basics like sit, stay, loose leash walking, but also what to do when your dog is misbehaving, how to prevent behavior issues, and how to get your dog to listen, even if there are distractions!

Class is at 6:15-7:15pm Oct. 5, 12, 18, and 26

There aren’t many spots left, but you can easily sign up online: https://www.quickbrowndogs.com/classes

I’m excited to announce that I am partnering with Your Pets Desire, a fantastic pet store in Milan, MI. I will be offering both a puppy and basic obedience class. Each class runs for 4 weeks, giving you a fantastic overview of training. Additionally, each class can be taken multiple times, and I w...

09/15/2021

I'll be out of town until September 13th. You can still schedule consultations and training appointments on www.quickbrowndogs.com, but I will reply to all your inquiries on Monday.