Unleashed Unlimited
THE Dog Training Blog

This is a great story, and it shows exactly what can be accomplished with dedication and a little effort.

When we first met Coco, his family was at the end of their rope. Coco was constantly jumping, barking, pulling on his leash, chasing the other dogs in the home, and constantly getting into trouble.  His owners were at the point of training him, or sending him back to the pound.  While he was simply displaying all of the typical signs of an untrained dog, it was a very serious and frustrating situation for his family.

Coco was immediately enrolled into our home manners package, and we got to work.  We made it clear to his family that in addition to us working with him and teaching them what to do, it was up to the family to be consistent with his training, and practice in between lessons.  Coco’s entire family remained consistent and followed through on their end of the deal; we saw huge improvements after just one lesson!

The next few lessons went the same way, we checked out what we learned last time, and moved him onto new things.  In order to manage Coco inside and around the home we worked on the following skills…

• Loose leash walking
• A solid recall and sit
• A “go to your bed” and lay down
• Dropping things from his mouth
• Quiet
• All of the other small skills that help us manage our pets

In the end, this story is not about superior dog training, there was nothing special about Coco’s situation or curriculum.  This story is simply about how dedication and communication can save a dog from a undesirable outcome and restore order and peace to a terrific family.

So if you are currently experiencing chaos and frustrations with your pet, contact Unleashed Unlimited and see for yourself how we can restore sanity into your lives.

If you enjoyed this entry, don’t forget to subscribe to our blog.  You will be automatically notified as soon a new entry is made.

As all Unleashed Unlimited clients know, we have a program that allows our clients to receive FREE dog training; what could be better then that? You get the well trained dog that you always wanted and the training is free!

Here is how our referral program works.  As a client, if you refer 5 people that sign up for any one of our training programs, you are issued a refund for your training program.  I know what some of you might be saying, “I am not going to bother my friends and neighbors and pressure them into buying something, just so I can get my dog trained for free”.  Trust me, it is very easy to impress people with a well-trained dog.

We have had clients that have simply been walking their dog on the hike and bike trail in Austin and someone commented on their dog’s behavior.  Co-workers have noticed pictures of our clients’ dogs and and the conversation naturally turns to training.  We even had a client get a referral from someone watching them keep their dog in a sit while they threw away a poop bag at the dog park.  Like I said, A well-trained dog gets noticed.

To all of our clients out there, if you know anyone who is looking for Dog Training in Austin, have them contact us for a FREE demo and evaluation!  All service related businesses rely heavily on referrals for new business, and Unleashed Unlimited is no exception.  We greatly appreciate your confidence in our business and we want to extend a huge THANK YOU!

PS - Lee, if you are reading, please give us a call.  We would love to thank you, your Catahoulas, and your Min-Pin!

We frequently take a break from our normal training classes take our clients and their dogs trail class at Walnut Creek Park. Many have clients have been before as we do this once a month; but we also had a few new students.  One to mention is an 8 month old Akita named Kevo who did not achieve off-leash status until last class.  He had a grand old time and experienced getting into the water for the first time; it was hot, he was thankful.

It is a joy for me to watch all of the dogs pack up and move forward, it does wonders for socialization.  They were all mindful of their owners and frequently checking in, and everyone practiced their recalls and distance sitting. The trails are tight and full of bike riders; everyone was mindful as to control their dogs to make way for the incoming traffic (one of the rules of our trail class).  I think they were a bit surprised as to how well trained all of the dogs were and how they were able to sit them at a distance in spite of everything.   It makes it more enjoyable for everyone and we all had a blast!

If you would like to enjoy hiking with your dog in all of the wonderful trails and parks in Austin, give us a call and we can begin to show you how Unleashed Unlimited can train your dog to behave off-leash.

If you enjoyed this entry, don’t forget to subscribe to our blog.  You will be automatically notified as soon a new entry is made.

