by VSA | Dec 20, 2024 | Blog Posts
Steven Cogswell’s journey to becoming a professional dog trainer and animal welfare advocate has been anything but conventional. With a background in theater, Steven spent over a decade working for a large arts facility in Colorado as a house manager and volunteer...
by VSA | Oct 31, 2024 | Blog Posts
A love of teaching and a challenging puppy named Betsy inspired this VSA graduate Tomi Vensel’s story begins in a classroom, where for nearly two decades she inspired young minds as a dedicated teacher. Her days were filled with laughter, learning, and the...
by VSA | Sep 11, 2024 | Blog Posts
The demand for dog training endures, even during turbulent times. Here are some reasons why. Perhaps you’ve always had a passion for dogs, and dream of working with them, but also feel the need to be practical and wonder how this career might affect your future....
by VSA | Jul 10, 2024 | Blog Posts
Whether it’s losing a familiar home, a beloved family member, or even a simple routine, dogs can need our help bouncing back from life’s changes. Life has a tendency to deliver surprises, doesn’t it? Circumstances shift, routines get upended, loss happens, and even if...
by VSA | Jun 8, 2024 | Blog Posts
Where do we start when framing conversations about aggressive behaviors in dogs? It’s deceptively easy to think of actions such as snarling, snapping, lunging, and biting as all being the same. But Victoria reminds us that dog behavior can be nuanced, and that we need...
by VSA | May 7, 2024 | Blog Posts
Meet a dozen different dogs and you could easily encounter a dozen different personalities, with each dog having their own quirks and style. Some dogs are super-focused. Some are barky, others quiet. Some are wiggly. Some don’t feel comfortable or safe until they...
by VSA | Apr 9, 2024 | Blog Posts
As dog professionals, we are often asked for tips about puppies. We welcome these questions, because early life is a vital time for socialization and starting your puppy off on the right paw! We also understand how easy it is for families to become distracted by the...
by VSA | Mar 21, 2024 | Blog Posts
Across the dog industry, it’s common to use labels to describe methods, practitioners, and philosophies. But what do those labels really mean? What’s in a Label? As dog training and behavior professionals, we purposely avoid labeling dogs with words like “bad”...
by VSA | Feb 8, 2024 | Blog Posts
Teaching and training can empower dogs with more confidence, safety, and opportunities to expand their horizons. But are they actually enjoying the process? As positive dog trainers, we teach dogs life skills that help them navigate their world with more ease,...
by VSA | Nov 7, 2023 | Blog Posts
As dogs age, their needs change. Meeting those needs can require special considerations during private or class training sessions. Senior dogs may have physical limitations, cognitive decline, and different training and socialization needs compared to younger dogs....
