A Matter of Manners Behavior and Training

05/11/2026

June classes are here!! Sign up for Manners Matter, a basic manners and life skills class which is 6 weeks long. Or sign up for my Force Free Snake Avoidance class, also 6 weeks long and all about teaching dogs to move away QUICKLY from potentially dangerous wildlife.
Go to amatterofmannersdogtraining.com/classes to read more or to sign up (link in bio on IG)! Hope to see you there in June!

In-Person Classes Puppy Social Club Sign Up Who can come? The social club is for puppies 8 weeks to 5 months old. 1st round of shots required.* The earlier you start safely socializing, the better!Everyone from the confident puppies to shy wallflowers can come and separate areas will be created depe...

05/08/2026

If I had to describe, "teenage dog phase" in a few pictures. Vasi on a training outing being adorable.
My Angsty Adolescent class still has a couple spots available! If you have a dog 6ish months to 1ish year old, join us starting Tuesday! Link in bio to sign up.
Amatterofmannersdogtraining.com/classes

04/30/2026

Hi friends! I'll be out of town and unavailable May 1st - 5th, which means no Puppy Social Club on the 5th. I will get back to emails and inquiries starting the 6th.
If you're waiting for homework, notes, videos, email replies, don't worry! I'll be getting back to you before or during that time.

04/24/2026

Introducing Tara (pics are in backwards order) who is working through my Empowered Puppy Package and a regular party girl at the Puppy Social Club. Tara is wild, intense, INCREDIBLY SMART, and so much fun. I immediately adored her partly because I think she is how Diego probably was as a young puppy. Just sooooo brilliant. Tara learned in one session (more like in ten minutes) that I would treat her if she offered downs, especially her head all the way down OR going fully on her back. Now you can barely look at her without her going into her play dead. She is super sweet, loves to work, loves to play, is super intense and vocal and I love her.
Welcome to A Matter of Manners, Tara and family! At this point I have failed to introduce most of the dogs I'm working with so it's hit or miss who you will meet here. 😵‍💫🤣

04/17/2026

I've taken a lot of very cute graduation pictures that I promise to eventually get posted, but this one you just have to see and enjoy with me. Rio's smile always lights up the room, and because he learned it gets laughs and treats, he does it ALLLL the time. 🤣 Debra at Faithful Friends taught him this one and Rio learned real fast that I absolutely adore being grinned at during my classes. Congratulations to Rio and Les for graduating yet another class! They are a fabulous team.

04/13/2026

Next round of classes are starting soon! Remember that the Puppy Social Club is EVERY Tuesday at 11am. Go to amatterofmannersdogtraining.com/classes (link in bio) to read more or to sign up!

Angsty Adolescent - Life Skills for TEENS will start May 12th. This class is part 1 of 2 and is 4 weeks of off leash play as well as on and off leash learning. Adolescence can be a challenging period for teen dogs and their guardians. This class is meant to support you and guide you and your wild teen through to adulthood (or at LEAST a place to let your wild child run and party!).

Force-Free Snake Avoidance is also starting May 12th! This class will be at 5:30pm and runs for 6 weeks. This class is appropriate for all ages.

The 4pm class will be announced soon! Stay tuned!

Go to amatterofmannersdogtraining.com/classes to read more or to sign up!

(AND don't forget to vote! Today is the LAST DAY TO VOTE for us for this year's Best of Santa Fe under the Pets category for BEST DOG TRAINING!)

03/26/2026

I love when stranger danger sessions end with the dog relaxing on their side like it's the most natural thing in the world to have a person in their home. Cita (muzzled at top) has just started back with me after a year of medical intervention and recovery, and Sage (she's the one closest to me in the bottom left, and the one on the right in the bottom right) started with me a bit ago to learn strangers are NOT something to fear. The other GSD is Sage's buddy. I had to include the adorable double head tilt picture! 😍
Dogs who use aggressive displays do not need punishment or discipline even when they're biting people or doing really scary things. They need training, yes! But that behavior modification process should be gentle, systematic, scientific, and believe it or not; FUN!

03/25/2026

I love tricks, I love dramatic dogs, I love over achiever dogs! We are in week 4 of my Bows and Wows Tricks class and Beau learned to play dead with the "fun cue" yesterday. And then he learned to do it from all kinds of starting positions including other tricks he just learned in class like sit pretty to play dead, take a bow to play dead. And also the "surprise" play dead. 😀
This tricks class group is a lot of fun and Beau and his people are up for anything! Teach your dog tricks, just do it! It's beneficial in so many ways outside just the flashy party tricks.

03/20/2026

Miss Ruthie and her mom are gearing up for a big move, and a HUGE part of their travel prep is getting Ruthie travel ready. Preparing a dog for international travel requires a LOT of crate training. We want Ruthie so relaxed in a crate despite it being jostled, picked up, being rolled around, with loud plane noises, in new areas, and of course for a long, long duration. Ruthie was not crate trained previously and started out a little nervous with it, needing to start without the top on. And after just a few short weeks we are already picking her up in it while she just chills. Proof that starting as easy as the dog needs is the best and most efficient method. Go at your dog's pace, even when you are working with a deadline. Go Ruthie, go!