by Kate LaSala | Jun 1, 2026 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs
It’s that time of year again. School is out, kids want to earn a little money and community social media groups are filling with posts from parents offering their child as a dog walker. It makes me cringe honestly. So it’s a great time to revisit this...
by Kate LaSala | May 25, 2026 | Dog Training, Puppy Training, Separation Anxiety
One of the most common things I hear from new clients is some version of this: “My dog has separation anxiety. He freaks out every time I put him in his crate.” I understand why those two things feel connected. In many homes, confinement and being...
by Kate LaSala | May 11, 2026 | Dog Training, Dog Training Regulation, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs
Three thousand clients. I’ve been eyeing that 3000 number for a while and when I updated my master client log earlier last month I sat trying to figure out how to write about it and commemorate it without it sounding like a humble brag. It’s something...
by Kate LaSala | May 4, 2026 | Dog Training
Let me tell you about one of the most humbling (embarrassing?) moments of my dog training career. It involved a Halloween costume, a jack o’lantern, and Gertie making a break for it while I stood there in my front yard yelling something I thought...
by Kate LaSala | Apr 27, 2026 | Dog Training, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Puppy Training, Rescue Dogs, Separation Anxiety
We have a tendency to give puppies a pass. They’re young, cute, still learning and “just being a puppy.” And yes, some puppy behavior is completely normal and does settle with age, consistent training, and appropriate socialization. But some...
by Kate LaSala | Apr 20, 2026 | Dog Training, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs, Separation Anxiety
A while back I wrote about the importance of interval training in dog training. The idea of mixing higher-intensity practice with periods of rest is something I encourage all my clients to use, especially when working through separation anxiety or fear-based...
by Kate LaSala | Mar 30, 2026 | Dog Training, Dog Training Regulation, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs, Resource Guarding, Separation Anxiety
If you are struggling with your dog’s behavior, I want you to hear this first. You are not failing. You are not behind. And you absolutely deserve qualified help. But I want you to also know that the quality of information you get and who you hire matters. A lot....
by Kate LaSala | Mar 16, 2026 | Dog Training
Do you ever feel like your dog listens to you better than your spouse? Do you wonder if you’re just lucky or maybe the dog “likes you better”? Sure, your dog might be more attached to one person over the other, but maybe instead of luck,...
by Kate LaSala | Mar 9, 2026 | Dog Training, Dog Training Regulation, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs, Resource Guarding, Separation Anxiety
Professional licensure is not required to call yourself a dog trainer nor is there any industry specific government regulation. Anyone can wake up tomorrow, print business cards, make an Instagram account, and call themselves a trainer or “behaviorist.”...
by Kate LaSala | Feb 24, 2026 | Dog Training
If you have ever picked up a bag of dog treats and found yourself squinting at the ingredient list, you are not alone. A lot of commercial treats are packed with fillers, vague ingredients, and things most of us would never intentionally feed our dogs. And what...
