http://headtotaildogtraining.com/

Head To Tail Dog Training, Bend, OR (2025)

09/09/2022

boop!

based on the accuracy & how loudly i cackled, this definitely deserves a permanent spot in the feed. 😂🔥👍🏻

07/22/2022

If you don’t follow along with my stories, Floyd has been sick for the past week. It came on suddenly & we still don’t know exactly what caused it.

It started when he stopped eating. Floyd’s love language is food, & if you’ve ever met him, you know how crazy he is about food. I knew something was wrong right away. He needed coaxing to eat his dinner that night.

The next day he threw up four times. That’s when I brought him to the emergency vet, & that’s where he started having diarrhea. They treated him for general GI upset & sent us home. But a few days later he still wasn’t eating, so we went back. They did some bloodwork that only confirmed his electrolytes were low. They couldn’t get a f***l sample to test for giardia or parasites, but sent me home with a cup to collect it myself, as well as anti nausea meds & an antibiotic.

The meds seem to be working well because he no longer has diarrhea, he’s eating a little again, & is definitely perking up. I’m giving him goat’s milk yogurt with some lamb tripe, & today I’m gonna try to introduce a little of his kibble mixed in with that.

Thank you to everyone for your support & kindness while I navigate this. Floyd has never been sick before, & for it to come on so suddenly was very jarring. I love & appreciate you all!

06/01/2022

Happy Pride!!! Do gay things! Support the LGBTQ+ community & local businesses, not fake-ass, rainbow washing corporations. And f**k your pride parades. We need more riots.

05/07/2022

Sedona is still one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been & I never want to leave.

05/05/2022

Tucker is a recently retired wilderness therapy dog. Sounds like a great job for a dog, right?

Except Tucker spent that time in the wilderness without a real leader.

Sure, he was around people all the time, but there wasn’t a specific person for him to look to for guidance. There was no clear, consistent communication. He was allowed to roam wild & free all the time, had never really been on a leash, & had very little exposure to other dogs.

Now he’s integrating into a home with a couple here in Bend, but the transition from his life in the wilderness to being a pet dog in an apartment has been a challenge.

8 years of not-so-great habits that need to be unlearned. 8 years of self-reinforcing behaviors. 8 years of barking at the sight of anything that could potentially be another animal. 8 years of nearly no rules.

Because of Tucker’s unique situation, I took a slightly different approach with him.

Initially, we introduced leash pressure with a slip lead, started shaping behaviors with a clicker & food, & transitioned to a prong collar in the first couple of weeks. He did great in the house & in the backyard. But as soon as he left the backyard, he gave no f**ks about leash pressure or the prong collar - it was simply nose to the ground, rip-your-shoulder-out-of-the-socket pulling. Remember: he’s got 8 years of sniffing freely in the woods under his belt, & that has become his biggest motivator & most reinforcing behavior.

Day training is something I’ve wanted to offer, but since I don’t have an indoor space to work in, I never included it in my programs.

Until Tucker. He was the perfect dog to test it out with, because all of his challenges are outside. So I took him for 3 days, each day for about 8 hours. We focused on handler awareness, leash manners, counterconditioning, desensitization, & chilling out.

In this video you’ll see him walking nicely on leash with me & his parents, making good choices to stick with me rather than pull me into the woods, relaxing on a mat while I walk around, & not reacting to dogs he sees (real or stuffed)! These are HUGE accomplishments for Tucker! So excited to see his progress & for him to settle into his new home!

05/05/2022

Hey Adventure Dog Parents! 🐕🏔

The snow is melting, the flowers are blooming, and summer is almost here!

Once the warm weather hits, there will be endless opportunities for living your best life with your four-legged pal by your side:

☕️ coffee shop & brewery patios on which to chillax
🥾 miles of trails to hike & bike
🛶 plenty of bodies of water to dip into & paddle down

However, your current reality is anything but smooth sailin’: the pulling, whining, & barking, as well as the overall inability to chill the eff out, make it damn near impossible for you to enjoy outdoor experiences with your dog.

I get it.

And I also know that it gnaws at you to have to leave them behind when you want to meet up with friends or embark on one of your adventures.

I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to be that way! You CAN enjoy yourself this summer, and start including your dog, too!

