FREE Puppy Prep Seminar

Did you or do you know someone who got a new puppy?

Join one of our FREE Puppy Prep seminars and let the behavior experts at Dogsmartz Unleashed help you with common puppy problems, such as:

 

• Housetraining

• Crating

• Biting

• Handling

• + Other Helpful puppy tips! 

 

Here are the next upcoming FREE Puppy Prep seminars:

 

Poland:

-Saturday 1/6/24 @ 10:30 AM

 

Warren:

-Monday 1/8/24 @ 5:45 PM

-Sunday 1/14/24 @ 10:45 AM

-Saturday 1/20/24 @ 10:45 AM

-Saturday 1/20/24 @ 7:00 PM

 

New Wilmington:

-Saturday 1/6/24 @ 10:45 AM

-Friday 1/19/24 @ 5:45 PM

 

​This is a FREE class for anyone, whether you are taking a puppy class with us or not.

This is a humans-only class for just one hour.

 

Call our office to register! 330-707-4160

Free Puppy Prep Seminars

New Puppy?

Check out the Dogsmartz Unleashed Training Packages!

 

The Original Puppy Package:

A.K.C. S.T.A.R Puppy

Beginner Obedience

2 - 6-week classes

$235

 

Ulti-Mutt Puppy Package:

A.K.C. S.T.A.R Puppy

Beginner Obedience

Intermediate Obedience

Advanced Obedience

4 - 6-week classes

$475

 

Ulti-Mutt Obedience Package:

Beginner Obedience

Intermediate Obedience

Advanced Obedience

Therapy Dog Prep Course

4 - 6-week classes

$540

 
Puppy Information

View Class Schedules by Location:

Hermitage, PA
New Wilmington, PA
Warren, OH
Poland, OH
Canfield, OH

Our Students of the Month!

From Maeve's owners:

Maeve began her learning journey with Dogsmartz Unleashed at about 3 months of age, with Puppy Class. We were already aware that she was a bit more shy than our other border collies, but it was by the second class that Heather Constiner noticed changes in her body posture when the other pups and owners got close to her. Each class moved us closer to better puppy behavior & confidence, but it was important for us to work with her fear, shyness, and reactivity. We moved forward with private training which allowed her to observe those things that she feared from a safe distance, rewarding her with praise, and lots of treats. While Maeve grew in confidence, I became more adept at reading her body language, her triggers, and timing of clicks, praise, and rewards. She recently completed Fearful & Shy level 1 and has been promoted to level 3. She is 10 months old now. Maeve has become much more confident, much less fearful and reactive, thanks to the early observations, and dedication to her well-being by Heather & the wonderful staff and their volunteers at DSU. We look forward to continuing the journey with additional classes at DSU.

From Jack's owners:

Jack (named after Jack Skellington) was born on April 14, 2023, and joined our family on July 1, 2023. He is an Olde English Bulldogge. When we went to meet the litter, I had my sights set on another puppy. Jack had other plans. He immediately connected with my kids and only had eyes for them. He chose us! He transitioned into our pack of two kids (4 and 6 years old), one 9-year-old pit bull, two 15-year-old dachshunds, and my husband and me. Jack is the comedian of our family and certainly earns the award for “family clown.” He is the silliest dog we’ve ever owned, surely living up to the reputation of bulldogs!

One of the main reasons we decided to add Jack to our pack when we did is so that the other dogs could help him learn how to exist in our sometimes-chaotic household before they got too old to handle a high energy puppy. I knew that they would all help him learn the cadence of our routine and how to adjust to anything else unexpected that might come up in our day to day. Our pit bull, Vinnie, had gone through all levels of training, AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy through Advanced Obedience and Canine Good Citizen, with Jenny. Vinnie loves her so much that she earned the nickname “Jenny Bacon.” We knew Dogsmartz would be the perfect fit for Jack based on our past experiences with Jenny!

Jack entered Puppy class with Jenny soon after we brought him home. Once he completed that, we moved on to Beginner Obedience and are now in Intermediate Obedience with Amber. She has also earned the nickname of “Amber Bacon,” because Jack loves her so much! We love our weekly classes that have included puppy play and lots of focused work. Jack can be excitable. The mental work that these classes offer always level him out so that he can be more focused, well mannered, and calm at home. Not to mention the incredible bonding and trust building that takes place during training!

