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Dragon Canine Training, Lehi, UT (2026)

06/15/2026

When I switched my e-collar to a clicker.

Crossing over is something I am very open about. I don’t try to hide it, and I like to let people know I can relate to them in many ways because of my cross over.

After a long time of feeling like punishment wasn’t the answer, the final straw was lots of time working with a ‘balanced trainer’ using the e-collar for excitement reactivity toward other dogs. My dog’s emotions were shutting down. I was told that I needed to keep turning up the level on my remote slowly til he looked away from my friends dog, then I reward. This attempt of suppression caused other issues and eventually his reactivity worsened. We started to rely on punishment way more than reinforcers, he wasn’t listening, he wasn’t paying attention to me, he was out in a situation where he was over threshold, and the added emotional pressure of the ecollar stimulation plus his emotions from seeing another dog would mean he started to react bigger when he saw a dog, because he started associating the sight of a dog with me pressing the button. I was told to was teaching him what not to do and what to do, but it was really teaching him the presence of another dog walking by was something to be concerned and nervous about because it meant the collar stimulation would occur.

Well, what’s wrong with teaching a dog what to do as well as what *not* to do? Well because it *isn’t* teaching what not to do. As we have known for decades now, shown over with studies ever since B.F. Skinners punished work in 1937, we have seen that behavioral change due to punishment does not equate to learning. We know this because when the punishment is removed, the behavior doesn’t stick.

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06/08/2026

What does being a dog trainer mean to me?

Prioritizing my clients well-being, helping provide things they need for success, reminding them to give themselves grace and compassion.

People putting their trust in me to help them isn’t something I take lightly. It is something I cherish.

I have a responsibility to uphold ethics and standards of practice. I have strong beliefs and follow them closely. I want my clients to be able to trust me and see I want them to succeed.

I see dogs for their emotions, not just their behaviors, and I see those behaviors as communication. If a dog is having a “problem behavior” they really are trying to tell you they have something like pain, frustration? certain needs not being met, and more.

So what does being a trainer mean to me? Honestly. Everything.

Thank you everyone who has seen me come this far.

06/01/2026

Something I have heard from people is “I use aversive training because positive reinforcement takes longer.”

But they don’t acknowledge why?

For one, I would argue it doesn’t actually take “longer” when you are looking at positive reinforcement not as just throwing treats and hoping it works, but rather applying fundamentals of learning theory to your situation. When applying learning theory properly you are taking into account a lot more, and addressing the underlying emotions rather than applying a quick fix for the behavior. When you look at behaviors from a communication standpoint rather than a problem that needs to be fixed, you can see a lot more small steps that need to take place.

Changing habits, rebuilding solid foundations, and forming long lasting skills is the critical points that get looked over, and that people selling a quick fix with aversive tools don’t address. Yes, aversive tools can work quick, but at the cost of the dog’s learning and emotional wellbeing.

If you think caring about a dog’s emotions is a flaw, there’s nothing I can say to change your mind. I can’t teach you why training with thoughtfulness is truly better. I can’t teach you why you should be a kind person to other people either.

It’s not just about emotions though. Ever since B.F. Skinners published works in 1937, even his works have shown that punishment works but temporarily, and isn’t conducive to long term learning. You see behavioral fallout, and loss of motivation when the threat of punishment is removed. Ever since his works we have just had continual research show the same thing, that punishment simply is a quick fix.

If you wouldn’t want someone to only use one nail per board when building your house, or be upset if someone did not fully mix the cake batter before putting it into the oven, then you shouldn’t want a quick fix when it comes to training your dog, because simply put, science says you won’t get reliability. I think reliability is more important than quick and sloppy work.

“Slow is Smooth, and Smooth is Fast.” -Phil Dunphy; Modern Family (2009-2020.)

So, let me know why you love positive reinforcement in the comments!

05/31/2026

What breeds are best for service work?

Well if you know me, you know my answer will be a well bred lab, golden, or poodle, in that order.

Why do I say that? A well bred dog from this trio will set you up for the most success. There’s a reason why many large service dog programs chose labs as their top breed to work with. Their breed traits often set them up to have the characteristics that make a good service dog. There’s also a reason to the order based on breed traits, and temperament.

What about other breeds? Well that depends on the breed. Some breeds can make good service dogs but have a higher wash out rate than the prior-mentioned trio, such as some kinds of spaniels. Some breeds have essentially opposite traits for what’s desired which means the likelihood of them succeeding is extremely rare. Just like I would not recommend for someone to put their life savings and mortgage on a jackpot in Vegas, I would not recommend those breeds for service work. You can’t train out genetics and simply put some breeds genetics and breed traits just clash far too much. You’d be searching for a needle in a haystack trying to find the right fit if you have your heart stuck on a breed not suited for service work.

A couple years ago I had someone message me asking if I could help them figure out what breed they should get. They said they loved German Shepherds, but when they described what they wanted in a dog and their lifestyle, it was clear a lab was best for them. They got upset when I suggested a lab, because what they wanted was for me to agree a German shepherd was good for them, when it clearly wasn’t. They essentially wanted a lab in a GSD body, stating “labs are too boring.” Which as a lab owner, I can tell you is not accurate.

There’s a saying of “Need before Breed” which can be helpful, essentially meaning to chose a breed that fits your current lifestyle, what you can upkeep well, and what you need the dog to do for you.

