Bark-Talk Dog Training

26/11/2025

YIP OF THE WEEK: Wishing everyone a happy and healthy Thanksgiving. Important info reposted from RAL

Thanksgiving is almost here, and while we’re all gearing up for plates piled high and second helpings, our pets are hoping for a taste, too. 🦃🐾
Before those sneaky noses make their move, here’s your annual reminder of what not to share from the holiday table.

Some classic Thanksgiving staples can be risky for dogs and cats, so a little extra awareness goes a long way in keeping them safe and comfy at home.

🧈 Skip the buttery bites – Rich, buttery dishes can upset tummies in a big way.
🍫 No sweets or xylitol – Chocolate, candy, and sugar-free treats are dangerous for pets.
🧅 No onions or garlic – Even small amounts of these can be toxic.
🦴 No turkey bones or fatty skin – Bones can splinter, and fatty skin is tough on sensitive stomachs.
🍞 No raw dough – Yeast dough keeps rising… even after it’s eaten.
🍇 No grapes or raisins – A tiny amount can cause big problems.
🍷 No alcohol – Not even a sip.
☕ No caffeine – Keep the coffee and tea out of reach.
🥜 Check the label – Anything with xylitol (including some peanut butters) is a definite no.

Our pets count on us to help them navigate the holiday chaos, and keeping unsafe foods off their menu is a simple way to make the day cozy, safe, and full of love.

Wishing you and your furry family a happy, safe Thanksgiving from all of us at RAL. 🧡🦃🍁

16/11/2025

YIP OF THE WEEK:

What Did You Do!!???

I came home a few days ago to my dog happily eating a bag of English Muffins. Next to him was an empty plastic bag that had been full of hamburger buns. Oh no! What to do? I could have screamed and scolded him but he wouldn't really understand what I was ranting and raving about. So I calmly (as best I could!) took the English muffins away and thought about how this might have happened. Well, the bread drawer was the lowest/bottom one under the counter. I opened and closed it and noticed it didn't glide as smoothly as the others and doesn't always close as tightly as the others. All I had to do is switch things around so that the bread is in a higher drawer. Easy. Manage the situation! That's my responsibility.

Dogs aren't revengeful, vindictive or spiteful. They're just impulse driven. They live pretty much in the moment so this was just a perfect opportunity and he went for it! If your dog has an accident when you're gone or gets into something, he's not "getting back at you" for leaving him. He's just anxious and fearful or maybe bored. Give him lots of love, playtime, sniff time, walks cuddles and consistent training and he should be calmer and more well adjusted with less anxiety and fear. (Doesn't mean he won't grab any chance he can to get food, a toy, or something that may usually be off limits if the opportunity presents itself!)

05/11/2025

YIP OF THE WEEK:
Is Your Dog a Counter Surfer??!!
My new dog definitely is! In fact, most dogs (taller ones on counters, shorter on tables) will give it a try if something yummy is left out with no supervision. So obviously we need to be aware and monitor our dogs. Redirect if they're sniffing or jumping up on the counter or tabletop since each time they successfully snag something yummy it reinforces that behavior.
What else to do?
-Manage the situation. If you can't watch your dog then either keep things really neat and clean or don't let your unsupervised dog in the the kitchen or wherever you've left things out.
-Ask for a down/stay either close to you or teach a place/stay and give him something to chew or keep him busy at that place.
-Catch him before he acts! If you notice him eyeing the counter, nose up, about to jump - redirect! "Off" and "Leave It" are additional important and helpful cues to train.

None of this happens overnight... it obviously takes time but you can have success!

25/10/2025

YIP OF THE WEEK:
Wow! It's been a while...hope everyone and their pups are doing OK!

Building a Bond With Your Dog:

Do you have a new dog? When a dog first comes into our family, our "human world", they're often anxious and/or fearful. This stems from them not knowing or understanding what's expected of them as well as you not knowing or understanding their needs. Lots of anxiety all around! How do we build the bond and trust to make your dog feel safe and both of you more comfortable and happy together?

1) Train: Training builds a bond between you and your dog...provides direction, consistency, and helps define your expectations for what's expected in your home.

2)Fear and Anxiety: If your dog is timid or fearful of something (a certain noise, person, other dogs, etc) move away. Don't force your dog to engage or get close. Create distance to a place he's comfortable so he knows you'll keep him safe. Then gradually decrease the distance or re-introduce the scary thing and reward when he looks to you for direction and is calmer.

3)Enjoy Each Other: Have undistracted, focused time with your dog. For a few minutes (at least) a few times every day. Play together or pet without the distraction of watching TV or scrolling on your phone.

4)Be Consistent in your Expectations and Training: It's yes or no. Not sometimes. Some things are OK others not. Stick to it. "Sometimes" leads to confusion and inconsistent behavior in a dog.

5)Stay Calm: Don't yell! Raised voices and anger cause anxiety in your dog. Be firm but communicate calmly with love.

01/09/2025

YIP OF THE WEEK:
Tips for when you encounter a Reactive Dog...

Taking your dog for a nice walk to a park, store or restaurant is good for both of you. BUT, it can become really stressful when encountering another dog that exhibits aggressive or reactive behavior. It causes both you and your dog to become anxious and stressed which may lead to your dog developing behavior/reactivity issues.

