Welcome to The Calmness Club™ (Photo: A shaggy black dog relaxing on his owner’s outstretched legs.) Forget everything you know about old school dog training class where you’re surrounded by other dogs lunging on leash and barking. No. That was never for you.  You crave calmness and you want your dog to be calm too. This is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for.  Welcome to The Calmness Club™ — a special place to practice calmness with your dog.  Our location is spacious with lots of natural light and filled with plants. What better place to relax and foster a calm state of m ..read more

Is your dog ready for moving day? (Photo: small dog stands on grass in front of a house) Are you moving soon? If so, you’re most likely stressed out. If you want to know how to keep yourself and your dog stress-free leading up to moving day, check out last week’s blog post: https://beyonddogtraining.ca/news/moving-day-tips-part-1-67gzg If you’re worried about how your dog will react to your new home, you’re in the right place.  Will your dog be stressed out on moving day? Do they hate car rides? Is the only place they’ve ever been their own backyard (and the veterinarian?) What about the ..read more

Moving is stressful. Let’s make it better for you and your dog. (Photo: person wearing a hoodie, covering their eyes and sitting on a couch surrounded by boxes) Are you moving soon? If so, you’re most likely stressed out. You’re up to your eyeballs in packing peanuts and if you stub your toe on that box in the kitchen one more time…!!!  Your dog is a barometer for your stress level. They feel every ounce of your tension, frustration, and packing-deadline panic. If you’re exhausted from folding (okay, shoving) clothes into garbage bags until three in the morning, your dog will slide into ..read more

Who me? (Photo: a grey squirrel sitting on the grass with one paw on its chest.) You’re trying to enjoy a nice walk with your dog. The only problem is that when she sees a squirrel, she yanks your arm out of its socket. Depending on how much your dog weighs and how much you weigh, you may actually be getting pulled to the ground. This isn’t what you had in mind when you adopted your dog. Your body aches and you’re so frustrated you want to scream. You’re also embarrassed by her behaviour when you’re out in public because she doesn’t just pull toward the squirrels, she whines, barks, and scree ..read more

Kicked out of puppy school with nowhere to go. Until now! (Photo: Tan-coloured puppy looking sad and laying on its side) Puppy school was an awful experience for you and your puppy. You didn’t get the one-on-one guidance that you needed. Your puppy was singled out as the “naughty” one and it made you feel anxious and embarrassed. You didn’t attend all of the sessions because the other puppies were bullies and your puppy seemed afraid to go to class. Some of you even got asked to leave because your puppy was disruptive. You had nowhere to go — until now.  So many of my in-home clients hav ..read more

What are your camping goals? (Photo: black and white Cocker Spaniel sits calmly in a green boat on the water) You love camping and you want to bring your dog along but you’re worried about how she reacts:  -on the leash -on your campsite -in the car -around children -around strangers -and around other dogs The last time you took her camping she blew up every time a dog walked by your campsite. It was so embarrassing. Now your mind is filled with what ifs. What if an off-leash dog ran up to her? What if I can’t hold her back and I drop the leash? What if her tie-out snaps? It’s so overwhe ..read more

Let’s make sure you and your dog have a happy Canada Day! (Photo: fireworks in the sky about a city skyline) Are you dreading Canada Day? Do fireworks go off in your neighbourhood throughout the day, and sometimes on the following day as well? Are you feeling anxious just thinking about it? Here are some tips to get you and your dog prepared.  Fulfillment:   Dogs who are fulfilled are able to go into a resting and relaxed state far more easily than dogs who are not fulfilled. Fulfilling your dog is more than simply exercising them until they are physically exhausted. In fact, oftent ..read more

Being dragged around by your dog can lead to longterm pain for your joints and your back. It can also damage your dog’s trachea. (Photo: a large brown dog pulling on the leash) You’ve tried everything.  You have a closet filled with harnesses.  You have a cupboard overflowing with treats.  When your dog sees another dog on a walk, she:  -lunges -bites the leash -redirects on you (bites you)  -stands on her hind legs -screams -barks Are you stuck in the cycle where you know you need to walk your dog, but it stresses you out so much that you feel like you can’t do it ..read more

Photo: Doodle standing beside a car Your puppy is getting really heavy. Lifting her into the car hurts your back. If she gets any bigger, you’re worried you won’t be able to take her on hikes, to the groomer, or to the veterinarian.  There’s another problem too — it’s almost impossible to get her to walk toward your car. She balks. She plants her feet and leans in the completely opposite direction and drags you along with her.  Photo: Boston Terrier pulling on the leash You feel terrible because you know she’s scared. You feel helpless because you don’t know how to help her through ..read more

(Photo: a brown and white puppy being held by a person wearing an Easter Bunny costume) Let me tell you what I saw on Valentine’s Day in the back room of my vet’s office. I watched a dog throw up an entire box of chocolates. He vomited non-stop as wrappers and chocolate gushed from his mouth. His body pulsed with effort. He was drooling, miserable, and wide-eyed.  Across from him, another dog was recovering from not one, but her second surgery in a week from ingesting the knot from her rope toy and clumps of her sibling’s fur.  Please pause to digest what I have just told you.  ..read more