Makes Sense Dog Training

I’ve been doing that exercise since day one. I can still pick her up when she goes crazy and calm her down. I hope it still works when she’s a teenager 😀

Frankie’s family reached out to us for off-leash recall training so they could take him to beaches and parks.

Now, he comes when they call—and he’s happy to do it.

Training should result in more freedom and more control.

I wish I had recorded more of her barking and how she kept going for almost 20 minutes while I was inside the apartment during our first meeting.

After only a couple of sessions, I’m now the only person she doesn’t bark at—and the only person she genuinely wants hugs and kisses from and wants to build a friendship with.

The treat you see in the video was the first treat I ever gave her. It wasn’t a reward for not barking, good behavior, or anything else. We were simply breaking bread together.

There are thousands of ways to help a dog stop barking and build a relationship. For me, giving treats from a distance is not one of them.

The next step is to replicate the process we went through together with new people and help her make more friends.

What do you think helped Lincoln the most? (Full story below)

Today we finished Lincoln’s 9th and final session, and I couldn’t be more proud. He went from being on Prozac and Trazodone for severe reactivity to walking calmly through busy streets.

The Background:
Before meeting me, Lincoln’s family tried everything. They worked with positive-only trainers, stayed far away from other dogs, and used constant treats. None of it worked. His owner was becoming more anxious, and walks felt like a battlefield.

The Turning Point:
When they moved and Lincoln lost his dog brother, the barking started. My first recommendation wasn’t more training—it was more freedom.

How we did it:
We switched to a flexi leash so he could explore.
We visited new parks and focused on movement.
We didn’t use treats or punishment for the barking. We simply kept moving.

You’ll see a prong and e-collar in the video, but they were never used for the reactivity. They are there to give the owner the confidence she needs to keep Lincoln’s world big instead of small.

Lincoln is proof that dogs with “problems” often need more freedom, not less.

Every dog deserves freedom. Every dog deserves off-leash running.

For any behavior problem—aggression, separation issues, confidence issues—or simply building a happy life for your dog, the first goal should be to take the dog outside on a long leash or off leash.

That’s the key to success in dog training.

If any trainer tells you that your dog doesn’t need off-leash freedom, or that it’s not important, you should stop working with that trainer. Anybody who understands basic dog psychology and behavior science knows how important freedom is for dogs.

Squirrel Chasing? We Can Fix That.

A lot of dog owners in the Boston area struggle with squirrel chasing.

Dogs spend most of the day at home, and when they finally go outside, squirrels become the most exciting thing in their world. The problem is that squirrel chasing rarely gets better on its own. It usually gets worse.

First it’s a little staring. Then a little barking. Then a little pulling.

Before you know it, your dog is dragging you down the sidewalk, lunging across the street, or trying to take off after every squirrel in sight.

Some dogs pull so hard that owners lose control of the leash. Others run into roads, parking lots, or other dangerous situations.

Are you worried about your safety or your dog’s safety?

Does your dog chase every squirrel it sees?

We can fix that.

This is Finley. He spent a long time chasing squirrels. Today, he can walk past them calmly and stay focused on his owner.

It is possible.

If your dog is struggling with squirrel chasing, give us a call.

Makes Sense Dog Training

857-260-9537

She just disappeared

Taco is 8 months old German Shepherd, I think he is massive for his age.
We started “training without treat” project with him 5 months ago, now it is time to start to build obedience. He is very social, happy dog.