How often have we been placed in an ambiguous situation where we don’t know how to react. We take a cue from other people’s responses (in the hope that they are more experienced) and behave just as they do. This is called ‘social referencing’ and is very apparent in young children who are faced with…
Wolves have been associated with human beings for a very long time and studies show that man first used wolves for food. Their bones were found alongside humans as far back as 400,000 years ago. Not all of them were wild, some were timid and knowing that food would be near human camps, started moving…
4 Questions about human-dog psychology answered by these studies. Can dogs actually look like their owners? A study was conducted by Roy and Christenfeld in 2004 that found dogs do resemble there owners. But, there is a catch. They found that only purebred dogs resembled their owners. An article was written analyzing the data from this…
We’ve all heard of marker/treat training, clicker /treat training, or dogs doing detection; however, most people do not know that this is standard classical conditioning which was found by a man named Ivan Pavlov. When you think of, you automatically tend to associate him with the theory of Classic Conditioning. Born in Russia in…
We do service dog and therapy dog training in Northern Virginia, so we always get ask about these certifications. Many people do not know the history of the service dog. Dogs have a rich history of interaction with humans. They also are known to have a sort of sixth sense when it comes to things…
We do diabetic alert dog training in Northern Virginia. Diabetic Alert Dogs are lifesavers for type 1 diabetes patients, specifically when they are hypoglycemic unaware, meaning that they don’t experience the usual symptoms associated with low blood sugar (shakiness, sweating, etc.). Research has shown that dogs can detect low blood sugar using the…
Since we are the best electronic (shock) collar trainers in Northern Virginia, we often get asked about the affects of electronic collar training. It is not actually a “shock” at all (as some people call it), it is actually a very low level stimulation, much like stim pads that physical therapists use. Due to the…
While doing our boarding and training program in Northern Virginia, we always get asked questions about dog food and snacks! There are few things cuter than kids and their dogs. Best friends for life and inseparable, kids share everything with their dogs, including food. Parents may never know who really ate the vegetables when the…
It’s that time of the year! At our dog training center in Northern Virginia, Thanksgiving food always comes up! Your dog will probably be sniffing around the kitchen with high hopes as the turkey and other goodies are prepared for the Thanksgiving Day festivities. As you sit down to a table full of delightful…
We always get asked about electronic (shock) collars and pinch collars at our dog training facility in Northern Virginia. Many people refer to them as “shock” collars; however, they just give a low level stimulation (like stim pads). There have actually been studies and research that have been conducted on electronic collars and pinch collars….
We always get ask if we do shock collar dog training at our location in Northern Virginia. We do not like the term “shock collar” and in fact, it’s incorrect. The collars do not “shock” they provide a very low level contraction of the muscle, just like stim pads that physical therapists use. Many people…
While we do a lot of therapy dog training at our facility in Northern Virginia, many do not know the history of the therapy dog. Dogs have always been man’s best friend. While they may have started out as assistants for early man’s hunting expeditions, they have evolved into being spiritual companions on the journey…
We get asked service dog questions a lot at our facility in Northern Virginia. ADA (American Disabilities Act) is the governing body for these regulations. The American Disabilities Act has certain regulations in place regarding the definition and purpose of service dogs. This has been revised several times, with the latest revision being on March…
Do you want your dog to do tracking in Northern Virginia? We can help! While a hunting dog may be motivating factor in breed choices and dog acquisition, there are some natural dog abilities that should be taken into consideration before training begins. As far as scent training is concerned, dogs are already far ahead…
Are you interested in a dog tracking course in Virginia? We can help! A dog with tracking ability can be a great asset to hunters, police, service dogs, or just for fun! All dogs use their sense of smell to help them throughout the day. A simple walk can be a great experience for a…
Those diagnosed with type 1 diabetes must constantly check glucose levels to check for levels that are too high or too low, as these situations can cause terrible health complications. If they are not aware of these levels that can fluctuate tremendously throughout the day they could faint, experience a seizure, go into a…
We offer diabetic alert dog training in Northern Virginia. For people suffering from diabetes, early detection of low or high blood sugar is crucial to living a safe and healthy life. There are many different ways to detect changes in blood sugar, including insulin monitors, but diabetic alert dogs are a way for those…
You know the feeling of stress, which can come on due to everything from misplacing your keys to workplace relationships. When you feel stress you can make changes to alleviate your feelings by meditating, working through a conflict, or speaking to another person, but did you know that dogs often suffer stress in similar…
Emotional Support Dog Training in Northern Virginia At our dog training facility in Northern Virginia, we get asked a lot about Emotional Support Dog Training. Seemingly, many people know the role of a service dog and many people know the role of a therapy dog. However, the term emotional support animal (ESA) is fairly new…
Tracking Dogs and Scent Detection In Northern Virginia Dogs are man’s best friend, and love working with their humans. Dogs can be used for numerous different tasks. Some dogs were made to track objects. Some dogs are used for tracking and hunting larger game. There are some dogs that were made for assisting people who…
