Surviving Pet Loss and Grief During The Holidays
My pet loss grief journey, 18 months in, reflecting and sharing heartfelt lessons to help you heal.
Surviving Pet Loss and Grief During The Holidays
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9 Things To Do When Adding A Dog This Holiday Season
9 Things To Do When Adding A Dog This Holiday Season
During the holidays, a lot of dogs find their new homes, and many of these are being integrated into homes where there is already a resident dog. While gift giving a dog isn't a great idea (everyone in the family needs to be on board with making the commitment to...
Celebrating 6 Years Of Blogging
Celebrating 6 Years Of Blogging
I can hardly believe it but last month marked 6 years that I've been writing weekly blog content (except for the time I took off during the decline and death of BooBoo). And like I try to do each year, I highlight my Top 10 posts. This year I also added so...
9 Ways To Make Your Holiday Gatherings Safe For Your Dog And Visitors
9 Ways To Make Your Holiday Gatherings Safe For Your Dog And Visitors
With Thanksgiving and winter holidays approaching (here in the US), it's likely you're gathering with friends and family and your dog is expected to seamlessly integrate into that chaos. While you may be out of time for training helpful skills like down/stay on a...
Do Dogs Grieve For Each Other?
Do Dogs Grieve For Each Other?
In my doula and pet loss grief work I often get called on to help a family not just with their grief but with other animals at home who are missing the animal that passed away. This is a topic I've been interviewed about here and here. In the wild, we have...
3 Separation Anxiety Myths That Could Be Misleading You
3 Separation Anxiety Myths That Could Be Misleading You
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...
Why You May Need a Certified Behavior Consultant and Veterinary Support
Why You May Need a Certified Behavior Consultant and Veterinary Support
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...
Protection Dogs Are Not Family Pets
Protection Dogs Are Not Family Pets
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....
From The Archives: Scared Dogs Aren’t Funny
From The Archives: Scared Dogs Aren’t Funny
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....
My Grief Journey One and A Half Years In
My Grief Journey One and A Half Years In
My pet loss grief journey, 18 months in, reflecting and sharing heartfelt lessons to help you heal.
Why Aversive Dog Training Does More Harm Than Good
Why Aversive Dog Training Does More Harm Than Good
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...
My Core Four Basic Skills
My Core Four Basic Skills
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....