Lunar Legacy Dog Training

07/24/2023

LOCAL CLIENTS! If you’re looking for a dog sitter, look no further!

I get asked often who I recommend for dog sitting, and Julia is your gal! I know Julia personally and trust her with my own pups (which, if you know me, means she meets the highest of standards 😂) Check out her Rover page!

https://www.rover.com/members/julia-c-certified-veterinary-assistant/?fbclid=IwAR0RpgqzbXukwjrvOObQHVL2pTck4NLcMNDlQCK0HT7RBBsy9JbIv10-kIY_aem_AeNLyfnOk5IIpYfEOT0pADmlDcp7EfrCNPlkMh6ZBC6m1Kd1Ilei4eJez8OcZMnVDB4&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=977262825&utm_content=ssp&utm_source=facebook&utm_term=17208663&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

I have 7 years of professional experience as a NAVTA approved Veterinary Assistant. I have worked in preventative medicine, specialty medicine, and emergency medicine. I have had my own pets (including cats, dogs, bunnies, fish, reptiles, etc.) since I was a child. I was even involved in a 4H Seein....

07/19/2023

If we want our dogs to know how to navigate in a human world, then we need to give them the guidance to do so!

It’s easy to just expect our dogs to know how to handle a situation, but they’re relying on us for that information.

It’s not about asking your dog to be a robot. It’s about helping your dog to not be overwhelmed by a sea of options and possibilities. No communication isn’t “letting a dog be a dog”, it’s likely stressful and a burden to expect them to just figure things out for themselves.

Imagine you walk into a new place. It’s a huge building, with lots of floors and hallways and doorways but no signs, no maps, and no one around will give you any pointers. Could you wander? Start opening doors? Hop on the elevator and check out another floor? Sure, but wouldn’t it be a lot less stressful if someone would just say “hey, the door you’re looking for is on the third floor, go down the hall on your right and into the first blue door on your left?”

Dogs aren’t humans, and I try to give this reminder any time I make a comparison to our lives as people. But the point is, clarity and guidance are things that should help alleviate your dogs anxiety, not cause more of it.

Be a leader for your dog. Give them clear expectations. Give them the skills they need to make good choices. Clarity is kind ♥️ 🐾

07/18/2023

Small dogs deserve training, too!

Shoutout to the stars of this post, Stella and Ares, and their owners for putting in the hard work! SO proud of them for all they’re accomplishing.

07/11/2023

Let go of the end result and embrace the journey 🐾🥰

07/04/2023

Happy 4th! Just hopping on here to let everyone know I will be out of office 7/4-7/9. I’ll get back to any inquiries and messages next week. Hope everyone has a safe and fun holiday!

06/16/2023

A friendly reminder for your Friday evening 🥰

06/08/2023

Everyone, meet Glory! 😍

Glory is a service dog in training, and she will be here with me for a few weeks learning the puppy basics until she goes to live and train with her puppy raiser. So far she has been an absolute delight. Gotta love labradors ♥️

There’s lots of puppy content in the works, so stay tuned!

06/06/2023

Not all dogs are enthusiastic about greeting and interacting with every person and dog they meet. Just like us, sometimes they’re just not into social interaction-and that’s okay!

The dog featured in this graphic is my dog Djoli, and she is certainly not an extroverted girly!

Djoli is comfortable with those she knows and tolerant of those she doesn’t-which is to say that if she doesn’t know you, she’d much rather keep her distance or, in some cases, hide. For her, it’s about balance. I advocate for her space. If people we don’t know ask to pet her, I politely decline. We still go places and do things with her, and we do our best to cultivate good experiences, but I’m always mindful of how she’s handling it all.

I know that she won’t ever be a dog who loves meeting new people or eagerly elicits attention from strangers. That’s just not her, and that’s alright! What I do want is for her to be able to function around new people and experiences, and to do so as comfortably as possible.

When we’re inundated with the portrait of a happy Labrador wagging and running up to get petted by everyone they see, it’s easy to feel like there’s something wrong if your dog isn’t a budding socialite. But all dogs are different, and the important thing is doing what’s right for the dog in front you ♥️

06/02/2023

Sometimes there are skills that we don’t really need to use on a regular day to day basis. But we should still be practicing them! Providing your dog with the experience and routine practice in every day life helps prepare them to perform those behaviors during the times when you need it.

05/30/2023

Frustration increases motivation!
Why does it matter? Because it can be detrimental, or a useful tool!
Restraint creates opposition and builds drive. So if your dog is rehearsing things like pulling on a harness, jumping and barking at other dogs on the opposite side of the fence, or being dragged away from that squirrel they’re trying to chase-they’re likely getting frustrated, which is likely to make them want to do the thing you’re trying to prevent them from doing even more!
On the flip side, we can also use it to our advantage! We can use restraint to build behaviors like recall, where we WANT our dog to feel highly motivated to get to us.