Fingers and Paws Dog Training

01/14/2025

I'm pleased to be presenting Family Paws Parent Education webinars 4 times this year, starting with on January 28th at 7pm. See below for registration information, and come join us!

We at Family Paws believe that when working with dogs and kids, there isn’t a one size fits all training plan!

Every dog and home is unique and requires us to work diligently with you as the family not against you to provide support and guidance!

This is exactly why we offer our LIVE webinars!

Here are 3 reasons why we suggest registering for our live webinars for Dogs & Toddlers and Dogs & Storks rather than watching the pre-recorded ones:

1️⃣ Ability to ask questions in REAL time to one of our Licensed Family Paws Parent Educators

2️⃣ Small Group Webinars allow for you as a parent to not feel alone! Feeing supported is one of the most important things when navigating the ever changing relationship between dogs, babies and toddlers!

3️⃣ BONUS! FREE Body language PDF/Video when hiring a Family Paws Educator after webinar to help you and you get on the right track with understanding your dog’s body language!

These are only some of the reasons why a LIVE webinar is more beneficial than a pre-recorded one!

Interested in registering for our upcoming Dogs & Toddlers Webinar on the 28th of January or our Dogs & Storks Webinar on February 11th?

Please find the website registration through the links below ⬇️

Dogs & Storks LIVE webinar registration: https://familypawsbooking.as.me/schedule/1450ac5a/?appointmentTypeIds%5B%5D=19390846

Dogs & Toddlers LIVE Webinar registration: https://familypawsbooking.as.me/schedule/1450ac5a/?appointmentTypeIds%5B%5D=19391069

Comment WEBINAR and we will send you the link to register directly to your inbox as well! 📥

We can’t wait to see you there!

01/14/2025

My colleague Judy Lucas Bernard at Proper Paws Dog Training in Concord MA just created this great intro video. It contains some really useful info and reminders. If you are in range of Concord, I highly recommend her classes, particularly the puppy class!

An introduction to Judy and Proper Paws Dog Training.

01/09/2025

YES to all the points that Helen at No Monkey Business Dog Training makes!

Why yes my dog would LOVE to say hi, but I’m still going to say “no thank you” and move on. Why?

1. Because I want my dog to learn that every time we see people it doesn’t mean it’s a party for him. I’d like him to continue his focus on us together as a team and not create conditioned excitement and expectation every time we are approached by someone.

2. Because I don’t know what saying hi means to you. Will you politely touch him? Will you allow him space to move away if he wants? Will you put your face too close to his? I don’t want him to have a negative experience so I’m going to avoid that by continuing our walk.

3. Because maybe I feel overwhelmed or stressed in public places and conversations with strangers may make me uncomfortable, so even though you’d like to talk and meet my dog, I’m protecting myself too.

4. Because we’re in a rush and have to get something done quickly.

5. Because I said no. Even social, sweet, friendly dogs and their handlers have every right to say “no” to a request to meet and be touched by people. This shouldn’t just apply to reactive, worried or bubble space dogs. Dogs are not public property, and saying “no thank you” to touching my dog shouldn’t be regarded as rude or unkind, any more than if a stranger asked to hold my baby.

Please normalize hearing “no” OR even better, normalize ignoring more dogs in public. Let them carry on with their handler and admire them from a far. It would do a world of good for dogs and humans everywhere, trust me.

- Helen St. Pierre

12/17/2024

Family Paws Parent Education has a busy 2025 planned!

11/12/2024

Just in time for the holidays - the last official Family Paws Parent Education Dogs & Toddlers webinar of 2024!

With the Holiday season upon us for Thanksgiving this month, we wanted to ask you…

Will your kids be around dogs this Thanksgiving? 🤔

Our upcoming Dogs and Toddlers Webinar is on November 16th, which is just in time for American Thanksgiving! 🍁

This webinar is the perfect way to get prepared for family events and how to keep your toddler AND the dogs in your life safe and stress free!

We only have 4️⃣ spots remaining for this upcoming webinar, will we see you there?

