This is the third article in our Happy Puppy series; a guide to training your puppy for new and experienced dog owners. Follow along to gain practical training tips for a positive & productive puppyhood, Piper, Happy Dog’s Head Trainer, shares all she knows about raising a well-trained, happy dog.

Weeks 13 through 16

Whether you’ve just brought home a new puppy or are realizing you need help training your adult dog, knowing what types of trainers are accessible to you is essential for every dog owner. Our Top 3 tips on choosing a trainer help you understand what qualifications you should look for in a trainer and what services are available to you. Keep reading to learn what you need to know to choose a trainer that is best fit to meet your dog’s current training needs.

This is the second article in our Happy Puppy series, where Happy Dog’s Head Trainer, Piper, breaks down puppy training week by week. The skills and drills she provides are intended to help every owner set their puppy up for success in their first few weeks together.

Weeks 10, 11 and 12

All dog owners know that taking their dog for walks is a necessary part of dog ownership. It is healthy for our dogs to have time outside to relieve themselves and move their bodies. But, what you might not know is that not all walks are created equal.

Taking a walk around the neighborhood or leashing up for a quick potty break doesn’t provide all the benefits of walking that you and your pup could be enjoying!

Walks do have the power to reduce your dog’s stress levels and alleviate behavioral issues by allowing your dog to engage in healthy, natural behaviors. Unfortunately, walking down a busy street or taking your thousandth trip around the same neighborhood doesn’t provide your dog with the freedom or novelty needed to reap the many benefits of walks.

So, what takes your walks from boring to beneficial?

Having a puppy is always an exciting time for every dog owner, it’s a joy to watch your pup play, explore and grow up. Yet, our trainers know how challenging puppyhood can be for experienced and first-time dog owners alike. Knowing what to prioritize week to week and how much training you should do with a young puppy is puzzling for many. To give you a step-by-step guide, Happy Dog’s Head Trainer, Piper, has taken the time to break down what training should look like through puppyhood. This three part article series will give you an in-depth look at how we raise puppies into happy, healthy dogs.

When your dog rummages through the garbage or barks at the mailman, once again, it can be easy to feel like your dog’s behavior will never get any better. At Happy Dog’s our goal is to help owners help their dogs to be successful at behaving in any situation. This means changing the environment, your actions or your training to influence your dog’s behavior in a positive way!

There are lots of reasons why your dog might have trouble behaving well. The environment may be over stimulating which makes it hard for your dog to focus and remember training cues. The behavior you’re asking for may not have been reinforced frequently enough. Or, your dog may be too anxious or uncomfortable to behave well or calmly in whatever situation they’re in. Whatever the reason, there are actions you can take as an owner and trainer to help your dog succeed in any situation.

We all want our pets to be a part of the holiday festivities, but the truth is dogs and celebrations aren’t always a good mix. Whether your dog has visitors in their home, is traveling cross country to see grandma or resisting the temptation to steal a turkey leg, the holidays can be ruff on your dog. Thankfully, there are many ways that you can set your dog up for success during celebrations, travel and other holiday festivities. The following tips will help you keep your dog and guests happy during this holiday season.

Having a positive perspective on training can help you build a happy life with your dog.  At Happy Dog's, we know that every dog is capable of being well-behaved and happy, but this is more than using rewards to reinforce good behaviors. How you think about your dog’s behavior matters too!

Your dog has motivations, emotions and thoughts that drive their behavior - for better or for worse. Understanding why your dog acts the way he or she does allows you to encourage the behaviors you’d like to see. When our dogs seem to misbehave, it’s likely not for the reasons we’d think! Dog’s do behaviors that are rewarding, and learn to avoid behaviors that aren’t rewarding. While your dog may appear “stubborn”, “naughty” or seem to “deliberately” disobey you, they’re likely responding the way they are for a good reason.

As a new dog owner or an owner with a busy life, you may be questioning what type of support you’ll need to raise your new puppy. Raising a happy dog on your own isn’t impossible, but a training plan and the guidance of a professional trainer can set you up for success early on. Too often owners make the mistake of waiting until their puppy is peeing on the carpet, howling in their crate or showing signs of behavioral issues before they reach out to a trainer.

77% of all dog bites are children.

At first glance you might think there must be more dangerous dogs in the world than you thought. But, contrary to popular belief, it’s not “bad” dogs that are biting kids. The bites come from dogs we know and trust around our kids; it’s all too often that we hear “She/He’s never bitten anyone before.” While having a well trained dog can help, dog bites aren’t always due to a training issue.