Creating behaviorally healthy dogs
We are canine behavior specialists who blend ethnography, enrichment and training to support dogs and families so they may live the best lives together as possible. Explore our training and enrichment options that support behavioral health in your dog. We specialize in:
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Working livestock guardian dogs
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Support for working breed dogs living as pets
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Puppy socialization and basic training
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Adolescent dog training and behavior support
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Addressing common challenging behaviors
Ethnography and Enrichment
Is your dog behaviorally healthy?
Does your dog bark, chew or display another behavior you wish to change? We can use ethnography to address your dog's specific needs. Ethnography uses observation of you dog's behavior to inform what training or enrichment your do would benefit fromm. We use the observation results to create a plan for enrichment to their environment, opportunity for mental stimulation or social interaction and additional training.
Environmental Enrichment
Adding to or changing the physical environment can support behavioral health in your dog.
Cognitive Enrichment (mental stimulation)
Adding opportunities for mental stimulation such as puzzle games or scent work can provide your dog with opportunities to expend energy in a behaviorally healthy way.
Social Enrichment
Some dogs are very social and providing opportunities for interaction and play with other dogs will improve their well-being. Most dogs are dog selective meaning they only want to play with a few other carefully selected dogs.
Positive Reinforcement Training
Tailored Training Programs
We are committed to providing high-quality training that focuses on positive reinforcement and building lasting relationships. Here's what we offer:
Puppy Socialization and Basic Training
Get support for potty training, crated training, recall, and help your puppy build good behavior habits. We also have tools to help you socialize your puppy to new things, people and other dogs.
Training Support for Adolescent Dogs
The adolescent period can be challenging for dogs and their families to navigate. We offer training support for this challenging time.
Common Adolescent Behaviors
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Selective hearing — A dog that reliably sat and came when called as a puppy suddenly seems to "forget" commands, especially around distractions like other dogs or interesting smells.
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Increased independence and boundary-testing — More willingness to ignore cues, wander off, or test what they can get away with.
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Fear periods — Sudden, seemingly random spikes in wariness or reactivity toward things they were previously fine with.
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Heightened energy — Chewing, digging, or general restlessness can spike, partly from physical growth and partly from an increased need for mental/physical stimulation.
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Leash reactivity or pulling — Even well-leash-trained dogs may start pulling harder or reacting more to other dogs and people.
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Resource guarding — Some dogs test guarding behaviors over food, toys, or space that weren't present before.
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Separation-related behaviors — Some adolescents develop new anxiety around being left alone, while others become more independent.
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Increased sociability or, conversely, increased caution — Adolescents may become more selective about which dogs or people they want to interact with, sometimes leading to previously friendly dogs becoming more discerning or standoffish.
Consistency is key with adolescent dogs and we can develop a plan to help you and your dog throught this challenging time so they can develop into a behaviorally healthy adultd dog.
Challenging Behaviors
Some behaviors are challenging and we can help give you tools to support your dog. Some common challenging behaviors include:
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Jumping
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Leashing pulling
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Excessive barking
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Chewing on household items
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Reactivity (barking and lunging at other dogs or people)
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Resource guarding
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Separation anxiety
Choose from training session in your home or over a Zoom call.
Working Livestock Guardian Dogs
Training support for your working LGD
Pawsitive Pace specializes in dog training that prioritizes behavioral health. With a passion for enhancing the human-canine bond, we tailor our training programs to meet the needs of your working LGD. We can help with:
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Selecting the right LGD
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Consultation for environment (help creating the right living area for lgds)
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Training support for adolescent LGDs
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Socializing with poultry
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Behavior consulting – barking, resource guarding, chasing livestock, aggression (people, or animal), escape from fencing, jumping
Working Breed Dogs Living as Pets
Do you have a working breed dog as a pet? These dogs can be great companions, but they often come with large size and independent thinking. This can make them feel difficult to train or manage. Blending ethnography (observation) and training can provide working breed dogs with the environment, mental stimulation and basic skills they need to thrive in your home as a pet.
Contact Us
Get in Touch with Pawsitive Pace
Have questions or want to know more about our training programs? Reach out to us today!