It is important that you try to see things through your dog’s perspective and to have compassion and empathy for them. Being in a new home or new environment can be scary and confusing. It is very important to be patient and don’t force them into a fearful situation. I hope that you enjoy this excerpt from the book and find this information helpful – To continue reading, check out “The Evolution of Dog Training” by Shannon Coyner on Amazon! […]

I wanted to share an excerpt from my book, The Evolution of Dog Training, to give you some insight into the information you’ll learn.  The following is from Chapter 7, Positive Reinforcement in Action.  I hope you find it helpful… The Biggest Mistakes People Make When Teaching Their Dog 1. What they are teaching is not clear. This mistake can happen in any part of the teaching process; however, the most common place it happens is with the consequence.  If you reinforce a behavior too early or too late, the wrong behavior is reinforced and the desired behavior gets ignored. This mistake can also happen when the cue used closely resembles another cue. Either the words or hand signals are so similar that the dog cannot tell the difference and they will often do one behavior for both cues. This commonly happens when people use a hand signal for “sit” and “down.” If the two cues are too similar, the dog will default to the behavior he prefers. […]

Have you every had a day that you were overly tired or your brain was just not functioning as well as it normally does?  Have you had a day that you just couldn’t do what was asked of you?  We all have good days and bad days- and so do our dogs!  When training your dog, it is important that you recognize if they are having an “off” day and change your plan accordingly. […]

Part 3 Welcome back to our Blog Series about Puppyhood and Dog Adoption!  In Part 3, we’ll go over what happens when you welcome your new family member into your home.  I’ve divided this information into short, easily understandable sections and have shared them over the past few months.  I hope you’ll find this information helpful and, please feel free to check out our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/trulyforcefree/) for more information and to ask questions.  I hope to see you there! Home at Last! […]

PART 2 Welcome back to our Blog Series about Puppyhood and Dog Adoption!  In Part 2, we’ll go over preparing for to welcome your new family member home.  I’ve divided this information into short, easily understandable sections and will continue to share them over the next two months.  I hope you’ll find this information helpful and, please feel free to check out our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/trulyforcefree/) for more information and to ask questions.  I hope to see you there! Preparing Puppy’s welcome home: […]

Before you get the puppy I’m excited to share our first Blog Series!  In light of so many people adopting or considering getting a new four-legged addition to the family, I wanted to share some thoughts for before, during and after you’ve made your decision.  I’ve divided this information into short, easily understandable sections and will share them over the next three months.  I hope you’ll find this information helpful and, please feel free to check out our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/trulyforcefree/) for more information and to ask questions.  I hope to see you there! PART 1 Choosing your pet: […]

Like every small business owner/ entrepreneur in the world, I have been hugely impacted by COVID 19. And since dog training is not considered “essential” my brick and mortar business is at a standstill as I try to grow and promote my website, Truly Force Free Animal Training. In the beginning of the pandemic, I was in survival mode and was frantically trying to find ways to create an income. As the weeks have gone by, I still work everyday to create new content or do something to promote my book, “The Evolution of Dog Training” and Truly Force Free Animal Training because that is the only type of business I am allowed at this time. However, I am beginning to notice that it’s harder to be motivated to work on my business. I am also noticing that people around me are losing their motivation to do basics things- like take a shower or brush their teeth. This realization got me thinking about how all animals- including our dogs and us, need motivation to move from task to task. […]