Doggy Dojo: Train, Play, Rescue

29/07/2025

Alumni Check-In: Summer Edition

Emma and her Mom, Lisa, threw us a check-in today from The Beach.
This picture is such a triumph for the two of them. When we first met, Emma was a skittish little girl fresh out of the Rescue Life. Likewise, Lisa being a passionate and compassionate person, she was unbelievably concerned about making sure she was "doing the right thing" for Emma. Having just fallen head over heels for Emma, her emotional investment in making sure they were gonna have the brightest future together possible, was both spectacular and profound.
They were both a bundle of nerves. The thing about nervous energy is that it's like a snowball rolling down a mountain. The bigger it gets, the faster it goes. The faster it goes, the bigger it gets until there's an avalanche.

The two of 'em needed some reassurance.
Emma needed to know she could trust Lisa and Lisa needed to learn how to communicate to Emma, "I got your back, Girl", in dog language.

Fast forward a few months, some home visits out to their place, a bunch of leash and confidence sessions at The Dojo.... and Socialization... I'm pretty sure they had a perfect attendance record at Professor Mike's Weekend Puppy Party's and Distraction Classes... and we're off-leash and living "that Best Dog Life".

All My Love, Ladies.

Get out there and make some memories and have some ... just make sure to get us some pics.

😍😍😂😂😉😉😍😍

04/07/2025

I mean, yellow and blue are my favorite colors...
It's a sign, right?
It must be a sign.

😉😉😍😍
🤫🤫🤫🤫

24/06/2025

We will be taking tmrw evening off from our new Pack Walk event.

Sharon Harmony and I are both bummed.

The combination of the heat, the pavement temperatures, the possibility of heatstroke or even bloat...
No training or social event is worth risking a Vet trip for your pup or an ER visit for yourself or human loved ones.

Stay Home, Stay Cool.

We'll be sharing a few other PSA style posts in the coming days about your pup's summer time safety including a special one about something called bloat and a link to our website Learning Library to a blog article written for us by a Doggy Dojo Alumni!

In the meantime...
Check out this info graphic about Heatstroke and your dog.
It was generated by some folks in the Boxer community. Because dogs "air-cool" through respiration, Boxers and their stubby snouts are particularly susceptible to it. Diligent Boxer parents usually end up experts in watching for the warning signs.

I stumbled on the post through a wonderful local trainer/friend of mines page who was sharing it with her community.
Please reshare!

15/06/2025

The Dad's are serious about getting their personal time in this weekend.
In an odd twist of karma and the Universe, all the players at Social this week were ladies, both Hooman and Doggo?!
So, Fathers Day morphed into Ladies Night...

Like Cyndi Lauper said, "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", so we decided to put the leashes away and let the ladies play.

They turned Chico's Gym into a She-Shed?!?!

😉😉😂😂😉😉😂😂

12/06/2025

Wednesday Evening Pack Walk!

We're getting the hang of this.
On only our second excursion into the Pistol Creek park, we've developed a few favorite spots to take pit stop breaks to give the dogs and the humans a break, and quite a few more to improv and integrate Distraction and Impulse Control drills into the event.

Sharon Harmony is going to be taking lead on directing and steering the parade in the coming weeks when it goes live and becomes our first a la carte event.
Cost will be twenty dollars per family and can be paid by credit or debit card when you rsvp through a scheduler.

These are gonna be some of our most fun .

10/06/2025

It's been a minute since I've posted any videos from actual coaching and training sessions.

In proud of these two right here.
Our girl Abygail is a little superstar. She presented, at first, as a little Tazmanian Devil. Her energy was not just overwhelming, it was overwhelming her new family too. After spending most of her pre-rescue life on a tie out... who could blame her for having a rambunctious streak. 😉
Her family has been tremendous throughout their Intro and Intermediate programs. Their Growth together has been inspirational.

Tonight they learned a little about off leash commandabiliy using an old exercise they mastered on leash a couple of weeks ago, this time dropping the leash for the first time and flying solo.

The community videos of Social and Distraction and now the Pack Walks are just so social media ready, and so special to me, that I've been highlighting them... but I had to get this one in.

I'm proud of this family, they're all gonna have one heck of life together.




🤩😉🤩😉

10/06/2025

Three things Jameson learned at The Dojo today:

1) How to treat a dog underhand.
2) We don't hug dogs BECAUSE We Love Them.
3) Pupperoni isn't for humans.

