Search Results

Advanced Skills Dog Training Our advanced skills service builds on your dog's obedience training to develop strong & dependable responses. Reserve Now What Advanced Skills Training Includes dog training icon TRAINING COVERED: 7 Advanced Skills calendar icon calendar icon SESSIONS: 6 Sessions, 1 Hour Each price icon price icon PRICE: $749.99 Dog Training Skills Included Advanced Training Skills: • Advanced In-Home Commands • Outdoor Off-Leash Obedience • Commands with Leash Walking • Proper Greetings on Leash • Go to Place & Settle Outside • Enter & Exit Car on Command • Proper Etiquette in Pet-Friendly Stores Service Description With this service, our trainers strengthen your dog's responses to commands in-home and in a variety of outdoor, off-leash environments. These training sessions are designed to give you a well-rounded dog who's manners extend to various settings with nurmerous challenges involved. We offer this service as a 6 week course which comes with an hour long in-home training session each week OR as a 2 week course with 3 sessions per week. At the end of each session your trainer will meet with you for 10 - 15 minutes to show you the skills they've taught your dog and how to practice those skills with them yourself. We cover all of the training listed above and can replace any skills that your dog has already mastered with skills you’d like more work on. READY TO GET STARTED? The first step to start working towards your goals is submitting a Reservation Request! Reservations

Psychiatric Service Dogs We provide psychiatric service dogs & service dogs who are AKC registered & expertly trained. Contact Us What Makes Our Psychiatric Service Dogs Exceptional dog training logo EXPERT TRAINING Professional Service Dog Handlers AKC labradors logo AKC REGISTERED AKC Certified Purebred health certified logo HEALTH GUARANTEE: Veterinarian Checked & Certified Psychiatric Service Dog Benefits Psychiatric Service Dogs Help With: • Anxiety • Depression • Agoraphobia • Schizophrenia • Social Phobias • Bipolar Disorder • Separation Anxiety • Panic & Anxiety Attacks • Emotional Behavioral Disorders • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)​ What Does Science Say? A survey of the effectiveness of Psychiatric Service Dogs in the treatment of PTSD in veterans by Dr. Gillett and R. Weldrick at McMaster University revealed that 82% of those partnered with a service dog reported a reduction in their symptoms and 40% took less medication. Read More Psychiatric Service Dogs Can: • Interrupt Nightmares • Ease Anxiety & Depression • Aid Ability to Manage Daily Life • Decrease Agitation & Aggression • Lower Heart Rate & Blood Pressure • Decrease Anxiety at Home & in Public • Decrease Loneliness & Provide Comfort • Calm Handler During Emotional Distress • Help Handler Dealing with Mood Swings • Aid with Emotional Overload & Provide Grounding • Help Reorient Handler Experiencing a Stressful Episode • Reassure Person Struggling at Home, Public, or in Crowds. How Do I Get a Psychiatric Service Dog? evaluation icon Submit evaluation Get your FREE online evaluation ! Tell us about your conditions and lifestyle & we'll match you with the perfect dog. approved icon get approved Our PSD dogs are $25,000. Once approved you'll be paired with your psychiatric service dog. We offer financing if needed! dog icon get your psychiatric Service dog We offer in-person pick up & hand-delivery across the U.S.

Contact Us You've got questions, we've got answers! Please email us with the form below. Let's Chat Name: Email: Address: Message: Send Thanks for submitting! Phone: 720-400-0027 | Email: info@happypawspets.co |