Many animals end up in shelters every year, they are discarded like old laundry, they escape from their yards and get lost, owners move and leave the dog behind.  Many people seem to think that they come out of the womb knowing how to behave in a way that we need them to.  They are not given the attention or exercise they need in order to co-exist in the home environment, so they are kept outside and in the process become more difficult to deal with, they become destructive in the home as an outlet for their energy.   Dogs bark, they jump, and they even sometimes potty in the house; they do all of these things because they were not trained to quiet, go potty out side, and to sit to greet people.  Perhaps the owners got the dog for the kids, whom are realistically too young to take on such a big responsibility, they no longer have time, the list goes on and on.  This is, in my opinion, not being very fair to the dog and very frustrating.

The key is education, in every facet of dog ownership; it is work, it is also a commitment and an expense.  You can however try to educate yourself before you make the decision to purchase or rescue a dog.  There is information all over the Internet about owning a dog and the responsibility involved and some difficulties you may encounter; not to mention the abundance of trainers that are waiting in line to teach you.   If you are thinking of a particular breed, do your research about the requirements of such a breed, temperament and their characteristic traits.  Consult a REPUTABLE breeder, contact a trainer or ask your veterinarian for advice.  Make sure the energy level and temperament of the dog will be suitable for your family and life style.  This is of course not a guarantee; it is what you do with the puppy when he gets home that counts but it may help point you in the right direction.    Speak to someone on staff at a local animal shelter whom is familiar with the behavior of the dogs that are in their care.  Tell them about your lifestyle and family members and they may help you choose as well.   If you are not looking for a dog with abundant energy, how about an older dog; there are plenty of these and they are a great choice as well.  We recently went to visit a client that had just adopted an 8 year old Basset Hound, he was awesome!  Ask yourself if you will go out of your way to give your dog what he or she needs even after the novelty wears off.

Poor choices and lack of responsibility and ownership often leads to great dogs ending up in shelters or worse.   Many dogs end up in shelters for the craziest reasons, I was told a story that someone gave up a dog because it did not match their couch; this blew my mind!!!  I had a chat with someone last week about adopting a dog from a rescue organization, but by the time she got in touch with whom ever she needed to speak with, the dog had been put down.  I do not know what the circumstance was or why, it could have been several things.  She expressed anger with the rescue  and I can understand her frustration.

It is the people that do not take ownership of these animals who are at fault for shelters being overcrowded.  If there are behavior issues, I can guarantee there is a trainer or behaviorist that can help you or at least do a good evaluation on the dog after meeting and working with him for a bit so you know what your dealing with. Many behavior issues can be prevented through proper handling, socialization and leadership skills; all of which should be started by the time the dog reached 16 weeks old and should be continued.  Training is often easier than you think, provided you are consistent and follow through.  You must however, be willing to donate the time to your dog.  Not everyone may be up for the challenge, and not all behaviors can be fixed, but then there are the dogs that just need some simple house manners.

I am a dog trainer and have a rescue dog that came with his own set of aggression issues when being handled.  It was not listed on his evaluation from the shelter, as it may not have been present; sometimes these things do not come out until the dog is in a home environment.  After putting the training time into the dog, we are now at the point where he goes into such relaxation that I can clip his nails and preform handling exercises with out a reaction when he had previously bitten.  It most certainly did not happen overnight by any means and not all people are willing to take the chance or able, I get that. I am so relieved that I was the one that adopted him.  If it was not me who was lucky enough to make the choice, I do not know if he would be here today; he is a fantastic dog and we have built a relationship on trust.  Our dogs are not perfect, they are dogs.  People are not perfect either and are not expected to be, and sometimes it may be beyond the owners control to have to surrender an animal.

There are certainly viable reasons to seek out a shelters help but the dog not matching the couch, going potty in the house, barking, or not being fair to a great dog that does not truly know his role and what is expected of him because he has not been taught is inexcusable in my opinion.  Unfortunately, this exists and probably always will.  Dogs many need to be re-homed because of issues with children present in the household (as long as the shelter is aware of the issues when the dog is brought in so that they can test the animal and re-home to the right environment if it is an option). At the same time, it is not fixing anything,  just passing it on to someone else, whom may in turn, have a better environment for the dog.

There are various types of animal rescue organizations such as breed specific rescues, general shelters (some are no kill and some use euthanasia), and organizations that rely on fostering. They all exist nationwide, they all have the same intention - to save as many as they can.  This of course takes money, whether it be from fund raising, donations, adoptions, or state and local funding.

