574-612 8170
contact@hero-dog.com

Welcome to the exciting world of HeRo Canine Consulting – where K9 Nose Work® and Mental Management® meet.

Simple, effective, flexible and proven solutions for you and your dog!

We provide the following:

  • Coaching provided by experienced Certified Nose Work Instructor (CNWISM), NACSW-approved Supervising Certifying Official and Trial Judge, Mental Management Certified Coach (level II)
  • K9 Nose Work® skill building for you and your dog
  • “Improve your mental game” with Mental Management®
  • Flexible service schedule to meet your goals
  • Methods that are easy to implement and highly effective
  • Solution-based approach
  • In-person or online support

At HeRo, we are all about you and your dog!

WHY CHOOSE HeRo?
Do you want the highest-quality and most up-to-date coaching for you and your dog? Do you want to work with an experienced and qualified professional instructor, presenter and high-in-trial competitor?  Find out more about Silke here. Click here to read more.

Do you have any questions about our services?

Testimonials

Hi! My name is Sophie! The lady-who-loves-me-and-feeds-me (you humans call her Betsy) is always looking for things to do and ways to keep me busy. A year ago someone suggested this thing called K9 Nose Work®. We found a place in Bloomsburg called HeRo Canine Consulting run by a very nice lady named Silke! She convinced Betsy to just let me be a dog and use my nose the way it was intended to be used!! How much fun is this!!! I get to sniff out food and odor, and Silke is teaching Betsy how to stay out of my way – until I might need her! It’s the BEST!! You should really give it a try. Your dog will thank you and you’ll have a great time – Betsy and I sure do!!

Betsy Thompson and Sophie, Muncy PA

As my introduction to Canine NoseWork, Silke has been marvelous! She is able to combine a wealth of knowledge about dogs, an understanding of canine scenting skills, and a natural ability to teach humans with an approachable, friendly manner to create classes that are both enjoyable (for dogs AND humans) and productive.

Edy and I look forward to every class–I only wish we lived closer than over an hour away!

Betsy Howell, CNWI and Eddy, Harrisburg, PA
More Client Testimonials
HeRo Canine Consulting LLC

HeRo Canine Consulting LLC
1,263

K9 Nose Work® privates, group classes, small group coaching clinics, seminars/webinars and video review by Certified Nose Work Instructor (CNWI)
COing and Judging for NACSW trials
Mental Management Coaching by Certified Mental Management Coach

