Nealsnaughtypup

10/11/2026

10/11/2026

by Say It Once Dog Training

10/06/2026

Recall gets your dog back. Impulse control keeps him there.
This morning just after sunrise, Magnum and I encountered a coyote on the golf course.
Magnum is sitting while the coyote is about 40 yards away, barking at him.
I release Magnum with “free” and he takes off toward the coyote.
Then I give him the command that matters most:
COME
Magnum disengages, turns around, comes back to me and finishes exactly where I have taught him to finish. Sitting in front of me.
But that’s only half of what makes this video special.
After Magnum comes back, the coyote continues toward us. He gets to within roughly 20 yards, barking and eventually running past us.
Magnum is obviously very interested. Watch his eyes. He knows exactly where that coyote is.
But he doesn’t break his “sit”.
That’s impulse control.
And there is no E collar or shock collar involved here.
This is possible because of the way I teach recall.
I introduce recall as a great event before I ever turn it into a command.
From the beginning, I don’t want my dog coming to me because he’s worried about what happens if he doesn’t.
I want him to WANT to come to me.
We start in a distraction free environment, build success, practice over and over again, and gradually add distance, duration and real-world distractions.
I’m not trying to teach Magnum to come to me. I’m teaching him to LOVE coming to me.
What you’re watching is the finished product of that process.

IMPORTANT: I am not recommending that anyone seek out coyotes or other wildlife to practice recall.
Coyotes are a part of our environment on the golf course, and Magnum has encountered them out here since he was about six months old.
If I’m gonna give Magnum the freedom to be off leash in this environment, his obedience needs to work when the real world provides a distraction I can’t control.
Recall should be introduced early practice often and proof with real world distractions.
That’s why we’re always testing that recall.
Puppies are hard. Do it right and dogs are easy!
If you want to learn how I build recall from the very beginning, DM me for a free consult.

10/01/2026

Leash Walking Part 3: How I teach SWITCH.
In my previous videos, I showed you how I teach:
The Free Walk— loose-leash walking where your dog can sniff and explore without pulling.
HEEL— your dog walks adjacent to your left hip and sits beside you when you stop.
Now we’re adding SWITCH— my right side heel.
Why do I teach both sides?
Because when I’m walking my dog, I want to decide which side of me my dog should be on based on what we’re approaching.
On a busy sidewalk, if someone is approaching on my left, I can SWITCH Magnum to my right and put myself between Magnum and that person.
If something is approaching on my right, I can HEEL Magnum on my left.
Not everyone wants to interact with your dog— and your dog doesn’t need to interact with everyone you pass.
If your dog already understands HEEL, teaching SWITCH is pretty simple.
Start walking in Heel.
Say “Switch” pass the leash behind your back while changing hands with the leash, and guide your dog behind you into position next to your right hip.
The behind you part matters.
I don’t want Magnum crossing in front of my legs.
I want to be able to go:
Heel->Switch->Heel
Without stopping, breaking stride or tripping over my dog.
And with enough practice, you’ll see what Magnum does when I stop:
He automatically sits.
That’s not magic. That’s repetition and what I like to call mind numbing consistency. 😂
Master The Free Walk, Heel and Switch, and you have three incredibly useful tools for handling all the situations you are likely to encounter on a walk.
Puppies are hard. Do it right and dogs are easy!
If you’re struggling with leash walking, DM me for a free consult.

09/27/2026

Happy 3rd Birthday to my girl Uni! ❤️🎂
The first clip is Uni at just 13 weeks old, giant ears and all, patiently waiting for me to say the word “free” before she could eat.
Fast forward almost 3 years.
Yesterday I happened to film her doing essentially the same thing.
This time she is patiently waiting for “Free” so she can get onto the golf course - one of her favorite places in the world.
Same dog.
Same impulse control.
Same release cue.
But a lot more feeedom.
And look at that tail when she gets released. ❤️
Uni came into my life as a 10 week old rescue, and today she’s an incredibly happy, athletic, trained dog who gets to spend a ridiculous amount of her life running free- and even earns her keep chasing the geese off the golf course. 😂
Training Uni has been an incredible journey, but the best part isn’t what she can do. It’s the bond we have built along the way.
Happy Birthday Uni! ❤️
Here is to many, many more years of “Free”!