Blog "The more that you read, the more that you will know. ​ The more that you learn, the more places you'll go. " Macey Lopez 3 days ago What is Puppy Enrichment? Mary Scottson Feb 20 Where to Start with Training Your Puppy Heather Mason Feb 6 Did You Get A New Puppy for Christmas? Sara Watson Jan 23 Should I Take My Dog to the Dog Park? Stephanie Wilcox Jan 9 What's the BEST Dog Food for my Dog? Kelsey Carlson Dec 26, 2022 How to Train Fearful & Anxious Dogs Nicole Coleman Dec 12, 2022 How to STOP Your Puppy From Barking Heather Mason Nov 28, 2022 The MOST Common Household Items That Can Poison Your Puppy or Dog Stephanie Wilcox Nov 14, 2022 What Does Your Dog's Breed Tell You? Kelsey Carlson Oct 31, 2022 How to Stop Your Puppy From Pulling Heather Mason Oct 17, 2022 How to Stop Your Puppy From Jumping Sara Watson Oct 3, 2022 What to do BEFORE You Get a New Puppy Holly Baxter Sep 26, 2022 How to Help Puppy with Separation Anxiety Stephanie Wilcox Sep 19, 2022 How to Fix Puppy Nipping with Dog Training Macey Lopez Sep 12, 2022 What are the BEST Dog Training Treats? Beth Tanner Sep 5, 2022 3 Most Important Dog Training Tools Stephanie Wilcox Aug 29, 2022 How to Crate Train Your Puppy Marcy Downs Aug 22, 2022 Positive Training for Your Puppy Holly Baxter Aug 15, 2022 How to Potty Train Your Puppy Kelsey Carlson Aug 8, 2022 How to Understand Anxiety in Dog Training Macey Lopez Aug 1, 2022 Puppy Training & Car Sickness Stephanie Wilcox Jul 25, 2022 The 5 BEST Puppy Toys Stephanie Wilcox Jul 18, 2022 Puppy Training: Socialization vs. Vaccination Marcy Downs Jul 11, 2022 How to Help Your Puppy Training Succeed Sara Watson Jul 2, 2022 5 Most Essential Tips When Raising a Puppy Nicole Coleman Jul 1, 2022 Top 3 Mistakes When Dog Training Sara Watson Jun 27, 2022 Why Lab Puppies are the BEST! Nicole Coleman Jun 13, 2022 Which Cat Sitting Company is Right for You? Marcy Downs May 30, 2022 Why You Want an Experienced Dog Sitter Stephanie Wilcox May 16, 2022 Is Board and Train Right for You? Stephanie Wilcox May 6, 2022 Dog Sitting vs. Dog Boarding - Which is Right for You? Sara Watson Apr 20, 2022 When to Start Dog Training Marcy Downs Mar 27, 2022 Looking for the Perfect Cat Sitter in Denver? Beth Tanner Mar 8, 2022 How to Find the Best Dog Sitter for You Macey Lopez Oct 16, 2021 How to Teach Your Puppy Their Name Heather Mason Sep 12, 2021 The Top 5 Commands to Teach Your New Puppy Kelsey Carlson Aug 23, 2021 How to Find the Best Puppy Training in Denver Stephanie Wilcox Aug 9, 2021 Why Isn’t My Dog Listening? Kelsey Carlson Jul 11, 2021 Looking for Dog Training in Englewood, CO? Stephanie Wilcox Jun 19, 2021 Positive Reinforcement VS. Punishment-Based Training Sara Watson May 30, 2021 3 Most Important Things to Teach Your Puppy Nicole Coleman May 15, 2021 How to Train Your Dog Effectively Macey Lopez May 14, 2021 Behavior Benefits of Chew Toys & Puzzles Holly Baxter Apr 24, 2021 Private Dog Training vs. Group Classes Mary Scottson Mar 24, 2021 Healthy Homemade Dog Treats Beth Tanner Mar 24, 2021 Top Ten Training Tips Kelsey Carlson Mar 20, 2021 When Should You Start Dog Training Classes?

