THE LANGUAGE OF DOGS

WITH DOG EXPERT JUSTIN SILVER

LOS ANGELES / NEW YORK

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MEET JUSTIN

Justin Silver is an award-winning dog trainer and animal rescuer who has been working with dogs and their people for close to two decades worldwide.

He's former host of CBS' primetime show Dogs In The City, author of the 5-star rated book The Language Of Dogs, former host of The Good Dogtors in Hong Kong,

and founder and host of the animal rescue charity Funny For Fido.

He appears regularly on America's favorite morning shows and in countless articles spreading his message of balanced training, care, and health for dogs.

Learn about his training style and experience in the "Training" section below.

Check out his easy to follow tutorials on YouTube and Instagram.

LISTEN TO

THE LANGUAGE OF DOGS PODCAST

ASK JUSTIN QUESTIONS,

LIVE-STREAM Q&A,

AND SO MUCH MORE ON

Check out reviews from our clients

Kyle Bonder

average rating is 5 out of 5

We have had great experiences with Justin over several years of training on and off. We got our dog Milo as a rescue at 3.5 years old and had a lot of challenges to overcome including some serious leash aggression. Justin helped us learn how to manage this with a firm and confident hand and we couldn’t be more grateful.

Lindsey Pressner

average rating is 5 out of 5

Justin Silver is an incredible dog trainer. I have a Maltese named Gnocchi (yes named after the pasta) who came from South Korea and exhibited aggressive behavior and biting. In one session, Justin allowed me to think differently about Gnocchi and how I relate to him and taught me skills and techniques that have helped shape his life in such a positive way. He went from a dog that I was scared to pet to a dog that now sleeps in bed with us nightly. If you are considering trainers, it would be a disservice to not use Justin. Plus, he has a pretty cute training dog named Brutus who you’ll get to spend time with too. Highly recommend — he is the very best!!🐶🐕🦮🐩🐕‍🦺🐾🦴

Lexie Abplanalp

average rating is 5 out of 5

We had an amazing experience with Justin as our dog trainer. When we moved to the city, our dog Leo was really struggling with anxiety and was super reactive on walks, making it almost impossible to navigate the busy streets. Justin was incredibly knowledgeable, and he really helped us get Leo’s reactivity under control. Thanks to his guidance, Leo has become so much more confident and calm on walks. We can’t thank Justin enough for making such a difference in our lives and Leo’s. Highly recommend him!

Marissa Ballinger

average rating is 5 out of 5

Absolutely wonderful! Extremely knowledgeable about multiple different dog training methods and techniques. Explains everything in a clear and easy to implement way. Can truly tell Justin and his trainers enjoy what they do and display the upmost care for your dog truly wanting to help your dog be the best version of themselves. Also has the best side kick/assistant, Brutus!

For training in LA or NY hit us up👆Dogs need to be trained W/ pressure & standards. what do I mean? PRESSURE- as in purposeful challenges. Our INTENTIONAL PRESSURE IS WHAT PREPARES DOGS FOR THE INHERENT, UNAVOIDABLE PRESSURE THE ENVIRONMENT PUTS ON THEM . The same way we send kids to school & it gets more challenging as they grow up. We are trying to prepare them for a real world that is full of excitement , difficulties, challenges- PRESSURE. If we don’t prepare them for the inherent pressures of life, these experiences overwhelm & throw them off. We raise kids to be strong, confident & compotent individuals. Same W/ dogs. The process is 1- Teach them commands & skills in a fair way so they understand what we are asking them to do. 2- Then challenging them to do these things not only when it’s comfortable, but when it’s difficult. If the intentional pressure we place on dogs (skills we are asking them to do) is not equal to or greater than the inherent pressure the environment puts on them- they fold under it. And by raising our standards as we go and rewarding them for a job well done.- their abilities & self esteem rises. This is the difference between compotent & incompetent parenting for both kids & dogs.
Tools - Starmark plastic prong collar, 30 foot training lead, owners who do their homework, awesome f**kin dog.
#dogs #dogtraining #dogmom #dogdad

Thank you for your support. Please share W/ other people who care @funnyforfido #dogs #rescuedogs

