Life with Dogs - Family Dog Mediation

03/20/2024

Anya Gore interviews authors, Sue Mimm & Holly Smith on their book:"Paws, Reflect & Connect: Holistic Wellbeing Planner and Guided Journal for Dog Moms". Th...

03/03/2024

For all of you out there contemplating or planning for a new puppy this spring please FOR THE LOVE OF GOD educated yourself first on the true needs of a puppy❗️ You can get all the information you need to get off to a perfectly wonderful start by preordering this amazing book❗️

Welcoming Your Puppy from Planet Dog: How to Go Beyond Training and Raise Your Best Friend

07/10/2023

Do we listen to our dogs enough?

Do we hear our dogs? What are they trying to tell us? We want to help our dogs as much as possible but misinformed claims of body language and behaviour are rife! Dogs are mammals, and mammals have brains, brains have emotions and moods! If we don’t hear our dogs, listen to what they are saying we are at risk of unintentionally putting them into a situation they aren’t comfortable with, despite our best efforts to try and make them feel comfortable they will likely feel helpless. If we put them into a situation they aren’t yet equipped for, it doesn’t matter how many treats you feed them or how many positive associations we try to create for them because they are already in a state of threat and protect or even worse they could be opting out and completely shutting down.

We need to try to give them choices, and understand that it’s perfectly ok for them to choose not to be in a situation they aren’t ready for, it’s far better to have a dog that chooses to not enter a situation they are frightened with than one who feels they have no choice but to face their fears. When we give our dogs choices we are actively empowering them that they are in control of their bodies, emotions and the situation. A dog who feels they have no control over the situation will act out of control and have no real control over their feelings and actions.

There is no such thing as a bad dog, only a dog who doesn’t know how to deal with their feelings, a dog who doesn’t know how to effectively manage themselves. We need to help them manage their emotions and feelings by teaching them that they do have choices, and there choice isn’t right or wrong but a reflection on how they are feeling, a way of communicating to us.

We have by far underestimated how dogs perceive the world, and us! We have greatly underestimated what they can understand, their communication skills. They can understand far more than just one syllable words! You can teach them language. Think how amazing that is! You can talk your dogs through situations they don’t understand, actively building their confidence and self esteem just by communication!

Give it a try - you won’t look bonkers I promise! You will look like a dedicated dog parent

05/10/2023

I was drawn to take a more holistic approach to traditional dog training after discovering a much easier, more natural way for dog guardians to raise and co-exist with their dogs. After 30 years of practice, study and multiple certifications I finally discovered what our dogs really need from us in order to thrive inside of our humancentric world. The traditional training model of teaching obedience commands and changing behavior just wasn’t getting the results people were longing for. I have finally landed on a much more fulfilling and enlightening approach to having that magical relationship we had in mind when we envisioned what life with a dog could be.
Taking a more holistic approach to co-existing with our dogs not only benefits our dogs but us as well. When we change the way we view our dog’s behavior and how we feel about it we will start to see changes immediately. Our dogs are socially intelligent beings and have been living life up close and personal with us for thousands of years. They read our body language and facial expressions like the master observers they are, as well as knowing exactly where we are at physically and emotionally. They share all the same basic emotions that we do and they have a deep need to feel safe, understood, listened to and included within the family unit. They deserve to have autonomy and freedom of choice while simultaneously providing them with kind, realistic boundaries. Once we learn how to take this type of approach with our dogs the benefits are magical. Instead of issuing commands we can communicate easily and openly with what it is we are asking them to do. Our dogs are in our lives for a reason, not by coincidence. They are here to teach you things about yourself that no other human could teach you. They open us up to so many "self discovery" opportunities if we choose to listen, honor and observe what their behavior is showing us. Behavior is communication plain and simple. Nothing more, nothing less. Your dog’s behavior is not being used to get your attention as much as it's being used to seek a heartfelt connection with you.

05/01/2023

04/10/2023

THE UNTOLD TRUTH ABOUT THE MODERN PET DOG-WHAT EVERY PET DOG PRO & LOVER NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT BEHAVIOR!

…because dogs have every right to be dogs and it’s our job to make sure they can be…

Everyone in the pet dog world talks about dog behavior, because these days it's almost impossible not to. Pet dog "behavior problems" are through the roof, a...

04/08/2023

One of the reasons why it takes time to build trust is that a dog who has not had secure attachments in the past is stuck in a vicious cycle. They don't know how to receive care. Don't take it personally if they don't jump out of their past trauma to embrace you. Don't be surprised if they are "aggressive" towards the world. They have not learnt that they can lean on us and that we are humans who intend to show up for them. There is a learning process there that we must hold space for.

It is gutting when dogs who are insecure are put through "tough" love because they are being "aggressive". What they need is to slowly learn that they are no more alone and they are now in the midst of humans who will show up for them and that they can drop their guard and put down that burden of defensiveness a little.

To learn more about how to build secure attachments, sign up for our flagship workshop Canine Essential 101 : https://courses.bharcs.com/

03/20/2023

SOMETIMES it really is this simple!

A lot of dogs want you to know this -

Instead of a fancy collar and bed? They’d rather have a fenced in yard - even if it has to be small and home made - so they can have off leash time to dog and dig.

Instead of daily neighborhood walks? They’d rather you drive to a dirt road and put them on a 30ft line and let them zig zag and smell as long as they like

Instead of twice daily meals in a bowl? They’d rather have food through enrichment activities that stimulates their brain and their nose.

Instead of basic obedience training? They’d rather have purpose driven training that feeds their genetic make up and needs AND helps them survive and thrive in todays world.

Instead of a human wanting something from them? They’d love a human wanting to understand them better.

Instead of focusing on perfect “heels” and “stays”? They’d love to learn how to be resilient and less stressed and cope with the outside world and our expectations.

Instead of harsh punishments and corrections? They’d prefer proactive management and rewards for good decisions.

We can’t change everything about the lives our dogs are forced to live with us in, but we can make these kinds of changes and see a huge improvement in their quality of life and wellbeing.

-Helen St. Pierre

03/13/2023