Should You Let Your Dog Sleep in Your Bedroom? (answer: in the future)

by Aly Rodges | May 18, 2021 | Effective Rituals, Pillars of Pack Leadership

Pillars of Pack Leadership ™—Bedtime Rituals One of the most popular questions I get is: Should I let my dog sleep in the bedroom? Answer: Yes, but not just yet. That kind of privilege needs to come when he has the maturity to handle it. If you allow your pup in your...

Potty Time

by Aly Rodges | May 13, 2021 | Blog, Effective Rituals, Pillars of Pack Leadership

Potty Time…needs to be a regular part of your program. Select your “potty area” and go back there for each and every “Go Potty” moment. It is not play time. It’s not talk time. It’s not pet your dog time. It’s get to business, quietly and efficiently time. Keep your...

Teaching Your Pup They Are Not the Center of the Universe

by Aly Rodges | May 11, 2021 | Good Stuff to Know, The Whole Dog

Your pup isn’t the center of the universe. It is a TON of pressure on a dog to be the end all, be all, of a human’s life. The intense scrutiny, intense interaction is way too much for a sensitive dog like yours. Dogs need to know that, “It’s not all about you.” Your...

Why Is My Dog Skittish?

by Aly Rodges | Apr 29, 2021 | Good Stuff to Know, Prey, Pack, Defensive

If you own a doodle of any kind, it is highly likely that you will experience a moment or period when your dog startles, acts shy, is skittish, or makes a vocal noise.  Yep…it’s going to happen, at one time or another.  There are actual fear periods that a dog...

How to Teach “Place”

by Aly Rodges | Apr 22, 2021 | Effective Rituals, Pillars of Pack Leadership

I teach “Place” daily in my training with EVERY puppy and dog. A pup or dog is expected to remain on “Place” until invited off. “Place” can be a that is comfortable for the dog with very clear edges like a dog bed with a big, rolled edge or folded blanket....