• Skip to main content
Unleashed Potential
  • Classes
  • UPX
  • Board and Train
  • Day Train Program
  • Find a Trainer
    • Become A Trainer
  • Store

puppy class

Training Two German Shepherds

March 22, 2022 By Duke Ferguson Leave a Comment

Training two German Shepherds is a lot of work to take on but our client, Myles, was up for the challenge!

We are so proud of how far he and his two dogs have come! They worked so hard to get to where they are now and we love watching as they continue to make progress.

Two German Shepherds

*Duke (left), Roxy (right)*

“When I first got my German Shepherd, Roxy, a co-worker of mine mentioned Unleashed Potential. I was excited until I saw the pricing. It honestly scared me. My co-worker then explained the training to me and told me I wouldn’t regret it. She is a good friend so I took her word for it. She was right!

The training was great, as well as the staff. I enjoyed the training and staff so much that when I got my second Shepherd, Duke, I enrolled him in the puppy class for the basics and socialization which was major! Then, like my first dog, we went on to the Ultimate Obedience (off-leash training) with my new pup.

German Shepherd Puppy

*Pictured – Puppy Duke meets Trainer Duke*

Unleashed Potential treats you like family. To this day I am very close in contact with Sara and Duke. At one point, my training had come to a standstill between no motivation with the dogs and me working so much. UPK9 helped me revamp the spark with the dogs! We switched their food to a better brand for them (Hurraw) and the drive instantly went up and has stayed up ever since.

Long story short is I think UPK9 can help with any problem or training you need! It may be quick or it may take more time but be patient, trust the process, and make the training fun for you and the dog.”

-Owner Myles

Training Two German Shepherds

Training two German Shepherds is possible! Congrats Myles on your success!

You can follow along with their journey – @myles_outdoors

 

_______________________________________________________________

Click for Free Dog Training Videos

Looking for help with your dog’s training?

Sign-up for our Free Dog Training Mini-Series to get started!

 

Follow

Subscribe

Like

_______________________________________________________________

Need help with your dog’s training but unsure of what service we offer is right for you?

Click here to explore all of our Dog Training Services

German Shepherds Training

 

Filed Under: Testimonials

Puppy Training Classes UPK9 PEI

April 18, 2015 By Duke Ferguson

 

Puppy Training Classes UPK9 PEI:

In January we decided to expand our family with not one but two morkie puppies and knew we needed some help with training them. We wanted them to be well-mannered dogs who would be a joy to have in our home.

Unleashed Potential with Duke was the place we chose to enroll. Their ongoing classes suited us perfectly. We really hadn’t heard that much about them but gave it a try and quickly found out what a great decision it was. The first night in class the boys hid under a chair and were not very keen to participate. Each week they got a little better. By the end, they were both romping around and seeking out the other pups.

Springfling13

Unleashed Potential is very dedicated to teaching humans how to communicate with dogs. They equipped us with the skills to shape our dogs’ behaviour and always made themselves available to answer questions and give one on one advice.  We are so glad we started to train right away, therefore avoiding many unwanted behaviours down the road.

Our experience at Unleashed Potential was a very positive one and I highly recommend them. It became a family outing each Thursday night. Our children were welcome and they learned right alongside us. It was fun and a very rewarding experience. Samson and Micah are much more social now and the change in them is quite something. As our pups grow we will continue to use the lessons we learned from Duke and Lindsay and remember fondly our time in puppy class.

– Rich and Stacey Meenink

 

Click HERE if you are interested in our puppy management classes

  • Do you have problems training your dog or dogs?
  • Do you want help? No matter the size, sex, age or breed  We Can Help!

Want FREE dog training advice? OR to just learn more about Duke’s philosophy on dog training?  GET ACCESS to his Exclusive, FREE Mini video series  Click Here!! This mini-series is not found on Youtube… Get Access Now… You will love the mini-series and it’s Free!! 🙂

To find a UPK9 Trainer near you or to Book your  FREE Demonstration and Consult Click Here

For more information on how you can purchase Dog Training Genesis and become a member  CLICK  HERE or on the photo of Duke and his dogs.

Fotor111122448
Learn More About Dog Training Genesis CLICK HERE!

 

Follow us on FACEBOOK  and subscribe to  us on YouTube

 

Filed Under: Testimonials, UPK9 Main Blog

Importance of Socialization for Dogs

January 28, 2014 By Duke Ferguson 1 Comment

Riley

Every Thursday evening I preach to our Unleashed Potential puppy management class in  PEI about socializing their pups. You can really tell who takes you seriously week after week seeing the progression in how well the pup adjusts to new people and dogs entering class every week. It is common for us to have people call in and inform us they need help with an aggressive dog and up on reflection in the consultation we come to learn its not aggression, its a simple case of over reacting due to lack of socialization. If only all cases were so easy; unsocialization is, in my opinion, one of the major contributing factors to aggression in dogs and most commonly presents itself as fear aggression. It cant be stressed enough how socialization can enhance your dogs way of life. You can help prevent a wide sort of behaviour problems by capitalizing on socializing your dogs.

what is socialization?

