K9 Holistics

30/08/2020

Praise for Margie and her mom Rachel who are training ninjas! This was Margie at only five months - rock star!

30/08/2020

I want to thank all of my fabulous clients and their dogs for a great year of training! You guys work so hard to improve your dogs’ behavior and wellbeing! Today I officially begin my maternity leave and will be pausing all training services through the end of the year. It’s a little bittersweet, I’ll really miss my work, clients and all the doggies. So I just want to show a little appreciation for all the kiddos who have seen me through my last months of training before my own kiddo arrives! And a shout out to those not pictured (because I’m terrible at remembering to take photos!) - Coby, Tula, Shelby, Link and Indy, Ollie, Rue, Swat, Zeva Bella and Curly, Miller, Stevie, Ruby, Angel, Millie and Doug, Paige, Luna, Blue, Paddie and Luna, Margie and the whole Bay Paws staff! Keep up the great work and remember - your dog is only is as consistent as you are!!!! 🐶❤️🐶❤️🐶

08/04/2020

Tips for socializing your puppy during lockdown. If you have a puppy under 16 weeks old - this is for you!

Puppies go through a critical period of socialization during early puppyhood. During this time, it is imperative that your pup undergo a thorough socialization program so that you set them up for success later on in life. The socialization period is over by 16 weeks of age, so you've got a lot to do in short amount of time!

The process of socialization is simple - positive, stress-free exposure to a large variety of stimuli. The puppy should never be pushed or forced to interact with anything or anyone. Pay close attention to body language. If your puppy shows signs of stress or fear, back off, give them space and help them regain a confident, happy affect through play, feeding or just taking a break.

When most people think of socialization, they think about introducing their puppy to lots of people and lots of other dogs. While this is important, there is much, much more to socialization. Puppies need to be exposed to different sounds, environments, surfaces and situations.

During this time while social contact is limited, you will not be able to do hands-on introductions with other people and dogs. No need to worry, there's still plenty of socializing you can do!

Here are my tips to make the best use of the current situation!

03/04/2020

Attention dog lovers, this sweet kiddo is in need of a loving home. He must go to a home where he will be an ONLY dog.

Vader is a 2 year-old male Pitt mix. He is an energetic yet super cuddly boy who loves running in the yard or napping under the covers. He loves chewing on his kong, playing fetch, watching squirrels, and curling up with you to watch Netflix. He is potty and crate trained.

*Must go to home with no other pets or children*

If you are interested in learning more about Vader, please contact me for more info. And please feel free to SHARE with all your dog-loving friends!

30/03/2020

Let's talk about separation anxiety (SA). If you have a puppy or have recently brought a new dog into your household, AND your daily schedule has changed significantly due to COVID-19, this is for you.

Many people will be spending significantly more time at home with their dogs, which in many ways is a wonderful thing. But unfortunately, this is going to make certain dogs prone to developing SA. Those most at risk are puppies, dogs that have been recently adopted and dogs that have experienced SA in the past.

It is important that you take measures now to reduce your dog's risk of developing separation anxiety. I can't stress this enough, as the treatment for separation anxiety is very tedious and can take many months to succeed. Prevention is far easier!

You will need to make sure that your dog is spending time alone every single day. I would recommend a few hours, at minimum. Here are some ways to ensure that your dog is spending time alone:

*Use a baby gate or closed door to confine your dog to a certain area of the house away from you. You can play relaxing music so they cannot hear you moving about.

*Go for a walk without your dog

*Get in your car and drive away. You could park your car a few blocks away and work in your car, or take a drive. If you normally leave your house in a car for work, this is very important to do. Some dogs not display SA when the owner leaves the house on foot, but do experience SA when the owner leaves by car. Dogs are master differentiators!

*Drive to a park and go for walk alone

*If crate trained, crate your dog even while you are home.

*When confining your dog, be sure they have access to fresh water and entertainment in the form of chews, interactive toys or other enrichment activities.

Please share this with anyone you know that has a puppy or a newly adopted dog. I am really hoping that we do not see a surge of SA cases when this is all over, as it a very distressing behavioral issue both for dogs and for their people!

26/03/2020

As of yesterday's order, this will be our current operations policy. I'll keep you updated as things change.

I am postponing training for all non-urgent cases for clients that have been receiving ongoing training in an effort to minimize social contact. I am reaching out to clients that have appointments scheduled to let them know of the new plan.

I will continue training for all aggression cases, and other urgent behavioral cases.

I will continue to see new clients for the time being so that I can keep the business healthy and continue providing resources to those in need.

And I will continue to work with our rescue partners and fosters.

Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions or concerns, or are unsure of which category you fall into. Thank you for your flexibility and support during these uncertain times!

26/03/2020

You may have noticed that I am not very consistent on my social media posts - it's true...I'd rather hangout with the doggies than be online. But with the current situation and county mandates, I will be posting here regularly to keep you informed of our operations, and provide quarantine training advice.