For training in LA & NY hit us up.
#dogs #dogtraining #dogmom #dogdad

For training in LA & NY hit us up👆
Pls share w/ your dog peeps & I’m happy to answer your questions the best I can👇
#dogs #dogtraining #dogmom #dogdad

For training in LA👆 Hit the bio link. And yes we still have peeps to help you on the east coast. #dogs #dogtraining #dogsofla #dogmom

Share this with someone who’s scared to let their dog off leash.
For training in NY or LA- Hit the DMs or link in bio👆Training explination👇

🐶 The E- Collar is an invisible leash NOT A SLEDGE HAMMER. 50% of the E- collar training I do is to fix the improper way it was taught- A punishment tool used to zap dogs who don’t listen. This is a set up for disaster & the primary reason it’s misused & misunderstood. NO RESPONSIBLE TRAINER DOES THIS CRAP.
🐶 When taught properly, here’s how it goes- First I put it on their owners neck so they can feel what their dog will feel which makes them comfortable. We teach dogs commands on leash so they understand how to “DIFFER TO LEASH PRESSURE”. This means pressure is added when we say the command & removed when they do it. You all do this already. Same as taking a kids hand who’s running through a toy store parking lot. We grab their hand & say “Don’t run, walk nicely please”.
When they chill out, we release & give the reward (going into the store). THIS TEACHES DOGS THEY HAVE THE POWER TO TURN PRESSURE OFF by following our commands. Nothing is vague or confusing here.
🐶 Next we repeat this process, replacing the pressure of the leash W/ the vibration of the E- collar.
🐶 In the beginning there is no stim- only vibration. This is to ensure the dog is 100% clear where it’s coming from (their handler) what it means (the command) & how to turn it off (following instruction). Way different than a ZAP coming from nowhere.
🐶 When they are 100% clear on this via LOTS OF PRACTICE, we add the stim, starting on the lowest level possible & increasing it as we encounter competing motivators that they ignore us for. This process teaches them consiquences in a fair way they understand. As a result we rarely even have to use the collar. Instead it serves as an insurance policy allowing dogs all the freedom in the world with the security & peace of mind that they will always come back the second we call or follow through on what we are asking, the same way we could W/ the leash. Hence- an invisable leash. I teach this to hundreds of dogs who’s owners, once terrified of it, now 💙 it.
#dogs #dogtraining #dogmom #dogdad #doggo

Share this W/ a friend who can use it.
For training in NY or LA hit the DM�’s or bio link 👆
#dogs #dogtraining #dogmom #dogdad

PLAYIN W/ THE GIRLIES
#dogs #doggo #dogtricks #dogmom #dogdad #dogtraining

Share this W/ someone who’s dog needs to see it🐶😜
For training in NY & LA hit the DM’s
#dogs #dogtraining #dogmom #dogtrainer

🙏 share this W/ your dog peeps!
For training in NY & LA- DM 🐶

#dogs #dogtraining #dogmom #dogdad

Share this W/ a friend who needs it🐶
For training in LA & NY DM ot even better- click the link in bio👆

Harnesses trigger what’s called the opposition reflex — it literally tells the dog, pull harder. That’s why they put them on Huskies in the Iditarod. Same reason when somebody pushes you, your body instinctively leans back into them. A harness encourages that same lean and fight against pressure.

But if the leash is supposed to be a communication tool, your dog should learn to respond to the lightest bit of pressure — not you yanking, not them choking. This is why we TEACH them leash skills. With a harness, the first thing the dog learns is to push back. So now the leash-dog relationship becomes nothing but opposition and nagging.

#dogs #dogtraining #dogmom #dogdad#rescuedog #dogtrainingtips #puppies

Reps w/ Brutus For training with your dog- DM 😜
#dogs #dogtraining #bullybreeds

Big fun & learning at @canineconfidencecenter
#dogs #dogmom #dogdad

All his pretty city gurls…
@christenmarie15

For training w/ your dogs DM or click the bio link 😜🐶
ALSO- please comment & ask questions #dogs #dogtraining #dogmom #dogdad

My dog does cool s**t
#dogs #digtricks #pitbulls #yorkie

We kinda checked all the boxes w/ this one, huh?
#dogs #dogdad #dogmom #summervibes

