A Canine Affinity

03/25/2025

Would you leave a crying child alone to ‘toughen them up’? 💔
So often, puppies are left to cry it out, forced into spaces they don’t understand, and expected to be independent before they’re ready. This isn’t just outdated—it’s unfair.
Imagine being taken from your family, placed in a strange home, and then… left alone, scared, confused, with no way to ask for help.
Your puppy isn’t giving you a hard time—they’re having a hard time.
They don’t need to be ignored or forced into confined spaces if they aren’t ready. They need comfort, patience, and gradual learning.
Dogs deserve both physical and emotional comfort. The idea that ALL PUPPIES only need enough space to “stand up and turn around” for hours? It’s time we leave that behind.
🐾 A secure puppy becomes an independent dog—but only when they feel safe first. If you’re navigating this with your pup, Safe and Sound: A Puppy Parent’s Guide to Alone Time is here to help (Link in my bio)

✨ What helped your puppy feel safe when alone? Drop your experience in the comments to support other puppy parents! ⬇️

12/29/2024

Have you visited a Sniffspot with your dog? These "private dog parks" are hosted in the average persons back yard, extra land, farms and more!

We are hosts of a Sniffspot Peaceful Pooch Paradise in the Atlanta metro area of Roswell where we love sharing our 3.5 acres of woods, trails and creek with dogs and their humans! Only 1/2 acre is fully fenced but it is safe for large and small dogs and boasts sensory pleasures like a digging pit, dog safe gardens and lots of bird feeders. A swimming pool in the warmer months (most months in Georgia). 3 acres are partially fenced, have carved out trails, wildlife to observe and a beautiful creek for your dog to romp in! Come see us! And if you are work with rescues or foster please reach out for discounts and free visits!

Peaceful Pooch Paradise, Roswell, Georgia - Discover the Ultimate Dog Paradise. We offer an exclusive space that caters to every dog's dream and...

11/29/2024

This weekend only! Up to 15% off separation anxiety services and packages. Code: 12OFF for 12% off Foundational Assessment
Holiday15 for 15% off assessment & training package combos.

For more details on this and savings from all of your favorite small businesses check out my Holiday Gift Guide: https://www.acanineaffinity.com/general-resources/ -Gift-Guide

11/04/2024

Separation anxiety can feel overwhelming for both dogs and their guardians, but the path to recovery is within reach. 🐾 Introducing the S.A.F.E. Strategy – a comprehensive, holistic approach to navigating and addressing your dog's separation anxiety with empathy and science-based methods.
✨ Here’s what each step entails:

1️⃣ Stressors: Identify, Address and manage both immediate and distant stressors. This includes your absence suspension, data tracking for environmental stressors, health, pain and overall wellness checks and more. Some you will need to address before moving forward some may need to be managed long term.

�2️⃣ Assess: Understand your dog's alone time threshold in specific and various conditions. What can your dog handle at the start of training and how does that progress? This will help inform foundation.

�3️⃣ Foundation: Build an environment that supports your dog's daily needs. What needs adjusting in the environment? Enrichment support to encourage behavioral wellness and more.

�4️⃣ Exposure: The final step! Gradually desensitize your dog to alone time in a controlled manner. While it’s tempting to start here, skipping the earlier steps can lead to setbacks.

Want to dive deeper? Let’s set up a Foundational Assessment for your dog to get you on the path to recovery!

Check out my free webinar and discover how to apply the S.A.F.E. Strategy for your dog's recovery journey. Head over to my website to learn more: www.acanineaffinity.com

10/28/2024

Thrilled for the opportunity to share on this important topic! Join me tonight! Tickets are still available and you can watch live to join the Q&A or anytime after.

📣 Tomorrow, on Monday, is our 4th speaker - the lovely Melissa of A Canine Affinity !!

Join us tomorrow at 5:00 PM MTN/MST for Melissa’s presentation on “Enhancing Adoption Success by Reducing Problem Behaviours in Rescue Dogs”.

Don’t worry if you haven’t yet purchased your tickets or that you’ve missed the other speakers. You can STILL get tickets and recordings of the presentations! 🎫

Once you purchase the tickets, we will send you any recordings that you may have missed.

If you work in a shelter or rescue, DM us for the promo code and we will take $10 off the ticket price!

Get tickets here https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/trainers-for-rescues-workshop-tickets-1023068243657?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl

Can’t wait to see you and hear Melissa’s presentation tomorrow! 🧡

10/11/2024

Huge thank you to for the wonderful feature! I was honored to be asked for this interview in their Portraits of Atlanta: Inspiring Conversations series!

Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Dallier Hi Melissa , please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.Sure! My journey into dog training and behavior consulting started in a bit of an unexpected place: the New York City acting scene. After getting into moun...

09/25/2024

There is still time to register for tonights FREE webinar!

