Your host, Debbie, is a positive trainer with a passion for dogs, their behavior and helping you create a well behaved dog. This is a dog training and behavior podcast that with help you and your new puppy build good healthy habits right from the start. It will also help you understand your dog’s behavior and build a strong, fulfilling, and fun relationship for years to come.
There are SO MANY things we need to train our puppy when we bring them home. It's really easy to get overwhelmed or focus on the wrong things.
In this episode, I talk about the three most important skills you can teach your puppy. Start these skills from day one and you will reap the benefits for years to come.
The three skills I talk about are:
Press play and enjoy!
YOUR Perfect Puppy: 4-week online training course for you and your new puppy.
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Does it feel like your trainer just tells you to stuff your dog's belly full of treats and say then they're trained? Treats are an essential tool to raising our well-mannered dog but the lesson on HOW to use the treats properly gets lost.
And we really want to avoid that place where your dog will only listen if you have a treat in your hand.
Press play and enjoy!
YNP #031: Reward Your Dog Without Treats
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All we want is a peaceful house! When asking two (or three!) different species to live together it can get tricky!
How you introducing your dog and cat depends a lot on the personalities involved. If you have a calm dog and confident cat, count yourself lucky! If you have an excited dog and a shy cat, it's gonna take a little longer.
One of the most important things to keep in mind is not to rush the process. That being said the best thing you can do to speed the process along is to make sure everyone not only IS safe but also FEELS safe.
In this episode, I go over my top tips to introducing your dog and cat. SPOILER ALERT: it has everything to do with making sure your cat feels safe around the dog.
P.S. You can replace "cat" with any pet (that isn't a dog) that your dog needs to share the house or yard with.
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We all have a hundred (ok, ok hundreds) of photos of our dog. But how many are keepers? If you are anything like me you have 600 pictures and 2 end up as keepers
In this episode, let's welcome Allison Shamrell to give us all her best tips on how to get better photos of your dog, even if all you have is a cell phone!
This is a fun episode and I learned so much from Allison and I know you will too!
What we talk about:
You can learn even more from Allison here:
Allison's Free Facebook Group: How to Take Better Photos of Your Dog
Allison's website: Allison Shamrell Pet Photography
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A strong recall is one of the most important behaviors your dog can have. It's also something that takes LOTS OF WORK!!
This episode is a replay a mini recall training I did inside my online puppy course YOUR Perfect Puppy.
I talk about how I approach recall as a habit that you and your dog need to develop (not as a command to teach).
I also go over the most common mistakes that I see and small adjustments that you can make to get that stronger recall.
Press play to listen to the entire episode! Enjoy!
Links mentioned in this episode:
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Separation anxiety is always been something dog owners need to be aware of. How to be alone is something that we have to teach our dogs. In a perfect world we start this when they are puppies with crate training and the natural rhythm of our lives as we need to go to work, school, family functions or just out to dinner.
But right now we aren't doing any of those things. As we are spending so much more time with our dogs a concern that has come up recently is how our dogs will react when we do start leaving the house again.
In this episode, I address exactly that. I have you some ideas on how to ease your dog or puppy back into being alone (or maybe being left alone for the first time). I talk about specific considerations during this time of COVID-19.
If this is something you are struggling with I also recommend you check out Episode 022: How to Prevent and Treat Separation Anxiety.
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Leash training is a hot topic among dog owners. Walks are a fundamental joy for dogs but when it comes to walking down the street in a straight line, it's no longer feels natural for them so that's why we encounter some resistance.
This is also why there are many different ways we struggle with our dog on a leash.
In this episode, I go over the 3 most common questions I get about leash training.
Press play to listen to the entire episode!
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As your dog grows you will probably experience some behavior changes. Just as you think you have it ALL figured out your puppy will prove you wrong. It's all part of the roller coaster of owning a puppy.
In this episode, I talk about when these changes can happen, why they happen, and how to handle them.
Press play to listen to the entire episode. Enjoy!
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If you decide to bring home an adult dog you may have different expectations than if they were a puppy. Maybe they're already potty trained and crate trained. They don't have as much energy. Maybe they're out of the chewing stage.
These expectations can lead to some trouble when we first bring them home. Just like with a puppy, we still need to make them feel safe while they get to know us and we get to know them.
For a rescue dog, this can take up to 3 months.
Last week I talked about the 3 Phases to Bringing Your New Puppy Home. Bringing home an adult dog doesn't look much different.
You want to keep their world small and grow it slowly. This will help them feel safe and while they start to trust you and you get to know each other. You know that you're going to be the best dog parent ever, and you're not wrong. We sometimes have to give our new four-legged family member some time to figure that out.
Once your new adult dog settles in it is ALL very much worth it!!
Press play to listen the entire episode!