Brutus & @elvis.le.mini.schnauzer
#dogs #pitbulls #schnauzer

I love these two
@bigbabybelugawhale
#dogs #bullybreeds #dogtraining #dogtricks #dogmom

READ THIS👉1- For training DM or click the link in bio. 2- Seperation anx has many forms & symptoms. 😱- Dogs panic when left alone, their people walk away, they see the suitcase, aren’t getting attention etc, or all of these. Panic can range from simple barking & crying to destroying things & hurting themselves. I’ve treated dogs who have jumped out of second story windows. There are many techniques we use to help dogs be comfortable in their own skin, calm & confident. The technique above is called “LEARNED SEPERATION” where we are asking him to manage his own reactions to the trigger we are exposing him to (Impulse control). No one is holding him there- He is holding himself in place while we walk away. This requires him to deal W/ uncomfortable emotions (frustration tollerance). We are being both firm W/ what we want & very rewarding when he succeeds. This is how we buld dogs up. The last thing we are doing is soothing his distress by coddling him when he feels insecure. Because the things he is shrinking from are not actual threats. Freaking out when his owners walk away are over reactions to something benign. So we want him to get over that so he feels a sense of confidence. As I say in the video- WE ARE NURTURING W/ ONE HAND, DISCIPLINING W/ THE OTHER. #dogs #dogtrainers #dogmom #dogdad

Check this out- Quick Clips- @diggitdogtraining sent me one of these to try and I LOVE THEM! They are not paying me to say this- this is 100% my experiance W/ this product. You can get them in the bio on their page

DM or click the bio link for training👆@iamjusrinsilver- “Not training a small dog because you can just pick them up is beyond negligent & just crap dog parenting. It’s like not sending a kid to school because they’re short. This 👆is called “K9 literacy “. Think of commands as the buttons we push to explain to our dogs what we want them to do in any given scenario. The difference between literate dogs & dogs behaving like sh*t is simply- human effort. Most dog owners are lazy.
Illiterate dogs display behaviors called “floating”. This means they are Floating around this human based world trying interpret and appropriately react the overwhelming amount of stimulus being thrown at them- The doorbell, other dogs walking toward you, kids & strangers reaching over their heads, the food on your table, being left home alone or whatever else they react to undesirably.
With little to no specific instruction, consistency or standards from their people, who instead, spend more time complaining & annoyed at their behaviors than teaching them anything worthwhile, they are essentionally on their own. Trying to process for themselves what the f**k to make of all this. Grover’s mom @leeshpeeshh is not one of those people so Grover is not one of those dogs. And BTW- training only takes 10 minutes a day. If that commitment is a little too much for you, you are a cat person who happens to have a dog”.

#dogs #dogtraining #dogmom #dogsad #poodle #puppies

Dear Karens- please spare me the “maybe he has a vitimin deficiency” comments. He chews wood cuz dogs like sticks. End of story please…
#dogs #bullybreeds #rescuedogs

F**k your kettle bell…
This is just a squeky toy- it’s not the usual bite jutes we train on so his grip is sliding all over the place. Tugging with structure and manners with a strong take it and drop it command is such a great physical & mental exercise for dogs. Especially with dogs that have tendancy to be innapropriate with their mouths.
#bullybreed #dogs #rescuedogs

Brutus & Homicide (pick 1. “Both” is not an option)
#bullybreed #maltise

LOVE DOGS & COMEDY? Join us-FEB 19th 🐶 @funnyforfido
🎟️TIX IN BIO👆
@cuttingroomnyc W/ @dansoder @kerrynfeehan @iamjustinsilver @ianlaralive @jordanjensenlolstop & VERY surprise guests.

🍸sponsored by @titosvodka #dogs #comedy #dogs #animalrescue

Simple- commands are the buttons we push to explain to Dogs what we want them to do in any scenario. You don’t have to worry about stroking or quelling or trying to change their emotions. If you are specific about the commands, you teach them, practic these in calm environments first, then start using them in real life situations - this will do the job of adjusting the volume knob on their excitable emotions. Clarity, specificity and practice. It takes 10 minutes a day to teach a dog anything. Feel free to DM me any of your questions and I will answer. #dogtraining #dogs #dogmom #dogdad

Brutus & mu neice are just…
#dogs #pitbulls #bullybreed #dogmom #dogdad

@darwinspetfood is my favorite petfood. They offer beef, turkey, chicken, duck. If you need help with feeding instructions, don’t hesitate to DM me.
#dogs #dogfood #catfood #cats

I’ve rescued many dogs from @nycacc I saw this post & melted. He sounds wonderful so if a family in or around New York wants to scoop him up, I will train him for free.