On top of our existing pack, we have rescued and welcomed two kittens from a cat colony that was housed in a barn in Salem. The training that Jack has received so far has helped him keep his excitability in check with the tiny kittens. Everyone is able to coexist and stay safe. Jack really is a gentle giant and love bug like his big brother Vinnie! My boys are proof that positive reinforcement training helps dogs become their best selves so that they can live out their days happy and polite! Thank you to Dogsmartz, Jenny, and Amber for all that they do to help dogs achieve this. Especially all of the sweet bully breeds that are often looked at as the “bad guys” in society! We are forever grateful!


 

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, MAEVE AND JACK!

Bark & Brew

Don't forget about Bark & Brew! 

Join Jenny and Heather Constiner on Facebook every Monday morning at 8:00am for our live “Bark n’ Brew” show to answer training questions, product reviews and great discussions! For questions, please send an email to:

​media@dogsmartzunleashed.com

 

Grab your coffee and see you on Monday mornings!

Legacy Dog Rescue -

Enrichment Bundle

Now through Saturday, January 20th chances are on sale for the Enrichment Bundle worth over $250 including $75 OFF a six-week class at Dogsmartz Unleashed. Drawing will take place on Sunday, January 21st at 6:00pm LIVE on Facebook. All proceeds of the Enrichment Bundle will benefit Legacy Dog Rescue of Ohio. Tickets are available at both our Poland and Warren locations. Cash or Check can be used to purchase at these locations. Checks made payable to Legacy Dog Rescue. PayPal or Venmo info below. Please note this is for the Enrichment Bundle. 

 

Venmo - @LegacyDogRescue

PayPal - Link below

 

$10 = 1 sheet 26 chances

$20 = 3 sheets 78 chances

$50 = 10 sheets 260 chances

$100 = 25 sheets 650 chances

 

After donating, you MUST click the link so ticket numbers will be sent to you! 

 

https://forms.gle/HpuJVMwZ9B6KpdtS7

 

Prizes must be claimed within two weeks of being notified or the prize will be forfeited.

 

GOOD LUCK and THANK YOU!


 

 
PayPal

 Fear Free Focus

January 2024: Fear Free Focus

The Nose Knows: Reducing Fido’s Cabin Fever

~Karen Becker, PhD, CPDT-KA, FFCP

 

As the holidays subside and the winter doldrums set in, it’s a good time to focus on enrichment. Just like humans, our dogs’ needs must be met to be healthy and happy – a.k.a. not chewing on your favorite piece of furniture or demolishing a “stuffy” in a matter of minutes.

 

When our dogs emotional and social needs aren’t met, they can become stressed or anxious and naturally look for something to DO to release the stress. Let’s focus on enrichment for the frosty days ahead. When you discover ways reduce stress for our pups, we will also reduce our level of stress and bond with Fido.

 

Hierarchy of Dog Needs: Created by Linda Michaels, M.A.

https://www.dogpsychologistoncall.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/HierarchyofDogNeeds_condensed2nowords_web.jpg

 

Continue reading by clicking the button below

Read the Full Article

Trainer Spotlight

Dee

 

Dee was chosen for the trainer spotlight this month!

 

Dee teaches obedience classes, puppy classes, and Get Control classes.

She also plays an important role in Hope's training. Hope is a Golden Retriever rescue dog!

Hope is currently being privately trained by a dedicated team at Dogsmartz Unleashed to serve as a comfort dog to assist victims and witnesses of crimes for the Mahoning County Prosecutor.

 

Here's a little more about Dee:

 My favorite part of training is being able to have a positive impact on the lives of dogs and their owners. I love to watch the bond build between humans and their canine companions through training. Relationship building and communication really is what training is all about. I love being able to educate humans to look at things from their dog's perspective and realize that dogs, just like people, are all unique in their learning style. I love making training relationships with my canine clients, but I also greatly value the relationships that I've formed with their human owners as well. Connecting with other dog lovers is the best!

     Technically speaking, my favorite "thing" in training is learning about the cognitive functions of a dog's brain. Seeing how they problem solve and learn, and observing how dogs vary in these abilities from breed to breed is absolutely fascinating to me.

I decided to pursue dog training because of the positive impact training my own dogs had on our lives together. Once I realized that positive training was the way to truly connect with my dog, I was hooked. I started working with my own reactive dog and saw positive results, and just decided to keep going. I realized way back then that training was a way of fostering and building that relationship with your dog and I just found it to be amazing that we actually could communicate together.

