Whether your pup has the obedience of a dog show finalist, or social behavior that makes you want to play dead around others, you can develop more owner confidence with help from this expert trainer.
“Socializing your dog is beneficial for both dogs and their owners,” says Taryn Tyler, founder and owner of Teacher Turned Trainer LLC. “It creates confidence for both dogs and owners and displaces the anxiety we feel when our dogs aren’t behaving like we want them to.”
Taryn says that boundaries can be learned by dogs of any age.
“There’s a nasty perception along the ‘can’t teach an old dog new tricks’ line of thinking,” she says. “While you can’t take a dog with serious behavioral issues and completely turn them around 180 degrees, you CAN make improvements in how you understand your dog and how they understand you. Dog training isn’t just for struggling pups either. Creating a relationship between you and your canine based on confidence, reliability and reward can turn a good dog into a great dog.”
Taryn stresses that teaching a dog to sit or stay is less about tricks and more about the relationship that builds between animal and owner. “That, in turn, fosters an environment where the next time a family hosts Thanksgiving or has friends over, my clients and their dogs fall into the habit of obeying commands because of the confidence built through all the work put in beforehand.”
A native of Johnson County, Taryn went to Shawnee Mission Northwest High School and the University of Kansas where she received her degree in Elementary Education. She taught elementary school for five years in the Shawnee Mission School district before she changed careers. She began her certified dog-training business in 2022 and has seen huge success in only two years. Her wedding pet-handling business is on track for its busiest wedding season yet and is booking into 2025. She and her husband live in Waldo and are the proud dog-owners of Sinclair (Staffordshire Terrier), Glenda (Great Dane) and Tallulah (Terrier mix).
Taryn is a positive reinforcement, force-free trainer, rewarding positive behaviors and ignoring negative ones. Her sessions are in-home where behaviors are likely to present themselves. “It’s easy to learn in a clinical environment, but if you can’t carry the behaviors into the real world, then what’s the point? How does a dog respond when a spouse or kids come home, or when everybody’s silent family member—the Amazon guy—drops off a package? These scenarios happen organically through in-home training that are hard to replicate in a facility.”
Taryn then meets clients for field trips in public places like parks or dog-friendly stores. She says she loves to see the “light bulb moment” in dog training.
“You can see the wheels turn in a dog's head when we’re working on a new skill or behavior, and they get so excited the first time they do it right without correction or redirection.”
Even dogs with a troubled history can achieve improvement.
“We all love our dogs, but they can be stressful when they can’t seem to click in our home environments. Working with my clients and dogs to just get back to a baseline of comfortability is so rewarding. Luckily, we usually move further than that pretty quickly.”
Her long-term goal is to start a dog daycare that caters to reactive dogs like Sinclair, to give them space and tools to socialize in an environment where their struggles aren’t as magnified. “If anyone out there has some extra real estate and wants to pet some dogs during their workday, please let me know!”
Taryn’s Dog Socializing Tips
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Socializing is more than taking your dog in public. When the doorbell rings or a visitor comes into the house, what’s our expectation for the dog? When we’re in public and the dog’s attention is diverted, what’s our plan to refocus them? Socialization is 99 percent working on small steps as part of a larger plan.
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Socializing isn’t about our dogs being the center of attention in public. Everyone loves seeing a dog, but our best outcome for the dog is to go unnoticed. Sitting by our side, ignoring external stimuli, remaining calm—those are things we strive for when socializing a dog.
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When socializing dogs with other dogs, I suggest starting small. Take a walk with another dog to get them to just exist in the same vicinity. Once they’re able to not be excited by the other dog, work on limited playing in controlled environments.
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If someone comes into your home, let them know what boundaries you’re working on with your dog.
How to throw a birthday bash for your four-legged friends
Once your dog is able to socialize with other pets, playdates are a great way to encourage good play behavior. One way to celebrate your pup’s birthday is to celebrate with their favorite furry friends. Here are a few helpful tips for making your gathering a success.
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Set up play areas for your furry guests to enjoy. This can include a doggy pool or splash pad, chew toys, frisbees, and don’t forget the pet-friendly bubbles.
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Offer party guests birthday attire such as a birthday hat, bandana or party outfit. Set up a photo wall for pet owners to get photos with their furry friends in their birthday outfits. Better yet, make it a costume competition, and invite guests to come dressed up ready to show off their pup’s attire.
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Create a treat display with a pet-friendly birthday cake and various chewy snacks for guests to give their pups.
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Party favors are a must to end your festivities with a bang. Fill party bags with bouncy balls, treats, and pet-friendly bubbles to send your guests off with a smile.
For more info, contact Taryn at:
teacherturnedtrainer@gmail.com
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