29K9 Dog Training

11/27/2025

This is so frustrating. To protect the child you must protect the dog!

Not all dogs growl or bite when they’re stressed. In fact, many don’t!

Instead, they give subtle signs like yawning, turning away, licking their lips, or stiffening up - hoping you will step in and help.

These signs matter — and noticing them early keeps everyone safer. 🎯

I can help. www.poochparenting.net

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving! Be sure that, amidst all the hustle and bustle, you take time to check in with your pets. Keep them safe, secure and comfortable. Watch those garbage cans, they can be especially tempting today. One trick we've learned is to turn them backwards (facing the wall) so that dogs can't easily lift the lids.

11/26/2025

𝗔𝗦𝗣𝗖𝗔 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻-𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆, 𝟮𝟰 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝟯𝟲𝟱 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗮 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿. 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 (𝟴𝟴𝟴) 𝟰𝟮𝟲-𝟰𝟰𝟯𝟱. 𝗔 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆. KEEP THIS NUMBER HANDY!!!

When our first puppy ate something she shouldn't have (on a Sunday, of course) I called the closest ER vet (which was 90 minutes away) and was told me they could give me no information over the phone on what to do until we got there and that it was $500 to walk in the door, not including tests or treatment. Then I called the ASPCA's poison control number and for a fraction of that cost they provided the information that we needed to avoid that long and expensive ER trip all together. We will forever be grateful for their assistance. I always keep this number handy.

View the list of poisonous foods to avoid, including: chocolate, xylitol, alcohol, avocado, coffee, caffeine, citrus, coconut, coconut oil, grapes, raisin, macadamia nuts, milk and dairy.

11/24/2025

It's the dog in front of us, not the dog we thought we'd have or the dog we used to have. Its. This. Dog.

🐶🐱👨‍👧‍👧Being a responsible pet parent means meeting your dog where he is—not where you wish he would be. 💭🐾

Your dog’s behavior today reflects his experiences, emotions, and learning history—not stubbornness or a desire to “be bad.”

When you accept where your dog is right now, you can help him move forward with compassion instead of frustration. That’s when real progress happens.

👉 Observe without judgment.
👉 Adjust your expectations.
👉 Support your dog with patience and consistency.

❤️Because love isn’t about who you want them to be—it’s about showing up for who they are.❤️

11/18/2025

There is no “one size fits all” to dog training or behavior consulting. Each dog is unique and needs to be treated as such. Trying to fit your dog into a mold left by a previous dog in our lives is frustrating and unfair to the dog in front of you. We’ve had 8 Great Danes over the years. Although all the same breed, but each dog has been unique. Our relationship with each dog has been different. Some have been outgoing, want to go everywhere dogs. Some preferred to stay home. Some wanted to play with other dogs, some didn’t. Just like us as humans, our personalities are unique, our likes and dislikes are unique, and our approach to the world is unique. Listen to the dog in front of you. Treat that dog as the individual he is.

This is one reason I love being a Family Dog Mediatior®.

What does it mean to be a Family Dog Mediator®? It means we are looking at the whole dog in front of us. We are following the L.E.G.S.® model of Integrated Canine Science. It’s not magic, it’s not mirrors. It’s SCIENCE. What does L.E.G.S.® stand for and mean to your dog?

Learning – An animal’s experiences and education in life
Environment – The world the dog lives in
Genetics – DNA, what makes up this dog
Self – The unique, individual dog made up of all these things and stands in front of us

I’m grateful to have the education and experience required to be able to work with each dog individually. Whether pure bred or mixed breed. Working dog or family dog. 4 pound Chihuahuas, 60 pound Labradors, 150 pound Presa Carnarios, 20 pound mixed breeds,100 pound GSDs, 70 pound Pitbulls,180 pound Great Danes and everything in between. Every dog deserves to be treated based on his personality, his challenges, his unique needs.

11/18/2025

The courts say they are Gravely Dangerous to both the physical and psychological health of your dog. There are other ways.

The harms of shock collars in dog training are emphasized in a USD 1.9 million dollar settlement in a class action lawsuit.

11/18/2025

I don't have to cause your dog pain to teach. Neither do you. And if your trainer tells you that pain is required then run and find a new one. And for the record, shock collars, prong collars and leash pops FREAKING HURT. Science says so. Your dog says so. Any educated trainer will say so.

11/15/2025

If you love your dog, don't hurt them in the name of training. Positive reinforcement works. And it avoids the risks of aversives like leash pops, shock collars, and prongs. If you're struggling with your dog's behaviour, get help from a trainer who will use reward-based methods (and if it's a sudden change, see your veterinarian first).

11/12/2025

Another trick, another step in learning to follow directions, building confidence and building our relationship. #

11/08/2025

"Without this emotional, somatic (body-based) sense of a non-threatening world as well as trust in relationships, healing from trauma becomes exceedingly difficult."
I always learn something when Dr. Laura Donaldson, PhD, CDBC, KPA CTP shares her knowledge.

(Graphic & text ©2025, Laura Donaldson) By Dr. Laura Donaldson, PhD, CDBC, KPA CTP. Several years ago, I introduced the concept of DEEP SAFETY to help human caregivers recognize and address the

11/07/2025

An important life skill for a dog is being able to calmly leash up in preparation for outings. Jeepers and I do it a little different than most. It works for us and that is what is important.

11/06/2025

Jeepers has picked up on pivoting faster than any of our dogs ever have. Moving those back feet independently from the front feet is HARD but a great skill for dogs to have. By improving their body awareness it helps their over all coordination (for danes this is super important) and overall confidence.