Our Adventure Dog Academy program is now accepting new students, & is designed especially for you: the committed dog parent with a bustling schedule, & an even more bustling sense of adventure.

Shoot us a quick message to get more information on how we can help your dog transform from strung-out to tuned-in, & get the ball rolling on your stress-free spring & summer plans!

03/31/2022

Adventure Dog Parents - let's have a heart to heart about your pup ❤️

Spring is here! The snow is melting, the flowers are blooming, and the trails are calling! It’s time to invest in the training your dog needs so you’re able to take them with you on all your upcoming adventures!

I know it can feel chaotic & overwhelming:

🤦‍♀️ the pulling, whining, & barking
🤦‍♀️ the inability to chill the eff out
🤦‍♀️ the anxiety you BOTH have

It’s been a challenge to get a handle on all of it, to say the least. And it’s putting a damper on all the dreams you had of warm weather trips with your four-legged pal. How can you plan a recharging weekend hike when you can barely make it around your neighborhood?!

Luckily for you, our Adventure Dog Academy program is now accepting new students, & is designed especially for you: the committed dog parent with a bustling schedule, & an even more bustling sense of adventure.

Shoot us a quick message to get more information on how we can help your dog transform from strung-out to tuned-in, & get the ball rolling on your stress-free spring & summer plans! 😎

02/16/2022

Just in a silly goofy mood. 💁🏻‍♀️🙅🏻‍♀️🤪

01/24/2022

I’ve decided to step away from my involvement with Adventure Dog Camp. Let me tell you why.

We invited a friend to do some workshops at the next camp. She sent a couple of her dogs to Flash for training before we ever met. She had a great experience & often sang their praises. It was something I compartmentalized.

But when she told me the day after we announced ADC that she would soon be shadowing with Flash, I knew it wasn’t something I could continue to compartmentalize. She knew about how I was treated there, & the questionable training & neglect I witnessed.

I felt hurt about this as a friend, but it also wasn’t in alignment with my values as a professional to then invite this person to teach at an event that I helped create, & that was representative of my business & who I am.

I needed to set a firm boundary.

I told my co-host how I felt, that I could not have this person be a part of ADC, & that this boundary was non-negotiable.

She said forcing people to do things was not the way she operated.

Let me clarify this for anyone who needs it:

Control is meant to make someone do what you want them to do, to make someone into what you want them to be.

Boundaries are decisions made to help protect yourself & your integrity, about what you will & will not tolerate.

I accepted this person’s choice. I never considered asking her to change her mind. Instead, I took responsibility for my feelings & did what was right for me.

My co-host was unwilling to honor this boundary.

I have no interest in maintaining relationships with people who only respect my feelings & boundaries when they agree with them or when they aren’t inconvenienced by them.

I have no interest in consciously supporting or being affiliated with dog trainers who aren’t kind to other people. If you’re sh*tty to people, your dog training skills are irrelevant.

Do what you will with this information. I’m sharing because this is my platform where I speak honestly about my experiences.

There are very few decisions I’ve had this level of clarity about. The older I get, the easier it becomes to let go of people whose values & priorities are drastically out of alignment with my own.

01/18/2022

Are you struggling with your dog’s obedience skills or overall behavior in public?

Do you dream of taking them with you on stress-free outdoor adventures?

Have you been longing to build community with other like-minded dog lovers but don’t know where to connect with them?

If so, join us this spring for Adventure Dog Camp!

and I are back with a 3-day, 3-night training camp , a beautiful lakeside haven in Sisters, OR from May 5 - 8, 2022.

As longtime owners of reactive dogs, & I understand how difficult it can be to enjoy the outdoors with them.

We created this training camp to teach folks like you adventure-specific dog handling skills.

At ADC, you will:

🐾 Build a solid foundation of basic obedience
🐾 Develop a stronger bond with your dog
🐾 Learn how to advocate for them
🐾 Gain more confidence as a dog owner
🐾 Foster a community of like-minded dog owners

We’re also super excited that our pal will join us to facilitate some workshops!

Ready to sign up?

Register before February 15 to receive our early bird special and $200 off your fee.

Visit the link in my bio to read more about camp & fill out the application!

01/15/2022

Nearly every dog I’ve worked with as a trainer has had some form of reactivity. As an outsider it’s pretty easy to look at the bigger picture & guide clients through the process of addressing that reactivity. I’ve always felt very blessed to not have a reactive dog myself.

