Gold Star Dog Training, LLC

06/07/2026

Sit. Stay. Ponder: Musings on Dog Training Methods

Why I Never Opt for Marathon Training Sessions

Picture this.
You set aside a big block of time to learn something new.
You’re focused. Motivated. Ready to do it right.
Ten minutes in, you’re engaged.
Twenty minutes in, you’re working a little harder.
Forty minutes in, your brain starts drifting.
An hour in? You’re tired, overloaded, and no longer learning much at all.

That’s what marathon training sessions for dogs can feel like.

Long sessions often lead to:
• mental fatigue
• decreased interest
• sloppier responses
• learning that quietly drops off

AND...they’re also just… not very practical. In real life, I can’t reliably carve out hour-long training blocks. When I try, I get overwhelmed before I even start—and that’s usually where training stalls altogether.

So instead of saving training for a perfect, uninterrupted window, I sprinkle it into real life, like parmesan on pasta.

A minute here.
A moment there.
It all adds up to some seriously cheesy goodness.
Dogs learn best in small, digestible bites—when they’re fresh, successful, and still enjoying the process.

So rather than one long session, I look for easy moments already built into the day.
• Your dog wants something? Ask for a sit or a quick look before handing over the goods.
• Out on a walk? Slip in a sit, look, or leave it now and then—no clipboard required.
• Before meals? Throw in a short training round before dinner hits the bowl.
• Watching TV? Commercial break = dog training intermission.

FOLLOW THIS PAGE FOR NEXT MONTH’S SIT STAY, PONDER!

05/31/2026

Pencils Down, Paws Up: The 2026 Dog Class Schedule Is Set!

The Gold Star Dog Training class schedule for the rest of 2026 is officially set!

If you’ve been thinking about signing up for Basic/Essentials, Beyond Basics, or Therapy Dog Academy, now’s a great time to peek at the schedule and grab a spot before classes fill.

Classes are friendly, practical, and designed to help you and your dog build real-life skills — without turning training into a second full-time job.

Check out the upcoming dates here:https://www.goldstardog.com/register-schedule-policy

Hope to see you and your fabulous four-legged student in class! ⭐🐶

05/24/2026

👃🐾 Curiosity-on-Cue: Turning “What’s That?!” into “No Big Deal!” 🐾👃

Teach your pup to boop things with their nose for a treat—it’s a confidence-building game that makes new stuff less spooky and way more fun. 🎉
Start with the easy wins: 🧸 toys, 🍽️ food bowls, 🧦 that sock (yep, the one).

Then level up to the “hmm, not so sure…” items.

✨ The Golden Rule: The dog decides. No pushing, no pulling—just gentle invites + tasty rewards.

👏 Celebrate every baby step. Looking? ✔️ Sniffing? ✔️ Brave nose boop? ✔️ Party time!

👉 In this video: watch puppy Bailey turn a “suspicious fox” into a fun adventure (spoiler: the fox isn’t real 🦊😂).

1 like. "Curiosity-on-Cue: Building your Dog's Confidence with a Simple Game"

05/23/2026

Basic/Essentials Dog Class starts June 30 in St. Albans!

Looking for a fun, supportive way to build better skills with your dog this summer?

The next Dog/Puppy Essentials: Basic Training and Social Skills class starts:

St. Albans
Tuesdays, June 30–August 4
6:00pm

This class is a great fit for puppies, young dogs, newly adopted dogs, or dogs who could use a stronger foundation. We’ll work on real-life skills like focus, polite leash walking, coming when called, settling, greetings, and better communication between you and your dog.

It’s not about creating a perfect little robot dog. It’s about building confidence, teamwork, and those “oh thank goodness, my dog is listening” moments.

Spots are already starting to fill!

Fees and Registration: https://stalbansvt.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=17941

Read more about the class: https://www.goldstardog.com/find-classes

Questions? Just reach out — happy to help!

