Force-Free Dog Training In Waco, Texas and McLennan County!
Check Out Some Of Our Confident Hounds!
✨ TRAINING SUCCESS TIP ✨
We start every training game by giving the dog a FREE treat. This rewards your dog just for showing up to class and gives them a heads up that you'll be their teacher for the next few minutes.
This is an especially helpful trick for multi-trainer families. When switching from working with one person to another, it helps the dog know who they should give their attention to next.
Wouldn't it be nice if your employer greeted you each morning with a nice beverage? What a great way to start your day!
Great training takes time, but it is worth the investment.
Ace and I have been on a long training journey to get to this point. Last night while cooking chicken parmigiana, I looked over and realized he was laying on the kitchen rug without my prompting. It may look like a simple thing, but a lot of work went into this becoming Ace's most reliable behavior.
Ace could easily walk up to the counter beside me, grab himself a chicken appetizer and run out of the room. But why doesn't he? Because he has a learning history that says laying down on this mat will yield some delicious fried chicken. I taught him another option and made it worth his while. As a result, he confidently makes good choices without me needing to micromanage him.
We love this "place" behavior and teach to almost every client. They love it too. But getting this behavior trained to the Olympic level of cooking fried chicken DEFINITELY doesn't happen magically. It takes time and effort, but it is so incredibly worth it.
✨ TRAINING MINDSET TIP ✨
Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.
I have to credit my husband for introducing me to this saying from his time in the Marine Corps. We say this phrase to every client, especially those with dogs who are learning to overcome fear or anxiety.
If you take too big of a step, you'll end up 5 steps back. Moreover, each setback adds frustration and insecurity to the learning process. In the long run, you spend more time by rushing.
But if you start slow and increase the difficulty in small increments, then you'll find you can make exponential progress later. Example: Don't be afraid to start loose leash walking practice as 1 treat per 1 step. This speed of learning makes behaviors more durable in the face of distraction.
You wouldn't want a contractor rushing through building the foundation on your house. Approach each new training exercise with your dog the same way.
✨ QUESTIONS SKILLED DOG TRAINERS ASK THEMSELVES ✨
One of my favorite moments is when a client starts thinking like a dog trainer. They go from being a passenger on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride to a confident racecar driver when it comes to modifying their dog's behavior.
One of the ways to make that shift is to ask yourself questions like this one. When my dog isn't responding to training as well as they were before, I ask myself: How can I make this easier for my dog?
We want them to get the right answer, so don't be afraid to go back a step and give them a hint!
Help Your Reactive Dog With A Decompression Walk. These are highlights from our first decompression walk with client dog Oso. Oso pulls strongly on leash and is dog reactive. So we swapped his stressful, rushed neighborhood walks for a leisurely, solo sniffari at the Waco Dam.
Check out @cognitive_canine, @dogminded, and @fromdusktilldog for more information on how to get started with decompression walks and how beneficial they are for your dog!
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✨ TRAINING SUCCESS TIP ✨
Do you want your dog to make faster, smoother progress? Then make training a DAILY habit and keep sessions short!
We only train with dogs for 2-3 minutes at a time. Their brain can get tired if you keep going after that. Plus, this makes it easier to fit training into your busy schedule EVERY DAY.
So instead of making your dog cram for the test the night before your next session, give them a quick pop quiz every day!
✨ EXERCISE TIP ✨
🐕🦺 We love seeing owners taking their dog on a daily neighborhood walk, but not all dogs enjoy that...and that's okay! If you own a reactive dog, we encourage you to think outside of the box when when it comes to physical exercise.
🐶 That's what we're doing for bull terrier client Lula who is highly reactive to anything that moves - we're talking people, dogs, skateboards, cars, all of it! But she definitely needs a physical exercise outlet, so we started backyard agility training today and she loved it!
🥎 Our first dog Artemis preferred to play fetch for her physical outlet, which allowed her walks to be more about mental exercise. Do what works for your dog and what they enjoy. Check out our list of suggestions in the post!
✨RECALL TRAINING TIP✨
🗣️ If you've ever found yourself talking to someone for a whole minute only to realize they're weren't paying attention, you learn to say their name first in the future. (🙋🏻♀️Apologies to my husband for every time he talks to me without me realizing 😬)
🐕Well if you want a dog who reliably comes when called, the same principle applies! Your recall cue (e.g., "Here!") is PRECIOUS. In the beginning phases of training, don't waste it on a dog who isn't even looking in your direction...especially in distracting environments. Make your practice count by choosing your moments carefully.