positive reinforcement training OBEDIENCE TRAINING 101 GUIDE Positive Reinforcement Training ​ Positive reinforcement training is the practice of training your dog through praising and rewarding their good behavior. These methods of training have been thoroughly studied and scientifically proven to be the most effective. Positive reinforcement training uses classical conditioning and operant conditioning to train dogs how to perform behaviors, how to feel comfortable with their environment, how to socialize well with others, and overall how to positively interact with the world around them. Classical conditioning is practice of pairing positive associations like food with experiences like meeting new dogs. Operant conditioning is the practice of giving your dog the opportunity to work for a reward like asking for a sit and then giving a treat. ​ ​ Punishment Based Training ​ ​ Punishment based training is the practice of training your dog by punishing bad behaviors through the use of intimidation or inflicting pain. KEY POINT: ​Many people are unaware that dogs only have a one second learning period after they have done a behavior to learn whether it was good or bad. This is why punishment is an extremely ineffective way to train. It is very unlikely that your dog will understand what it is they are being punished for. This is also why we have to be quick with our praise and treats when we use positive reinforcement training. Punishment based methods were mainly used throughout the 80’s and 90’s until studies brought to light how significant the negative effects were. Sadly there are still some trainers who use these methods which has made it hard for the public to know which methods they should really be using to train their dog. ​ ​ Why Punishment Can Have Disastrous Effects ​ ​ If your dog fears you due to repeated punishment, you will not have a dog who is eager to work for you or do what you ask of them. You will instead have a dog who is afraid to respond to your requests because they fear punishment. In this module, we go into more depth on how to be an effective dog leader . A dog who is fearful is more likely to bite and have major aggression issues down the road. Many dogs who develop fear of humans because of repeated punishment end up in the shelter system. There is a fine line between punishment and abuse. Punishment does not have to be out of cruel intentions but it can have extreme effects. For example, if a person came home to an accident on the floor and then grabbed their dog by the collar, dragged them over to it and yelled at them, they might not mean any harm by this. They might just intend to teach their dog not to go in the house. The problem is from their dog's perspective they have already passed the time period where they can even remember why they are being punished and are now only learning to be fearful of the person. Repeated experiences like the one just described can create a dog who is afraid of human hands coming towards their face or their collar. Since dogs most commonly bite out of fear you can see how this can quickly turn into a dangerous situation. Now imagine if a child goes up to that dog and tugs on their collar, this is a recipe for a bite and it’s likely they’ll now be another dog who ends up in a shelter. Dogs who are frequently yelled at, physically restrained, or caused pain by prong collars or shocking devices, have a high chance of developing fear, anxiety, and aggression. PRINT

What Our Clients Say Thousands of 5 Star Reviews & Counting Kate M. "I've had so many wonderful experiences with Happy Paws! They're the only company we'll ever use." Jessica B. "Always on time and dependable! Highly recommended them." Sharon P. "These are the only ladies I trust with my dog Bruno. They're always so sweet and Bruno LOVES them."

recommended enrichment toys & Puzzles OBEDIENCE TRAINING 101 GUIDE Kong Classic This stuffable, durable toy will keep your dog busy for hours! Stuff with their favorite filling and freeze overnight. In the morning you’ll have a long-lasting treat that your dog will love. ​Get Yours ​HERE ​. Kong Wobbler This is a larger, inactive version of the classic Kong. Fill this toy with your dog’s kibble to turn meal time into a game that provides them with mental stimulation. The toy must be knocked around for the kibble to spill out which keeps your pup happily occupied. G​et Yours ​HERE .​ Marrow Bones ​ ​ These bones can come pre-stuffed or empty so that you can stuff them yourself. They can be filled with various treats from peanut butter to bananas. Freeze it overnight to give your dog a savory bone that’ll engage both their mind and their mouth. ​​Get Yours ​HERE ​. ​ Treat Ball ​ Your dog will have a blast rolling this ball around to get the treats inside. This is another great form of mental stimulation that you can give with treats or to feed their regular meals. ​Get Yours ​HERE ​. Snuffle Mat ​ ​ Snuffle mats are a great source of entertainment! They come with many pieces of felt sewn together. Place your dog’s treats or kibble inside. They’ll work hard using their nose and mouth to find and retrieve the treats. ​Get Yours ​HERE ​. StarMark Bob-A-Lot Interactive Dog Toy ​ This enrichment toy is very similar to the Kong Wobbler. It has an adjustable hole on the side that will spill out kibble when knocked around making it a fun brain game that your dog can enjoy every day. ​Get Yours ​HERE .​ Puzzle Games ​ Puzzle games entice your dog to use their nose and reasoning skills to figure out how to get to the hidden food below the puzzle pieces. These puzzles come in various shapes, sizes, and difficulty levels. ​Get Yours ​HERE .​ Licki Mat Bowl These flexible bowls can be coated with moist treats or your dogs moistened kibble and frozen. Once frozen, your dog will have to work hard to lick all of the food off. Get Yours ​HERE .​ Squeaky Squirrel Puzzle Toy ​ This plush toy can be given as a fun activity. It has a hide and seek theme including squeaky squirrel toys. Your dog will have to figure out how to get the squirrels out of the toy. ​ Get Yours HERE . Everlasting Treat Bento Ball ​ ​ ​These balls come with flavorful inserts that stick into the ball. This toy can last for weeks as your dog slowly works away at the treat. When done, you can fill with another insert and the activity starts all over again! ​Get Yours ​HERE​ . Flirt Poles Flirt poles are an excellent way to tire out your dog in a fun way that engages their want to chase. You can attach different toys to the end and play with them in a way that will tire them out both physically and mentally. ​Get Yours​ HERE .​ ​ Read more about the Behavior Benefits of Chew Toys & Puzzles.

