TOLO - They Only Live Once, 15018 North Maribel Road, Maribel, WI (2026)

10/23/2026

Why I only serve puppy parents.

After years of working with dogs who were struggling with behavioral challenges, I made a decision.

I wanted to spend less time fixing problems and more time helping families prevent them.

That's why I became a Puppyhood Trainer.

But here's something you might not know about me.

When I say puppyhood, I don't just mean those first few months of adorable, clumsy, puppy-breath sweetness.

To me, puppyhood is the entire journey from bringing that little baby home through the emotional, physical, and behavioral changes of growing up.

The cuddly baby who follows you everywhere.

The curious explorer who discovers that the world is one giant playground.

The tween who starts testing boundaries.

And yes, the teenager who suddenly seems to have forgotten everything you practiced together.

It's all puppyhood to me.

Ideally, I'd love to meet every puppy during their first year. That's when we have an incredible opportunity to build life skills, confidence, healthy habits, and a relationship that will carry them into adulthood.

But growing up doesn't magically end on a puppy's first birthday.

That's why I welcome puppy parents with dogs up to their second birthday, too.

Because those adolescent months matter. A lot.

I've spent thousands of hours helping dogs replace behaviors that had become deeply practiced patterns. That experience taught me something I carry into every puppy coaching relationship today:

It's far better to help a puppy learn how to navigate life than to wait until they're struggling with it.

That's what prevention means to me.

Not raising a perfect puppy.

Not expecting a puppy to behave like a grown dog.

But helping puppy parents understand the dog growing up in front of them and giving that dog the skills to thrive.

Puppyhood is a practice. And you don't have to figure it all out alone.

That's why I do what I do. ❤️

10/21/2026

🐾 What does a Puppyhood Trainer use for treats?

It's a question puppy parents ask me all the time, and the answer might surprise you.

A lot of the time, I start with their regular kibble!

But here's a little trick I use.

I add some Primal freeze-dried food to my treat pouch, give everything a good shake, and let that extra aroma work its way through the kibble.

Suddenly, those everyday pieces can become a little more interesting to a puppy!

I also love that the freeze-dried pieces break apart easily, so I can portion them into manageable rewards for training.

And here's another benefit. I'm not filling the entire pouch with specialty treats. I'm using a little to make the regular kibble more appealing. It's a practical way to make training rewards go further.

I picked up the Primal at Family Pet Food Center in Green Bay. Always happy to support a local pet business!

And of course, Kuzi was more than willing to help demonstrate. 🐶

Here's the bigger lesson.

Great puppy training isn't about buying the most expensive treats. It's about understanding what motivates YOUR puppy and using those everyday moments to build life skills.

Small choices. Little wins. That's how we raise great dogs.

💬 I'm curious. Any questions you want me to answer in another video?

— Kody
TOLO | Your Puppyhood Trainer

10/20/2026

Every Puppy Parent Needs a STOP SYSTEM. 🛑🐾

"Should I say no?"

"Should I redirect?"

"Should I put the leash on?"

"Should I just ignore it?"

Sound familiar?

One of the biggest challenges puppy parents face isn't knowing WHAT they want their puppy to do.

It's knowing what to do themselves when things aren't going according to plan.

And that's exactly why I teach every puppy parent to have a Stop System.

Not one technique for barking. Another for jumping. And something completely different when your puppy decides your favorite shoes look delicious.

ONE system. One consistent way to communicate. One system your puppy can learn to understand.

Take Miah, for example.

During our session at a private off-leash dog park, we had some unexpected visitors. A group of cows hanging out right against the fence.

Miah wasn't too sure about them. And her solution?

BARK! BARK! BARK!

She wanted those cows to move away.

So I used my Stop System.

STEP 1: MARK IT.

"Ah. Ah."

That's my negative marker. It tells Miah exactly which behavior I don't want repeated.

And with a puppy who understands the system, that marker also communicates something important:

"If you continue that behavior, a consequence is coming."

STEP 2: FOLLOW THROUGH.

Miah continued barking, so I followed through with a consequence. In this case, I called her to me and put her on leash.

She temporarily lost some freedom.

STEP 3: TRY AGAIN.

We approached the cows again.

When one snorted, Miah froze and barked. I marked the bark and followed through with a leash correction.

Then something pretty cool happened.

Miah approached the fence and started sniffing.

"YES! Good girl!"

And off came the leash.

Here's what I really want puppy parents to understand.

Your puppy doesn't need a different set of rules for every unwanted behavior. They need a consistent system they can learn.

When we're consistent, our puppies can learn that responding to the negative marker helps them avoid a consequence and keep the freedom they're enjoying.

And just as importantly, we need to recognize and reward the decisions we DO want.

That's how the Stop System and More System work together.

Does one session mean Miah will never bark at cows again? Of course not.

Puppyhood is a practice.

But every opportunity to communicate clearly, follow through consistently, and reward good decisions is another opportunity to build those important life skills.

The goal isn't to have a puppy who never makes a mistake. It's to be a puppy parent who knows what to do when they do.

