Happy Tailz Dog Training

03/14/2026

Did you know that literally anyone can call themselves a dog trainer? In the US, there's no licensing or education requirements and no government oversight. It's buyer beware!

That's why knowing the red flags before hiring a trainer is so important. If someone is promising guaranteed results, being cagey about their methods, or still talking about dominance and pack theory... it's time to keep scrolling or walk away.

Your dog deserves someone who uses training methods backed by actual science, and you deserve a trainer who is open, transparent, and honest about how they work.

Save this for later and share it with someone who has a dog. It might just save them from a really frustrating (and expensive) experience.

Read more in my post this week.

02/19/2026

Mental exercise is just as important as physical when it comes to your pup’s health and happiness. Every Happy Tailz Doggy Day Camp includes a long Sniffari to let them explore and basically daydream through their snout. Then we train, socialize and play to round out a half or full day of fun!

WHO’S THE WALK FOR ANYWAY?

Imagine being taken on a long-anticipated walk, through different scenery with exciting smells after being cooped up in the same place all day, but you have been fitted with a blind fold and are being dragged or yanked along at a fast pace, maybe having to walk to heel on a short, tight leash.

I imagine that this is how dogs feel when we don’t allow them time to stop, sniff and explore the environment.

Dogs largely perceive the world through scent - it’s how they collect and process information to help the world make sense.

Taking away an opportunity for sniffing on a walk really isn’t being fair.

As much as physical exercise is important, the mental stimulation that sniffing provides is equally, if not more important.

Allowing dogs to choose when to stop and sniff provides so many benefits – increases self-confidence and resilience, promotes calmness, lowers stress and anxiety levels, lowers pulse rates, reduces cognitive decline in older dogs and provides important mental and environmental enrichment.

Make time for a slow sniffing walk when you can, where your dog is allowed to choose which direction to go and allowed time to just investigate, interpret, process the environment and follow wherever their nose leads them.

It may take far more time and patience as we wait for them to finish smelling that particular blade of grass, but the benefits are well worth it – after all, who is the walk really for anyway?

02/13/2026

Puppy biting can really get to you.
Not just physically but emotionally too.

You can love your puppy and still feel exhausted, frustrated, and a bit defeated by it all.

They bite when they’re excited.
They bite when they’re frustrated.
They bite when they’re tired, overwhelmed, teething or not quite sure what to do with themselves.

The good news is this is communication.

It is information you can use to adjust how you play, how much interaction they are getting, when naps happen and how busy their day really is.

What often helps most is not doing more.
More entertaining.
More exercise.
More reacting.
Even more trying to stop it.

It is often about doing a little less.

Less constant hand play.
Less non stop interaction when they are awake.
Less pressure to always be "on".

Sometimes though more really is needed, just not the kind people usually think of.

More rest.
More sleep.
More quiet time.

And for some puppies who are under stimulated, it may be more short training games, more gentle engagement, or more chances to build confidence in small, manageable ways.

Puppy mouthing is normal.
It means your puppy is still learning how to exist in a human world.
We tend to expect self control very early and very quickly from puppies who simply are not there yet.

This stage passes.
Especially when puppies feel safe, supported and guided and not constantly in "trouble" for something they don't yet know how to do differently.

If this is where you are at right now, you're not alone.
You're not failing your puppy.

You are just in the middle of a really normal, really hard stage.

02/09/2026

Big Marine Park Reserve
Three serene hiking loops of snouterrific sniffing through woods and wetland. Nose dog nirvana and a favorite stop on Happy Tailz Doggy Day Camp walks!
17495 Manning Trail N, Marine On St. Croix, MN
Would your pup like a trail walk? Schedule a half or full day Happy Tailz Day Camp for socialization, training and play, play, play.

02/09/2026

Nothing builds a stronger bond with your new puppy (adult dogs, too) than positive-reinforcement training together. Small group classes (6 dogs maximum) mean more personal attention from your certified trainer. Private classes are available to fit your busy schedule. And our half or full day Doggie Day Camp includes valuable training, socialization and play, play, playtime. "Train Fun" today and build a bond that lasts a lifetime.

02/08/2026

My favorite post of the week! Mental exercise is as important as physical exercise for dogs of all ages. As a part of our “Train Fun” approach, we incorporate games into all of our classes and our dogs love it!

