My Pup's Friend

Giving meaning to “No” can prove to be impossible without your dog understanding the meaning behind it. This is where our 3 step correction process has proven vital in working through some of the toughest behaviors. The main purpose for this is for their safety and the safety of whoever your pup is around!

This is intended to be used for “naughty” behaviors including, but not limited to: jumping, nipping, chewing, getting caught urinating/pooping inside, etc.

1) Flag

Flag the behavior with “No.”

2) Correct

Calmly grab leash and give a pop up on the collar. Enforce an implied “Sit.”

3) Reset

If necessary, heel to calm down when not responding to first 2 corrections.

Our goal here is to give true meaning and understanding to “No” in a way that your dog can interpret. Yelling, swatting, etc are not acceptable, as your pup will never understand what you are asking and you will simply be inciting a fear-based response. With time, we will phase out the tug up as your dog will understand what “No” means!

Timing: The timing of the verbal “No” is the most important thing. Do not run to give the physical correction, even if your dog decides to play the chase game, as the verbal marker is what we are wanting to stop the behavior in the future.

Set it up on your terms: If you are just waiting for the dog to do something as we work through their behaviors, they will learn to do it when you are not watching, losing an opportunity to work them through it. Setting them up on our terms allows us to work them through it, but also give them a positive outcome by praising them for making the correct decision. We are always pushing for positivity in training and this is how you work through it with unwanted behaviors and build your pup’s confidence in being a part of your family!

Be Ready!: The biggest mistake you can make is never being ready to work your pup through something. For example, if we are working on jumping and we know someone is over, make sure we have a leash and collar on so we can work your pup through it and create a positive experience in meeting someone that doesn’t involve jumping!

Reach Out With Questions: Reach out with any questions you have! I have included some frequently asked questions below, but you may have another one that I need to add!

1. Do I need to keep the collar and leash on 24/7?​
   • ​​​Initially, training will be whenever we are around the pup. Remember, consistency and strictness are key to getting rid of any behavioral issues we are working through! The collar and leash should only be on while we are monitoring your pup, as we do not want either to get caught on anything while we are not around.
2. How strong do my tugs need to be?
   • ​​​We always want to use the least amount of force required for your pup. This is dependent on many factors including: dog, age, breed, training, relationship with the person handling them, and many others. It is important that we tailor each tug to your dog. A good rule of thumb is to err on the side of being not firm enough and if we need to, we can be a little firmer with the next one. Please reach out with questions on this!
3. What if someone is uncomfortable working with the dog?
   • ​​​If someone is uncomfortable with enforcing rules, someone else can help them do this. For example, children should always have someone working with the dog for them so we ensure your pup is getting the proper feedback so they can adjust accordingly. Another alternative is to use our “Heel” to calm instead of a tug up.
4. Reach out with other questions, as I am always trying to add to this page!