Passion4Paws

Passion4Paws Certified Master Dog Trainer, CTDI, CCFC & SDJ with 10+ years Professional Experience, & Several Certifications.

Passion4Paws is a business providing Dog Training to the Peace Country. - Located in Grimshaw, Ab. - Deanna has certification in Kennel Management, Obedience Training, and is also a Certified Master Dog Trainer; Certification completed at Canada West Canine Centre - The School of Dog Trainers.

Happy International Dog Day! 🐕🐾Lets see those Canine friends! 😍
08/26/2025

Happy International Dog Day!

🐕🐾

Lets see those Canine friends! 😍

08/21/2025

Creating what you don’t want...

This is a super common mistake, and one that is made by many people. Their goal is to improve their dog’s behavior by reinforcing “positive” experiences and feelings. The problem is, reinforcing, does just that... it reinforces. And if your dog is doing anything that you don’t want more of - jumping, barking, growling, pulling, possessing, guarding, or reacting aggressively or fearfully, etc. - then sharing food, affection, or playing with your dog when they are engaging in these behaviors means you’re going to get more, not less of them.

How do you get a dog to sit more? You reinforce it. How do you get a dog down more? You reinforce it.

But if you’ve got a dog exhibiting unwanted behavior, reinforcing is the exact opposite of what you want to be doing.

The appropriate approach is to punish/correct the unwanted behavior (even if it's fear, nervousness, uncertainty, etc.), and THEN reinforce the new wanted behavior through leadership and guidance.

It’s a simple concept, but it’s done wrong so often that most dogs are trained to do exactly what the owners DON’T want, rather than what they do. Most dogs are conditioned to become exactly what owners don’t want and create more of a mess.

Instead, keep it simple. Punish what you don’t want, and reward what you do. Don’t attempt to soothe, relax, or comfort through reward, and don’t attempt to stop poor choices through reward.

Get this right, and you’re on your way to a much improved dog.


08/17/2025

One of the great ironies of dog ownership.

You love your dog to bits, and want them to live the biggest, happiest, most included life.

But that same love causes you to withhold the discipline that enables that big, happy, included life… because it feels bad for you.

And so your dog ends up living a smaller, less fulfilled, and far less included life — not because they’re incapable of doing so, but because you’re incapable of prioritizing what’s best for them long-term over what’s uncomfortable for you short-term.

08/07/2025

Your Dog’s Behavior Might Be in Their DNA 🧬🐾

Ever wonder why your dog does certain things, like herding kids, guarding toys, obsessively sniffing, or barking at every little sound?
It’s not just personality.
A lot of it is wired into their DNA.

Understanding your dog’s genetic makeup gives you a huge advantage when it comes to behavior and training. Here’s why:

Breed Traits = Instincts You Can’t Just “Train Out”
Some dogs were bred to herd, some to guard, others to hunt or work independently. These traits often show up whether we expect them or not and they can easily be mistaken for bad behavior.

You Can Train Smarter, Not Harder
Once you know what’s driving your dog’s behavior, you can work with their instincts instead of against them. That means more progress, less frustration, and a stronger bond overall.
Prey drive, leash reactivity, intense focus, digging, even vocalizing all of these behaviors often come straight from your dog’s working background. Understanding that lets you approach things with the right mindset and tools.

Knowledge = Better Communication
Knowing your dog’s breed mix helps you meet their mental and physical needs more effectively, making everything from obedience to relaxation easier for both of you.

And speaking of dogs…
R***r (pictured) is still looking for his forever home. 🐾

He’s a sweet senior who still has so much love to give. If you’re interested in adopting him, please reach out to Freedom German Shepherd Rescue and ask about R***r.

Let’s find this old man the home he deserves. 💛

08/07/2025

Of all the ways that problem behaviors snowball into truly ugly stuff, this is the big one.

Most folks, when they see problem behavior like to believe that it’s gotta be abuse, or neglect, or actually training the dog to be a problem. And while those examples obviously occur, they are absolutely eclipsed by the far more common, and usually unrecognized big kahauna of the problem-behavior-creation-world.

Whether it’s jumping on people, nipping people, dragging you on walks, going bonkers at the door, barking at anything and everything out the window, pacing and melting down in the car, exploding at other dogs on walks, growling at strangers, fence fighting, resource guarding, nuisance barking/whining/destruction, pushy/bratty behavior, and even begging.

All this stuff is a byproduct of allowance.

All you have to do is simply allow it to occur, give it some time and the ability to be practiced, and you’re off and running down crazy dog lane.

Or, you take notice of behaviors you find undesirable and/or unhealthy, and you address them. You do so by applying proper
punishment consistently, and in no time, you’ll start to see the problem behavior lessen and lessen, until finally, if done right, it just up and disappears.

So next time you’re banging your head against the wall because of your dog’s frustrating and/or dangerous behavior, just remember, if you’re not doing anything to stop it, you’re absolutely complicit, and an active partner in training it.

08/06/2025

Foxtails.

The images below show the tongue of a young dog who had ingested foxtails, the barbs from the seed heads burrowed into the dogs tongue. The embedded foxtails can cause pain, making it difficult for the dog to eat or drink. Thankfully, the client brought the dog in as soon as they noticed, allowing our Veterinarians to remove the foxtails before they were fully embedded. The dog was sent home with antibiotics and is now doing well. (Permission from client to post).

Symptoms of Foxtail in the Mouth/Tongue:
Excessive drooling
Gagging, retching, or coughing
Paw licking (if trying to dislodge it)
Swelling or redness in the mouth or throat
Difficulty swallowing or eating
Discomfort or pain when the mouth is touched

Everywhere the grass awns go, they bring bacteria with them. Dogs may get painful, swelling bumps between their digits if an awn becomes lodged deep within the sensitive webbing of their paws.

It can hurt a lot when foxtails get lodged in a dog's eyes. Squinting, face rubbing, and excessive eye drainage result from this. Additionally, they may get them in their ears, which could cause discomfort and head shaking.

Chronic sneezing and nasal discharge might result from inhaling foxtail awns up the nose. On rare occasions, these awns may even enter a dog's lungs. This can result in potentially fatal pneumonia cases.

If you suspect your furry friend has gotten into foxtails please contact your Veterinarian as soon as possible.

Address

Grimshaw, AB
T0H1W0

Opening Hours

Tuesday 12pm - 5pm
Wednesday 12pm - 5pm
Thursday 12pm - 5pm
Friday 12pm - 5pm
Saturday 12pm - 5pm

Telephone

+17806255536

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