More specifically, your dream of the perfect family dog. The dog who’d snuggle on the couch with you, hop off the moment you pointed to the floor, and faithfully bring you your Sunday paper. That dog. The one you see in movies and TV commercials. (Does that dog exist?)
The dog you promised to love and take care of through all its seasons of life. Your companion and your faithful friend.
You brought your dog home. You introduced him or her to your family. You imagined all the fun times you’d have playing with him, taking him for walks, having her ride along in the car on errands. And up until now, most of the time, it’s been a pretty smooth ride. And your dog’s been a pretty great dog.
Except for when he’s not.
Sometimes, your pretty great dog behaves not-so-great. As a professional dog trainer who works with dog owners of all ages and levels of experience, I know how frustrating dog behavior problems can be, and how much guilt you feel for not being able to get certain behaviors in check.
Does your dog have bad tableside manners? Does she jump up on visitors at the front door? Does he ignore his own toys but want to play tug of war with your kids’ favorite things? Does your dog take you for a walk?
None of this is what you imagined. You wonder what happened to your dream of the perfect family dog, and where you went wrong in how you trained him. (You ask yourself, Did I do it right? Why didn’t he get it? Am I not consistent enough?)
First, take a deep breath. And let it out. Relaxed dog owners raise relaxed, happy dogs. And all of these problems are fixable. From new puppies to faithful longtime companions, all dogs’ behaviors can be modified using positive reinforcement.
Wag the Dog Training specializes in turning ‘pretty great dogs’ into awesome family dogs -- dogs that are well-behaved, well-mannered, and who respond to simple commands and positive reinforcement from you and from even the youngest members of your family.
I’m Dana Martin, owner of Wag the Dog Training. I’m not a magician. But I do know what makes dogs tick. I help families and individuals with pretty great dogs train them into awesome family dogs -- dogs that greet company politely, walk happily on a leash without pulling, and would never dream of nosing that slice of bacon off your breakfast plate. (Okay -- they might dream of it.)
I’m a compassionate and experienced professional dog trainer working in Calgary, Alberta and surrounding areas.
I use positive reinforcement to train pretty great dogs with everyday behavior problems such as jumping, barking, housetraining, poor recall, bad doorway manners, mild nipping, stealing and chewing inappropriate items, unreliable ‘sits, downs, and stays,’ and pulling on the leash.
I work with you and your family by my side as we train your dog together. Or, if you’re very busy, I visit your dog while you’re at work, train her on my own, then transfer my easy training techniques and commands to you when you return.
Have some ‘pretty great dog’ problems? Click here to learn more about how I help dog owners become more relaxed and confident, and train dogs to be calmer, more obedient, and more polite. I’ll help you lose the guilt, frustration, and anxiety over your otherwise pretty great dog’s problem behaviors.
Click here to learn more about me, Dana, and why I love working with dogs and their people. Or people and their dogs. (Depends on who you ask.)
To get in touch with me about scheduling a session, click here. You’ll find out how to turn your dog’s behavior around using simple, positive reinforcement techniques.
I work with you and your dog on location at your home or at your local dog park in and around Calgary, Alberta, including Okotoks, Airdrie, Cochrane, Chestermere, and Balzac.