Happy Tails Training

20/08/2024

Punishing a dog who is scared makes them even more scared, likely making the problem worse in the long run! While punishing aggression may see the behavior temporarily suppressed, it often pops up a few days, weeks, or months later, sometimes more severe than it was before! This is because aggression is a symptom of a deeper issue, which punishment fails to address and often makes worse.

Don't settle for a "quick fix" that sabotages your long-term goals. Look for a behavior expert who is experienced using force-free training to help fearful, reactive, and aggressive dogs.

19/08/2024

New (free!) resource: 6 Things to Do BEFORE You Start Separation Anxiety Training. Visit HappyTailsTraining.com and join my newsletter to receive your copy.

05/08/2024

Did you know that giving your dog more agency can help build confidence and optimism, so they can handle stressful situations with more ease and recover more quickly after a hard event?

Giving your dog safe chances to make choices in their daily life - even something as simple as choosing between two chew options or leading the way on a walk - can be a helpful piece of a broader training program focused on reducing fear, anxiety, and stress. As a bonus, you'll get to see your dog enjoying being their most doggy self, which is sure to bring a smile to your face!

How do you give your dog choice and control in your daily routine together? Let me know in the comments below!

04/08/2024

I was rereading one of my favorite dog books last week and I suddenly wondered if others might be interested in reading dog books and nerding out about dog behavior with me.

Would you be interested in joining a dog-oriented book club if I started one? Probably one book a month, one monthly virtual meeting to discuss and ask questions. If this sounds like something you might be interested in, comment below or send me a message so I can see whether it's worth pursuing.

01/08/2024

"Be aware that depriving animals of their minimal physiological and social needs can make them desperate. This can then manifest as pushy, demanding behavior (often misattributed to dominance) or as anxious, disengaged behavior (often misattributed to stubbornness)." Quote from Kathy Sdao's excellent book, Plenty in Life is Free.

When dogs are living with unmet needs, their behavior can be...extreme. Persistent vocalization, self-mutilation behavior, escape attempts, destruction, aggression, and more can pop up in dogs whose needs aren't being met. Before pouring time and energy into any training endeavor, ensure your dog is getting what they need to be physically and emotionally healthy: companionship, exercise, quiet time, enjoyable mental stimulation, and freedom from pain and illness.

Not sure how to meet your dog's needs to support your training goals? Let's talk! Book a free discovery call on my website to see how I can help.

29/07/2024

The normalization of breeding dogs destined for poor health and early deaths is alarming, and it's wider spread than you might think. If being predisposed to suffering is "normal for a breed," it's time to change that.

29/07/2024

I'm really excited to be presenting at the Pet Professional Guild's Celebrating Life Together event, coming up this August 16th, 17th, and 18th. Even if you're not excited to hear me talk about when we punish our dogs (it's not never!) and how we can do it less (getting proactive!), there are 66 other amazing presenters to get psyched about.

Learn more and buy your ticket for this great event at www.PetApprovedEvent.com

28/07/2024

I meet with a lot of clients who are feeling burned out on because they've given all their energy to pre-departure cue desensitization and gotten nowhere. If you've tried this method and feel like you'll never be able to leave your dog alone, don't give up! By changing our approach, we can get you spending time apart from your dog sooner with less stress for you both. Once your dog has learned that time alone is safe, it will be easier to bring back the once-scary cues that absences are coming, because absences will no longer be scary!

If you're interested in learning more about my training program and whether it's the right fit for you and your dog, I'd love to connect! Book a free discovery call on my website to learn more.

24/07/2024

If you're like most of my clients, you didn't adopt a dog with the hope that they would panic when you leave, requiring you to rearrange your life to keep them feeling safe while you teach them new coping skills. Even if you DID adopt a dog with separation anxiety intentionally, as I did, it's still totally normal to find yourself feeling sad or frustrated when your dog's anxiety makes you cancel plans.

Whether you "signed up for this" or not, beating yourself up for feelings of "negativity" won't do you OR your dog any good. Give yourself a break, acknowledge the validity of your feelings, and then ask for help if you need it! Your dog's anxiety isn't your fault, and you both deserve to feel better.

If you're tired of slogging through and would like personalized support and expert-crafted training plans just for your dog, please reach out! I offer a free discovery call so you can learn about my training program and find out whether I'm the right person to help you and your dog. Use the link in my bio to book!

