Training & Behavior

Caring for a Rescue Pit Bull: A First-Time Owner’s Guide

Bringing home a rescue Pit Bull can feel like you just adopted a sweet, blocky-headed mystery novel with legs. You might know their approximate age and what shelter notes say, but you do not yet know what they have lived through, what scares them, or what skills they were never taught. The good...

Border Collie Exercise Requirements

Border Collies are brilliant, athletic, and intensely job-oriented. That is the magic of the breed and also the reason so many well-meaning owners end up overwhelmed. A Border Collie who is under-exercised does not quietly take a nap. They invent work, and it usually looks like herding kids,...

Husky Temperament: How to Stop Howling and Escaping

Siberian Huskies are magnetic. They are athletic, expressive, hilarious, and just independent enough to humble even very prepared dog parents. If you are living with a Husky who howls like a tiny wolf or treats your fence like a fun puzzle, you are not failing. You are seeing a very normal Husky...

How to Train a German Shepherd

German Shepherds are brilliant, sensitive dogs with a built-in job description: notice everything and keep their people safe. That combination can look like “wow, what a good dog” or “why is my dog losing it at the end of the leash?” and the difference often comes down to two things you can control...

Resource Guarding in Family Dogs

Resource guarding can look scary fast. One minute your dog is happily chewing. The next they stiffen, hover over a bowl, freeze over a toy, growl when someone walks by, or even snap. If you are dealing with this at home, take a deep breath. Guarding is common, it is not a moral failing, and in many...

Dog Collar vs. Harness for High-Energy Training

If you live with a high-energy dog, you know the “walk” can feel less like a stroll and more like a full-body sport. The right gear matters, not because it magically fixes pulling or lunging, but because it changes what your dog can physically do and what kind of feedback their body receives while...

How to Stop Puppy Biting and Nipping

Puppy biting is one of those "I love you, please stop" phases of dog ownership. The good news is that nipping is normal, it is not a sign your puppy is aggressive, and you can absolutely teach a softer mouth with a few consistent routines. From years working in training and veterinary settings, I...

Mastering the Recall

If I could magically gift every dog parent one finished behavior, it would be a truly reliable recall. “Come” is the cue that keeps dogs safe when a gate swings open, a leash clip fails, or a bunny rockets across the trail and your dog’s brain briefly leaves Earth. But reliable recall is not about...

Socializing a Fearful Adult Rescue Dog

Adult rescue dogs do not need to become “social butterflies” to live happy lives. What they need is to feel safe. Socialization for a fearful adult dog is really about teaching predictable, positive associations with the world, one tiny win at a time. As a trainer and former vet tech, I have seen...

10 Essential Dog Commands Before Age One

Your dog does not need to be a tiny furry robot who follows directions 24/7. But in their first year, many puppies can learn a handful of core cues that make life safer, calmer, and a whole lot more fun to share. (And if your dog is past puppyhood, you can still teach every single one of these.)...

Clicker Training vs. Lure-and-Reward

If you have ever wondered why one trainer swears by a clicker while another happily teaches everything with a treat in hand, you are not alone. Both clicker training and lure-and-reward fall under the same big, science-based umbrella: positive reinforcement. The difference is how they communicate...

Dog Separation Anxiety: Signs and Natural Help

If your dog panics when you grab your keys, or you come home to shredded blinds and a very stressed pup, you are not dealing with “spite.” Separation anxiety is a real panic response to being alone, and it is not uncommon. The good news is that many dogs improve dramatically with a thoughtful plan...

How to Potty Train Your Puppy in 7 Days

Potty training can feel like an around-the-clock job for the first week. The good news is that puppies learn patterns fast when we make the pattern easy : frequent trips outside, the same potty spot, a clear cue, and a reward that makes your puppy think, “Ohhhh, this is what you wanted!” This 7-day...

Loose Leash Walking: Stop the Pulling

Loose leash walking isn't about forcing your dog to stay glued to your knee. It's about teaching one simple skill: when the leash is loose, we move forward . When the leash is tight, we pause, reset, and try again. That's it. No yanking, no wrestling match, no “my dog is stubborn” spiral. As a...

7 Ways to Stop Your Dog From Barking at the Window

If your dog barks at the window like it is their full-time job, you are not alone. From your dog’s perspective, the window is basically a giant, ever-changing trigger machine: squirrels, delivery drivers, skateboards, other dogs, and that one neighbor who exists a little too loudly. The good news:...

About Maggie Sullivan

Hi, I’m Maggie Sullivan, a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) and former veterinary clinic team member. I’m also the person who routinely finds a surprise paw print on my leggings five minutes before a meeting and considers it a neutral life event. Welcome to Good Dogly. If you’re here...