Double Bond Dog Training

01/22/2026

It’s cold and icky outside and your dog is probably ready to use his brain for good!
Come join my CGC prep class. It starts this Monday night at 7 pm at Shrewsbury Community Center. Class will be taught by me, through the Greater St. Louis Training Club.

Sign up here

12/31/2025

I try to provide my dogs (and cats) with extra enrichment when we are spending more time inside. I love the West Paws Tupple. I moisten kibble with water or broth and freeze them to use as a meal subsititue. I use dental chews strategically as rewards for nail clipping, or getting teeth brushed. And of course the food puzzles are fun.
I like to get creative. The cats love a new box. Sometimes I set them sideways, sometimes I put cardboard scratchers inside. Sometime I just move them around the house.
I also LOVE TP tubes. I fold over the ends and put a treat inside. It's surprizing how hard it is to get the treat out when you don't have an opposible thumb. Fun for cats and dogs!
What do you do for indoor enrichement?

12/20/2025

Having guests over for the holidays?

In order to keep greetings polite and calm, consider putting your dog on a leash as people arrive. Ask guests to approach calmly and quietly. If your dog gets too excited, ask the guests to step back until he is calm.

If your dog is struggling, consider putting him in a crate in another room. You can turn on calming music or the TV to help muffle sounds.

12/03/2025

How do you keep your dogs enriched when the weather is cold?

Enrichment is more than going for walks, but can include many aspects of meeting your pet's emotional, mental and physical needs.

In the winter months, you can add to your pets nutritional enrichment using snuffle mats, food puzzles and frozen food treats. I mix kibble and water or low sodium broth and let it sit until mushy. I then fill up my West Paw Toppls and freeze. I then use as a meal substitute. Since I use just kibble, I am not adding extra calories or using 'junk food'/

Buy West Paw Limited Edition Toppl Dog Toy, Periwinkle, X-Large at Chewy.com. FREE shipping and the BEST customer service!

07/12/2025

Last fall I decided to dip my toe into a new competitive sport for me, "rally". Rally is a little bit like obedience, but with less precision and more fun. One of my main goals in rally was to practice my newer training skills on my own dogs to help my clients better. It's been a fun adventure so far.
Let me help you reach your goals with your pup today!

06/28/2025

PSA regarding fireworks and dogs. I recommend that you are extra vigilant during the next week to help keep your dogs safe. Even though most suburban municiapities ban fireworks, in general rules are loosely inforced. Don't leave your dogs outside unattended, particularly if you are not at home! If you are hearing fireworks and need to take your dog out, put them on a leash. If your dog is noise sensitive, consider staying home with them. If you leave them, consider putting them in a confined space (crate, bedroom, or pen) and turning on some music or the TV to mask some of the noise.
I had a friend whose dog spooked from fireworks, jumped her fence and was never found. I don't want that to happen to any of you.

05/22/2025

Now that the kids are out of school, maybe dog training is on your list. I am always happy to work with the whole family to help your dog have a better bond with everyone in your house!

05/03/2025

Did you know that dog training is not a regulated business? None-the-less, there are ways to be tested on your knowledge and gain certification. This spring I undertook this endeaver and obtained certification with the Council for Professional Dog Trainers. This organization has rigorous standards, requires continual professional development and promotes scientific techniques for dog training.

03/08/2025

I'm off to Chicago next week to attend ClickerExpo Animal and Dog Training Conference. I am excited to be going and to see what new things I can learn to help my clients better!

02/15/2025

People often ask, "Can you teach an old dog, new tricks?". My dog, Floss, says "absolutely". In fact, last weekend she demonstrated 10 tricks to attain her Novice Trick Dog Title. Floss turned 8 years old in November.

Reach out if you want to teach your dog new tricks no matter how old he is.

02/01/2025

I've spent some time the last two weeks watching a series of webinars about dog enrichment. It has me thinking about the concept of agency (choices in their daily activities) in dogs. A few decades ago many dogs were allowed to roam freely on farms or even in suburban neighborhoods. Today few dogs are able to do so and many never have the opportunity to be outside unaccompanied. How would you feel if your every move was restricted, prescripted, and controlled?

How can you give your dog more agency? One way is to provide enrichment activities such as seeking (i.e. looking for food in puzzles or snufflemats) and sniffing.

My own dogs have access to a large back yard. I have trained them to stay reasonably quiet, not to dig (too much) and not to chew on the patio furniture. Now they can spend hours outside essentially doing whatever they like.

01/25/2025

The weather is finally getting better and your dog is probably ready to walk. Let me help you have more enjoyable walks with your dog. Areas of focus include reducing pulling, reacting to other dogs and people, and sniffing. We can do it together, or you can sign up for my new “Train and Walk” package.

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