Gentle Beth

12/15/2023

Favorite things month continues with a few of my favorite podcasts!

In my final post of September, Resources for Trainers and Trainers-To Be, I noted three podcasts that offer great resources for anyone interested in dog training and behavior: The Bitey End of the Dog, Drinking from the Toilet, and Paws and Reward. For this week's favorite things post I'm writing ab...

12/08/2023

My favorite things month continues on the Gentle Beth blog!

Between my personal and Gentle Beth accounts, I follow a lot of people who post about dogs and training on Instagram. I also follow a lot of writers and artists. Here are a few of my favorites along with a gentle reminder that while social media accounts often provide great resources, they can't sub...

12/01/2023

December is all about my favorite things!

It's December, which means Christmas carols in every store, multicolored lights around the neighborhood, my menorah coming out of the cupboard, and the Sound of Music on TV. So in honor of Maria’s much-loved song, this month I’m featuring some of my favorite things, starting with my favorite gam...

11/24/2023

Final post for November--resources for people with puppies, teenagers, or old dogs!

This month I focused on three stages of a dog's life--puppyhood, adolescence, and old age. You can find information about training your adult dog in any of my other blog posts from this year. Below you'll find some resources for additional information and help with each of these three stages. Puppie...

11/17/2023

This week's post about senior dogs is up on my Gentle Beth blog! Thank you to everyone who shared photos of your gorgeous senior dogs!

Between seven and eleven (depending on the breed), dogs are classified as senior. Around the time your dog’s muzzle begins to whiten and his pace begins to slow, you may also see changes in his demeanor and interests, but adjustments to your management and enrichment strategies will help you and y...

11/10/2023

This week's blog post about helping you and your teenage dog navigate adolescence is up!

In dogs adolescence begins when they are around six months old and can last until they are two (or longer depending on the breed). Just as it does in human teenagers, your adolescent dog’s brain matures in stages, starting at the back and ending in the front. As a result, they lack the impulse con...

11/06/2023

A few days later than usual, here's my blog post about alone time training and socialization for puppies, featuring photos generously contributed by my friends.

This month I'm writing about specific training needs for each stage of your dog's life, starting with puppyhood. While potty training and basic manners are important to teach your puppy, alone time training and socialization are even more crucial. Because puppies, like small children, don't understa...

11/03/2023

My usual Friday blog post is delayed by a pinched nerve but I'm hoping to publish it tomorrow! In the meanwhile, here's a puppy picture I'll feature. Thank you to Kelsy Carson for sharing it with me.

10/27/2023

This month's resources post includes lots of links! Plus some pictures of the shelter dogs (and a cat) I met in my years as an adoption counselor and behavior and training volunteer at Oregon Humane Society.

For resources week, I've included a variety of links to more information about all things dog adoption and shelter life. Shelters and Rescues: Oregon Humane Society: With locations in Northeast Portland and Salem, the Oregon Humane Society is one of the oldest shelters in the U.S. The admission team...

10/20/2023

Week three of adopt a shelter dog month: helping your new dog settle into your home, featuring my shelter dog, Ralphie.

Adopting the right dog for you and your lifestyle is the first step in helping him adjust to your home. Preparing your home for his arrival is the second step. Before heading to the shelter, get some basic supplies like a leash, food bowl, water dish, soft beds and blankets, treats, and some toys. B...

10/13/2023

Week two of National Adopt a Shelter Dog month: how to pick the right shelter dog for you!

It can be challenging to resist an adorable face when you walk through a shelter or look at pictures of adoptable dogs online. With just one glance, you may decide that this dog is the perfect pet for you. Sometimes you will be right. Other times the match doesn't work. So this week I offer some sug...

10/07/2023

I'm so excited to announce that I'm now offering a 12-week separation anxiety training package! Because it's all virtual, you can live anywhere and still work with me.

Learn how Gentle Beth will help you help your dog be alone. Offered through online sessions for people in any location.

10/06/2023

It's National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month! This week I'm talking about life in a shelter. (The dogs pictured were all adopted!)

October is National Adopt a Shelter Dog month in the U.S., so my blog posts will be all about shelter dogs! I’ll talk about picking the right shelter dog for you, give you pointers for helping your new pet adjust to your home, and provide several resources for adoption. This week, though, I’m fo...

09/29/2023

Stop the pressure!

09/29/2023

The final post of September is up on my blog! It features more resources for trainers and pictures of my dog.

I've included many links to resources in this month's blog posts. Here are a few more (plus pictures of my dog Ralphie)! Trainer Education Trainer Jean Donaldson founded the Academy for Dog Trainers in 1999. This intensive course covers all aspects of dog training and behavior modification and offer...