Many dogs need the shelter to get a fair shot at life. Those who are abandoned and neglected may have a new start on life once temperament tested.  The shelters that use euthanasia are often the ones that hear feedback about not giving dogs a chance.  However, it can also be detrimental for a dog to be in a shelter for a long period time and they can deteriorate. They are overcrowded and underfunded many times an rely only on volunteers in order to run efficiently.  As sad as it makes me, they can not all be saved.  There are just too many and not all are rehab-able in many respects.  The shelters do their part to the best of their ability, they have too many dogs on their doorsteps.

It is a vicious cycle and I guess my point is that the shelters sometimes take the heat for needing to make decisions that they do not enjoy making.  It is not the shelters fault that  these animals are there; it is lack of education and ownership.  Many people are not aware of multiple aspects of dog ownership, they need help and do not have ill intent.  They just need education.

If you enjoyed this entry, don’t forget to subscribe to our blog.  You will be automatically notified as soon a new entry is made.

Earlier this week, we were setting up for class and I saw Joker and Kevin strolling towards our training area; they were a good distance away so I didn’t notice anything in particular.  Off-leash heel has been a work in progress for some time now, and guess what?  We were witnessing progress!!  Joker, the dog that would circle around you as you walked and treat you like a sled if you let him, had just heeled off-leash passed other dogs, other people, birds, squirrels, you name it.  I had noticed that Kevin had a leash in his hand but did not know that it was not attached!!  Kevin then put Joker into a sit about 25 feet from our training area and continued on, leaving Joker behind in a sit while he kept his motion.

Kevin approached and said “This is not my dog”.  We looked at him a bit dumbfounded.  He went on to say that he should turn around and go home because Joker just heeled off leash from the car to our training area and that he had better quit now and end on a good note.  Kevin did end up staying for class and Joker was given permission to visit Jokerland a few times that session and be a complete goofball.  Below is a picture of Joker after returning from Jokerland.

We love to share stories like this with everyone.  Please feel free to check out our other client stories for more great experiences.

I have been thinking of our clients and students and how far they have come from our initial meeting.  To see any type progress is always rewarding; today’s training class was a prime example.

Dog training has as much to do with the dogs as it does the dog owners and families that live with them.   One of our students, a 2 year old yellow Labrador Retriever named “Sam”, and her handler Amy come to mind.  I remember when we first met Sam, she was a wild child.  Extreme hyperactivity, little social skills with other dogs, and not a clue as to what was expected of her.  Sam was challenging and got off to a rough start, but I could see this dog had great potential and so did Amy.

I could see from our first meeting that Amy was committed, she was willing to do what it takes.  I know many people that would have given up and she may have been close.  But after several home lessons, and some set backs along the way, it was coming along; Amy was starting to see some real progress.

Today was Amy and Sam’s first lesson in a group setting.  I remember running a training exercise with 5 other dogs and looking up and seeing Sam, calm and relaxed walking with Amy (whom by the way had a great big smile on her face) towards our class area, and she had every right!!  There was a complete turn around in Sam’s behavior and it was due to Amy’s dedication to her dog and her commitment to follow through and to put the work in and not to give up.

Unleashed Unlimited teaches people how to interact with their dogs; we can instruct them as to what to do and why but cannot make them do it.  Dog training is about building a relationship through communication with your dog, committment, patience and follow through and all of these things lie with the owners.  It is easy to quit but more rewarding to see the progress; Rome was not built in a day.

When I first met Joker, a 1 year old Doberman Pinscher, I thought to myself, “This is going to be a tough one”.  He was a great example of a dog who needed the right balance.  The term “give them an inch and they will take a mile” comes to mind, only he would take 2 and sometimes 3; he needed strong leadership and a lot of control.  Joker has been re-homed 3 times and now belongs to Kevin, who has had Dobermans in the past and is familiar with the breed as well as dog ownership in general.

Jokers’ yeilding behavior was non existent; while working on a good solid recall, Joker would come in at 100 miles an hour, crashing into Kevin (or anyone else that happened to be there).  Leash walking was an issue, as he would circle around you and stand in front to block the path for the walk. Needless to say, he did not go for many walks.