22/07/2024

Excited to be presenting at The Pet Professional Guild Celebrating Life Together Event coming up in just a few weeks! If you haven't yet gotten your ticket, it's not too late! With 66 hours of educational content, this is an event worth making room in your calendar for!

🎉Celebrating Life Together - A Pet Approved Event!
Join Hannah Thiemann of Happy Tails Training at the three-day virtual advocacy event on August 16, 17, 18, 2024.
Register here today:
https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/webinars-events/webinars/celebrating-life-together-a-pet-approved-event/
PRESENTATION TITLE - Creating Conditions for Kindness: Preventing Punishment for People and Pets
SESSION DESCRIPTION:
In this webinar, I will begin by clearly defining punishment and giving several real-life examples of accidental punishments that are frequently used in our lives with our dogs.

After briefly explaining why we want to avoid punishment in our relationships with our dogs, I will help viewers gain a greater understanding of antecedent arrangements as a proactive strategy to prevent unwanted behaviors from our dogs AND set ourselves up to be the kind, compassionate trainers we aim to be, by rearranging the antecedents in our own lives that contribute to punishment in moments of frustration or anger.
😺Come and join us! Please help us be the antidote to harmful training and pet care.
🐴66 sessions over three days.
🐦You can access the recordings for 12 months, and there are great CEUs.
🐶Let's join together and create a large platform of ethical and compassionate pet care shaping the industry one paw at a time.

21/07/2024

"Medications can help properly regulate a dog’s internal, physiological state so that learning can take place. Some dogs – often those who become easily over-aroused, agitated, or frustrated – regularly experience an internal state that prevents them from being able to learn new behaviors and responses. In these situations, their body, just like a diabetic with insulin, may need medications to help regulate their internal environment. Think of this as “Setting the Stage” for learning to occur and for training & behavior modification efforts to be successfully absorbed." - Dr. Emily Levine, DVM, DACVB

While training can accomplish wonders for many dogs, there are some dogs whose anxiety or stress is so significant that it inhibits their learning. For these dogs, medication can offer life-changing support so they can conquer their fears. While I can't tell you whether or not medication is right for your dog, specifically, I've worked with enough dogs whose lives changed for the better with medication that I want you to have resources to discuss this topic with your vet if you're interested! Dr. Levine's great post (which contains this quote and many other great pieces of wisdom) joins others on my medication resources page, linked in my bio. Check it out if you're curious about this topic or want more information before you discuss it with your vet.

16/07/2024

As a behavior consultant, I can't say whether or not medication is a good fit for any given dog, but I've seen enough dogs make better progress with their with the support of medication that I CAN say it's worth a talk with a vet.

Often times, our own internalized beliefs about anxiety and medication can stop us from even bringing up the topic with our veterinarian, and that can deprive our dogs of the opportunity to live a less anxious life. This quote is from Malena DeMartini's blog post, The Medication Conundrum, and you'll find lots of great info on the topic if you give it a read. To find a link to this blog and other great resources to help you have an informed conversation with your vet, check out my medication resources page: https://www.happytailstraining.com/blog/separation-anxiety-medication

14/07/2024

Some hard realities about separation anxiety training with your dog:
1. Crating won't fix it. If your dog is scared of being alone, they're not going to stop being scared of isolation because they're locked up.
2. Crying it out won't fix it. In fact, your dog will get a lot of evidence that you leaving means they're going to be left to feel awful for a long time.
3. There is no quick fix for separation anxiety - or any other fear-based behavior. It takes time, patience, and consistency to overcome fear and anxiety.
4. You can't do this alone. Whether it's asking your neighbors for some grace, asking friends to come stay with your dog when you have to go out, or hiring a professional pet sitter or daycare to cover absences, you're going to need to ask for help somewhere along the way. Trying to handle isolation distress in isolation is a recipe for more distress.
5. Punishment won't help your dog feel less scared about being alone - in fact, it will make them more anxious because they know scary things happen when you leave. Avoid bark collars, scolding, rubbing your dog's nose in the mess, and any other attempt to scare your dog into "being good." They aren't spiteful; they're really scared!

Separation anxiety training isn't easy, and it isn't quick, but it's worth it. When you can run to the grocery store, have a night out with friends, or attend an in-person work shift without worrying about your dog, you'll be grateful you put in the effort to give your dog lasting relief from their fear.

Need help training your dog to tolerate time alone? I'd love to hear from you!

11/07/2024

Bad news: there is no quick fix for separation anxiety in dogs. Good news: there IS a fix!

