by Kate LaSala | Sep 18, 2023 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Pet Loss & Grieving, Rescue Dogs, Resource Guarding, Separation Anxiety
There’s often posts and memes that circulate on social media that get under my skin. Videos that people think are cute or funny when I see a stressed dog. Videos of dogs and kids that anyone educated in dog body language would see as incredibly unsafe and...
by Kate LaSala | Aug 14, 2023 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Pet Loss & Grieving, Rescue Dogs, Resource Guarding, Separation Anxiety
Companion animals are family for me, as they likely are to you. And thinking about or dealing with their loss is often a topic that just isn’t talked about. And as a society, we tend not honor pet loss with the same gravity as losing a human. Or we do for a very...
by Kate LaSala | Jul 31, 2023 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Pet Loss & Grieving, Rescue Dogs, Resource Guarding, Separation Anxiety
As someone who specializes in fear and aggression cases, a few times a year, I have clients who are facing the consider of rehoming, surrendering or behavioral euthanasia. I am also a certified companion animal end-of-life death doula, so I am uniquely qualified to...
by Kate LaSala | Nov 21, 2022 | Dog Training, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Rescue Dogs
During this week of Thanksgiving, I’m reflecting on the many things I’m thankful for and that includes all of you. I am thankful for dogs, and their people, who care so deeply about them and want so desperately to help their dogs live a better life....
by Kate LaSala | Aug 5, 2022 | Dog Training, Pet Loss & Grieving, Rescue Dogs
This week we said goodbye to our goofy, adventurous, always happy, Mr. Barbo. These goodbyes are never easy but I can take solace in knowing we shared a beautiful, fun life together, filled with over a decade of adventures, snacks, travel in 18 states (via car,...
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 | 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...
by Kate LaSala | May 2, 2022 | Dog Training, Rescue Dogs, Separation Anxiety
Occasionally in my behavior practice, I get clients who come to me saying their dog “suddenly” developed separation anxiety. This is always somewhat of a red flag to me and requires some Sherlock Holmes level investigating and questioning. While the...
by Kate LaSala | Mar 28, 2022 | Dog Training, Dog Training Regulation, Dogs and Babies and Kids, Fear, Aggression and Reactivity, Pet Loss & Grieving, Rescue Dogs, Separation Anxiety
Updated: I am an end-of-life companion animal doula and pet loss grief companion. You can read more about my service offerings here. Resources last updated 9/17/25. (Barbo and BooBoo have both passed but I’m keeping this text preserved.) I’ve written...
