Victoria Cherpes

Labrador Retriever Dog I want to talk about something I see all the time: people who start off with postive reinforcement dog training and then begin to ask, when can I phase out the treats. Or others who hesitate to use treats in training, even when they can see that treats (positive reinforcement) works. Dogs do not learn on the same timeline as a human and so often well meaning folks who want to train in a positive manner, feel that treats are a crutch. Training behaviors to the...

A service dog in training learning public access skills Many people assume service dog training happens quickly. You might see a perfectly behaved dog helping their handler at a grocery store and wonder how they got there. The truth involves significant time, consistency, and patience. As an owner-trainer, you commit to a long but deeply rewarding journey. As a service dog coaching client with HMR, we want to give you a clear, honest look at the training timeline. Having realistic...

For the longest time, yak milk chews were my holy grail of dog treats. If you’re a dog owner, you know the challenge of finding a chew that is long-lasting, natural, and actually keeps your dog interested (especially for a voracious chewer like a retriever). For my pups, yak milk bones were the perfect solution. They were a high-value treat that could keep them occupied for hours. I loved that they were made from simple, natural ingredients without any scary plastics or nylons. I recommended...