Unlearning fear is a long, slow process, and we have to move at the pace of our learners, which is seldom as quick as we'd like. The good news is that it CAN be done, and with careful, consistent training dogs can tackle their fear of isolation and learn to relax when home alone.

I know how intimidating it is to hear that it may be months before you can leave your dog alone long enough to actually DO something with your time apart, but I know that the ability to leave your dog without stress is worth the wait.

Creating lasting behavior change and emotional wellness is a marathon, not a sprint, but you can make it if you have support! Reach out to friends and neighbors to ask for help with pet sitting, discuss your dog's fear with your vet, and let me know if you need some 1-on-1 coaching! I'd love to help you tackle this training challenge and live a more peaceful, joy-filled live with your dog.

08/07/2024

Separation anxiety has a bad reputation as being "unfixable" but that's not true at all! With the right training, the vast majority of dogs are able to overcome this anxiety and learn to be comfortable home alone. If you're looking for help with your dog's behavior when you leave, I would love to hear from you! Book a free call on my website to learn more about my approach.

04/07/2024

It may not feel like when your life is being run by your dog's anxiety, but don't lose hope! With good training, dogs can learn to handle time alone so you can go out and live your life without worrying about barking, howling, or destruction in your absence.

If you feel like your dog's anxiety is ruling your routine, please reach out for help! I'd love to equip you with the tools you need to help your dog cope with time alone, so you can both pursue happiness.

01/07/2024

You're allowed to be frustrated if your dog's anxiety has you stuck in your house, but don't let yourself get stuck on that feeling! Help is available, if you're willing to ask! With good training, dogs can overcome their fear of being alone. Have questions? Comment below!

27/06/2024

Does it surprise you to hear that online training is the gold standard in separation anxiety training? Many of my clients are surprised to hear that I won't be visiting their homes to train, but the benefits become clear quickly once we start training. I'm grateful for the opportunity to help dog guardians near and far with this tough behavior issue!

25/06/2024

The 4th of July is just around the corner, which means your dog is going to be exposed to loud, unpredictable explosions that could cause a panic. Every year, hundreds of dogs go missing as they flee the noises, and many more suffer at home.

If your dog has a history of sound sensitivity, separation anxiety, or you just don't think they're going to love having the sky explode overhead, call your vet right now and make an appointment to discuss situational medication. For some dogs, pharmaceutical support can make the difference between "coping" and crisis.

23/06/2024

Let me introduce myself!

I'm Hannah, a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant specializing in separation-related behavior problems. The dogs I work with show a variety of behaviors - barking, howling, whining, destruction, indoor pottying, escape attempts, self-injury - with the unifying theme that these behaviors occur in the context of separation from their human companions. If you have a dog who panics when you leave, I'd love to help you regain your independence by teaching your dog to relax while you're away.

My wife and I share our lives with two amazing dogs: Ziggy and Adora.

Ziggy is a senior chihuahua I adopted from a California shelter in 2013. Adopting Ziggy and learning that I didn't need to "dominate" him in order to live a nice life together was a game changer! This sweet little pup prompted me to learn all I could about positive reinforcement training, and fueled my passion for sharing kind training techniques with everyone who'll listen. Ziggy is a friendly, brave, resilient dog who challenges assumptions about chihuahuas wherever he goes, and I'm so glad to have him in my life.

Adora is our new addition, adopted in 2023 from a small, foster-based rescue. In her foster home, she would cry, bark, and become destructive when separated from her foster mom, and those separation-related behaviors told me she was supposed to be my dog. A year after adoption, we're still working on Adora's fear of being left alone, but she's made incredible strides in her general anxiety, sound sensitivity, and reactivity on leash. She is a social pup with a unique talent for leading me to strangers who will be nice to me on a bad day, and she's helping me step outside my comfort zone more often. Although her isolation distress can be frustrating to manage, I am so glad I adopted this goofy girl and I look forward to seeing where life takes us in the coming years!

Just like you, I'm a human doing my best. I make mistakes, learn new things, and lose my patience occasionally. If you'd like to learn alongside me, knowing that we'll never be perfect, I'm thrilled to have you here! Here's to a happier life with our dogs through kind training and continued learning!

18/06/2024

Apparently, today is which feels like a good time to remind you that you don't need to be constantly Doing Things with your dog. In fact, finding a quiet place to sit in the grass and watch the world around you can be a great way for you and your dog to relax, get some mental enrichment, and "do nothing" together.

