Blog
Learn more about our successes, our struggles, and what we have learned from our clients at The Freckled Paw.
The one thing we Guarantee will make a difference in your dog
What is a decompression walk and why are we talking about them with every single one of our clients? Since we work with many different behaviors, we have to say that decompression walks are the single most important thing you can do for your dogs behavioral wellness....
Adding Novelty to your dogs life
Change is scary but everyone loves a shiny new thing. We work hard to buy the new car, the new house, or go on vacation to a new place. The purchase process or travel is stressful, but we keep doing it because of the appeal of the new thing. Having a new car will be...
The closest thing to Magic in Dog Training!
There are no magic wands in dog training but stationing might be the closest thing to magic. Most of the dogs we work with are taught to go to a bed and lie down on cue. Its not flashy, its not complicated but I will tell you, it can solve lots of problems. Filling...
Delayed Reinforcement
Fun fact about me: I go to the gym at OrangeTheory a few times a week (usually). One of the things I love most about my gym is that I get a report at the end of every class with a bunch of statistics about my workout. Yesterday my heart rate monitor died right at the...
Is using treats in dog training bribery?
My favorite myth about positive reinforcement training is that using treats is bribery. I am very careful to make sure my clients are not holding the treat in front of their dogs face and asking for a behavior. Treats before behavior is bribery, treats after behavior...
The Reinforcer we forget about!
People pay therapists lots of money to discuss their relationships and how to make them better. There are more facebook groups, and web pages dedicated to understanding other people and how to improve your relationship with your friend/spouse/neighbor/parents. Most of...
Recalls: Don’t abuse them!
One of the top requests from our clients must be a dog who comes when called. We have so many requests that we teach a class on the beach that spends 3 weeks going over this one skill. As a dog trainer, how do I get a dog who comes back to me every time? Dogs are not...
Give your dog a job: Your dogs paycheck
Every dog works for a paycheck Most people are very stingy with their dogs' paychecks. I think I tell people to increase the number of treats they are giving every single appointment. Those treats are your dogs paycheck. Are they working for minimum wage or are they...
Dog Training Basics: Reinforcement
What Is Reinforcement The definition of Reinforcement is the process of encouraging or establishing a belief or behavior, especially by encouragement or reward. This concept is something we use everyday when we interact with our co-workers, our family, or the grocery...
Honeymoon is over: The first 3 weeks with puppy
Having a puppy is not easy yall! There is change in routine, the other dogs are displaced, you have another being to keep an eye on. Puppies get into things, they pee in the house, they chew stuff, and try to kill themselves by leaping off the back of the couch. If...
Puppy Training: The Crate
Crate Training the Puppy One of the most essential life skills my dogs possess is their ability to be crated comfortably. For safety reasons they are in their car crates when we travel, they are crated when we are not home and when one of the herdy dogs needs a break...
New Puppy: The first 3 days
Puppy: The First Three Days My first three days with a puppy looks much like my first 3 days with a new dog. If you remember in July when we brought Toad home, everyone was on a rotation schedule. For Toad, he spent some time in his kennel when he was not being...
Picking your Puppy
Picking out a Puppy Everyone loves a puppy. It is easy to get wrapped up in their toe beans and floof. Puppy breath is magical, and can sway even the strongest of people. This is why having goals in mind for your puppy before you meet them is a great idea. This keeps...