Puppy play dates can be one of the most fun things to do as a dog parent! These play dates allow your puppy to have fun, burn energy, and gain necessary social skills. However, setting up a successful puppy play date with your dog’s new best friend will take some planning. Choosing a puppy playmate that will be well suited for your puppy, especially for their first play date, is a must! Finding a puppy who is around the same … Read More
Setting your dog up for success to attend daycare is important! Dog Daycare provides your dog with enrichment, socialization, and an outlet for their energy. However, it can sometimes be overwhelming if the dog does not take the necessary steps beforehand. The goal is to have your daycare facility be a place where your dog feels safe and happy being at. That is why preparing your dog before going into daycare is essential. We often have clients who come in … Read More
Nothing quite gets your attention like hearing the grumbling of a dog’s growl. However, is that growl out of excitement, fear, anxiety, or something else in their environment? Dogs use growling as an effective way of communication in all of those scenarios. The key is being able to identify between a playful growl and an aggressive one. You should never punish your dog for growling. Growling is an essential part of a dog’s language. When dogs growl, they are … Read More
Wags and Wiggles offers many positive reinforcement training programs One of these training programs is our Board and Train service! We have 2 week and 4 week training periods where dogs come to stay at Wags and Wiggles. They learn new behaviors, work through problem behaviors, and increase their socialization with both people and other dogs. One recent student to join our Board and Train graduates was a small terrier that we will call Phoebe. Phoebe was recently adopted from … Read More
Here at Wags & Wiggles, we believe in training both ends of the leash! Our four-legged students are always willing to please and eager to learn in our dog obedience classes. However, the same cannot always be said about our two-legged students! If you truly want your dog obedience training to be effective, you have to learn how to be a successful student. Dog training isn’t always easy and can definitely be frustrating at times, but it is more than … Read More
Establishing and reaching your dog training goals can be difficult Maybe you’re busy and always on the go with kids, work, or life. Maybe you have a puppy and the list seems endless, or maybe you have an adult dog with a chronic bad habit and you’re not quite sure where to start. Training your dog isn’t always easy, but it sure is rewarding! The most difficult part of training your dog is getting started and establishing a dog training … Read More
The tie-down is a great tool used in positive reinforcement dog training! Here at Wags and Wiggles, we have a very specific dog training philosophy. It focuses on building up both dogs and their owners through positive reinforcement. But training at Wags isn’t all sunshine and cookies. Every day the trainers get questions on how to stop a dog from doing a dangerous, destructive, or just plain annoying behavior. Our answer is always two-fold: What would you like your dog … Read More
Every basic dog training program includes the the command “touch!” If you’ve taken any of our obedience classes, you are familiar with the behavior “touch!” The goal is to teach your dog to touch the palm of your hand or tips of your fingers when commanded to do so. This simple behavior has many applications in basic dog training. The use of “touch” can substitute for the command “come.” Some dogs are more likely to respond to “touch” rather than … Read More
Wags & Wiggles is offering a 2 Hour AKC Trick Dog Titling Seminar that covers 10 common tricks. The American Kennel Club (AKC) is offering a Trick Dog Program, which will include four level of titles ranging from Novice to Performer allowing dogs of all levels to participate. At the end of the seminar, attendees have the option to test for their Level 1 Tricks Title. Don’t let the word “test” scare you away. The tricks are pretty basic and … Read More
Who knew that going to the dentist would make me think about dog training? I was halfway through my x-rays when I suddenly realized they were using concepts from target training! With new technology and some nods towards behavioral science, the hygienist had a target to help her line up the x-ray machine correctly. By having a yellow hoop as a visual target of exactly where to place it, the hygienist was able to line up the machine to get … Read More