Apex Canine Behavior & Training

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Apex Canine Behavior & Training

Seren Maxwell NH 🐾
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Offering Training & Behavior Services For ▪️Reactivity ▪️Fear ▪️Aggression ▪️& More

07/30/2026

Thank you for the well wishes for Jude. 🖤

Yesterday we were able to get in to see our primary care veterinarian and get some pain management on board to tide him over until our appointment with the neurologist. The team had nothing but wonderful things to say about Jude and how “he’s a completely different dog from the one they first met”. He handled the exam and blood draw like a champ, and was happy to munch on his snacks while they did what they needed to - as I always say, he’s a “Big Food Guy” lol

Next week we will be traveling up to Maine to see Dr. Hodshon, a wonderful veterinarian who previously oversaw Pavarotti’s care back in 2022 (she was the one who diagnosed his brain tumor).

Thankfully she is familiar already familiar with me and the fact that I tend to have dogs who need “extra considerations” as part of their care plan. The behavior component is always an added challenge when seeking care for D.I.N.O.S (Dogs In Need Of Space). I’m incredibly grateful to have such supportive and understanding providers around us.

We are still unsure at this time what is actually triggering these episodes of intense pain, as we have been unable to pinpoint the origin (now, or during the previous episodes). Our best guess is that is something nerve/spine related, we will likely need to pursue advanced imaging to get a better understanding of what’s going on.

As I mentioned before, he does unfortunately carry two copies of the gene for Degenerative Myelopathy, which is something that has always been on my radar since I received his genetic results. I’m really hoping this is not related to that, as the prognosis is not great *IF* that’s the case. The most frustrating part is knowing that DM is something that could have been avoided entirely if he had been bred ethically + health testing was performed on his parents, but that’s a discussion for another day.

For now we will be doing our best to keep Jude quiet and minimize his physical activity. He’s pretty stoked about all the extra attention and snacks, but not so much the mandatory rest. Keeping him on rest for the next week will definitely be a challenge, but we have lots of enrichment supplies here to help mitigate that. I’ll try my best to keep you all updated as we find out more. 🐾

07/28/2026

Please send all of the good vibes for Jude (aka Jude-Bug, Judy-baby-bug, “just a baby”, Meatwad, Dough Boy).

Last night he had another neurological episode and he is in a lot of pain at the moment if he tries to move his spine (I’ve been keeping him basically immobile since then). He has an urgent appt with our vet this afternoon to get pain management updated, and also an appointment with a neurologist next week. Unfortunately he does have two copies of the gene for degenerative myelopathy, so I’m really hoping this isn’t related to that. We are keeping him as comfortable as we can for the time being, and despite being in pain, he is still pretty chuffed about all the extra attention and getting his meals delivered bedside.

07/26/2026

Happy Birthday-Gotcha Day Miss Willow 🎀

Ten years later and she is still obsessed with…

Her big brother.
OMG PEOPLE.
Chipmunks.
Socks.
And disrespecting her surroundings.

“She doesn’t even go here”, but we love her anyway.

07/25/2026

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8t9WkvG/

07/23/2026

The way we explain behavior determines how we respond to it.

Every day, I meet people who are trying their absolute best to help their dog. They’re reading books, watching videos, practicing exercises… and often also carrying an incredible amount of guilt…

“Did I do this?”

“Did I miss something?”

“Did I ruin my dog?”

One of the most important things I hope people take away from my work is that behavior isn’t just about obedience or training. Genetics, health, pain, emotions, learning history, environment, and countless other factors all play a role.

The way we explain behavior shapes the way we respond to it. If we assume a dog is being stubborn, dominant, manipulative, or spiteful, we’ll focus on stopping the behavior. If we recognize that behavior is communication, we can start asking a much more productive question:

Why is this happening?

That question doesn’t excuse dangerous behavior, and it doesn’t mean we ignore safety or stop training. It means we approach behavior with curiosity before judgment, because understanding why a behavior exists is often what allows us to change it.

I hope this perspective helps someone who needed to hear it today.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. What’s one thing you wish more people understood about dog behavior?

-Seren Maxwell 🐾

07/22/2026

✨Perspective Matters✨

07/20/2026

Happy Monday! Today is my birthday, so I suppose it’s only fitting that I’ll be spending the day with the dogs. Today also happens to be the anniversary of my dad passing, and so I’ve been thinking a lot of him today as well. Growing up I always heard stories of his dog Corrie (female border collie). He would tell me about how when they would go hiking together she would always stay close by, and if she got too far ahead, she would lie down and wait for him to catch up. I remember thinking how incredible that sounded, and hoping someday that would be me and my dog (spoiler alert, Brembo is 1000% that dog). Those stories had a significant impact on me as a child... I know he would have adored all of the dogs that have come through my home over the years, and I’d like to think he would approve of how I’m choosing to spend my time today, too.

07/18/2026

A new name for a special dog….

We had experimented over the past few months with some different name options for Bear, but nothing would stick. We were too used to calling him Bear, and I’ve already spent a good chunk of time building his name recognition with it (he actually has an impressive recall already at 1.5 y.o). I still really wanted to give him a new name to symbolize his new identity, one fitting of the journey he has gone through to find his place in the world, his home.

Growing up, Paddington was one of my favorite childhood stories. Years ago, I lost a lot of my childhood belongings, which was a huge heartbreak. Recently I was able to find and replace the first item from what I had lost, which was a little stuffed Paddington Bear collectible that I have had since before my earliest memories. It felt like getting back a piece of home, and upon opening it I knew immediately that this was the name I had been looking for.

So please allow me to formerly introduce for the very first time….

Pleiades’ Paddington Bear Goes Home
(call name: “Bear”)

I couldn’t think of a more appropriate name to encapsulate his story, and also my own. And yes, if you hadn’t already guessed, he is home for good. Bear has come a long way physically and behaviorally, but he will still need intensive support moving forward to set him up for success long term. He has made it abundantly clear that I am his person, and I can’t imagine sending him anywhere else at this point.

While his arrival here was certainly unexpected, he has filled a spot I didn’t realize was missing until now (a role once occupied by Link). He is wonderfully social with other dogs, and has already been a huge help with the work I do here.

Anyway… I just found this little Paddington pin for him to celebrate and officially seal the deal. I’m planning to grind the pin post off on the back so I can convert it into a tag for his collar. I am still searching for the perfect Paddington collar if anyone has any ideas there - if I can’t find a Paddington one I was thinking maybe oranges? Finding something in his size is also a bit of a challenge 🙃

Anyway, happy Saturday everyone, please tell your dogs I said hello. 🐾

Address

Northfield, NH

Telephone

+16033615719

Website

http://www.apexcaninebehavior.com/

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