One of the unforeseen benefits of the pandemic, at least early on, was emptying of rescues and shelters, since people were going to be home and they decided it was a great time to bring home a dog or cat. Social distancing and puppy socialization are in direct...
Did you ever just have a really bad day, where everything seemed to go wrong? Your alarm didn't go off, you were rushing around to get ready for work, you spilled your coffee, your toast got burned, you forgot to grab your lunch, your shoe lace broke, you...
One of the most common questions I'm asked during consults is "how long will this take to fix?" It's understandable - people want to know what the timeline is, what the financial commitment is likely to be and what the emotional toll might be. And I...
There's not too many things better in life than watching puppies romp around, wrestling, chewing on each other, playing and toppling over. But trainers know this isn't just fun and games but that having age appropriate puppy play, especially during their...
So you've brought home a new rescue dog (or are preparing to do so)! Congratulations on your new addition! I bet you’re excited to show off your new bundle of joy to everyone! And that's understandable! But first, let’s look at some important things to help...
SUSPEND ABSENCES. Now, hear me out. I know your gut reaction is that impossible - maybe a little less so during Covid but under normal circumstances you have errands to run, work meetings, social engagements, vacations, date night, going to the gym and more. ...
It can be confusing for new puppy parents to know if their puppy is experiencing separation anxiety or normal "puppy stuff" since there can be a lot of crossover between the two. Puppies inherently have separation anxiety – vocalizing to reunite with mom or get...
This week I'm finishing up my credential to become a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer and if you joined last week's Facebook Live, I talked a little bit about what separation anxiety training looks like. Today I wanted to chat a little about some separation...
Does your dog growl, freeze, lunge or try to bite if you approach him when she's got a high value chew, used Kleenex or stolen sock? Just like food guarding that I talked about a few weeks ago, guarding high value resources is a completely normal and very common dog...
Recently with all the new Covid puppies, the myth, and frankly, dangerous, outdated "advice" breeders, rescues and even vets are giving to new owners that puppies can't go outside until all their vaccines are complete, has reared it ugly head again. (Note: I am not a...
Last week I released an infographic on dog communication. If you missed it, you can download your copy here. Understanding how to read your dog's communication is the single most important thing you can to improve your relationship with your dog. Dogs very rarely...
If you've been on any of my recent Facebook Lives, you know I've been offering board and train (B&T) as a premier service for puppy clients in/around Greenwich CT. So I thought I'd document a bit about what B&T looks like and what to expect if this is a...
Does your dog growl, freeze, eat faster or try to bite if you approach him when he's eating? Food guarding is a completely normal and very common dog behavior but it understandably upsets owners and in some cases, can be a safety concern, especially if there are...
Many dogs are reactive (often looks like lunging and/or barking) to cars. This can make walks stressful, embarrassing or downright miserable for you. So what do we do? We train your dog to do something else, something that he's unable to do at the same time as...
As a trainer whose primary focus is on fear and aggression cases, I'm often asked by clients - both private and rescues - about sending dogs off to a "sanctuary*." They're always asking about this because they need to make tough choices and often are avoiding the...
If this picture reminds you of how you've been working for the last two months, you're not alone. Many dogs (and cats!) have been our co-workers recently and as things look like they're beginning to move towards returning to a new normal, now is the time to help...
Last week I had a realization. I saw this cartoon and the caption made me realize, during this pandemic, when we’re all unable to interact with, or even see, people when we want to, that this is what being a barrier frustrated dog is like. (Barrier frustrated dogs...
Times are hard. I want to help. Please tell me how. Everyone is struggling in one way or another right now. I've been hearing from clients, friends, family and colleagues and nobody is unaffected. We all know of someone who is sick, has lost their job, is going...