Stacy's Wag'N'Train

11/21/2024

Too funny!

11/20/2024

This year the Australian Firefighters are donating proceeds from their calendar - full of cute, um, dogs - to Hurricane Helene survivors.

"The Australian Firefighters Calendar is proud to announce a special initiative to support citizens and animals affected by Hurricane Helene and Milton. Through our partnership with Greater Good Charities, we are donating funds to provide immediate relief and aid to impacted communities. This collaboration aims to deliver essential resources, such as food, shelter, and medical assistance, to those in need, helping families rebuild their lives after the devastation of the hurricane. Together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who have faced such significant challenges.

The Australian Firefighters Calendar is known for its charitable efforts, often supporting various causes, including those related to disaster relief. While we primarily focus on wildlife and dog and cat refuges in Australia, it's not uncommon for us to expand our support to international relief efforts, such as those following Hurricane Helene in the US.

"The Greater Good teams are delivering pet food and essential supplies to overwhelmed shelters dealing with power outages and flooding. We have established a pet pharmaceutical donation hub and are identifying veterinary needs in impacted communities in multiple states. Providing wellness care is crucial in the aftermath of a storm when disease spreads more easily from contaminated floodwaters and increased wildlife encounters.

“Greater Good Charities was on the ground before Hurricane Helene hit Florida, ready with supplies to assist impacted communities. In the aftermath, we’ve responded swiftly to the destruction and urgent needs across the Southeast, which are greater than anyone expected. Our corporate partnerships have been crucial in delivering life-saving support to those affected”.

Link to peruse and purchase in comments

11/20/2024

Right now the prediction for here in San Jose is rain on Friday - though to the north and on the coast it's either already arrived or coming sooner. Here's a great idea for a healthy use of a lickimat!

Send a message to learn more

11/20/2024

An oldie but goodie, re-shared for some

This is a fine example of "trigger stacking". Corky could handle the mailman, a cat, or squirrels - but not al at once!

11/19/2024

More "belly dancing" dogs!

11/19/2024

There's a new Zoom Room opening in Santa Clara, and they're looking for trainers

It's not clear how much experience they're expecting those trainers to have.

Zoom Room

11/19/2024

When the breeder you're considering says that the puppies were "raised in a home with family", that might not mean what you think. This video is from 2015 but I bet you this sort of thing is still going on all over the place.

11/19/2024

Management Monday!

Today's helpful product/hack is this beautiful "designer" barrier gate/fence from Etna. If you have an opening that is up to 53" wide, and you want a stylish way to block your pet from going through it, this is a lovely choice!

You can learn more about it and order one today at https://amzn.to/4bi1JZ2 (note that this is an affiliate link - no extra cost to you)

What is Management Monday about? A big part of making sure that your dogs behave the way you want is to set up their environment to allow or encourage certain behaviors, and to prevent or discourage others. In dog training, this is called "management", in that you manage the situation to induce the behavior you want to see (which you can then reward!). On Management Mondays I want to highlight equipment, tools, products and hacks you can use to help guide your dogs' behavior.

This 3-Panel Leaf Design Metal Pet Gate lets you block off any room of the house - to keep your pooch in or out - in style! Unlike typical pet gates with a utilitarian look, this attractive metal tri-fold gate features arched rectangular panels with branching vines full of leaves. Perfect for blo...

11/18/2024

I can't believe I've been attending "Research Bites" seminars for three years now - they've been great, with a recent highlight being a research paper that was based in part by research that I did with dolphins 30 years ago!

Here's what wants you to know about me as a member of this group:

Research Bites members attend monthly seminars on current research in the dog field. The research is presented by Dr. Kristina Spaulding who has PhD in biopsychology. She selects and translates the academic papers that are most applicable to dog training and behavior.

When you work with a research Bites member you are working with an individual who:

Is on the cutting edge of training and behavior modification. Usually, science is at least five years ahead of common knowledge. This means that professionals who keep up with the current science have access to new information that is unknown to other dog professionals. If you have worked with other trainers who did not have the ability to help your dog, Research Bites members are a great next step.

Cares deeply about helping animals. Research on dog behavior is exploding. It is becoming more and more essential that dog professionals keep up with the current research. This allows members to choose the most humane and effective approach to helping dogs.

Understands how to interpret and apply research. It’s one thing to read a research paper or an article about a research paper. It’s another thing entirely to be able to critically evaluate and appropriately apply the information from the research. Research Bites members are trained to analyze the limitations of research, determine the implications for the dogs they work with, and effectively apply the results.

Has access to fellow highly educated and trained professionals. A key feature of Research Bites membership is the live discussions members engage in each month. Members have the ability to ask other members as well as Dr. Spaulding for advice on specific cases.

Ultimately, Research Bites members have the information and tools they need to help your dog. They take their work seriously and value continuing education and science-based techniques. You’ve come to the right place!

11/17/2024

This dog belonged to someone I knew, though not well - a friend of friends - who recently passed away. Can anyone take her into their home?

Send a message to learn more

11/16/2024

Livestock guarding dog (LGD) doing his job

11/15/2024

Does your dog find your praise rewarding?

11/14/2024

The most important things for young puppies to learn is not "obedience commands", but how to be a dog in a human world.

11/14/2024

I usually say, "It's like a bad Monday morning. You overslept, you're out of your favorite coffee, then you spill the coffee you made on yourself, you can't find your car keys at first, and there's already a bunch of texts that need answering... then someone cuts you off in traffic..."

I also sometimes call it the "Calgon, take me away!" moment. IYKYK

TRIGGER STACKING – WHEN BEHAVIOUR HAPPENS “OUT OF THE BLUE”

We’ve all had those days when nothing seems to go right and one frustrating thing after another happens to us, leaving us feeling wound up, stressed and ready to explode at the next unsuspecting person who dares to ask us something.

This “unsuspecting” person may think we have a serious behaviour problem or need anger management therapy, when the truth is that we’ve just had a really bad day or even a few bad days and don’t usually behave like this at all.

Dogs are no different and a behaviour that seems completely out of character or happens “out of the blue” is often caused by “trigger stacking”.

A trigger may be anything that increases a dog’s stress levels and has a negative impact on their emotional, mental or physical state.

These may be small things that we may not even notice or seem insignificant to us, but they are all adding to an increasing “stack” of events that may culminate in out of character behaviour.

When stress levels reach a certain point, the next stressful event, however small, may cause an explosive reaction that is completely unexpected.

Instead of just focusing on a particular behaviour and seeing it as a problem that needs to be prevented, take a step backwards, look at the bigger picture, look at events, circumstances or environmental factors that may have played a role leading up to that behaviour.

Being aware of potential stressors and allowing your dog time to decompress, relax and unwind for a few days will often mean the difference between “normal behaviour” and a behaviour that seems completely out of character.

11/14/2024

Remember when those terrible fires whipped through Maui? Well the island, and their Humane Society, are still trying to recover from that. You can help by buying a calendar from them - or some of the other fun items they're selling!

The Maui Humane Society 2025 “Rescue Me” Calendar showcases Maui’s incredible firefighters and lifeguards alongside Maui’s beloved pets. In partnership with Hawaii Fire Fighters Association and Hawaii Government Employees Association, this calendar highlights the brave heroes of our communit...

11/13/2024

The "periscope of hope" - a moment of joy for your day!

In our increasingly outraged America, even the lowly leaf is subject to controversy, with folks upset about the raking and the bagging and mad about the blow...

11/13/2024

A little for you.

I guess I need to get 55 more dogs now - it’s written in the stars! 😉♋️