Best Friends Dog Academy

29/06/2025

Next weekend is the 4th of July! 🧨🎇🧨

💙 Don’t wait until Friday to ask your vet about or to refill anti-anxiety medication.
🤍 Make sure your pets have their identification on 24/7 throughout the weekend.
❤️ Check and double check gates, latches, and exit points. Pets can run outside or away when panicked.
💙 Keep them inside when the booms start. (Get them out for potty breaks early)
🤍 Many pets feel safer in the basement, in a bathroom, a covered crate, or even a closet. Create a safe space for them.
❤️ Closing drapes or blinds and turning the lights ON can dilute the flashing lights
💙 A white noise machine, fan pointed away, or other melodic background noise can dilute the loud booms
🤍 Pheromone sprays or plug-ins, highly diluted pet-safe essential oils (like lavender) should be tested ahead of time to make sure your pet likes them. They can help dilute the smell of smoke.
❤️ Preparing enrichment, puzzle toys, chews or lick mats in advance sets you up for success.
💙 Consoling a scared pet does not reinforce fear. It lets them know you are there for them and are a source for safety.

Have a safe week friends! 🫶

26/06/2025

Stopped at the library between clients. They have lots of dog “training” books. These are the only three (in the pics) I’d recommend. There’s so much antiquated information out there, on the web, and still in the library too. It can be hard to know what to read/believe.
I wish they had The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson and Don’t Shoot the Dog by Karen Pryor. I could list more!

23/06/2025

Love learning from board certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Chris Pachel! 🤓👏

21/06/2025

It's going to be H☀️T this weekend. Please make sure your pets are safe and cool! 🆒😎

Please do not take your dogs outside for long periods of time when it's HOT!!!! 🔥🚫🐕. If you are hot, your dog is MUCH hotter! 🔥🔥🔥🌡️🌡️🌡️🌡️🌡️

We see way too many dogs being taken to events during the hottest part of the day. 🕦

Keep your dogs cool.❄️😎 Leave them at home. 🏠 Walk them in the early morning or late evening when it's cooler. 🐶 🚶‍♀️

Please think twice about your dogs comfort and health before taking them out in the heat!

Don't forget their paw pads can burn easily on concrete. It's easy to forget these things since we wear shoes and our feet are protected. 🐾👟🐾

13/06/2025

"What should dogs look like? Welfare consequences of canine morphology," an article I wrote as part of the Canine Brains Project at Harvard University, is available now as a preprint! It is a review which describes the health and welfare consequences of extreme morphology. Much of the scientific literature on canine health has looked at breed-specific disorders as existing problems that can't be changed. Although the scientific community has started to advocate for changes in breeding practices, we have not yet begun describing the limits on healthy morphology. What's the healthiest size range for a dog? How short can a muzzle be before risk of BOAS begins to rise? These are questions that should be addressed to help breeders navigate the challenges of preserving breed uniqueness while also breeding away from morphologies which produce welfare challenges.

https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/202506.0922/v1

11/06/2025

Celebrating success with client dog Riley! His pet parents put in the work over this last year to help him become less reactive and more curious and confident!

He’s THRIVING! ❤️❤️🎯☺️

08/06/2025

Cool, APDT member search is now live!

The Association For Professional Dog Training International

23/02/2025

Client dog Rex. Love seeing his happy face! ❤️🐾