Mutt Luck

11/13/2024

Now Offering Structured Dog Daycare!

🗓️ Tuesdays and Thursdays
📍 Convenient pick-up and drop-off

Your dog will enjoy:
🐾 A decompression hike
🐾 A personalized training session
🐾 Off-leash socialization

Limited to 2 dogs per day to ensure top-quality care. Only $85 per day!

✨ Give your dog the enrichment they deserve—contact us today to reserve your spot! 🐶

06/10/2022

Mutual Aid is something I’m super interested in and I really love this idea. I especially love being able to give owners of sensitive dogs the resources to keep their dog in their home and circumvent the shelter/rescue route. When people and dogs are empowered, everyone wins. Consider a donation, maybe win some cool merch. Hard to go wrong whether you win or not :)

We have several requests for support through our Accessibility Fund that we hope to be able to fulfill - want to play a game?

Either -

• Contribute $2 per dog in your household via Venmo

and/or

• Share this post to your stories, tagging us so we can see

On Monday we'll choose two random winners who will each receive a Best Life T-Shirt of their choice ❤️

[available in our BonFire Store; benefits the Accessibility Fund]

Learn more about how we are are bridging the gap between behavioral support and financial resources on the Accessibility Fund page of our website [link in bio].

[Photo ID: A GSD lays in a blanket with a snufflemat behind him. His tongue is out and his ears are tall and handsome.]

07/01/2021

06/28/2021

There are things you can start doing today to help your dog who is afraid of fireworks.

06/22/2021

This is how we’re doing !

Rosy and Avery are fast friends. Avery is brushing up on some basic training and Rosy prefers a cool, quiet place to relax. They are fast friends.

Image Description: a cream colored French Bulldog and a fluffy white Bichon mix sit in the sunshine and smile at the camera.

06/16/2021

If you have concerns about your pet’s behavior, a veterinary behaviorist is your first line of defense, not your last resort! They will work closely with you, your pet and your trainer to find a path to success. They aren’t only for dogs. Veterinary behaviorists are able to consult with a variety of species, including cats and birds.

We are lucky to have Animal Behavior Wellness Center in Virginia, with an office conveniently located right here in RVA.

05/18/2021

Packing trail mix for the hike? Don't forget to make some for your dog too!

Training Mix was coined by AniEd, one of our favorite dog training resources! It ensures that you have a wide variety of food rewards available for training *without* drastically deviating from your dog's diet.

• 4-6 parts kibble
• 1 part something stinky (like hot dogs, tripe, or deli meat
• 1 part something chewy (like cat kibble, cheese, or jerky)

1) Mix in Ziploc bag.
2) Leave in fridge overnight.
3) Fill your treat/training pouch
4) Hit the training trail!

05/10/2021

A culture I can get behind canceling.

05/07/2021

Check them out!

Get to know many talented black women in the pet industry. Although diversity is lacking in the pet industry, these women are making their mark.

04/23/2021

Why does my dog ___?

We get this question a lot, especially when it comes to complex behaviors like fear, reactivity, or aggression. And as humans, we want (desperately!) to find a clear label as the reason for this behavior. We often hear “he must have been abused by a large man who wore hats because he’s so scared of them” or “he’s bad with other dogs, so he must have been socialized improperly.” Or “he dislikes strangers because he’s a German Shepherd.” Or “it’s all in how you raise them.”

The thing is, there are TONS of things that contribute to behavior. Not even the best scientists in the world can tell us where a particular dog’s behavior comes from. When we see a fearful dog, it could be due to genes- or epigenetics! They could have received limited maternal care or experienced lots of stress in their first weeks (or inside mom’s uterus). They could have had a traumatic experience, or have a hormone imbalance. They could hurt, or have learned associations over time, or even have certain brain structures that grew or shrank to make them more fearful.

So what’s really important to know here?
1️⃣behavior causes can be very complicated
2️⃣anyone who says that behavior is all because of learning, or breed, or socialization, or whatever- is misinformed.
3️⃣in many cases, you’re just not going to be able to identify the “cause” of complex behaviors like fear, reactivity, or aggression. Get comfy with not knowing.
4️⃣not knowing the exact cause doesn’t prevent us from working on behavior!! We can make educated guesses and use treatment plans and involve vets to help us treat what we can’t easily train.
5️⃣if you have no idea what epigenetics means or what hormones do to behavior (or anything else from this graphic), ask! I am NOT an expert on these topics, but I can help connect you to resources from my professors or existing research.

04/21/2021

MOST dogs are selective—they have certain criteria for who they want to hang out with and how. Maybe they dislike unaltered males in their space, or get upset when another dog steals their tennis ball, or don't feel comfortable around other dogs when they're on a leash... whatever it is, these dogs are NORMAL! With a little awareness and some guidance, you too can learn to identify your dog's selective preferences, to better avoid situations that make them uncomfortable.

Big thanks to Every Dog Behavior and Training for this great explanation!

04/20/2021

The grooming industry supports everyone from all walks of life. We will not tolerate hate or exclusion. Everyone is accepted, everyone is welcomed and diversity is encouraged.

Learn More: www.stopaapihate.org/actnow/

04/19/2021

Please do not attempt this without guidance from a professional!

04/10/2021

I can attest to the truth of this!

03/13/2021

Welcome HOBBES 🥰

Hobbes is boarding and training to work on his leash reactivity on urban walks. We’re going to take it easy the first couple of days so he can get into a relaxed mindset. We’ll spend some quality time on decompression walks utilizing a body harness and a long line and practicing loose leash skills and management techniques in an environment with no triggers. I’m looking forward to his progress!

01/15/2021

Bowie is a champion and it’s also his birthday 🥳

Image description: A brown pit bull cuddles on a leather couch with a turquoise comforter. He’s resting his head on someone’s lap. His eyes are partly open because he’s starting to doze off. There is a faint light in the background.

01/13/2021

Where was your walk this week?