by Kate LaSala | Aug 28, 2023 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs
FEAR IS NOT DISOBEDIENCE. Yes, I’m screaming. If I could reach my rooftop I’d scream this from there. As someone who specializes in fear and aggression cases, so often I come across clients who are frustrated with their dog “not...
by Kate LaSala | Aug 14, 2023 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Pet Loss & Grieving, Rescue Dogs, Resource Guarding, Separation Anxiety
Companion animals are family for me, as they likely are to you. And thinking about or dealing with their loss is often a topic that just isn’t talked about. And as a society, we tend not honor pet loss with the same gravity as losing a human. Or we do for a very...
by Kate LaSala | Jul 31, 2023 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Pet Loss & Grieving, Rescue Dogs, Resource Guarding, Separation Anxiety
As someone who specializes in fear and aggression cases, a few times a year, I have clients who are facing the consider of rehoming, surrendering or behavioral euthanasia. I am also a certified companion animal end-of-life death doula, so I am uniquely qualified to...
by Kate LaSala | Jun 26, 2023 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids
We all love our dogs and we want to show them how much we love them. One of the most common bits of information I deliver to clients is that most dogs don’t like to be hugged or kissed. It’s a hard conversation to have and it often shatters them. They...
by Kate LaSala | Jun 12, 2023 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids
As a licensed Family Paws Parent Educator and a certified behavior consultant whose speciality is fear and aggression, I work with a lot of families with dogs and kids. Some contact me ahead of time, to help prepare their dog, or address concerns before the baby...
by Kate LaSala | Feb 27, 2023 | Dog Training, Dog Training Regulation, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Puppy Training, Rescue Dogs, Resource Guarding, Separation Anxiety
I’ve written about why you shouldn’t use a shock collar and have my free download, 3 Reasons Not To Use A Shock Collar, but today I’m addressing some common shock collar myths. But, at its core, if you take nothing else away, it’s this:...
by Kate LaSala | Jan 23, 2023 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Puppy Training, Separation Anxiety
It can be confusing for dog guardians to know if their dog or puppy is experiencing separation anxiety or just having normal “dog stuff” going on, since often there can be a lot of crossover between how behavior presents. Is the dog being...
by Kate LaSala | Jan 9, 2023 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs
Recently I asked for blog topic suggestions and one of the questions submitted was how to answer when people ask “does he bite?” This person also offered that they wanted to keep strangers from petting the dog, so has been saying “yes, he...
by Kate LaSala | Dec 19, 2022 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs
This past Halloween and holiday season I’ve seen a rash of social media posts, usually videos, of clearly scared dogs and people laughing at them. Dogs startling at lawn inflatables. Dogs backing away from people in costumes. Dogs barking at toys or decorations...
by Kate LaSala | Dec 12, 2022 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs
Often in dog/toddler or dog/baby interactions I see parents urging their child to “be gentle” and while I’m sure this is well intentioned by the parent, it’s really not a safe way to allow your child to interact with your dog. Depending on the...