The link to register is below ⬇️

🔗 https://familypawsbooking.as.me/schedule/1450ac5a/?appointmentTypeIds%5B%5D=19391069

We hope to see you there to help you become more dog aware 🐶

10/31/2024

This awesome pup is waiting at Lowell Humane Society for his new home! He stole my heart the minute I met him. Wishing him all the best for a short stay and a great match

10/29/2024

"You’re not getting too old, just wise enough to know that you need to modify your criteria!"
Thank you Judy Lucas Bernard for that needed boost, after I decided not to adopt this adorable pup from Lowell Humane Society!He has awesome potential, but also someone with more energy than me to positively guide him through some things he doesn't know yet but needs to. Oh yeah, and the whole upcoming adolescent Husky phase. Still, hard to get him off my mind

10/15/2024

Thursday at 7pm EST, I am excited to be the host of the official Family Paws Parent Education webinar Dogs & Storks! This webinar offers valuable information and ideas for people with dogs that are expecting or planning for a baby. Registration required: go to the Family Paws Parent Education site: https://familypawsbooking.as.me/schedule/1450ac5a/?appointmentTypeIds[]=19390846
Please share with anyone you know that might need this webinar or not be aware of the fabulous resources available through Family Paws Parent Education

Schedule your appointment online Family Paws, LLC

04/16/2024

Meet Daisy, the lovely hound that was my partner for a Lowell Humane Society Woods Walk this past Saturday. What a sweetie! On the way back, I sat in the back beside her and soaked up the smiles as she contentedly laid beside me. Hard to believe she's still available! Check out her bio (and more pics) here:
https://www.lowellhumanesociety.org/adoption/available-pets/?id=55409279

04/16/2024

Thursday evening, I'm looking forward to hosting this month's Family Paws Parent Education webinar! This is a wonderful, information packed, thought-provoking event for expectant parents and parents of children up to 3 months old, grandparents, and anyone involved in the care of babies and dogs. To register, follow the link below - it's not too late!!! , ,

Join our enriching webinar tailored for expecting families with beloved family dog(s)! Since 2002, Dogs & Storks has been the go-to program for expectant parents with dogs. Delve into crucial topics such as understanding if your dog senses your pregnancy, deciphering and enhancing dog body language, and we’ll go over how to navigate homecoming. All this and more to help you prepare WITH your family dog for baby’s arrival. This webinar is a must for those anticipating parenthood through pregnancy, adoption, or anyone with a little one on the horizon!

Register here: https://bit.ly/registerdogsandstorks

03/18/2024

I did know that xylitol is toxic to dogs. I did NOT know that it had several alternative, innocent-sounding names. Be careful! Poster from FDA - great to share with anyone who has a dog, or for professionals to post in their facility and/or share with clients

This poster describes the common types of xylitol containing products and the most common symptoms of xylitol poisoning in dogs.

03/05/2024

"Training" is all well and good, but at this stage parents need extra arms!!! Management is key to success. Great graphic and description from Family Paws Parent Education

An active baby on the move means parents have lots to pay attention to when living with family dogs. this is a time when you are on your feet the most.

❗️Making sure that your baby DOES NOT APPROACH your family dog is key. We always say a dog and baby on the scene a parent in between. This is to prevent startling or uncomfortable interaction with the family dog.

🐾 Dogs often display subtle signals the closer a crawling baby gets. Things like licking lips, turning away, scratching, yawning are often seen. Sometimes a dog will get up and move while other times they may not.

❗️Pay attention to your dog and prevent these situations from happening as much as possible. In our experience it is when a baby approaches a dog that the dog growls or snaps.

✅ Using success stations such as crates, gates, play yards and your body can help prevent this.

🥱We know this is an exhausting time. Management is key for this period. It won’t be forever we promise but if you do this now, your dog will thank you!!!!!! ❤

Illustrations by Doggie Drawings by Lili Chin

02/27/2024

Maya, just one year ago. On Friday we had to say goodbye to you. Oh how I miss that face already. How empty the house feels. Rest in peace, my beautiful girl. Or more likely, pester Boomer out of his rest and go stir up some trouble, wherever you are 💗

02/16/2024

Research on the effectiveness of 2 different positive approaches to a training situation - very interesting. Thanks to The Science Dog by Linda P. Case for publishing this

Which Works Better for Dogs? This winter, my training partner Amanda and I decided to teach our dogs “toy identification”. We lead a small weekly training class at my training center an…

02/14/2024

So much to share today! l love this post from Family Paws Parent Education

I remember taking this picture of Carin our German shepherd/mal mix. I told my son to hug her. At the time I had no idea what I was looking at and remember sending this to our family saying “look how great they get along.” Carin was new to our household and this type of interaction by a young child was definitely not something she enjoyed AND we were still getting to know her. I see images of families similar to this when they are first bringing a dog home. Don’t do what I did 22 years ago, allow. your dog and child time to adjust to each other and develop a bond. Invites decrease bites. Children should never lay on a dog or hug them in this way. I had a lot to learn! Still learning today. Carin was a great dog and lived with us to the great age of 13. :).