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This week I'm doing something a little different. This is the audio version of a video series called 3 Phases to Bringing Your New Puppy Home. If you are a future puppy owner than this mini training is perfect for you.
In this episode, I talk all about Phase 03: Get to Work. Right around day 4 your will see your puppy's true personality start to come out. Now that they are settled in it's time to get to work!
There are four essential tools you will need through every stage of your dog's life. I go over what they are and how they work together.
Press play below to listen to the full episode or...
Learn More
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This week I'm doing something a little different. This is the audio version of a video series called 3 Phases to Bringing Your New Puppy Home. If you are a future puppy owner than this mini training is perfect for you. In this episode, I talk all about Phase 02: Settle In. I go over exactly […]
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This week I'm doing something a little different. This is the audio version of a video series called 3 Phases to Bringing Your New Puppy Home. If you are a future puppy owner than this mini training is perfect for you. In this episode, I talk all about Phase 01: Prepare. I go over everything from […]
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***This episode was recorded on March 22, 2020 and uses the best information available at that time. With information is constantly changing, please keep informed and stay safe according to the most accurate, science based, up to date information available.***In the best of times, it's important to know how to socialize your puppy. Even though […]
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I wanted to take a minute and check in and reach out. How are you doing? Just about every single person out there is touched by what's happening. I too, sat in my anxiety and stress for a little while. You know what brought me out of it? YOU. I carved out this little corner of the […]
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When you have a reactive dog on a leash it takes all of the fun out of walks and makes them stressful and a chore. Unfortunately, having a reactive dog is all too common. It comes from the dog’s fight or flight response. When they are on a leash and tethered to you, some can default […]
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Puppy biting is something that just about every new dog owner struggles with. It can go from being an annoyance to affecting your enjoyment and bond with your puppy. It gets even worse with the kids. Puppies don't know how to play with humans. It's in their DNA to play with their tough-skinned, fur-covered littermates, but […]
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There are a bunch of different types of dog training programs out there. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Which one (or ones) you choose depends on your learning style, what's going on with your dog, and what your budget is. In this episode, I take a look at a puppy class vs obedience class […]
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Just like humans, dogs get car sick. It's especially common for puppies. Their little bellies are sensitive and not used to the motion. The good news is, most will grow out of it. The bad news is there is always a chance they will develop a bad association with the car. Since it starts out […]
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You've read ALL the books, watched ALL the videos, listened to ALL the podcast but there are things that still come as a surprise when you get a new puppy. Let's be honest, some of these things they DO tell you, but maybe we don't hear them because they aren't the fun part of having a […]
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Especially with a new puppy, you'll hear 20 times a day, play with your puppy, exercise your puppy, stimulate your puppy so they don’t get bored, bond with them to create a strong relationship… OK OK, we get it’s important but after 160 games of fetch things get a little...well, boring. In this episode, I’m going to […]
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Raising a puppy is challenging. Raising a puppy in an apartment adds a few additional challenges. It’s becoming more and more common to raise a puppy in an apartment. This is great because it means more places are allowing dogs but before you run and get your new puppy there are some things to consider and […]
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You need to be your dog’s pack leader. This much is clear. However, when I talk about leadership it doesn’t have anything to do with “alpha” or “dominance”. I believe those words are overused and greatly misunderstood. But mostly, I believe that it leads us to the wrong type of relationship with our dog. Make […]
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This is the third and final special edition highlighting the great questions I received during Q&A Tuesdays. Every Tuesday in October I will be answering your training questions. These are just a few of the great questions I received and I thought would be beneficial to all my listeners. October is now officially over and therefor […]
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Potty accidents are part of having a puppy. You can do everything right and you are still going to have an accident. And let’s face it, we probably aren’t going to do everything right. In all of my years helping puppy owners with potty training there are a few types of accidents that I see […]
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Every Tuesday in October I will be answering your training questions. These are just a few of the great questions I received and I thought would be beneficial to all my listeners. I got the idea for Q&A Tuesday because this is very similar to what I do inside YOUR Perfect Puppy my online course for […]
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Every Tuesday in October I will be answering your training questions. These are just a few of the great questions I received and I thought would be beneficial to all my listeners. I got the idea for Q&A Tuesday because this is very similar to what I do inside YOUR Perfect Puppy my online course for […]
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here is only one thing that you need to know about dog behavior to teach or stop any behavior! Yup, when it comes down to it, our dogs are very simple creatures.
In this episode, I am revealing my secret. This is what I use to solve 90% of my client's training issues.
I have centered my life around dog behavior. And everything I have learned and observed comes down to this one thing.