 

Dee has three dogs - Dunkin, Mr. T. and Willow (pictured above).

 

Thank you, Dee, for all of your dedication and hard work here at Dogsmartz Unleashed!

Winter Tips: 

  1. Special care for seniors - Cold weather will often aggravate existing medical conditions in dogs, particularly arthritis. Be mindful of slippery surfaces and make sure that your dog has a warm soft rest area to recuperate after activity.

  2. Avoid exposure to toxins - With winter comes antifreeze. Antifreeze tastes sweet and dogs can readily lick or drink it.

  3. Snow removal - Snow can be a lot of fun but it can also be dangerous for your dog. Snow piled near fences offers your dog escape routes.

  4. Paw care is a must! Dogs can suffer from cracked pads. If your dog has furry feet, trim the hair that grows between their pads to prevent ice buildup. Winter salt on sidewalks can also burn your dog's paw pads. So, after walks around the neighborhood, rinse or wipe your dog's paws to remove any salt.

  5. When you venture outside with your dog, you should aim to be in temperatures above 32 degrees Fahrenheit. You should limit cold-weather walks to thirty minutes or less.

Upcoming Seminars

The Shock of it All-

Saturday 3/16/24 @ 4:30 PM with Heather Constiner at our Warren location

 

Understanding a Dog's Body Language-

Friday 1/12/24 @ 6:00 PM with Jenny at our New Wilmington location

Saturday 1/20/24 @ 2:00 PM with Jenny at our Poland Location

Wednesday 2/14/24 @ 7:00 PM with Heather Constiner at our Warren location

Monday 3/4/24 @ 11:00 AM with Heather Constiner at our Warren Location

 

Dominance Theory in Dogs, Truths and Myths-

Thursday 3/21/24 @ 4:30 PM with Heather Constiner at our Warren location

 

Understanding Dog Play-

Saturday 1/6/24 @ 4:00 PM with Jenny at our New Wilmington location

Thursday 2/22/24 @ 7:00 PM with Heather Constiner at our Warren location

 

Why Dog's Bite-

Saturday 3/9/24 @ 10:00 PM with Jenny at our Warren location

 

Using and Understanding Enrichment-

Monday 1/29/24 @ 2:00 PM with Heather Constiner at our Warren location

 

All seminars are $10, and you must call to register!  

Learn More

Shelter Dog Spotlight

 

Don't forget to check out our Shelter Dog Spotlight!

All of us at Dogsmartz Unleashed are big supporters of rescue! Unfortunately, the shelters are overloaded with dogs. Our mission is to spread the word about all of the wonderful dogs in shelters looking for their forever home.

Check us out on Facebook throughout the week on our live features of dogs in shelters in our community.

 

Our local rescues and shelters are in dire straits! They are filled to the max with dogs and are running out of supplies. Please consider helping this month by donating creamy peanut butter or spray cheese so they can provide the dogs with enrichment. You can drop it off at our Warren or Poland location. 

Looking for a Job?

Now is your chance to join our team!

 

Receptionist position at our Poland location!

Looking for day shift, Monday – Thursday 10:00am-5:00pm.

Ability to fill in on an occasional weekend day desired but not required.

Applicants must:

Be friendly, professional and engaging with great customer service and phone skills

Ability to effectively communicate with clients and the team

Possess strong computer skills (a must!), especially Microsoft Office and Google docs/sheets

Be a good multi-tasker that can work in a fast-paced environment

Be able to work independently, problem solve, and take pride in their work

Have strong organizational skills

Be team oriented

Most importantly, MUST love dogs!

Responsibilities include but are not limited to customer service (in person and phone) answering emails, data entry, taking payments, copying, faxing, mild cleaning.

Please send resume and three references (two professional, one personal) to:

receptionist@dogsmartzunleashed.com

If needed, you can also drop off your resume to our Poland location.

1591 E Western Reserve Rd, Poland, OH 44514

No phone calls please!

 

Featured Products

Spin N' Eat

 From our trainer, Heather Consitiner:

The Spin N' Eat is an interactive food dispensing toy. This item can be used to help slow your dog down when eating their meals as well as simply add enrichment to your dog's day. 

Enrichment and mental stimulation are not only important when it comes to providing an outlet for energy, but it can help reduce stress and anxiety. 

