Creature Good Dog Training

11/11/2025

03/11/2025

🐶 Archie's brain is under construction. And so is your puppy's.

As an adult, I've always adopted adult dogs. After losing Shadow Dawn, I decided it was my time to adopt a puppy.

After a week relaxing in Mystic, CT, I adopted Archie on 8/1/25. Parenting Archie is like having a toddler and he constantly reminds me that puppies are a roller coaster🎢 ride.

And I am loving every minute of it!!❤️

If you've recently adopted a puppy or are planning to, here are some developmental issues to consider:

🏠 8–16 weeks of age: Laying the foundation. Everything puppies experience now becomes the blueprint for how they see the world. One bad experience can leave cracks that need gentle repair later. (This is why so many dogs need support for their reactive behavior.)

🪜 4–6 months: Building the frame. They’re learning what’s safe, what’s scary, & how their world works. Expect some wobbles as they test boundaries (Archie’s currently convinced that everyone is his BFF even if they don't agree!).

🧱 6–12 months: The teenage renovation. Just when you thought things were stable, your dog starts knocking down walls and questioning everything you’ve taught them. Hormones are rewiring their brain in real time.

🎨 12–18 months: Finishing touches. You start to see your dog's true personality settle in — though for some dogs (especially big breeds), it can take up to 2–3 years.

This season’s puppies face extra challenges — holiday chaos 🎃🎄, unpredictable weather 🌧️, and shorter days that limit socialization. Understanding where your puppy is developmentally helps you meet them where they are, not where you wish they were.

That “teenage” puppy who suddenly forgets every cue? They’re not being defiant — they’re renovating. 🛠️💛

Comment “STAGES” if you want to understand what’s normal for your puppy’s age and how to support them through every messy, magical phase.

02/11/2025

🐾 I often talk about setting your dog up for success. That's great…but what about YOU? 💛

Setting YOU up for success means creating a training plan that fits your real life — not some perfect Instagram version of it.

Setting you up for success means acknowledging that not only are you dealing with a reactive dog, you’re juggling work, family, errands, etc.!

My training fits into your current lifestyle so it doesn't feel like just another chore.

✨ Human success looks like:
☕️ Two-minute training sessions while your coffee brews
😴 Management strategies that work when you’re tired
💬 Clear communication everyone in the house can follow
🎉 Celebrating small wins (vs. perfection)
💗 Grace when things don’t go as planned

Between Halloween prep 🎃, school schedules, weather shifts 🌧️, and shorter days, the last thing you need is a training program that eats up hours of your day!

Instead, you need real-life strategies that work on tired Tuesday evenings and chaotic Saturday mornings.

When humans feel supported and capable, dogs thrive. ❤️

Comment “REAL” if you’re looking for training that fits your real life, not an unrealistic fantasy.

01/11/2025

As a reactive dog expert, what I think about when I observe your dog is:

Physical: Gait, body tension, breathing rate, ear position, tail height, weight distribution, eye movement, muscle tone.

Environmental: Distractions present, space available, surfaces, sounds, smells, temperature, lighting, other animals, escape routes.

Historical: Age, genetics, past experiences, medical history, previous training, trauma indicators, socialization level.

Emotional: Stress signals, confidence level, frustration tolerance, recovery time, enthusiasm, fear responses, attachment style.

Social: Relationship with you, response to strangers, dog-dog skills, personal space needs, play style, communication attempts.

Learning: Motivation type, processing speed, distraction threshold, generalization ability, retention, preferred rewards.

Family dynamics: Consistency between family members, household routines, management strategies, everyone's training skills.

Every dog is a complex puzzle of breed tendencies, experiences, environment, and relationships. What works for your neighbor's dog might not work for yours — and that's exactly why expert guidance changes everything.

Comment "PUZZLE" if you want someone who sees the whole picture, not just the surface behavior to help you heal your dog's reactivity.

31/10/2025

October is National Pit Bull Awareness Month, and I want to talk about a phrase that always makes me wince:

👉 “It’s all in how you raise them.”

I know it’s meant to defend pit bulls, but the truth is — it’s not that simple.

My beautiful girl Shadow Dawn taught me that genetics and trauma matter just as much as love and training. She was sweet, snuggly, and deeply fearful — proof that even the best care can’t undo everything a dog has been through.

Pit bulls aren’t monsters or angels. They’re dogs — individual beings shaped by both nature and nurture, just like us.

This month (and every month), let’s drop the myths and replace blame with understanding. 💗

October is National Pit Bull Awareness Month — and it’s time to challenge the myth that “it’s all in how you raise them.” Trainer Ruth Hegarty shares what her beloved pit bull Shadow Dawn taught her about genetics, trauma, and the truth behind behavior.