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There are three types of training that you need to turn your puppy into a well-rounded, well-behaved, and well-mannered dog. When we think of training our dog we usually think about teaching our dog to “listen to me” I want him to come when I say come and stay when I say stay. Or we don’t […]
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Raising a puppy is something we have to learn. It's not natural for us humans. So just like with learning anything new we are going to make a few mistakes along the way. First we have to know what mistakes we are making in the first place. In this episode, I talk about 4 mistakes I […]
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Where should your dog sleep? This is a simple question with multiple answers. On one had I have a strong recommendation where your dog should be sleeping. On the other, it really doesn't matter as long as you make the decision and then stick with it. To make this more clear split my answer into two […]
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Adding another dog to your pack is an exciting time. It can also be a little stressful because you want to make sure that your current dog accepts your new puppy. Sometimes when you bring a new puppy home the current dog immediately accepts the puppy and it super excited to have a younger brother and […]
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My dogs aren't perfect, and I'm ok with that? You would think because I'm a dog trainer I would care more. But that's exactly why I know it's OK. Training a dog is time-consuming and it’s something that most of us just simply aren’t good at. Most likely you won't be able to teach your dog […]
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There are so many dog supplies out there it can be overwhelming. Over the years I have developed a list of my go-to supplies that I use and recommend to my clients. In this episode, I talk about what my favorite dog supply is in each of these 8 categories and why they have become my […]
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Dogs learns through repetition and reward. The easiest and most efficient way to reward your dog is by using treats. That is why they are the go-to for trainers and dog owners. Even though treats is the most popular way to reward your dog they are not, by far, the only way. In fact, there are […]
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Dog obedience training is the first thing we think of when we say “training your dog.” In fact, it might be the only thing we think of. Your dog’s training goes WAY beyond obedience but it is a very important part of your new puppy’s education. When starting from scratch it’s important to create a strong and […]
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Bringing your puppy home is exciting and maybe a little stressful. The ride home is the first time you are 100% responsible for them. If this is your first puppy you may be even more nervous. Your puppy might be nervous too. It’s a short and simple topic but something I get asked all the time. […]
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When we think of crate training we usually think of potty training or where we put our puppy when we aren’t home. Crate training goes way beyond that. In fact, we should be using it after potty training AND when we are home. I usually get some resistance to this. Most dog owners have a sense […]
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How to handle a shy dog is important for all of us to know. If you are anything like me, you just want to put ALL the puppies. But not ALL of the puppies want to be pet. Wait, what??? Crazy, right? This is even worse when it’s our own puppy. We are all excited […]
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The foundation of positive dog training is to reward the behaviors we want repeated and ignore or redirect the behaviors we don’t want repeated. Oh, how I wish it were that simple. A question we don’t even think to ask is “how does the dog know what behavior we are rewarding or correcting?” This is where […]
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Very often I get asked: Is human food good for dogs? Or "should I feed my dog people food?" Or they say with pride “I ONLY feed my dog, dog food” The first thing I want to dispel is the idea that there is a difference between "people" food and "dog" food. Food is food. The distinction […]
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The thought of raising two puppies together can create a lot of warm, fuzzy, and fun images. They will keep each other company, entertain each other, exercise each other, and create perfect Instagram moments of snuggling together in their bed. We go into it aware that it will take more work. Of course, it makes sense, […]
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Did you remember to praise your puppy?When using positive training our main tool is to reward behaviors we want our puppies to repeat. The more we praise our puppy's good behavior the more likely they will grow into a well-behaved dog. Unfortunately, there are many times that we don’t remember (or worse, we don’t even realize) […]
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Separation anxiety is when your dog is stressed out because they are separated from you. Every single dog has the potential to develop some form of separation anxiety because dogs don’t know how to be alone naturally. This is one of the many things we need to teach them to live in our world. Separation anxiety […]
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A question I get ALL the time is about taking your puppy outside before they are fully vaccinated. This question usually comes up during potty training but my answer has nothing to do with potty training. In short, your puppy needs to get out and start experiencing the world BEFORE they are fully vaccinated. I know this […]
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We are always told “prepare for emergencies" or "make an emergency preparedness plan." The problem is the nature of an emergency is they are unpredictable and the situations are usually not something we expect. All we can do is do our best to prepare so when it happens we at least have a head start. The […]
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A fenced-in backyard is considered a very valuable resource for a dog owner. It makes owning, potty training and exercising your dog SO much easier. Or does it? With anything that makes our lives easier there is always a downside. I know this, because I share this struggle with you. In this episode I talk about a […]
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So often, we get stuck in the idea that our dogs need to eat out of a bowl. BORING!! Our dogs are programmed to work for their food so let’s use that in our favor. We already feed our dogs so let’s make it an event! Our dogs have a blast AND it also help […]
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We know that finding the right dog food for our dog is important. It can also be overwhelming. Most of us want to be able to walk into a pet store, pick up a bag and make the right decision. Unfortunately, it's not that simple. There is a lot of different information out there about which dog […]
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“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” - Benjamin Franklin The best way to stop your dog from jumping up on people is not to allow him from to do it from day one. The best way to stop your dog from sleeping on the bed with you is to teach him to sleep […]
The post YNP #016: Stop Behaviors Before They Start! How Thinking Ahead Can Make Training Easier. appeared first on Playtime Paws.