That is, until now.

Over the last year, Floyd has gradually developed reactivity when he is in the car. It all started when I got him a pup cup ONE TIME. And now that I bring him to deliver packages with me, everyone at the Fedex office loves to come over, say hello, pet him, & give him snacks.

Now he explodes into a frenzy of whines & barks at every gas station, every drive thru, every time someone approaches the car, every time I speak to someone outside of the car. He’s even hopped over both front & back seats in an attempt to get snacks or pets, genuinely frightening the person outside of the car.

I reached my boiling point when I heard myself say to someone “Oh it’s okay, he’s friendly. He just wants to say hi.”

I then mentally slapped myself in the face. I’d become one of “those people”.

I can laugh at it, because it’s freakin’ hilarious. But it’s also really frustrating. It’s the perfect example that training is not a linear process, that having a well-behaved or trained dog is not a destination you simply arrive at. It is an on-going journey. So much changes over time.

I’ve had Floyd for 5 years now. He’s gone from one end of the spectrum - fearful, insecure, & biting people - to the other - confident & wildly excited about people.

I’ve often idealized this thought of having a dog who loves people. How awesome would it be to go from biter to lover?! So I slowly loosened up rules & boundaries as he got older & more confident. But what I’ve learned is that this other end of the spectrum can be just, if not even more, stressful & difficult to manage.

I guess I’m sharing this to make several points:

- even dog trainers struggle with their dogs.
- do your best to stick to your rules & boundaries: you set them for a reason.
- training is an on-going process.
- be gentle with yourself.
- and also laugh at yourself. Because aren’t humans just absolutely ridiculous?

11/10/2021

TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY!

For the last six years, I’ve treated my birthday as a new beginning, a day to reflect on the last year, the challenges I’ve overcome, the things I’m proud of. I celebrate my self & my life by doing things that bring me joy.

For past birthdays I’ve taken trips to Peru & Japan, gone on long road trips & beautiful hikes, & I’ve even spent the day cleaning & taking a bath. I do whatever feels right to me. Last year I went on an 8 mile hike & I gave away several dog training packages for free.

I honestly don’t have a plan yet for today. Right now I’m drinking matcha & looking out the window at the bare trees & the dreary sky while the van runs with heat blasting.

I didn’t think I’d be enduring another winter at all, & certainly not in this van. I keep reminding myself that it likely won’t be as uncomfortable as it was last winter. I couldn’t go inside to warm up anywhere. I couldn’t even shower because the gym was closed.

There have been a lot of other challenges over the last year as well. My Mom had a mini stroke, which was really scary, & I got the news that someone who was once very dear to me committed su***de.

But there have also been many things to celebrate. I started going to therapy regularly, got my official ADHD diagnosis, & began the long process of figuring out which cocktail of drugs is right for the chemicals in my brain. I created the very first Adventure Dog Camp with a really great friend & awesome human from just a tiny seedling of a shared idea, & it was a huge success.

I think one of the most important lessons I’ve learned over the last year is that we need each other. And that I can’t do everything alone all the time.

So I’m gonna go out on a limb here & do something I rarely ever do: ask for a bit of help from my community. If you feel generous & are financially able, I would be ever so grateful if you could throw some money my way via Venmo (@ Melissa-Mella), which I’ll be setting aside to spend on hotel rooms over the course of this winter, particularly when the temperature dips below 25 degrees.

Thanks for all the kind words & support this year. I love you all!

📷:

10/18/2021

Yesterday & I took our dogs for a hike on one of the most popular trails in the area. It was a Sunday. We knew what we were getting into.

It’s an on leash only trail & I thought for sure nobody was going to let their dogs off leash given how many people & other dogs were there. The on leash only sign at the trailhead could not be missed.

But boy was I ever wrong! We encountered 5 off leash dogs in 4 miles.

I’m not one to police other people’s behavior. But I do make it a point to say something when someone else’s off leash dog is charging at me & mine, friendly or not.

