by Kate LaSala | Jul 27, 2026 | Dog Training, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs, Separation Anxiety
Every single day, we ask our dogs to be something they were never designed to be. We ask them to be less dog. Walk on a leash and don’t pull, even though dogs naturally cover far more ground than any human. Don’t bark, even though barking is one of the...
by Kate LaSala | Jul 20, 2026 | Dog Training, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs, Separation Anxiety
First, let me start by saying this post comes from a place of care and education, not judgment. Most people doing the things I’m about to describe love their dogs deeply but they may not know better. As I’ve written about before, love isn’t...
by Kate LaSala | Jul 6, 2026 | Dog Training, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Pet Loss & Grieving, Separation Anxiety
If you share your life with a hard dog, whether they’re reactive, fearful, anxious, aging, or struggling to with strangers or your child, there’s a version of your life you’ve quietly let go of. Maybe you stopped having people over because your dog...
by Kate LaSala | Jun 15, 2026 | Dog Training, Separation Anxiety
When people think about separation anxiety, they usually picture a young dog, maybe a newly adopted rescue still decompressing, or a pandemic puppy who never learned to be alone. Separation anxiety as a senior dog problem doesn’t come up nearly as often....
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 | 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 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.”...