@iamjustinsilver says- Small Dog Syndrome: When tiny dogs get treated like stuffed animals instead of the full-fledged dogs they are. No proper guidance, structure, or education means these pups end up insecure, anxious, aggressive, and fearful—all thanks to the people who claim they love them. If this bugs you… sorry for the mirror you’re staring at.
That said, shoutout to the gentleman in this video who adopted this dog already dealing with these issues. He deserves 100% credit for stepping up and seeking help. And let me tell you—it’s paying off big time.
Yeah, I can be a dick sometimes—but only because I really care.”
#dogs #dogtraining

Brad Pittbull & his body double Beluga. These gentle giants make it hard to get anywhere in New York
#xlbullies #bullybreed #pitbulls @bigbabybelugawhale

Rescue dog Rio learning the more advanced moves where it ACTUALLY MATTERS
#dogs #dogtraining #dogmom #dogdad

Have questions? 👇
This is one of MANY ways to teach this. It all just depends on your individual dog.
#dogs #dogmom #dogdad #dogtraining

My baby hippo
#dogs #bullybreed #pitbulls

This was my first meeting W/ Brutus. After 6 months of rescuing dogs from shelters, fostering & finding them homes- I met the beautiful boy who I wasn’t gonna’ let go. As a trainer, the dogs I keep need to have special qualities because they have important jobs as my training assistants. They will be working with me to help train all types of dogs from puppies learning basic foundations to highly aggressive dogs learning to socialize to service & protection dogs. Brutus was one of the most stable, friendly & handsome dogs I’ve ever met. He came from a horrible background as you’ve seen in other posts. He was starving on the street until he was scooped up by @lapetsofhomeless @istandwithmypack & fostered at @humblek9 At the time of this vid, he had put 20lbs back on but as you can see- was still about 20lbs under weight. He required lots of love & medical attention but his incredible disposition remained unnefected from the neglect. His desire to please & engage made him a pleasure to train & the pressure I put on him throughout the training process built his confidence back up. He is not only my buisness partner but also the love of my life.
#rescuedogs #bullybreed #dogs

You’re welcome
#rescuedog #bullybreed #minischnauzer #dogs
@elvis.le.mini.schnauzer

Which one do you like best?
Just a few of our vanity collars. Our functional collars are the prong and e- collar. The @kaizen.k9 here is a tactical collar- the width and softness make it great for holding dogs during protection or service dog work. The @tactipup is really just to hold his ID tags and I love that it’s customized w/ his name and American patch. The Game Of Thrones collar… what can I say? It’s just bling to show him off in.

For training - Click link in bio 👆Dorki (one of my newest & favorite students) was adopted a few months ago. We have only done 5 sessions to get here. He didn’t know anything from his previous owners but his new parents get an A+ for caring enough about his wellbeing & happiness to provide him w/ a strong foundation of commands. In any major city it’s so important for dogs to be able to follow these commands. It means - His parents won’t be like the other 90% of dog owners who teach their dogs barely anything & have little to no control of their dogs. Dorki will be able to go anywhere and everywhere w/ them, behaving like a perfect gentleman & he will have all the freedom to run off leash because his excellent recalls keep him safe. For training your digs- click the link in bio. DM if you have wuestions about the equipment used here.
#dogs #dogtraining #dogmom #dogdad #goldendoodle #poodle

Little rep work on our stroll
#dogs #dogtrainer #dogdad #dogmom

Reach out to @mrbonesandco to foster or adopt Sky. We have to save this girl. You can also donate to her care and rescue at my charity @funnyforfido by putting “Sky” in the paypal note

