Dog Training Tips for Toronto Dog Owners
Browse our library of actionable dog & puppy training articles
Actionable advice for Toronto Dog Owners
Scary or Supportive? Puppy Socialization Done Right
Am I doing it right? Everybody that gets a new puppy has one thing at the top of their mind: socialization. But what IS it? HOW do you do it? WHEN should you start? What is socialization? From Oxford Languages: the activity of mixing socially with others.the process...
My Dog is Bored and is Driving Me Crazy – Enrichment During Social Distancing / COVID-19
By Dr. Sarah Shapiro-Ward Enrichment describes all the activities our dogs do which fulfill their mental, social and physical needs. Toronto dogs are typically accustomed to getting their social time through daycare, dog walkers, playdates and dog parks. Physical...
Is my dog playing, bullying, or fighting?
In our Puppy Socialization classes, one of the lessons we try to teach new puppy owners is how to recognize the signs of appropriate and healthy play between dogs. On one hand, we have some owners that are "helicopter parents" and at the onset of anything more...
New Puppy Help! Expert Advice from When Hounds Fly Dog Training
Congratulations on your new addition! Bringing home a new puppy is a big event and it’s your job to raise them to be confident and successful in the world. Having helped over 12,000 dogs (and their owners) since 2010, we’ve been asked a lot of questions from new puppy...
We’re Thinking About Getting A Puppy.. Any Advice?
A couple of months ago I got an email from friends saying they had been thinking about it, and they wanted to get a puppy. They wanted some tips and also some feedback. They recently found a breeder that was selling Golden Doodles (Golden Retriever/Poodle crosses)...
Client Success: Lady’s Transformation from Terrified to Teacher’s Pet
Lady is a rescue from Texas.We picked her up from the back of a pickup truck in Niagara Falls, straight shot from Texas. The rescue didn’t even have foster homes, so she went straight to our house.When we first got her, she was afraid of everything. The first time she...
My Friendly Dog is Now Reactive! Help
By Rachael Johnston, KPA CTP As someone who works a lot with dogs and humans in the context of private lessons I commonly hear this story from many a confused and exasperated client: “My energetic puppy used to be friendly to all the dogs he met but now that he is a...
The Secret to Helping Your Reactive Dog
Written by Rachael Johnston, CPDT-KA, KPA CTP, Family Paws Educator If you are the owner of a leash reactive dog, you are not alone! In fact, many dog guardians in Toronto struggle with leash reactivity in their dogs. It is certainly not an uncommon sight...
Becoming a Professional Dog Trainer
There are a huge number of programs out there promising to teach you how to become a dog trainer. But there are only a few that actually give you the level of education and practical experience needed to truly BE a professional. The Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer...
Beat the Heat: Keeping our Dogs Cool
There is real danger when the temperatures rise for our dogs. We can’t take them for the same length of walks, or sometimes even on the same routes. Heat stroke, burned paws, and dehydration are all possible. There ARE ways we...
My Friendly Dog is Now Reactive! Help
By Rachael Johnston, KPA CTP As someone who works a lot with dogs and humans in the context of private lessons I commonly hear this story from many a confused and exasperated client: “My energetic puppy used to be friendly to all the dogs he met but now that he is a...
The Secret to Helping Your Reactive Dog
Written by Rachael Johnston, CPDT-KA, KPA CTP, Family Paws Educator If you are the owner of a leash reactive dog, you are not alone! In fact, many dog guardians in Toronto struggle with leash reactivity in their dogs. It is certainly not an uncommon sight...
Why We Refuse to Board and Train
Just this month I was asked by two people (a fellow Karen Pryor Academy trainer, and a Toronto veterinarian) whether I do board and train or whether I had referrals for trainers that did. My response to them was this: "Most board and train facilities are terrible and...
If Not You, Then Who?
Dear Dog Training Professional: If I know you're good, you've gotten referrals from me. I don't travel far to see clients, and neither do the other trainers here. My general rule of thumb is, if I can't bike there in 20 minutes from one of our locations, then it's too...
My Dog Barks at Dogs and People Out The Window
Perhaps you know the house on your street where as soon as you walk by, you are greeted by a frantic and not-so-friendly sounding bark and bump on a glass window? Oh look, there's that dog - he always barks at us when we walk by this house. Many owners think that...
Control Unleashed Seminar Toronto – February 18-19, 2023
When Hounds Fly is hosting Samantha DeJong, CCUI for a two-day Control Unleashed Seminar in February 2023
Transforming Lives Through Rescue
When Hounds Fly, Don't You Want Me, and Toronto Dog Moms have teamed up to bring you an awesome event: Transforming Lives Through Rescue What will be happening? We've gathered a team of experts from the pet professional industry for a panel discussion on helping our...
Flash Sale! Foundation Skills 10% Off Till Canada Day 2022
To celebrate this Canada Day, we're having a sale! Worried about missing a class? Our dog training classes are Start Anytime, so even if you're away for a few cottage trips, you can jump back in when you return. The foundation skills program includes 6 modules that...
Dog Trick Seminar with The Ultimutts
Over the Easter long weekend, When Hounds Fly was lucky enough to have Melissa Millett of the Ultimutts come and help us level up our tricks training! View this post on Instagram A post shared by When Hounds Fly (@whenhoundsfly)...
Masks Stay After March 21, 2022
Important Announcement!After consulting with the entire instructor team, and polling our current and alumni students, and looking at supporting evidence, we are making the decision to continue requiring all participants of our group classes to wear a facemask covering...
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When Hounds Fly is proud to have the largest number of Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partners (KPA CTPs) and Certified Professional Dog Trainers (CPDT-KAs) on staff of any training organization in Canada.
You can count on us to deliver
Training You’ll Feel Good About – A Commitment to Positive Reinforcement
Positive Reinforcement methods are the most effective way to change behaviour, and make the learner (both human and dog!) feel supported and have a fun and enjoyable time learning.
An Experience Both You and Your Dog Will Enjoy
Every time you train this way with your dog, they’ll light up and come to you with this look of eagerness, joy, and anticipation. Working with us means that training changes from something you do to your dog – into an activity that you and your dog can’t wait for. The connection you build with your dog through our training methods is something that you have to experience.
In Your Neighbourhood, When You Need Us
We believe every dog (and their owners) should benefit from socialization and training as part of their health and wellness. We’re in convenient locations, with classes nearly every day of the week, at convenient times. To keep you from waiting too long, our core classes are “Start Anytime”, so enrollment is on-going. For private lessons, we continue to grow our team (currently over 12 instructors) so you can see us as quickly as possible.