High Hopes Dog Training

12/01/2026

Chester, the deaf English Setter from Wyoming, had his third Zoom lesson. We talked a lot about how to get Chester's attention while outside and around distractions which can be a challenge for deaf dogs. Here is Chester's parents' homework:
--Keep Chester on a long line around distractions and reward him with a high value jackpot when he checks in with them, does Touch, does Look.
--Conduct training sessions in the back yard, front yard, garage, and driveway, gradually ending up in the space where they walk him.
--The sign "Walk" means a working walk which includes Heel, Look, Touch, Leave it, and Stay.
--The Sign "Time to Sniff/Smell" means a Sniffari which includes exploration and investigation with check-ins here and there.
--Practice a system for a negative consequence if Chester ignores his parents asking him to check in at the park. This would be a time out in the car.
Chester's parents work diligently on their High Hopes homework and are determined to teach Chester many signs, so that they can always communicate with him. They impress me!

08/01/2026

Can you guess what breed(s) I am?

Hi there! I am two-year-old Benji and was rescued from a neglectful backyard breeder. For almost two months, my new family was unable to teach me very much and was genuinely concerned that I may not be able to learn new things. Well, my first Zoom lesson with Hope proved them wrong! My mom and I learned lots of new things together with Hope's help, and it was FUN!

08/01/2026

Pretty Freya is working towards taking the test soon!

07/01/2026

It's time to vote for your favorite local businesses in the BEST OF issue of The Roanoker Magazine!
VOTING PERIOD: January 7 – Feb 2, 2026
Nomination Round: January 7th through 18th, 2026
Finalist Round: January 21st through February 2nd, 2026

From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for the many years of support. Please show your support again this year for High Hopes and your other favorite local businesses. It means so much to small business owners!

The Roanoker magazine's Best of Roanoke Reader’s Poll is celebrating 40 incredible years in 2026, and this milestone is set to be our biggest and most competitive reader poll ever! Nominate your favorites before the final round today!

05/01/2026

Happy Monday! My name is Penny, and I am a 5-month-old Vizsla. Hope and my family have been working on Zoom to address all of the puppy stuff--play-biting, house-training, interaction with my kids, crate-training, nice manners...Phew! There's a lot to learn as a puppy! This week I am meeting Hope with helper dog, Chimi, to work on building up my confidence. I am timid when away from my home and nervous in new environments. I am excited to meet Hope in person and explore a park with a new dog friend. Look for photos later this week!

04/01/2026

January is International Train Your Dog Month. If you have a resident dog, teach him or her new things or review old things. If you have a new dog, get going on teaching him or her everything they need to know! High Hopes can help with our online training videos, our one-on-one Zoom lessons, and our in-person lessons. Message me for more information!

31/12/2025

Hello, friends. It's Lucy here to tell you about my second in-person lesson with Hope. First, though, if you are looking to add a dog to your family in the future, please consider adopting a "special needs" dog. Even though I am deaf and missing an eye, I can still learn and play and be a well-mannered companion. The training might look a little different, and I may need some special management, but it isn't all that different than having a non-special needs dog. Aren't we all special with our own individual needs?

My second lesson consisted of addressing some problem behaviors like barking, recall, separation anxiety, and jumping. Hope taught me and my mom how to practice:
--Quiet
--Come & Get It
--Treasure Hunt for being home alone
--Protocol for jumping

I feel more secure because I can now figure out what my Mom wants me to do. My mom can manage my behavior better now that she has a way to communicate with me. Hooray!

31/12/2025

Hello, friends. It's Lucy here to tell you about my second in-person lesson with Hope. First, though, if you are looking to add a dog to your family in the future, please consider adopting a "special needs" dog. Even though I am deaf and missing an eye, I can still learn and play and be a well-mannered companion. The training might look a little different, and I may need some special management, but it isn't all that different than having a non-special needs dog. Aren't we all special with our own individual needs?

My second lesson consisted of addressing some problem behaviors like barking, recall, separation anxiety, and jumping. Hope taught me and my mom how to practice:
--Quiet
--Come & Get It
--Treasure Hunt for being home alone
--Protocol for jumping

I feel more secure because I can now figure out what my Mom wants me to do. My mom can manage my behavior better now that she has a way to communicate with me. Hooray!

28/12/2025

Lennie here. I had my second lesson with Hope this week. She taught my parents how to play Touch Tag, which includes me running from person to person to target their hands. It was fun and teaches me recall which is so important for safety. We also worked on bell-ringing, place, and look. I am between 5-7 years old, and I can still learn new behaviors just like a puppy can. Make sure you work with your older dogs and teach them new things. They will enjoy it, and it's good for their brains!

27/12/2025

Chester, the deaf English Setter from Wyoming, had his second Zoom lesson with me. His parents say that he has definitely calmed down and seems to be settling in as they are able to communicate with him more and more. Communication is the key to bonding, feeling secure, and thriving in a new home.

Here's what I taught Chester's parents (and Chester's parents taught him):
--Look and Touch without a lure
--Stay
--Leave it
--Easy/Gentle while playing, interacting with the cat, taking treats
--How to incorporate the following signs in Chester's daily routine:
car ride, outside, go potty, eat, water, let's go, Chester's name

Training is easy to do and understand via Zoom. Mooshi, The Deaf Tripawd Pitbull is a wonderful helper as he demonstrates the behaviors with me. Chester and his parents are motivated to learn as much as they can from us. I love that!!

25/12/2025

Merry Christmas from Mooshi, The Deaf Tripawd Pitbull!

21/12/2025

Still struggling with those last few gifts to purchase? How about the gift of dog training?! Seven weeks of online training along with a 30-minute Zoom session with Hope for just $49.95. What a DEAL!
Go to www.high-hopes.net and click on Online Courses for more information and to purchase. Thank you for supporting a small, local business this holiday season!