😉😉😂😂😉😉😂😂

Jameson's GranAuntie is one of The Doggy Dojo's O.A.
Original Alumni.
Her and I, and Tucker the Trucker go back. Before there was a building to The Dojo, Tucker and I traveled the state in the Blazer Training Playing and Rescuing.
They were one of the first four or five families to believe in me. They helped me believe that there could be a Doggy Dojo someday.
I'll keep ya posted on their new puppies journey with us.

05/06/2025

Pack Walk?!
What?!

Two minutes of some K-9 Harmony and Dojo Dawg bliss on a Weds afternoon.
Our trial run of our Pack Walk didn't just go according to plan, it went better than we could have hoped for.
For our little beta test we put together a handpicked, all-star crew of our Dojo Dawg regulars and their humans to take stroll through the grounds of Pistol Creek.
Human distractions, the local dog park and wooden bridges provided the oppourtunity for some fantastic improv training in a real world environment.
It was also one of the most smile filled events in recent Dojo history.
😃😄😁😆😁😄😃

Our philosophy of "Kaizen", continous improvement, extends to all parts of the Dojo and not just the actual dog training. That means we'll be sitting down and talking about how to refine the experience for dogs and humans alike before we offer this one up on the regular on the events calendar.... but look for it to become a hallmark of our community and our calendar in the near future.

30/05/2025

Hey, Everybody.
This guy is on the loose in the vicinity of the Doggy Dojo.
While he isn't a member of the Doggy Dojo, a Dojo Dawg, lets do our civic duty and keep an eye out for him?

⭐️⭐️REUNITED!⭐️⭐️
ACE was found tonight by his family. Someone spotted him very close to the areas where he got lost. The owner went right over. Initially he ran but then he realized it was his dad and he came to him. He is safe and home. Got a bath before he is tucked in for the night. Welcome home sweetie. Thank you to the person who called in the sighting. Great work by the family. Thank you CTDGRV Carol for providing guidance and CTDGRV Lisa for helping to get the posters up. If anyone wants to join in the celebration please feel free to take down a poster if you can do it safely. Best wishes Ace, CTDGRV wishes you a wonderful and happy life.

Missing in Rocky Hill. He is a friendly dog but skittish. Best, if spotted, if the family is contacted and they make the attempt to lure him in. If you see him please call the family immediately with the exact location and behavior of the dog. Provide a street address, cross street or landmark. Do not post the sighting we need to keep the area quiet for this dog so we can safely bring him in. Please share.

25/05/2025

Stop by and say Hi to our friends out at the ice cream Caboose at Perrotti's Country Barn this long weekend.

It’s opening day!! We are here all weekend serving delicious ice cream treats for you all! 🍦🍦🍦🍦

17/05/2025

2 Minutes of my Canine Bliss on a Saturday Morning.

Our Social Sessions are intended to be just that, social... and informal.
For a lot of these dogs being able to be clear minded in a room full of other dogs and humans is an acquired skill. Since many of them acquired fearfulness, anxiety or even reactivity in their past lives, prior to their rescue by their current Furever family and their training at our Doggy Dojo that's no small feat.

Our Distraction Class that follows the Social Session is... a little bit more... structured, and a lot more intense.
I'll try to get ya some footage of tomorrow's Distraction sessions. 😉

Until then,
and enjoy your .

05/05/2025

While this little one isn't a "Dojo Dawg", he is missing in the vicinity of The Dojo.

Friends, Dojo Family that live in the area... keep your eye out.
The folks at CT Dog Gone Recovery Volunteer Network are wonderful people and can use our help.

Missing in Cromwell.
💰 Generous reward 💰

He is a VERY skittish boy. TOGETHER WITH CROMWELL ANIMAL CONTROL WE ARE REQUESTING THE FOLLOWING: Do not attempt to catch, follow, or call out to this dog. Leave the dog alone. You will only chase if further away. Animal Control and our team are trying to keep the dog in the same area so we can set up a trap. Chasing this dog will only push it out of the targeted area or into a road where it can get hit by a car. If you see the dog, call dispatch or the number below with exactly area where the dog is located- provide the street and house number/landmark, direction of travel, and time. Do not post sighting on social media. We need this dog to feel safe and settle into an area so we can trap. To help: please share this link, check your cameras, and call if seen.