by Kate LaSala | Aug 5, 2024 | Dog Training, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs
Today I’m here to tell you, to give you permission, to not walk your dog. Wait, what? Don’t all dogs need walks? I’m here to say, no. We’ve been taught to believe that dogs need walks but many dogs don’t enjoy walks. For active,...
by Kate LaSala | May 13, 2024 | Dog Training, Dog Training Regulation, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Puppy Training, Rescue Dogs, Resource Guarding, Separation Anxiety
I’ve previously written about the fallout effects specifically of shock collars. But I wanted to more broadly touch on our regular interactions with our dogs, especially puppies in their critical socialization window, and why things like clamping a...
by Kate LaSala | May 6, 2024 | Dog Training, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Pet Loss & Grieving, Rescue Dogs, Resource Guarding
It’s been almost a month since we said goodbye to our precious BooBoo. I’m still navigating grief and her loss daily. But I wanted to make this post as my first one back to help others. As an end of life pet doula, and general advocate for planning, both...
by Kate LaSala | Mar 18, 2024 | Dog Training, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs
As a trainer whose primary focus fear and aggression cases, I’m often contacted by clients after they’ve been through several other trainers and are at their wits end. A lot of times in my consult they have some fantasy idea about what their dog needs that...
by Kate LaSala | Mar 11, 2024 | Dog Training, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs
Today I’m sharing a post I wrote for Pets and Their People, a resource dedicated to pet owners, provided by the Pet Professional Guild, which is a force-free organization that I’m proud to be a member of. I am also a committee member of their...
by Kate LaSala | Mar 4, 2024 | Dog Training, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs
With many of us thinking ahead to the upcoming solar eclipse, and ordering those special glasses to protect your eyes for this once in a lifetime event, you may be wondering if you need to worry about your dog (or other pets) for the eclipse. Well, I checked...
by Kate LaSala | Feb 19, 2024 | Dog Training, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs
This might surprise you, but I think teaching a dog to sit is one of the the skills your dog really doesn’t need. Now hold on, hear me out before you hate me. It might be convenient but it’s not essential. It’s not a life or death skill, like...
by Kate LaSala | Feb 12, 2024 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs
This Valentine’s Day week, I am resharing one my popular posts about how to truly love a fearful dog. Often well-meaning but mistaken people tell others that fearful dogs “just need love” to get better. This is like telling someone with a fractured...
by Kate LaSala | Feb 5, 2024 | Dog Training, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs, Separation Anxiety
Displacement behaviors are normal behaviors that are performed out of context and they can indicate if a dog is conflicted or anxious. I talk about them when I’m reviewing dog body language with clients, especially for fearful dogs or with my separation...
by Kate LaSala | Jan 22, 2024 | Dog Training, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Resource Guarding, Separation Anxiety
Once again, let me first start this post with my standard disclaimer: I AM NOT A VET. But as a trainer who specializes in fear, aggression, reactivity and separation anxiety, I always ask clients about their dog’s medical history and I’m always...
