PAWSitively Calm

  • Home
  • PAWSitively Calm

PAWSitively Calm PAWSitively Calm is a fully licensed & insured Family Dog Training business focused on State of Mind Helping families live CALM, happy lives with their dogs.

A Central Florida Family Dog Training business focused on Balanced K9 Training. So why so much focus on creating CALM? Aren’t our dogs supposed to have fun and round around like maniacs? Do you have a dog that reacts on walks, reacts in the house to the dog on TV, is fearful or stressed out, creating calm can have a major impact on arousal issues. Does your dog pull on the leash, rush the door, wh

ine all the time, guard his food bowl, jump up onto the counter to grab what’s cookin, act crazy in your car, and is constantly misbehaving? Well you’re not alone. Most dog owners suffer from bratty pets due to the lack of structure and consequences needed to stop unwanted behavior. Slowing these guys down will help them make better decisions that would otherwise seem impossible. Whatever your problem may be, I am here to help you create the framework needed to ensure your dog is the calm, balanced pooch you have always imagined. I started PAWSitively Calm with the intent on helping struggling families live a more balanced and calm life with their overly excited, stressed out, bratty pets. Most of my clients say “I just want to take my dog out in public with me without him going bananas”. You see, if you could have stepped into my world a couple of years ago, you would have seen an out of control, overly aroused pack that would not stop barking, freaking out at the slightest sound, growling at visitors if they came too close, and separation anxiety at its finest. I was literally embarrassed to go out in public on leash with any of them. Packing up my three dogs in the Jeep for a beach vacation was always a nightmare with all of them barking as soon as the parking brake was engaged and the keys jingled. So there I began my research on overcoming and tackling these issues by watching and devouring any Cesar Milan book or video I could get my hands on. Something struck a nerve for me when I saw that in every episode, the owner played a significant role in creating that very behavior their dog was exhibiting. Could I really be the problem? Could too much loving and not enough structure really create this kind of madness? It sure can! And I’m here to tell you that it can all be turned around. If you want your relationship with your dog to change, you first, must change. It just takes a little bit of hard work on the dynamic of the household, and I’m here to steer you in the right direction. Rules, boundaries, and consequences are what is needed to create that balance between affection and leadership. When one of these aspects out-weighs the other, a whole slew of bad behaviors can arise. Your relationship with your dog should be permission based. Everything your dog is allowed to do, is because you gave him permission to do so. I am here to help guide you through some basic core skills in establishing your role within the pack so that you can truly have the peace of mind you’ve always imagined.

The only thing we ever ensure, guarantee, or promise with INCONSISTENCY is a persistent lack of progress, and unnecessar...
17/12/2025

The only thing we ever ensure, guarantee, or promise with INCONSISTENCY is a persistent lack of progress, and unnecessary confusion.

Inconsistent management — where one camp leans towards abandonment of all rules, restrictions, and structure because they feel mean or guilty for enforcing such, and the other humans lean towards rigidity and follow through — just creates befuddlement for the dog.

Nothing kills continued, long term success with a family dog faster than INCONSISTENCY. A dog returning to a home-life filled with multiple handlers, from friends, to neighbors, to relatives, to kids, all with varying degrees of firmness, will find themselves quickly confused. It is THIS inconsistency that is the very reason we see a quick spiral of regression.

I’ve said this time and again... Maintaining a dog’s healthy, stable, reliable behavior post-training, has to be a Team Effort made by the entire family, AND whomever has direct contact or control over the dog! This means outsourced dog walkers, grandma, and daycare facilities too!

If we want consistent, healthy, stable, balanced behavior from our dog, we and EVERYONE else left in control, have to return the favor.

16/12/2025

Lil Oliver is starting his Public Access training! Only a little over a week ago it would have been impossible to walk this insecure, reactive cutie-pie ANYWHERE without him barking at EVERYTHING!

We’ve been working hard on conditioning Oliver’s mindset to defer to his person, and look to the them for guidance. Tuning out the world and listening to his human are critical in overcoming his insecurities. This has involved a comprehensive program based in PERMISSION ONLY ACTIVITY, where every step is managed and dictated by me. This slows down his processing, creating a lot more self awareness!

We headed to Lowes, to continue solidifying Oliver’s obedience around unfamiliar stimuli. This place is loaded with things a dog has never seen! And for Oliver, unfamiliar “anything” can have him flip to an unhealthy space of reactivity!

