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One of the most common complaints we hear when it comes to young puppies is that they're consistently biting. Puppies nip for many reasons, including to play or get attention and during teething. The good news is that puppy biting is actually very easy to stop because we know what the puppy wants which is to play and chew. The best way to curb puppy biting is to provide other acceptable methods of play and outlets for chewing. To prevent biting and nipping you can:

Always be ready with a toy when you're interacting and playing with your puppy so she has the option to make a good choice. Make the toy more exciting than your hands!

Exercise your puppy! Remember that a tired puppy is a good puppy. Daily training sessions can really wear your pup out!

On the flip side, also make sure your puppy is getting enough rest. Just like a human toddler, a tired puppy can become cranky. Naps and crate time throughout the day has many benefits including aiding in potty training!

Have lots of chew toys available to get your pup through teething.

Don't leave children unattended with the new puppy. Teach the kids not to run and scream from a nipping puppy. Calm behaviors on our end creates calm behaviors in our dogs!

Remember that whenever your puppy does start biting and nipping, to remove all attention and provide a toy or chew instead. Don't forget to join us on Saturday mornings for our Puppy Preschool class to get your puppy started off on the right track for life! Call us today at 314-300-4660 for more information. Check us out on Facebook at 

Thinking about getting a new puppy or perhaps adopting an older dog soon? It's important to consider what breed or breeds you might be looking for and then research which of those might fit best into your lifestyle. Some of the things you might to think about are:

Living situation. Whether you have a house or live in an apartment or condo is something to think about. If you're renting, are you allowed to keep a dog and is there a size restriction. If you live with others, make sure everyone is on the same page about bringing a new dog into the home.

Access to a fenced yard. While a fenced yard isn't necessary, it definitely can make things easier! If you don't have access to a yard, you might want to consider a lower energy dog breed.

Family members. It's important to consider all of the people who will regularly be interacting with your new dog. Some dogs breeds are known for doing well with children, while others tend to prefer adult company. If you have elderly family members, a smaller dog might be the better option as a larger dog can knock dog the elderly or small children.

Activity level. One of the most important aspects to consider is the typical energy level of the dog breeds you're looking at. High energy dogs require a lot more supervision and exercise then a lower energy dog does. Dogs that were typically bred to work all day, easily become bored when left to their own devices.

Your lifestyle. If you're an avid hiker and camper then a more outgoing and energetic breed is probably a great choice for you. On the opposite end, if you prefer relaxing on the couch with a good movie, a more a low-key dog breed would be the better choice.

Time. How much time you have available to devote to a dog is an important consideration as well. If you work long hours, maybe consider adopting an older dog as opposed to a young puppy. Puppies require constant supervision and training as they mature and can be quite the handful for a busy person or family.

Money. While any dog breed is going to come with expenses, a puppy is going to cost more up front than a older dog. Adopting is usually cheaper than buying from a breeder. Consider if the dog you're looking at is going to require professional grooming or if a quick bath at home will do.

Taking all of these things into consideration, look at the list of dog breeds that you're most drawn to and choose the one or ones that match your lifestyle best. Once you've determined the best breed or breeds for you, then start looking into breeders or rescues with that criteria in mind. If you decide to go with a puppy, we offer Puppy Preschool at both our locations in Wildwood and Cottleville. Puppy Preschool is a great way to ensure you and your pup get off to a great start together! Call us today for more info or check us out on Facebook at 

http://www.facebook.com/caseyraystl

Are you preparing to bring a new puppy home soon? 8-12 weeks is a crucial socialization window. Our Puppy Preschool is the perfect option to help get your new family member off on the right foot. It's important to start socializing and introducing your puppy to new situations, people and other dogs as soon as you bring him or her home. One of our trainers is supervising and leading the class and is available to answer any questions. Puppy Preschool is a 1 hour group class for puppies 8-12 weeks. We focus on socialization, confidence building and puppy skills! Call us today at 314-300-4660 get get more info on the closest class to you! In the meantime, take a look at our Puppy Checklist. We've compiled a list of what we think is essential to have when bringing home a new puppy.

Bed or Mat: Getting your dog their own bed or mat to lay on isn't a necessity but most dogs like to have a soft place to lay.

Collar: A basic buckle collar with your dog's identification on it can be a lifesaver should your dog ever get away from you. There are even many different styles and designs of collars for you to choose from.

