Charlie is joining us this month after a stretch of increasingly serious behavior issues at home. Over the past six months she’s developed intense resource guarding—over toys, food, space, and especially her owners. That guarding has escalated into unpredictable aggression toward Nana (who we recently trained), as well as the two older dogs in the home. Fights have become more frequent and more severe, and their owners have been living in a constant state of stress, separation, and management. Charlie also has zero reliability when it comes to obedience—if she slips out the front door, she bolts—and she’s begun nipping when challenged or when she feels pressure around the people she guards. This situation has reached the point of real safety concern: Nana has been injured multiple times, and one of the owners spent three days in the hospital after stepping in to break up a fight. This month is about stopping that downward spiral and giving this family a real path forward. Our goals for Charlie are focused and intentional: - Build structured, reliable obedience so we have communication and control - Reset boundaries and eliminate her current pattern of resource guarding - Teach her how to share space calmly and predictably - Rebuild her confidence and her ability to defer to her owners - Restore safety and stability so that, eventually, the dogs can coexist without constant fear of a fight Charlie is not a “bad dog”—she’s overwhelmed, confused, and has been running the household without clarity or leadership. With structure, consistency, and a fair communication system, she absolutely can change. This is going to be a big month for her, and a big turning point for the entire household. Excited to show you how we rebuild this from the ground up.

Butter is the third dog from this household joining our December program (along with Coco and Pebbles), and just like her sisters, she struggles with listening—especially when the energy in the house ramps up. When all three dogs get going, Butter tends to get swept up in the chaos, making it tough for her owners to get her attention or maintain any structure. Butter is going to go through the same transformation her sisters will: learning clear boundaries, reliable obedience, calm behavior in the home, and how to stay focused even when the other dogs are in the mix. Fun fact: their owners also have a fourth dog, Hank, who we trained recently. By the end of this month, all four dogs will finally be operating under the same communication system—and their owners will have peace, calm, and real order back in their home. Excited to show you how Butter settles into the program and grows right alongside her sisters.

Pebbles is part of the same family as Coco and Butter, but she’s coming into the program with a very different starting point. She’s extremely nervous, low-confidence, and easily overwhelmed by new environments, people, and pressure. She’s also incredibly quick and crafty—she’s slipped collars before, and during our first session she even tried to chew her way off the leash, so she’s now working on a chew-proof setup for safety. With dogs like Pebbles, the first phase of training isn’t about commands—it’s about building trust, confidence, and emotional stability. We’re going to move at her pace, create predictable routines, and help her feel safe enough to start learning. Once she understands the structure and begins to trust the process, we’ll layer in more formal training. She may take more time and care than her siblings, but she’s worth every ounce of effort. I’m excited to show you how she grows throughout the month.

Coco is a 6-year-old Akita/Pitbull mix who has lived with her family since she was just 6 weeks old. She’s a sweet girl with a stable temperament, but she’s never had any formal training—and the biggest challenge her owners face is that she simply does not come when called. Like most dogs without a clear communication system, Coco tends to follow her own agenda, especially outdoors. Our goal for Coco this month is to build a reliable recall, establish clear boundaries, and give her a structured training foundation that makes everyday life easier and safer. Once she understands how to work with her handler—and that coming when called actually pays off—her whole world opens up. She’s a great dog, and I’m excited to show you how quickly she catches on once we put the pieces in place.

Ozzy is an Old English Bulldogge who just joined his new family about a month ago. He’s a strong, driven dog with zero formal training yet—but plenty of opinions about the world around him. His biggest challenges right now are reactivity toward other dogs, cats, squirrels, deer… pretty much anything that moves. He also gets a bit nippy when someone reaches for his collar, and he doesn’t yet understand basic obedience or how to stay connected to his handler. Our goals for Ozzy this month are clear: teach him how to walk calmly on leash, build reliable obedience, reduce his reactivity, and create a peaceful coexistence with the family cats.And just as important—we’ll be coaching his owners on the approach, structure, and communication system that will keep his progress steady once he goes home. Ozzy is a big, powerful dog with a lot of potential once the structure is in place. Excited to show you his transformation as we work through the program!