05/23/2026

Beyond Basics Dog Classstarts June 30 in St. Albans!

Ready to keep building on your dog’s skills — with more challenge, more focus, and more real-life practice?

The next Beyond Basics class starts:

St. Albans
Tuesdays, June 30–July 28
7:15pm

This class is a great fit for dogs who already have some basic training and are ready to keep practicing around distractions. We’ll work on strengthening focus, leash skills, stays, recalls, polite greetings, impulse control, and better teamwork between you and your dog.

It’s not about perfection. It’s about helping your dog think, listen, and work with you even when the world is being wildly interesting.

Spots are limited!

Fees and Registration: https://stalbansvt.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=17941

Read more about the class: https://www.goldstardog.com/find-classes

Questions? Just reach out — happy to help!

05/18/2026

Upcoming Basic/Essentials classes are now open — and they’re already starting to fill!

--St. Albans: Tuesdays, June 30–August 4, 6pm

--Williston: Saturdays, July 11–August 15, 9:30am and 10:45am sessions

--Essex Junction: Thursdays, August 20–September 24, 6:15pm

These classes are a great fit for building skills, confidence, focus, and better communication with your dog.

Fees and Registration: https://www.goldstardog.com/register

Read about the classes: https://www.goldstardog.com/find-classes

Questions? Just reach out — happy to help!

05/17/2026

Check out this adorable sassiness from one of our former foster dogs (who now lives happily with his person in Montreal)!

05/10/2026

Who Ate the Flowers? Protect Your Garden from Your Dog (and Protect your Dog from your Garden!)

I am NOT a green thumb by any stretch of the imagination or in any alternate universe. In fact, if plants could talk among themselves (and who knows, they might), they'd probably refer to me as The Black Gardening Hand of Death and Destruction.

Nearly everything I plant dies. Perennials become annuals (as in, they don't come back next year). When I'm weeding, I can't tell what I planted from the weeds and usually pull out things I planted on purpose only the year before.

In short, I'm a gardening horror show. But let’s get to the dog-related part.

Check out my short article on garden safety and your dog: https://www.goldstardog.com/visit-the-library

Look in the “Living with/Caring for Dogs” section for the article titled “Who ate the flowers…”

And please, for the love of whatever deity you hold dear, don't don't look at my gardens.

05/03/2026

Sit. Stay. Ponder. (Dog Training Snafus and Backfires)

Why I never ask my dog to sit (initially) after a recall.

Picture this.

You run full speed toward someone you love. They’re cheering. Smiling. Arms open. And the second you arrive, they hold up a hand and say:
“
Okay—stop. Freeze. Don’t move.”
Buzzkill.

That’s what can happen when we ask dogs to sit the moment they arrive after a recall—especially early in training.

A recall should feel like the best idea your dog has all day. Joyful. Fast. Full of enthusiasm. We work hard to build that feeling in my classes. When we immediately tack on a sit, we risk flattening it. For some dogs, that sit becomes the part that changes the emotional tone.

So what do they do?
They slow down.
They hover just out of reach.
They hesitate.

Not because they’re stubborn—but because they’re predicting the buzzkill.

Early recall training is about arrival, not position. Let your dog:
Run in fast
Crash the party
Bring the joy

Reward that enthusiasm generously. The sit can come later. Once the recall itself is rock-solid and truly happy.

Because first, we teach dogs that coming to us is always worth it.

FOLLOW THIS PAGE FOR NEXT MONTH’S SIT STAY, PONDER!!

04/26/2026

Three Ways to Work Training into your Day

• Keep it short and sweet! Think of training sessions as snacks, not a feast—just 10 minutes, three times a day is great for maximum fun and focus!
• Sneak in training during downtime moments. Waiting for the bathroom, on a commercial break, or waiting for your coffee to brew? Perfect time for quick training practice!
• Turn wants into wins! Anytime your dog wants something—going outside, a ball throw, dinner—ask for a quick sit, a look, or another simple task.