What Makes A Good Therapy Dog? At our dog training facility in Northern Virginia, we recently had 8 out of 8 of our trained dogs pass the therapy dog certification with Therapy Dog International. While there are certain people who like the idea of using their dog in one of the registered therapy programs, not…
As you know, at our dog training facility in Northern Virginia, we see about 70 dogs per week, so we get to hear the numerous things people are naming their dogs! Here is a list of the top 10 most popular dog names of 2013: Female 1. Bella 2. Daisy 3. Lucy 4. Molly 5….
Everyday at our dog training facility in Northern Virginia, I find myself saying, “Stay is an amateur dog training command.” As you can see in our 400+ videos on our YouTube Channel, we never use the “stay” command; however, the dogs do not budge despite us running around them, cars driving around them, dogs walking…
At our dog training facility in Northern Virginia, one of the situations we have to address on a daily basis is dogs properly greeting another dog. In order to do a proper introduction, there are some key elements that should be adhered to: First: Before you let the dogs approach, do NOT assume the other…
We can give your dog the tools to pass therapy dog testing at our facility in Northern Virginia. On a monthly basis, our trained dogs pass their therapy dog testing with ease. If you look at our YouTube Channel, you will see all of our trained actually “exceed” the standards laid out for therapy dogs….
At our dog training facility in Northern Virginia, I am a huge advocate AGAINST doing in-home dog training. As I say on a daily basis, “I have never seen a dog that has impressed me in obedience, that did it through in-home training.” I have said this phrase for years, and despite us training 7…
At our dog training facility in Northern Virginia, we have it all when it comes to basic and advanced training for your dog. Whether you’re looking for some basic obedience courses, or you want military grade training, you can schedule just about any training package you’d like. We also offer you and your dog…
If you’ve ever walked down the street and passed someone who’s walking their dog on a leash, you know that apprehension that can be felt by strangers when an unknown dog is nearby. You’re not sure whether “spot” is a friendly, or if he wants to take your leg off. At offleashk9training, we know exactly…
At our dog training facility in Northern Virginia, we hear many stories of how when untrained dogs get outside, they turn catching them into a game. Meaning, when you get close to them, they will run away; often times, this results in the owner having to “trick” the dog in order to catch them (luring…
At our dog training facility in Northern Virginia, we always get the question, “I have two dogs, can we train both of them together?” Anytime I get this question, I have always told people no that we do not train that way, and explained that the dogs would have to be trained separately. In this…
At our dog training facility in Northern Virginia, on a daily basis we work with getting dog’s behavioral issues fixed and their obedience flawless. Once your dog has a solid foundation on obedience, I always recommend that you start building their focus during their training. In many of our videos, you will see that the…
On a daily basis at our dog obedience training facility in Northern Virginia, we work with dogs so they stop running out of the door. This is what we call “door manners.” In my opinion, teaching your dog door manners is essential for numerous reason, you will see I discuss this in my blog on…
A question we get on a daily basis at our dog training facility in Northern Virginia is, “How much time per day should I spend working my dog on obedience training?” When working your dog on obedience, there should be a few elements that you keep in mind: -Incorporate the obedience into play sessions; therefore,…
During our heel lessons at our facility in Northern Virginia, we always get asked, “Should I allow my dog to sniff the ground while we are walking?” The short answer is, “No.” While we are working a dog on heel, I want their attention focused on me, my pace, and my direction. It’s impossible…
On a daily basis, at our dog training facility in Northern Virginia, we receive emails from dog owners saying, “If you can get my dog to stop chasing the cat, rabbits, squirrels(etc), it will be a miracle.” Essentially, what they are saying is that they have a high prey drive dog. Some dogs that…
At our dog training facility in Northern Virginia, we always hear, “Is my dog too old to benefit from your dog training?” This is an old saying that its’ exact origins cannot be traced; however, one of the first time it is noted of being in a print version was in 1534 in The Boke…
“My dog is pretty good at basic obedience” is something we hear daily at our dog training business in Northern Virginia. As noted on our website, we have a our “Basic Obedience Package” which covers your main six commands: come, sit, down, place, off, and heel. People see this on a daily basis and they…
Everyday at our dog training business in Northern Virginia, we get calls from unhappy owners telling us that they are at their wits end with their dogs and “your training is our last resort or we have to get rid of him.” These calls are for numerous reasons, dragging the owner down the street, knocked…
On a daily basis at our dog training facility in Northern Virginia, I tell people, “My first piece of expert advice is to go home, throw away this retractable leash, and buy a standard 4′-6′ leash.” In my blog on The Key Elements To A Proper Heel, I discuss in more detail what you…
Anytime someone is not located close to our dog training facility in Northern Virginia, we always get asked if we can recommend a good certified dog trainer. This is something that always amuses me. People do not realize, there is NO “real” dog trainer certification. Meaning, if you are a licensed plumber, electrician,…
At our dog training lessons in Northern Virginia, we always cover the things you should and should not do while working with your dog in-between sessions. We will cover a few of these things in this blog. Overtraining: Regardless of what training method you choose to train your dog, one of the biggest…
