Puppy Socialization 101: Raising a Confident, Well-Adjusted Dog
By Rachel Moseley The critical socialization period for puppies is between 3-12 weeks of age. Ideally the breeder you got your puppy from has started this for you with carefully planned exposures and socialization opportunities prior to them coming home. Once they’re...
Top 5 Reasons to Crate Train Your Dog
Crate training isn’t just about keeping your dog confined—it’s a game-changer for potty training, safety, and emergencies. It helps puppies avoid accidents and saves your favorite shoes from chewers. Plus, it prepares your dog for vet visits or unexpected disasters....
Puppy Survival Guide
Rachel and Shanthi run the puppy training and socialization course at NWA School for Dogs. With years of experience and a passion for helping pups and their humans thrive, they’ve seen it all when it comes to puppy parenting challenges. From potty training mishaps to...
What is clicker training
What is clicker training? “Clicker training” is the popular term for the training or teaching method based on what we know about how living organisms learn. Research has shown that any creature—whether a dog, cat, dolphin, parrot, fish, horse, llama, or person—is more...
Leash Foundations for Dogs
This was written many years ago when the school was at a facility with cement floors that we could use sidewalk chalk on. Nowadays, our high tech waterproof floors don't work with chalk so we ask our students stand perfectly still and reward their dog for paws being...
Lockdown!! A detailed protocol for potty training difficult dogs.
“Lockdown” Protocol for housebreaking adult/problematic dogs. Most people that contact me regarding this protocol are at the point where they’re ready to get rid of their dogs because this behavior has become so problematic. Most dogs are over 2 years old and have...
Engage Disengage
One of my favorite techniques for working with reactive dogs is this lovely, easy to follow, technique called "Engage-Disengage". I generally recommend starting reactive dogs with classical conditioning when they are around the stimuli that causes an...
Train Smarter, Not Harder: 6 Tips for Effective Dog Training
Training your dog doesn’t have to be overwhelming—it’s all about clear communication, consistent rewards, and understanding your pup’s needs. In this post, we’ll share six tips to help you build better behaviors, from rewarding quickly and often to using high-value...
My groomer saved my dog.
My old girl is turning 12 in August. She gets around but has arthritis in her paws which make it very uncomfortable for her nails to be cut with traditional nail clippers. Hannah Manesreh, with Lucky Dog Canine Grooming, gently takes care of Stregas paws in a manner...
It’s Fireworks season!
I know July 4th is seven weeks away but it is a FAST approaching holiday that terrorizes animals all over the United States. Every year, dogs get spooked and lost on the Fourth of July. Here are some tips to prepare you and your dog for one of the more traumatic...