The Joyful Hound

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The Joyful Hound

Empowering both human and canine learners with positive reinforcement methods. Owner support for you.

Force-free adventures, walk-and-trains, personalized enrichment, and cooperative husbandry care for your dog.

25/01/2023

Here’s your reminder that it’s important (and fun!) to let your dog choose the path when it’s safe to do so. Giving dogs choice and control over their environment are integral pieces to any humane training plan.
Learn to enjoy watching them make decisions and explore at their own pace. I promise it’s way more fun than seeing how many steps you can get in or trying to stick to a certain route.

The map is our route through a very small part of big ole Woodward Park. Was I planning on doing a couple of activities with him in different parts of the park? Absolutely. But his actions told me he wanted to stay in this area and that’s okay!

16/12/2022

Dogs can say “no thank you” in so many different ways. It’s easy to see when it’s a bark or quick movement away, but it doesn’t always look like that.

I’m having all dogs ride in Ruffland crates in my car right now as everyone works on getting fully vaccinated for the flu, as it’s recently struck Tulsa hard.

Today was Dara’s first time ever being asked to jump into a crate in my car instead of just flying into the back as usual. She approached normally but then hesitated at the threshold. She sniffed the air and didn’t jump in. I asked her to “up-up” which is her known cue to jump up on something. Instead of jumping into the car she jumped on me and started licking my neck and face. These behaviors, in this scenario aren’t normal for her. What might be seen as just a happy dog excited to see me and wanting some attention was actually Dara telling me she was stressed and didn’t want to jump into the car crate.

She moved quickly away from the car as I did, and looked visibly relieved. So we just switched gears, went on a neighborhood adventure, played at a local green space and did a bit of training in her backyard.

Listen to your dog. Be thoughtful about behaviors that seem abnormal for them or out of context. Dogs don’t lie.

08/06/2022

🌆Tulsa Tip Tuesday! 🐶

Hawthorne Park is a small and overlooked park off Brookside at 48th street.

Pros: a cool old building to sniff, nice big field, never busy, well fenced old 4-court tennis area, and dog friendly playground equipment. While too much hard running on a tennis court could rough up paw pads, some running is great for grinding down those toe nails!

Cons: the people who do go there don’t seem to know how to pick up their 💩 👎

Grab your long line, a fun toy to fetch on the court, and get your pup there pronto!

[ID: Slide 1- a large black dog walks stands on playground equipment at the top of a metal slide. Slide 2- the same dog is shown bounding across an old tennis court. He has a red snake toy in his mouth.]

08/06/2022

02/03/2022

🎉 Welcoming the handsome and adventurous Bear to the Joyful Hound Family! 🎉

This little half pint of pup is EXACTLY how I like my small dogs; the perfect blend of sweet and salty, and ready for the world to hear them roar!

Bear’s got a great team on his side who is 100% ready to help him live his life to the fullest! Enrichment is integral to behavior modification. We must meet dogs needs and get them to places where they can practice normal dog behavior. Often times that can be hard for clients to understand when they came to you to “fix” x, y, or z! But not Bear’s momma! Before I had even sent out the recap from our intake session she had ordered the long line, found the harness and was driving him to parks where he could experience walks in a fun and enriching way, as opposed to the constant vigilance and high arousal he had been experiencing when walking around his apartment complex.

Yaye Bear and family! So happy you’re here!

[ ID: Bear, a small fluffy dogs stands in a forest. His hair is long and ombré, he has pointy ears and a open mouth. He is wearing a black and pink harness and orange long line attached.]

19/02/2022

Someone recently asked me if I was working towards Bear, who is one of my personal dogs, being able to immediately meet new dog friends in our home since we do so much boarding. It really made me think about how much success Bear has had and why.

Currently we utilize baby gates, crates and sometimes visual barriers to keep him separated from boarding dogs for the first day or two, and then we usually integrate slowly over the course of multiple days or visits. Molly, the dog in the pictures with him, was here for the third time and it was the first time they have been fully loose in the house and yard together.

Even as a R+/FF trainer, management, such as arranging the environment to set our dogs up for success, is always the first step to living successfully with dogs or changing their behavior. It is the least intrusive minimally aversive thing to do, and is the building blocks on which operant or classical conditioning lay.