socialization checklist OBEDIENCE TRAINING 101 GUIDE Handling Opening mouth ❑ Checking the ears ❑ Opening eyelids ❑ Handling or trimming the toenails ❑ Touching and holding the nose ❑ Holding them in your lap ❑ Give a belly rub with them on their back ❑ Holding legs and tail ❑ Hugging your puppy ❑ Touching the collar with a little tug ❑ Holding the feet ❑ People Men ❑ Women ❑ Children ❑ Elderly ❑ People of different ethnicities ❑ People jogging by ❑ People wearing hats, hoodies, backpacks, sunglasses ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Other Animals Older dogs ❑ Other puppies ❑ Unfamiliar dogs ❑ Cats ❑ Any other pets in your house ❑ Sounds Sirens ❑ Traffic ❑ Thunder ❑ Doorbells ❑ Alarms ❑ Fireworks ❑ Dogs barking ❑ Babies and kids ❑ Objects Bikes ❑ Brooms ❑ Cars ❑ Buses ❑ Motorcycles ❑ Baby strollers ❑ Umbrellas ❑ Skateboards ❑ Garbage cans ❑ Pots and pans ❑ Environments Groomers ❑ Vet Office ❑ Inside a building or store ❑ Hardwood, tile, or marble ❑ Dog-friendly indoor & outdoor event ❑ Stairs ❑ PRINT

Introduction to Samantha Kemp, CPDT Pet Caregiver, Obedience Dog Trainer, Psychiatric Service Dog Trainer

