Enjoy these 5 Great Reasons to Train Your Dog 1. Partnership: We all love the bond that we naturally have with our dogs. That bond is enhanced through a two-way partnership based on trust and communication. Training builds a common language between you and your dog. Learn “dog” and create that ongoing dialogue. 2. Safety: Training the basics of sit, stay, recall, loose leash walking, and attention and focus literally can save your dog’s life. A dog that has great recall can earn the privilege of being off-leash in appropriate areas. A dog that can give you the attention and focus instead of that squirrel crossing the street or leave…

  It’s Spring and I remember April of 2014 when we adopted Charlee at 4 months old.  She had been found on a back road of Eastern Washington and hadn’t had the opportunity for early puppy socialization or puppy foundations.  We had some catching up to do. Animal adoptions have soared during 2020 and into 2021.  It’s fantastic that we have been at home to bond with our dogs, but class training opportunities may have been limited in your area. It’s Spring, and I will be offering a Puppy Time Class (4-6 month-old puppies) in April.  It will give you and your puppy a place to work together and to…

A lot has happened during this last year since we have been in touch. As both a dog trainer and owner, I’ve spent hours learning new skills to serve you, my clients.  Since we have spent more time at home, I’ve been able to reinforce daily routines more consistently with Piper and Charlee and build new behaviors.  Piper has even had a chance to be my demo dog in videos and during Zoom Sessions.  I think he likes the attention from “Mom” and the opportunity to earn treats!  Here are some of the new happenings with Four Paws Dog Training since you last worked with us. A new website with information about…

“How long each day do I train my dog?” Every moment is a training moment in the life of your dog.  We are teaching and training all the time.  Training skills within your typical daily routines in small increments (2-3 minutes) provides practice, repetition and reinforcement.  Let’s look at training moments you can build into your day. Meal Times: Practice “Sit”, “Wait”, and “Free” as you place the food bowl on the floor.  Cue your dog to sit and to wait. As the bowl goes down if your dog breaks the sit/wait, the bowl goes up. Try again. It may only be a second or two that you can get…

  Does your dog like to “search and find”? Mine do!    Dogs by nature like to forage and work for their food.  A Snuffle Mat is a great way for them to search and find their food.  It exercise their senses and they have fun. Snuffle Mats use a kitchen sink mat as the base and have fleece strips tied on to it.   When completed it looks like a big fluffy mop head with lots of places to hide yummy treats for your dog. Hide your dog’s complete meal in the snuffle mat or just part of their kibble for the day as a brain game.  Exercising your dog’s…