Great Woods Pet Sitting

10/28/2025

Halloween safety 🎃👻🦇

Are you and your pups ready for trick-or-treating this Friday?

While Halloween can be a really fun time for some dogs, other dogs may not enjoy it as much. It is important to have a plan in place so you can enjoy the evening in the best way that fits your entire family!

Some tips to consider to keep your pup safe:

1. Consider alternative plans for any pups who you know will be anxious/stressed or any pups that become stressed, overwhelmed, or anxious during the evening

2. Ensure safety by keeping your dog secured inside, on a leash if outside, and consider reflective gear if going out in the dark

3. Avoid heavy traffic/crowds and ensure your dog's tag on their collar and/or microchip contact info is up to date in case they get loose or separated

4. Give your pets their own treats and ensure they do not eat any candy etc. that is not meant for them

5. Keep an eye out for things like dropped candy/wrappers, candles (especially with real flames), glow sticks, and other holiday decor that may tempt your pet

6. Not all dogs enjoy wearing clothing/costumes, but if they do, choose costumes that are comfortable and safe

Information summarized from the following articles:
https://www.animalhumanesociety.org/resource/five-halloween-safety-tips-you-and-your-pet
https://www.chewy.com/education/dog/general/dog-trick-or-treat

10/27/2025

Happy black cat appreciation day!

10/25/2025

Do you think this is surprising or is it what you would predict? People who used a shock collar in training their dog for recall and chasing issues said that it was less successful than they expected. But people who used reward-based methods for these issues said it was more successful than they expected.

Use treats to train your dog!

Of course, these results are based on people's reports. It could be that people who use reward-based methods are better educated in dog behaviour and do a better job of training than those people who pick a shock collar. But it could also be that reward-based methods are more effective-something other studies have suggested, too.

Source: Blackwell et. al (2012)

10/24/2025

If your dog is upset by strangers, unusual looking costumes, noises or people ringing the doorbell, Halloween might be a bad day for your pup. Consider making a sign to hang on your door, and help keep your pup feeling safe.

Maybe leave a bowl of candy out for visitors or just keep your lights off.

Small steps like this can help keep your dog feeling safe. Download link below.

10/07/2025

We love getting to walk dogs while their owners are at work! We can also play fetch, play a ith a flirt pole, work on basic cues, or provide enrichment like puzzle games.
We currently have an opening for midday dog walking. Message us or go to Greatwoodspetsitting.com for more info.

Dog Walking, Training, and Cat Sitting in Mansfield & Norton, MA

09/19/2025

My last day with Kylie was on Tuesday. 😭 We took it easy, and just walked around her yard. She took a turn for the worst and passed away on Wednesday night. She was the most wonderful, happiest dog! She loved going for her walks. Twelve years of five days a week. I will miss her so much! Run free, Kylie! 💔🐕🌈

09/15/2025

We completed Catch Canine Trainers Academy four-week online workshop on dog behavior modification. We watched Zoom calls, participated in discussions, and submitted training videos.

09/02/2025

A few days ago, after our shift, we witnessed a concerning incident that questioned dog owner responsibility-and serves as a good lesson for parents.

A family out for a walk-two adults, presumably the parents, and three young children, estimated to be about 4, 6 and 10 years of age.

The 6-year old was holding the leash of the family's 55-60 lb dog.

When the family arrived at an intersection (off a busy Rt 109), they stopped to wait appropriately for the crosswalk signal.

During the wait, the youngest child displayed typical child-button -pressing enthusiasm, and soon enough the 6-year old joined her, fully distracted from the dog of which he was 'holding' the leash with his other hand.

As the crosswalk indicator flashed to proceed, the parents and the eldest child began to cross the street, appearing presumptuous that the other two children (and the dog) were following behind them; however, the young pair was still engaged with 'the button'.

The dog, understandably not enjoying being stifled by the pole activity, saw the rest of the family nearly on the opposite side of the street, and pulled away from the 6-year old, darting out into the street, narrowly missing being struck by an SUV which was approaching the intersection. The young boy appeared unphased with a casual 'oops' body/shoulder expression once he realized the dog was no longer next to him, and turned his attention back to his sister and 'the button'.

Parents, we understand that children often ask to hold the leash of the family dog, however, children often lack maturity, attention span, physical strength, competence, multitasking skills, risk assessment, awareness of surroundings, and understanding of a dog's behavior and the unexpected actions the dog may take-and therefore, their hand may not be the best hand to be at the other end of the leash.

