Affinity Dog Academy

02/08/2026

Living in Oregon a rainy day routine is a must to help prevent cabin fever. This is what I do with my dogs on a rainy day to stay dry and warm while meeting their needs. Fulfilling them physically and mentally and still being able to entertain my two young kids.

Treadmill > Breakfast in Kong Wobbler > Place Time

I rotate all three dogs until each one has completed all three, getting it all done in about an hour and everyone is content for the rest of the day with potty breaks. Plus when we have long stretches of raining days nobody becomes restless.

01/19/2026

Happy Sunday everyone!

01/08/2026

My number 1 tips when using marker words -

Always say your marker words before you reach for a treat or correct a behavior. We want it to be clear that the word is the marker and nothing else.

Dogs learn last with their ears so if we say our marker word at the same time that we reach for a treat or correct that will likely be what the dog associates with a behavior.

That can make it hard to fade treats out of the equation and/or cause unwanted connections between behaviors and the environment they’re in.

01/03/2026

Happy new year everyone! I don’t know who all is still here as I’ve been gone a long time, much longer than I had intended. A year longer in fact, my initial goal was to get back to work last January when my youngest was about 6 months old, but a month before I planned on coming back I lost my dog of 15 years, Makua. He was the one that started me on this journey and ignited this passion in me to help you. He was my gift from God. Makua was with me from the time I was 12 years old, he watched me grow, learn, teach others, and experience many firsts, and his time was done, he had fulfilled his purpose here. I have worked professionally with only 1 dog since his passing, which I didn’t share because it didn’t feel right, I didn’t feel like myself. Directly following that I had to have an urgent surgery. After that I decided to take a step back to focus on being a mom to my two boys, and wife to my husband, and take care of the dogs I still have with me. I’m here to announce, I still don’t feel like myself, honestly I never will be, I have changed and evolved. I have rediscovered old hobbies, I am healthier and more active, and in turn so is my family.
All this to say, I want to get back to into training, and I’d like to start by being more active on here, I have started working on a few posts but I am curious, what are somethings you’d like to see, what are some questions you have?

04/07/2024

04/03/2024

Let me tell you a story…

It’s not dog training related, but this quote applies to much more than just dog training.

My son was born 9 weeks early at only 2lbs 2oz. He was in the NICU for 2 1/2 months and over came many battles over the course of that time, some being anemia, infection, and blood clots. He gained over 4 pounds during his hospital stay coming home 6 1/2 pound baby.

But one thing he hadn’t been able to tackle was a bottle, he was only gaining weight because of a feeding tube that went through his nose. All of this was definitely a journey for him but also me and his dad, a tube fed baby is not easy. Especially as they get older and begin to notice the tube and try to tear it out (ultimately succeeding at times) or having to confine him for long periods of time waiting for the food to go down. He hated it, and I wanted nothing more than for him to just eat on his own, we had help for therapists and doctors, but nothing was working he wouldn’t eat, it was torture!

But I didn’t stop, I searched for different solutions, I was desperate for him to eat as he was running out time, if he didn’t start eating he’d need surgery to have a permanent feeding tube placed. And finally I found something! A feeding program based out of Australia, I bought the book and followed everything to a T and we made progress (not without some struggles) but we were heading in the right direction, finally!

All of this to say, there were many times I was feeling burnt out, and felt like just giving up and letting the doctors do what they wanted since there were no obvious solutions. But I kept going, kept pushing and we made it through!

04/01/2024

We are expecting!

I have a baby due in July, so I will be taking a break from board and trains, don’t hesitate to book ahead of time though!

We will be starting board and trains back up in January or if you’d like help with your dog before then I do offer private sessions , day training for puppies, and structured boarding!

Click below for more details ⬇️
affinitydogacademy.com

04/01/2024

If you only hold your dog accountable sometimes, your dogs will only follow through some of the time.
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Letting your dog get away with things at home “because it’s not a big deal” but being really strict when situations change creates gaps in communication confusing our dogs.
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At home x, y, z means, one thing but then when the environment changes it doesn’t.

03/30/2024

Consistency is key when it comes to reaching your goals
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And a sustainable routine will help you stay consistent
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If you’re rearranging you’re whole day to fit in training with your dog instead of fitting training into your day - it will be harder to remain consistent and in turn make it harder for yourself to reach your goals.

03/29/2024

Not only do dogs benefit from walks but we do too!

•Increased Cardiovascular health
•Stronger bones
•Improved balance
And more!

A win-win for you and your dog!

And it’ll only take up 20-30 minutes of your day to reap these amazing benefits!

03/27/2024

The place command is such a versatile skills for our dogs to know - aiding in their ability to “switch off” and our ability to coexisted peacefully in the home with them!
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If you’re struggling with place try
• Putting a leash on
• Using an elevated cot
• Varying the amount of time your dog spends on place each time
• Waiting till your dog is completely relaxed before releasing them off
• Adding in controlled distractions when practicing place!