As we discussed yesterday the most important thing to understand with this type of practice is that you must always remain positive. Even if your dog is doing something that you are not proud of, you cannot show that through...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas Many owners will tell you that their dog understands their verbal cue for recall but only follows through 50% of the time. So why is that? It can be for a few reasons -the...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas For most of us, we give our dogs a name, not just as a way to identify them but we choose names that are pleasurable to our ears. Many of us have an emotional...
If I could only choose ONE skill for my dogs to master, it would be to have a bomb proof recall. Fortunately I don’t have to choose but I still think a reliable recall is important. If you are having...
Recall is one of those things we practice in dog training that must always be positive; why else would your dog want to come when you call if it represents anything other than pure joy?Some pointers for better recall training:-play...
Yelling at your dog can have adverse effects on his behavior in all areas, but especially with recall. We want our dogs to have positive associations to their names and the verbal cue you use such as “come” or “here”....
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas Resource guarding is a serious issue but there is so much more to this behavior than meets the eye. If a dog guards their owner, it’s an indicator that there is...
As we discussed yesterday, if your dog is resource guarding an item (or items) this most likely means that somehow the dog has developed the idea that he must guard those items because they will most certainly be taken away....
Resource guarding can be defined as possessive behavior a dog exhibits over items, food, or people. It really can be any item that that individual dog sees as valuable and guards it, either by walking away with it (mild), hovering...
When you finally decide to make that change to improve your relationship with your dog, you will begin to see all of the ways humans influence their dog’s behaviors. Training will help you to be reflective but to also be...
So many of us feel like we are losing control when our dogs don’t “listen” so we feel it necessary to repeat ourselves over and over. And most of the time when this happens, our tone of voice changes into...
The first time I heard this saying, it resonated with me immediately. I honestly didn’t know just how bad of a handler I was until I started to become a better one. I thought I knew everything I needed to...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas A lot of people wonder: “How many treats should I give my dog when I’m rewarding him?”The answer is a little bit and sometimes a lot!What do I mean? For most of our training,...
I am a balanced trainer. I like tools. Prongs, E collars, slip leads, harnesses, leashes, flat collars, treats, pouches, long leads etc. I like them all. I use them for different reasons. And I use them only when needed. They’re...
Also known as the spikes of death. No, not really, but so many people are so uneducated on this tool, that this is literally what they perceive it as. If you buy a high-quality prong, it should not have sharp...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas Out of all of the senses that dogs posses, touch is the one that is most similar to ours. The sense of touch, present at birth, helps puppies to bond with the mother and...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas A dog’s sense of taste is one of the earlier senses to develop even before other senses like hearing and vision. If you look at your dog’s tongue, you’ll see lots of small bumps...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas Did you know that dogs can hear 4x times better than humans? This will probably explain why the second you pull out of a chip bag, your dog will come running from 100 yards...
When it comes to keeping your dog happy and healthy, finding the right chew is key. Smoked bones offer a natural, long-lasting treat that satisfies your dog’s chewing instincts while providing essential nutrients. Here’s why Patriot Pup’s smoked bones are...
Dog owners today want the best for their pets, and nutrition is at the top of the list. Patriot Pup’s 100% natural beef dog treats offer numerous health benefits, from better digestion to improved energy levels. Here’s how our natural...
Many commercial dog treats are packed with additives and preservatives, but these ingredients can do more harm than good. At Patriot Pup, we believe in the power of pure, single-ingredient treats made from 100% grass-fed beef. Here’s why our no-additive...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas Animals have the same core emotion systems in the brain, also known as the “Blue Ribbon Emotions” and they are listed as follows: fear, panic, rage and seeking. Seeking is the emotion we want...
If your dog has a little-to-no food drive, then there may be a problem. Being a “picky eater” or having a low food drive could be a sign of an illness or poor nutrition, so make sure that you visit...
Don’t let your lack of experience with training stop you from getting started. There are so many resources out there, free resources, that can help you with the basics. And then even when you’re ready for more, there are ways...
Free Feeding (leaving food in your dog’s bowl all day) can create a picky eater. There are many reasons why this may not be the best option for dogs, one of them being a sanitary issue. While dry dog food...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas First thing to do is get your dog on a set schedule of feeding. If your dog does not eat within a certain amount of time, maybe 15 minutes, pick the bowl up and...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas I hear this statement a lot. In my experience, I don’t believe a dog can not be food motivated. But hear me out first.It’s not that I haven’t encountered dogs who turn their nose...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas Impulse Control activities are not just about obedience-as many mistakenly believe it to be-It’s not about teaching a dog to sit or down for 10, 30, 60 seconds or to heel by their owner’s...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas The balanced community loves a good tool. We see the benefit they have in training, that it helps a dog progress faster than if we were not to use it. Our dogs can grasp...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas Now let’s get one thing clear first-when I say corrections, I am not talking about punishment. I am talking about correcting the mistakes our dogs make. Letting them know that the decision they made...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas We have all heard those stories before of peopling moving to a new home and their dog “all of a sudden” starts misbehaving. I quoted “all of a sudden” because when it comes to...