This is a great time to be working consistently with your dog toward your training goals.

There are also some special considerations that I want owners to be aware of, specifically regarding puppies and newly adopted dogs. These owners will need to take extra measures in regards to socialization, and prevention of separation anxiety. Stay tuned as I will be addressing these issues more in depth over the next week.

Stay healthy and go love your dog :)

08/10/2019

practicing her matwork at the park. She’s such a good girl!

28/09/2019

I encourage all dog owners to read this open letter written by the IAABC in regards to the new TV show, Dog Impossible.

Dog training is a widely unregulated industry, and because of that, any one can claim themselves to be a "behaviorist" and use all kinds of unethical methods and promote unfounded theories on how to train dogs and solve behavior problems. It's something that professionals in my industry combat on a daily basis.

I will not go in to depth here about my thoughts on this "trainer", however I will say that if I or any other credentialed and certified trainer were to use these methods, we would likely lose our certifications due to the ethical mistreatment of animals. I am appalled that animals in such extreme states of stress can pass for entertainment.

International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants professional Code of Ethics information.

23/08/2019

URGENT FOSTER NEEDED TO SAVE HER LIFE! Please DM if interested!

22/08/2019

New blog post up - the ultimate chew toy guide for puppies!
https://www.k9holistics.com/post/your-ultimate-chew-toy-guide-for-puppies

Puppies love to chew. But they also NEED to chew. So it's important to make sure that your puppy has consistent access to appropriate chew toys. Providing

21/08/2019

We are honored to be nominated for Best Dog Trainer in Tampa Bay. Please support your favorite dog nerds and vote K9 Holistics for Best in the Bay! Click "Goods and Services" tab and scroll down to find the Dog Trainer category. Thanks to all our pawsome supporters!
https://www.cltampa.com/bestofthebay2019 #//

15/08/2019

A new study has found some of the clearest evidence yet that animals can judge time. By examining the brain's medial entorhinal cortex, the researchers discovered a previously unknown set of neurons that turn on like a clock when an animal is waiting.

13/08/2019

Be aware of the danger of blue green algae!

Public Service Announcement! If you see Blue Green Algae like this DO NOT PUT YOUR DOGS IN THE WATER! Late summer and early fall are when it is most toxic. There is no cure. If your dog ingests toxic blue green algae blooms while swimming THEY WILL DIE! Understand the water can look clear. It doesn’t have to have this much in it. It loves humid areas with little rain , areas with fertilizer or animal waste runoff. I have seen stories on 12 dogs dying in the last 24 hours in various different parts of the country. This is no joke. Please take this toxin seriously. By the time you know your dog is sick it will be gone.

13/08/2019

Interesting study - sleep enhances canine learning! Did you know dogs need 16-18 hours of sleep per day for optimal health and behavior? How much does your dog sleep? I've found that dogs who do no get enough sleep have more behavioral issues than their rested counterparts.

EEG study suggests sleep enhances learning 

12/08/2019

Coco and Pepper had a fun training session last week hiking some trails by their house. Mom loves to take them here, but typically the excitement of the environment gets them really amped up and they pull like crazy. We used Denise Fenzi’s circle method to teach them to keep the leash loose, and saw a huge improvement in a a short amount of time. For trail walks, we don’t mind the dogs sniffing and doing their own thing, we just don’t want the girls frantically pulling all over the place. So the circle method was a fantastic, easy solution for making these hikes really enjoyable for everyone.

17/07/2019

Lexie had her first matwork session at the park yesterday, and she did so well! We started her mat training at home where she could learn to settle with no distractions. For an energetic dog like Lexie, settling on cue will be an invaluable skill that will help her relax in stimulating situations. This was the first time we brought her mat to the park with us, so my expectations were low, but she knew just what to do! We switched back and forth between active behaviors and periods of settling so that she could practice bringing her energy levels down and relaxing. Lexie LOVES the park, so this was a huge challenge for her, but she rose to the occasion like a champ!

27/06/2019

Congrats to Grace for completing her 12 session program yesterday. She has come a long way in such a short amount of time. Her mommy worked super hard to get her more comfortable around other dogs in preparation for a big move to Austin. Proud of you both and wishing you all the best!!



Posted • This is the mug of a pup who successfully completed her training with !! For the past ~2 months we’ve worked so hard & I can truly say Grace is so much more confident, happy, and capable! Congrats on your “graduation” 🎓 Best birthday gift ever!

21/06/2019

A round of applause for Jet! He finished his 12 session program yesterday and he has come such a long way. We addressed his leash issues, so he can walk nicely with his mom and not react to other dogs. We wrapped up his program with a focus on introducing him to his new house mate (mom and dad are moving in together...yay!!), a sweet Rottie named Casey. Mom has been stressed about Jet living with another dog, which is understandable, but I know they will be just fine. Congrats Jet and Amanda on all your progress and hard work!!