jumping OBEDIENCE TRAINING 101 GUIDE Key Note : Dogs jump up to engage with us. When dogs engage with each other they sniff heads and bums, but with us they have to get up higher to do that, so they jump. ​ ​ How To Stop Jumping ​ Make it a rule that if they don’t have all four paws on the floor, they don’t get any attention. Make sure everyone in the household sticks to it. Ignore them completely when they jump. Don’t talk to them, look at them, or push them away. All of these behaviors are attention and whether it’s good or bad attention, if your dog gets it, this will encourage them to continue. In addition to ignoring the jumping you can turn away and give them your back. If needed you can walk away or leave the room. KEY POINT: Make sure to catch the moment they switch from jumping to having all four paws on the floor. Immediately praise and reward them for making the right choice. If after the praise they start jumping again immediately go back to ignoring them, give them your back and wait for them to stop. When they do praise and reward. Repeat this exercise. This is how we teach them that if they want to engage with us, jumping won’t work, they must keep all their paws on the floor for that to happen. Create a New Routine Teaching them a new behavior to replace the jumping behavior is an effective way to change their routine. For example, when they come to greet you teach them to sit instead. Make it your new daily routine. When you come home, before they have the chance to jump, ask for a sit and then praise and reward. Creating a new routine like this will change the pattern of jumping to greet you and they will instead learn to greet you by sitting. ​ ​ Troubleshooting Jumping ​ ​ ​ If turning your back makes them jump more then use a loud noise to interrupt the behavior like “UH-UH” or a loud clap, and then walk forward towards them into their space. This will typically discourage the behavior because they’ll have a hard time keeping their balance to continue jumping if you are walking towards them. As soon as they have all four paws on the floor, praise and reward them. Use a time out for your dog as a last resort. For this exercise, the second your dog jumps immediately take them to a dog proofed room for 30-60 seconds. Do NOT use their crate for this exercise. We don’t want to create a bad association with their crate. Instead use a room or a dog proofed area. Again waiting only 30-60 seconds and then give them another chance to make the right choice. When they are released from the time out, ignore them at first. No touching, talking, or eye contact. When they approach keeping their paws on the floor, praise and reward this correct behavior. If they come right back and jump, repeat the exercise. Time outs need to be given immediately when the dog jumps so they understand the consequence of their jump. The time out needs to be short because if the dog is isolated for a while, they’ll likely forget why they were given the time out in the first place. Never release your dog from the time out when they are whining or barking. Wait for a few seconds of quiet and then let them out. We don’t want them to learn that barking and whining will get them what they want. Repeat this exercise as much as needed. Some dogs will learn in a few repetitions, some dogs need a few weeks. For those who occasionally like the behavior of their dog jumping up to say hi, you can train a “hug” command. Teaching a command for this means this behavior is only acceptable if you ask for it and they are never allowed to jump up unless you ask. PRINT

Crate Training OBEDIENCE TRAINING 101 GUIDE Key Points of Crate Training ​ ​ Crates are designed to resemble dens that wild dogs would make. Your dog’s natural instincts are to find a den to make their safe place. They see their dens as somewhere to be comfortable, find solitude, and sleep. Make their crate a happy place for them to be. Crates are an excellent potty training tool because dogs don’t like to go potty in the same space they sleep in. This teaches them to hold it until their potty break outside. If you don’t like the idea of keeping your dog in a crate, you can always phase out the crate after potty training is complete. Crates keep your puppy safe from getting into trouble or possibly damaging items around your home while you’re away. Crates should ​never​ be used for punishment and you should ​never​ force your dog in their crate. This will create a bad association with the crate. If a dog starts to fear their crate, they won’t want to go inside it and you may end up having to force them in every time. Instead use treats and their favorite toys to entice them to go in. Dogs can hold their urine and stool for the same amount of hours as they are months old. For example, a 5 month old dog can hold it for 5 hours. Limit their time in the crate. If your dog can only hold it for 5 hours then be sure that they are not spending more than 5 hours in the crate. Dogs are social creatures, they can become depressed and anxious if they are kept in a crate too long. Be sure to get the help of friends, family, or a dog walker to make sure your dog's needs are being met. During potty training the crate should be big enough for your dog to stand up, turn around, and lie back down. If they have enough room to go potty on one side and then sleep on the other, they will. After potty training you can make it bigger and more comfy for them. The crates that can expand as the puppy grows work fantastic for training. ​ ​ ​ Step 1 - Introducing Your Dog to The Crate Place the crate in a common area of your home where you spend the most time, like a living room or kitchen. Allow the dog to investigate on their own. Don’t rush the process, we want them to have positive feelings about their crate. Place some favorite treats and toys inside for them along with a soft blanket or towel. Give them the opportunity to go in and out by leaving the door open at first. Encourage them to enter the crate with praise. If they don’t want to go all the way in at first, that’s ok. This process can take a few hours or a few weeks. Let them go at their own pace. If it takes a while for them to warm up to their crate and you need to leave them somewhere safe while you’re gone, you can set up baby gates to puppy proof an area if needed or use a small puppy proofed room. Step 2 - Getting Your Dog to Love Their Crate ​ It’s normal for your dog to be uncomfortable about being separated from you at first. We have to teach them that being in the crate is ok, that they are safe, and that nothing bad is going to happen. We do this by making their crate a wonderful place to be. Start this process by feeding their meals inside of their crate. This will build their positive association with the crate. Once they are comfortable going inside, gradually increase the time they’re in there. Start with a minute or two. Build up to longer periods of time. Put the dog in their crate for small periods of time throughout the day when people are around. If the dog is only put in the crate when you leave they will start to think that the crate means my humans are leaving and I’m going to be all alone. Puppies need 15-20 hours of sleep a day so giving them a nice cozy place to nap is a great way to let them get used to their crate. You can leave the door open at times when you are home so they are free to come and go. ​ ​ ​ Step 3 - Troubleshooting Crate Training ​ ​ It’s normal for dogs to whine and bark in the beginning stages. But it’s important for them to learn how to soothe themselves in this experience. Dogs can develop separation anxiety if they don’t learn how to cope with being left alone. Although it may be hard, you will only encourage these behaviors if you give in and let them out. Once they learn that whiny and barking will get them out they will continue these behaviors. Give them some time to soothe themselves. However, if you are unsure if they are whining for attention or because they have to go out, always take them out to be safe. Once you become familiar with your dog's habits it’ll become easier for you to tell if it’s a call for attention or for a potty break. Talking to them or yelling at them to stop is still giving them your attention, even though it’s negative attention, any form of attention will encourage your dog to continue. Consider moving the crate into your bedroom for bedtime. Your dog could benefit from the comfort of being near you. This will also make it easier for you to know if they need to go potty. When leaving the house don’t prolong goodbyes, keep them short and sweet. This practice will encourage relaxed behavior for your departures and won’t draw their focus to the fact that they are being left alone. For dogs with separation anxiety using a crate is likely not a good choice. If your dog is panicking in their crate and not able to soothe themselves then consider other options. Baby gated areas and exercise pens can be a good alternative to a crate. You can also consider a pet sitter or doggy day care. PRINT

