https://www.freedomfoundk9.com/freedom-files daily 0.75 2026-03-21 https://www.freedomfoundk9.com/freedom-files/is-something-better-than-nothing monthly 0.5 2026-03-21 https://www.freedomfoundk9.com/freedom-files/when-pain-changes-behavior monthly 0.5 2026-02-07 https://www.freedomfoundk9.com/freedom-files/your-dog-is-not-reading-your-confidence monthly 0.5 2026-01-23 https://www.freedomfoundk9.com/freedom-files/the-dogs-they-are-becoming monthly 0.5 2026-01-23 https://www.freedomfoundk9.com/freedom-files/a-day-in-the-life monthly 0.5 2026-01-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/682f3343f4299229c53538a0/e5b620e3-a65a-4960-873e-a0fe7723b97a/tempImageLDLHsA.jpg Freedom Files - A Day in the Life of a Board and Train Dog at Freedom Found. - We start with a simple routine that sets the tone for the entire day. A potty break in the yard followed by a short observation session. This is one of my favorite parts of the morning. I watch how your dog takes in the environment. I watch what they notice first. I watch whether they want to interact with me or explore independently. These moments show me how they are feeling, how awake their nervous system is, and what they need to have a good start to their day. Some dogs want gentle social contact right away. Others need space to move, sniff, or assess the yard before they feel ready to connect. Once I have a good read on where their head is at, we follow it up with play or I bring out one of my helper dogs if appropriate. A little decompression and social learning goes a long way toward building a dog who can learn throughout the day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/682f3343f4299229c53538a0/44a7950e-e77c-4c29-b117-ddcd3ac8c185/tempImageSgMlJe.jpg Freedom Files - A Day in the Life of a Board and Train Dog at Freedom Found. - Breakfast Prep, Settle Work, and Stationing Before meals, your dog works on settle training or stationing while I prepare breakfasts for everyone. This is not just obedience. It is a real-life skill that teaches patience, awareness, and self-regulation without pressure. They learn that good things happen when they choose calm. My own dogs are included in this routine which helps board and train students generalize skills with more distractions. It is also a very normal household moment which is exactly what most dogs need more practice with in a controlled way. Then everyone eats. After eating, the entire house rests for at least one hour. This is non negotiable. Rest after meals protects from bloat risks and supports healthy digestion. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/682f3343f4299229c53538a0/64885aed-d0a9-487d-812e-ae1e869d10e4/IMG_6254.jpg Freedom Files - A Day in the Life of a Board and Train Dog at Freedom Found. - Mid Morning: Skill Building, Games, and Progress Work Once the rest period is over, we head into our first true structured training session of the day. This is customized for each dog based on their goals, challenges, and age. A session may include: Engagement games Basic skills that support bigger goals Pattern games Confidence building Play based learning Problem solving exercises After this session, your dog gets a yard break and often takes a quick power nap. This keeps arousal levels balanced and prevents over working or frustration. Then we head back out for round two of training that fits their progression for the day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/682f3343f4299229c53538a0/baa27d1c-b8f1-4100-a1b2-0d3d68129b67/IMG_8752.jpg Freedom Files - A Day in the Life of a Board and Train Dog at Freedom Found. - Late Morning or Early Afternoon: Field Trips and Adventure Walks This is where your dog joins me in real life. Dogs who stay with me become part of my daily rhythm which means they learn how to navigate the world through controlled, safe, and thoughtful experiences. Depending on the dog, this part of the day might include: An adventure walk A field trip to a park or nearby trail A stop at a dog friendly store A structured meet up with members of the Freedom Found community Joining me for errands or training sessions Exposure is never about flooding. It is about showing your dog what the world looks like while making sure they feel supported, safe, and successful. I cannot say enough about the community that has been growing around Freedom Found. These are people who genuinely want to help each other learn and thrive. Their dogs are often part of controlled setups that help board and train students practice social skills, neutrality, and confidence. