Way of Life Dog Training

01/17/2025

I love being a teacher, coach, and trainer. And I also love being a student of dog training and sport, and developing great relationships with our trainers and instructors.

A few days ago, Nejra and I were back in competition obedience class after a long hiatus. We trained with the amazing Ashley Boyd for a while but have not been able to keep up since she moved her training to Uxbridge. We found a venue closer to our home and were thrilled to be back in class. This was the message that I received from our teacher. Needless to say, I was so very happy and humbled to get such a kind note:

Souha!
Just wanted to compliment you and your handling last night.
It was a room full of a lot of big energy as Teams struggled with first night jitters yet you and your girl seemed truly grounded and working together throughout the whole thing.
So glad you’ve joined the class. Looking forward to working more with you!

I wish I had a picture of Nejra and I heeling amidst the chaos of the first class but this video of my best girl Nejra will have to do. Anyone here who loves to learn and grow with their dogs can understand how nice it feels to be acknowledged like this. I also know that I do better as a teacher when I continue to challenge myself as a student. Onwards and upwards!

01/17/2025

A flashback to two of Souha's favorites taking a rest together... or maybe planning world domination. One of the two.
🥹 🤎

01/17/2025

Just a reminder that achieving your goals might feel challenging, but you're capable of making it happen.
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01/16/2025

Are you looking for help with your reactive dog?

Download our free booklet to find out what the dog training industry says is making dogs reactive, why they're getting it wrong, and the five reasons behind reactivity that we don't talk about enough. (+ Way of Life solutions!)

You'll also get the Way of Life™ monthly newsletter, offering tips, inspiration, and recommendations!

You can find it here: wayoflifedogtraining.com/reactivity-to-dogs/
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01/16/2025

The girls and I enjoyed a beautiful day together yesterday - a rare opportunity for me to be with them morning till evening, with how much I have been working getting ready to launch the Way of Life Method Academy.
It had been a while since we hiked and we loved having Rouge National Urban Park, Parks Canada almost to ourselves for several kilometres. I was so very proud of how they behaved, with me and with each other.
Our hike was followed by a swim at the Indoor Dog Pool & Wellness Centre () where I also took the opportunity to stock up on dehydrated treats from Heronview Raw and Natural ().
Later in the evening, Nejra attended her first Competition Obedience class at the North York Dog Obedience Club () and did amazing. First time doing OB in a long time, in a new place, new people around, and new teacher. She did fantastic despite being quite tired from her day.
I thoroughly enjoyed this rare opportunity with my girls and need to commit to more days like these - for them and for my own well-being. I am in this Way of Life thing for the long haul and this won't happen unless I look after myself and my crew!

01/16/2025

Way of Life Dog Training Recommendation: Furniture Bank

The start of a new year sees many of us wanting to shed old baggage. That can include furniture we just don't need or barely use, like that empty dresser sitting in the basement or the side table you bump into every time you cross the dining room. Your clutter can become somebody else's much needed item to fill an empty home if you donate it to Furniture Bank, a Canadian charity whose mission is to end "furniture poverty."

Serving marginalized and displaced people, such as women and children leaving shelters, the formerly homeless, those struggling with mental health, refugees, and more, Furniture Bank accepts lightly used pieces and charges for pick up in exchange for a charitable tax receipt based on the value of the donation. Cost of pick up starts at $160, with the fees going back into the organization's work to furnish people in need with some dignity.

Furniture Bank collects donations throughout the GTA and is part of a cross-Canada furniture network.

➡️ https://www.furniturebank.org
➡️ (416) 934-1229

Furniture Donations Pick-up & Drop-off. Your furniture can change lives. Our mission is to end furniture poverty – one family at a time.

01/15/2025

Souha lost her beloved 15-year-old dog Bob on November 20, 2024. He had been showing signs of being unwell for some time. After a few weeks of valiantly trying to figure out what was causing him to be so sick, she had no choice but to make the painful but necessary decision to let him transition to the next chapter in his soul’s journey. In this video, she shares what made the loss of Bob a little easier.

In Memoriam – Bob, Formosan Mountain Dog
December 11, 2011 (Fostered) – November 20, 2024
🙏 🌈

Souha, the founder of Way of Life® Dog Training, author of the Way of Life® Method, and your canine rearing and relationship coach, lost her beloved 15-year-...

01/15/2025

Yeasts living on your dog are both expected and normal. But if you feel like there's a skin irritation that is happening and it's not going away, our first piece of advice is always to go see your vet ASAP.

𝗦𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘆, 𝗜𝘁𝗰𝗵𝘆 𝗗𝗼𝗴𝘀: 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝘁 𝗕𝗲 𝗮 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻?

Although we may think that the body lives alone, it actually shares itself with many organisms including yeasts. The type that’s most common in dogs is called Malassezia and it exists happily on skin without causing a problem unless something happens to create havoc, giving the yeast the opportunity to overgrow.

▶An allergic flare-up is a fairly common cause. An allergy to what though? It could be to a food, or something in the environment. It can also be due to a hormone imbalance, or an immune deficiency (veterinarians can test for this) and if the dog happens to have excessive oil production of the skin (seborrhea), s/he is predisposed to yeast overgrowth to begin with. So, how do you know the problem is yeast?

First, step away from all the chatter on internet lists and search engines results. See the veterinarian who can take swabs, cultures et al. 𝑨 𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒊𝒔𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒃𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒂 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒊𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒐𝒄𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏. 𝑰𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒂 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅!
▶ I’ve had clients with dogs who were treated for yeast infections only, and the end result wasn’t pretty. Due to no competition form the yeast, the bacteria does a happy dance and flourishes. Now the dog is even more itchy, scratches furiously encouraging bacteria and yeast to spread.

