by Kate LaSala | Nov 10, 2025 | Dog Training, Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety in dogs is a tough and often misunderstood condition. Unfortunately, there are many myths that confuse dog parents and sometimes lead them down the wrong path. Let’s clear up three common misconceptions. Myth 1: If your dog has separation anxiety,...
by Kate LaSala | Nov 3, 2025 | Dog Training, Dog Training Regulation, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs, Resource Guarding, Separation Anxiety
Sometimes when potential clients reach out they ask why they need both me and a vet or a veterinary behaviorist. It’s confusing! I get it! It can be hard for consumers to decode and understand all the letters and professional certificates out there. My post here...
by Kate LaSala | Oct 27, 2025 | Dog Training, Dog Training Regulation, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs
Occasionally I’ll get inquiries about a family wanting to get a protection dog. It’s natural to want to keep your family safe. In a world where news headlines can make us feel vulnerable, the idea of bringing home a trained “protection dog” may sound appealing....
by Kate LaSala | Oct 20, 2025 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs
Halloween is a time of costumes, decorations, and spooky fun but it can also be a stressful season for many dogs. Each year, I see a surge of social media videos showing clearly scared dogs while people laugh or pull on their leash to force an interaction. Dogs...
by Kate LaSala | Oct 13, 2025 | Dog Training, Pet Loss & Grieving, Rescue Dogs
I wasn’t sure I was going to keep up with these grief post updates but last week was BooBoo’s birthday and the 18-month marking of her passing. And to my surprise, the last few months have been hard, much harder than I would have expected a year and...
by Kate LaSala | Oct 6, 2025 | Dog Training, Dog Training Regulation, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Puppy Training, Rescue Dogs, Resource Guarding, Separation Anxiety
Today I want to take a closer look at the fallout effects of aversive training tools such as prong collars, shock collars, bark collars, electric fences, and noise aversives. These methods all have one thing in common: they rely on fear, pain, or intimidation...
by Kate LaSala | Sep 29, 2025 | Dog Training, Puppy Training, Rescue Dogs
Because I work primarily with fearful dogs, I see a lot of people who describe their dog’s fear as a “problem” that needs “fixing.” But fear is not disobedience. The more I thought about this, the more I realized it highlights a bigger issue in dog training....
by Kate LaSala | Sep 22, 2025 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Puppy Training, Rescue Dogs
Today I’m thrilled to share that my new self-paced course, Home Sweet Home: Helping Your New Dog Thrive from Day One is now available! Bringing home a new puppy or rescue dog is one of the most joyful experiences but it can also feel overwhelming. From...
by Kate LaSala | Sep 15, 2025 | Dog Training, Dog Training Regulation, Puppy Training, Rescue Dogs
Much like the lack of transparency in dog training, there’s also a lack of transparency in sheltering and rescue organizations. In 2018 eight prominent animal welfare organizations and foundations released a joint mission statement regarding...
by Kate LaSala | Aug 25, 2025 | Dog Training
Many dogs (and cats!) struggle with having normal vet and grooming procedures done and it’s not surprising if we look at it from their perspective. Often times they’ve likely been forced to “just get it done,” maybe having been pinned...