When using the Spin N' Eat, try some of the following to help sure your dog does not get frustrated and to help challenge them when they get good at it:

-If your dog is having a hard time getting food out, try using small pieces. If your dog attempts to spin the tube with either their nose or paw, say "Good!" and drop a reward in the slow feed section. Repeat as needed until your dog gets better at spinning it.

-To challenge your dog, use larger pieces of food. Another great way to make this toy a little more difficult is by placing a paper towel in the tube to block treats from coming out as easily.  

 

Project Hive Disc and Lick Mat 

 From our trainer, Amber:

My dogs, Aero and Jet love to push this frisbee around the floor, tug with it, retrieve it, and chew on it. It’s a soft, flexible but durable rubber that’s light weight (it floats!) so it’s safe to play with inside and out! It is made in the USA, non-toxic, doubles as a lick mat, and is dishwasher safe!

Learn More
Learn More

Featured Classes

Noseworks and Scent Games - $149.00
 

This class is designed to promote calmness and concentration, strengthen the relationship between the dog and owner, and promote decompression and agency for your dog through different tasks and games that stimulate their innate senses and abilities. This is a non-sport class, designed as enrichment to enhance physical activity, mental stimulation, and build confidence for any dog. Week one is a one-hour human-only class. The remaining five weeks of class will be one-hour with your dog.

 

View the next start dates for January and February below👇

 

Poland Location:

  • Saturday 2/3/24 @ 3:00 PM - Jon

 

New Wilmington Location:

  • Wednesday 1/17/24 @ 10:45 AM - Jon

  • Sunday 1/21/24 @ 9:30 AM - Jon

  • Thursday 2/15/24 @ 12:00 PM - Jon

 

Warren Location:

  • Friday 1/19/24 @ 12:00 PM - Jon

 

If you or someone you know is interested in attending this class, call us today to save your spot!

 
More Info

Handling Sensitivities & Veterinary Visit Prep - $120.00
 

Does your dog dislike having his/her paws touched? Maybe he/she pulls away or growls when you, the groomer, or veterinarian are cutting his/her nails? Does he/she shy away from being brushed? Having his/her ears cleaned or mouth area touched? Maybe it's just overall handling and restraint?

​

All these scenarios (as well as many more) are handling sensitivities. Some dogs show signs very young, and others develop these as they get older: sometimes by just one scary experience. But there is hope! Dogs can be desensitized and visits to the vet and groomer can be far less stressful for you and your dog.  With a unique approach, we work to have the dogs build up a level of comfort to allow handling by letting them choose to participate in the training. Yes, we let them make the choice, and what we have found is that it works! Letting dogs decide when to proceed allows for a much less stressful experience with handling and gets far better results than forcing the process.  Let us teach you the skill sets and with a commitment on the owner's part, handling issues can be helped. Don’t let your dog continue to be stressed out with grooming or handling tasks.

 

This is a 4-week course.

 

Call us for upcoming classes!

 

 
More Info

Coming Soon to New Wilmington: Advanced Tricks Class

 Advanced tricks is a new class for those experienced in tricks! We will work on only a select few tricks that are much more complicated than our regular tricks class. Your pup's new tricks will certainly impress your family and friends! 

 

Stay tuned!

Private Training Sessions

 

Privates can be done for specific behavior issues such as but not limited to fear, anxiety, aggression or if basic training (obedience/manners) is desired.  The initial private session is 90 minutes long.  Based upon the information provided to us on our behavior history form, we will prepare a preliminary plan. Upon arrival, we will first observe the situation, implement management changes and teach new skills sets.  After the visit, we will provide a typed Behavior Treatment Plan for you to keep and use as a blueprint to work from. 

 

For any behavior issues, we will also send letter to your Veterinarian (if you approve) to advise them of our observations and our plan moving forward.  We will work closely with your veterinarian in cases that require this.  The plan will be adjusted accordingly based upon our observations and may be further adjusted as we discuss progress in the weeks ahead.  You will have access to us for the lifetime of your pet after your visit via phone, text or email for any questions and/or concerns.  We request you provide us updates weekly or however often is needed via phone, email or text. 
 
If you attend a private session at our facility, we do require your dog to be vaccinated with the following: Rabies, Bordetella, Distemper and a negative fecal. 
 

Private Behavior Questionnaire
1591 E. Western Reserve Road Poland, OH 44514
330-707-4160

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