Preventing anxiety OBEDIENCE TRAINING 101 GUIDE Dogs with anxiety or separation anxiety can experience distress when they're left alone which commonly results in: Excessive barking, whining, or howling Urination and defecation Destructive behavior Digging and scratching ​ Signs of Separation Anxiety The behavior occurs primarily when they’re left alone and typically begins soon after you leave. They act anxious, depressed, or overly excited when you are getting ready to leave the house. They follow you from room to room when you're home. They display frantic greeting behaviors. ​ Triggers for Separation Anxiety A dog accustomed to constant human companionship is left alone. A dog experiences a traumatic event, such as a stressful boarding situation or living in a shelter. A major change in the dogs routine because of a family disruption, such as the loss of a family member or another family pet. ​ How to Treat Minor Separation Anxiety Keep your arrivals and departures short and sweet so the dog isn’t focusing on the events too much. Don’t give long drawn out goodbyes and when you come back greet them with calm affection. Leave them with an item that smells like you like a blanket or shirt. Provide adequate physical and mental stimulation. As well as meeting their exercise needs, be sure to provide enrichment toys for them. When you are away consider using a doggy day care, pet sitter, friends or family. Discuss options with your veterinarian. How to Treat Major Separation Anxiety Give your dog a special place to make their own happy place like a dog proofed room or gated off area of the house. Make sure this area is away from any noise that could be triggering. Play them soothing music made to calm dogs with separation anxiety. Provide them with various enrichment toys, include long lasting chew toys, and add person items with your scent to this area. NEVER use this area as a punishment. Make this your dog's happy place only. No children, no adults, no other pets unless they help to ease your dog's anxiety. Practice small durations of being alone and gradually build up to longer time periods. NEVER punish a dog for behaviors they display because of separation anxiety, this will only increase their anxiety and likely worsen the behaviors. Talk to your veterinarian about medications that may be able to help. PRINT