Grey Matter Dog Training

08/06/2025

Pet ownership means deciding between making Humane and Inhumane Choices.

HUMANE CHOICES
Definition of humane: marked by compassion, sympathy, or consideration for humans or animals

Shelters/Rescues – Every location is different in terms of rescues and shelters in their area. Seek them out online or in-person to learn more. Shelters and rescues are usually overflowing with dogs in need of loving homes, many of them purebred. You can use the following websites to help you search for rescues and shelters in our area:

Petfinder - www.petfinder.com/animal-shelters-and-rescues
Petango - www.petango.com/advancedsearch
Adopt a Pet - www.adoptapet.com/animal-shelters

Online Adoptable Dogs – There are several websites that can help you search for a dog to adopt that meets your specific requirements. Just go to any of these websites and input the criteria you’re looking for. You’ll be amazed at the results!

Petango - www.petango.com
Petfinder - www.petfinder.com
Adopt a Pet - www.adoptapet.com

Each website will return to you a list of available adoptable dogs who are waiting for homes and who meet the specific criteria you input regarding breed, size, age, and location.

Breed-Specific Rescues – If you have a particular breed of dog in mind, search for a breed-specific rescue organization. You can Google the information or search through social media. These rescues usually only focus on one breed. Breed-specific rescue groups are made up of dedicated volunteers who house, foster, care for and carefully place purebreds in loving homes. Many times they will have puppies in addition to adult dogs of that particular breed. For prospective dog owners who are interested in a specific breed, this type of rescue group is an alternative to purchasing from a breeder or a pet store, and these rescue organizations do not contribute to the companion overpopulation problem. Breed-specific rescue groups work hand in hand with and complement the work of animal shelters.

Responsible Breeders – If you have a particular breed in mind and want to find a reputable breeder of that dog, look for a Breed Club to get recommendations. You can search through Google or social media to find a Breed Club. Be sure, however, that any breeder you work with:

Does not sell to pet stores, sell their dogs online, or allow for dogs to be shipped; they want to meet potential homes to ensure that their puppies are going to good, suitable homes
Does not come off as a ‘high-pressure salesman’, but instead, someone who is invested in finding a good family for the puppy, asks you many questions, and will encourage you to make the right decision
Should be willing to answer any questions you have and should also ask you many questions to ensure you know what to expect with your new puppy—that you are knowledgeable about the breed and temperament and have made all the necessary preparations
Encourages multiple visits and asks that your entire family meets the puppy, as well as the puppy’s parents. They want to see how all members of your family interact with the dogs, particularly if you have children

Learn more about finding a reputable breeder here: www.harleysdream.org/how-to-find-a-reputable-breeder

INHUMANE CHOICES
Definition of inhumane: cruel to people or animals in not caring about their suffering or about the conditions under which they live: not humane; lacking humanity, kindness, compassion, etc.

Pet Stores – 98% of puppies in pet stores came from puppy mills located all across the country. While the puppies are sold to the unsuspecting public, the parent dogs live their entire lives in cages, receiving minimal care. They are usually disposed of when they can no longer produce a profit for the breeders.

Puppy Sales Websites – Puppy sales websites are puppy mills selling directly to the public online, willing to ship a puppy to you in exchange for money or meet you in a convenient location (not their kennel). The public is never allowed to see the facility the puppies came from or to visit the parent dogs. Regardless of the look of a website, the parent dogs of these puppies live their entire lives in cages solely to produce puppies for the unsuspecting public. They receive minimal care and are usually disposed of when they can no longer produce a profit for the breeder.

08/05/2025

Are you in need of formula, food, and diapers or know someone that might be?

The BabyMobile will be located at CPN WIC Shawnee 1601 S Gordon Cooper Dr. from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. tomorrow!

Please share with anyone who may need these services.

No appointment is required.

08/02/2025

07/27/2025

Since when did we equate sitting with "politeness" ?
Is it time to reassess the "Sit"?
It's a reflex of ours to always ask for it.
It becomes a "default" cue....whether it's "needed" or not.

A change of position does not change their emotions.
It can be incredibly frustrating for them.
Is there anything wrong with just standing near us?

Do we insist on a sit when they are clearly showing us they are feeling anxious?
Is it always the most asked for position?

Does it really help?....or is it a habit that we have and it's difficult to break?

07/22/2025

In case you have not guessed by now...

07/12/2025

07/12/2025

Resource guarding can be a big struggle for a lot of owners, and is something that needs to be taken seriously as it does create a bite risk for anyone around the dog. However, like lots of areas in dog training, there is conflicting information online about how this behaviour should be worked through, with some schools of thought suggesting messing with the dog's food in order to gain compliance. 😓

So what does the science actually say??

Well, a 2017 study into resource guarding found that messing with a dog's food bowl actually created an increase in resource guarding behaviour, rather than the decrease that dominance based training states, and it was adding food TO the dog's bowl rather than removing it which created a decrease in the behaviour.

Why does this work? 🤔

Let's imagine you are eating your dinner and someone comes out of the blue and takes it away. You would quite rightly be quite annoyed, and if this started happening on a regular basis, once you saw this person approach when you had your dinner you would put steps in to stop them taking it. Perhaps putting your arms around it, holding it closer, yelling at them to go away, or putting your body between them and it. However, if this same person turned up and offered you your favourite food in return for what you currently had you would start to have a different emotional response to their approach. Every time they turned up you would get excited, associating them with bringing positive options for you rather than loosing the one option you had. This is exactly what it is like for our dogs! They do not know the logic and reasoning why we may want to remove something from them, just that we are, and so will naturally learn to defend objects should this become a regular occurrence. But if we are adding something positive to their experience, they will start to feel happy and safe in our presence instead.

So, if your dog is showing signs of resource guarding I would always recommend to contact a qualified trainer to show you the safest and most effective way to work on the struggle for your individual case. But what the science shows is messing with your dogs food is certainly not the answer. 🐶

You can find the study quoted in the graphic here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167587717301253

07/12/2025

07/03/2025

If you have to leave, there are several things you can do to make your pet more comfortable during the fireworks.

Bonus: These things can also make *you* more comfortable if you're staying home!

07/02/2025

A list of medications that may affect olfaction. Because we always ask. Thank you Dr. Olivit and Madison Companion Animal hospital for all your support of our K9s over the years.

07/01/2025

🇺🇸 4th of July Pet Safety Tips 🐾
Poochies Family, we want to remind you some important things to keep in mind during this patriotic holiday!

☀️ Health & Heat Safety
Keep your pets cool and hydrated—heatstroke can happen fast!
Keep an eye out for dangerous foods or substances they may accidentally consume. Contact pet poison control in case of emergency at 855-764-7661

🏡 Comfort & Anxiety
Try to keep pets indoors in a quiet, safe space.
If needed, speak with your vet about anxiety medications or calming aids. Don’t wait- contact them today!

🎆 Fireworks Awareness
Pets are naturally curious—but loud noises and flashing lights can be overwhelming.
Be mindful of sound levels and keep a safe distance from firework activity.

🆔 Updated Identification
The 4th is one of the top days for lost pets.
Make sure collars, ID tags, and microchips are up to date in case they get spooked and run. You can check microchip information and status at
https://www.aaha.org/for-veterinary-professionals/microchip-search/