Ranger is a 4 year old Mastiff mix. He was rescued from the Guilford County Animal shelter in February of 2024. His owners reached out because he was showing signs of fear aggression to strangers walking past his home and was leash reactive on walks. It was getting to the point where Ranger would bark, growl and lunge and it was getting worse ..read more

Back in April 2024, I hosted a seminar with the SPCA of the Triad on introducing a new dog to your current pack. I figured I would share the information from the seminar here for those that weren’t able to attend ..read more

The colllllllder months are coming but, just because it’s chilly outside, doesn’t mean the fun has to end! Walks are a great way to get dogs sniffing but, here are some ways to work their brains inside! 1.) Hide and Seek: Putting your dog in a sit/stay, hiding and then calling your dog is a great way to tap into their hunting drive. You could also do this with treats or toys and turn it into a scavenger hunt. 2.) Obedience and Trick Training: Training is a great way to not only build skills but it’s also one of the best ways to bond with them, too! Teach your pet a new trick. Impress your fam ..read more

“Fido, why are you so anxious? There’s nothing to be afraid of. You’re safe.” This is something that I hear on a weekly, if not daily basis. It’s disheartening to see dogs pacing, panting, circling, and unable to get comfortable. My clients tell me “I think my dog is picking up on how stressed I am.” Although there is some truth to this, understanding your dog’s emotions is not as easy as humans would like it to be. “Anthropomorphism refers to the practices in which humans attribute human emotional and behavioral features to non-human animals.” -NIH A good example is the perceived comfort dog ..read more

Ahh, you’re finally on vacation! :) Time to stretch out and live the good life. When you finally get the chance to relax, the last thing you want is to worry about your dog making a scene. Leash reactivity is stressful, especially when you’re in a new place. Luckily, there are tools that can help, starting with good management. I’ve outlined a few things to keep in mind below. If you are walking with a leash-reactive dog, try to go earlier in the day when there is less foot traffic. The more triggers your dog sees, the worse their reactivity becomes. Remember that your dog is in a new place ..read more

Sam and Daisy cuddling the day away. Fostering has always been a joy for me to do. Ever since I’ve owned a home, I knew that I wanted to foster young pups. These two, Sam and Daisy are the sweetest puppies I have taken on. They are wonderful to be around, love to explore, and are happy to just lay in your arms and take a quick power nap. It’s nice to have puppies that are so self-sufficient, definitely not something I’m used to. I’m also very surprised at how well they have fit into our home. They love being around you and are surprisingly good at remembering to potty outside. Yes, there have ..read more

I decided to spotlight my own pup, Molly. I got her and her brother in 2015 before I was a trainer. Back then, I was a designer and very unhappy in the field. I decided to get a puppy to try and boost my spirits. I adopted them not knowing that my life would completely change. I am so grateful that I did because if I hadn’t, I never would have become a trainer. Molly in the backyard in Connecticut Once our puppies were home, my husband and I had no idea how to take care of them. We did the best we could with what we “thought” was correct. I remember getting home really late that night and fee ..read more

Bailey is a 9-month-old, male Aussie Doodle. I worked with him and his Dad on a few issues that came up since his rescue. As most owners with herding breeds have experienced, Bailey had a tendency to mouth when over-excited, to grab their attention, or to try and keep them playing. It was cute at first but, then lead to some pretty painful interactions. They were also working on getting Bailey to drop things that he’d steal around the house as well as jumping/mouthing on guests and counters which he found to be especially rewarding. Another behavior, that was the most intriguing to me, was ev ..read more

Let me tell you about Bondi and Teddy. What a pair, these two. When I first met Bondi, he was terr-i-fied and I mean terrrr-iii-fiiied of me. Poor thing would hide behind his owner and want nothing to do with me. I knew this going in and made sure to set him up in a way where he felt comfortable. We started our work outside so that he didn’t feel like I was walking straight into his territory. It made all the difference in the world as the next time I came over, he felt more confident. I knew it because of the way he acted upon seeing me. When it comes to greeting dogs that are fearful, it’s ..read more

Every now and then, recently more so than before, clients tell me that someone they know either personally or from a third party was fearful with the breed they chose for their family. Statements like “Oh, _______ is an ‘aggressive’ breed. They would eat my ________ in a second.” Or “Oh, you should be careful with those _________ dogs. They are extremely unpredictable”. Breed biases are an ongoing problem and it’s important to not give blanket statements about any dog and instead learn more about their development. First of all, every dog is different and many dogs don’t follow the breed stand ..read more