Rescue Responsibly: When Saving Lives Becomes Selfish
I said “No.” to taking in and training a rescue dog yesterday. It was a terrified 10 month old puppy who has so much potential. The thing about her is, she’s unadoptable right now. She can’t even walk on a leash, and is so afraid of people, she completely shuts down…unless she’s in a familiar…
Are You Listening? The REAL reason your dog isn’t food motivated
If you didn’t know this already… Every year we host this crazy, epic, VIP Training Retreat here in my neck of the woods. The event runs for four days, and I’ll be honest… Those four days are some of my favorite of the year. But they can also be a little stressful… I mean, undoubtedly,…
Inside Out: One Dog’s Journey overcoming Reactivity
“It is 4 am, I wake to my heart pounding in my ears and sweat pouring down my chest. Morning is near and I am racked with anxiety again. Thoughts flood my mind; will I run into a dog? will I get hurt again? will I survive another walk? 2 years ago, my husband and…
It’s not about respect: The REAL reason your dog “listens” better to your trainer
Have you ever worked with a trainer and experienced this moment? You’re fumbling your way through something… And your dog is looking at you like you are crazy… Or perhaps they aren’t looking at you at all… Because they’ve decided your attempts at training aren’t worth the energy? And all of the sudden, your trainer…
Make it or Break it: How to respond to your dog’s mistakes in training
I sat on the training field, watching him work his dog. He wanted to show me his heeling – he was hitting some roadblocks and wanted my help troubleshooting. He called his dog into heel, the dog swinging around instantly, in response to his cue. Landing in position quickly, and gazing up at his owner,…
Getting Prepared: Tips for managing your dog’s firework anxiety
The 4th of July holiday is fast approaching here in the states… And this… This is the view from my security cameras last year. My neighbor sets off fireworks RIGHT next to my fence (we won’t talk about what I think of my neighbor, but let’s just say our relationship has plenty of room for…
Tough Love: The post I wish I read when I got my first dog
I was talking to someone a while back about personal fitness. If you didn’t know this about me… I like bread… Carbs are my jam. And gyms to me are like churches to a vampire. I’ll probably burst into flames if I tried to step foot into one. I primarily work in front of a…
Don’t trust your gut: 4 steps to getting your dog’s attention when they check out
I was working with a client the other day… She has a wonderful dog. One that is sweet, social, fun and outgoing…one of those dogs I’d label a total “party girl”. But when she spots another dog, her behavior paints a different story. Barking, pulling, lunging and showing her teeth, this dog has all of…
You Get What You Give: The importance of being consistent in dog training
When I was young, my parents taught me to work hard for what I wanted. So naturally, when I hit high school, and I started dreaming of getting my license and eventually my very own car, there were important lessons to be learned. Rather than gifting me a car… Or telling me to save my…
Don’t Walk Your Dog: Why we ditch the daily walk to teach Loose Leash Walking
When I had my first dog Koby… Back when I worked too many hours in biotech, with a long commute that stole hours from me every day… And back when I was all rainbows and butterflies and I believed that love was all I needed to raise a dog right… Walking my dog was a…