At our dog training facility in Northern Virginia, we do everything from personal protection dogs (bite dogs), drug dogs, basic/advanced obedience, and behavioral issues. So naturally, people see our numerous videos on YouTube of our trained dogs doing bite work and they call us or email us to because they want their dog to do…
At our dog training facility in Northern Virginia, we always get asked about foods that people should avoid their dog eating. There are quite a lot of of them, actually. Anyone with a dogs knows that it can sometimes be hard to completely prevent your counter-surfing dog from snatching some foods off of…
Training a dog to heel is one of our most requested and needed commands at our dog training facility in Northern Virginia. We currently have over 430+ Before/After videos on our Youtube Channel, most of these videos show dogs we have trained off-leash heeling with distractions. The picture above is me working a Belgian…
At our dog training facility in Northern Virginia, I always ensure I warn people about killing their dog’s drive through obedience training. When many people come through our dog obedience training program in Virginia, they are so excited to have their new, listening, well-behaved, and good mannered dog. With our training sessions, we tell people…
At our dog training facility in Northern Virginia, we always get asked, “What is the hardest breed of dog to train?” Seemingly, this is a very simple question that someone is waiting for us to give them an immediate answer; however, it’s not that simple. At our dog training facility in Northern Virginia, we train…
We stress mental and physical stimulation on a daily basis at our dog training facility in Northern Virginia. The importance of physical and mental exercise cannot be stressed enough as to what it takes in order to raise a perfect dog. Dogs are like people—they need stimulation, they need to get out, and they need…
At our dog training program in Northern Virginia, we stress the importance of verbal and visual cues in training our dogs. Dogs learn mostly through verbal cues, visual cues, vocal tones, repetition, correction, and praise (just like us humans). First, we will discuss keeping your commands simplistic! In the Marine Corps, we used the acronym,…
We only do private dog training sessions at our facility in Northern Virginia, there are many reasons for this. First, I always say, “I have never seen a dog that impressed me in obedience that did it through group training or group sessions.” I have said this for years, and to this day,…
At our Dog Training Center in Northern Virginia, we get asked about group classes on a daily basis. Being around almost every style of training program, I have yet to be impressed with group classes or group training sessions. As I say on a daily basis at our private dog training sessions in Northern Virginia,…
At our Dog Training Program in Northern Virginia, many people ask “How can I have a healthy, happy, and energetic dog?” Everyone who’s ever owned a dog, knows that special feeling you get when they welcome you home after a long day. They share their unconditional love with you whether you’ve been gone for five…
People ask about clicker training everyday at our dog training facility in Northern Virginia. This method is also based solely on positive reinforcement training for dogs. If you are not familiar with clicker training, a clicker is a small mechanical-like device that the owner (handler) holds, and when the thumb presses down on…
Naturally people ask us, “How can I get my dog to listen when he is distracted” like your dogs at your training in Northern Virginia? Many people watch our 400+ videos on our YouTube Channel and they see the dogs we train in Northern Virginia performing flawless obedience: outside, off-leash, with distractions (people, dogs, cars,…
When many people are looking for an obedience training program in Northern Virginia, they always ask us, “Is it better to participate in the training with my dog, or do your 2-week board and train intensive obedience training program?” I always tell people, when it comes to which dog training program is right, there is…
On a daily basis at our dog training facility in Northern Virginia, we are talking to people about reading their dog’s body language to better help predict their dog’s behavior and make them understand their dog better. There is a big misconception with people that a wagging tail means a happy dog, that…
Many people have tried many different tricks and techniques with their dogs and they still wonder, “What is the best dog training method for training my dog?” There are several training methods that can be used to train your dog. One of the most common and popular methods is reward-based or treat-based training. This training…
People ask us all of the time, “Will shock collar training hurt my dog?” Or, “Will shock collar training ruin my dog’s personality and turn him into a robot?” All of these statements and questions could not be further from the truth. Anytime I hear the term, “Shock Collar, ” it literally sends chills…
At Off-Leash K9 Training, we are considered the best dog training program in Virgina and even far beyond, as you will see in our reviews, 400+ videos, and celebrities who have flown their dogs to us from all throughout the United States. What Can You Expect during Dog Training? Are you excited to have your…
Many people hear everyone constantly say, “You need to be the pack leader.” However, many of you ask, “How do I be the pack leader for my dog?” What does it mean that dogs are pack animals? This means they always roam and stick together in a pack. Lions are the same way; you will…
5 Common Misconceptions about Dog Training Ever since we’ve opened our training school for dogs right here in Northern Virginia, we’ve come across all sorts of inquiries—and misconceptions. We do feel bad about the latter because dog owners miss a very important service all because they’ve been misled for the longest time. So we opted…
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