Puzzle Stations: Brain Workouts for Your Border Collie 🧩🐾

At Emerald Park, I know that Border Collies aren’t just athletic. They’re cognitive athletes. One of the best ways to nurture their intelligence, focus, and emotional wellbeing is through Puzzle Stations.

What are Puzzle Stations?
Puzzle Stations are structured problem-solving setups that challenge your dog to think, plan, and manipulate objects to access a reward. They can range from treat-dispensing toys to multi-step interactive stations designed to engage both mind and body.

The Science Behind Them:

🔹 Cognitive Enrichment: Puzzle Stations stimulate the prefrontal cortex, the brain region responsible for executive functions like planning, decision-making, and working memory. Regular mental challenges strengthen neural pathways and improve problem-solving endurance.

🔹 Neuroplasticity: Engaging with puzzles promotes synaptic growth and connectivity, a process called neuroplasticity. This helps Border Collies maintain cognitive flexibility and adaptiveness throughout life.

🔹 Dopamine & Reward Systems: Successfully completing a puzzle triggers dopamine release, reinforcing motivation and persistence. Reward-driven learning is key to both training success and mental satisfaction.

🔹 Stress Reduction & Emotional Regulation: When a Border Collie engages in controlled problem-solving, it exercises self-regulation circuits in the brain. This can reduce anxiety, frustration, and destructive behaviors linked to boredom.

🔹 Multi-Sensory Engagement: Puzzle Stations can incorporate smell, touch, and spatial reasoning, enhancing sensory integration and promoting a richer mental experience.

Puzzle Stations for Puppies 🐶

Even young Border Collie puppies benefit from early cognitive enrichment, but it needs to be gentle and age-appropriate:

Short, simple puzzles: Puppies have limited attention spans. One-step treat puzzles or soft object manipulation games build confidence without overwhelming them.

Sensory exploration: Puzzles that involve different textures, scents, and sounds help develop sensory pathways critical for future problem-solving.

Positive reinforcement: Early successes trigger dopamine release, reinforcing persistence and curiosity from a young age.

Gradual complexity: As the puppy grows, you can slowly introduce multi-step puzzles to develop working memory, focus, and resilience.

Starting mental enrichment early helps puppies develop neural persistence, self-control, and emotional regulation, setting the stage for a lifelong love of learning and problem-solving.

At Emerald Park, Puzzle Stations aren’t just games. They’re neuroscience-based enrichment tools that promote mental agility, emotional wellbeing, and lifelong learning in Border Collies of all ages.

💡 Fun Fact: Puppies exposed to safe, age-appropriate puzzles often show better focus, faster learning, and calmer behavior as adults. Mental exercise is just as important as physical play!

- Donna Williams,
Emerald Park Border Collies
www.emeraldparkbc.com

"Now is the perfect time to apply for an Emerald Park Border Collie Puppy."

02/08/2026

02/01/2026

A socialized puppy is a happy and healthy puppy. Have your new fur kids meet new people and fur friends while experiencing new sights, surfaces and sounds at Happy Tailz Puppy Kindergarten. They'll learn valuable skills and cues while you learn the best methods for potty training, crate training, nutrition, teething and more. It's puppy season and our next class is filling up fast, so contact us with any questions or enroll today!

Happy Tailz Dog Training in Stillwater, Minnesota offers positive-reinforcement training to teach your new puppy, adult, or special rescue valuable skills and good manners. Small group classes with 6 dogs max deliver personal attention to you and your dog. Private classes on your schedule for one-on...

01/30/2026

Your dog’s weight plays a huge role in their long-term health, and getting their portion size right is one of the best things you can do for them.

To work out the correct daily amount of food, you’ll need:

1. Your dog’s ideal weight for their age and breed (in lbs or kg)

2. Their activity level — from low-energy to highly active or working dog

3. The calorie content of their food (kcal per cup, listed on the packaging)

Once you have these three details, you can use the portion calculator on our website to find your dog’s ideal daily serving. The link is in our stories.

If you’re not sure of your dog’s ideal weight, try a Body Condition Check. It’s a simple visual and hands-on assessment that scores your dog from 1–9, with 4–5 being the healthiest range. It involves feeling for their ribs and checking how defined their waist is. Our experts have created an easy guide on our website here:
https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-feeding-tips/dog-food-calculator/

01/29/2026

Dogs are our very best friends! But how did that bond develop and how can you grown your bond? Read our 10 tips to improve your dog-human bond!