▶Interestingly, and infuriating as it may be, a dog can become allergic to the yeast on his/her own body. There are tests for this too, so keep it in mind as your vet investigates possible causes.

From a dietary perspective, yeast overgrowth due to food allergy won’t be cured by elimination of any particular foods (no, not even carbohydrates and/or grains despite what you may have heard or read elsewhere) other than ones which the dog is actually allergic to. That allergy may indeed be to a certain carb, but could just as easily be to a meat source or a supplement. My approach for clients with dogs that have yeast overgrowths is to:

a) start an elimination diet with two foods the dog has never consumed before

b) add acidophilus as a helpful probiotic

c) balance the diet once symptoms have calmed down

d) provide suggestions for more natural ways to calm the skin down i.e. witch hazel on a cotton ball for swabbing the ears; foot soaks of 2 quarts warm water to 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide (and 3/4 cup regular white vinegar if you are certain the paws are not raw — vinegar stings badly in that case)

e) use a bath rinse of 1 gallon warm water and 1 cup vinegar for those dogs with seasonal (usually during summer months) yeast problems to keep the skin fresh and provide a more acidic environment which yeasts don’t like (overdo this rinse and the dog may have dry skin, so keep to an individually appropriate regime)

01/15/2025

We absolutely love observing trail cams - you never know who or what you might see! Here's one of our favorites we were able to observe in real time. Do you see what we see?
😆 ❄️

01/14/2025

I was shocked and deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Nihkee Hamill, RVT at Kato Animal Hospital, after a brave battle with a very aggressive cancer, a few months before her 35th birthday.

When I first published The Way of Life Method and gave her a copy, this was the lovely note I received from her:

Hi Souha,
Thank you so much for your new book! And also congratulations, it looks so beautiful and professional with Miss Nejra :) (I think it's her on the cover with you?)
I have recently started being able to sit through and read a book again, so I am looking forward to reading it, and learning a thing or two.
It was really nice to walk in and have Dr. Kato hand me this gift, which in this profession, we don't get very often so it really made my day/week/month ❤️
Have a wonderful autumn season and hopefully we will see each other soon.
Sincerely,
Nihkee

I will never forget her skill and compassion and my deepest condolences to her family, friends, and colleagues.
Please consider making a donation in her memory to the Sunnybrook Health Science Foundation, the link to which can be found on her Instagram page .nikki. This was her wish before she passed.
Nihkee I am so sorry for your loss and I can only imagine the number of animals who will be meeting you at Heaven's Gate. Rest in Peace and Power.
🖤🕊🖤

01/14/2025

Pro Tip: Create a Dedicated Indoor Training Space

Our Pro Tip encourages clients to set up an indoor space dedicated to training and playing with your dogs. If you don't have a whole room to spare, block off part of one or a hallway to create an area where you both can focus without distractions and where the dog has permission to get excited inside.

In the process of making space, why not take the opportunity to do some decluttering and donate, recycle, or responsibly discard the items? You'll feel great unburdening yourself of belongings and even better having an intimate place just for you and your dog.

More here: wayoflifedogtraining.com/declutter-this-holiday-season-to-set-up-an-indoor-training-space/
♻️ 🐾

01/13/2025

Clients who work with Way of Life Dog Training quickly realize how powerful way of life is and how satisfying and fulfilling it is to experience that firsthand. There’s something terribly empowering about realizing just how much influence we have over our dog’s behavior in both our attitude and practical day-to-day living. My students discover that all the explanations we’ve given for why our dogs behave and misbehave were unsatisfying simply because they were only excuses and not real explanations. They get to see in their own dogs just how much our dogs reflect their way of life.

If you're struggling with your dog, take the first step towards the lifetime of freedom and adventure you’ve been seeking by scheduling a 60-minute appointment: https://bit.ly/4a9WWKt.
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01/13/2025

Souha Stars on The Big Bark Dog Podcast!

Check out Souha's interview that dropped today on The Big Bark, Ireland's favorite canine podcast! Described by host Darragh Bourke as a "brilliant" discussion, Souha shares the secrets of the Way of Life Method and how its emphasis on relationship sets it apart from mainstream training.

She explains how way of life is always the root cause of behavior issues and fully within our power to improve while respecting our dogs as independent, thinking creatures. Souha also shares how the pandemic years allowed her the time to hunker down and write The Way of Life Method, putting her training theory to the page and, lucky for us, into the hands of readers.

➡ https://bit.ly/408zIjc
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01/13/2025

Are any of our clients and followers on the social media site Bluesky?
If yes, how do you like it?
🧐 ⬇️

01/13/2025

Tonight, the mesmerizing Wolf Moon, traditionally the first full moon of the year, will make an appearance! Its name is rooted in native folklore, where full moons were given unique names to mark the passing of time and to connect with natural cycles.

The Wolf Moon is often seen as a time for introspection, goal-setting, and renewal. It aligns with the New Year’s themes of transformation and new beginnings.

For a full list of January's night sky happenings, check out Farmers' Almanac list here:
https://www.farmersalmanac.com/meteor-showers.
🌕 🐺

01/11/2025

In my book, The Way of Life Method, I discuss the importance of returning dogs to a natural state of “dogness.”
What do you think this means?
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01/11/2025

"Just waiting on mom and Nejra. And then it's time to snooze."
Wishing everyone a cozy Friday evening!
🐾 😴

01/10/2025

Way of Life's January newsletter is out tomorrow morning. Are you on the list?

This month, Souha shares with you a video clip: "The One Thing That Made It Easier to Deal with My Dog's Passing."

Here's the link to subscribe to the monthly newsletter, packed full of all of this, and much more. Subscribe today: wayoflifedogtraining.com/newsletter/.