One of the off leash dogs we encountered was a fat little pug who came barreling down the trail as its owner smiled. I stuck my foot out to prevent it from getting further & Abbie said something like “Please don’t allow your dog to approach. Please get your dog!” It was the third or fourth encounter & I was frustrated. I said “Just so you know, this is an on leash only trail.” As the woman picked her dog up & walked by, I swear she said “Eff you guys”. Abbie thinks she said “Good for you guys” but that doesn’t really make sense in context. Either way she was very clearly angry.

As we continued down the trail, Abbie asked “Why do these people get so angry?” & I have a theory.

These people have a delusional sense of entitlement. They feel they are special. That they don’t have to follow the rules like everyone else. There is a lack of empathy & care for the people & dogs around them. I’d even go so far as to say a lack of awareness for their own dog’s safety.

When they’re called out for their behavior, as soon as it is made known that their behavior affects other people & other dogs, what they feel - whether it is embarrassment, shame, guilt, or some other emotion - is uncomfortable. People have a very difficult time sitting with uncomfortable emotions.

So they get angry. Because anger gives people a sense of power & control in situations. Getting angry allows them to deflect responsibility, & they lash out because it’s easier & fits better into their selfish narrative that they have privileges others do not & how dare you tell them otherwise!

What do you think?

10/15/2021

Adventure Dog Camp was a f**king blast, y’all.

We could not have had a more perfect group of humans & dogs! They really made it special. All the dogs got along swimmingly, & it was such a joy to see them frolicking together during our off leash pack hikes.

Barn hunt was such a hit with everyone! It was rad to watch all the dogs do something that came so instinctually to them, while each one had such a unique way of indicating.

Paddle boarding / kayaking was also one of my favorite activities. Since taking Floyd on his first kayak trip several months ago, I’ve been itching to get back out on the water with him. I ultimately decided not to try paddle boarding because I am still a bit too afraid of drowning.

I led an enrichment workshop, which was super fun. We let the dogs eat through their new Toppls that donated, & followed that up with some play in a ball pit, with a flirt pole, balance pods, & a DIY agility course! (Special thanks to for loaning me her kiddie pool & other things! 😉)

talked a bit about backpacking, we had a local vet come & teach us about pet first aid, & we had a discussion about leash handling & reactivity.

We had some generous donations from & .

Our BIPOC & LGBTQ+ scholarships were made possible by the lovely folks over at .

We are so jazzed to plan the next camp - & future camps! - and if you’re at all interested in attending, we’d love for you to to help us out!

Jen currently has a survey linked in her bio that you can fill out to tell us what you’d like to do at camp & where you’d like to see us host.

She also has a link where you can sign up to receive email updates from us & all the information you’ll need about future Adventure Dog Camps!

We can’t wait to camp with you!

📷 1:
all others: &

09/16/2021

I beat myself up a lot when it comes to my dog. I often feel like I’m not doing enough with him, & that the things I do need to be complex, like learning new tricks all the time, or over the top, like hiking 10 miles a day.

Ever since I got his results back & they estimated his age in human years to be roughly 60, I’ve felt more anxiety & more pressed to make every moment special & perfect.

That is obviously f**king ridiculous. And impossible!

I cried for the first time in therapy earlier this week because I couldn’t stop thinking about how my dog is going to die some day. Even typing that just made me start crying.

Because sure, I’ve thought about it before, but I’ve never thought of him as a senior dog. It never hit me just how close that day might be.

This might also be ridiculous. But I’m realizing how much I’ve relied on him for emotional support. He’s been the one constant in my ever-changing, nomadic life these over last 5 years. I’ve encountered & let go of a lot of awful, toxic humans during this time. And he was always there.

I still love people. I haven’t lost faith in them completely. But I do understand why many people like dogs better than humans.

I guess the point of this rambling post is to remind you - and myself - that each day, each moment, each training session or activity or walk could never ever be perfect. We can only try to do our best. And if there are days when we can’t do our best, we do what we can. If all we can manage to do is toss some kibble into the grass for our dog to sniff out, that’s okay. Just be there. Be present.

There is be beauty in that, in simplicity, in imperfection, in acceptance, in impermanence, & in the inevitability of letting go.

09/03/2021

Adventure Dog Camp is just a little more than 2 weeks away!!!

Unfortunately, due to several unforeseen circumstances, we still have 2 scholarship spots available for BIPOC & LGBTQ+ folks!

If you missed the deadline or haven’t heard about til just now, head over to my web site & fill out the application!