20/06/2019

This is Grace. She does not like having her photo taken. But she does like rolling the grass during training sessions!! We have been working on her dog reactivity, and this week we finally got her on the longline so that she could experience some freedom around other dogs. I’ve never seen her happier! She did a great job keeping her cool (only escalated a few times), and most importantly, she just had a darn good time. She was used as a bait dog in her former life, so her anxiety and fearfulness around dogs is strong. It was an absolute joy to see her really relax and enjoy herself even though there were a ton of dogs around. Happy for you, Grace!!!

19/06/2019

This is a wonderful piece on canine body language. It is so important for dog owners AND dog lovers alike to learn and to recognize these signals. Not all dogs want to be pet, and that’s OK!

Often strangers try to touch or interact without dogs without asking their permission, or in some cases they don’t even ask ours. It’s perfectly natural for us to want to love every dog we see. The problem is not all dogs want to be fiddled with by strangers and here's how they tell us.

15/06/2019

Just brushing up on some leave it skills while we waited for mom to join us. I was basically giggling the whole time because these two are like one dog in two bodies - they do everything in unison!! Love these guys ❤️

👯

15/06/2019

Hamish had a fun and tiring session at the park. He is working toward becoming a therapy dog and let me tell you - he’s going to be a star! This kid has such a sweet nature, I don’t think I ever stop smiling when I’m around him!

05/06/2019

We kicked off the new Canine Social Behavior class last night with Charlie, Lola and Korea. These three ladies have all struggled with reactivity issues in the past, so it was wonderful to see them excel in a group training situation. We worked specifically on passing other dogs at close range. Big shout out to their owners who have worked diligently to help their dogs live a better, happier life. You guys rock!

04/06/2019

Our foster puppy Shy has come so far!! She’s such a sweetheart and a super fast learner.

01/06/2019

Athena and Duke are making great progress in training! We are working on resolving a history of aggression which involved Athena attacking Duke and causing severe damage to his face multiple times. Over the last year we have been systematically desensitizing Athena to situations that trigger her aggressive behavior, as well as teaching her how to control her arousal levels and choose different ways to cope with stress. The other big focus of our training has been on developing a high level of reliable verbal control so their owner can easily direct the dogs if he feels a situation is becoming tense. He has been doing an excellent job with them and I’m happy to report that Athena hasn’t attacked Duke in almost a year. Here they are working on sit stays during training yesterday.

29/05/2019

"Dogs are already so good at understanding us. They can understand very subtle cues, so it's our job as the humans to give them the cues to understand how to cooperate with us.”

A smiling pooch is an irresistible sight: Here's what the science says is behind that cheesy grin.

16/05/2019

All the he😍rt eyes!! Shy has been doing great acclimating to life with humans, so it’s time to start socializing as much as possible. Her critical socialization window is getting smaller by the day, so now that she (mostly) trusts me, we are starting daily adventures. She does so much better with other dogs than on her own, so I brought Vayda a long to the park to show her how it’s done. They had a blast and it made me so happy to see Shy acting like a normal puppy. If you look closely at this picture, you’ll see she placed her paws in each of the cup holders....too stinkin cute.

16/05/2019

Three’s company! Shy, our foster puppy, has been doing great and really coming out of her shell...mostly thanks to these two! She’s warmed up a lot to my husband and I, but she definitely still prefers the company of animals. I can’t get over how much Shy looks like a mini Vayda in the pic!

15/05/2019

Cute puppy butt alert!! This week we are celebrating Dillon who is completing his Puppy Jumpstart 20 day program. This guy is an absolute charmer, a melter of all the hearts. Which is great! But his social exuberance needed some fine tuning. He used to gleefully jump on all who acknowledged his presence...and even jumped on those who didn’t. Walking him around his neighborhood downtown was a whirlwind as Dillon pulled and jumped and twirled and spun in a hurricane of love. But here he is today walking calmly with dad past one of his biggest distractions - kids! Big things are in store for this young lad as he now prepares for his first dog show. Way to go Dillon!!

11/05/2019

All my clients have heard me say it before - a well leash trained dog doesn’t need the leash. Why? Because its not the leash that controls the dog, the DOG controls the dog. It’s all about self control. If your dog is well leash trained, you can walk him/her with your pinky finger...or in my case, your ring finger!

11/05/2019

Nacho had his second training session this morning at Crescent Lake and he worked his butt off! He’s a future therapy dog and as you can see, he will bring a smile to many faces 😃

08/05/2019

Dillon was such a good boy today during training. I really put him to the test around the biggest distractions I could find - dogs, children, squirrels and ducks! We have just two days left in his Jumpstart program...I’ll miss this one when we’re done!

04/05/2019

Maximus is such an athlete. We had so much fun training at the park yesterday. This guy is amazing to watch when he is in his element. So much drive, stamina and focus.