Adoption Update: Jerry

Remember Jerry? The adorable little guy we all grew very attached to during his 2 week stay with us? He was brought up from Georgia by Tailwaggers 911 during one of their transport trips.

He was 9 months old and had never seen stairs, a vacuum, or raced around in a giant back yard. He was the sweetest little guy, who just wanted to cuddle and give kisses.

Well, he got adopted! His name is now Raji, and he lives in Green Bay. We've received updates that he is finally living the lap dog life. His favorite pastime is lounging around the house, without a care in the world. We're so happy he found his forever home!

Adoption Update: Cooter

Remember Cooter? He was our first foster dog from Tailwaggers 911, an adorable black and tan coonhound mix puppy. He was adopted early in October, and his family just sent us an update. He has settled in and is doing great in his new home. His name is now Scooter!

A 5 Minute Trick to Bonding with your Dog

This is the first in a series called Tricks & Techniques that focuses on our training methods for topics from basic obedience to dealing with aggressive dogs. Pet U is a local dog training facility in Milwaukee Wi. Here at Pet U in Milwaukee, many of our clients are surprised when they begin training with Dennis, because his methods are so straightforward and easy; it can be hard to understand why you didn't think of it yourself!

What happens when your dog’s attention isn't on you?

Photo by TJ Lambert

He’s getting into trouble. He might be digging in your yard, chasing after a rabbit, or peeing on your living room carpet. However by playing a game that we call focus work, you can direct your pups attention off of his bad habits and back onto you in just a few minutes!

So...what is focus work?

Focus work is a game we play here at PetU to promote bonding. It is a fundamental training technique to lifelong exciting and reliable training. Focus work gives your pup a mental outlet to expend their energy, and amps up their excitement to be with you and train with you. Most importantly, the game teaches your dog to constantly look for you, rather than the other way around. Through this exercise your pup will learn that listening to you will be more rewarding than ANYTHING else they could possibly be doing!

How does it work?

The first step is to determine what motivates your dog. Is it food? A tennis ball? Love and praise? Many of our client’s dogs are food-motivated, while the GSD protection dogs we work with are extremely ball-motivated. You will have to do a little experimenting to figure out what works best for your pup.

The next step is to work with your dog in a contained area, like your living room or fenced-in backyard. Keep moving, and ask your pup to follow you. Use lots of energy and movement and a high-pitched voice to keep him excited. Every time your pup looks at you, sits by your feet, or comes when you call, reward him with a treat. It only takes a few minutes for your dog to realize that focusing on you = rewards. The key to making this successful is using lots of excitement and praise! Your dog won’t be having fun if you’re not having fun!

Now what?

So now that your dog isn’t chewing on your shoes or digging in the yard, what is he doing instead? He is calm and keeping an eye on you. You finally have the steps to achieve that relaxed, obedient companion you’ve been dreaming about. By doing this focus exercise for just a few minutes a day, you and your pup will grow closer and his desire to please you will strengthen. 
So good luck, and make sure to comment below with any questions or success stories!

October's New Students

This is last month, we've had a flurry of new clients. We are very pleased to introduce these new daycare members!

Kahnner, a 4 month old Doberman Pinscher

Bristol, an Australian Cattle Dog mix

Kypo the Rat Terrier

Zoey is a German Shepherd who has started daycare as part of her training plan.

Riley the Wheaten Terrier

Ava first started puppy classes with us, and is now enjoying daycare as well!

Bosco, Bella's new baby brother!

Ollie is Olivia's new brother, and was adopted from Tailwaggers 911!

Introducing Buster & Tailwaggers 911!

As some of you may know, we recently started up a partnership with the foster program Tailwaggers 911. This is a fantastic non-profit program run through the help of volunteers, and since its start in 2007 has helped over 1,300 dogs find their forever home. Their mission is "to rescue dogs from high-kill environments and provide them with loving, furever homes" (source). Many of the dogs put up for adoption have been rescued from kill shelters in the south, where the numbers of stray dogs are simply overwhelming. Teams of volunteers drive a large transport van down to the shelter, and return with over 70 new dogs ready to be placed into foster homes. Tailwaggers 911 depends on the support of volunteers who are able to raise these dogs until they are adopted, and we are ecstatic to be able to help!

Over the last month we've fostered three dogs: Cooter, Jerry, and now Buster. We are happy to report that both Cooter and Jerry found their forever home, and will be posting updates on them soon. For now, here's a chance to meet and fall in love with Buster, our current foster pup!

