Kimberlee Tolentino

68 articles published

How Canine Fitness Assessments Complement Training

UncategorizedApril 21, 20201KViews 0Likes 0Comments

A dog that barks relentlessly at the mailman. A dog that refuses to recall at the park. A dog that shuts down during training sessions. We are quick to label these as purely behavioral problems: a lack of discipline, insufficient training, or outright defiance. We focus exclusively on the mind, attempting to correct what we…

The Investment: Understanding the Cost of Professional Dog Training in the Seattle Area

choosing a trainerApril 21, 20201KViews 0Likes 0Comments

The numbers can be startling. In the greater Seattle area where I operate, a board-and-train program can run from $3,000 to $8,000. Private lessons can run $200 and up for a single one-hour lesson. The immediate temptation is to see the board-and-train as an "all-inclusive" vacation for your dog's behavior, while private lessons feel like…

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Is Your Dog a Candidate for Protection Sports? How to Spot a Successful Prospect

choosing a dog, sport and protection dogsApril 21, 20201KViews 0Likes 1Comment

The iconic image: a powerful, focused canine athlete, moving in perfect sync with its handler, executing commands with breathtaking precision and power. This is the world of modern protection sports—IPG, PSA, French Ring, Mondio Ring. It is a world of immense discipline, profound partnership, and raw, channeled instinct. For many owners of driven dogs, it’s…

Beyond CGC: Preparing for the AKC Community Canine and Urban CGC Titles

AKC, CGC, CGCU, dog training, how to, MindsetApril 21, 2020974Views 0Likes 0Comments

Congratulations, you and your dog did it as a team. You put in the work, passed the test, and now that coveted AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) title is next to your dog’s name. It’s a significant achievement, a testament to your dog's good manners and your dedicated training. But now, a question whispers in…

The Psychology of Reinforcement: A Deeper Look at Marker Training

dog training, learning theoryApril 21, 20201KViews 4Likes 0Comments

In the world of dog training, few tools are as deceptively simple yet profoundly powerful as the marker. A sharp "Yes!" or the precise snap of a clicker seems almost too basic to be effective. How can a sound, devoid of any inherent meaning, hold the key to teaching complex behaviors, building unwavering focus, and…

Building a Legacy: The Journey from Family Pet to Confident Sport Partner

AKC, courses, dog training, rally, sport and protection dogs, trick dogApril 21, 20201KViews 0Likes 0Comments

The world of dog sports—Agility, Rally Obedience, Nosework, Barn Hunt—can seem like an exclusive club for purebred dogs and professional handlers. For pet dog owners just starting to test the water in a more advanced space, the complex rules and intensive training can seem kind of hardcore and, frankly, intimidating. The truth is, a successful…

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The Training Collar (Kinder Collar): The Perfect Tool for Hairless Dogs

dog training, tools, training, XoloitzcuintliApril 21, 20201KViews 1Like 0Comments

T raining a hairless dog like a Xoloitzcuintli or Chinese Crested is an exercise in nuance. Their minds are often brilliantly independent and sensitive, and their skin—a living, exposed organ—is vulnerable to irritation, chafing, dryness, and pressure sores from standard training tools. A flat collar can cause tracheal pressure and rashes; a poorly fitted harness…

Service Dogs vs. Emotional Support Animals (ESA): Understanding the Legal Definitions and Rights

dog training, service dogsApril 21, 20202KViews 2Likes 0Comments

I n today's world, it's becoming increasingly common to see animals accompanying their owners in stores, on planes, and in housing that typically prohibits pets. As a dog trainer I have seen this lead to significant public confusion, and unfortunately, a dilution of the rights of those who truly depend on their animal partners.…

The Service Dog Guide for Businesses: Understanding the Law and How to Spot a Fake Service Dog

service dogsApril 21, 2020991Views 1Like 0Comments

A s a business owner or manager in the Greater Seattle-Tacoma area, you’ve likely noticed the way our locals love their pets. It's not uncommon for people in Seattle and the south sound in general to want to take their dogs absolutely everywhere. Your policy may be "no pets allowed," but you’ve heard…

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Is Your Dog a Service Dog Candidate? The 10 Essential Traits of a Successful Service Dog

choosing a dog, dog training, service dogsApril 21, 20201KViews 0Likes 0Comments

T he decision to pursue a service dog is a profound one, born of necessity and hope. But this path is made of more than just good intentions; it is built upon a foundation of specific, inherent traits that a dog either possesses or does not. Many wonderful, loving family pets are NOT cut…

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The 5 Key Stages of Service Dog Training: From Prospect to Partner

choosing a dog, dog training, service dogsApril 21, 20201000Views 0Likes 0Comments

T he transformation of a playful puppy or a driven young dog into a polished service dog can seem like black magic, but it is actually architecture in motion. It is a deliberate, structured process built one carefully laid brick at a time. Skipping a stage or rushing the process risks the entire structure collapsing,…

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Task Training 101: How to Reliably Teach a Dog to Retrieve, Alert, Provide Support, and More

dog training, service dogsApril 21, 2020834Views 0Likes 0Comments

A service dog's value lies in its ability to take action. That action—the retrieved phone, the alert to an oncoming medical event, the grounding pressure during a panic attack—is what transforms a well-behaved dog into a life-changing partner. This is the art and science of task training. For many handlers, this phase can feel…

Author page: Kimberlee Tolentino

Kimberlee Tolentino