31/10/2025

👻🎃👹Happy Halloween👻🎃👹

30/10/2025

🎃 Halloween Fun… or Halloween Fright? 👻

For sensitive or reactive dogs, spooky season can feel more terrifying than treat-filled.

Both my previous dogs🐕 - Jake & Shadow Dawn - were reactive and found Halloween truly terrifying.

Masks and costumes 🦹‍♀️, strange scents from makeup 💄, flashing decorations 🎭, and the constant knock-knock of trick-or-treaters 🚪 can all send your pup into overload.

✨ Your dog's not a party-pooper💩 — they’re scared. ✨

Here are a few quick tips to help:

🐾 Create a quiet retreat space away from the action.
🎵 Play calming music or white noise.
🚶‍♀️ Take walks earlier in the day before the spooky chaos begins.
🍖 Offer special chews or food puzzles to help them self-soothe.
💊 Consult your vet about possible medication options

With a little planning, you can make Halloween less scary and more creature good. 💙🐶

I'll find out tomorrow how my new dog Archie feels about Halloween🧙‍♀️ Follow me for the update.

29/10/2025

🐾 Ever wonder what trainers actually mean when we say “set your dog up for success”?

It’s not about lowering standards, making excuses or avoiding doing the work of training. 🚫

Rather, it’s about creating environments where good choices are easy choices for your dog. 💡

Here’s what Setting Your Dog Up For Success can look like:

🎃 Walking before trick-or-treaters arrive
🚪 Practicing doorway manners before Halloween night
🏡 Setting up a quiet space away from spooky decorations
🔊 Offering puzzle toys during yard work or leaf blower noise
🌅 Adjusting routines as daylight decreases

It’s removing the cookies from the coffee table 🎄 instead of constantly correcting your dog for investigating them. Cookies are yummy!

It’s giving your dog a walk or sniff session before guests arrive so they can settle during the excitement. (vs. expecting them to have the patience of a zen master.)

It’s practicing with mild distractions before tackling the big ones. 🧠 (as in: learn to walk before you learn to run)

Setting your dog up for success means thinking ahead, managing their environment, and meeting your dog where they are — then gently building from there. ❤️

Every small win creates momentum. Every success makes the next success more likely! 🌟

💬 Comment “SUCCESS” to learn how to make good behavior the easiest (and most natural) choice for your dog. 🐶✨

28/10/2025

🐾 When people come to me for training, they expect their dog to change. And they do.

But, what clients don’t expect… is how much the whole family transforms. ❤️

👧 The kids learn to read dog body language and respond with empathy.
💬 Partners finally get on the same page about pet rules and routines.
🎉 And, everyone starts celebrating little wins instead vs focusing on problems.

This is when the real magic happens ✨
The house feels calmer — not just because the dog is calmer, but because everyone understands their role. The confusion lifts. The tensions ease. Everybody feels better.🌿

Morning chaos turns into smooth routines. ☀️
Evening walks shift from stressful to peaceful. 🌙
Weekend plans start including the dog instead of working around them. 🐕

One client family told me, “We thought we just wanted to fix Niko's (their dog) problems but we got so much more out of this as a family. 💬

Progress isn’t just measured by your dog’s behavior but in how your whole household breathes easier, laughs more, and lives in harmony again. 💫

💬 Comment “FAMILY” if you’re ready for a transformation that goes beyond just changing your reactive dog's behavior. ❤️

27/10/2025

😣 Feeling like you’ve tried everything and nothing works?

Like maybe you’re just not cut out for this whole “dog parent thing”?

💛 You’re not failing. You’re a human trying to communicate with a creature experiencing the world in ways you can’t fully understand.

Frustration isn’t a flaw. It just means you’ve reached the edge of your current knowledge or capacity (or both!).

You’ve tried everything you know… it’s just not working yet. That’s not failure — that’s information. 🧭

This time of year can make things even harder: 🍂 weather changes routines, darker mornings make walks more stressful. It’s no wonder patience wears thin.

Here’s the good news 👉 frustration is a message, not a mistake.
It’s your cue to pause, breathe, and try a new approach — not because you’ve done something wrong, but because both you and your dog are evolving. 🌱

All dog-human partners have these moments. Successful teams see frustration for what it is — a nudge toward growth, not a verdict on your capability. 💪

Your frustration is valid. It's also temporary.

Better days (and calmer walks 🐾) are ahead.

💬 Stop following outdated training advice that doesn't work.

Comment “NEW” if you’re ready for new strategies that actually work for you and your reactive dog. 💫