Working around a ton of distraction like this desensitizes him to the unfamiliar, and helps Oliver defer to ME when confronted with triggers that concern him. Having a Leader to guide him through the experience (rather than coddle or avoid), while also holding him accountable for any irrationality or lack of focus, is key. He then learns to look to his human instead of being overly concerned about everything else around us.

Awesome job cutie-patootie!

Want to know the singular reason why a dog would behave, or offer their best for one person and not another?Believabilit...
16/12/2025

Want to know the singular reason why a dog would behave, or offer their best for one person and not another?

Believability.

No different than how you behaved like a saint for your elementary school Principal, but acted like a little turd for that soft, submissive, too-sweet substitute teacher. One doled out valuable consequences for acting a fool, while the other ignored your rude interruptions, and let them slide.

It’s really that simple.

Can YOU deliver a valuable, well-timed outcome for rotten, rude, or unhealthy behavior that will deter it in the future, or do you feel mean or guilty when having to?

This is all about perception, and how your dog views your role—Are you a capable, believable, competent, trustworthy Leader, or someone easily dismissed or ignored.

Dogs are way too opportunistic to allow someone to take control that hasn’t proven their ability. A pushover will always be seen as a doormat. If a dog knows they can get away with something that’s not in their best interest, with little to no consequence, they will continue to try.

So if you’re wondering why your dog refuses to give YOU their best, you have to become as believable as their trainer. A dog will only take us seriously, when we actually get serious.

——————————————
Live 🩵 PAWSitively CALM
——————————————

Nonstop stroking, ceaseless baby talk & praise, always having to be near, in your lap, on the couch, in your bed, all da...
14/12/2025

Nonstop stroking, ceaseless baby talk & praise, always having to be near, in your lap, on the couch, in your bed, all day, every day, can create one of the more destructive and difficult-to-undo behavioral issues than all of the rest… unhealthy dependency and Separation Anxiety.

There seems to be no harm at all in lavishly adoring the new puppy. I mean, we adopt dogs for this very reason—the way they make us feel so very loved when we dote on them endlessly.

But here’s the thing… when we do this excessively, day in and day out, we actually train our dog to expect this intense level of attention, and program them to depend on and rely on it always being there.

So what do you think happens when it’s not? What happens when a major life change occurs? Or you’re just getting up to use the restroom at your fav cafe? Or you have a baby that requires the attention you’ve been gluttonously offering your dog?

Well… What happens when the drug addict no longer has their fix?

Painful withdrawals.

And for the dog… anxiety, fear, uncertainty, and stress. All of which have to be expressed in some way in order to find comfort. This is where we begin seeing the dependency deepen, and the quick errand to the store turns into an unhinged meltdown, or household destruction upon return.

The seemingly harmless relational imbalance on one end spurred the extreme fallout on the other, where the dog simply falls apart — Self mutilation, excessive licking, breaking teeth on crates, shredding of crate pans, destroying the house, non-stop barking, incessant whining, and a dog that is entirely incapable of coping when not being held.

Separation anxiety isn’t something that manifests without human help.

In order to teach a puppy/dog healthy existence and independence, we have to separate ourselves out of the equation, on occasion.

Super easy fix… Life is all about BALANCE. Excess in anything creates an equally excessive alternative. So teach your clingy dog a new expectation based in a BALANCE of affectionate interaction and healthy time away from you. USE THE CRATE or the Place Command when you are home! Just simply balance your affectionate moments with just as much time away from your skin;)

13/12/2025

The Spooky Duo, Rudy & Lulu, had their very 1st store experience yesterday! We all went to Lowes, to test their obedience out in the real world! Public access work starts here!

I LOVE the second week of training! We get to test all of the dog’s skills out in the real world to see where we still may need some additional work.

Boy what a difference a few days makes with this sweet kidz! From being completely driven by their reactive impulses and anxiety in the beginning of last week, to holding command while new and unfamiliar triggers are presented!

We are teaching both dogs to ignore the public, ignore noises, ignore EVERYTHING, and to hold their handler in the highest regard. Demanding focus on our walks through a new environment is how they will learn to defer to their persons for guidance and instruction. This cultivates a hierarchy of who’s in control and who is not, who needs the protecting, and who does the protecting, and also helps both nervy pups settle into their roles as followers without feeling the burden to control matters themselves.

Awesome job gorgeous babes!

