Welcome

WELCOME TO OUR FIRST DAY TOGETHER WITH THE EMPOWERED PUPPY SCHOOL!
We know you are ready to get started, so let’s go!
Today we’ll make sure that you have all the knowledge you need to maximize your efforts on this program.  When you set yourself and your puppy up for success, only good things can come of it. 
You will learn patience as your puppy will follow the rate of THEIR learning capabilities, not yours! 
Let us put this in perspective as it is crucial when you teach your puppy that you must look at it from THEIR perspective, not yours. Are you seeing the common denominator? It is about THEM, not you. You are the teacher and it is your responsibility to teach them in a way THEY understand. If they don’t get it, it is because the way you presented it, they didn’t understand. That is NOT their fault.
There is no such thing as a “dumb” dog. But there surely is something called “dumb people”. Those are the people that think their dog comes preprogrammed knowing right and wrong. Those are the people that think there dog should “do it” because THEY said so. They are the people who think punishing a dog for doing something wrong works. PUNISHMENT DOES NOT WORK. Remember this, ONLY INSTRUCTIONAL direction will let your puppy know what you expect. 
 
REMEMBER: IT IS ALL IN THE TONE AND YOUR BODY LANGUAGE
 
Think about it…say you were visiting another country where you did not speak the language. People kept saying things to you and you didn’t know what they meant. Some people would smile when they would talk to you, others would yell. Some may have a softness in their eyes, others, a gruff scowl. You would “have a feeling” about each person even if you did not understand a word they said. Because dogs learn by association, and the fact that environment plays a huge factor on how they learn or react, you must create a positive scenario. 
Basically, all the results you want will happen twice as fast when you take a moment to ensure you’re doing things optimally. We say ‘optimally’, because there is no such thing as a perfect scenario. There is only what works best for your puppy, in the moment, with the choices and resources you have available to you.
So during your adventure with us, we want you to begin by clearing your mind of how you think a puppy should be trained or how you have trained in the past. Don’t worry about making mistakes or doing something wrong. We make them every day and you will too. They make you human, just like the rest of us. If you start your course with a clean slate, ready to continue your journey in a self-loving way, you are going to enjoy this process so much more.
It is very important to follow the Lessons in order.  We recommend taking a day or two between each Lesson as well to not overwhelm the puppy.
Are you ready to Empower your puppy? Let’s have some fun!
Kim & Christina

Foundations first, right? That’s how any good program should begin.

You wouldn’t build a house starting with the roof. That wouldn’t be sustainable, solid…or physically possible!

Well, the groundwork of your puppies learning will determine the dog you will have in years to come. Some of the temperament shaping you will do in these upcoming lessons will not even become relevant until your puppy is older. Do not skip this part of the lessons as you will then sabotage 80% or your results!

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Think how scary it would be if you were a puppy and heard all the sounds of our fast-paced world.  You wouldn’t know what they were or if they were going to hurt you.  It’s our job to expose our puppies and dogs to these sounds, but in a positive way.
  • Take it slow. Baby steps!
  • Play the sound softly or at a distance.
  • Increase the volume and length of time as they become accustomed.
  • Don’t overload your pup, just play a few throughout the day.
  • Look for stress level changes in your dog.
  • Are they nervous?  Or indifferent?
  • Play the sounds when puppy or dog is relaxed.
  • Create a positive experience by giving a treat.

They may be afraid today, but tomorrow they will be rock stars!  You are able to use the sound provided below, or for your convenience, we have linked to the download of the Empowered Puppy Sound Training App on our resource page.

Take a few minutes, several times a day, over the next couple days to familiarize yourself and your puppy with what you’ve just learned. We gave you a lot of information to digest, but don’t worry, just take baby steps. When you see your puppy sitting: name and praise! Look for chances to capture all 3 behaviors (sitting, laying, standing) at least once a day to start. As you become more observant you’ll notice more opportunities to name and praise. Don’t jump ahead and give your puppy the verbal command just yet. That will come in due time. Work toward making your puppy’s crate a good place to be- never a punishment. Play crate games with treats! Work to build up to longer and longer bits of time lounging in the crate throughout the day. Don’t give in at night. We know it’s hard to not acknowledge, or comfort, or beg your puppy to stop crying but giving in now will only make the process longer. Stay strong, stay committed. You and your puppy are off to an amazing start. This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship!