The Dog Thinks What? LLC

11/10/2021

The other day Carrie’s wind chime was moving like crazy, I know she was visiting ❤️

08/10/2021

As Carrie’s birthday quickly approaches, let’s all take a minute to remember and appreciate all that she brought into this world. She was an amazing wife, mother, daughter, sister, auntie and dog trainer. She brought so much light with her where ever she went. Her positivity was always so refreshing. Mine, my other sister, and Carrie’s birthday are all in October. Every single year we celebrated them all together, this is definitely a tough month for us. To honor Carrie’s birthday on October 18th, I’m challenging you all to help remember and celebrate her birthday with a random act of kindness, sharing a memory, or sharing your dog’s success story. She would be so proud to see everyone join together for her. 🐶🧁❤️

13/08/2021

There isn’t a day goes by that I don’t miss both of you 💔

06/04/2021

Carrie you are truly missed but I’m still repping your pride and joy 💔🐶

20/01/2021

Not a day goes by that I don’t think of you and Mike. It feels like time has stopped since you and him have been gone. Let’s remember Carrie and Mike if you knew him by sharing memories of them that you will hold close to your heart forever 🙏❤️

30/12/2020

Carrie will be forever remembered for her passion for dogs and following her dreams becoming a dog trainer. She was so proud of The Dog Thinks What? and left her imprint on many clients. She will forever be loved and missed 💔

October 18, 1977 to December 18, 2020 Carrie Ann (Westbrook) Mezo passed away at age 43 on December 18, 2020 and was welcomed into heaven alongside her husband (Mike). Carrie and Mike were married on July 10, 1999 which gave them 21 years, 5 months and 8 days of fun loving endeavors. She was precede...

24/12/2020

For everyone that has been asking how they can help. Carrie was loved by so many 💔

On Friday, December 18th, Mike, Carrie, and 13 year old Niko Mezo were traveling from their hom… Lisa Symns needs your support for Mike, Carrie, and Niko Mezo

16/12/2020

Dogs are always so curious...
“Hey where we goin guys?”

🤣

11/12/2020

Stopped by The Animal Rescue Project to drop off all the donations I received! They were super nice people and really happy!

Thank you to everyone who contributed! I am always grateful for my pack!

08/12/2020

It’s so beautiful to see them do what they’re bred to do!

Italian Coast Guard Dog getting ready to jump into the ocean to rescue a person.

05/12/2020

Meet ‘Leo’
He is our newest pack member!

His brother Rudy is here for Board and Train and Leo is going to learn some manners at home, so the humans can set consistent rules and boundaries for their pack. This will help ensure that they are seen as fair pack leaders!

If you own more than one dog, all dogs should be treated equally. What is “yes” or “no” for one, has to be “yes” or “no” for the other. The pack leader doesn’t have favorites. The pack leader creates and enforces the expectations of the pack and then holds each pack member equally accountable for the expected behaviors. This can be tricky, but the first step is universal communication!

Leo is learning the same language as his brother Rudy. This will allow the humans to effectively communicate to both dogs, what is and isn’t accepted in their home.

So far Leo is doing a great job and his human is feeling like she is seeing great changes just after 2 sessions! We have some work to do yet, but this is great start!

04/12/2020

‘Streeter’ has left the building!

His parents have reported that he has been doing a great job since he has been home!

Listening better, following commands, going in and out of the crate with no problem (sometimes on his own) and so far no collar reactivity reported!

Always sad to see them go but so happy they are back at home and doing great!

01/12/2020

There is an old saying-

“A dog won’t bite the hand that feeds him”

I find this to be untrue. Many people get bit by their dog everyday and I am pretty sure they feed their dogs.

I am more inclined to believe that...

“A dog won’t bite the hand that guides him.”

Fair, firm and strong leadership, when done correctly, will get respected, not bitten.

But this is not the only thing this kind of leadership will not get...

It will not get jumped on.
It will not get ignored.
It will not get pulled down the street.
It will not get barked at.
It will not get scratched up and bruised.

Leadership is key when changing behavior. It is key in maintaining the behavior one it is changed.

If you have a dog, you are either leader or follower. The dog can’t see it any other way. If you are experiencing the above issues daily, then you have to change the dynamic of your relationship with your dog.

29/11/2020

‘Wrigley’ is gonna be hanging out with me for a couple days!

How bout some ❤️ for this beautiful girl!

24/11/2020

Help me welcome ‘Rudy” to the pack! ❤️

He is here to gain some confidence around people and other dogs. He is a nervous guy who barks at and jumps on guests. He needs a good dose of manners and in general has to learn to see human as leader.

If this guy is as smart as he is cute, I think he will do great!

24/11/2020

Parting is always such sweet sorrow!
‘Isabel’ went home today!

Although I am happy for her to reunited with her family, it’s always sad to see the dogs go home!

I know she is in good hands though! Her owners are very committed to the follow up work that will help Isabel develop a healthier relationship with her sister and to continue to be a wonderful dog who listens well and is a joy to be around 🐶

22/11/2020

Help me welcome “Scout” to the pack everyone!

