Heidi's Haven Canine Camp Dog Boarding and Training

05/10/2026

Dog behavior will always fascinate me. When I lived in WV, me and a friend would get together at each other's homes- with some dogs from the visitor's home- and just sit and watch dog behavior. Watch our pups from two "packs" communicate appropriately. Miss those fun relaxing gatherings Hope Stewart. 😊🐶🐕

05/10/2026

Knowing how to desensitize a dog can help reduce your dog's over reaction to common daily stimuli keeping them well behaved and focused.

05/10/2026

The concept "reinforced by the environment" is important. We have to offer a higher reward than the squirrel, car, etc. 😊

If you’re working toward dog training without physical corrections or intimidation, there will be moments where your dog does something you didn’t expect… and suddenly it feels unclear what to do next.

That moment is what I call “the gap.”

The gap is where you’ve left behind blame and punishment, but haven’t yet built the clarity and confidence to handle unexpected moments.

In this blog, we explore:
🐾 Why positive dog training is not permissive dog training
🐾 What to focus on when your dog is being reinforced by the environment
🐾 Why dogs “don’t listen” in distracting environments
🐾 How to build education and value before raising expectations

Because when your dog makes a choice you don’t like, it’s information, not proof your dog is “wrong.”

Read the latest blog through the link in the comments!

05/10/2026

Many people think dog training means we have to teach our dogs how we expect them to behave, controlling their choices by saying things like "No!" or "Don't!" or "Stop that!" But the real magic happens when we set our dogs up for success to make their own confident, independent choices.

Many years ago I introduced my ItsYerChoice (IYC) game and it’s the greatest gift I could ever give you and your dog. Instead of trying to control your dog, you learn how to give them the clarity and confidence to make great choices on their own.

Whether you have a puppy, a rescue dog, a senior, or anything in between, every dog who struggles with impulse control will benefit from ItsYerChoice. This simple game teaches our dogs how they can earn reinforcement through good choices. Hundreds of thousands of dogs have learned not to jump on counters or steal food. This is the foundation of every game I ever play with my dogs.

To dive deeper into this game and see how it can change your dog's life, check out the full blog post below, where you will also find a link to join us in our newly updated ItsYerChoice Summit. When we train our dogs with kindness and clarity, they gain the confidence to make great choices for life.

Read the full blog post through the link in the comments!

05/06/2026

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05/06/2026

03/30/2026

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.

03/30/2026

Reinforcement drives behavior. I said this a few weeks ago, but it's worth repeating.

If mom rewards twice as much as dad, who do you think the dog is going to work for more? Or if mom is rewarding with meatballs but dad is using dry biscuits? And honestly, who can blame the dog?

We all expect to be paid for our work, and it makes complete sense to put in more effort where the payoff is better. Think of it this way. You're a landscaper with two neighbors who both need their identical lawns mowed. One pays $50. The other pays $100. Which yard are you showing up for first?

Your dog is doing the exact same math.

This is why "my dog only listens to my husband" or "she does so much better in class than at home" are not personality quirks or dominance issues. They are reinforcement history. Whoever has consistently paid more, more often, with higher value rewards has built a stronger performance from that dog.

You are not getting lucky when your dog listens. Your dog is making a calculated choice based on what they have learned pays off.

The good news? You can change that history starting today.

Full blog post at the link below.

02/13/2026

Balanced dog training is anything but as negative reinforcement can heavily outweigh any positive reinforcement in a dog's mind.