by Kate LaSala | Dec 19, 2022 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs
This past Halloween and holiday season I’ve seen a rash of social media posts, usually videos, of clearly scared dogs and people laughing at them. Dogs startling at lawn inflatables. Dogs backing away from people in costumes. Dogs barking at toys or decorations...
by Kate LaSala | Dec 12, 2022 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs
Often in dog/toddler or dog/baby interactions I see parents urging their child to “be gentle” and while I’m sure this is well intentioned by the parent, it’s really not a safe way to allow your child to interact with your dog. Depending on the...
by Kate LaSala | Nov 14, 2022 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs
With Thanksgiving and winter holidays approaching (here in the US), it’s likely you’re gathering with friends and family and your dog is expected to seamlessly integrate into that chaos. While you may be out of time for training helpful skills like...
by Kate LaSala | Nov 1, 2022 | Dog Training, Dog Training Regulation, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Puppy Training, Rescue Dogs, Resource Guarding, Separation Anxiety
Download my free guide: 3 Reasons Not To Use A Shock Collar. I talk more about why not to use these tools, a deeper dive into regulation and give you citations to the research if you’d like to look at it for yourself. There are better, more humane, more...
by Kate LaSala | Oct 31, 2022 | Dog Training, Dog Training Regulation, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Puppy Training, Rescue Dogs, Resource Guarding, Separation Anxiety
I am not a betting person but if I had to bet, I’d wager you got a dog because you wanted a companion, a family member, something to love and nurture – not something to control with force, fear or pain. Whether it is out of desperation, poor guidance from...
by Kate LaSala | Oct 24, 2022 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs
Often during my family dog consults I get asked about when kids can walk the family dog alone. Many times a dog is added to the family to “help teach the kids responsibility” (by the way, not something I recommend) but usually parents are hoping they can...
by Kate LaSala | Oct 17, 2022 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs
Confession time: I cringe when I see most videos online of dogs and kids. There, I said it. Why? Mostly because what people think is “cute” is really an uncomfortable dog asking for space. And that’s what I see but people aren’t aware of dog...
by Kate LaSala | Sep 5, 2022 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs
Many people take personal offense if a dog doesn’t immediately warm up to them. I get it – it’s hard if you love dogs and want them to like you but they’re a little afraid. It’s hard not to take that personally. Of course some people may...
by Kate LaSala | Aug 15, 2022 | Dog Training, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs, Separation Anxiety
Often when I’m talking with clients, I can sense their frustration about their dog’s behavior issues. Living with a fearful or anxious dog is hard for owners. And it’s normal to want things to be resolved as quickly as possible. And I’ve...
by Kate LaSala | Jun 27, 2022 | Dog Training, Rescue Dogs, Separation Anxiety
Living with a dog who is noise phobic is hard, on the dog and on the people. It’s difficult to watch a dog trembling, hiding, refusing to eat high value food, trying to escape or refusing to go outside. Sometimes sound phobias happen at predictable times...