Stone Coast Dog Training

04/22/2025

Kinzy and I are teaching the "chill out" command to this week's board and train.

03/31/2025

Gone Exploring!

Heads up, awesome clients and pup parents — my dog training business is hitting "paws" for the next 8 days! I’ll be off the grid, hiking through the stunning Fiordland National Park in New Zealand (think mountains, fjords, and zero cell service).

I'll be back, recharged and ready to train on April 12th! ! Until then, just waterfalls, wilderness, and maybe a kea or two stealing my snacks. I will return messages and emails starting April 9th.

If your dog starts acting like an untrained gremlin - Be brave, Be strong, Be consistent. And PLEASE don't buy another dog while I'm gone.

03/20/2025

Let's Talk About Pet Insurance!

With the rising costs of veterinary care—especially emergency services—pet insurance has become an invaluable option for pet owners. It can help bridge the gap between financial constraints and providing your pets with the necessary care.

There are many pet insurance options available, and some of the most popular ones include:

Pet’s Best Pet Insurance

Spot Pet Insurance

Figo Pet Insurance

ASPCA Pet Health Insurance

Pumpkin Pet Insurance

Trupanion

Lemonade Pet Insurance

Most pet insurance plans operate on a reimbursement system. This means you'll pay your vet upfront, and the insurance company will reimburse you based on your coverage and plan. Many veterinarians can submit your records directly to the insurer, but you can also handle the process yourself.

Some insurance companies, like Trupanion, offer direct payment to your vet at checkout, as long as your vet is set up to accept it. Here at MAEC, we accept direct payment from Trupanion. If you’re using this insurance, please let us know right away so we can assist with pre-approval and streamline the process.

It’s important to note that most pet insurance policies do not cover pre-existing conditions. For example, if your pet has a chronic issue like skin infections before signing up for insurance, the insurance will likely not cover future treatments for that condition. That’s why it's best to get your pet insured as early as possible to increase the likelihood of coverage for new conditions that may arise.

Which Pet Insurance is Best?

The best pet insurance depends on your pet’s needs and your preferences. Some owners may prefer a plan that covers wellness exams, while others may prioritize emergency care or low monthly premiums. It's essential to evaluate your options and find the plan that suits both you and your pet.

To help with your decision, we recommend using comparison websites like:

Pet Insurance Review – https://www.petinsurancereview.com/

Pawlicy Advisor – https://www.pawlicy.com/

If your pet is older or has multiple pre-existing conditions, you may also want to consider a Care Credit card. This credit-based card can be used for veterinary care and at many medical institutions. It’s a great option for covering unexpected medical expenses.

We understand that navigating pet insurance can be overwhelming, and we hope this guide helps ease the process, enabling you to better prepare for the rising costs of veterinary care and reduce financial stress when it comes to your pet's well-being. As always, please always feel free to reach out by phone or message us on here if you have any questions. We are here to help!

03/18/2025

Well, the cat's out of the bag! 🐾

Yes, Atlas Veterinary Urgent Care will be opening in Augusta! 🎉 It's still early in the process and want you to know we’re aiming for a late summer or early fall 2025 opening at this time!

I couldn’t be more excited to bring this much-needed service to the Augusta, Maine community and surrounding areas. Your support already means the world to me, and I’d love to have you all along for the ride!

Follow this page for updates as we move forward—I can’t wait to share this journey with you! 💙🐶🐱

- Dr. Jen Mirecki

https://www.centralmaine.com/2025/03/12/urgent-care-veterinarian-coming-to-augusta-open-evenings-weekends/

02/25/2025

02/24/2025

02/16/2025

For years, fluoxetine (Prozac) has been pushed as the answer to behavioral problems in dogs. Veterinary behaviorists and force-free advocates love to cite “science-backed” studies to justify long-term medication use. But here’s a big problem, most of these studies are flawed, biased, and rely almost entirely on owner-reported data.
Take, for example, the 2009 study on fluoxetine for compulsive disorders in dogs (Irimajiri et al., J Am Vet Med Assoc). It claimed fluoxetine helped, yet the only improvement came from owners’ OPINIONS, not actual behavioral measurements. When researchers looked at objective data the dogs’ actual behavior logs they found NO SIGNIFICANT difference between the medicated and placebo groups. But guess which result gets cited?🤫
How about the 2007 study on fluoxetine for separation anxiety (Simpson et al., Veterinary Therapeutics). The conclusion? Fluoxetine was effective … but only when paired with a structured behavior modification plan. And yet, thousands of dogs are medicated without any meaningful training, as if a pill can replace actual learning.
Sad reality is that Dogs are being drugged, not rehabilitated.
Ask any serious trainer what happens when they get a dog that’s been on fluoxetine for years. They take the dog off the meds, implement a sound training plan, and SHOCKINGLY the dog improves.
Not because fluoxetine “worked,” but because the dog finally got what it needed: clarity and proper training.
Yet, the AVSAB keeps pushing these medications while dismissing legitimate training as “aversive” or “outdated.” They’d rather chemically suppress behavior than actually address it.
The real question isn’t whether fluoxetine has some effect but why so many dogs improve when you REMOVE the drug and train them properly?!!!
Behavioral change comes from learning, not sedation. It’s time to stop pretending otherwise.
I know I am not the only one noticing that dogs on fluoxetine don’t get better - they just get dull.
The dog isn’t learning or adapting, just becoming more passive.
This can actuallY DELAY proper rehabilitation, because the dog’s emotions and responses are chemically suppressed rather than modified through learning.
Thinking about making a solo podcast to talk about the dog I have in training right now, one of the many that end up euthanized after YEARS of being on SSRI’s and the pandemic of prescribing psychotropics like flea medication

02/14/2025

Dog Trainer friends - only a few spots left! Learn from one of the best! Reach out to Robin if you're interested in sharpening your skills and increasing your ecollar knowledge.

Ecademy 5 Day Train the Trainer Course Update:

Announcing two courses for 2025. Montville, Maine (May22nd - 26th), Estes Park, Colorado (June 12th - 16th)

A few key things to know about the 5 Day Train the Trainer course:

Groups are intentionally kept small so that each student gets significant hands on experience and one to one attention.

All spots are working spots.
A frequent comment about this course is "𝐼'𝑣𝑒 𝑛𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑎 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒 𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑤𝑒 𝑔𝑒𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑜𝑔𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑝𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑒𝑐ℎ𝑛𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑚𝑢𝑐ℎ!”

This Ecademy course is focused on pet dog training.
I am not a former competitor or sport dog trainer. I am pet dog trainer that built a highly successful business that dominated in it’s local market. After 23 years, I sold that company, but rather than retire, I’ve continued my passion to help other pro trainers understand the essential components that success is built on: training skill, exceptional instructing techniques and a bit of business savvy.

This course is worth your time and money, but don't take my word for it, check out this testimonial from a recent attendee.
https://robinmacfarlane.com/testimonial/with-robins-coaching-my-business-has-doubled-in-the-last-year/

I’m only teaching a couple courses next year, so if want to join in, don't kick the bucket on this opportunity, get registered today!

DM or email for details, curriculum and a registration form.
[email protected]

02/04/2025

My condolences to the Maine State Police K9 unit and their extended K9 family. I worked a Police K9 for 24 years of my law enforcement career and the danger was always present. Police K9s put their life on the line so we can continue living ours.

12/25/2024

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah from Stone Coast Dog Training. Keep your dogs curious!

11/22/2024

More than "just a dog"

❣️

11/19/2024

Chameleon or dog? My new board and train likes to blend in.