When it comes to living with dogs — the small, easily ignored stuff like…—Unhinged, inappropriate, non-stop excitement/a...
13/12/2025

When it comes to living with dogs — the small, easily ignored stuff like…

—Unhinged, inappropriate, non-stop excitement/arousal
—Mad-dashes out of a crate as soon as the latch has been unlocked
—Doorways that are wild and uncontrolled blasts past you
—Face diving into food bowls without waiting for permission
—Demands for attention through barking, whining, or nipping
—Irrational reactions to sounds or sudden movement
—Jumping on any and all people upon greeting
—Not listening to, or breaking commands

Has the potential to lead to BIG stuff like…

—Fence fighting
—Resource guarding food, space, objects, and even you
—Over-protectiveness, Territorialism
—Trigger-happy explosions on leash
—Dog-On-Dog aggression
—Stranger Danger
—Extreme, irrational suspicion
—Nipping, biting, and bullying other dogs, or even you
—Counter-Surfing
—Rude, dismissive, disregard, and disrespect
—Selective listening
—Unhealthy Processing issues
—Emotional dysregulation

Where any attempts at listening or deferring to your judgment is completely lost in translation.

Without creating LEVERAGE with the smaller stuff (that can easily be dismissed or ignored), we exponentially create more struggle in the long run, and WAY less harmony.

Small moments of dismissal oftentimes lead to BIG, and oftentimes, dangerous moments of disregard—most especially when readily practiced.

In order to swing the big door of RESPECT, we have to hinge on all the smaller contexts behind misbehavior. If we cannot control our dog in low pressure situations within our home, (sitting at major thresholds, waiting to be released from the crate, waiting for food, minding boundaries) we surely won’t be able to in higher intensity environments outside of the house.

By tackling our dog’s state of mind in those seemingly insignificant instances all throughout our day, we create LEVERAGE, that when applied, will produce a massive return on respect and harmony when we actually do need it.

Use LEVERAGE to fuel your interactions with your dog, and any other facet of your life that you want to exponentially improve! Radically optimize your home environment for calm, peace, joy, and SANE living. Make your home an emotionally safe and balanced environment for your entire family, dog included by managing the smaller moments that don’t seem to have the gravity they do.

12/12/2025

Miss Pippa, the intensely fearful, very reactive Shepherd mix, and Cash, the extremely hard-headed American Bully puppy, started their public access work!

I just cannot believe these kiddo’s progress! As little as a week ago, it would have been impossible to walk them ANYWHERE, let alone a store, without Pippa irrationally spooking or freezing, and Cash bulldozing his way through the merch.

We’ve been working hard on conditioning both dogs to defer to their humans, and look to the person that’s holding the leash for guidance. Tuning out the world and listening to their person is critical in developing a stable state of mind. This process has involved a comprehensive program based in PERMISSION ONLY ACTIVITY, where every step and choice they make, is managed and dictated by their humans. This has slowed down issues with processing and emotional regulation, creating a bit more mindfulness!

We headed to Lowes, to start solidifying both dog’s obedience out in the real world. Lowes is loaded with things a dog has never seen, heard, or smelled! And for these pups, unfamiliar sounds, strangers, and large moving objects can flip them to an unhealthy, reactive headspace.

Working around a ton of distraction like this desensitizes the dogs to the unfamiliar, and helps them defer to their person when confronted with triggers that concern them. Having a Leader to guide them through their experiences, while also holding them accountable for any panic or irrationality, is key. They then learn to look to their person instead of being overly concerned about everything else around us.

Nice job kiddos!

The number of issues resolved, the transformation that takes place, & the overall wellbeing that improves over “Enforced...
12/12/2025

The number of issues resolved, the transformation that takes place, & the overall wellbeing that improves over “Enforced Stillness” still astounds me.

Most of us have been programmed to see a dog’s craze (running from window to window, barking & alerting to noises, non-stop licking, chewing, jumping all over people & furniture, counter surfing, all out destruction, over-protectiveness, stress, anxiety, or suspicion), as a dog simply being a dog. But we all know what happens to us mentally and physically when we only operate at a constant level of high RPMs—total burnout.

Just because a dog COULD and WOULD pace, run, jump, bark, and be “active” all day does not mean that’s their healthiest headspace. Dogs accustomed to go-go-go-go all of the time are severely deprived of the benefits of stillness.

ALL. I mean ALL… of the dogs that come through our programs have neglected to be taught how to be CALM. This simple concept should be taught at the same level as a Sit, Down, Paw, Drop, or any other basic command. CALM is a muscle, and should be practiced regularly in order to reap its mental benefits.

Oddly enough, when CALM is taught and regularly enforced, the annoying list of rotten behaviors up and disappear. Instead of having to address each singular bad choice (cat p**p eating, eating socks, getting onto the dining room table, exploding out the window at the cat) head on, most never even occur. Dogs that are commanded to be calm, learn how to emotionally regulate instead of bouncing from one impulse to the next.

