Top Notch Dog Training

05/27/2026

Some more good sniffin' by Top Notch Teams this past weekend:

Rockaway, NJ
NW3 -
Melissa & Wynnie - 3rd Place OVERALL, NW3-C Title, 4th Place Containers, 2nd Place Exterior

Kim & FlapJack - NW3-E Title

NW2 -
Cathy & Sloane - 3rd Place OVERALL, 1st Place Containers, 1st Place Vehicles, 2nd Place Interiors

Elite S - AM -
Stefanie & Bijou - Elite S Title, 1st Place Woodshop Search

Elite S - PM -
Dominique & Edain - Elite S Title, 3rd in Craft Search, 4th in Workshop Search

Congrats to all of the competitors!!

05/25/2026

A good illustration of footwork for the AKC about turn.

05/22/2026

This is why the default down is so important!! Your dog needs to be taught how to relax!

THE FOUR CORNERSTONES OF FOUNDATIONAL DOG TRAINING

DAY 5 – TEACHING THE OFF-SWITCH

By Simon Chapman
🌐 www.k9manhuntscotland.co.uk

One of the biggest problems in modern dogs is not lack of exercise…

It’s lack of emotional recovery.

Many dogs today live in a constant cycle of:

⚡ stimulation
⚡ anticipation
⚡ over-arousal
⚡ excitement
⚡ inability to switch off

Then owners say:

“My dog has endless energy.”

Sometimes.

But often the dog has simply never learned how to relax properly.

Modern dogs are constantly stimulated through:

🎾 endless ball throwing
🐕 dog parks
⚡ constant excitement
🌍 perpetual activity
🎯 non-stop entertainment

The result?

Many dogs become:

❌ mentally wired
❌ overstimulated
❌ unable to settle
❌ frustration-driven
❌ constantly seeking stimulation

Calmness is NOT created through exhaustion.

Calmness is a trained emotional state.

Teaching the off-switch means helping dogs learn:

✔ patience
✔ stillness
✔ decompression
✔ emotional regulation
✔ how to simply exist calmly

Because a calm dog is not a shut-down dog.

A calm dog is a dog with balance.

Sometimes the most advanced thing a dog can learn…

…is how to peacefully do absolutely nothing.

05/21/2026

More Results!!

Nyack, NY
NW2 - Results
Susan & Bonny - 1st Place Interior Search, 2nd Place Vehicle Search

Elite S ( #1)
Jen & Joey - 2nd Place OVERALL, 1st Place New Dorm Search, 2nd Place Boys & Girls Search

Stay tuned........ more awesome results to come!

05/18/2026

Wow! Those Top Notch Nosework teams are doing so well!

Warwick, NY - (Host - Top Notch Dog Training)
NW3 Results:
Laurie & Brenley - NW3 Title
Pat & Josie - NW3 Title
Paula & Daisy - NW3 Title, 2nd place OVERALL, 3rd place Exterior search.
Melissa & Wynnie - 1st place Containers, 1st place Interior, 3rd place Vehicles.
Toni & Gyda - NW3-E title

Elite Results:
Jen & Joey - 1st place OVERALL
Dominique & Edain - 2nd place Dining search

Hillsdale, NY (FLOD Host)
Elite Results:
Carol & Odin - 1st OVERALL, ELT 1 Title, 3rd place Lodge search, 1st place Fat Cat search.
Geri & Dale - 2nd place Fat Cat Search
Dominique & Edain - ELT 3 Title

Monticello, NY (Saints2Source host)
NW3 Results:
Brynn & Devo - NW3 Title (6th Overall)
Paula & Daisy - 2nd place Exterior

Elite Results:
Geri & Dale - 1st place OVERALL, ELT 2 Title, 2nd place Playground search, 1st place Health Center search.
Christine & Honor - 1st place Cabin 9 search

Congratulations to all! If you have any photos of your searches or ribbons, please post them in the comments. Corrections/additions welcome!

05/17/2026

A little birdie told me that the Top Notch crew did great at the Albany Obedience Club's recent trial -

Saturday -
Open A class
Jill & Bernie - 1st Place
Rob & Ellie - 2nd Place
Christine & Honor - 3rd Place
(these were the only qualifiers out of 20 dogs)

Sunday -
Novice B class
Janyce & Lucy - 2nd Place

Open A class
Jill & Bernie - 1st Place
(Only qualifier out of 16 dogs)

Congrats to all - please post any photos you have in the comments.

05/17/2026

Wow - we are WAY behind in posting (bragging) about our student (and instructors) successes - here goes!

Garrison, NY NW3 trial (hosted by Top Notch)
New Titles:
Laurie & Brenley - NW3
Stefanie & Bijou (with their NW3 Elite title!!)
Susan & Brutus - NW3, 3rd in Exterior and OVERALL PRONOUNCED!
Jen & Tumble - NW3 Containers Title

Garrison, NY Elite trial (hosted by Top Notch)
Carol & Odin - 1st place gym search, 7th overall
Christine & Honor - 1st place dentist search

Stony Point, NY NW3 trial (hosted by Saints2Source)
Melissa & Wynnie - NW3, NW3-E Title. 2nd Place Container, 3rd Place Interior, 2nd Place Vehicles & 1st place OVERALL plus OVERALL PROUNOUNCED!
Pat & Josie - 1st Place Vehicles, Qualifying score
Lynn & Bandit - Qualifying Score

Stony Point, NY Elite-S trial (hosted by Saints2Source)
Pat & Trystan - 100 points, 1st place in Park search & 1st place OVERALL
Dominique & Edain - 2nd Place Park search
Paula & Daisy - 3rd Place in Studio search
Jen & Cole - 1st Place Time to Eat search & Elite-S title
Christine & Honor - 2nd Place Time to Eat search

Stony Point, NY NW2 trial (hosted by Saints2Source)
Brynn & Kaia - NW2 Title, 3rd Place Interior search
Mikayla & Baney - NW2 Title, 2nd Place Exterior
Sue & Archie - NW2 Title
George & Mayce - 1st Place Vehicle Search

WOW - these guys did great! If you have a photo, please post it in the comments - (More exciting news to come!)

05/14/2026

Good reminder for all of us to B.R.E.A.T.H.E !

STRESS IN DOGS — WHAT YOU BRING DOWN THE LEAD

Dogs don’t just react to the environment…

They react to YOU in that environment too.

The lead is not just a bit of rope.
It’s a communication line.

And what travels down it is often:

• tension
• frustration
• anticipation
• anxiety
• hesitation

You see another dog…
you tighten the lead slightly.

Your dog notices.

You hold your breath.
Your movement changes.
Your tone sharpens.

Your dog notices that too.

Dogs are incredibly good at reading patterns, body language, and emotional changes.

That’s why stressed handlers often create stressed dogs without even realising it.

The more pressure we add:
• the more the dog reacts
• the more frustrated we become
• and the cycle continues

Good handling is not about being perfect.

It’s about being:

• calm
• predictable
• clear
• emotionally steady

Sometimes the biggest change in the dog…
starts with awareness in the handler.

Because your dog does not experience the world alone.

It experiences it with you.

www.k9manhuntscotland.co.uk