Don't Worry Be Waggy

03/28/2025

New video is up! A quick and easy way to get your dog wagging during mealtime by making it more fun, but also slowing them down and meeting some natural instincts that may be causing you stress (shredded socks and shoes, anyone?)

If you are stressing over your dog chewing and shredding your stuff, don't worry! I have a ton of other tips for you! Just reach out to [email protected].

Stay waggy!

Here's a quick way to make your dog's meal more fun AND to give them a safe way to express natural behaviors. All you need is a small cardboard box, some pac...

02/26/2025

New video! Have you ever been told to 'give your dog a job to do'? Maybe you were told your dog is having behavior problems because they don't have a job? Here are some quick thoughts I have on this!

What do you think? What are some "jobs" you give your dogs to (hopefully) keep them happy? Let me know!

Lots of trainers tell dog owners that giving their dog a job will reduce, if not stop, problem behaviors. While there is some truth to this, it does not mean...

01/31/2025

Did you know adult dogs should be sleeping around 16 hours a day, (and even more for puppies)?? It makes you realize how important a good dog bed can be!

Ensuring your dog is getting enough solid sleep each day can help reduce unwanted behaviors like hyperactivity, mouthiness, destructive chewing, excessive barking, and then some! But with so many beds out there, where do you even begin to narrow down what might be best for YOUR dog?

My dogs had the pleasure of testing out some beds for Chewy (specifically the outdoor beds) to help their team come up with this list of the 10 Best Dog Beds in 2025!

https://be.chewy.com/product-roundup/best-dog-beds/

And here's a pic of Dougal enjoying the winning outdoor dog bed!

01/01/2025

Ready or not... Happy New Year!!

I'll be up long enough to Livestream the Potato Drop in Boise 😂🥔🎉 How are you celebrating??

09/20/2024

Wonder what type of collar is best for your dog?? Chewy just put out an article reviewing their 10 Best Dog Collars for 2024, looking at fit, functionality, durability, ease of use, and attractiveness.

Would you use any of these? Would you recommend something different instead?

And yes, Dougal and I got to help out with the testing and review of the 'best collar for dogs who pull' because he can still be a tank sometimes! 😆

To help you find the best dog collar, dog trainers and other experts tested top-rated collars across a number of categories in real-world conditions.

08/30/2024

When you're searching for a dog training class, what are the things you are actually looking for? Class size? Methods used? Do you call ahead to learn more about the training instructor?

My dad and step-mom recently got a puppy, a daschsund named Ollie, and are looking for puppy classes for him. I told them I'd be happy to look over any potential classes they find to see if it gets my "seal of approval" or not. I figured I would record myself doing this, in the hopes it helps other puppy owners think of how to best find a class suitable for them.

The main take away is -don't be shy about asking questions! But what questions should you be asking in the first place? I list several in the video description on YouTube; check it out and let me know if it is helpful to you!

I'm Vic, a professional dog trainer and behavior consultant! My dad got a new puppy recenlty and was wondering what he should be keeping an eye out for while...

07/29/2024

Here's one way to get something away from your puppy -by not making a big deal about it!

Approaching a dog when they have a coveted item may lead them to play "keep away", or to show tense, even aggressive behavior (what we commonly associate resource guarding with). To help prevent this, find what your dog values MORE than the item they have (if possible) and use it to your advantage.

In this case, the puppy valued being in the same room as me over being alone with the shoe. 😄

06/16/2024

Our first table at an event! It was a great learning experience, and we got to chat with some lovely pet owners about their dogs and cats. Having a cute puppy to draw folks in was definitely helpful!

Here's to learning and growing!

05/04/2024

I know this is cat news, but it was too amazing not to share! There will now be a legal treatment for FIP cases here in the U.S. starting June 1st!!