Crate or Kennel: A crate or kennel is a must! A kennel helps tremendously with potty training and for keeping your dog out of trouble when you can't be supervising him.

Food & Water Bowls: There's a wide variety of bowls in different styles and patterns to choose from. Metal and plastic are both easy to clean and sanitize.

Leash: We recommend a 4-6 ft. leash. Leather leashes are easiest on your hands, but they make a wide variety of different styles and designs. We also recommend avoiding flexi leashes. They make training more difficult and if your dog is too far away from you, you'll have a harder time keeping him safe from cars, other dogs, etc.

Long Line: A long line is useful for safely giving your dog some more room to run and play with you, and also for training!

Puppy Food: With so many brands of food currently on the market, do your research and choose a food with quality ingredients. Consult your veterinarian with any questions regarding diet and nutrition.

Toys: There's so many to choose from, ropes, stuffed toys, chew bones, balls, etc. Try different toys to find the ones that really get your puppy excited.

Treats: Just as an everyday treat, anything with quality ingredients will do! For training purposes, we recommend small, soft treats that can be quickly and easily eaten to get right back to training. You can also break up larger treats into smaller pieces. Experiment with different treats to find ones your dog really loves A treat pouch can also be useful for keeping treats on you and keeping your hands free.

What is Proofing? Proofing in dog training refers to a stage of training that is often referred to as distraction proofing. Distraction proofing SHOULD be the final stage of training completed and is the direct link needed to have a successful OFF LEASH dog, or a dog that will execute without the constant need of training tools. During proofing, the dog must be worked in obedience around distractions so that they learn that training isn't just when they want it. It can be anywhere, at anytime and around any distraction. Distractions to dogs are just their instincts trying to take over but proper training through a distraction proofing stage teaches a dog that your training overrides their instincts. What does your dog do when it sees a squirrel outdoors? Or when someone rings your doorbell? How about when your dog is with a group of dogs and you call them. Do they come as they should? These behaviors seem out of reach for many dog owners but in reality, the dog owner is merely just missing a determining factor in their training routine. Proofing! How do you proof your dog? Keep in mind that this should be the LAST stage in training so if you aren't there yet, take your dog through the learning and correctional stages FIRST. Then, when you're ready to polish up all the training take to the distractions and watch the training come full circle! Here's a couple ideas on how to help proof your dog:

Use obedience in your games. Make your dog execute before throwing the ball, giving the treat, etc. A game of fetch can greatly be enhanced by you making your dog 'sit' or 'down' while you throw the reward. After they hold the command for 5 seconds, use your release word and allow them to fetch. This also greatly taps into both mental and physical energy in which both should be accomplished daily to fulfill your dog.

If you enjoy the dog parks, head out with the idea in mind that you're going to the dog park but you're not going in! Use the outside fence line to run our dog through all of its obedience. Make them come when called, heel along the fence line, use your sitstays and downstays. The constant nuisance of the dogs inside the park will be plenty for needed distraction work.

Setup scenarios round the home and make it a point to use your obedience around added distractions of doorbells, people coming and going, kids playing. Use your place command any time you need to gain control. Heck, I'd even be sure to run the dog through all of its commands with every new visitor.

It's a way of life you're after, not just "taking my dog to training." As always your complete staff is available to guide you and answer any and all of your questions. Happy Training! Casey

While it's true that some dogs are natural swimmers, others are less suited to the water. Whether your dog is a solid swimmer or uncertain in the water, a life jacket is a beneficial safety precaution. A dog life jacket makes it easier for your dog to keep his head above water and stay afloat if he finds himself in rough waters. There are many different varieties of life jackets to purchase online and in stores. Here's a future features we recommend looking for:

A handle! A handle makes it easier to pull your dog out of the water and into a boat or onto a dock. A handle also allows you to guide a new swimmer around in the water a little easier.

Look for a jacket or vest that has a D-ring so you can attach a leash when necessary.

Life jackets come in a wide assortment of colors and patterns, a bright color will make it easier to spot your dog in the water.

Keep in mind that even the strongest swimmer can be overcome by fatigue or struggle in waves. A life jacket will provide peace of mind that your dog will stay afloat. Remember to always monitor your dog while in the water and never leave him unsupervised.

Happy swimming!

