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Before she was a service dog in training, Lady Priscilla was a 48-pound ball of anxiety. This is her origin story—and what we learned about bringing home a rescue dog. I really, really wanted a dog. Growing up, we always had animals—lizards, rats, cats, even a rabbit at one point—but my childhood dog, Trapper, was…
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Does my dog understand me? It’s a question I hear all the time. And one a new peer-reviewed study just put language to in a way many service dog handlers already recognize, but struggle to explain. Dogs aren’t just performing trained tasks.They’re interpreting human needs in real time. The researchers describe this as relational care…
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How HHN Became the Final Test of Service Dog Distraction Training If you’ve been following our journey, you already know that about a year and a half ago, right after Lady Priscilla passed her public access training readiness test (to start training in non-dog friendly spaces), we headed straight to CityWalk. At park closing. Right…
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You’ve probably heard that you should stay “below threshold” when doing service dog desensitization training around triggers. And for dogs with trauma or big feelings, that’s generally good advice. But what if I told you that real learning doesn’t happen far below threshold? What if the true magic happens just below it? Welcome to the…
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How one alien and one trail of trust taught me what canine communication could look like A Movie About Connection There’s a moment in E.T. that still gives me chills, even after all these years. Not the flying bicycle. Not the glowing finger. It’s the part where E.T. points to the sky, touches his chest,…
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Canine cognition is the missing piece in most dog training methods. It’s also the key to raising a dog who can handle real-world situations without constant micromanagement. If you’ve ever tried walking your dog through a pet store, you know the drill: “Sit. Heel. Leave it. No sniffing. Don’t pull. Watch me. No, don’t eat…
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Ever wonder why your dog training method taught your pet what to do… but it still doesn’t do it? Or why treats work in training class, but not at the park? Or why your dog’s behavior seems to change by the day — or even the hour? It’s not just you. And it’s not your…
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There’s Something Missing in Dog Training Most dog training methods stop at obedience.But understanding dog behavior goes far beyond “sit” and “stay.” Real behavior change — the kind that holds up in public, at home, or anywhere in between — starts with how your dog senses, processes, and interprets the world around them. And that’s…
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Orlando service dog training isn’t a one-size-fits-all experience — especially if you’re self-training. Every team is different. Every need is different. And no single class or outing can prepare you for the real world all at once. For us, this journey has been about slowly building confidence, emotional regulation, and trust — not just for…
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This week’s class was held inside Home Depot — a fitting location for a program that prepares dogs for both the AKC Community Canine (CGC-A) and CGC Urban (CGC-U) tests. While most classes separate those two titles, this one does both. It blends advanced obedience with real-world, unpredictable environments — from crowded aisles and loud…
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When we first started service dog training with Lady Priscilla, I spent hours trying to understand the service dog public access test — also called a public access service dog test — what it was, who gave it, and whether we were supposed to take it. The answers weren’t easy to find. There were tests,…