Buster is a four year old Jack Russel Terrier mix who was rescued off the streets down south. He is a sweet little guy! He's a little bit shy, but just needs someone to take him home and let him be a lap dog. Check him out HERE at the Tailwaggers site, and see what they have to say about him! He is at PetU waiting to find his forever home, feel free to stop by and meet him!

Class is now in session!

Hi guys, welcome to our brand new blog! Whether you're a current client or just looking around, we appreciate you stopping by! Over the next couple of weeks we'll be working to really get this blog off the ground. You can expect some behind the scenes posts of what we're up to at PetU, lots of cute puppy pictures to keep you smiling, as well as some informative posts with tips, tricks and techniques for dog training.

But for now, here's a couple of the basics:

What is PetU?

PetU is a comprehensive dog training, daycare, grooming, and boarding facility nestled in the Oak Creek community. Anything you need for your beloved pup can be found right here. We offer 3 large playgroups, 11 overnight kennels, a part-time groomer, and a head trainer with over 20 years of experience. Our facility is the perfect size to create a warm, inviting environment than both you and your pup will be excited to return to.

What do we offer?

While a large part of our business is dedicated to running the doggy daycare, boarding and grooming services, we are also very excited about the many training opportunities we offer.  

We offer 4 levels of basic obedience classes.

• The Associate’s Degree is Pet U’s foundational level of dog training. Here, we teach you the basics of obedience training including leash manners, door manners, and heeling on-leash. We will make obedience training fun and exciting for both you and your pup, because if the owner is not having a good time, your dog probably isn't either. We cover many basic behavioral problems in this class, and the result is a companion who is more focused, relaxed and attentive to your wishes.  The Associate’s class is the cornerstone to our training plan!
• After graduating from puppy class you will move to the Bachelor's Degree, where we will focus in on the skills just mastered. Your dog already knows how to sit and stay? Well, what happens if you turn and walk away? This class focuses on real world training scenarios. We trade the classroom for outdoor sessions. Your dog learns how to be obedient despite distractions such as cars or squirrels.
• In the Master's Degree class, we continue to work with real world scenarios. What good is a dog who knows how to sit and stay in the house, but once he is at the park forgets everything he learned? We spend this class mastering commands on and off leash in a variety of situations.
• Finally, your dog can graduate with the Doctorate's Degree. This is our most advanced class, where we will test your bond and your ability to work together. By now, your pup can heel off-leash, and can be trusted to go to the dog park and gleefully race back to you the minute you call. He will excel at a variety of basic commands, and will be focused, obedient, reliable and eager to please in day-to-day life.

* Dogs must graduate from Associate's class to move up in training. Each class can be taken as many times as necessary, and because no class is ever the same twice, it will never feel repetitive.

Our next level of training is our One on One training. These sessions can be held either at PetU or in-home, and are specialized to hone in on your dog’s problem areas that would not otherwise be dealt with in group classes. We can help you with everything from basic manners, dog to dog issues, aggression, and more. Each training package starts with an evaluation, and from there a specific training plan is created to maximize your success. Throughout the next five sessions we will work with you and your dog to teach you BOTH how to work through the issue.

The third option we offer is Canine College. This is an extensive 3-week long boarding program which allows us time to bond with your dog, break down any barriers and negative behaviors, and build them back up again with the appropriate behaviors. We create an individualized training program to meet your goals, and then work with your pup around the clock for the next 3 weeks. Before sending your dog home, we will also teach YOU the skills you need to successfully maintain your dog’s new behavior. We have worked with everything from puppy potty training to human and dog-based aggression!

Our last option is the Canine Certification Program. This takes place while you're pup is attending daycare, so there is no added time for you. We take the dog out of daycare for a few minutes several times through out the day, and work with them one on one. This is a good program for teaching basic obedience skills, or to keep up on skills being taught in one of the degree classes.

If you're looking for something more specialized, Dennis raises and trains his own German Shepherds specifically for protection and bite work. He occasionally offers classes for Nosework and Protection Work.

Why choose us?

PetU is a small business; there are two owners, two managers, and two dog handlers. The four of us that work with the dogs are here every day, and have formed close bonds with all of the dogs. We learn to know your dog inside and out, and we treat both you and your pup as family. Coming to PetU is a unique experience: stop and chat, have some coffee, and check the tack board to see which of your pup’s friends will be playing with him for the day. Coming here will be the highlight of your dog's day!