Top Notch Dog Training

06/09/2026

Our very own Flapjack & Kim have been busy too!

On 5/30/26 Flapjack earned his Excellent Interiors with a 2nd place in a class of 25

On 6/7/26 he earned his Excellent Buried Title with a 3rd place.
And also his Excellent Exterior Title.

Congrats to team Flapjack!

(If we missed your wins, please let us know!)

06/08/2026

Awesome news from a few weekends ago - Top Notch Students at the CDSP obedience trial in Andover NJ today.
In trial #1 Margo and Silas came in first in Starter Novice A with a score of 199.5, earning their SN-C title. They were also Highest Scoring Team in Starter Novice!

In trial #2, they came in second in Starter Novice C with a score of 199.

In trial #1 Melissa and Wynnie came in first in Novice B with a score of 199.5.

Rumor has it both dogs were treated to ice cream on the way home.

(In trial #2, Wynnie went in to the second to last exercise (recall over the bar) with a perfect score, but ran around the jump. )

Ah, dogs will be dogs!!

06/02/2026

Want to be part of the AKC Fit Dog club?? Join us for the Spring Scurry! Hurry and sign up - medallions are VERY limited and sold out at the AKC!

Click Below for more info:
https://www.topnotchdogtraining.com/_files/ugd/d89bab_b95e099dd1784eef9290cb1510ac5054.pdf

06/02/2026

Don't miss "First Aid for the Family Dog" on July 8th at Top Notch. For more info:

https://www.topnotchdogtraining.com/_files/ugd/d89bab_0f0983cd82c34b4d92dc971c4e5551fa.pdf

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!