Blog
Why I Don't Teach Eye Contact: How to Handle Leash-Reactivity
This might be another one of my unpopular opinions, however, this is what I see happening when a dog is leash-reactive: They see something that arouses their sympathetic nervous system. So that means they either want to chase a squirrel, they want to meet and play with another dog, OR they are actually feeling extremely nervous about potentially meeting another dog or a strange human. So your dog either wants to HUNT, chase, or play, and all of these things cause barrier frustration due to be restrained on the leash; or they are put into a state of fight/flight by...
House Training Your Adult Dog
No matter what age your dog is, it's important to use a crate or kennel when housetraining, and also to keep them on a strict feeding and potty schedule. Dogs naturally keep their "den" clean, so by restricting their movement with a crate or kennel, you are encouraging this natural behavior. Keep to this strict crating protocol for at least six months. Once going to the bathroom outdoors becomes a habit, your dog should start asking to go out. Test them by gating them in a room with solid floors like tile, so if they do have an accident it...
Daycare and Boarding Services
Daycare and Boarding Services If you are interested in our daycare or boarding services please text or email to set up a phone interview. In a brief 15-20 minute call, we will determine if your dog is a good fit for our facility, and if we are a good fit for you and your dog. You can also look at our rates and policies beforehand to see if our schedule and rates will meet your dog care needs. We take a very limited number of dogs into our care each day and strive to provide for each of their...
Increasing Your Dog's Emotional Capacity = Building Tolerance to Stress
When potential clients call me because they're having problems with their dog, they usually try to convince me that their dog is actually really smart. The thing is, I never doubt the intelligence of the dog, because almost all of them are extremely clever and eager to learn new things. Learning, however, isn't the dog's problem. Dogs with behavioral issues (as judged by the human) usually have a limited capacity to deal with stress. Therefore, I'm not concerned with the dog's ability to learn their obedience commands, what I want to know is: How can we increase their emotional capacity? Increasing emotional...
Dog Walking: Expectations vs. Reality
Photo by Justin Veenema Expectation: Your dog will enjoy walking in a straight line at the exact same pace as you. Reality: Your dog wants to sniff, roll, dig, run, play, and zig-zag in 1,000 different directions. Solution: Let your dog sniff! Let him orient to new environments, situations, and stimuli. Orienting is an important biological function of the nervous system, and your dog will often stop, freeze, and orient before feeling safe to move forward. Try not to interrupt this process. Allow your dog to roll and have some fun on this walk. If you are on the beach or someplace where...