In the beginning of his training Joker would go into a state of mind commonly referred to as “Jokerland.”  While teaching a sit with duration, Joker would break his sit and run full speed around the training area at Auditorium Shores (I think I mentioned something about 100 mph).  He was having a grand old time in his own little world, smiling like he had just had the first taste of freedom after being in a penitentiary for 10 years.

The first thing we did with Joker was aim for an off leash recall and some loose leash walking.  This would enable Kevin to exercise Joker, as he has boundless energy and needs an outlet.  It would also allow him to just be a dog and to work on his social skills.  Kevin was working very hard and was seeing moments of sheer brilliance, and of course at times he wanted to pull his hair out.   Joker was learning self control, and Kevin was perfecting the art of patience.

Joker now has a reliable off leash recall so Kevin can call him back, send him to his target, and refocus him again on the new definition of sit.  He still enters “Jokerland” but only when it is appropriate, now Joker will stay in a sit until he has permission to take a break from Kevin; that is the beginning of self control.  While Joker still has a long way to go in order to graduate from our program, Unleashed Unlimited is thrilled with his progress so far.

If you would like to follow more of Joker’s progress, along with a few of our other interesting characters, please check back again soon.

We always are left with a great feeling when our clients realize how far they have come with their dogs.   The journey of training your dog always has its ups and downs; but at the end, it is rewarding to see all of your hard work pay off.  All of a sudden you realized that your dog behaves the way that we all knew they could.  Below is an email from one of our clients that we wanted to share with everyone.

“Just wanted to let you both know how much I appreciate everything you have shown me.  When I was leaving the park today (June did great, off her leash the whole time!) I couldn’t believe the transformation that had taken place in such a short amount of time.  When I first got June I had envisioned what I wanted life to be like with her….calmly meeting people, sitting at the door, going to her place, walking beside me in public with no leash, coming when I called….I found out that doesn’t come naturally!  But thanks to all your help I now have that dog I have always wanted and it seems to me that we are both a lot happier.  :)  And my husband is a lot happier too, not getting jumped up on every evening when he comes home!”

Not only does Unleashed Unlimited teach obedience, but we also give our clients the confidence they need in order to be able to take their dogs out and have fun with them.  If you would like to have more fun with YOUR dog, please contact us so we can show you how.

Whether it is something completely obvious like teaching a dog to heel off leash in distraction, or something harder to notice like a reactive dog learning to communicate with other dogs; working with dogs and their owners is an extremely satisfying experience.  Seeing the progress in the dogs is fantastic by itself, but seeing the satisfaction and delight in the faces of our clients is priceless.  We are always touched when a client sends us a testimonial or email, refers our services to a friend, or just leaves a training class smiling.  We want to share two recent communications from our clients.

“FYI, we just took the boys to Bull Creek for a field trip and they were fantastic!  Dogs, creek, a lot going on. We never would have imagined that they would be free roaming with other dogs and not run off!  We can’t thank both you and Tracey enough!  I even think sometimes I get more excited about school than Tyler and Riley!   Ya’ll are wonderful, have a great weekend!”

The next email comes to us from an owner whose dog had run away from her several times in the past.  Taking her to the park was a chore because she always had to worry about the dog running off and then tracking her down.  At the time of this email, we had been working with this client for about 3 days.  Already she is seeing positive changes with her dog and is looking forward to upcoming outings with her dog.

“Just wanted to drop you a quick line to tell you how much I appreciate you!  You are so friendly and loving to Bella and so very patient with me.  I know this training experience is going to be great.  I already feel like Bella and I have formed a deeper bond because of your work with us.  Today I took her to my little fenced park and she played for a long time with another dog (her favorite game of chase).  She periodically came over to “check in” with me and let me pet her without being called–something she has never done!  It was very exciting for me.  Thank you again for everything! You two are the best!”

Training your dog really opens the door to enjoying the relationship with your pet.  Whether you work with Unleashed Unlimited Dog Training or anyone else – please train your dog and start having fun with them!

For more information about Unleashed Unlimited Dog Training in the Austin area, please contact us to set up a free demo and evaluation with YOUR dog.