That's what having a system gives you.

🐾 TOLO | Your Puppyhood Trainer

10/19/2026

Can FUN really help a puppy who's afraid? ❤️

I want you to meet Ringo.

Ringo is a teenage Pug whose parents reached out because their little boy was having a hard time with fear.

And in this video, you'll see the two of us sitting on the floor of a shopping mall.

Not exactly where you'd expect a puppyhood training session to happen, right?

But here's what I want you to notice.

In the first part of the video, I'm not asking Ringo to practice a bunch of skills. I'm not trying to convince him that the mall isn't scary.

I'm playing with him.

A little snuggling. A little roughhousing. Some familiar, playful interaction.

Why?

Because when I'm working with a fearful puppy, I'm thinking about more than the fear itself.

I'm thinking about the puppy's emotional experience.

Imagine taking a child somewhere new and intimidating. We could spend the entire time focusing on everything that makes them nervous.

Or we might sit down together, share a laugh, play a familiar game, and help them discover that something enjoyable can happen there, too.

That's what I was exploring with Ringo.

I wasn't trying to force him to have fun. I was inviting him into something he already enjoyed and watching how he responded.

And you can see those little changes.

He begins to engage. There's a tail wag. I pause, and he leans toward me for a kiss.

Now, does that mean Ringo's fear is gone?

Of course not.

But those moments of connection and enjoyment matter. They can help create positive associations with an environment that has felt difficult.

And when a puppy is able to engage, we have an opportunity to teach.

Watch what happens in the second part of the video.

Ringo notices something in the mall. Then he makes a choice: he turns his attention back to me.

I mark that moment with a “YES!” and reward him.

I'm not asking him to ignore the world. I'm reinforcing a life skill that can help him navigate it.

He can notice something unfamiliar, check in with his person, and find support.

That's a little brave choice.

And little brave choices, practiced in situations a puppy can handle, are part of how confidence develops.

It's a philosophy I come back to often at TOLO:

Anxiety + Supported Brave Choices = Confidence.

But here's something important.

Sometimes the brave choice is approaching something new. Sometimes it's checking in with us. And sometimes it's choosing to move away.

Our job is to pay attention to the puppy in front of us.

If they're overwhelmed, the answer isn't more play, more exposure, or more pressure. It's better communication.

With Ringo, playful connection helped create an opportunity for learning.

And that's what I love about puppyhood training.

We aren't just teaching puppies what to do. We're helping shape how they experience the world.

Sometimes that starts with a cue or a game.

And sometimes it starts with sitting on the mall floor, having a little fun with a Pug in a shirt. ❤️

Puppyhood is a practice. And those small moments add up.

Have you noticed that your puppy handles something challenging a little better when you turn it into a game? I'd love to hear your story.

10/02/2026

This is the kind of puppy update I LOVE. ❤️

Charlie’s family told me they’ve been seeing more jumping and nipping lately.

But then came the important part:

**“We’re confident we have the tools to lead him through it.”**

And do you know what I heard?

*They don’t need me right now.*

YES. That’s a win.

Because Charlie isn’t done growing. His brain is changing. His behavior is changing. And there will be plenty of moments during puppyhood when something that felt easy suddenly… isn’t.

The goal isn’t to need support every time that happens.

It’s to understand what you’re seeing, have tools you know how to use, and feel confident enough to say:

**I can lead my puppy through this.**

And when a tool stops working quite as well?

We adjust.

Maybe it’s **how** you’re using it.
Maybe it’s **when** you’re using it.
Maybe we need to revisit **why** we’re using it.
Maybe it’s technique.

Or maybe there’s simply a better tool for the job.

That’s when your coach steps back in.

For now, Charlie’s family has this. I’ll check in again down the road and we’ll see what puppyhood brings next. 🐾

Moments like this are one of the reasons I love being part of The Central Wisconsin Bernedoodle team and their wonderful Turnkey Program.

I don’t want families to need me at every turn.

**I want them to have the confidence to lead their puppy through the turns.**

And when they need their coach again?
I’m still here. ❤️

That’s puppy parent support to me.

09/29/2026

Stop Calling Puppies Reactive!!
Reactive dogs need rehabilitation.
Puppies that look reactive need education.

There is a BIG difference.

The moment a puppy parent puts the “reactive” label on their baby, everything shifts.

They stop asking: “What does my puppy need to learn?”
And start asking: “How do I stop this behavior?”

That's where we can get into trouble.

A puppy barks at another dog? Create more distance.
They pull toward another dog? Avoid getting too close.
They get overexcited? Manage the environment.
They lose their mind when another dog walks by? Don't let them practice that.

But here's the problem:
Your puppy needs practice.
They need to SEE dogs.
They need to be AROUND dogs.
They need opportunities to learn that another dog existing in the world doesn't automatically mean they get to meet, play, bark, pull, or lose their little puppy mind.
That's what we're doing in this photo.

Nobody is playing.
Nobody is greeting.
Nobody needs to interact.

