A Million Dreams Dog Training

A Million Dreams Dog Training Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from A Million Dreams Dog Training, Dog trainer, Arlington, VA.

06/02/2026

The crate should ALWAYS cue to your dog it’s time to relax 😌

When I first adopted Barney, his separation anxiety was legitimately dangerous. Leaving him home alone was stressful for us both. Until…

CRATE! Within a few weeks, I could leave the house knowing he was safe and, more importantly, not having a full fledged panic attack 🤪

Not only that, but I can also use it as a safe, calming space for him when people come over, during thunderstorms or fireworks, etc

Comment CRATE and I’ll send you my FREE crate training guide!

Memorial Day hike with Barney ❤️💙🤍Grateful to all our nations veterans and active military who risked their lives to kee...
05/26/2026

Memorial Day hike with Barney ❤️💙🤍

Grateful to all our nations veterans and active military who risked their lives to keep our nation safe, strong, and free. What better way to honor them than enjoying a little freedom and peace ourselves? 😌🌾🪻

*note for readers* please keep your dog on a leash if they do not have perfect off leash recall!

05/25/2026

Yall asked for it so… #1 tip for reactivity is to STOP WALKING SO MUCH!!

Dogs are meant to run and play without feeling confined, which is RARELY attainable when they’re on a 6 foot leash. If walks are your dog’s main or only form of exercise and fulfillment outside of the home, then they have every right to be a little spicy! 🌶️

Buy yourself a nice long line and start differentiating when it’s time to be wild and free versus when it’s time to be calm and focused on you. If you can achieve that, your dogs reactivity could disappear in a matter of weeks 🙌

Follow along for more tips like this!

05/21/2026

Most underrated tool in dog training… the CRATE! 🙌😍

I feel like crates have this reputation of being a “time out zone” or a form of punishment—AU CONTRAIRE MY FRIENDS!

The crate should be a safe, comfortable place where your dog can go to and immediately feel relaxed—kind of like how your bed feels to you!

Once you’ve achieved that, use it as a tool to teach your dog how to stay calm during stressful situations, like hearing sounds outside or you leaving the room for some amount of time.

DM “CRATE” for my FREE guide on crate training!

05/20/2026

When in doubt, work with a professional trainer PLEASE 🙏 Resource guarding is no joke!!

To summarize:
- resource guarding happens when there is competition for a resource (like food, toys, human affection, or even smells)
- taking appropriate safety measures, try scatter feeding to help your dog to feel neutral with resources around other dogs. This will build confidence and reduce tension
- ensure solid obedience (recall and place) for EVERY dog in the home to help prevent escalations and promote boundaries, creating a safer experience for everyone

These alone won’t eliminate resource guarding behaviors, but can supplement your training and provide solid management protocol. Follow along for more tips!

05/07/2026

putting a big asterisk here ✋

I say all of this as someone who has used a lot of different tools, in a lot of different ways, on a lot of different dogs, for a lot of different behaviors — and what I’ve learned is that certain tools are better in certain situations than others.

That depends on the dog. The behavior. The severity of the situation. And sometimes even the owner themselves. And typically, I don’t even know which tool I think will work best until I really get to know the dog.

So I don’t want this to get misconstrued as “every tool is created equal” — because they’re not. They’re each specifically designed for a purpose. That’s literally why we have so many options. They offer different kinds of communication, and different levels of communication.
Just didn’t want that to get lost. 🐾

04/27/2026

I’d like to thank the Cleveland sunrise for today’s lighting. I promise to brush my hair before the next video 🙂

02/24/2026

If done right, your voice will become a reward in and of itself!

Associating a few words (i.e. “yes”/ “good boy/girl”/ whatever you want) with high value rewards like play and chasing a treat in your hand, you can ensure that your reward markers become the reward itself!

Check out my previous post for more recall tips!

02/17/2026

If your dog were to only be perfect at ONE command, make it recall. Seriously — nothing else has the power to save their life faster.

It’s what stops them from running toward a road.
It’s what brings them back if they chase wildlife.
It’s what allows you to safely give them real freedom.

Meet Oshi (7–8 months… don’t quote me on that though 😄).
This weekend was all about turning his recall into a reflex — not a gamble.

Here’s what actually creates a reliable recall:

🔥 Be more exciting than the environment.
The SECOND your dog chooses you, celebrate it. Praise them, cheer them on, release leash pressure, and reward every single return. Even if they were just ignoring you or getting into trouble.

Coming back should NEVER feel like a mistake.

Bonus:
Use your HAPPY voice. Move away from your dog. Backpedal. Make it playful. Let them chase you or a treat. Remember, dogs follow energy!

🚫 Don’t become the fun police.
If you only call your dog when it’s time to leash up or go home… they’ll learn that coming to you ends the party.

Instead, practice this:

Recall → reward → RELEASE back to freedom.

Now you become part of the fun — not the reason it stops.

🎯 Accountability builds reliability.
Until your dog is flawless (and then some), use a long line, leash, or e-collar so they understand recall isn’t optional — it’s communication.

Hope is not a training strategy.
Follow-through is.

🌎 Train where real life happens.
Backyard recall does NOT equal park recall.

Work around dogs, squirrels, toys, people, trails — whatever your real world looks like.

If you haven’t practiced it there, you can’t trust it there.

Reliable recall = more freedom + more safety + more trust.

And that’s the goal.

Save this and practice it tomorrow! ❤️

Address

Arlington, VA

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when A Million Dreams Dog Training posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category