I love trick training, puzzle toys, hikes, long walks, and even the occasional run with my dogs, but it's important to remember the immense value of "doing nothing" now and then. Slowing down and enjoying each other's presence, without the pressure to be "doing something" all the time, is where I find some of the greatest joy in my life with my dogs.

As you plan your dog's enrichment and exercise this week, whatever that looks like, make sure to build in time to "do nothing" together. Quiet time spent watching people, dogs, birds, and whatever else happens to be 100 feet away while you relax in the grass or on a park bench can be immensely valuable for you both.

(If you recognize the style of in this post, please know I'm not vilifying trick training! I LOVE Kyra's work to help people find fun, low-stress ways to connect with their dogs, build new training skills, and have some active fun! This is just a tongue-in-cheek reminder to actively cultivate inactive fun too! Do both!)

18/06/2024

Sittin' in the stairwell practicing leaving my dog alone.

is rarely glamorous. It's a whole lotta nothing, watching our dogs "doing nothing" while we wait outside. But in those moments of boring calm, our dogs are practicing new coping skills and learning to handle isolation.

Today, my dog Adora spent 10 minutes alone without having a meltdown. While that may sound like "nothing" to those who haven't lived with a dog that struggles with seeing their people leave, it's a big step in the right direction for a

If you're feeling like your own training journey with your dog is agonizingly slow, don't give up hope! Those few minutes you spend away from your dog add up, and over weeks and months of consistent practice they can teach your dog that being alone isn't so scary.

Hang in there. It gets better. I promise.

16/06/2024

Happy Father's day to all the dog dads filling their pups' lives with joy and kindness, especially those who've had to work hard to overcome their dogs' pre-existing fear of men. Thanks for being a source of good things, a safe space to retreat to, a playmate, and a cuddle buddy. You are appreciated!

16/06/2024

A lot of my clients are going through medication trials with their dogs right now, and some of them are seeing amazing results! Others...are not, and that's okay! There is no "one size fits all" medication for dogs with separation anxiety, and in fact some dogs with separation-related behavior problems don't end up benefiting from medication at all!

This is why it's so important to work with a vet you trust, so you can get a personalized treatment plan for your individual dog AND ask questions and make adjustments as you see changes (positive OR negative). If you're wondering whether medication would help your dog but aren't even sure where to start the conversation, I have a list of resources (including Dr. Jen's fantastic blog) on my medication resources page here: https://www.happytailstraining.com/blog/separation-anxiety-medication

Every dog is an individual, and they all follow their own path to home alone success. Finding that unique path requires an open mind, lots of curiosity, and good data tracking along the way so we can find the answers to questions that arise. If you're looking for help with your dog's separation anxiety training, I'd love to hear from you!

14/06/2024

To make a separation anxiety plan, you need to understand your dog’s current comfort level with being alone. If you are having trouble identifying any length of time that your dog is comfortable with as a starting point, working with a professional from day one can prevent training mistakes or hard absences that will ultimately slow your progress. As a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer, I have experience helping dog guardians just like you find their starting point and make progress towards their goals!

13/06/2024

Are you wondering whether medication would help your dog overcome their separation anxiety? Only your vet or veterinary behaviorist can determine whether this is the right treatment for your dog, but it's hard to even start that conversation when you don't know what questions to ask! Dr. Levine's post joins fantastic resources from other experts on my medication resources page to help you have an informed conversation with your vet; check out the link in my bio to read more.

06/06/2024

One of the most effective methods for resolving separation anxiety in dogs is systematic desensitization, or gradual exposure. Starting with short absences that are not stressful for your dog and slowly building up their tolerance over time is key. Visit my website to learn more about how I can help you and your dog tackle separation anxiety!

27/05/2024

Suspending absences is a critical component of separation anxiety training, but it can be very intimidating, especially when you have a busy schedule and need to leave your dog for long periods of time. Every dog is an individual, and so is their human. What works for one dog may not work for another, but I can help you craft a personalized absence suspension plan that works for you both.

26/05/2024

Absence suspension is a crucial component of resolving separation anxiety in dogs, but it can be a daunting prospect for many pet guardians, especially those who have busy schedules or rely on leaving their dog alone for extended periods. Visit my website to learn more about my compassionate approach to resolving separation anxiety and how I help my clients keep their dogs and their homes safe while we build new skills to handle time apart.

21/05/2024

After several graduations, I have room for new clients in my program. If you're looking for help teaching your dog that they can stay calm in your absence, I would love to connect! Book a free discovery call on my website to learn more!