Routine, Structure, and Consistency are super important but if you are not having fun training your dog, then your dog is not having fun, and that is the most important part. Both of you must see this as a positive...
Can sleep aid us in training our dogs? The answer is YES! Most dogs require around 12-14 hours of sleep each day (this may vary depending on age, size & breed). A dog that doesn’t get the proper amount of...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas A reinforcer is used in order to increase the likelihood that a behavior will be repeated. Positive reinforcement means, I want to reinforce your behavior by adding something you like. This is the one...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas The “become a tree” method helps a dog learn how to respond to the pressure they feel when they get to the end of the leash. Typically what happens, we loosen the pressure by...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas I see this all the time, owners tell me they have worked on walking with their dog by using the turn around method- when the dog pulls, they correct, they stop, they turn around...
Imagine this, you are walking in the woods with a camp leader but you are happily following the leader because you know he knows his way around but then a spooky sound comes along and you stop.Here are two possible...
Getting a second dog can add a lot of happiness to your family but it can also add a lot of misery too. You should never get another dog to solve any problems you are having with your current dog,...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas The answer to this question is NO. And it’s also a little yes. There are only two times I might utilize a dog as a teacher: 1. When teaching a new trick that another...
I don’t walk my dogs every day!Gasp! What? You don’t? NOPEWell not in the traditional sense anyway. There is no set rule that says you have to walk your dog every day. The rule however is that you have to...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas Imagine this, you are walking in the woods with a camp leader but you are happily following the leader because you know he knows his way around but then a spooky sound comes along...
OK OK OK-I love petting dogs as much as the next person, especially my own. But why is it that so many people think that petting a dog is doing the dog a favor?Let’s be honest here, petting is for...
Many of you have been watching my foster dog’s journey. You know that when he first arrived he was in shutdown mode. He wanted nothing to do with me and would have preferred to crawl in a hole and die....
The most important factor when potty training your dog is ROUTINE. This is not about building up a routine where your dog tells YOU when they have to go out. It’s about you building a routine to show your dog...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas Well, if you want your dog to see your house as a toilet…then sure, go for it it, but more than likely you would prefer your dog to keep his wastes off your floor...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas You will repeat each one of these steps until he’s doing it happily and willingly. For some you might have to repeat just two or three times and others you might have to repeat...
As we discussed yesterday the most important thing to understand with this type of practice is that you must always remain positive. Even if your dog is doing something that you are not proud of, you cannot show that through...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas Many owners will tell you that their dog understands their verbal cue for recall but only follows through 50% of the time. So why is that? It can be for a few reasons -the...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas For most of us, we give our dogs a name, not just as a way to identify them but we choose names that are pleasurable to our ears. Many of us have an emotional...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas This is a practice that can often be overlooked because we don’t notice how hot or cold the ground is since we typically have shoes on our feet. Our dogs are also very good...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas This particular practice can be used for any noise but for the sake of relativity, I will stick with fireworks. At least a month before a firework event, find firework sounds on the internet,...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas Summer. Sweet, sweet summer. The perfect time for pool parties, barbecues, picnics and outdoor celebrations. And with these outdoor celebrations come the long awaited boom boom in the sky-FIREWORKS. Some of us love them...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas Basic obedience is what most dog owners provide their dogs with; Sit, Down and Stay are some of the basic obedience skills worked on in your average household. Name recognition and recall are...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas Simply put, forever. But this doesn’t mean you have to reward your dog for every move they make. When first learning a new skill, it is important to keep the rate of reinforcement...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas Just like with a positive marker, marking the moment a dog does something right, I also like to use a negative marker, marking the moment my dog does something wrong.I use the word...
Often times I have dog owners asking me for help for “just one thing.” But it’s never just-one-thing. Here’s what I mean: Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas I may have a dog owner ask me how to get their...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas Training for your dog is always occurring whether you realize it or not. What’s important to know though is you have control over that training. You can have control over what you want your...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas If you say something to your dog…mean it, do it, follow through. Imagine this scenario-I am in the middleof prepping a meal and here comes my dog, annoyingly begging for food-a habit my family...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas I would argue that a dog‘s love does not come for free and I personally think this is not a good perception to have-it leads us into thinking that we don’t need to do...
Let’s be honest, a lot of us get a dog because we are seeking something that is missing from our lives, whether that be affection, attention, love, excitement, adventure, companionship –But are you really ready for a dog?Do you know...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas Owning a dog is not as easy as some make it look.And it’s not as simple as just adding them into your routine hoping they figure it out. Dogs are the only pets that...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas What are your true intentions?Is it really to change the way people train dogs, is it really to help dogs, to advocate for them?You have a lot of potential to make great change but...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas Breeds in the Sporting group (also known as Gun Dogs) are naturally active, alert and intelligent. Most are quite friendly, (making it more likely for them to jump on people) and do not know...
Author: Denise Partlow Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas Guardian breeds, strong, powerful and independent, were used to protect flocks of sheep as well as homes and monasteries. These powerful dogs were known for their tenacity in the face of danger. They we’re...