At our dog training facility in Northern Virginia, we always get asked, “How can I stop my dog from peeing in the house?” Your dog going to the restroom in your house is a pretty common problem among dog owners, but generally one that is resolved when they are still in their early puppy…
At our dog training lessons in Virginia, we offer certified Therapy Dog Courses for dogs of all sizes, ages, and breeds! Of course we love our cats, hamsters, rabbits, chinchillas, goats, chickens, and any other pets we have. But only one pet has been ever deemed consistently as “man’s best friend” and that is our…
Service dogs are an invaluable asset to many people. They provide support in many different ways for people living with disabilities. They can provide help with daily tasks such as picking up objects, assisting with crossing the street, or providing emotional support. Service dogs help with a variety of things, and with a variety of…
If you live in Northern Virginia, own a German Shepherd and would like to get it trained, there are various competent options available to you in the State. Training Issues The common issues faced by German Shepherd owners are jumping, pulling on the leash, hyper-activity and mouthing, there is a possibility of private classes in…
Celebrity dog trainer in Northern Virginia, Nicholas White, who is the owner of globally recognized dog training business, Off Leash K9 Training, set his second world record for the most off leash commands performed in just 5 days of training; during his private 5-day training program in Baton Rouge, LA with Belgian Malinois Molly…
Northern Virginia based Celebrity dog trainer, Nicholas White, who is the owner of globally recognized dog training business, Off Leash K9 Training, set a new world record for the longest documented extended down with voice command only; this record was set after only 5 days of working with Belgian Malinois Molly and her owner Paul Burns…
Did you know that we now offer underground dog fence installation in Fredericksburg, King George, and Spotsylvania counties? A highly trained and qualified professional will come out to your house and give you a free no-pressure estimate! Many people do not realize it, but an underground fence is literally a fraction of the cost of…
Are you interested in starting dog training franchise? Have you always wanted to be a dog trainer? Turn your passion into a dog training business! At Off Leash K9 Training, LLC we currently have 21 licensed locations throughout the United States. It’s a very low start-up business with very little overhead and a very…
On a daily basis, we install underground dog fences all throughout Northern Virginia. We are an official Dog Guard® Installer and Distributor, all of our installs and equipment are backed by a lifetime warranty, as well! An underground fence is an electronic system to stop pets from departing a yard. A buried wire is energized with coded signals and an…
As official installers for Dog Guard®, we always ensure the owners of our non-visible fence installations in Northern Virginia fully understand what they need to do with their dogs in order to train their dogs on our top-of-the-line fencing system. Check us out at www.DogFenceNorthernVirginia.com Below, are a list of instructions: Important Initial Training…
On a weekly basis, we deal with dog fence installations in Northern Virginia. There are 3 general configurations; however, your fence can be as customized as you wish! The first is just your backyard, this set-up just keeps your pet contained to the backyard only. The second set-up is one of the most popular,…
Canines have one main defense system, their teeth. Each puppy can bite and it can be painful. On the off chance that they are terrified enough, or a “perfect storm” is created, your dog may bite. That doesn’t in any capacity make him a “terrible” dog. It makes him a canine. It’s your obligation, to…
On a daily basis we hear stories about dogs who hate having their feet touched or their nails cut, this is generally due to the owners or breeders not doing “body desensitization” with their pups at a young age. If you have a new pup, it’s highly important for you to do body desensitization drills…
Dog aggression is something that we literally deal with on a daily basis at our facility in Northern Virginia. If you go to our YouTube channel, you can see countless dog aggression before and after videos. Just like with our blog on people aggression, we do not base your dog’s severity based off of the…
As the highest rated dog trainers in Northern Virginia, we deal with a wide variety of people and dogs on a daily basis. We are known for our high-level of obedience training; however, one common issue we also deal with is aggression in dogs (towards people and other dogs). When dealing with aggression, the owners…
At our Northern Virginia dog behavior training facility, we deal with dogs who are aggressive towards people on a regular basis. One thing that everyone asks is, “Can you fix my people aggressive dog?” That’s a very tricky question to answer until we really start working with your dog. First, you must understand WHY your…
Below are some of the puppy training tips we give at our facility in Northern Virginia on a daily basis. We were just nominated “Best Dog Trainer” and “Best Puppy Trainer” by Northern Virginia Magazine for 2014. General Dog Training Tips 1. Pick Wisely When Selecting Your Future Pup Whether selecting your prospective pup from…
We have the highest rated board and train program for your dog in Northern Virginia. In fact, Northern Virginia Magazine named us “Best Dog Trainers of 2014, 2015, and 2016! We have people come from all throughout the US for our board and training program! As you will see, our client list includes: Actor Ryan…
At our dog training in Northern Virginia, we always get asked about Service Dog Training or Therapy Dog Training. Many do not realize the difference between these two types of training. Canines might be prepared to perform numerous activities to help handlers or other individuals to handle a few troubles. There are no less than…
We work with therapy dogs at our facility in Northern Virginia on a daily basis. Certain dogs have nice characteristics and certain behaviors that creates the perfect well-balanced friendly dog for individuals. In fact, because of this specific disposition, trainers can easily measure or choose the most appropriate coaching system/method. We can decide which profession…
