Canine Coevolution Dog Training

Wait at the door is a vital safety command every dog should know. In a multi-dog household, I teach each dog to wait for their name & release word so that each dog can be let out independently when needed.

The most important thing you can do for your dog is NOT what you think it is.

This is Charlie. Charlie came to me at just 9 weeks old, naturally a bit fearful of nearly anyone and anything outside of her home.

I insisted to her parents, especially given that we were still in her critical period, that we prioritize socialization for her, and they very much agreed.

Unfortunately, many dog owners don’t understand the importance of socialization, and worse, the majority do not understand what we really mean by “socialization.”

Socialization is not just about letting your dog meet other dogs, or even meet people. It’s about exposing them to all kinds of various sights, smells, noises and environments that they might encounter throughout their lives. The key to socialization is making these experiences as comprehensive and positive as possible.

Here’s what we did (and more importantly did NOT do) to help Charlie gain more confidence.

❌ We did NOT take Charlie to a big group of dogs (eg dog park, daycare or puppy classes).
❌ We did NOT allow strange dogs to greet Charlie on walks.
❌ We did NOT allow people to approach and pet her when she was fearful.

✅ We DID give Charlie lots of yummy treats when she saw new people, dogs, cats, or heard loud sounds.
✅ We DID gradually increase the intensity of our training environments according to what Charlie could handle.
✅ We DID allow Charlie to interact with dogs and people in controlled environments once SHE was confident and interested.

Sister, sister 👯‍♀️

I trained Charlie’s older (half) sister back when she was a pup and now have the pleasure of tandem training them all the obedience!