The goal should be to find a balance between ACTIVE & PASSIVE exchanges that include a delegated flux of play/REST/walk/REST/field trip/REST/play/REST, all throughout our day. Without rest or stillness in our daily routine, a dog will never reach its highest quality of life, and will instead suffer the unhealthy consequences of always being “ON”.

——————————————
Live 🩵 PAWSitively CALM
——————————————

The number of issues resolved, the transformation that takes place, & the overall wellbeing that improves over “Enforced...
12/12/2025

The number of issues resolved, the transformation that takes place, & the overall wellbeing that improves over “Enforced Stillness” still astounds me.

Most of us have been programmed to see a dog’s craze (running from window to window, barking & alerting to noises, non-stop licking, chewing, jumping all over people & furniture, counter surfing, all out destruction, over-protectiveness, stress, anxiety, or suspicion), as a dog simply being a dog. But we all know what happens to us mentally and physically when we only operate at a constant level of high RPMs—total burnout.

Just because a dog COULD and WOULD pace, run, jump, bark, and be “active” all day does not mean that’s their healthiest headspace. Dogs accustomed to go-go-go-go all of the time are severely deprived of the benefits of stillness.

ALL. I mean ALL… of the dogs that come through our programs have neglected to be taught how to be CALM. This simple concept should be taught at the same level as a Sit, Down, Paw, Drop, or any other basic command. CALM is a muscle, and should be practiced regularly in order to reap its mental benefits.

Oddly enough, when CALM is taught and regularly enforced, the annoying list of rotten behaviors up and disappear. Instead of having to address each singular bad choice (cat p**p eating, eating socks, getting onto the dining room table, exploding out the window at the cat) head on, most never even occur. Dogs that are commanded to be calm, learn how to emotionally regulate instead of bouncing from one impulse to the next.

The goal should be to find a balance between ACTIVE & PASSIVE exchanges that include a delegated flux of play/REST/walk/REST/field trip/REST/play/REST, all throughout our day. Without rest or stillness in our daily routine, a dog will never reach its highest quality of life, and will instead suffer the unhealthy consequences of always being “ON”.

I’m obsessed with the Enneagram!!!For those of you that are dog lovers and Enneagram fans… Which slide is YOUR dog and w...
11/12/2025

I’m obsessed with the Enneagram!!!

For those of you that are dog lovers and Enneagram fans… Which slide is YOUR dog and which one feels a lil close to home?

Harlow is a definite 2, and Odie is by far a 7!

Love to hear what number your dog is! Drop it in the comments 👇

Jumping, non-stop wiggling, twirling, pacing, whining, mouthing, and over the top excitement are so often MISTAKENLY con...
11/12/2025

Jumping, non-stop wiggling, twirling, pacing, whining, mouthing, and over the top excitement are so often MISTAKENLY confused for happiness.
Unfortunately, disrespect, thoughtlessness, carelessness, and inattention all stem from this unhealthy, unhinged mindset — all of which fuel impulsive, poor choices.

A dog stuck in an endless, heightened state of mind is impossible to communicate with. In order to teach them anything, the noise and fire in their brain have to be addressed.

Attempting to teach a dog obedience through the fog of hyper-arousal will leave you with a dog that “knows” basic commands, yet still lacks self-awareness or self-control, nor consideration, or respect for their human.

When we shift our goal from training rudimentary skills, to demanding respect and CALM behavior first, our overall results will improve drastically. A platform based in a CLEAR understanding of acceptable-versus-not behavior, becomes far easier for both human and the dog.

A clear minded dog is a calm, eager to listen, happy dog.

I gave you the “Why” and now here’s the “How”—5 easy-peasy ways to add structure to your dog’s day.This isn’t about rest...
10/12/2025

I gave you the “Why” and now here’s the “How”—5 easy-peasy ways to add structure to your dog’s day.

This isn’t about restriction—it’s about clarity. Clarity is calming. It’s the fastest path to confidence, peace, and a stable, happy dog.

Which one of these do you know you need, but struggle with the most to consistently enforce?

Address


Opening Hours

Monday 06:00 - 18:00
Tuesday 06:00 - 18:00
Wednesday 06:00 - 18:00
Thursday 06:00 - 18:00
Friday 06:00 - 18:00
Saturday 07:00 - 16:00
Sunday 09:00 - 16:00

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when PAWSitively Calm posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to PAWSitively Calm:

Shortcuts

  • Want your business to be the top-listed Pet Store/pet Service?

Share