Over the past few weeks, I’ve been working closely with a small dog and his devoted family to help him feel more comfortable being approached, picked up, and transported in the car. This little guy struggles deeply with anxiety—he trembles like a leaf whenever someone walks toward him, and the shaking continues as he’s being…
Caring for an emotional dog—one that is constantly stressed, fearful, anxious, or aggressive—is a profoundly complex and often overwhelming experience. Many pet parents find themselves facing these challenges alone, unsure of how to help their beloved companion. In my 18 years as a professional dog trainer, I’ve seen firsthand the emotional toll this takes on…
As a pet owner of an emotional dog, it’s essential to be well-versed in the challenges of supporting them. In all my years of working with pet parents and their dogs, I’ve seen the toll it takes. But with the proper knowledge and support, emotional dogs can live their best lives. An emotional dog is…
As is customary, I give the dogs their evening chewies. Deuce eagerly dashes to the living room, settling into his usual spot on the carpet, where he happily chews away. Rio, on the other hand, heads to the dog bed in the kitchen. I take this opportunity to gently ask Rio to release her chewy,…
Humans and dogs are both highly social beings, but our social behaviors differ significantly. Through conversations with clients, I’ve noticed a common misconception: many believe it is beneficial for their dogs to meet others while on a leash to encourage socialization and avoid appearing anti-social to other dog owners. However, this well-intentioned practice often leads…
Deuce brings his ball to me so that we can play one of his favorite games. As I am trying to get the ball from him, he tightens his jaw with the ball in his mouth. I remove my hand from under his chin and I turn away. No release of the ball, no throwing…
I can’t speak for any other trainer’s approach in helping their clients and the client’s dogs. However, for most of the behavior modification work that I do – and most of what I do is behavior modification – my approach is a multiple prong approach. Yes, of course, on occasion the situation is quite simple…
I have been working with Mocha and her “mom” in helping Mocha feel more comfortable around large dogs in her home. We have done quite a few sessions with four dogs that vary in size, color, and personality. However, all these dogs are dog savvy and dog friendly which is important in order to keep…
As I stated in the previous blog post, the dominance model does very little in really helping us understand dog social stratification. More importantly, it does not help us in keeping harmony in the home within our dog population or resolve problems when they arise. Instead, consider the following suggestions to keep the peace at…
By now most everyone that lives with a pet has heard about the “dominance” theory also known in the popular literature as being the “alpha of the ‘pack’”- which frankly is very unfortunate. Unfortunate because this watered-down premise does very little to advance our day- to-day relations with our pets and does much harm in…