WOOFS! would like to congratulate three team members who have graduated with distinction and been named Certified Training Partners by the Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training and Behavior: Apprentice Trainer Marti Friedman, General Manager Cynthia Robertson, and Agility Trainer Melissa Bishop. Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training and Behavior is an innovative institution committed… Read more »
Anxiety and Arousal
Originally published on ArlNow.com I’ve been having a lot of conversations with people about their dogs getting into trouble. Not little trouble like chewing up a shoe or stealing a sandwich. That’s easy stuff. I’m talking about big trouble. Like biting the neighbor’s dog while on a walk or biting a friend who is over… Read more »
Boarding your dog
Originally Published on ArlNow.com As school comes to a close for the year it’s time for summer vacations. Where to go? What to do? And who is going to take care of the dog?If you can’t take your dog with you, the next best option is to have a family member or friend stay at… Read more »
Puppy Olympics, and the importance of early socialization
The Puppy Olympics are almost here! 8 weeks ago, on April 1st 2016, our foster dog Harlie gave birth to 11 tiny puppies. WOOFS! has fostered many pregnant moms and their puppies over the past 13 years, but this time we decided to do something different. We assigned each puppy a WOOFS! trainer. Each trainer… Read more »
Puppy Challenge #1: House Training
Originally Published on ArlNow.com So you have a cute new puppy? Congratulations! But now what? Puppies naturally bite, cry, poop and pee. Then we get them in the house and immediately want them NOT to bite, cry, poop or pee. It’s a pretty tall order for an 8 week old. So here are a few… Read more »
Jane and Frankie win 2016 Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship
Congratulations to WOOFS! trainer Jane Saunders and her Papillion Frankie for their performance last weekend at the USDAA 2016 Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships! Jane and Frankie won the Regional Championship for 8″ Performance Masters Challenge Biathlon, came in 3rd place the 8″ Performance Triathlon, and made it to the finals for all events. And on top… Read more »
New! Puppy Prep School
You have GOT to meet Lucy. Lucy is our first Puppy Prep School student and she is adorable. Lucy is an 8 week old mini dachshund who started Prep School on April 5th. I will be chronicling her progress here. We have a lot planned for this little girl. We immediately started working on Lucy’s… Read more »
Spencer Smith named Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner
WOOFS! daycare supervisor Spencer Smith has graduated with distinction and been named Certified Training Partners by the Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training and Behavior. Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training and Behavior is an innovative institution committed to educating, certifying, and promoting the next generation of animal trainers. Certified Training Partners participate in an… Read more »
There’s help for dog reactivity
Originally Published on ARLNow.com A reactive dog is a dog that reacts to specific things in their environment by becoming highly aroused and in most cases, barking and lunging. These dogs can appear to be aggressive, dangerous and “out of control.” It is a scary situation for both passers-by and owners. Some reactive dogs are… Read more »
Veterinary visit etiquette and training
Originally Published on ARLNow.com A few weeks ago, Clarendon Animal Care wrote a great article with tips for a great vet visit. You can read it here. Having been to the vet several times in the past weeks, their article got me thinking about the training and behavioral aspects of a successful vet visit. There… Read more »
Canine Scent Work
Originally published on ARLNow.com How much do you rely on your sense of smell? For humans smell is an important part of taste. It can also bring back memories from childhood or special events. It can even warn us of danger when we smell smoke or food that has gone bad. But our sense of… Read more »
Happy Train Your Dog Month!
Originally published by ArlNow.com January is National Train Your Dog Month. So if you have any room left on your resolutions list, perhaps you can add one more: train your dog for five minutes a day. Believe it or not, give minutes a day can actually make a difference. How is this possible? Well the… Read more »