We also have 2 regular spots still available as well!

Link in bio.

If you wanna learn some new outdoor skills, like pet first aid or how to advocate for your dog on trails; try something brand new with your dog like barn hunt; participate in some fun outdoor activities like hiking & paddle boarding; & / or make new connections with other like-minded adventurers & their dogs, this camp is for you!

You can read more about Adventure Dog Camp on my web site, but feel free to reach out with any questions you might have!

Please share with your communities & folks you know who might want to attend!

Love you all ❤️🥰😘

08/24/2021

Floyd bit my bestie, Luca, the first time they met.

We went on a camping trip with Luca at Lake Shasta in Northern California about 4 or 5 months after I adopted Floyd. We arrived first & found a lovely dispersed site overlooking the lake. I had finished setting everything up & we were hanging out when Luca arrived. He walked up somewhat unexpectedly, & Floyd ran up to him & bit him in the hand.

We’ve gone on many trips with Luca since then, including the one last week. And Luca said to me, “Every time I hang out with Floyd he seems happier. He gets better & better. He is a completely different dog & it’s so cool to see.”

And it’s true! But sometimes I need the reminder because I forget. He wasn’t an easy first dog. Going places with him used to cause me so much anxiety. But it didn’t stop me, & I think that is part of why I was able to successfully modify his behavior.

It took me way too long to create strict, non-negotiable boundaries, but when I did, everything changed. I brought him around lots of different people in all kinds of environments. I set very clear expectations with strangers & everyone we hung out with from that point forward. Nobody was allowed to touch him or get close. I aimed for neutrality & coexistence. He learned that people were not a threat, & as his confidence soared with daily training & mindset work, he got much more comfortable around people.

It brings me so much joy now to see Floyd giving people kisses on the face & circling around them for butt scratches rather than using his mouth to try to get them away. I still have pretty strict boundaries when it comes to strangers, although once in a while, if it feels right, I will allow someone like a cashier at a store or a waitress on a restaurant patio to say hello if they ask first. I know him much better now than I did 5 months in, so I know his triggers & when he is uncomfortable.

I’m so grateful for everything he’s taught me. I learned most of it the hard way because I was figuring it all out on my own. But if you’re struggling with your dog you don’t have to do it alone. You don’t have to make the same mistakes I made. Reach out for professional help. It will be worth it.

08/09/2021

When I was a teenager I almost drowned once when I jumped off of a 50 foot dam into the reservoir below after my friends did it.

I took a breath as I hit the water. The feeling of falling through the water with nothing below to stop me was terrifying. I panicked. There was nothing to grab onto when I reached the surface, but luckily, my best friend at the time was a life guard, & she swam over to help me stay afloat. Thanks ! 🙌🏻🥰❤️

I’ve been afraid of drowning ever since. I don’t really swim - I just splash around. I certainly don’t jump into bodies of water anymore. Surfing is something I have absolutely no interest in ever attempting. But I have kayaked a few times on lakes & I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Kayaking is something that’s always been on my bucket list of adventures to do with Floyd - & I loved the idea of an overnighter / multiple day trip, but I didn’t have the gear, & I didn’t want to do it alone because of my fear. So I put it on the back burner for years.

When & told me about 6 weeks ago that they were planning an overnight kayaking trip, I invited myself to tag along! 😂 Abbie was gracious enough to loan me a kayak, paddle, life jacket, & dry bags, & Jen gifted Floyd an extra life jacket she had lying around, so we were all set to go!

Floyd likes the water, but had never been on any kind of boat before, so I wasn’t quite sure how he was going to do. Turns out he’s a sweet little angel who had no anxiety whatsoever & either slept in my lap or calmly watched the world go by with his cute chin resting on the edge of the cockpit.

I was definitely nervous about paddling on a river & potentially tipping the boat, but even during the few snafus I had where I got stuck on the rocks in shallow fast-moving water or wound up turned around or nearly missed hitting a fallen tree, I did not panic! Having friends around definitely helped ease my anxiety, so I am grateful for them!

I’m really proud of Floyd for being so perfect on our first boating adventure, & I’m so proud of myself for facing my fear & holding it together the whole time!

Have you faced a fear head-on recently? Tell me in the comments!

Head To Tail Dog Training

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