Pups-N-Motion

10/08/2026

Meet Boone and Matilda (aka Tilly), two rising stars ready to take the training world by storm and embark on some very distinct local adventures!

While they're tackling the program together right now, their future fan clubs are already waiting. Tilly is destined for city life in Boston, where she's gearing up to live her best life and scout the local sports scene, proudly repping the Patriots and Bruins. Meanwhile, Boone is staying true to his Granite State roots as a proud New Hampshire boy, with his eyes on the ultimate career milestone: aspiring to be the official ball retriever for the Dover Green Wave soccer team.

Boston-bound or Green Wave-bound, these two are ready to graduate from students to superstars! State Labradoodles, LLC (Sophie x Tango)

09/15/2026

Well said.

The crate “solved” it.
The chewing stopped.
The jumping too.
That relentless pacing?
Gone.

They're not following you around.
Stopped getting into everything they shouldn't.
It's a very tempting “solution”.

But hang on a minute.
Behaviour stopping because a door is closed?
It's not the same thing as stopping the behaviour.
Similar.
But certainly not the same.

And I think we've gone beyond the old “how long is too long?” conversation around crates.
Because for some dogs, we're drifting into something else entirely.

Containment being mistaken for training.

Many times, that's just management.
Not training.

But the two shouldn't be confused here.

Management has a place.
A very important one.
Sometimes we absolutely need to prevent a dog rehearsing something while we work on what's driving this.
And we need a puppy somewhere safe because our eyes simply cannot be on them every second of the day.
Best of all?
A dog genuinely loves their crate and happily disappears in there for a snooze.

Great.

But none of that means shutting the door has taught the behaviour we wanted outside of it.
The puppy who can't chew the furniture from inside a crate hasn't necessarily learned what they can chew.
A dog who can't pace around the house hasn't learned how to settle.
And a dog who isn't jumping at visitors because they're confined hasn't necessarily learned what to do when visitors arrive.

That's completely different.

Crate training?
That's another aspect of this altogether.
A dog being gradually conditioned to feel safe and comfortable in a crate is a valuable skill.
Being able to shut the door isn't the goal.
Having a dog who can genuinely relax in their own little area? Brilliant.

But yes.
Crates can be misused.
They are misused.

Particularly when we're looking for a quick solution to behaviour that actually needs teaching, investigation or change somewhere else.

Because if the only thing preventing the behaviour is a closed crate door?
The crate didn't solve it.
The crate contained it.

09/13/2026

Perfect info for my new and future puppy owners

We're going to fall into a puppy trap.
Head first and with great intentions.

We want to do everything right.

But right, isn't necessarily based on all the videos out there.

Keep them entertained.
Make sure they get plenty of exercise.
Give them loads of toys.
Let them burn off all that puppy energy.
Step in once an unwanted behaviour becomes a problem.

None of that sounds unreasonable at all.

And that's exactly why we fall into issues.
Because the problem isn't necessarily what happens today.
It can become tomorrow's very well-rehearsed habit.

A puppy who is entertained every waking moment can start struggling when nobody is available to entertain them.

Trying to exhaust a wildly energetic puppy can sometimes add even more arousal to a puppy who desperately, desperately needs restorative sleep.

Leaving every toy available all the time can mean missing opportunities to use toys for interaction, play and learning and heads up, 20 toys lying around is not the same as a fun, bonding play session where occasionally we can add in some training too.

And these little behaviours we are doing now?

They don't seem particularly important at eight, ten or twelve weeks old.

But habit and repetition are soaked in, by us and them.

That's the problem in a nutshell.

None of this means puppies shouldn't play, exercise, have toys or have plenty of interaction.

Of course they should!

But it's about recognising that more isn't automatically better, and that prevention and management is part of raising the puppy you have always dreamed of.

Some of the best puppy advice?
Well, it's not very exciting.

It doesn't get passed on, or talked about as much.

It's not full of fun and joy.
It's a bit sensible and boring really.

But, it IS the advice that really matters.

09/01/2026

First day of school has officially started!

Meet Gio! 🏖️
He’s heading down to Falmouth, MA, where his main job will be keeping up with his 14-year-old Labradoodle big sister, Arbie. She’s already drafting the house rules, but Gio is convinced he’s running the show. ( Callie x Leo)

Meet Moose! 🌲
He’s off to Bristol, NH, to officially join the ranks as a working comfort dog! Don’t let the big name fool you—he’s mostly made of tail wags, belly-rub requests, and top-tier snuggles. Bristol is getting a total sweetheart. ( Hazel x Gus)

08/26/2026

For all my doodle owners, past, present, and future, this one's for you.

