Dog Crazy Lady - Dog Training & Behavior Consulting

20/06/2025

The Dog Aging Project, a long-term study of healthy aging in companion dogs led by Texas A&M, Tufts, and the University of Washington, currently has over 50,000 dogs enrolled in the observational study, but they want to continue to enroll more. Enrollment is easy, and participation is free. Enrolled dogs remain at home living their normal lives, while participants provide information through annual surveys and optional at-home activities. Participation helps researchers identify how to help dogs live healthier, longer lives.

In addition, they are actively recruiting older dogs to participate in the Test of Rapamycin in Aging Dogs (TRIAD), a clinical trial to evaluate if rapamycin has an effect on heart health, mobility, cognitive function, and lifespan in canines. For the clinical trial, dogs need to be at least 7 years old, between 44 pounds and 120 pounds, and healthy. Clinical trial sites are located throughout the U.S., including a new site in Cockeysville, MD, and Vienna, VA.

Enroll your dog in TRIAD, a clinical trial by Dog Aging Project to study Rapamycin's effects on health and aging. Join now!

18/06/2025

18/06/2025

Looking to add a loving dog to your family? 🐶 Mark your calendars! This Sunday, from 2 to 4 PM, Baltimore County Animal Services is hosting an Adoption Express Pit Stop right here at the Fire Station.

Come meet some wonderful pups, and here's the paw-some news: adoption fees are waived! Help us find these deserving dogs their forever homes. See you Sunday!

BONUS! Treat your new family member to a Pup Cup at our Snowball Stand! 😄

16/06/2025

Please help if you can

6/16/25 SPACE UPDATE - ZERO DOG KENNELS: We are in a desperate situation. This past weekend alone, nearly 100 animals arrived at our shelter. We are completely out of dog kennels—not a single one is open. Every available kennel, every spare office space has been used. Our team is working around the clock to care for each animal and create room where we can—but we’ve hit a wall.

We need help today. Adoption fees are waived, and even short-term fostering can save a life. We’re also seeking rescue partners who can pull dogs into their programs.

We know that not everyone can adopt, but everyone can do something. Share this message. Tag a friend. Ask your network. Help us reach the people who can say “yes” today and tomorrow. Because without immediate relief, we will face heartbreaking decisions, including euthanasia for space.

This is not a decision we ever want to make. And with Baltimore’s help, hopefully we won’t have to. Here’s how you can help today:

🐾 Adopt: Adoption fees are WAIVED starting now through the weekend. Every adoption includes a spay/neuter, microchip, and up-to-date vaccines.

🐾 Foster: We urgently need fosters, especially for large adult dogs. Even short-term fostering saves lives by freeing up kennel space.

🐾 Donate: The cost of caring for 100 new animals is staggering—food, medical care, safety. Every dollar makes a difference.

🐾 Rescue Partners: We are calling on all approved rescue partners—please help us pull animals immediately. New partners, email [email protected] to get started ASAP.

BARCS is a lifeline for these animals. But right now, we can’t do this without you. This shelter should be a place of hope—not a last stop. We need your help.

(All links in the comments)

13/06/2025

Now I am questioning all the advice Martha Stewart has shared about anything

Dear Friends,

I am writing to express my concerns about your upcoming Raising the Perfect Pet Collaboration with Martha Stewart, especially in light of recent misguided and harmful puppy tips she put forth.

I am an internationally-known professional dog trainer/behavior consultant and seminar speaker, author of 10 books on dog training and behavior, past Training Editor of the Whole Dog Journal, and owner of my own dog training business, Peaceable Paws LLC. You can find me here: www.peaceablepaws.com .

The misinformation put out by some celebrities and celebrity "trainers" is doing a lot of harm. Dogs have already been subjected to horrific treatment because of outlandish recommendations by folks like Cesar Milan, and sadly, Martha Stewart appears to be following his ridiculous, flawed, scientifically debunked "dominance theory." These methods put dogs, their humans, and their larger communities at risk. In fact, I wonder if Royal Canin would be held responsible if people are injured using Stewart's ill-advised recommendation to bite their puppy's nose.

Please reconsider.

Here are a couple of position statements on relevant topics from the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior:
-https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Dominance_Position_Statement-download.pdf
-https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/AVSAB-Humane-Dog-Training-Position-Statement-2021.pdf

Modern, educated, science-based trainers are well aware of these, and are committed to using positive-reinforcement based methods that invite the dog's cooperation and strengthen and enhance the human-animal bond.

