Bright Mind Canine

06/01/2026

Wednesday night’s advanced scent work class at Drake Field before it got really hot and then rained for 7 years 😅

05/30/2026

Yeah!! Everybody go see Jan at the Animal Medical tent today at the Royal Animal Refuge event today! 🎉🥳

Come out to Royal Animal Refuge’s event today! We’re doing a giveaway - up to $200 to use for Manners or beginning scent work classes at Bright Mind Canine , agility classes at Kc's Agility or 3 nights boarding at Barks & Recreation - The Canine Confidence Center!

05/29/2026

🐾 Dog behaviors exist on a sliding scale.

It’s not as simple as “my dog has a sit” or “my dog doesn’t have a sit.” Behavior is dynamic, not something a dog permanently “has” or “doesn’t have.” Behaviors are constantly getting stronger or weaker based on practice, reinforcement, environment, distractions, and life experiences.

A sit that works perfectly in your living room may be much weaker at a busy park. A great recall can improve with consistent training or fade if it’s rarely used.

Training isn’t about reaching a finish line.. it’s about maintaining and strengthening behaviors over time. Our dogs are always learning, and their behaviors are always changing. 🐶

05/24/2026

Our second tricks class was so much fun! 🐾 We worked on foundation skills like targeting, shaping, resets, chin rests, and confidence building. Natalia does an amazing job meeting each individual dog and handler team where they are and adjusting the training to fit each dog’s experience level, confidence, and learning style. Every single team made progress and every pup was a star student! ⭐

05/24/2026

WHAT DO YOU STUFF YOUR KONGS & TOPPLS WITH? 👀🐾

I just started stuffing my dog’s Toppls with hard boiled eggs 🥚

Some other things I’ve used:
• Bananas
• Mashed potatoes
• Oatmeal
• Green beans
• Cream cheese
• Sweet potatoes
• Apple slices
• Fruits & veggies
• Baby food
• Yogurt
• Pureed pumpkin
• Peanut butter
• Wet dog food
• And more plus combos of all of the above!

But I want to hear from you… what do YOU like to stuff in your dog’s Kong/Toppls?👇

05/22/2026

2-year-old pitty mix Enya had her very first private scent work lesson today and absolutely loved it! 🐾 Watching dogs discover how fun and rewarding scent work can be is always the best part. Enya jumped right in, used her nose, and had a blast searching!

Private lessons are a great option for teams who:
• Can’t make a group class schedule
• Prefer 1-on-1 instruction
• Want to see if their dog enjoys the activity before committing to a class

Private scent work lessons are $40 for a 30-minute session!

05/21/2026

I often hear, “He only listens to my partner, not me.”

Dogs don’t automatically respond just because they know a verbal cue (command). They respond best to the people who consistently work with them, reinforce behaviors, and build clear communication over time. 🐾

Training isn’t about “dominance” or stubbornness- it’s about relationship, repetition, and reinforcement. If one person regularly practices skills and follows through while another rarely does, the dog will naturally respond more reliably to the person who’s put in the work.

Think about it this way: if a teacher or coach you’ve never worked with suddenly started giving you orders, would you respond the same way you would to someone you work closely with every day? Probably not. Relationships and communication matter for dogs, too.

05/20/2026

In scent work, we focus on building a dog’s hunt drive, independence, and confidence by first teaching them to search for yummy food before transitioning to odor (essential oil scented Q-tips).

Last night, these Intro to Odor students were introduced to their very first novel target odor: birch! It’s so fun watching the dogs begin to realize that finding the specific target odor gets them paid! 🤑🧀🥓

05/19/2026

Bringing home a puppy is a huge adjustment, especially for an older dog! Sweet 5 month old Callie is learning that her 15 year old canine brother doesn’t always appreciate being followed around and pestered by an energetic little sister 24/7.

It’s completely normal for dogs to grow less tolerant as they age, which is why giving older dogs space, one-on-one time, and breaks from puppy antics can make such a big difference in helping the relationship grow in a positive way. 🐶💛

It’s our job to teach puppies how to interact politely and step in before the older dog feels like they have to always handle it themselves. Crates, gates, x-pens, and supervised interactions are your best friends during the puppy stage!

05/17/2026

Shorts is my buddy but he’s running out of time and has to go back to the shelter environment as early as next week. He does NOT do well in the shelter environment (at all!) and it will be absolutely detrimental to him 😢 His foster mama needs major surgery with a looong recovery time so she has to return him back. She loves him and will go to the ends of the earth for him, including transport him out of state if there’s somewhere for him to go. Please share 🙏

P.S. He would absolutely kill it in dog sports I’m telling you!! Agility, scent work, dock diving, all the things!

From his foster mom:
Running out of time! Please don't make him go back to shelter environment.

Foster OR Foster-to-Adopt Needed NOW!

📣 Adoption fee is covered! (So yes, that means he is free)
Local training included, an initial grooming is included, crate and starter supplies ALL INCLUDED.

Transfer to another rescue out of state is possible.

Current location is Fayette County, GA

Meet Shorts! He was brought into the shelter almost a year ago. He ended up on the euthanasia list, so l agreed to foster him to save his life. If I could keep him I would. He is an amazing dog and I love him, but due to both physical and financial limitations it is simply not possible😭

Shorts is so SUPER smart and will try anything you ask
- swimming, dock diving, hiking, agility courses, kayaks, skateboards, golf carts, fastcat scent work-whatever you can think of he will try it with enthusiasm.
He will make you laugh in the process. He's goofy, but also so determined. 💪

Shorts is:
✅ 2.5 years old
✅ 48 pounds
✅ Fully potty trained
✅ Working on manners / obedience
✅ Started scent work classes
✅ Crate trained (and will chill all day if needed)
✅ Neutered & Up to date on everything

He needs a home with:
* An experienced dog-person
* No small kids
* No cats or other small pets (unless you can keep separated!)
* A fenced yard would be ideal unless you are very active & can walk/run with him daily. He can wait all day while you are at work though!
* No dogs OR very stable non-reactive dogs that are able to deal with his awkwardness.

If you can't adopt, please consider fostering.