Favorite Resources

&

Recommendations

 

Pro Training Tips:

  • Short training sessions: 10-15 minutes, 2-3 times a day. If you have a young puppy, consider 5-10 minutes. It’s better to have an excellent short training session than a longer one where you both are stressed and tired.
  • Positively reinforce behaviors you prefer: remember to mark with “yes!” to let your dog know they’ve done the right behavior and reinforce their correct choice with something your dog loves. Make sure the reinforcement comes AFTER the mark so your dog clearly understands what the preferred behavior was.
  • Do not repeat your dog’s name or the cue over and over. Give your pup time to think and make a decision. If, after patiently waiting while your dog thinks a bit, you would like to say it once more, that’s ok. If your pup still does not give you the behavior, ask yourself “how can I help my dog succeed?”
  • If you feel frustrated with training, your dog probably does too. Stop and briefly train something that your dog is very good at, end on a good note. Later, think about where the frustration may have come in and work on it next time. If you’re not sure, it’s a great thing to check with your trainer about! That’s what I’m here for.
  • Think about the treats that you’re using. Are they motivating enough? Could you use something less or more valuable to your dog? Are they small enough that you can use a high rate of reward when training something new? If your dog gets filled too quickly, his learning will slow because his motivation has lessened. Did you fade the treat too soon?
  • Think about distractions around your training area. Can your dog really handle what you’re asking in this area? Should you move to a quieter area? Is your dog ready for a little more distraction?

Favorite Products:

Our clients are always asking what things we recommend for help in training, so we’ve added products here to help answer some of our most asked questions. These items are products that we use personally for our dogs as well as in training with client dogs. They can be found on Amazon and in some of your local pet stores. Pet People has become our “go to” store for great dog essentials in Charlotte. As always, please feel free to reach out to us any questions you may have. We’re happy to help!

Please know that some of the links below are paid affiliate links for which we receive small compensation.

Pet Products

No pull Harness

20′ Training Leash

Training Clickers

Zuke’s Mini Training Treats

Bil-Jac Little Jacs

PureBites

Ziwi Peak

Real Meat Fish & Venison

Plato Natural Duck Treats

Kong Wobbler

Classic Kong

The Brick

Lick Mats

IQ Treat Ball

Slow Bowl

Natural Farm bully Sticks

Bully Buddy

EcoKind Himalayan Chew

Flirt Poles

Snuffle Mat Puzzle

Claw Guard

Orvis Embroidered Collar

Slide On Pet ID Tag

Clean Run Lotus Ball Puzzle Toy

Blink Mini Plug-in Smart Security Camera