The Puppy Concierge

02/05/2025

Hey friends! Good morning! I was gonna go live this morning to have a conversation about puppy training and I found out that I have to have 100 followers to be able to do that on this page… I have 98! So if any of you can find just two more people that can follow my page that would be really helpful and then I can do some fblives and have conversations or explain to you some of the training stuff that I do! Thanks so much!!

11/27/2024

Did you know that picking up your puppy and carrying it around too frequently can actually make an insecure dog? In order for your dog to develop confidence it’s important that it feels it can face the world from its own perspective. So give that puppy plenty of opportunities to walk around on the ground or on the floor (as long as it is properly toilet trained-go here for a free ebook on how to get reliable toilet training: https://files.cdn.thinkific.com/file_uploads/5433/attachments/5a7/955/aef/AFTER_You_Get_Your_Puppy_Dunbar_Academy.pdf).
Once you placed your puppy on the ground stay nearby so if it gets nervous or scared, it has the comfort of knowing that you’re nearby, but resist the urge to pick it up and carry it too often. Occasional snuggles are best for your pup! 💗🙏💗

06/17/2024

Hey Everyone!
So excited to share with you that I have started working on a farm! Yes! And it looks like I will be trying out some training techniques on our sweet miniature pig Penelope.

I haven't used my training skills in quite some time so I am a little rusty and I was brushing up on some research when I came across this video and want to share it with you.

If you have ever wondered what 'formula' dog trainers use, this video has an excellent explanation of the Operant Conditioning Quadrant. Really it's an animal behavior training 'formula' as it can be used for training any animal but it's most closely used with dogs as it has been studied using these techniques more consistently on dogs.

**Warning** There is an example of a an aversive training technique-this is when a trainer uses a punishment to reinforce their training. (which usually results in hurting the animal and in most cases is less likely to actually produce the training results the trainer is seeking).

Anyway, I hope this helps you understand the 4 different processes of training and if you have any questions or want to start a discussion in the comments, please do so!! I love hearing stories of how you use R+ or R- or P- to train an animal!

Thanks so much for supporting this page!

The famous four quadrants of dog training, (also known as the four quadrants of operant conditioning and the four quadrants of consequences) include the term...

06/06/2023

Hey friends!! Happy summer!! (Here in Florida anyway. Lol.)

Just a friendly reminder as the temperatures get warmer:

**Dogs get over heated WAY easier than you'd expect and much easier than we do.

**Please make sure that if you are walking your dog for extended periods of time either on the sidewalk or at a park, bring water for yourself, but also bring a LOT of water for your pet!!! Dogs need to drink WAY MORE Water than we do! SO please remember to help keep them extra hydrated!! ( I will include a link in the comments for more info about dog hydration!!)

**And of course we all know NOT to leave a dog in a car while we are grocery shopping or working out or are going to be away from them for any longer than 5 min!! (Especially true here in Florida!!) I have included this helpful chart from another source for your convenience!!

Thanks for keeping your pet safe and happy and healthy this summer!! Share a pic of your furry friend below if you'd like! And always feel free to share these posts!!

02/10/2020

Ian again! Lol!

12/25/2019

Hi Friends!! Its that time of year again when people think its a good idea to get puppies for Christmas gifts or a family pet. Here are my suggestions for this year, when considering this:

1) please do as much research when considering bringing a puppy into your home, as you would if you were buying a car or a home. This is not a benign decision. EVERYTHING you do will have an impact on this being which will In Turn have an impact on You and your family. Please be aware of this and research accordingly. Please also know that whatever your dog does that you don’t like, has been taught BY YOU. That’s correct! So smack yourself with a newspaper if your dog is ‘misbehaving’! 😜
2) when researching breeds or training/trainers; please keep in mind these things:

*how much time do i have in my day to commit to training, potty training, feeding, and exercising
*will i have enough room in my home or apt for the size breed i want
*is this breed good for/recommended by professional trainers for families
*what kind of reputation does this trainer have
*does this trainer show ALL of their training techniques on their website/videos/youtube-OR-do they make it look like ‘magic’ when they train-training is not magical-its science.
3) here are some helpful places to start your research:
www.dogstardaily.com
Dr Ian Dunbar
John Visconti
Andrea Arden
Victoria Stillwell
Positive reinforcement training
NOVA did a special on dogs and how their brains work. Its available for a small price on Amazon prime video.

Above all enjoy your new addition and have FUN!! (But seriously research first, puppies are always fun. 😜🤣) 💗❤️💗
Thank you and happy Puppies!!

I am often asked, (actually, “criticized” and “chastised” might be more accurate terms): 1. Why most of my seminars, articles, books and DVDs focus on puppy raising and training rather than adult dog training? and 2. Why I promote (which I don’t) buying pure-bred puppies from breeders inst...