Is your dog struggling with separation anxiety? You’re not alone! Separation anxiety can be such a challenging behavior to witness and live with, but with a humane, evidence based holistic approach, you can help your dog feel more comfortable when left alone. In this free webinar, Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer Melissa Dallier will guide you through understanding what separation anxiety is, what the S.A.F.E. framework entails, and how you can support your dog through the recovery process.

Don’t miss out! Secure your spot now for this informative session, featuring a live Q&A with Melissa, where space is limited and filling up fast. Whether you're a dog guardian or an industry professional, this webinar is your chance to gain valuable insights and practical steps to help your dog or clients.

🗓 When: Wednesday, September 25 at 7:30 PM EST
📍 Where: Zoom
💡 Why Attend: Free expert advice, actionable tips, and a chance to get your questions answered live!
Register now to ensure your dog’s journey to stress-free alone time starts here.

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_z8r1arM-SNisREK5FiWhMg

08/23/2024

Dogs with separation anxiety deserve to feel SAFE when alone.

Our dogs that struggle with separation related behavior challenges often receive delayed care and treatment simply due to the lack of comprehensive treatment plans available to today’s guardians.

Many guardians take the information found on the internet and use a “throw it at the wall and see what sticks” approach, which at best gives some insight into what works and doesn’t and at worst causes more harm for the dog and despair and hopelessness for the guardian.

These dogs don’t need more obedience.
These dogs don’t don’t need a heavy hand.
These dogs don’t need to just get over it.

Our dogs need a holistic approach that prioritizes the dog’s wellbeing and a focus on what truly matters.

SAFE, lasting, alone time.

I’ve got something exciting coming that I feel will help more guardians understand how to approach separation anxiety recovery.

Follow me here for all of the details and head to my website (www.acanineaffinity.com) to join my mailing list to be notified about the first FREE webinar in my new series coming in September:

S.A.F.E Solutions
Navigating Your Dog’s Separation Anxiety

Does this sound like something you and your dog need?

06/01/2024

Happy to announce that we've begun hosting with Sniffspot in the Atlanta area! Discover the Ultimate Dog Paradise! The perfect place for your furry friend to beat the Georgia summer heat.

Features: Large in ground swimming pool w pet ramp. Digging pit, sensory garden, large grassy fenced in area, access to over 2 acres of trails and a creek!

Discounts and free days for local shelter volunteers and fosters and rescue to bring shelter animals that are in need of decompression and a break from the stressful shelter and rescue environment. Please reach out for more information!

See our listing here:
Or search Peaceful Pooch Paradise in Roswell

04/18/2024

The internet and countless memes tell us the 3-3-3 rule is the “perfect formula” to bringing home a new dog, but it overlooks the nuanced behavioral dynamics of dogs. Unlike computers and iPhones, dogs don't follow formulas. They require individualized attention and understanding during the adjustment process. I know this timeline is well intentioned, I truly mean no disrespect to the amazingly hardworking and dedicated people in shelters and rescues who often use this as a framework to help set adopters up for success, as humans we often run on schedules and dates. By understanding and respecting the dog's behavioral journey through these varied phases, guardians can provide the necessary support and guidance for a successful transition into their new home through a more realistic lens.

What do you think? Let me know what in the comments!

For a more in depth overview check out my new blog post: https://www.acanineaffinity.com/blog/rethinking-the-3-3-3-rule-when-bringing-home-a-new-dog

03/16/2024

Strength lies in choice. Empowering our dogs with options amplifies their voices and builds resilience. Through evidence-based methods we see the profound impact of granting dogs autonomy. Time and again we experience the power of providing choice to our dogs in simple ways. Choosing a direction on a walk, selecting a toy for a game, opting in and out of social interactions. These simple acts yet are consistently countered by harmful training advice of forcing dogs to lay in a place for hours or being punished for sniffing a blade of grass without permission as a way to ensure a “well balanced” dog.

Let's champion choice, it fosters confidence, strengthens bonds, and unlocks boundless potential

Providing our dogs with choices offers numerous benefits, including:

* Enhanced Communication: Allowing dogs to make choices encourages them to communicate their preferences and needs more effectively, fostering a deeper understanding between the dog and guardian.
* Increased Confidence: Making choices empowers dogs, boosting their confidence and sense of control over their environment, which can lead to reduced anxiety and stress.
* Improved Problem-Solving Skills: Decision-making engages a dog's cognitive abilities, promoting mental stimulation and the development of problem-solving skills.

I've shared numerous posts on providing dogs with more choice and agency, offering various ideas and insights in several posts and reels on my page!

Don't forget to follow and explore more of my content for further education on this topic.

03/15/2024

Living with a dog that presents with behavior or health challenges can be exhausting and isolating, especially if you are trying to constantly do your best. Dog guardians are inundated with messages about what they should be doing for dogs and choices they should be making. Non stop social comparisons. external input from social media, blogs, podcasts and experts leave dog guardians feeling like they have to do it all all of the time.