So I am happy to arrange the environment in such a way that he can be stress free and ultimately successful in his interactions with other dogs. I am also happy if there are some dogs that he never meets or plays with. Dogs are sentient beings, and it’s outlandish to think they will want to interact or play with every dog around, or do so immediately, or never have strong feelings (barking, growling, etc) about some dogs.

I love helping dogs find success in our crazy human world, and step 1 to success is always management! Most of the time dogs don’t just dislike or like another dog. It isn’t perfectly black and white. We can set them up for successful friendships!

[ Slide 1- a large brindle mixed breed with square docked ears and a big black snout sits on a red sofa with a medium, yellow and white collie mix who has an slightly open mouth and long fluffy coat. Slide 2- same two dogs on the sofa but with a small brindle mix sitting between them, all looking towards camera. Slide 3- same two dogs now outside on a backyard of dead grass. Brindle dog is sitting and collie is standing, both looking up at the camera.]

02/02/2022

🌆 Tulsa Tip Tuesday! 🐶

Tired of walking in your neighborhood? Prefer to practice loose leash walking on sidewalks instead of in the road? Taking a short drive to a new neighborhood is an easy way to spice things up for both you and your dog!

Today Winston and I hopped in the car and went to the Florence Park neighborhood to walk. Not only does it boast two small parks within it so your pup can have lots of opportunities to really sniff it up and practice their parkour skills, but it also has many SIDEWALKS!

Other well paved Tulsa neighborhoods we love walking in include: Renaissance, Historic Owen Park, Swan Lake, Maple Ridge (north of 21st), Riverview, and Yorktown/Gillette!

[ID: Slide 1- brindle bull terrier with white face is facing camera. He is standing on a large tree stump, and wearing a red harness. Slide 2- same terrier is standing in the backseat of a car. Seat is covered by a black protector. Slide 3- video: same terrier is walking on a loose leash on a sidewalk. He walks on both sides of the woman and often in front of her. He is rewarded often with food. At the end he stops in the grass to sniff and potty.]

26/01/2022

A lot of places can feel off limits if you live with a dog that displays reactive or fearful behavior but there are still many creative ways to get them out into the world safely.
These cold days are a great opportunity to have adventures in areas that wouldn’t normally set your dog up for success.

New people can make Patch feel less than comfortable so we’ve never been to busy Riverside Park before this. We took advantage of the cold weather that kept everyone else at home, and she had a blast!

[ID: Slide 1- video: at a children’s playground, a woman and slender black dog play. Woman asks dog to go “over” a low jump multiple times. Dog jumps over with tail wagging and is rewarded each time. Slide 2- same black dog is running down bright green hill towards camera with ears flopping. Slide 3- same dog is about to jump off a low ledge and is looking towards ground. Dog is wearing a harness, safety strap and long leash.]

13/01/2022

🚨Adorable New Client Alert🚨

Welcome Riot to the Joyful Hound Family!

Riot might be a properly aged, pint sized, floof, but don’t let his small stature fool you! This boy is ready to go-go-go and has some big feelings he’d like you to listen to along the way! I already adore his s***k and he’s got the energy for big adventures and lots of fun training.

📣Let’s hear it for small dogs who know how to party! 🎉

[ID: small black dog with white feet runs towards camera through tall yellow grass. He has wiry hair and pointy ears that are folded back.]

12/01/2022

Continuing on with 2022 goals…

MORE CONTENT

I post many ‘stories’ that make me laugh , advocate for humane training and handling of dogs, and hopefully make my human clients more aware of what adventures and training with The Joyful Hound are all about. But I’ve always struggled to make actual posts.

Starting easy on myself this week by bringing back an old favorite:

🌆 Tulsa Tip Tuesday! 🐶

Chandler is the true hidden gem of the Tulsa Parks Department.

Pros: Huge park that has open fields, dog friendly playground equipment, forests, hiking trails and more! Respectful regulars (off-leash dogs I encounter have a solid recall and people leash up when they see you)!

Cons: occasional snakes and tarantulas, hiking trails are not well maintained, a bit of a drive from midtown.