Well bred makes a big difference too, a well bred lab will have generally much higher rates of being a service dog than a rescue shelter dog with an unknown history.

05/30/2026

What is shaping?

This was a post that was inspirited by someone I knew online who continually used the word “shaping” incorrectly. What they meant to say was “fine-tuning” or “refining.”

Why does this matter? The words we use have power in training and explaining things to other people. If the word “shaping” gets redefined in someone’s brain to mean something totally different, it that error can cause problems in communicating to others.

So what really is shaping? It’s a term coined by B.F. Skinner in Operant Conditioning, meaning developing a new behavior by reinforcement of successive approximations to a target behavior. Essentially breaking down the behavior a little bit at a time and rewarding the baby steps closer to the final goal.

For example, have you ever taught a dog to lay down? An owner may think “Yeah you just lure the dog until the dog gets all the paws down, then you mark and reward!” which can be used, but for a dog who is resistant to lying down all the way, if you were to only give the dog a reward when it finally lays down, you can build frustration, and weaken the reward. By rewarding the dogs successful baby steps like looking toward the treat on the ground and moving the paws forward a bit at a time, you can get it to click in their brain easier of what they are meant to do, and avoid frustration.

It can be hard for some people to break it down into small steps. So I like to show people the example of making a PB&J. There’s a challenge where someone writes down step by step instructions on how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. To the person writing “pick up the knife, put it in the peanut butter, then spread it around the bread” seems very easy to understand, but what if the person following the written instructions doesn’t get it? Well that could result with them putting the wrong end of the knife in, not taking the knife out of the jar, not getting enough peanut butter on the knife, and many other results from their interpretations.

When shaping, breaking down the steps into small enough detail helps set you up for success.

What has shaping helped you teach your dog? Let me know down below!

05/29/2026

Do you struggle to stay motivated? Do you ever feel like you are not progressing fast enough?

Some days it can certainly feel that way. You can look down the line to your big goals and get overwhelmed.

So here are some things to keep in mind to stay motivated when progress is slow!

1. Progress isn’t linear. You will have ups and downs, and that’s completely normal. Comparing yourself to someone you think is at their top game daily is not healthy, and you need to remind yourself that you are not falling behind in any way.

2. Focus on the process. Remind yourself on the purpose and goals. Break your goals down into simple steps that are easier to achieve. Soon enough you’ll find yourself further in the process and have some relief.

3. Acknowledge your growth. You have come so far but don’t realize it because you may be too worried about what is ahead. Think about small goals you have achieved in the past to motivate you to continue meeting future small goals.

4. Slow progress is still progress. Small steps are better than no steps. If you are able to just nudge yourself to take a few steps in the right direction whether it’s practicing old tricks, or starting the first foundational of a new behavior for just five minutes, it’s five minutes more practice than you had before.

So what motivates you to keep going when you feel your progress is slowing down? Let me know down below!

05/28/2026

Things I wholeheartedly believe in as a trainer

1. You can slow down. You don’t have to feel rushed. As many of my clients know I like to quote “Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast” from Modern Family.

2. Reward your dog *and* yourself. How often do you say “Wow I’m doing great with staying positive.” “I’m keeping up on my dog’s fulfillment needs really well!” and more. Encourage yourself with affirmations to keep up the great work you are doing with your dog.

3. Don’t push yourself to burnout. You don’t have to do everything all at once. Focus on one thing at a time, give yourself breaks, and keep a solid steady pace.

4. You don’t have to please everyone. Simply that. Some people may not like the way you convey yourself in life, and as a trainer, and that’s okay. If you feel the need to constantly change yourself to appease others then you will lose sight of the real you.

5. Practice being gentle with yourself. So many people become overly critical of every small mistake they make when training their dog, or just in every day life. Be forgiving of your mistakes and realize the best thing you can do most of the time is just try better tomorrow.

6. Some of your best decisions won’t make sense to everyone. I personally experienced this a lot when I crossed over from aversive training to positive reinforcement. I was friends with “balanced” trainers who stopped talking to me because I did what I believe was best, and honestly? Crossing over was the best decision. I was able to expand my education far more, build a better relationship with my dog and even people in my life because of psychology, and set positive goals for myself.

So what are some things you believe in? Let me know below!

05/27/2026

The middle of the week can feel sluggish, so here is a bingo card for you! How many bingos did you get? Did anyone get a blackout board? Let me know in the comments!

05/26/2026

What helps you when you are having a “bad” training session?

It’s easy to get frustrated. Sometimes your dog isn’t meeting your expectations. Sometimes the environment isn’t what you expected. Sometimes it’s just simply an “off day.”

Here are some basic essentials to fall back on when you are having a “bad” training session.

Relax yourself, leave, take breaks, and rely on your support system.

The truth about it though? It’s harder than it seems, especially in the moment. Don’t feel like you need to push yourself or your dog to flip the difficult training session a full 180° as that can make things more frustrating when you can’t turn it around the way you want.

It is okay to get reminded that you should try to do an engagement game you do often, it is okay to change plans for what your session looks like, it’s okay to go back to your car, breathe a bit and then try again, and it’s okay to even try again another day where you and your dog are more set up for success.

So, what do you like to do when you are having a “bad” training session? Let me know down below!

Dragon Canine Training

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