To my senior dog on his birthday.
Danger! My dog is afraid of people, and I don't know what to do about it.
Fear of strangers is not a “black and white” problem, and therefore, we cannot expect a copy and paste training plan when it comes to addressing this behavior.
Separation Anxiety - Is it better to stay with your pet at the vet?
It’s not uncommon for the vet to take your dog “to the back” in order to complete an examination or treatment. But is this really the best option for your dog?
Vet victory visits: from timid to triumphant!
It’s not uncommon for dogs to be afraid of trips to the vet clinic. But it doesn’t have to be this way!
What is cooperative care?
We hear the term “reactivity” a lot when talking about dogs, but what does it actually mean?
A growl is not a foul - why growling can be a good thing.
Witnessing a dog growl can be intimidating, at best, and frightening, at worse. Growling doesn’t have to be a bad thing, in fact, a growl is full of information for us.
"No" is not a behavior.
It’s a natural reaction when our dog is being “bad” to want to tell them “no!” But is this really the best reaction?
How can I be an advocate for my dog?
Advocating on behalf of your dog is the responsibility of every dog guardian, but it can be one of the hardest things to do.
Group training is not the answer for your dog’s reactivity.
What if I told you that most dog reactivity training doesn’t involve other dogs. Sounds crazy, right? Maybe not.
Help! My dog is a toy terminator!
Have you ever given your dog a brand new toy, only to have them destroy it within minutes? This is super naughty dog behavior….isn’t it?
The city dog and the country dog - urban living with a reactive dog.
What is really going on when you ask your dog to “sit” (or perform some other behavior that you KNOW that they know how to do), and they don’t do it?
But he knows this behavior! (So why isn't he doing it?)
What is really going on when you ask your dog to “sit” (or perform some other behavior that you KNOW that they know how to do), and they don’t do it?
We’re all just doing our best. Isn’t that enough?
While I may not be the dog guardian struggling to control their dog on a walk anymore, I used to be.
Leash length; the long and short of it.
Leash laws is a hot topic for me, and many other dog guardians. But why? In this blog I want to go deeper than the laws themselves, and talk about other reasons why these rules matter.
My dog doesn't want to say hi.
Leash laws is a hot topic for me, and many other dog guardians. But why? In this blog I want to go deeper than the laws themselves, and talk about other reasons why these rules matter.
"Good" behavior doesn't always equal "good" emotions.
Leash laws is a hot topic for me, and many other dog guardians. But why? In this blog I want to go deeper than the laws themselves, and talk about other reasons why these rules matter.
My dog won’t take treats - now what?
It’s not surprise that treats are used regularly in force free dog trainer. But what do we do when our dog WON’T take the food?
Leash laws: keeping dog guardians in the lead.
Leash laws is a hot topic for me, and many other dog guardians. But why? In this blog I want to go deeper than the laws themselves, and talk about other reasons why these rules matter.
What do I do when my dog is reacting?
We hear the term “reactivity” a lot when talking about dogs, but what does it actually mean?
To muzzle or not to muzzle? That is the question.
We hear the term “reactivity” a lot when talking about dogs, but what does it actually mean?
Can I fix my dog’s leash reactivity?
We hear the term “reactivity” a lot when talking about dogs, but what does it actually mean?
Growling and barking and lunging; oh my! Leash reactivity in dogs.
We hear the term “reactivity” a lot when talking about dogs, but what does it actually mean?
Meet us Monday: Saira Maurer
For the past 5 years I have enjoyed working for the BC Wildfire Service but never felt enthusiastic about this career path, thus decided to pursue my true passion and being a profession in dog training.
Don't Label Me!
Something I see a lot of in the dog training world is labels, specifically those applied to our dogs. I myself use labels regularly - 'reactive dog,' anyone?
I understand the appeal behind a label; it's a convenient and straightforward way for us to explain often complex behavior. However, these labels can be doing our dogs more harm than good, and we need to tread lightly when using them.
Is Effectiveness Enough?
Lately I've been feeling burnt out. The reason for this burnout is due to the overwhelming number of clients I have seen recently who were previously instructed to train their dog using punitive or aversive methods, and are now experiencing the fallout from these techniques.
Science & Dog Trainers: better do your research
I've been a certified, professional dog trainer for over 8 years now, and I can count on my hands the number of times that I have been questioned by potential clients about my education, and training methods.
Positive reinforcement doesn't work for every dog, and other assertions.
When you claim that positive reinforcement 'doesn't work for your dog' it's because you are doing it wrong.
Trigger Stacking: the straw that broke the camel's back
Today I woke up with a weird funk hanging over my head. Everything I did, however ordinary, seemed to be met with resistance.