👀 In this video, Cooper is distracted by the FedEx man as well as snuffling for treats. Saying "Here!" over and over again would just teach Cooper to tune out that important word. Instead, Mike waits for Cooper to disengage from what he's doing, then says his name. Once Mike is sure he's got Cooper's attention, he follows it up with a quick "Here!". Then pays handsomely for this difficult skill with some yummy chicken.
😯 Do this double cue method enough and eventually you may have a dog who can recall to you from out of sight!
🧘🏻♀️Everyone wants their dog to settle down and relax, but have you actually taken a moment to TEACH your dog how? Relaxation is truly a skill, so there's a reason this is one of our most commonly taught behaviors.
🐶 If you want your dog to have this skill, pick a mat or bed to practice with. Reward your dog with a treat for any interaction with the "place" to start. Once they're reliably getting on the mat, cue them to lay down and reward again.
🗣️ Keep practicing until they do the whole process seamlessly, then give it a name! Ella's cue is "Go To Your Place", but our dog Ace knows this game as "Chill Out". You can really get creative with this cue!
✨ TRAINING MINDSET TIP ✨
because your #mindsetmatters
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Don't take your dog's behavior personally.
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This was probably the biggest mindset shift that I've undergone. I went from being frustrated, offended, and embarrassed by my dog's behavior to feeling more in control of our future and having more clarity in our training.
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Easier said than done, right? Well here are some facts that helped me think differently:
1️⃣ Dogs lack morality, which means they actually NEVER 'know what they did was wrong'.
2️⃣ Dogs do what works. They don't waste their time on behaviors that aren't useful in achieving their goal.
3️⃣ I'm the one with the bigger brain and who took on the responsibility of caring for this dog. It's up to me to figure out how I can help my dog succeed.
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Take this mindset challenge one day at a time. The next time your dog pees on your bed, chews on your shoe, or doesn't come when called, try asking these two questions:
❓What's an explanation for this behavior that isn't personal?
❓What change can I make so it doesn't happen again?
👍 Dogs Do What Works.
🗣️ We say this phrase to every client. Every behavior your dog chooses, they choose it because it works. It gets them something they want. Yes, that means the things you see as behavior "problems" are actually behavior SOLUTIONS to your dog.
🐶 A few months ago we started rewarding Ace for resting his chin. I maybe did two training sessions on this and then another couple times we caught him doing it and rewarded it. Though he's only been rewarded for this behavior maybe 30 times in 3 months, he has decided it WORKS and offers it without being cued or promise of a reward.
🔥 Ready for a hot take? We dislike the idea of quick fixes, but positive reinforcement is often painted as taking a lot of time. I disagree. While certain cases may progress at a slower rate, I have observed over years that R+ is actually incredibly fast and efficient. Not only did Ace realize this behavior works with relatively little effort, but it's damn adorable to boot!
💕 Ace hopes you all had a Happy Valentine's Day weekend! Here's a big smile and some festive bowties to warm your heart - especially if you're shivering like we are here in Waco!
⭐ DOG TRAINING TIP: Use the S.M.A.R.T method 25-50 times per day.
🐶 What did your dog learn from you yesterday? Did they learn that jumping gets your attention? That barking gets you to feed them?
⚠️ Our dogs are VERY observant, so be careful! You may unintentionally teach your dog that behaviors you don't like are effective at getting the dog what it needs.
🤝 But there's good news! It also means that you have endless opportunities each day to build patterns you are both happy with.
🧠 The most efficient way to train your dog is to keep your 👀 open and capture any moment of behavior that you like. That's why it's called S.M.A.R.T. method...
1️⃣See
2️⃣Mark
3️⃣And
4️⃣Reward
5️⃣Training
👏 It's that simple! See your dog standing to greet a guest? Mark it with a "Good Girl!" and feed her a piece of food. See your dog sitting by their bowl quietly? Mark it with a "Good Boy!" and give your dog a few pieces of food in his bowl.
🍪 Set aside little jars of treats around the house so you always have rewards in reach for this method.
🗝️ Our key to a successful "Come!" when called 🗝️
🎉 ENTHUSIASM!!! 🎉
I know a dog is more likely to come when called when they do it enthusiastically, like Gilligan here! BUT, in order to get enthusiasm from your dog, YOU have to be enthusiastic first!
Here's how you can do that:
👏 Use YOUR BODY to entice your dog over by clapping your hands, slapping your thighs, or tapping your feet.
🗣️ Use YOUR VOICE by making pleasant sounds like kissy noises, clicking your tongue, and cheering your dog toward you.
🏃 Use MOVEMENT by going halfway towards your dog then running backwards to encourage them to chase you.
🥩 Use HIGH-VALUE FOOD to give your dog a big payday for a behavior that you value highly.
