Our Blog
A Day in the Life of a Jumpstart Puppy
What is it like to be a puppy in the Jumpstart Program at Hillary’s Hound House? You’re about to find out. Meet Bill, a 14-week-old English Cream...
Puppy Enrichment: Taking Your Puppy’s Education to the Next Level
Enrichment is more than just playtime. It’s a purposeful way to meet your puppy’s emotional, physical, and mental needs through stimulating...
Puppy Adolescence: The Bridge Between Babyhood and Bravery
If you’ve ever raised a puppy, you know the early days are filled with wonder. Wiggly tails, floppy ears, clumsy paws—and that sweet innocence that...
Part 4: Puppy Taste Test – Determining the Best Treats to Use with Your Puppy
When it comes to getting a young puppy’s attention outdoors, we are generally limited to three things. The first is to create distance, to be at...
Part 3: Calming Trifecta; Sniffing, Licking, and Chewing
There are three habits native to all dogs. I call them, “The Calming Trifecta; Sniffing, Licking, and Chewing.” Sniffing, Licking, and Chewing are...
Part 2: Preparing Your Puppy for the Great Outdoors
We’ve talked a bit about creating an optimal environment for your puppy at home. What about outdoors, where all bets are off? This is an important...
Part 1: Creating an Optimal Learning Environment For Your Puppy
In my quest to create the optimal puppy environment, I have discovered that cultivating a calm, predictable environment is key to everything from...
A Reunion with Luna. Working with Shy or Fearful Puppies
Meet Luna, a Jumpstart Puppy graduate who mastered several challenges we frequently see with shy and fearful puppies. Join us as we practice, "Go...
The Talk. A Primer on Potty Training
Welcome to The Talk, a conversation about Potty Training, how to set up your puppy at home and more important - ensure her success! Join us along...
Multi-Dog Households and Puppies
It is important in multi-dog households that each puppy or dog has a quiet place of his own (more on this in another chapter). Puppies and even dogs...
The Importance of Moderating and Supervising Your Puppy’s Play
Puppy Introductions; Optimal Encounters and Interactions
When you have an opportunity to introduce your pup to a new dog, I suggest you take a moment to assess the situation. I always ask the owner if...
What a Puppy Sees
I love sharing new ideas, especially when they change how people view their puppy. This one in particular tends to shock people when they realize...
Game On – Teaching Self Control
How to moderate your puppy’s play. Grab the best treats you can think of; roast beef, a bit of chicken, something special and different. Let your...
To Punish, or Not to Punish Your Puppy?
The use of punishment with a puppy has diminished sharply among professional trainers. And yet there are still some who use it. I must admit, this...
When Puppies Growl – Recognizing Distress
Augie’s Story: A few months ago one of our puppy parents took Augie, their 13 week old doodle puppy to meet a neighbor’s six month old lab puppy....
Puppy Whisperer – Marin IJ Interview
August 22, 2019 Reprinted from the Marin IJ newspaper, February 20, 2019. By Kate Fitzsimmons” What family wouldn’t want help potty training and...
Roughhousing vs Play – When Puppies Learn How to Fight
When we allow puppies to roughhouse with each other, especially with larger puppies they quickly move from lighthearted play to sparring and mock...
Letting Dogs ‘work it out’
In the old days when I was growing up socializing puppies wasn’t something anyone planned. People turned their puppies and dogs out together and...
Socializing Your Puppy Safely
Socialization is a bit more complicated than most people think. Rather, socializing a puppy means teaching him social skills, impulse control, and...
Dog Parks – The Danger of Unsupervised Play for Puppies
Imagine for a moment you have a four-year-old she wanted to go into a playground nearby. In that playground are 13 and 14-year-old kids and they’re...
Could Your Puppy Have Giardia?
What is Giardia? What is it and do I need to be concerned? Giardiasis is an intestinal infection in people and animals. It is caused by a protozoan...
Ralph and The Perfect Storm
Sometimes a dog can become frightened of something he’s known his entire life. Take Ralph, an 18 month old beagle that developed a terror of grocery...
Formula for a Fearless Puppy
The Importance of Socializing Your Puppy Start Early – Go Everywhere There is a magic window that opens in every puppy’s life, when he is most...
History of the Jumpstart Program
Cindy and Chester The Jumpstart Program began in November 2011 when I received a call from Brian. He was engaged to be married and wanted two things...