I was recently honored to be a guest on the Grey Muzzle Diaries podcast, talking about BooBoo and Barbo, and even our dog before that, Bandit. Lindsay, the host, says her podcast is a place for senior dog owners and is a place for "practical tips, shared...
Six months ago I kissed my sweet BooBoo goodbye for the last time. Last week was her birthday. She would have been 16 and the day after that milestone was the 6 month anniversary of her passing. As I promised in my last grief update, I want to continue to...
Adopting a fearful dog from a puppy mill, hoarding situation or backyard breeder dog can be incredibly rewarding and very challenging. There's something to helping a fearful dog blossom into a confident, non-fearful dog. But, I get a lot of clients who are not...
If I asked most dog guardians if they liked their dog, they'd quickly reply something like "Of course, I love my dog!" But loving your dog isn't the same as liking your dog. Love and like are different psychological experiences, so it's possible to love your...
If you have a new dog and are online, you've no doubt come across the 3-3-3 rule for new dogs. This idea and various graphics of it circulate often, making the rounds on social media. I am unsure of the origin of this rule, but I suspect it started in the...
While this may not be a happy, joyful post, it's a necessary one. Please, bookmark this post for when you need it. I hope you don't need it any time soon, but when you do, come back here. And, be sure to share this post with friends who need it now. I am a...
Since BooBoo passed away 5 months ago, we've been dipping our toes back into fostering. When Barbo and BooBoo were both alive, we did a lot of fostering. As a family, we fostered over 50 dogs and puppies, many of which were fearful. It was early in my dog training...
Are you expecting? You've no doubt got a lot of things to consider and prepare for. I'm sure you're overwhelmed with emotions, excitement and maybe even a little bit of fear right now. And if worrying about your dog is part of that worry, let me help. As a...
Clients almost always ask "how long will this take to fix?" and I can never give them a concrete answer. I don't have a crystal ball or a magic wand. I'm not hiding anything, in fact, I'm being completely transparent, unlike unqualified trainers who often...
Two months ago I gave you an update on my grief journey two months after I kissed my sweet BooBoo goodbye for the last time, one day after her 15-1/2th birthday. As mentioned in that post, I had been navigating some challenges and promised an update on what...
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, young dogs, we don't really...
So you’ve brought home a new 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 keep your...