HeRo Canine Consulting LLC

1 week ago

HeRo Canine Consulting LLC
“Tired Isn’t Always Trained: Why Mental Stimulation Is the Key to Calming High-Drive Dogs”In the world of dog ownership and training, there’s a phrase that often gets thrown about: “A tired dog is a good dog.” While there’s truth in the notion that a dog with pent-up energy can quickly become a behavioural handful, we must tread carefully. Particularly with high-energy, high-drive, focused dogs, the live wires of the canine world, physical exhaustion alone is not the answer. In fact, it can sometimes make things worse.This article explores why mental stimulation is not only as important as physical exercise? but arguably more so, when it comes to managing and training driven dogs. Whether you’re a dog owner or a professional trainer, understanding how to “work the mind to calm the body” is critical to creating balance, focus, and long-term behavioural success.The High-Drive Dog: A Blessing and a ChallengeHigh-drive dogs, whether a working-line German Shepherd, a driven Malinois, a focused Border Collie, or even a working Cocker Spaniel, are genetically wired to do. They’re bred for stamina, intensity, and a singularity of purpose. In the right hands, they’re an asset. In the wrong setup, they’re a liability.These dogs don’t switch off easily. They’re not content to curl up on the sofa after a trot around the block. Instead, they look for jobs to do, problems to solve, or trouble to make. Give them too little structure, too much stimulation, or inconsistent guidance, and they may develop behaviours such as: • Obsessive fetching or ball chasing • Fixation on movement (bikes, joggers, wildlife) • Destructive chewing • Lead reactivity • Hypervigilance • Chronic inability to relaxPhysical Exercise: Helpful but Not the Whole PictureThere’s no question that dogs need exercise. Walks, play, and purposeful activity are essential for physical health and cardiovascular fitness. But here’s the trap many owners fall into:They keep ramping up the physical exercise, longer walks, faster runs, more ball throwing, believing it will tire the dog into calmness.In reality, what often happens is this: the dog gets fitter, not calmer. You’re training their body to expect more and more adrenaline-fuelled output, which only makes the “off switch” harder to find.If you’re constantly topping up physical energy without any outlet for mental engagement or downtime, you’re fuelling a cycle of over-arousal and lack of control.Why Mental Stimulation MattersMental work taps into the cognitive part of the dog’s brain. It engages their ability to problem-solve, make choices, respond to cues, and think. Unlike physical exercise, which can spike arousal, mental stimulation builds focus and emotional regulation.When a dog has to think, they slow down.Think of it like this: physical exercise burns calories; mental work builds resilience. It fosters better communication, develops calmness, and increases your dog’s capacity to respond to instruction, even when they’re excited or distracted.Practical Ways to Engage the MindHere are effective, practical ways to mentally stimulate your high-drive dog:1. Scent Work and Nose GamesDogs see the world through their noses. Scent work taps into their most primal biological need: the drive to hunt, track, and search. Even five minutes of structured scent work can calm a dog more effectively than a 30-minute run.Start with simple find-it games in the house or garden. Hide treats, toys, or even yourself and let them search.2. Food-Based EnrichmentInstead of feeding from a bowl, hand-feed meals during training or use food-dispensing toys and puzzle feeders. This turns meal times into mental workouts.Snuffle mats, frozen KONGs, licky mats, and scatter feeding are excellent for encouraging focus and slowing down the dog’s pace.3. Obedience with PurposeHigh-drive dogs thrive when they understand what’s expected of them. Teach a structured obedience routine, sit, down, stay, heel, recall and practise it in a calm, focused manner. Make sure to use clear marker words and reward calm, deliberate responses.Mix up your sessions. Keep them short and engaging. Three five-minute sessions a day are often more valuable than one long, dragged-out effort.4. Impulse Control GamesTeach your dog how to wait, leave it, stay, and settle. These exercises help the dog learn that calm behaviour earns rewards. Games like “It’s Yer Choice” or teaching a solid “Place” command are powerful tools in reducing impulsive behaviours.5. Teach New Skills or TricksDogs love to learn, and driven dogs love a challenge. Whether it’s a paw, a roll over, or something more advanced like opening a door or retrieving an item, learning new tasks builds focus and strengthens the dog/owner bond.6. Environmental TrainingExpose your dog to new sights, sounds, and surfaces, but not in a frenzied, over-excited state. Instead, work on engagement, neutrality, and loose-lead walking in new places, always aiming to lower arousal, not spike it.Teaching the Dog to Switch OffJust as important as working the dog’s brain is teaching them when to rest. High-drive dogs often struggle with enforced calmness because no one has ever taught them how to relax. • Crate train or use a designated “place” mat. • Reinforce calm behaviour in the house. • Don’t reward attention-seeking or hyperactive demands. • Incorporate structured enforced rest periods as part of your daily routine.This is where your structure and boundaries as a trainer or owner really matter.Final ThoughtsFor high-drive dogs, exhaustion is not education. You can’t run the energy out of them and expect calm. What they need is balance, between movement and stillness, stimulation and rest, action and reflection.The real magic happens when we stop asking, “How far can I walk this dog to calm him down?” and start asking, “How can I engage his brain to create calmness from within?”Train the mind, and the body will follow. Calm isn’t found at the bottom of a 10K hike, it’s built, thoughtfully, one choice at a time.www.k9manhuntscotland.co.uk #trainthedoginfrontofyou#k9manhuntscotland#dogtraining#dogtrainer ... See MoreSee Less

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HeRo Canine Consulting LLC

4 weeks ago

HeRo Canine Consulting LLC
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