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If you like to do interactive things with your puppy to ultimately tire them out and help them calm down, then this is the article for you. Here are five simple ways you can easily add mental stimulation to your puppy's everyday routine without spending a lot of money or adding hours to your day. When people think of wearing out a puppy, they immediately think of exercise, longer walks, more playtime, more running around the yard. While physical exercise is important, it's on

Today I'm going to talk about something that many loving puppy owners never think about. You may actually be creating stress, fear, and anxiety in your puppy without even realizing it. The good news is that almost every owner does this at some point. It doesn't make you a bad owner. It simply means you don't yet understand how your puppy experiences the world. This article will help you recognize the signs that your puppy is becoming overwhelmed and show you how to become th

This article will focus on the importance of building a relationship with your puppy, why your relationship matters, five ways to build your relationship, and mistakes that damage your relationship with your puppy. Why the Relationship Matters Because your puppy won't work for strangers. It isn't going to work for people that it doesn't trust. Your puppy is constantly learning whether they can trust you. A strong relationship between you and your puppy creates: Better atten

I've been getting a lot of calls recently from people with dogs two to eight years old who were never socialized. When they go to public locations like Lowe's, Home Depot, Tractor Supply, or Bass Pro Shops, they can't handle it. They can't cope. They have a lot of fear, stress, and anxiety. This could have been prevented if the dog had been socialized between 8 and 16 weeks old. Socializing your puppy does not mean playing with other dogs or being petted by many people. The

Puppies are not miniature adults. They are babies, learning how the world works. Punishment often creates confusion, fear, and damage to trust, while teaching and reinforcing creates understanding and lasting behavior change. Have you ever caught your puppy chewing on a shoe, having a potty accident on the floor, jumping on guests, or nipping at your hands and thought, “How do I punish this behavior?” I get calls about this all the time, people asking me how to punish their

One of the most common things I hear from dog owners is, "My dog knows better.” They tell me their dog ignores commands, barks at visitors, pulls on the leash, jumps on people, or completely falls apart when there are distractions. The assumption is often that the dog is being stubborn, hardheaded, or deliberately disobedient. Sometimes a dog simply needs more training and consistency. But many behavior problems are not about defiance at all. In many cases, your dog is not gi

As much as they like being comfy and well fed, dogs need more than just food and shelter. They also require mental and physical stimulation. A bored dog might appear to be lazy or a troublemaker, but in many cases, it is boredom leading to frustration that gives rise to problem behavior. Spotting the signs early in that process and offering enriching activities prevents restlessness and keeps your dog healthier and happier. Signs of Boredom in Dogs A bored dog will often disp

A lot of new puppy owners want to teach their puppy all these extravagant obedience commands and training too soon, which can create problems for the puppy down the road. It also creates problems with the puppy learning the foundational skills effectively. Why It's Best To Keep It Simple You don't want to overwhelm the puppy too early. You wouldn't want to try to get a 10-year-old kid into college. They are in elementary school, and then they need to go through junior high s

These are the same tips that we give all my clients when they hire Top Gun Dog Training for the Puppy Training Program . Use a slip lead (one-piece leash) in the house at all times to prevent potty accidents, jumping on people, jumping on furniture, and counter surfing. Keep your eyes on the puppy at all times. You would not leave a baby unsupervised out of the crib, so don’t do that with your puppy Your puppy should NOT be free to roam around the house. They will get into

Goals aren't just for people. Your dog's health and happiness matter too. Luckily, now is the best time to set fresh goals that help both of you. Instead of making vague promises like "be a better pet owner," try these five clear goals. They improve your dog's life. Also, they are practical and easy to follow. Best of all, they make your bond stronger. Goal 1: Commit to Daily Exercise Most dogs do not get enough exercise. As a result, they gain weight and may act out. Dogs wi

Most owners assume their dog just picked up bad habits, but in reality, the owner usually taught the behavior without realizing it. The owners are reinforcing unwanted behaviors and not reinforcing the good behaviors. Dogs learn from consequences, not intentions. Owners think they are correcting, comforting, or managing their dog, but the dog is simply learning what works. Examples of Reinforcing Bad Behaviors The dog jumps up on you, and you give it attention by pushing it

Many people mistake their dogs' exhaustion for calmness. They're not the same. Most dog owners think they know what a calm dog looks like, but they usually picture a tired or inactive dog. Just because your dog is doing nothing doesn't mean they're calm. Real calmness is different, and when owners learn to recognize it, behavior problems often improve more quickly. I have a very calm dog. She's been calm since I first got her. She's a therapy dog. She's a 6-year-old mini Aus

I work with a lot of people who get a new puppy that's eight or 10 weeks old, and the first thing they do is start teaching the puppy to shake, high-five, or to roll over. It can be fun to do this with your puppy and put it on Instagram, for your friends to see. If you teach the puppy tricks too soon and you don't focus on other things first, like its name, walking on a leash, potty training, acclimation to the crate, and stay. Why Teaching Paw or Shake Might be a Bad Idea

This is a very important topic, and I get a lot of calls about this. Most owners think their dog is stubborn, ignoring them, or choosing not to listen, but in many cases, the dog is not being disobedient; it is confused. After years of dog training, I have learned that many behavior problems are really communication problems. Keep in mind also that dogs don't use their ears as well as they use their eyes, and they don't use their eyes as well as they use their nose. If I wan

Dog training is not just about teaching commands; it's about helping owners understand their dogs and giving families tools that actually work in everyday life. This sums up about 90% of what I see in real life as a dog trainer. Most people don't come to dog trainers because their dog can't sit. They call us in desperation because life with their dog feels hard. People are desperate to get this fixed. Walks are stressful. Guests coming into the house are stressful. Even relax

HUNTSVILLE, AL, January 23, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Top Gun Dog Training has been recognized with two notable awards for excellence in dog training, earning Best Dog Trainer from Quality Business Awards and Silver Winner in Pet Training from CommunityVotes Huntsville . The Quality Business Award is presented to businesses that demonstrate outstanding customer satisfaction, service quality, and professional reputation within their industry. CommunityVotes Huntsville is a c

When I work with a new client, I structure the program to focus on the puppy's house manners first, their leash training second, and their socialization third. We will spend about three or four weeks working on the house manners, about two or three weeks on lease training, and then we take it on the road and go to Lowe's, Home Depot, Hobby Lobby, Tractor Supply, and any other pet-friendly stores that we can find for the puppy to get socialization practice. Depending on the p

As a dog owner, you love your pup. Sometimes, those cute eyes are hard to resist, and you just have to toss them a piece of what you're eating, too. However, not everything that people can eat is also safe for dogs. The next time you give into your pup's begging, make sure that you're not giving them a treat that causes them harm. 1. Anything chocolate: While most dog owners are aware that they cannot digest chocolate, it is worth paying extra attention to keep them from get

Potty training is a problem for many people. I have found that people either get it or don't, and it's not an issue with the dog. It's not the dog's fault. It's an owner issue. People call me to discuss puppy training, and their entire focus is on potty training. This happens a lot, and it's been happening ever since I've owned Top Gun Dog Training . The goal of this article is to shift the new puppy owner's focus to the bigger picture of raising a puppy, beyond potty train

My dog Dixie has been diagnosed with heart disease after a routine checkup before teeth cleaning. They found a heart murmur, then, from an X-ray, found an enlarged heart and congestion in her lungs. I have created a GoFundMe account to help with her expenses. Start-Up Fees: Including adoption or breeder fees, initial vet visit, microchip, supplies, and training . $2000-$8000 Monthly Expenses: Food Medication (heartworm, flea, and tick prevention) Daycare Dog Walker Groomin