👉 REMEMBER: If you want your dog to come when called, YOU have to be WORTH coming to!
🐾 Introducing Reggie 🐾
🦋 Reggie is a busy guy and a social butterfly. He gets very excited when guests come over, which has previously resulted in frantic running, jumping and mouthing of his potential new friends. His owner asked us to help him learn to settle when guests come over.
🧰 Reggie has added a bunch of new behaviors to his "Good Boy Toolkit". Now when friends come over, he can try sitting, standing, making eye contact, gently licking or nudging human hands, and laying down on a place.
🐶 He asked we show everyone how handsome he looks laying on his place. Give us some ❤️❤️❤️ in the comments for this sweet and smart boy!
☀️ On Saturdays mornings, we prep for a big day of training sessions by prepping our food rewards.
🍗 Ace is certainly tall enough that he could jump on the counter and surf for some chicken easily. But instead he chooses to lay down nearby.
🚫 This is a reminder that training is NOT about punishing "bad" behavior - anyone can do that!
🧰 Training is about building *new* behaviors that you and your dog both love. Only rewards can BUILD behavior and Ace knows laying down will always pay!💲
Please enjoy some Texas snow zoomies courtesy of Ace ❤️
🐶 Meet Gilligan 😍
🎅 This labradoodle was already on Santa's nice list, but he's really impressed us with what a good boy he can be. His awesome family has worked hard with him these past couple months and it shows!
🎄This particular session we had just introduced "stay". He's so smart that he stayed really well so I could take this adorable picture.
🐕You can see more of him on his IG profile @fluffballgilly
🐕🦺 It's 41° at 8 AM in Central Texas and we honestly wouldn't rather be anywhere but on a walk with our dog.
🧠 Since there isn't much going on at this time of day, that makes this an optimal time for both training and decompression.
🚫 One of the biggest mistakes we see is trying to train your dog in the real-life situations where the unwanted behavior is occurring. We've been there: Trying to train the dog on GAME DAY instead of building those skills during an intentional SCRIMMAGE. If your dog is not responding to the training, that means it's too hard. Always make it as easy and boring as you can to start and then slowly work up to the big game.
🧥 Thanks to @woofcultr for this great sweatshirt. Ace has come a long way with his stranger-danger training. He happily notices people around him, but would still prefer they keep their distance. This sweatshirt helps us focus on training and keep the strangers at bay.
👆Dogs don't worry about how goofy they look when they're having a great time. Let's take a page out of our dog's book.
🥰 Hope your Sunday is as joyful as Cooper rolling in the grass after training!
About The Confident Hound
Our mission is to build confidence in dogs and their humans so they can make the most of their precious time together.
We have approximately 8 to 15 short years with our dogs. Things like stress, anxiety, fear, frustration and insecurity can take a toll on health and happiness, shortening that time and diminishing your memories together. We want you both to worry less, so you can spend that time enjoying life instead. You both deserve peace of mind, to feel in control, and to have predictability and harmony in your home. We can help make this a reality. We are passionate about helping dogs feel confident in their environment, which in turn helps owners feel confident in their dog and strengthens the human-animal bond. We achieve this through force-free, positive reinforcement-based training methods.
Your Trainers
Lisa Corcoran, VSA-CDT
Lisa is a lifelong lover of dogs, learning new things, and solving puzzles. Her background is in Psychology (B.S., Virginia Tech; M.A., Catholic University of America) and she currently works in the veteran mental health research field. Lisa is a graduate with distinction of the prestigious Victoria Stilwell Academy for Dog Training & Behavior and has been granted official status as a VSA-Certified Dog Trainer (VSA-CDT). Since 2017, Lisa has volunteered weekly at shelters and rescues to rehabilitate dogs looking for good homes.
These experiences help Lisa understand why both her canine and human clients do what they do. Lisa’s detail-oriented nature helps her to identify the cause of your dog’s behavior problems, and her creativity leads to a solution that works for both you and your dog. If you’re looking for a total dog nerd, Lisa is the trainer for you.
Mike Corcoran, CSB-D
Having grown up with dogs that displayed fearful and aggressive behaviors, Mike made it his mission to specialize in helping dogs like these be more confident and content in their surroundings.
Mike’s educational background is in Computer Science (B.S., Mary Washington College; M.S., George Mason University), which gives him a unique perspective of dog behavior problems as being similar to bugs in computer software. Combined with his experience as a rifleman in the United States Marine Corps, where he learned that true leadership doesn’t rely on using fear or punishment, Mike brings a systems-based approach to dog training.
Mike is a Certified Shelter Dog Behavior Consultant (CSB-D) through the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and recently completed Michael Shikashio’s Aggression in Dogs course.