Things to do:
-Catch your dog being good!!! Reward the check-ins with you.. when he looks at you. Reinforce in all sorts of situations and environments.
-If need be, do a U-turn or move to the side. Create distance. Calmly. "Let's go this way!" in a happy voice. Try to keep the leash loose and yourself calm or your dog will feel your anxiety. Find whatever distance you need for you and your dog to remain calm while watching what's going on around you.
-It's not always a good thing to let your dog meet every person or dog you encounter. Training them to disinterested and keeping focus on you (not everything going by) is key.

26/08/2025

Happy National Dog Day! ❤️🐶

24/08/2025

10/08/2025

YIP OF THE WEEK:

Is Your Dog Going Through Adolescence?

Like teenagers, some dogs will have a noticeable change of behavior between 6-24 months of age. They may start to act out, not listen as well or show more independence. Physical and hormonal changes may make them misbehave...chewing things, barking, not listening, backsliding on training. Oftentimes it can be due to frustration and boredom.
What to do?
-Catch them being good! Reinforce desired, appropriate behaviors.
-Continue to have lots of snuggle time if/when your dog wants to be affectionate. You may notice more independence and less snuggling. Don't force it if he's a little aloof.
-Play and have fun together...walks, fetch, sniffing, play hide and seek, find it, do some training, mental exercise.
-Continue to have social interactions with other dogs and people.

Not all dogs have this change in behavior but if it happens, don't take it personally. It's just a phase.

02/08/2025

YIP OF THE WEEK:

Is Leash Pulling a Problem?
It's not necessarily the dog...it might be you! If your dog pulls, fixates on something (another dog, person, squirrel, deer) you might then fixate on your dog's pulling and pull back against him even harder. You won't win this battle and by doing this you're definitely not teaching your dog to walk calmly with his attention on you.
-Pulling your dog back encourages your dog to pull even harder against you.
-Jerking the leash may even cause injury.

What to do?
-Teach your dog to keep attention on you...a solid "look or watch me" is critical to your relationship with your dog. You want him checking in to make sure you're doing ok and he's doing ok. His focus on the walk, even though he's enjoying the world- all the smells, sights and sounds- should be on you.
-Teach him how to disengage from something he's reacting to.
-Take him out to just watch the world without any concerns.
-Let him have time to just be a dog and sniff on a loose leash.
-Keep a loose leash on your walk. A tight leash signals directly to him that you're anxious and he becomes more nervous or reactive.

It may take a lot of time and patience but you and your dog can learn to enjoy walks together.

26/07/2025

YIP OF THE WEEK:

HEAT STROKE DANGER!!

Heat stroke in dogs (and humans) is a life threatening condition that can happen VERY quickly. It often leads to severe organ damage and death.
Dogs wear a fur coat so with all this high heat and humidity, if you're extremely uncomfortable outside your dog will be suffering even more. So, if you're thinking of just a quick little walk or run, you may want to think again. Dogs can't perspire like we do. They only have some sweat glands on their paw pads and rely primarily on panting in order to cool down.

If you suspect your dog has heatstroke get him to the vet IMMEDIATELY!!!

-Heatstroke occurs when a dog's temperature rises to or above 104. Normal temp for dogs is between 100.5 and 102.5.
-Signs of heatstroke include very heavy panting and maybe drooling, bright red or sometimes discolored (grayish) gums, sometimes vomiting or diarrhea, weakness, confusion and collapse.
-Dogs most at risk are those that are older, short muzzle breeds, overweight dogs, those with a thick or dark colored coat, those with underlying respiratory or cardiac issues...BUT, it can happen to young healthy dogs with this extreme high heat and humidity.
-To prevent this from happening, stay indoors in a cool environment when it's really hot and humid.
-If outside, stay in the shade and provide lots of water. Limit outside time.
-Avoid exercise even if it's just a slow walk. Your dog is suffering more than you are in this heat.

Stay safe out there. This is crazy hot!

12/07/2025

YIP OF THE WEEK:
To Pet or Not to Pet?

We all love to snuggle with our dogs and pet them. It's soothing for us. But does your dog enjoy it as much as we do? Sometimes yes and sometimes no...not all dogs like to be petted at all times so it's important to pay attention to the cues/signs your dog is giving you. There are probably a lot of times he'll come up to you and "ask" to be touched, pet and scratched. If he relaxes and leans into you or even climbs onto your lap, you know they want the attention and to be touched. But, at other times he may back away and may just not be in the mood. Respect that. It's not personal!

06/07/2025

YIP OF THE WEEK:
I hope everyone had a safe and fun holiday weekend!

TICK SEASON IS HERE! Ughhhh.....What to do?

1. Remove the tick as soon as you find it on your dog (or yourself!). You can use your fingers but using tweezers is best. Try to grasp the tick's head close to the dog's skin and pull straight out using steady pressure. Be careful not to leave the head embedded. I flush them immediately. You can save the tick in a sealed container if you want to show the vet for any reason.
2. Clean the area with soap and water. You can also use an alcohol wipe.
3. Do a thorough tick check to make sure there aren't any more - on your dog and yourself!
4. If your dog is on a flea/tick preventative and you're finding a lot of ticks on your dog, you may want to talk with your vet about changing what you use.
5. Ticks usually have to be attached for a little while before transmitting diseases but they all have different rates of transmission. You may want to schedule bloodwork especially if your dog starts acting "off" - lethargic, feverish or stiff/lame.