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/682f3343f4299229c53538a0/9421e676-6936-46b0-9b98-b69f2f8ac2d0/IMG_9977.jpg Freedom Files - A Day in the Life of a Board and Train Dog at Freedom Found. - Afternoon: Enrichment and Rest Once we get home, your dog decompresses with enrichment. This might be: A scatter feed A chew A Kong or Toppl A sniffing game A homemade puzzle Quiet time in a cozy space This helps their brain process everything from earlier and keeps their stress levels stable. Then they rest. Training only works when the nervous system is supported. Rest is part of training. Rest is part of learning. Rest is part of the routine here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/682f3343f4299229c53538a0/6e4669e6-9b34-4108-8bdc-aaac5c94323b/tempImage7KrhVj.jpg Freedom Files - A Day in the Life of a Board and Train Dog at Freedom Found. - Every Day Is Intentional Board and train here is not about running a dog through endless drills. It is about building a confident, regulated, well supported dog who can learn, process, and grow. Your dog becomes part of my routine. Your dog becomes part of my daily life. Your dog becomes part of my team. The structure, the play, the rest, the observation, the field trips, the enrichment, and the relationship building all work together to support the training goals you came to me for. This is the Freedom Found experience. This is how I help dogs find stability, confidence, and connection. This is how your dog learns what the good life feels like. https://www.freedomfoundk9.com/freedom-files/prepare-your-dogs-for-the-holidays monthly 0.5 2026-01-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/682f3343f4299229c53538a0/a7ef8e17-93d5-4a69-844f-f554baaec4ab/Screenshot+2025-10-20+at+12.05.55%E2%80%AFPM.png Freedom Files - How to Prepare Your Dog for the Holidays (and Actually Enjoy Them This Year) - Give Your Dog a Decompression Day Before Gatherings If you’ve got a holiday get-together coming up, build in a quiet, nature-filled day beforehand. Go for a sniff walk, let your dog explore a trail, or take an off-leash decompression hike if that’s something they enjoy. A calm mind and body make it easier for your dog to handle social settings, noise, and change in routine. https://www.freedomfoundk9.com/freedom-files/the-ball-isnt-the-point monthly 0.5 2026-01-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/682f3343f4299229c53538a0/c78b9052-b471-467a-8eeb-51d710051ed1/Z63_5474.png Freedom Files - The Ball Isn’t the Point - At a nose work trial a while back, someone watched Rumor and me getting ready to enter the search area and said with a laugh, “I bet you don’t let her have that ball all the time, right?” Rumor pranced toward her start line, tail wagging, eyes bright, ball clutched proudly in her mouth. She was in her element: focused, happy, alive. My answer? Actually… she gets the ball pretty much whenever she wants. You could almost feel the surprise ripple through the group. Because that’s not what we’re supposed to say, right? We’re told that access creates value, that to make a reward meaningful, we have to keep it rare. But I’ve found the opposite to be true. Rumor’s drive doesn’t come from deprivation. It comes from connection. And Roulette’s the same way. Whether it’s a toy, a game, or a shared adventure, his enthusiasm comes from being part of something with me, not from being denied access to it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/682f3343f4299229c53538a0/7439b390-b04a-41c6-a464-2be6103422de/Z63_6003.png Freedom Files - The Ball Isn’t the Point - The Real Reward When I step to the line with Rumor, ball in hand, I don’t see a prop. I see a reflection of what we’ve built together. Every search, every play session, every moment of connection adds to that foundation. That’s what motivates her, not the promise of a toy she’s been denied, but the promise of us. So if you’ve ever worried that letting your dog have their favorite toy or treat “too often” might dull their motivation, I’d invite you to shift the lens. Don’t build your training on scarcity. Build it on shared joy. Don’t rely on deprivation to create desire. Create connection instead. Because at the end of the day, the ball isn’t the point. The relationship is. And yes, for anyone wondering, I have a working line shepherd who plays fetch just because she loves it. https://www.freedomfoundk9.com/freedom-files/why-your-dog-doesnt-come-when-called monthly 0.5 2026-01-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/682f3343f4299229c53538a0/bed931fc-c06c-4f5f-80ec-9772cf8b3db6/IMG_7092.jpg Freedom Files - Why Your Dog Doesn’t Come When Called And What to Do About It - Start With the Relationship Recall begins with trust. If your dog doesn’t feel safe or comfortable coming to you, or if their past experiences tell them that recall means the fun ends, they’ll hesitate. We need to ask ourselves: Does my dog want to come