by Kate LaSala | Aug 1, 2022 | Dog Training, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Pet Loss & Grieving, Separation Anxiety
When you share your life with a dog struggling with fear, separation anxiety or are caring for a sick or senior dog, it’s easy to get so immersed in caring and protecting for them, that you push your own needs aside. This is a topic that comes up with...
by Kate LaSala | Jul 25, 2022 | Dog Training, Pet Loss & Grieving
As I’ve written in the past, I currently share my life with two senior dogs. Mr. Barbo, who will be 14 in just 2 weeks and BooBoo will be 14 in October. And I know, as lucky as we are to have two large dogs reach these senior ages, it’s also...
by Kate LaSala | Jul 18, 2022 | Dog Training, Puppy Training, Rescue Dogs, Separation Anxiety
Enrichment isn’t optional. It’s not a nice, extra thing we should be doing for our animals – it’s a critical part of their well-being, health and happiness. Enrichment is ensuring we are meeting all of a species needs. This is not...
by Kate LaSala | Jul 11, 2022 | Puppy Training, Rescue Dogs
Did you know that puppy biting and mouthing is completely normal dog behavior? While it may be annoying (and painful!), especially if you’ve got small children, it is a normal part of your dog’s development. Puppies explore their worlds with their...
by Kate LaSala | Jun 13, 2022 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs
As I recently discussed, behavior is never random. And it’s also not a slippery slope. Dog-dog issues don’t predict dog-human issues or vice versa. There are plenty of dogs who are great with other dogs but who are afraid of strangers. Just as there are...
by Kate LaSala | May 16, 2022 | Dog Training, Rescue Dogs
Did you know that barking is completely normal dog behavior? While it may be annoying, especially if you’re working, it is your dog’s way of communicating. So let’s dive into why your dog might be barking. He wants something. This is demand...
by Kate LaSala | May 9, 2022 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity
You’re expecting a baby or your baby is starting to crawl or toddle. This is an exciting time but if you have a dog who resource guards food, toys, bones or resting spots, you’re likely feeling nervous or scared the the dog might hurt our child. This is a...
by Kate LaSala | Apr 25, 2022 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs
Behavior is never random. Often clients will come to me saying their dog has bitten “unprovoked” or “out of the blue.” Bites happen fast, so it can seem like they happen out of the blue but when we dig into it, we uncover that the dog was...
by Kate LaSala | Apr 18, 2022 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs
You want to know what makes me weep? When I see people, often well-meaning but grossly mistaken, telling others that their fearful dog “just needs love” to get better. This is akin to telling someone with a fractured leg that they just need love to heal...
by Kate LaSala | Apr 11, 2022 | Dog Training, Rescue Dogs
Did you know that humping is completely normal dog behavior? While it is often one of the most common things that gets owners worked up and embarrassed (I’m assuming that stems from our aversion to discussing sex in open ways, but that’s another...