If you live in a multi-dog household, I'm sure you've already experienced some of the struggles that can come with training multiple dogs. Luckily, there are a few steps you can take to make it easier! Teach new things individually first. Always go through the learning stage with any new behavior in a low distraction environment, one-on-one. Additionally, making individual time for each dog allows the opportunity to grow and build individual relationships with each dog in your household. Using crates, tethers and baby gates makes separating dogs much easier. Crate training has many additional benefits as well. You can also provide the dog that isn't training an interactive game or toy, like a stuffed kong. Once you've taught all of the dogs in your household a Place command, we recommend using that as well during training sessions. One dog can be practicing self control by maintaining their place command while the other works with you!

We would also recommend using different release words for each dog. A release word is what we use to tell the dog they no longer need to stay in a command and they're free to do whatever they want. Some common release words, are free, break, okay, release, relax, etc. Those are just some examples, you can get creative! Using different words for each dog allows you to free one dog from a command while keeping the others in place without adding a lot of confusion. Once you're dogs have a solid understanding of their obedience commands and release words then you can start working them together. In the beginning if you have access to multiple handlers (1 person for each dog) that can be helpful as the dogs adjust to listening around each other. If it's just you, don't worry, you can still make it happen, you'll just need a little more patience. It'll be helpful to keep the dogs on leashes so help maintain control and reinforce behaviors. Remember to ALWAYS BE CONSISTENT. Now that you've been working your dogs separately and together, it's time to work that training into your everyday life. Use your training when you're out on walks, before feedings, at doorways, and the list goes on and on! The more you practice, the better your dogs will be! Happy Training

A solid and reliable recall is one of the most important things you can teach your dog. You'll be able to give them more freedom while also keeping them safe. If you're still struggling with your dog's recall, here's 5 steps you can take to improve on it!

Be sure to use a leash when in the teaching phase. The leash allows you to provide direction and correction when needed, as well as providing a safety net for you. As your dog becomes more reliable, you can start letting the leash just drag around and then progress to taking the leash off! 

Pay attention to your dog's head position. Your dog should be looking in your direction as he approaches. It may not seem like a big deal if your dog is looking around as they come towards you, but that's the first sign that they are going to quickly head in a new direction.

Be sure to praise and reward at the correct moment! Start praising your dog when he decides to come to you and then finish out by rewarding AFTER your dog has completed the recall and is sitting in front of you. We like to finish out a recall with a Sit to prevent the dog from getting close and then taking back off again!

Start to incorporate more distractions into your training. Go to new locations, practice at a busy park with kids running around or in your living room when the doorbell rings. When you increase distractions, you may have to take a step back and re attach a long line or leash to ensure success and safety.

Treat every recall as an "emergency recall" by holding your dog accountable and following through EVERY SINGLE TIME. The more you hold your dog accountable, the more reliable your recall will become!

One of the most common things we hear as dog trainers is "my dog does everything perfect in a training class, but not at home." So why is your dog only listening so well in class? Here's a few of the most common reasons. 

1) There is a lack of consistency at home in between lessons and classes. In order to see real results, you have to put in the effort at home too! Training your dog happens all day long even when you don't realize it. It's important to always hold your dog accountable for his actions and to be sure you're reinforcing the right behaviors. Small training sessions throughout the day goes a long way towards gaining that same consistency at home that you see in classes. 

2) There is a lack of follow through at home. When you’re in a lesson or training class, the trainer is there to hold you and your dog accountable to a certain set of standards. It's up to you to maintain that same standard when you return home! If you tell your dog to do something, whether it be to come, sit, down, etc., be sure you're reinforcing it and following through. Don't let your dog blow you off! 

3) Your dog is not being supervised. In a class or lesson, all of your attention is on your dog. At home and in the real world, life is full of distractions. If you can't devote your attention to your dog and he's not yet ready to have unsupervised free time, use your Place command or a crate. The more your dog gets the opportunity to chew on furniture, steal things off the counter, or practice other naughty behaviors, the higher the likelihood that they'll continue. 

4) Your dog's training needs to be generalized. Dog's typically don't generalize well. While they might understand the rules under one roof, under another they completely forget! The only way to generalize the behaviors you've learned in your training classes is to practice, practice, practice! Train with your dog in a variety of locations and scenarios.

Follow through with these tips and we're sure you'll be able to gain the same consistency in your dog's training at home that you have in training class!