JOLLY JUMPERS
Dogs jumping up is a common, normal behaviour, but it’s one that’s relatively easy to change as long as our reaction is consistent and everyone that interacts with the dog, follows the same approach.

When dogs have been jumping up for a long time, probably since pups, it takes time to teach an alternative behaviour and doesn’t happen overnight.

Allowing your dog to jump up when you wearing an old pair of jeans because it really doesn’t matter, but getting annoyed when you’re wearing smart clothes, causes confusion.

As with all behaviour we want to change, consistency is really important.
Dogs will continue to do what they find rewarding and we often inadvertently encourage and reward this behaviour by our reactions.

Pushing our dog away, shouting, scolding or interacting with our dogs when they jump up is still providing attention, even though it might be “negative” attention.

We need to show our dogs that jumping up results in no attention, but having 4 paws on the floor, searching for a treat that is thrown, retrieving a favourite toy, or a hand or chin touch is far more rewarding.

Dogs will soon realise that - “I don't have to jump up to get what I need. I can do something else that works much better.”

08/20/2026

The best decisions can hurt feelings.
That’s the harsh truth no one really wants to say out loud.
So here goes.

Your family and friends may not be the people you should leave your dog with.
They shouldn’t be the people who get to override your gut when it’s telling you "I'm not sure about this."

Every single thing on this graphic?
Dog trainers see it and live it. Every single day.

The friends walk where the people are friends, but the dogs are everything but.

The big "dog friendly" event that everyone goes to that ends in chaos, fights and a dog that won't leave the house for three days after.
Some of those events are similar to dog parks with far less options to leave and lot’s more pressure.
Sometimes that photo opportunity isn’t worth it.

How about the "I LOVE dogs, I'll watch him!" person you leave your dog with when you go away.
Loving dogs means a lot to hear, but there are a hundred other skills and pieces of knowledge they should have.

There’s a reason people in this industry are ruthlessly selective.
It’s not to be difficult. It’s not to be a kill joy.
It’s 100% for the physical and emotional safety of dogs.

Because we see what happens when people say yes because they didn't want to say no and hurt someone's feelings.

So be choosy.
Be selective.
Be difficult if you have to.
You can say no and it will be ok.

I know plenty of people reading this have lived at least one of the examples on this graphic.
So let’s hear about the good, the bad and the ugly.
The time you didn’t trust your gut.
Or the time you did.

We’ve probably all got a few stories to share.

08/15/2026

Something to think about for those either seeking my services or looking to have their pup move onto the next level of training (AKC STAR Puppy, AKC Canine Good Citizen, Comfort or Therapy Dog)

07/30/2026

Congratulations to Moxley! 🐾🎓

After 5 weeks of recovery and rehab, this sweet girl is officially off to her new home and starting her formal Comfort Therapy training with Auntie Dog Training Studio

Moxley truly has the heart of a champion. Through every hurdle, her strength and spirit have shone through. She’s joining her two fellow Labradoodle friends on duty at Watertown, and with that absolutely perfect signature head tilt of hers, she’s guaranteed to steal every heart in the building! ❤️

We are so proud of you, Moxley—go spread all that love! ✨🐶

07/30/2026

Un-bee-lievable news! 🐝

Sweet girl Beatrice (Bea) has officially passed her Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test! 🎓🐶
But she’s not stopping there—Bea has decided to keep buzzin’ right into her next chapter: training to become a certified comfort dog! Her pawrents and I couldn't be prouder of this hardworking little queen bee. 💛👑

07/21/2026

🐾 PUPPY CLASS IS IN SESSION! 🐾

​Our training floor just got a whole lot sweeter! Give a big tail-wagging welcome to our three newest superstar trainees:

​Charlie 🎀
Here for a quick mini-bootcamp while her family gets her new home in Connecticut picture-perfect for her grand arrival!

​Winnie H. 🍫
Settling in for a fun two-week staycation while her Massachusetts family jet-sets in search of the finest swiss chocolate. (We promised her plenty of delicious treats here, too!)

​Winnie P. 📚🐾
On a very special mission! She’s officially the third pup training to join the Watertown School District. Get ready, students—so many smiles, tail wags, and study breaks are headed your way!

(Olive x Leo)