Affinity Dog Training, Inc.

06/06/2026

Phone System down. If you want to reach me please email [email protected] or you can try messaging me through FB. Thank you! Hopefully it will be resolved on Monday!

06/03/2026

Wow! Is all I can say! These teams started with me when they were baby puppies in my puppy kindergarten class. Then they continued their relationship and engagement training in my CEC classes. They are now adolescents of only 8 and 10 months of age and this was their very first time working in a huge, distracting backyard. I’m incredibly proud of them! Their level of focus and engagement is wow-worthy for pups their age. They played the games each week. No drilling - just enjoying their relationship growing.

05/03/2026

So important to understand! Please take note, especially if you have a shy or less confident dog around people.

The issue? They’re myths.

We presume a wag and a sniff is consent for a pat.
Dogs just aren’t that simple.

They can wag their tail in every emotional state. It tells you something is happening.
So which emotion has caused that peaked interest and change?
That’s often trickier to see.

Sniffing you is also not consent to touch.
It’s a quick check of who you are and to gather that further information many dogs need.
To do that, they need to get very close or even touch you with that nose.
That is not permission.

And that moment gets misunderstood all the time.

People move closer.
Hands come down.
Decisions get made based on myths.

Those signals?
They’re just pieces.

With tails? It’s the speed of the wag.
The height and tension of the tail.
The looseness or rigidity in the body.
Is there a stillness, pause or hesitation?

It all matters.

With scent? Some dogs will approach, sniff, and leave.
Some will stay close but are still unsure.
Some will give you a clear “that’s enough” and move away.

None of that is a guaranteed “you can now touch” .

The problem really isn’t the tail or the sniff at all.
It’s what we assume they mean.

Because once you act on the wrong assumption, you’ve already stepped way past what they were comfortable with.

Slow it down.
Watch more and touch less.
Let them lead the interaction they want.

It’s well and truly time we busted these myths.

04/27/2026

Just a couple spots left in my super fun puppy kindergarten! Begins May 11 at 7pm!

04/15/2026

Some fun that we are having in my Canine Enrichment Class. Aka pre sports dog class! This class focuses on age appropriate fitness, body awareness, confidence and relationship building. This group had no trouble solving the puzzle and negotiating it! Go Fry go!!!

04/13/2026

Puppies! Puppies! Puppies Everywhere! May 11! Class size limited to insure individualized attention!

04/05/2026

A good reminder! It’s a big world out there for our puppies and dogs to learn about.

It doesn’t mean playing.
It never did.
“Socialisation” has a lot to answer for.

It has a far more important meaning, and it’s often missed because of that one word.

It’s not all about interactions with other puppies or dogs. That’s a very small part of it.
Yet we get stuck thinking socialisation = play.

That’s the issue.

Socialisation is the whole world around them.
The one we’re used to. They’re not.

And if we reduce it to just play with other dogs?
Problems are on the way.

Socialisation is about teaching safety.
Creating safety.
Letting your puppy feel safe.

Even if they’ve never seen a plane or heard a crowd, the goal is the same.
Slow, careful exposure so they can take it in without overwhelming them.

We forget, or maybe don’t fully appreciate, how much they need to get used to in our world.

Socialisation is careful, positive exposure.
Acclimation.
And yes, a level of "neutrality".

Wet grass.
Stairs.
Rain on their head.
A cat passing by.
A scooter moving past.

The goal was never just play.

03/05/2026

Calling Puppies 5months or under!!! ONE spot left in the very fun puppy class beginning March 23 at 7pm! PM me, email [email protected] or call 630.762.9271 (landline!) to register!

02/23/2026

Woo Hoo! Registration for Spring Puppy Kindergarten is now open!

02/15/2026

What a gorgeous day! Along with enjoying some running around and playtime it was a perfect day for a food scatter hunt! How did you take advantage of this gorgeous weather with your pups?