back to me? Have they been punished or leashed up every time they did? Do they feel safe and understood when they return? These questions matter more than the word you use for the cue. https://www.freedomfoundk9.com/freedom-files/the-stress-duo-adrenaline-and-cortisol-in-your-dog monthly 0.5 2026-01-23 https://www.freedomfoundk9.com/freedom-files/impulse-control monthly 0.5 2026-01-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/682f3343f4299229c53538a0/39f7712d-612e-4a78-851d-549507a3bebe/20250612-Z63_7003.jpg Freedom Files - What Does “Impulse Control” Really Mean for Dogs? - What Is Impulse Control? Impulse control in dogs is often described as a dog’s ability to “stop and think before acting.” But that simplification leaves out the layers of emotional, cognitive, and neurological processes that make that behavior possible in the first place. Are we talking about: A dog who doesn’t snatch the treat until given permission? A dog who sees a squirrel and doesn’t bolt? A dog who doesn’t bark or lunge when another dog walks by? All of those examples are context-specific and all of them involve very different internal experiences. So why are we using the same label for all of them? In many cases, what people are really describing is emotional regulation, not impulse control. https://www.freedomfoundk9.com/freedom-files/understanding-drive-arousal-motivation-and-energy monthly 0.5 2026-01-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/682f3343f4299229c53538a0/29c0504f-8294-442c-8c50-db78d9162871/504077900_4315778875317218_497426718669052112_n.jpg Freedom Files - Understanding Drive, Arousal, Motivation, and High Energy in Dogs: What They Are and Why It Matters - Drive: Purpose with Direction Drive refers to a dog’s internal, goal-directed push. A dog with high drive works with purpose, shows persistence, and stays focused on a task even through distraction or discomfort. Drive is productive. It gives the dog direction and stamina. A dog in drive is not just moving; they are pursuing an outcome with determination. This is the dog who will stay with a track despite tough conditions. The one who will push for the toy, the bite, the search. Drive keeps them in the game and willing to work. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/682f3343f4299229c53538a0/18c250ee-06b7-4a71-8ec6-c0c488e38371/505080470_4315882878640151_1382097645739535671_n.jpg Freedom Files - Understanding Drive, Arousal, Motivation, and High Energy in Dogs: What They Are and Why It Matters - Motivation: The Willingness to Work Motivation is the dog’s reason for engaging. It ties to reinforcement history, emotional investment, and the perceived value of the task. A dog can have drive but low motivation if they don’t care about the reward being offered. A dog can also have motivation but lack the drive to work through challenges to earn it. Motivation is where the dog’s interest and effort come from. When combined with appropriate levels of arousal and focused drive, motivation helps produce dogs that not only can work but want to work. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/682f3343f4299229c53538a0/47461095-8dbe-43e6-bd12-64d471737ae8/505442017_4315767908651648_3891702116134921252_n.jpg Freedom Files - Understanding Drive, Arousal, Motivation, and High Energy in Dogs: What They Are and Why It Matters - Drive is Productive, Arousal Likely Isn't That line has stayed true in every dog I’ve worked with, and Roulette proves the nuance in it. Drive is the engine behind productive work. Arousal, without flexibility, tends to get in the way. It becomes motion without meaning. But when a dog like Roulette learns how to stay in motion and in control, arousal becomes part of the rhythm, not a roadblock. Dogs with high arousal, drive, motivation, and energy don’t have to be chaos. They can become some of the clearest, cleanest, and most capable workers out there if we give them the tools to think while they move. https://www.freedomfoundk9.com/freedom-files/obedience-training-vs-welfare monthly 0.5 2026-01-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/682f3343f4299229c53538a0/3a7a92ba-1fc1-4566-9048-840f3678bdb0/IMG_3935.jpg Freedom Files - Obedience Training Won’t Fix a Welfare Problem Obedience absolutely has its place. It can offer dogs structure, predictability, and a shared language with their humans. I use it to help guide my dogs through everyday life in a way that’s clear and consistent. But it only works well when it comes after the foundational needs are addressed. Once a dog’s welfare needs are being met, training becomes smoother, more effective, and more ethical. Loose leash walking becomes joyful when the dog feels safe. 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