Socialization is something we do as children, our family socializes us we watch and absorb the world around us and learn to deal with a wide variety of situations. We go to school and continue on a different level of socialization learning the ways to behave in social situations and what is appropriate and not. For the dogs it is very much the same. Socialization simply put is where the dog learns to relate to people, other dogs, environments and animals based on direct experience.  Meaning the dog is introduced to these things as early and as often as possible. My advice is to expose them to everything they may come across in their lives, meaning a lot of nature as well as man manipulated environments like gravel, beaches, pavement, linoleum or hardwood etc, sounds like vacuums, hair dryers, dishwashers, doors opening and closing and doorbells Ect….and make as many possible  associations positive to the dog.

why is it important?Unleashedclients10

Socializing your dog is extremely important so that the dog learns to accept, process and handle new situations, environments and everyday things. Its important to remember it does not just apply to your family. Yes, your dog bonds with you and accepts you into their pack BUT this does not translate to accepting everyone and without ever being introduced to a bundle of different people its unfair to even think so. A dog that has never met or interacted with random people should be expected to bark and be uneasy if exposed and even translate into aggression. Socializing your dog with other animals and dogs is an excellent idea not only to help prevent any aggression to animals but also the dog can learn bite control, more about social hierarchy and acceptable play behaviour. Socializing also applies to sounds, sights and surroundings. I’m sure we have all had   at least one dog that was noisy, scared or insane around a vacuum cleaner. Avoiding a dog that barks at everything that moves, makes noise, or is new can  be done by properly exposing the dog as early as possible in the most positive way possible.

How can I socialize my dog?

If it is a puppy the very best thing you could do is sign up for our Unleashed Potential Puppy Management Program with one of our trainers. Whether a pup or a dog of 10 years, education  is key, for positive and effective socialization. A group class situation can be ideal as long as its controlled and not a free for all. Avoiding dog parks with puppies and older unsocialized dogs is an unlikely recommendation you may think but I do recommend to my clients to avoid them: Most dog parks are set up for owners to unleash the dogs and have a coffee and shoot the sh*t, few are actually concentrating on the dogs interactions creating a vulnerability to unwanted interactions. Remember your dogs memory is better than yours, any unwanted and poor ending at the end of an exposure event can stick with the dog causing future behaviour issues. Making social interactions as positive as possible is your best bet to properly socialize your dog. Exposing them as early and as often as possible to everything positively is the best defence in avoiding aggression and other issues. Association with valued food is always a good way to start!

If you have a dog older than 5months of age please contact us TODAY for your FREE Demonstration and Consult simply by clicking here. If you have a puppy DO NOT WAIT start now in training, laying out guidelines and socializing in our puppy management class in PEI – ongoing every Thursday night at 6:30pm. NOT ON THE ISLAND? Not to worry each of our UPK9 location offers puppy programs!


Want FREE dog training advice? OR to just learn more about Duke’s philosophy on dog training?  GET ACCESS to his Exclusive, FREE Mini video series  Click Here!! This mini series is not found on Youtube… Get Access Now… You will love the mini series and its Free!! 🙂

To find a UPK9 Trainer near you or to Book your  FREE Demonstration and Consult Click Here

For more information on how you can  purchase Dog Training Genesis and become a member  CLICK  HERE or on the photo of Duke and his dogs.

Fotor111122448
Learn More About Dog Training Genesis CLICK HERE !

Follow us on FACEBOOK  and subscribe to  us on YouTube

If you or anyone you know has a dog in need of socializing no matter what age pass this blog post along and share it up!

Filed Under: Duke Ferguson, UPK9 Main Blog

Boxer Puppy MOXON Testimonial

March 28, 2012 By Duke Ferguson Leave a Comment

Saturdayclasses68

Boxer Puppy Moxon Testimonial for UPK9 Puppy Management:

Joining puppy management with Unleashed Potential K9 Academy, was the best thing that we could have done for our Boxer puppy Moxon! He learned very quickly the basics with the guidance of Duke and Lindsay; and has built an amazing foundation for success as he grows into a full-grown Boxer! We learned how to communicate with him and leadership skills, how to use proper commands, how to kennel train him, which were the proper chew and play toys, and much, much more!

Not only does Duke teach you the basics to succeed, but weekly socialization is the best thing you could do for your puppy! Having the time to run around and play in a controlled environment with a room full of other puppies was fantastic, and very eye opening!

We also had the opportunity to work with Duke one-on-one to concentrate more on Moxon’s “pulling and tugging” on the leash when we walk him. This was extremely important as we are both active and want to run with him often! This extra service was extremely worthwhile, and there was improvement after a one hour session! He has absolutely exceeded our expectations, and I would recommend anyone with a new puppy to contact Duke Ferguson’s Unleashed Potential K9 Academy immediately – don’t wait another day!

– Allie Bowtle and Kevin Best and MOXON!

Do you have problems training your dog or dogs? Do you want help? No matter the size, sex, age or breed We Can Help!

Want FREE dog training advice? OR to just learn more about Duke’s philosophy on dog training?  GET ACCESS to his Exclusive, FREE Mini video series  Click Here!! This mini series is not found on Youtube… Get Access Now… You will love the mini series and its Free!! 🙂

To find a UPK9 Trainer near you or to Book your  FREE Demonstration and Consult Click Here

For more information on how you can  purchase Dog Training Genesis and become a member  CLICK  HERE or on the photo of Duke and his dogs.

Fotor111122448
Learn More About Dog Training Genesis CLICK HERE !

 

Follow us on FACEBOOK  and subscribe to  us on YouTube

 

Filed Under: Testimonials, UPK9 Main Blog

Home | Contact | Find a Dog Trainer | Dog Trainer School | Dog Training | Store | Blog | Privacy Policy


Follow Duke Ferguson on Facebook Follow Duke on YouTube Follow Duke on Instagram


Copyright © 2025 · All Rights Reserved

Unleashed Potential - Stratford, PE, C1B 2W2, Canada
Phone: (902) 367-3647 · Toll Free: (844) 364-3647

Hours of Operation:
Unleashed Potential Main Office:
Monday - Friday: 9am-4pm | We are closed on Saturdays & Sundays
Dog Training & Coaching - All hours by appointment only