When we talk about stress "sticking around" in an animal’s system, we are referring to glucocorticoids—the stress hormone most commonly known as cortisol. To truly understand how stress affects our dogs, let's look at the science behind the stress response. We define stress as a natural, physiological, and psychological response to perceived challenges or threats to an animal's normal state. Not every challenge is harmful! According to researcher Bruce McEwen, stress can be b

Halloween is fun for humans—but for many dogs it’s a perfect storm of triggers: strange costumes, masks that hide faces, unpredictable movement and noise, and a doorbell that never stops.  If your dog already struggles with reactivity, stranger danger, or sound sensitivity, the night can quickly tip from exciting to overwhelming. Let’s think about it from the dogs perspective. For our dogs Halloween involves Novel & uncanny sights:  masks, capes, bulky silhouettes, wheels (wa

Lately, I’ve been diving into the sport of nose work with my dog, Winslow—and it’s completely changed the way I think about how our dogs...

Life rewards are anything your dog wants. Think about what your dog lives for. Is it their favorite ball? Belly rubs? Running zoomies in the yard? Jumping in the pool? Chasing squirrels? Hanging out with their favorite people? All of these can become rewards for good behavior.

Winslow keeping cool by swimming in his favorite pond! As the summer months approach and temperatures start to rise, it becomes...

This guide will help you identify key qualities to look for in a well-qualified dog trainer.

Updates on our new training space, group classes, our dog of the month, and other dog training news from Toledo!

Our January update on our dog training in Toledo, Ohio.

The start of a new year is the perfect time to set training goals and strengthen the bond you share with your dog.

Courtesy of behaviorworks.org I often tell people that learning how to better understand my dog inspired the most significant period of...

Our December update on our dog training in Toledo, Ohio.

This month, we’re sharing some helpful training tips to make the holidays a little more relaxing for your furry friend.

Heidi is our 2 year old German Shepherd, and she is a sensitive soul who is not comfortable around people or dogs she doesn’t already...

We have all heard the saying, "A tired dog is a good dog," and as a society, we tend to focus a lot on getting our dogs exercise. While...

Thanks for checking out the Ready, Set...Train! Blog! We're excited to use this space to share what's going on in our world training dogs...