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On my blog you can find articles I have written offering FREE puppy training and dog training tips.
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Building a Structure in Your Puppy’s Daily Routine
Building structure with your new puppy is one of the best things you can do to create a happy, healthy, and obedient puppy. There are many reasons we want to build a structure, and several ways to do so. Why you should build structure in your puppy's routine Structure creates calmness in the puppy. When you have a structure where they know what they're going to do next, they're not stressed out overthinking what's going to happen next. They are not concerned about when they

Dale Buchanan
4 days ago5 min read
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The Basics of Dog Nutrition
As a dog owner, you want to do everything you can to ensure your furry friend is happy and healthy. That includes making sure they're getting the right nutrition. There are a lot of different opinions out there about what the best diet for dogs is, but the truth is that there's no one-size-fits-all answer. The best way to ensure your dog is getting the nutrition they need is to work with your veterinarian to create a customized plan. In the meantime, here's a basic overview

Dale Buchanan
5 days ago2 min read
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Child Safety Around Dogs - Part 2
Recently, in Northern Alabama, there were multiple kids bitten by dogs in various cities. I was on the news again last week, talking on WHNT News Channel 19 and giving tips on dog safety and working with reactive dogs. It's become such a problem. The story that I did was in reference to a girl who got bitten at her apartment complex when another dog, that's a neighbor's dog, was on a leash and approaching her. It got off-leash and got excited, ran to her, bit her in multiple

Dale Buchanan
Nov 225 min read
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Training a High Energy Dog
Training a dog can come with a huge set of challenges. If you have a high-energy dog that engages in destructive behaviors, gets bored easily, and makes life harder, you know what it's like. What makes it harder is trying to train a dog that you also have a hard time keeping up with. A high-energy dog may be a unique challenge, but fortunately, this challenge is far from impossible. Breeds are a good determiner Dog behavior is often genetic, and you'll find that many dogs of

Dale Buchanan
Nov 42 min read
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Getting Started in the Dog Training Industry
So you love dogs. You have a knack for understanding them. Perhaps you have already helped friends with their dogs, or maybe this is all brand new. Either way, you're here because you want to turn that passion into a real career. Good news—you don’t need a PhD in animal behavior or a decade of apprenticeship to get started. However, you do  need a plan, some education, and a lot of hands-on practice. Embarking on a career as a dog trainer may seem daunting. With vast knowled

Dale Buchanan
Oct 253 min read
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The Most Important Command to Teach Your Puppy
After training a couple of thousand puppies and using this technique on my own puppy, Dixie, when I got her at 10 weeks old, the very first thing I taught her was go to your bed and stay . I have a video on my phone of May 5, 2020, at seven o'clock at night, where I'm showing people how I trained Dixie to go to her bed and stay the very first day that I got her. My clients are amazed at this video and how well Dixie picked it up, and how easily I taught it to her the first d

Dale Buchanan
Oct 195 min read
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Three Tip For Early Puppy Socialization
Puppy socialization is the most important thing to teach your puppy from ages 8 to 16 weeks. Some experts say from 4 to 12 weeks. The breeder will usually start socializing the puppy from 4-8 weeks by exposing it to a variety of different people, animals, sights, and sounds. And then when the owner takes the puppy at eight weeks, they continue until 12 weeks or even 16 weeks. When we start socializing our puppy, we need to consider vaccinations. Your veterinarian will provide

Dale Buchanan
Oct 134 min read
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The Difference Between Dog Obedience Training and Behavior Modification
A lot of people get these two confused. They don't even know there's a difference at all, and they don't know that there's many different...

Dale Buchanan
Oct 65 min read
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How to Control Unwanted Puppy Behaviors
Puppy behavior modification entails modifying the puppy’s behavior to decrease unwanted behaviors. Unlike obedience training, which...

Dale Buchanan
Jul 193 min read
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Why is Your Dog So Clingy?
Dog owners typically accept that their canines will have more needs and require more daily interaction than more independent, hands-off...

Dale Buchanan
May 194 min read
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Top Gun Dog Training Wins The 2025 Best Dog Trainer Award in Huntsville, AL.
HUNTSVILLE, AL, UNITED STATES, May 13, 2025 -- Exclusively known in Huntsville, AL. area for his puppy training and dog behavior...

Dale Buchanan
May 132 min read
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Preventing Fear, Anxiety, and Stress in Your Puppy
I've trained a lot of puppies recently who have had fear, anxiety, and stress at eight or 10 or 12 weeks old, and I've also worked with a...

Dale Buchanan
Apr 207 min read
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It’s Not The Puppies Fault
Like it or not, potty training is not a puppy issue or a behavior problem. It’s your responsibility to teach a new puppy how to go potty...

Dale Buchanan
Mar 232 min read
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How to Stop Puppy Play Biting
One way puppies can explore the world and learn about things is with their mouth. They pick up everything from the ground and bite stuff...

Dale Buchanan
Mar 94 min read
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How to Build Leadership and Trust with Your Puppy
Puppies have different needs from humans. Contrary to what most new puppy owners think, building leadership and trust is not based on...

Dale Buchanan
Mar 64 min read
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7 Ways To Make Yourself A Great Dog Owner
Providing good care for your dog is more than just going through the motions of daily tasks. It's a deep understanding of your dog's...

Dale Buchanan
Mar 24 min read
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Top Gun Dog Training Voted Best in Pet Training in 2024
HUNTSVILLE, AL, January 27, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Well known in the Huntsville, AL area for his puppy training programs, Dale...

Dale Buchanan
Feb 123 min read
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Are Two Dogs Better Than One?
Seasoned dog owners might feel like they have been through it all with one pup, and thus, that they can tackle any challenge that comes...

Dale Buchanan
Feb 83 min read
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Behavior Problems with Overweight Dogs
A study from the National Library of Medicine shows that overweight dogs are more likely to engage in unwanted behaviors. The survey...

Dale Buchanan
Jan 302 min read
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Teaching Your Puppy It's Name
Your puppy must learn its name as soon as you bring them home. This should be one of the first things you teach them, along with potty...

Dale Buchanan
Jan 282 min read
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