While some of this is normal it can become a problem when it interferes with self care and diminishes self confidence and leaves only guilt about not doing enough when that is far from the truth.

Let’s open a dialogue about the challenging feelings that are also completely normal. The more we normalize these feelings of guilt associated with the totally normal need to care for ourselves, often first, the more we can continue to be caring, empathetic, humane guardians to our pets.

Leave a 💜 if you have ever felt guilty about wanting time away from your dog

I’d love to hear more in the comments

03/13/2024

Does it resonate with you to feel like you are the one with from your SA dog? Many of my clients have experienced fear and anxiety around leaving their special needs dogs in the care of others, often due to poor past experiences. I hope to start a dialogue about this reality as well as ways to help the human side of separation anxiety as it takes a very real emotional toll.

Leave a 💜 if you’ve ever felt trapped at home with your dog
Leave a comment if you have ideas or tips for others

Look for more from my new series for confessions of separation anxiety dog guardians. Have one? Feel free to DM to me!

03/12/2024

It happened. Your dog had an over threshold event. Maybe there was an off leash dog that charged, a dog fight in the home, a very stressful vet visit, or your separation anxiety work isn’t going as planned. Take a deep breath, you and your dog will get through it together.

When these exceptionally stressful 'over-threshold' events occur in our dogs, we need to consider all the factors at play. Have you ever heard the phrase, 'when your dog goes over threshold, they can't learn'? I used to say this before understanding the potentially harmful implications of such a statement. Our dogs are constantly learning, and especially during stressful events, they may not be learning what we intended in the moment, but they are undoubtedly acquiring knowledge. This underscores the importance of our actions in the hours, days, and sometimes weeks that follow and with this knowledge it is important to see why avoiding punishment, fear and pain intentionally in our training practices should be a goal we aim for.

Stress is unavoidable in life, this is true, we don’t need to add more intentionally.

How do you help your dogs recover from stressful, over threshold events? I’d love to hear! Drop a comment below ⬇️

12/31/2023

Thank you for being a part of my year. A year full of growth, joy, pain, challenges and hard decisions. A year of so much grief in our world. So many celebrations with dog guardians. So many tears shed. Happy and sad. So many dogs feeling better today about being home alone than they were last year. So many more that need help. Homes. The needs are palpable.

A year in which I was able to help 48 dogs and their families with separation anxiety journeys. Wow. I’m humbled by that number. Truly. These families are so special ❤️

A year in which I was personally challenged emotionally and physically, winning and losing battles with my chronic health issues and learning (often failing) to respect my own boundaries while helping others learn to navigate confusing and often unpredictable challenges with their dogs that can take such a big toll on dog guardians.

I’m looking forward to this new year. There will be change, which is always scary, but my mission to provide safety, compassion and humane treatment to dogs will remain the same. Sometimes the path to help winds and changes. I can’t wait to see how many dogs and families I can continue to help.

I so appreciate all of you. Your dedication to your dogs and being here. I hope you can go into 2024 with curiosity, patience and forgiveness for anything you feel you should have done this year. You made it this far and that’s a lot.

Xoxo - Melissa (Rodger and Moxie)

Image Description: Rodger, a tan dog with a grey muzzle is looking at the camera. One ear is flipped back and he is wearing a red bandanna. His eyes are bright mouth open and seems to be smiling.

12/25/2023

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from A Canine Affinity Dog Training

12/16/2023

Granting our dogs autonomy where possible is a substantial avenue for impacting confidence. The ability to influence day-to-day decisions has been validated as a stress-reduction strategy. Given that we, as caregivers, hold control over various facets of our dogs’ routines, including meals, bathroom breaks, and social interactions, it becomes imperative to provide them opportunities to exercise safe decision-making.

I’ve observed the transformative influence of this approach, particularly on dogs struggling with fear responses and behavior challenges rooted in anxiety. The profound impact on their well-being is undeniable.

As suggested in the post here are some ways to provide agency in our dogs:

- Provide Choice on Walks (heeling for an entire walk is not necessary)
- Multiple safe spaces to choose from in the home
- Give space with human and dog interactions (with known and unknown people)
- Let them pick the games and toys they play with (safely)

Are you currently providing your dog with any of these choices? How has it impacted their behavior or emotional state?

10/28/2023

Determining if the behaviors your dog is displaying when alone are caused by separation anxiety is the most important first step!

As a separation anxiety behavior consultant and expert I help people determine what may or may not be fueling their dogs behavior every day.

Does any of the information here make you feel a certain way?
Does this sound like your dog?
Did you think maybe your dog had separation anxiety and now you don’t?
Do you feel like you need a starting place?

Check out my website for many free resources or to set up a discovery call and we can get started helping you and your dog on the way to comfortable alone time! www.acanineaffinity.com/separationanxiety