DOG JOINT HEALTH- Double elbow dysplasia is a very unfortunate and very common diagnosis. With things like this, I often think out of the box, using my resources all across the dog community to find solutions. I’ve learned A TON in recent months: Here is our current suppliment & PT regemine. Feel free to ask me about any of these.
- Topping the list is activity management & adequate rest between periods of exercise.
- Suppliments: EVERY DOG AT EVERY AGE SHOULD BE ON SOME FORM OF JOINT SUPPS. I switched from Dasiquan to Actistatin. Resvantage (I use the one for horses because it’s just got more research & you cant really overdose this (This is a longevity supp I take for myself as well), turmeric, injectable BPC-157 peptides (this is a healing agent I take myself as well which is not easy to find but I know where to find it and it’s very promising for animals. @infinitewellnessofficial CBD isolate W/ salmon oil (I have a 30% off code if you want some) For older dogs. Adequine injections and K9 testosterone are game changers but that’s not necessary at this juncture.
- Anti inflamitory meds used sparingly and mostly before exercise to prevent flareup and when flareups are severe
- Iceing his elbows after exercise.
- Taping him properly which Dr. Wendy at @equalignk9 so generously taught me who also explained a lot of the new supp regemine.
-Stretching him.
- Red light therapy will be the next thing I add.
#dogs #dogdad #dogmom #dogcare

Our massage and stretch routine. Please use your head and MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING.
#dogs #dogdad #dogmom #lovedogs

Mood
#pitbulls #bullybreed #xlbully #dogmam #dogdad #dogmom

In the summer heat- THE FREAKS COME OUT AT NIGHT

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TRAINING

Justin Silver's expertise ranges from teaching basic foundations for new dog owners to solving the most advanced canine difficulties. With 20 years of experience- There is no problem to big that he hasn't seen or solved before. He teaches a balanced method of communication -nurturing with one hand and disciplining with the other.

As well as training family pets, he also volunteers with shelter dogs, trains service dogs, competing sport dogs, working police dogs and Hollywood movie and TV dogs. It is common for the average pet owner to come in to solve an isolated issue or learn a few basic commands and walk away with a dog who has learned a full vocabulary of skills their owners never thought were possible. EVERY dog owner is a dog trainer, Justin's job is to make you a very good one so that you don't need a dog trainer.

His gentle approach is effective with all types:

Puppy training
Basic to advanced commands
Aggression W/ animals & humans
Fear & fear aggression
Anxiety & stress disorders
Leash skills
Off leash work
Socialization
Separation anxiety
Resource guarding
Hyperactivity
Dog and children training
Service dog training

Travel training (planes, trains & automobiles)
Housebreaking
Chewing
Barking
Bite work
Manners
Low stim E-collar
Tricks
K9 sports
TV and movie training
Nutrition counseling
More

Learning how to “speak dog” may sound like an unusual way to embark on training a dog, but that’s how celebrated dog trainer and TV veteran Justin Silver has achieved his remarkable successes. And that’s exactly what he wants to teach you as well. Dog training fads and styles come and go, but Justin sticks with one key concept. Dogs are eager to please their human owners, and they honestly think they’re doing the right thing. Most dogs aren’t being willfully disobedient; the two of you just aren’t speaking the same language.

Whether you merely want to understand your dog better, or there’s a troublesome behavior you’ve been unable to fix, Justin Silver encourages you to move past stereotypes such as “hyper” or “aggressive” and listen to what your dog is trying to tell you. The first phase is learning all about what makes your dog unique, and Justin shows how to assess your dog’s entire personality. It’s not enough to look at just one part of it in one place or time, as happens in an obedience class or a session with a professional trainer. Justin steps you through by looking at the whole picture in every type of situation. Every circumstance can be a little bit different, and you are the one who already knows your dog best.

Justin’s approach is based on a key concept. Don’t tell your dog what you don’t want. Instead, tell your dog what you do want. And to help you implement this technique, he shows how easy it is to teach your dog some familiar positive behaviors—such as "come, sit, stay, heel, down, place" —that will help you and your dog learn to live happily together.

Learning should be fun for your dog, and Justin Silver’s trademark style and wit make the experience of reading this book just as fun for you. From the story of his dual career as dog expert and stand-up comic to delightful details on the dogs in his life, The Language of Dogs is a compulsive read that you won’t want to put down... except to start listening to what your dog has to say.

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