09/22/2023

It's Friday! That means there's a new post up on my Gentle Beth blog! This week I explore different options for continuing education.

What trainers initially study to become trainers doesn’t cover every topic or keep us up-to-date on the newest techniques for training and latest scientific discoveries about dogs (did you know that they laugh?). For that we need continuing education, which we can get by attending conferences, tak...

09/15/2023

This week I focus on some of the certifications that trainers might hold!

In the US anyone can print business cards and call themselves a dog trainer, regardless of their knowledge, experience, or ability. So it can be difficult for people to know whether or not the trainer they hire is qualified to work with them and their dog. That’s where certifications can be helpfu...

09/08/2023

This week I write about training to become a trainer, featuring my study flashcards for my CPDT-KA certification exam.

Many trainers grew up with dogs and learned how to work with them at an early age. Others, like me, came later to training (and to being a dog’s person). No matter how long you’ve been around dogs, however, there is a lot to learn to become an effective trainer. A good trainer will have a solid ...

09/01/2023

New month, new blog topic! This month is all about being a dog trainer.

It's all things dog trainer month on the Gentle Beth blog! In the next few weeks I'll cover education options for aspiring trainers, decode certifications, and provide plenty of resources if you'd like to learn more. This week I'm focusing on what I love about being a dog trainer. My journey to beco...

08/25/2023

In my final post of separation anxiety month on the Gentle Beth blog, I offer some resources and announce the training package I'll launch this fall!

Having a dog with separation anxiety can feel overwhelming, but there are a lot of resources available to help you, starting with your vet. Many dogs with separation anxiety benefit enormously from medications that treat anxiety. While the meds don’t solve the problem on their own, they can make t...

08/18/2023

This week I'm debunking some myths about separation anxiety!

The first myth I debunk with my clients is that they caused their dog's separation anxiety by, for example, letting their dog sleep in their bed. Although some research suggests that an older dog being rehomed or experiencing a big change in life could spark separation anxiety, we don't know exactly...

08/16/2023

08/11/2023

This week I write about separation anxiety training! (My dog Ralphie doesn't suffer from SA; he just likes to keep an eye on the world).

Because separation anxiety is rooted in fear, we use systematic desensitization to slowly teach dogs to feel better about being alone. As we work, we watch their body language for signs of stress since dogs can’t articulate how they feel about each step. Our goal in every training session is to ke...

08/10/2023

I'm so proud to have completed this course! I'll be adding separation anxiety packages in the next few weeks!

08/06/2023

Yesterday a client told me that his kids were playing dog and trainer that morning (one is the dog, the other is the trainer and then they switch parts. Apparently this is something they started doing after our first session, which is adorable.). As part of their play they said "bad dog!" to each other. They then reported to their parents that it didn't feel so good to be called a bad dog and that they didn't think they should say that to their dog. And they are right.

08/04/2023

It's separation anxiety month on the Gentle Beth blog!

I’m close to completing my SA Pro trainer certification, so I thought that this month I’d focus on separation anxiety. Most dogs would prefer to be with their humans all the time, but they can tolerate being alone. Some dogs, however, experience their human's absence as an intensely fearful even...

07/27/2023

I've got a lot going on tomorrow, so I'm posting a day early! This final post of trainers-who-influence me month is about Jean Donaldson and Chirag Patel.

I couldn’t decide between Jean Donaldson and Chirag Patel for this final week of trainers-who-influence-me month, so I decide to write about both of them. I first learned about Jean Donaldson from reading her book, The Culture Clash. Since then I have read several of her books and taken her Great ...

07/21/2023

This week's blog about trainers who influence me features Leslie McDevitt, creator of Control Unleashed!

If you’ve worked with me, you’ve heard me talk about Leslie McDevitt and her Control Unleashed Program. There’s also a good chance that we’ve played a variety of her games. McDevitt first devised the Control Unleashed exercises to help dogs who struggled in agility classes and trials cope wi...

07/15/2023

I'll be doing a free talk on positive reinforcement on Sunday August 6th at 1:00 at Tré Bone in St. Johns! Sign up at the store!

I'll define positive reinforcement, explain how it works, and discuss why it's the best option for your dog!

This handsome boy won't be there because it's for humans only.

07/14/2023

This week's post is about behavior consultant and applied ethologist Kim Brophey and her L.E.G.S. framework!

I can’t remember when I first learned about canine behavior consultant Kim Brophey’s work—it could have been in a conference presentation or as a recommendation from a fellow trainer. But whenever it was, her book, Meet Your Dog, has had a permanent place on my desk ever since. Brophey, who is...