Dog Training Now would like to introduce you to our November 2018 Client of the Month. Meet Zoey, the French Bulldog and her owners Cam and Cory. We felt that it was important to shine a spotlight on Zoey because anyone who knows dogs can tell you that French Bulldogs are notoriously difficult to train and socialize, but when owners put in hard work with their dogs, they can end up with fantastic family pups!
Zoey came to us when she was just ten weeks old, and she joined our amazing Puppy Day Camp program. Cam and Cory both work, and with a new puppy, they were worried about leaving Zoey home alone. Unfortunately, most typical dog daycare facilities will not accept dogs that young, leaving owners in a bind. Dog Training Now’s Puppy Day Camp program is designed to fill that need, giving new puppy owners comfort in knowing that their pups are taken care of during the day, and also getting a head start on training. Zoey worked on her potty training skills, her comfort in a crate, and her socialization skills with the other puppies in the program. Puppy play time is the cutest thing, and it does wonders to build a dog like Zoey’s social skills at a very critical age. Cam said “She was so young and we couldn’t and didn’t want to leave her at home alone during the day so I received a referral from a coworker about how great DTN was so I IMMEDIATELY called and see if we could get her into Puppy Day Camp!”
During her 5 weeks in Puppy Day Camp, Zoey worked on the concept of going potty outside with the “Go Potty” command. This is a challenging one for many dogs because it’s so new, and Zoey was no exception. Potty training is the first skill that any dog should learn, and it’s certainly easier for some than others. Zoey would be so proud of herself when she got a big celebration for going potty outside. That whole butt would wiggle away!
She was also the star of her play sessions. The play time that our Puppy Day Campers get each day is obviously super fun, and super cute, but it’s also an important part of training. Zoey learned from her puppy friends what is an appropriate level of play, and learned “bite inhibition”, which helped her learn to control the force of play biting and nipping.
When Zoey reached 16 weeks of age, she was now eligible for an obedience training program, and Cam and Cory decided to enroll her in our 10-Day Day Training program in early August.
Everyone at Dog Training Now remembers Zoey’s first week. We knew that Zoey was a Frenchie, so we were expecting a challenge, and Zoey did not disappoint. Therein lies the beauty of DTN’s 10-Day Day Training program. When a dog struggles, our trainers don’t have to rush and worry and stress a dog out. Instead, we have plenty of time to catch a dog up, and it’s typical that a dog who challenges our trainers during the first week, flourishes in the second week.
That’s just what Zoey did! When the second week of training rolled around, Zoey started showing off! By the end of her 10-Day Day Training program, Zoey was a rockstar! After training, Cam mentioned “They always took into account specifics with Zoey like what side she walks on or how she may act at home. They were probably especially patient because she IS a stubborn Frenchie ?. They also were patient when teaching me how to do the task with her.”
Everyone at Dog Training Now is crazy about Zoey, and thankfully, Cam and Cory have decided that Zoey would be a regular enrollee in our Graduate Training Academy program. Zoey comes nearly every day to refresh and build on her skill set, socialize with the other dogs in our facility, and to get some great exercise! She’s especially keen on her boyfriend Ari, who’s also a daily Graduate Training Academy pup. We call them Zari!
Recently we asked Cam how Zoey makes her feel now, and she responded that “She makes me feel proud because she shows how well she’s taken to the training and relieved that she’s getting training while getting stimulation throughout the day so she’s not a total terror at night.” In fact, Zoey recently took runner up at the Butler University (Indianapolis) 2018 Homecoming’s “Most Beautiful Bulldog” contest on the strength of a Down and Stay on stage with myriad distraction.
People have told Cam “that she’s really well tempered and ‘I can tell you put a lot into her training’ “.
At Dog Training Now, we love a challenge, and even the most stubborn Frenchie can be an amazing dog. We’ve all fallen in love with Zoey, and we’re so glad that she’s going to be a regular with us at Dog Training Now.