"FIP (Feline infectious peritonitis) is a disease in cats where fluid may accumulate in the abdomen, leading to a swollen abdomen, or in the chest cavity, resulting in difficulty breathing... Historically, FIP has been fatal in almost all cases. Supportive treatments may extend longevity and improve quality of life, but there is no proven cure." (VCAhospitals.com)

Well, this great news was just posted on the FIP Global group:

"Happy Friday everyone! FIP Global CATS has been supporting treatment for FIP cats for years, but our dream and goal has always been legal treatment available through veterinarians. Today I have an exciting announcement that legal treatment with GS-441524 will be available in the US starting June 1!

Stokes pharmacy in the US has partnered with BOVA to bring legally compounded GS tablets to the US. The tablets will be compounded in the US in a formulation identical to the BOVA formulation currently in use in the UK and Australia. Availability begins starting June 1!"

Years ago, at one of the shelters I worked at, I remember watching a very young kitten be euthanized right in front of me because she likely had FIP, and the vet techs were told to put down cats they determined had this condition. I understood the reasoning for it, but it was still heartbreaking to witness (I can only imagine how the vet tech felt...).

Soon that won't have to be the case anymore; FIP will no longer be an automatic death sentence for cats and kittens. What a win! I'm tagging some of my shelter/animal welfare friends here, but please share with anyone you think would appreciate this fabulous news :)

Mountain Humane
Jonathan McDonell
Hailey Marcus Signora
Kelly Mitchell
Katie Millonzi
Irith Trietsch Bloom
Rachel Golub
Heidi Hayes
Rosemary Aquilante
Gadrie Edmunds
Sommer Mae

04/14/2024

Here's a quick tutorial I made on how to use luring to teach a dog the 3 basic positions: sit, down, and stand. If you have a new dog or puppy and need a way to redirect them from unwanted behaviors, like mouthing, then try a mini training session using luring! Ginger Gasser and Guy Gasser I made this with you two in mind! 😗

03/22/2024

Ginger Gasser do you even TikTok? 😜 This one's for you!

Check out Vic Gasser | Dog Trainer’s video.

03/22/2024

If you're a dog lover, what are some of the most common things you search for on the internet regarding your dog? Food? Toys?Questions about their behavior (why does my dog do ___)? Training tips? Cute dog memes??

What would you like to see more of??

Here's a cute pic of a puppy in some clover, as a reward for reading this post :p

02/11/2024

It looks like the state of New Jersey has a bill in the works that will require dog trainers to be liscensed (I'll put the link to it at the end of this post.)

Did you know that in the dog training industry there is NO official liscening or regulations? Anyone can wake up one day and claim to be a dog trainer or "behaviorist" and then take your money for training your dog...

What happens if their training makes your dog's behavior worse? What happens if you spend thousands of dollars on a trainer and end up not only with bigger problems than you started with, but no way to get your money back, or hold that trainer accountable?

This is one of the reasons I continue to maintain my professional dog trainer certification through the CCPDT (Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers) -this gives my clients a way to hold me accountable should anything go south. Trainers with no certifications may have an easier time taking advantage of dog owners who don't know what methods may be best for their situation.

Do you want to see more regulations in the dog training industry? The state of New Jersey is working on a bill that will require dog trainers to be liscenced through the state -here's the link for it: https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2022/A2548

If you read the bill and want to show support for it, and IF YOU LIVE IN NEW JERSEY, then please send a note of support to assemblywoman Carol A. Murphy.

For those of us who don't live in NJ, it's probably best we stay out of it. Instead, share this post with your Jersey dog lovers.

The New Jersey State Legislature

01/09/2024

How cute is this routine?? Just had to share!

12/22/2023

My friend is thinking about bringing her cat to her mom's house for Christmas, so I wanted to make a quick video with some advice on how to decrease stress for everyone! Maybe this advice will be helpful to others in a similar situation.

Ideally you should leave your cat at home when traveling, but that's not always possible. I highly recommend following the advice I give here, even if you have a very confident cat, to best prevent stress and thus unwanted behaviors (like marking territory)!

12/10/2023

Trixie came up with this trick all on her own!

Has your dog ever come up with a fun trick that you never would have thought to teach them?? Let me know!

Check out Vic Gasser's video.