“Scout” is a bossy girl with some barking issues around her sibling horses for various reasons. She is also very mouthy when she wants to be meaning she isn’t afraid to have a conversation by putting her mouth on the human, not in a vicious biting way, but enough that it hurts for sure!

She is in general a sweet girl under all her pushy and bratty behaviors, we just gotta help her get to a place she can be who she is at heart without all the non sense.

It all starts with leadership and then working towards a permission based relationship so she can have a new perspective on life that is human centered so she can not only hear what the human is asking, but actually listen to it!

21/11/2020

Doing some work with “Bari” (small dog) and his owner today.
“Isabel” came along to help and also I wanted to see how she would do around small dogs. Not too shabby as she was here to sort out some reactivity herself!

We are continuing to work towards helping Bari understand how to walk passed other dogs without getting to the point of explosion where barking, lunging and other bad manners happen.

This week we added a prong collar to make sure our conversation and guidance was very clear. Using the right tools that have the right conversation is so important when working with changing behavior.

Now that we have the right conversation in place, next we focus on WHEN to have that conversation. After that it is simply time and consistency!

20/11/2020

“Cheyenne” just finished up her last lesson yesterday.

She and her sister “Isabel” weren’t able to spend much time together in the home due to repeated fights. Their owner reached out for help and we put a training program together.

“Isabel” came for Board and Train to clean up her social skills and also to learn to control her over arousal around just about everything.

Strengthening communication and building confidence and trust with both dogs is a big part of the equation also.

Here the girls can be in each other’s personal space without excitement, without fighting, without rivalry.

Helping them to relax together is an important part of moving their relationship forward. It is when dogs are in a calm state of mind that we can build trust and shape new behaviors.

Adding in a human lead pack walk will slowly build pack mentality which in turn creates an environment where the dogs can continue to see each other as “nothing to worry about”.

Time is always a factor but with persistence and patience these 2 can create a new association with each other daily and peace can be accomplished in the home.

With the right foundation in place anything is possible!

18/11/2020

‘Hoss’ is visiting for a couple days.
Gives me a chance to do some work with this portrait feature on my phone! 😉

14/11/2020

Did some work with “Bari” (small dog on the right) and his owner today. We are continuing to get him comfortable walking near or passed other dogs.

After a few minutes of helping him see that this dog was not a threat, he was able to do some pack walking side by side with him!

Keep up the good work! We are getting there!

11/11/2020

Help me welcome ‘Streeter’ to the pack!

At his core he is a sweet and loving dog, but he has a few bad habits to break like jumping, barking and not stopping when asked, getting into everything on his walk and claiming certain high value items by barking at his owners when they take them from him.

05/11/2020

Help me welcome ‘Watson’ to our pack! ❤️

He is here to learn some manners around other dogs. His owner would also appreciate some piece and quiet. He barks at dogs walking by the house, lunges and barks at dogs on the walk and is doing some fence fighting with the neighbor’s dog as well.

He has a 6 month old sibling at home and his behavior is now starting to influence him. His owner wants to nip this all in the bud so she doesn’t have 2 dogs acting out like this.

Watson will be here for a short Board and Train to set his learning in motion. I will then be working with his owner to help her build on and follow through with his training. Wish him luck! 🐶

04/11/2020

Such a great win!

Thank you people of Denver for realizing that ENERGY is more important than the BREED.

How awesome would it be if humans starting looking at dogs and other humans for who they are on the inside instead of what the look like on the outside!
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Repost: .for.pitties

03/11/2020

Help me welcome ‘Isabel’ to our pack everyone! ❤️

Isabel is here for Board and Train. She is having a few issues with her sibling in the home and her owners would like to enjoy some peace without having to keep them separated!

02/11/2020

Hi everyone!

If you know of a good dog rescue in the area let me know!

I am in the process of doing a couple things and there isn’t much info available for local rescues. Maybe we don’t have very many 🤷🏼‍♀️

If anyone has had a great experience with or knows someone who has had a great experience with a local rescue please comment, message or text me!

Thanks!

28/10/2020

‘Radar’ ( on the right) stopped by today!

He and ‘Bari’ ( on the left) practiced being calm around other dogs.

25/10/2020

‘Yoda’ goes home today!

This girl has come so far since Day 1!
More calm and confident around other dogs and a lot more attentive to the human!

More importantly she has come out of her shell to reveal a more happy and content ‘Yoda’!

24/10/2020

Help me welcome ‘Jackson’ to our pack. ❤️

He and his owner had their first lesson today and this guy is as smart as he is cute!

His major issue is just being a puppy! 😉
His owner wants to make sure she is doing everything she can to keep him on the right track of having good manners and listening reliably. 🐶

We are going to throw in some socialization too so Jackson has some confidence around new people, places and dogs!

22/10/2020

Meet ‘Cheyenne’. She is an 8 year old Husky!

Her and her owner are doing great on lesson 1!
Look at that eye contact!
Who says a Husky can’t learn?