They're learning how to be AROUND other dogs before they're ready to be WITH other dogs. That's puppyhood education.

Because a puppy who doesn't know what to do yet doesn't need to unlearn a behavior. They need us to teach one.

And when we spend puppyhood avoiding instead of teaching, we risk creating the exact problem we were so afraid our puppy already had.

Reactive dogs need help reshaping established patterns.
Puppies need experience building new ones.

They need experience, not reshaping.
They need practice, not therapy.
They need to learn, not unlearn.

09/25/2026

Tonight I’m heading out to work with a wonderful family and their new rescue puppy.

They did everything they could to help their new baby feel safe, comfortable and at home.

And then their puppy discovered the cats. 😬🐶🐱

And chasing them is apparently VERY fun.

You might think my first job tonight is figuring out how to stop the chasing.

It isn’t.

My first job is figuring out WHY it’s happening.

Is this a puppy who discovered that making a cat run is the greatest game ever invented?

Is it excitement? Curiosity? Frustration?

Or am I seeing something that looks less like play and more like prey?

Because from across the living room, those things can all look like:

DOG → CAT → CHASE.

But they don’t necessarily mean the same thing.

And the “why” changes what we do next.

That’s why I don’t want to walk into this family’s home with a solution already picked out.

First, I need to meet the puppy.

Watch the cats.

See what happens before the chase starts.

And get curious.

The first step isn’t always “How do I stop this?”

Sometimes the most important first question is simply:

“Why is my dog doing this?”

🐶🐱 Now I want to hear from you: Have you ever lived with a dog who chased your cat?

Were they playing? Did they eventually become buddies? Peaceful roommates? Or are they still negotiating the terms of their relationship? 😂

Tell me your story below.

I’ll let you know what I discover with this little team tonight.

09/24/2026

No matter where I go… great dogs always seem to find me. 🐾
I was working at our family bar when this cutie stopped by to say hello.
Of course, maybe it has nothing to do with the fact that I’m pretty much ALWAYS carrying dog treats in my pocket. 😂
Thought I’d buy him a Modelo for his trouble.
He stuck with water. Good boy.

09/22/2026

Sometimes the answer to an energetic puppy isn’t doing more. It’s giving their brain something new to do.

These two can play together in their backyard for an hour.

They’ll chase. Wrestle. Run. Take a break.

Then walk inside like, Okay… what are we doing now? 😂

But take those same two teenage dogs somewhere new and the experience changes.

Yes, they’re still running.

But they’re also smelling things they’ve never smelled. Moving through unfamiliar terrain. Deciding where to explore. Checking in with me. Responding to cues in a different environment. Processing a whole bunch of information that their familiar backyard simply doesn’t offer anymore.

And I think that distinction matters.

Because when we live with a young dog who seems to have endless energy, it’s really easy to start thinking our job is to empty the tank.

Longer walk.
More fetch.
More running.
More play.

But I’m not sure an empty tank should always be the goal.

Sometimes that energy needs somewhere meaningful to go.

Think about the difference between running laps around your living room and spending an afternoon exploring a city you’ve never visited.

Both involve walking.

But only one has your brain going:

What's that? Where does this go? What's around that corner?

Our dogs experience novelty too.

And that doesn’t mean every adventure needs to be huge. “Different” might be a new trail. A sniffy walk somewhere unfamiliar. Exploring a field. Training in a different environment. Taking your normal game somewhere new.

The point isn’t to constantly entertain our puppies or exhaust them into being easy to live with.

It’s to remember that physical exercise is only one part of a rich puppyhood.

They need opportunities to move.

To sniff.
To explore.
To make choices.
To experience the world.

And sometimes, after all of that, they’ll come home and sleep like they just worked a double shift. 😂

But the nap isn’t really my favorite part.

Look at those two dogs.

That joy. That curiosity. That ridiculous teenage bounce.

I don’t want to get rid of that energy.

I want to give it somewhere meaningful to go. ❤️

Puppyhood is a practice.

What does your puppy LOVE exploring?

09/21/2026

Puppyhood is not a race. ❤️

I think that’s something new puppy parents need to hear more often.

During my visit with Central Wisconsin Bernedoodles, we sat down for a little Puppy Talk, and the conversation kept coming back to something I see with puppy families all the time:

We worry about the timeline.

Should my puppy be doing this yet?
Why can someone else’s puppy do that?
Are we behind?
Am I doing enough?

Her advice was wonderfully simple: take it one step at a time.

There aren’t perfect mile markers that every puppy needs to hit on the exact same schedule. Puppies are individuals. Families are different. And raising a great dog isn’t about checking boxes as quickly as possible.

So instead of measuring puppyhood by everything that still feels hard, look for the successes happening right in front of you.

The first calm moment.
The first good decision.
The first time a life skill starts to click.
The tiny thing that was difficult last week and suddenly feels just a little easier today.

Those moments count.

And when something is hard? We work on that next.

That’s puppyhood.

One puppy. One family. One step at a time.

TOLO - They Only Live Once

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