Grab your long line and get your pup there pronto!

💡 Are there specific topics you’d like to see posts on? Let me know in the comments!

[ID: Slide 1- large black dog walks through forest on long line. Slide 2- three dogs run fast towards the camera having been recalled. Dogs are small brindle, medium black and large tan. Slide 3-golden retriever sits in front of picnic table. Small brindle dogs sits on top of table. Medium black dog has front legs on top of table and back legs on seat. Slide 4- tan dog with pointy ears sits on large rock in field, small white dog stands in front. Slide 5- two brindle dogs walk through forest on trail with backs facing camera. Slide 6- three dogs run joyfully away from camera. Dogs are small brindle, medium black and large tan.]

06/01/2022

🎉 Happy New Year! 🎉

Over the next few weeks I’m going to be posting a bit about last year’s accomplishments and 2022 goals to make The Joyful Hound more successful, accessible and helpful! And we’re going to start with…

Education!

At the end of 2021 I completed my CTC (Certification in Training and Counseling) through The Academy for Dog Trainers. This was a rigorous, 2 year program that included video and written assignments, countless lectures and webinars, and testing. Before I applied to this program I spoke with the only other local trainer who has the certification. She likened the challenge level to graduate school. I remember thinking that this person, who had no reason at all to lie to me, must be lying to me. So I applied, and got in, and began the program while working two part-time jobs and beginning to run my own small business. 😂 It was a struggle to say the least but I am so happy with the education I received! And now I have the pleasure of spending all my working hours solely running The Joyful Hound.

Even though the CTC is likely the most comprehensive certification I will obtain, continuing education should be a part of any pet care professional’s life, and is something I enjoy. This year I plan to get my Fear Free Animal Trainer Certification through Fear Free. This education should help me work in better partnership with veterinary teams to prevent fear, anxiety and stress during vet care and further my skills in cooperative care. I also plan to delve deeper into Leslie McDevitt’s Control Unleashed program, which I have an elementary knowledge of and am excited to learn more about!

I know I’ve said it a thousand times but it’s always worth repeating: the dog training industry is completely unregulated. Anyone, regardless of their education, can hang their shingle, take on dog training clients, and drastically alter the life of sentient beings for better or for worse.

I’m interested in changing lives for the better, which is why I’ve chosen and will continue to choose a science-based education and modern training methods that focus on humane handling and meeting the unique needs of dogs.

[ID: woman holds up graduation certification from the Academy for Dog Trainers. Certification is covering half her face. She looks happy and excited.]

16/12/2021

I thought perhaps I’d be flying Hachi and Otter like kites on their long lines today during these strange and intense winds!
But we all kept our paws on the ground and had a fun time exploring the river bank.
Letting dogs explore stinky, natural spaces is a fantastic time for them. Get off the sidewalk when you can and let them go where they please!

[ID: slide one - small white dog looks over river with cityscape in background. Slide two- small brindle dog stands in sand with eyes closed and tongue out. Slide three- small white dog runs towards camera through sand. Slide four - both dogs are together exploring muddy river bank.]

06/09/2021

A hearty congratulations to Santino and family! Santino completed a board-and-train at my home and then had several follow up sessions at his.
Santino is a relatively new addition to his family and much of what we worked on was figuring out how his family could meet his needs, and how they could live harmoniously together.

My favorite part about working with this family is how happy they were to learn that modern dog training isn’t about exerting control over your dog, but having a relationship where you work together towards common goals, and that training and enriching Santino’s life would be fun for everyone! They were truly overjoyed when I told them they didn’t need to use the prong collar or have a bunch of meaningless rules so Santino would “know his place”, and that it was a-ok to hand Santino a treat just because he’s friggin’ adorable!

Today Santino is enjoying long romps on a 20 ft leash at local green spaces, dog friends, comfy places to settle in his home, shredding projects and toys to destroy, stuffed kongs to work, and slow, sniffy walks on a loose leash around his neighborhood. And his family is enjoying a dog that doesn’t bolt out the front door, can walk on a loose leash, stay in a crate, and is calmer inside the house.

24/08/2021

Happy Gotcha Day Otter… kind of.