I encourage you to be aware of this dichotomy in today's dog training world, and hope you will aim for future relationships that embrace the modern, humane approach to dog training, behavior and caretaking. If you're looking for a celebrity, Victoria Stillwell is amazing. Otherwise, there are Veterinary Behaviorists and a wealth of certified force-free behavior professionals who could do a much better job of representing Royal Canin to the dog-loving public.

Please let me know if I can be of service to you in any way to help make this happen. Thank you for your attention...

Warm Woofs,

🐶🐾🌞🌼🐶🐾🌞🌼🐶
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
Peaceable Paws Owner/Training Director
Peaceable Paws LLC, Fairplay, MD: www.peaceablepaws.com

03/06/2025

Just a reminder that when someone tells you something doesn’t hurt, challenge that thought with considering your own perspective.  then consider whether there are things that you find painful that other people don’t or vice versa, and wonder about your ability to determine the “appropriate” amount of discomfort for another being. (Injections, acupuncture/dry needling, deep tissue massage, etc)

Someone commented on one of my spur posts comparing the pain of a rib tattoo to how spurs feel on a horse’s ribcage and I actually love that analogy.

I have a large rib tattoo on my left side, and I can confirm: it HURT.

The most painful part was the stem that runs down to the bottom of my ribcage, pretty much exactly where spurs make contact on a horse.

I have an extremely high pain tolerance. Years ago, I chipped my kneecap falling off a horse and didn’t even realize it until months later.

Hopefully this can paint a picture that I’m not someone who tends to over exaggerate pain.

Obviously, horses and humans aren’t the same, but comparisons like this can help people understand what misuse of spurs may feel like.

Even getting poked hard in the ribs by a finger is uncomfortable.

Now imagine something sharper, more frequent, and out of your control.

Another important difference is that  I chose to get the tattoo and could stop at any time.

Horses don’t get that choice. They can’t say no. They have no control over the pressure, the frequency, or when it stops.

Pressure is a lot more jarring when you don’t know when it is going to be applied, how intensely and also cannot stop it.

This is what we subject them to when spurs are misused.

It’s why we need more regulation in equestrian sports, not to diminish the sport, but to protect the horses and uphold its integrity.

Horses are stoic by nature.

They mask pain, it’s a survival instinct.

The weak and compromised animals are the ones who get hunted, so they make an effort to mask pain.

The fact that they don’t seem to react a ton to discomfort is because they are making an effort to hide it, not because it doesn’t hurt 

02/06/2025

This newsletter requires an account set up, but they don’t bug you and it’s free. Lots of great info.

This article covers the top 5 treatments for osteoarthritis (OA) in geriatric dogs and includes a dietary calculator to help manage weight and improve mobility.

27/05/2025

Please visit and comment to let WP readers know that Martha is OFF HER ROCKER. We do not bite puppies in the mouth and make them squeal.

Animal lover Martha Stewart has hundreds of animals on her property. She spoke with The Post about the love and apprecation she has for her pets. Subscribe t...

22/05/2025

These dogs did *not* initially get along. At all. Think holes and blood. One guards resources, and the other can be very rude when playing. Their people were worried they made a mistake, so they immediately called for help from a pro.

* 6 weeks of living separately other than walks, training time, and when they were tired and able to rest in the same space at night,
* 3 lessons to teach counterconditioning to approaches and solid recalls from play,
* 2 play sessions with a different dog to help our rude pup learn manners without over-correction, and
* 1 day with a little bit of luck on our side:

21/05/2025

The industry has not really moved forward in the past 15 years.

21/05/2025

Big changes - some of my current clients have already heard the news, but after 6/15/25, my availability will be very limited because I am taking a different job Monday through Friday, and offering training 3 weekends per month. (One weekend per month, I will be off to stay sane and to travel.)

This has come about for multiple reasons, and it's a good change for me, so don't be disappointed!

* Training will change to monthly packages only, so you will meet 3 weekends per month and can purchase up to 3 months at a time.
* Packages will be non-refundable due to how limited they are.
* Two slots are already booked through August, and I will likely max out at 4-6 slots.

I still have openings from now through 6/12, so if you want to get any refresher lessons before things change, please message me.

12/05/2025

Great, free webinar. About 49 minutes, then Q&A after that.

Speaker: Amy Learn, VMD; Chief of Clinical Behavioral Medicine, Animal Behavior Wellness Center, Richmond, VAMaybe, you have noticed a change in your dog’s b...