Welcome

Welcome to the Tails of Connection Challenge! We are so excited that you are here. This is the very first product we ever created, and it continues to be one of our most popular. We hope you enjoy it!

Written copy for TOC Challenge last updated on: June 5, 2023

My Training Journey

My dog, Otis, who you’ll get to know in this course turned me from a consultant at one of the “Big 4” into a dog trainer. Fear not, I thank him all the time for inspiring me and leading me on a path to create Tails of Connection.  Years ago before I was a trainer, I promised to train Otis myself for five minutes a day. I did this out of necessity because I’d already dropped thousands of dollars on training, and he was still afraid of everything from a feather to a suitcase. I knew that I wasted at least five minutes everyday, so I could earmark that time for training. In the beginning, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with our time together. Soon, we both looked forward to our joyful training sessions, as Otis and I transformed - five minutes at a time. That is where the inspiration for the “five minutes a day” format of this challenge comes from. 

When we first launched the challenge in January 2020, I was apprenticing as a trainer but was not yet a certified professional dog trainer. Looking back at the videos, my training isn’t perfect, but I actually enjoy that because the challenge isn’t about perfection (fear not, I still stand by it). It has always been about connection and fun, and to be honest, when I keep that focus (even now), I end up with the best results. The Challenge is meant to be approachable - something you can do no matter where you are in your training journey.

This is YOUR Challenge

With this challenge, we really want to share the magic that happens when you train your dog. 

The challenge is set up in a way that is meant to be convenient and fun for you and your dog. It lasts 14 days, and each day is divided into bite-sized chunks to make it fast and easy to get through. You only need five to ten minutes per day to learn and then have fun with your dog. That’s it! 

Each day is structured in a similar way to make navigating the challenge easier: 

• Quick intro - We introduce the topic of the day and how it’s relevant in real life. 

• How-to’s - We show you how to teach your dog this new behavior. 

• Perks - We explain the additional benefits to learning this new behavior for you and your dog. 

• #ShakeItUp - We give you a way to challenge your dog if he or she has already mastered this behavior. We’d love for you to come back to this section even after the challenge ends to continue working with your dog. We’d also love to learn from you if you have more inventive ways to #ShakeItUp with your dog, so get ready to share! 

• Challenge - We quickly remind you of what to practice with your dog for the day’s challenge. 

I go through the content regularly and add any updated notes/tips to the written text below the videos, so as I learn more, you can find that info there! (Aka be sure to check the written text!)

You Have Fun and Go at Your Own Pace!

Even though our challenge lasts for 14 days, we know that dogs learn at different paces and life can be busy, so please go at whatever pace suits you. The main goal here is to have fun with your dog.

Community

Community is a big part of this challenge and our vision for Tails of Connection. I am constantly learning from friends like you and am reminded that I am not alone in my training journey. 

If you share photos or videos of you and your dog doing the TOC Challenge on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, be sure to tag us (@tailsofconnection) in your posts and stories so we can cheer you on and potentially share them to our stories.