Otter joined my home as a foster on July 27, 2020. But she was having severe panic due to separation anxiety on a daily basis. Panic that left her stressed and exhausted long after a human came back home.

August 24, 2020 is the day we committed to not leaving her alone for longer than she could handle, which was initially around just 5-10 minutes. I feel like she really became a part of our family a year ago today, and now we celebrate 365 days panic-free!

She does so much for me. She is the embodiment of a Joyful Hound! I can’t imagine my business or life without her. Keeping her safe from panic is the least I can do in exchange.

Many many thanks to the family and friends who helped me suspend absences, and the clients who welcomed Otter into their sessions and homes!

If your dog is struggling with separation anxiety, reach out! I’m happy to commiserate with you, swap dog sitting and strategies for suspending absences, and help you get in touch with a SA Specialist. I wish there was some easy fix, some magic thing we could just buy or do for these dogs, but there isn’t. Careful desensitization is the way to make lasting progress, and an SA trainer can help you through the work. Many thanks to for being my guide, support and cheerleader!

13/08/2021

Patch has got some worries, but feeling unsafe out in the world with me ain’t one.

My #1 goal while doing anything with dogs is to keep them feeling safe. This is accomplished by making sure they are physically able to do the activity, choosing environments that set them up for success, managing triggers, using positive reinforcement training, and not being afraid to get the hell outta dodge if needed!

28/06/2021

⛑🦺🥽 Staying Safe!

Beautiful Pacifica is modeling the new safety attachments I’ll be using with all clients I take out into the world.
While the goal is to never take a dog into a situation where they would panic, sometimes triggers come out of no where and this can cause dogs to take flight. By attaching the orange safety as pictured I would still have ahold of Pacifica even if she slipped her harness or if hardware broke or malfunctioned on the harness or leash.
Because crazy things can happen! I was recently walking my Bear dog and his leash just suddenly WASN’T attached to his harness. I have no idea how the d-bolt bounced in the perfect way to open up, but it did! Dogs rolling on their backs can also cause bolts to unlatch.

Having these safety attachments is just another way to keep my clients as safe as possible!

17/04/2021

It’s quite the muttely crew at The Joyful Hound house today!

18/03/2021

Do you like Tinsel’s newest dance move?

She calls it the Upside Down Worm Slide.

You’re gonna be seeing all the cool kids doing’ it soon enough.

💃 🐶 🙃 🪱

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Do you like Tinsel’s newest dance move? She calls it the Upside Down Worm Slide. You’re gonna be seeing all the cool kids doing’ it soon enough. 💃 🐶 🙃 🪱 #thejoyfulhound #canineadventures #dogshavingfun

#adoptable Lincoln and Thelma got up to some serious dog business today. Many paws make light work. Digging is normal dog behavior. It’s fun. If we don’t like it, it’s our responsibility as the creatures with thumbs and big brains to give dogs other outlets for this sort of enrichment. Does your dog dig? Do you mind? #thejoyfulhound #shelterdogshavingfun #dogfriends #dogswhodig #normalizenormaldogbehavior #adoptabledogs #tulsaspca

Happy Muzzle Up Monday from Miss Patchie Poo! Good dogs wear muzzles! #thejoyfulhound #forcefreedogtraining #positivereinforcementdogtraining #gooddogswearmuzzles #muzzletraining #muzzleupproject

Dottie is now booking appointments for her grass removal and soil tilling services. She understands that people these days want a eco-friendly solution to harsh chemicals or gas guzzling machines! She’s happy to accept payment in the form of treatos, snackies, yum yums, and a murky pool of water to stay cool and hydrated in. #newsmallbusiness #jk #thejoyfulhound #forcefreepetcare #pitbullsofinstagram

6 yr old Bear and 8 month old Patch seem like a bit of an odd couple, but they’ve really hit it off. #thejoyfulhound #dogfriends #canineboardingservices #forcefreepetcare

⭐️📸Joyful Hound icon Murphy sporting one of her signature looks, Muddy Hair Don’t Care. She recommends this style for any dog whose looking to really impress their owners when they return home. 📸⭐️ #thejoyfulhound #dogshavingfun #forcefreepetcare #fashionicon

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