Welcome to Part Two of the two-part series on helping you find the right dog care for you. In part one (Episode #14) I talked all about facilities. In this episode I talk about Pet Sitters.Who will take care of your dog when you can’t is a very common concern for most dog owners. With […]
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Welcome to Part One in two-part series on helping you find the right dog care for you.Who will take care of your dog when you can’t is a very common concern for most dog owners. With good reason. There is a high level of trust that has to happen for you to feel comfortable to […]
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Both a dog park and a dog daycare are a place for your dog to get lots of exercise while playing with his friends. Beyond that the experience is quite different. Where a dog park is free, daycares cost money. You get to stay and interact and play with the other dogs and people at a […]
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You don’t have to be a dog person to know about basic obedience. It’s usually the first thing you think of when someone says “training a dog”. It is popular for very good reasons. I could list a hundred reasons for you and your dog to go through some kind of obedience training. In this episode, I […]
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I find so many dog owners go right for their retractable leash. And I get it! I did the same thing when I got my first dog. Retractable leashes make so much sense in theory; make it short when I want to, give them freedom when I want to. It’s like 10 leashes in one!” […]
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Potty training is a rite of passage for all puppy owners. It’s not the pretty part of owning a new puppy but it’s the one training none of us can ignore. Sometimes we forget that our dogs don’t come pre-programmed to go to the bathroom outside. This is a habit we have to teach them. The concept […]
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Indoor pads (also called wee-wee pads or potty pads) have a purpose but house training should not be one of them. If you want to teach your puppy to go to the bathroom outside only, these pads can be detrimental to this training. Indoor pads are one of those products that seem like a great tool (and […]
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When your dog jumps on you, your family and your friends it can quickly turn into an annoying habit. Luckily there are a few things we can do to prevent or correct this behavior. Most of the time our dog jumps on us it is to get our attention. And if we are honest most of the […]
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I had a lot of fun recording our first Q&A episode! You asked some great questions that have influenced the topics of many episodes and now I want to answer some specific questions. In this episode, I answer three great questions sent in by listeners. Topics include:Multiple dog householdHanding a new young dog with older dogsThe difference […]
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Does your backyard look like someone has been digging for gold? Having a crater filled back yard is frustrating, not pretty and can even be dangerous. Why do dogs dig? Digging is one of those things that dogs just love to do. It’s right up there with barking and chewing and being with us. The most […]
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What do we do when our dog steals our stuff? We all know the scene: it’s gotten a little too quiet so you go searching for the little fuzzball that was just at your feet. You turn the corner and there he is, chomping happily away on the book you were reading earlier, or maybe it’s […]
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When we think of crate training, we usually think of potty training our puppy. It makes sense because these two things go hand and hand. Using a crate is the best and most efficient way to potty train our dogs. In this episode, I want to convince you that crate training goes way beyond potty […]
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In today's episode, we're going to talk about your recall command; most commonly known as “come”. I'm not going to be talk about teaching your dog the actual command. What I am going to talk about is building a few everyday habits so when it comes time to teach your dog the command, it's going to be […]
The post YNP #004: 3 Things You Can Do Now to Teach Your Dog to Come Every Time You Call. appeared first on Playtime Paws.
Free Feeding is when your dog's bowl is always filled with food allowing them to choose when to eat. When you have a dog that likes does to graze leaving their food out all the time can be a convenient. On the surface it seems harmless but what we don't realize is that it can […]
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Once you have decided that you are ready for a dog (if you haven’t check out episode 1) it’s time to figure out which dog is right for you. During this episode, I talk about 10 different traits to think about to help you decide what type of dog will best fit into your life. While I […]
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Want a new dog? Not sure if you are ready? Getting a new dog is a big decision and a long term commitment. Getting a dog isn’t something you can decide overnight, so we are here to help you figure it out! This episode walks you through 5 questions to ask yourself to see if you […]
The post YNP #001: Are You Ready for a New Dog? 5 Questions to Help you Decide. appeared first on Playtime Paws.
Welcome to Your New Puppy’s Podcast!! Getting a new puppy (or dog) is exciting and fun but it can also be very overwhelming. No one gets a good dog by accident. It takes time and energy to get the well-behaved dog we all dream of when we decided to bring home our new four-legged family […]
The post YNP #000: Who I Am and What Your New Puppy Podcast is About appeared first on Playtime Paws.
