Every Pawprint! Every Story!
The Dog Trainer Who Reminded Me What Really Matters
Send us Fan Mail You can tell a lot about someone by how they talk about their dogs, and Dave’s stories make that clear fast. We start with Colt, Molly, and Dexter: thunder anxiety that turns into couch cuddles, tennis-ball intensity, shin-lick greetings, and the kind of lovable goofball energy that keeps a house laughing. From there, we connect the fun to the real stuff every pet parent deals with: the door chaos, the leash pulling, the “selective hearing” recall, and the hard truth that even good dogs need a plan. Dave runs K9 Coaches in Georgia and explains why he built his business around private, in-home dog training. Instead of training a dog somewhere else and handing them back, he coaches owners in their real environment so the skills actually stick. We talk about what he means by functional obedience, why “reactivity” is an incomplete label until you know the cause, and how he structures a typical 10-session path that moves from the living room to the front yard, then into parks and stores for real-world proofing. One of the biggest takeaways is how simple the homework can be when it’s designed for real life. Dave breaks down why five to fifteen minutes most days can beat long sessions you won’t sustain, how treats fit into teaching new behaviors, and why planning details like food timing and equipment choices can make training smoother. We also touch on his early fascination with police canine bite work and why, these days, he’s just as passionate about helping dogs chill out and helping families enjoy them while they’re here. If you’ve been stuck with a dog who’s “good at home” but not anywhere else, this one gives you a practical way to think. Subscribe for more pet stories and training insight, share this with a friend who’s struggling on walks, and leave a review telling us what behavior you want to fix first. Purchase the Book that inspired the Podcast Want to share your pets story on a future podcast? Send us a message: SUBSCRIBE All new, the first ever Pet Journal - start logging your memories with your Pet Click -> Pet Journal
