New Hope Dog Training Center

10/23/2026

Playing Scent Games With Enzo!

Finding something new for your dog to do is always fun and it’s good for the dog. Watch Enzo figuring out how to work a brush pile while searching for his ball!

Notice that the breeze is blowing away from the camera and all three times that he found his ball, he was downwind of the ball. That means that he went past the ball, the breeze brought the scent to him, and he followed the scent back to the ball.

Even when he loses the ball in the yard, watch the last second or two before he sees and grabs the ball. The scent led him closer and closer to the ball, but he didn’t know where he was going until he was right on top of it!

10/22/2026

Meet Daisy! She's a very cute 3 1/2 year Cavapoo. She is our newest student!

10/21/2026

10/19/2026

Another happy student!

10/15/2026

Fearless Flying Border Collie!

A couple of weeks ago I shared with you that I had to euthanize my dog, Ace. I was looking through some old photos and I found these pictures that a friend of mine took back in 2012. Ace was an amazing athlete and totally fearless! Tricks like this leap into my arms had nothing to do with our work at the ballpark. Much of what I taught him was just for our fun. He was a heck of a dog!

10/01/2026

Meet Sparky's little sister, Kiwi. She's a 10-pound mixed breed who's a little bit on the shy side. It surprises people, but most of the dogs that I train are mixed breeds. Sparky and Kiwi both graduate tomorrow.

09/30/2026

What The Heck Is A Mudi?

This dog's name is Sparky, and he is a Mudi. They are considered one of the rarest purebred dogs globally, with only a few thousand worldwide. They are from Hungary and are used for herding. This is the first one that I've ever met or trained. In fact, I had never even heard of the breed until I met this boy.

Check back tomorrow to see Sparky's roommate, who also graduates on Friday. She weighs 10 pounds and her name is Kiwi!

09/22/2026

A sad day for my family and for some old Durham Bulls Fans.

Last week I had to say goodbye to my Border Collie, Ace. He was the last of my dogs to perform as a mascot for the Durham Bulls baseball team. He was 14 1/2 years old, and the years finally caught up to him.

I got him when he was 5 1/2 weeks old, and since then he was almost always at my side. That is, unless he was playing fetch, chasing frisbees, or playing with the various puppies we raised over the years. He was such a sweet dog that he would actually lay down to play with younger pups. He was a great uncle!

He was the last dog in my 15-year stint working at the ballpark, and in many ways the best. If you attended a Durham Bulls game 10 to 15 years ago, I'm sure you remember him. He was a dynamo on the field.

On the other hand, when we were working the crowd, he was the most calm, gentle and affectionate dog imaginable. He met and greeted thousands of children at the ballpark, and he loved every one of them!

He was a really sweet, obedient and gentle guy. He was also one of the most impressive dogs I've ever worked with at the ballpark. I couldn't have asked for a better worker or companion. He was truly a great dog.

He is, and will remain, greatly missed.

08/28/2026

Check Out The Lunar Eclipse! If you're awake, you might want to stick your head outside and look at the moon. We are having a lunar eclipse tonight and it's already begun. There is a little cloud cover, but it's still mostly visible. It's supposed to peak at 96% coverage around midnight. I hope the clouds keep cooperating!

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08/25/2026

This morning Poppy and I took a graduation pic at the end of the in-board part of her training. I'm the one on the left ducking the kiss!