The Warrensburg Dog Nerd

10/22/2026

10/15/2026

The lovely miss Sydney has come so far in her training! Right now she's working on structured greetings, impulse control, and arousal regulation. She gets really excited around new friends!

09/18/2026

Today Tessa was introduced to a hand target and relinquishing toys during play. Applying those skills to the ball will take time but she got the basics down quick!

09/11/2026

I won't be able to attend the Fast CAT fun run in Springfield this Saturday but two of my dogs are signed up for the October 3-4 trial so I will be there.

09/06/2026

If you have thought about getting involved in dog sports or that your dog would love Fast CAT, the Springfield Missouri Dog Training Club is hosting a fun run which means your dog doesn't have to be registered with AKC. There are no points involved but it's a great opportunity to try it out before investing a lot of money or time into something your dog may or may not enjoy doing.

I have attended multiple Fast CAT trials at this club. They're very welcoming and beginner friendly. It's also a pretty easy 2 hour drive down Highway 13. I already have two of my dogs registered for the October 3-4 trial.

Fun Run Sat Sept 12 8-10am! Open to all.

FastCAT trials Oct 3&4th. Visit SMDTC.org for details

09/02/2026

This is Toffee, a one year old Miniature Dachshund who joined my family about two weeks ago. He still has a lot of puppy brain and I have to remind myself to be in puppy mode.

Puppy mode means limited access, lots of management, and zero expectations. Despite my protocols, I've still slipped a few times which has resulted in a couple of casualties including a collectible art book, two silicone lick mats, and a few foam floor mats.

Toffee is not a naughty puppy, he's a curious pup in a new home learning the new routine, boundaries, and expectations. It is up to me to teach him these things and set him up for success.

The day I left him with my adult dogs uncontained to turnover laundry, I got distracted and the dogs were unattended for nearly half an hour. I'm so glad the only thing that happened was the taste testing of a book. (Although he could've chosen any of the other 30 books on the bottom shelf, but I guess he has good taste 🤷‍♀️)

Puppies are new to the world and learning every day. They aren't naughty or testing your boundaries, they're exploring the world around them the only way they know how. Puppies do puppy things. Our job is to let them do puppy things safely.

08/26/2026

Let's talk about potty cues!

Potty training consists of more than just not having indoor accidents. It's about establishing potty habits and teaching dogs what are appropriate potty spaces and what aren't. There are actually multiple potty skills.

One potty skill that is often overlooked is a verbal cue. When we give our dogs a verbal potty cue, we are telling them "this is your time and space to do your business". So how do we establish a potty cue?

Standing in your yard repeating "go potty" might reap results eventually, but timing is everything. Whether your dog is learning to do their business in grass or on a potty pad, WHEN you give the cue is important.

Dogs generally have a tell-tale sign that they're about to pop a squat. Some dogs turn in circles, others get really sniffy, pace about, or even waddle. If you know your puppy's or dog's signal, watch for it and say the cue right before they lift their leg or squat.

For young puppies, try not to interrupt them from completing their task. Sometimes praise can get them excited and distract them from what they're doing. Once they're done and kicking up grass or doing their post p**p zoomies, praise them and throw a party!

Having a verbal potty cue helps build potty skills, is really helpful for travel, and is how I potty four dogs in under five minutes.

The word or phrase doesn't matter too much but consistency is key. Most owners opt for "go potty". I use "get busy".

08/26/2026

Introducing Stella! Stella is an adolescent Border Collie with tenacity to spare and *nearly* unshakeable focus.

Stella is working on building life skills like recall, leash manners, and how to not be a tripping hazard to her owners.