To prevent incidents, adults should always supervise children with dogs or handle the dog themselves.

Additionally, both adults and children should understand that dogs often behave very differently when outside of the home and property.

Public leashwalking by a child should only be considered after the child has mastered all of the above criteria, and after such has been practiced with affirmed competency in a controlled environment.

A motor vehicle accident, a dog fight, a bite or even a simple knockdown, can cause serious injuries to both dogs and humans. And fault for such incident may very well fall on the family- as 'control' is just as important and lawful as is 'leashed'.

[Image: a child being pulled by an uncontrolled dog]

08/30/2025

More dogs are euthanized due to behavioral issues from lack of socialization, than die from contagious diseases. Puppy socialization should start with the breeder, and continue once you've brought your puppy home. It should include positive exposure to all kinds of surfaces, people, animals, sights, and sounds.

Myth busters #9: Puppies should not be walked until they are fully vaccinated.

Puppy socialization is a critical learning and developmental period between 3 and 12 weeks of age. Puppies not appropriately exposed to their environment during this time may become overly afraid, anxious, and possibly aggressive. Vaccine protocols are completed between 16-18 weeks of age. If puppies are not socialized until after vaccines are completed, the risk of behavior concerns, and potentially behavioral euthanasia, is much greater.

08/09/2025

Why cats can go up trees, but then can't figure out how to get down.
If anyone says, "Don't worry, I've never seen a dead cat in a tree." Please ignore them! Cats can easily get dehydrated, which can lead to kidney failure. They can also develop fatty liver disease if they don't eat for a couple of days.
If your cat gets stuck in a tree, there is a nationwide directory of experience tree climbers and cat rescuers, who may be able to help. https://catinatreerescue.com/directory/

Have you ever wondered why cats can scale a tree like a furry superhero… but then seem completely helpless when it’s time to come down?
The answer lies in their anatomy, claw design, and natural instincts.
1. Claw Structure

- A cat’s claws curve backward, like hooks.
- Going up, these claws grip tree bark perfectly.
- Going down headfirst, the claws can’t grip the surface as well, making slipping more likely.

2. Body Position

- When climbing up, cats use strong back legs to push themselves upward.
- When climbing down headfirst, their body leans forward and gravity pulls them faster, making them feel unstable.

3. Instinct & Experience

- Wild cats sometimes learn to descend by turning around and going backward (tail first), but many domestic cats don’t practice this technique often.
- As a result, they may get “stuck” at the top because they’re hesitant to take the wrong step.

4. Psychological Factor

- From a high spot, cats feel safe.
- But when they look down, the height can make them cautious or even scared, so they choose to stay put and wait for “rescue.”

Climbing up is all about strength and claws, while climbing down is about technique and courage. Cats have the first two, but not always the latter.

08/02/2025

Instead of telling your dog what not to do, teach him what to do instead. For every "no," find a "yes!" Then continue to reinforce the alternate behavior. The alternate behavior should be at least as rewarding as the unwanted behavior.

🛑 NO! FIDO! STOP! 🛑
Do you find yourself trying hard to stop your dog from doing XYZ?
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Behavior changes more quickly and reliably, while having lasting results, when you find ways to say "yes" more than "no".

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✅ Dog training is hugely successful when you find way to teach your dog alternate behaviors to replace the bad ones instead of trying over and over to stop or punish the bad behavior.

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EXAMPLES

1️⃣ If you have a dog jumps on guests instead of punishing the dog for jumping a better solution is to train your dog to do a behavior instead of jumping. So, training Fido to lie on a mat when the doorbell rings and guests enter would eliminate his need or ability to jump on the entering guests.

2️⃣ If you have a dog that pulls on the leash instead of jerking the leash and trying to stop the pulling, give treats and rewards when Fluffy walks nicely next to you. Train her that walking on a loose leash next to you yields treats, and then sniffs to the grass to follow then she'll look forward to walks and learn that walking on a loose leash brings on good things. She'll choose that behavior every time the more she's trained to understand this.

3️⃣ If you have a dog that barks out of the window instead of punishing him for barking, teach him to settle on a mat away from the window and/or that when he sees things outside good things happen and there is no need to bark frantically.
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⁉️ Are you finding ways to tell your dog yes instead of no? If not, you should start.

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Here is a great poster designed by Dog Latin Dog Training and Behavior Consulting illustrated by Doggie Drawings by Lili Chin .

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Stacy Greer, CPDT-KA

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© 2025 Stacy Greer
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