Longsnouts Dog Training

07/07/2025

Perfection.

(Postural and for my heart)

07/06/2025

In case you wondered, it’s not easy to cut a into pieces.

07/05/2025

“Good training should look boring.”

This wee clip has me SO FULL OF EMOTIONS. It’s taken a whole lot of work to get Cilla this level of comfort and calm.

Pattern games. x10000
Mat relaxation.
Scentwork.
Traveling sniffaris.
Parallel walks with Dougal.
Walking at night. (The dark worries her)
Movement puzzles.
Canine fitness.
Vet visits.
X-rays.
Meds…of all sorts.

Cilla’s increased worry and reactivity last year had me (and my vets!) trying to rule OUT many options, like pain of some sort (spine or hips). We ruled *in* behavioral meds and upped her “out in the world” work.

That last one isn’t easy. I’m human (surprise!) and sometimes it IS easier to not do the work. BUT that’s not a sustainable long-term plan. So, this last year, we’ve been Project Cilla-ing big time, mostly consistently. (I’m human)

Today, she made it 42 minutes in a group Chillax practice. 42 MINUTES.

She typically has a 20 minute window before she hightails it back home or to the car. Yes, even with an Emotional Support Dougal.

So, in a small group setting, with dogs she doesn’t know, for her to excited bark ONCE, and only levitate ONCE?!! Thrilled. Over the moon. She also LAY ON HER MAT BY CHOICE. But that’s its own post to come…

Practicing calm *is* a skill. Learning to relax, for some dogs take a LOT of rehearsal. A lotta lot. If we want our dogs to be relaxed in a variety of areas, we have to practice the relaxed behaviors…which includes being intentional with our human voice tones and actions, too.

Come learn these skills with us…

I’m so f*cking proud of her.

07/03/2025

The Art of Doing Nothing

One of our fave skills to practice is chilling out, making hang out time in new spaces valuable to our dogs.

Want some practice? A holiday freebie hangout is happening Saturday at 10:00am.

Want to join us? Send us a note and we’ll send you the details: [email protected].

Nite: we’ll be down the hill from the good smells at - sniffing is free!

06/27/2025

One week, two different vet appointments.

I take arthritic pain and noise sensitivity/fear very seriously. So…

Dougal went to meet Dr. Hawker at to discuss how to best keep Dougal comfortable know that nail/foot care is essential in older (ALL) dogs.

Kenna got to visit our friend Dr. Saad at to talk about how to best manage noise worry. We’re going to have construction around here in the near future and it was the next door construction that initially pushed Lotta Bit into noise fear.

So, many prescriptions later, we have new protocols in place and we’re ready for the 🎆🧨 season. And sleepy nail trims.

06/25/2025

🚨 FIREWORKS & STORM SEASON IS HERE – IS YOUR DOG READY? 🚨

July 4th weekend is the BUSIEST time for shelters – scared pups + loud booms = missing dogs. 😢 Let’s keep our furry friends safe, calm, and accounted for!

📸 In this pic, two out of three Wildlings are snoozing like pros after a tree crashed through our ceiling mid-storm. (Yeah, that happened.) Thanks to our Storm Med Protocol, they were peacefully asleep… until nature decided to test us. Luckily, we’ve got a system that WORKS—even for extreme fear cases like mine.

HOW DID WE GET HERE?
✅ Trial & error (lots of it)
✅ Endless vet convos about meds, timing, and backup plans
✅ Layered strategies for extra-scary nights

DON’T WAIT – PREP NOW!
🔸 Collar CHECK: Name stitched or engraved (tags can fall off!)
🔸 Microchip UPDATED? Call the registry to confirm.
🔸 Rx REFILLED? Don’t wait ’til the last minute!
🔸 MED TIMING DIALED IN? We dose early—fireworks don’t wait for a schedule.

Drop your best storm/firework tips below! ⚡🐕 Let’s help every pup stay safe & sane this season. 💙

06/24/2025

A million years ago, Dougal was introduced to an umbrella in a truly unfair way as part of a "resiliency test." Not surprisingly, he was terrified after it was opened up directly into his face.

So, I took one of my $5 NYC subway umbrellas and he ate snacks out of it for a while.

Also, CAN WE TALK ABOUT HOW HE'S A BAAAAAAYYYYYBEEEEEEE HERE????? 🥲

06/24/2025

Due to the extreme weather, both heat and threats of storms, tonight's Monthly Meetup is cancelled unfortunately!

06/23/2025

Hey, hey dog-loving friends!

Looking for ways to get out and help shelter doggos? We've got some super cool opportunities coming up soon, with Oakland County playing a key role.

If you aren't already a volunteer, now's the time to sign up. Click the link and join us!

🚀 Big things are happening at The Un-shelter!

New board ✅
New partnerships ✅
Now we need YOU!

We’re teaming up with amazing orgs to bring more joy to shelter pups—think Pack Hikes 🐕🌿 and enrichment goodies 🧺🐾—but we need volunteers to make it happen! Oakland County, you're first on our list!

✨ Want in? Fill out our Volunteer Application: https://forms.gle/Sgx1tHzwE7wsBRUm7
✨ Let us know if you have some hands-on dog skills!
✨ Already a volunteer? Drop us a comment or email [email protected] to join the fun!

06/18/2025

Sileo on board! Both girls are still ‘relaxed’ after the earlier round of storms’ med cocktail.

Hopefully it’ll be smooth sailing because im@home and prepped.

06/18/2025

About a million years ago, or maybe 10, Ann, then the Foster Wrangler at HSHV, contacted me about a 4 mo old puppy who was beginning to shut down. The hiccup was she was (supposedly) not dog friendly. We went for a meet and greet…then made plans for a Casey to come home with us.

I was prepared for a nervous wreck, snarly-faced pup. We didn’t get that. We got a playful, silly, curious, and cuddly puppy friend. She was Dominic’s one true love; the butterscotch to his black.

Casey introduced me to Katelin, and the politics of HSHV. It was the beginning of the end of my relationship with that organization. Important, yet not at all the mainstay of my time with Casey. (Those details another storytime …)

That sassy lass found THE best human in . A puppy who was labeled Only Dog, lived (mostly) successfully with other dogs most of her life. She became a West Coast CITY girl with a most devoted human. (We can save the story about me tracking down her new adopters for yet aNOther storytime…)

Today is Casey’s walk to the Forever Goodbye. To say I want to hug both her and Kathryn is a massive understatement. I want to sob with them. I also wish I could see Casey and Dominic reunite.

See, a million years ago, or maybe 10, I chose to not keep Casey because 3 dogs was insane. (Ha!) Knowing how cherished she’s been has been a blessing.

Keep Kathryn in your thoughts today. Casey is ready, Kathryn is not. We never are.

You’re so, so loved sweet girl. 💖💔🌈