Vermont Dog Behavior

01/01/2025

Super happy to have had the opportunity to talk about functional enrichment with Tom at Simplifying Shelter Behaviour. Thanks for having me on the podcast! If you give it a listen, feel free to hit me up with questions.

Now Live!

Ep. 29 Functional Enrichment, how to do More Than Just Stuff a Kong with Emily Lewis.

In this episode I am joined by Emily Lewis to talk about functional enrichment. We cover how we can use enrichment to support our behaviour modification plans and how we can craft specific enrichment programs for the dogs in our care that support behaviour as well as welfare.

About Emily
• 22 years of professional experience as a dog trainer, shelter behaviour consultant and veterinary technician
• Certified Dog Behaviour Consultant with the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants
• Ten years of experience in shelters doing behavior evaluations, dog to dog testing, creating enrichment and training plans, and counseling adopters
• Specializes in a wide variety of behavior issues, including human directed aggression
Emily loves working with pet parents and their dogs to strengthen the human animal bond through positive training. Over the last 20+ years she has worked with a variety of breeds from terriers to mastiffs to mutts.
She has experience with rescue dogs and the unique issues they face - and is the proud owner of three of her very own. She has also owned and trained deaf, blind, and physically impaired dogs, and this is an area close to her heart.

https://open.spotify.com/show/1Ea6VTImAPcnlXilJYunij?si=37947fc55aa54dfe

30/12/2024

Really excited for the opportunity to talk to Tom on the Simplifying Shelter Behaviour podcast! I’ll be sure to share the full episode when it drops.

15/12/2024

Courtesy Post: This handsome guy is just waiting to wag his way into your heart. Wiggle has had a difficult journey in his short life, but is coming out the other side with a positive outlook. Wiggle is a typical adolescent bully breed dog, full of energy and zest for life. Here’s what we know about his social skills:

Adults: Wiggle adores people and would like to take up permanent residence in someone’s lap. He does have trauma from previous abuse which causes him to be reactive (barky/lungy) in certain situations with new people. He warms up quickly when coached through this initial meeting. He will need support in continuing to build positive associations in this area.

Kids: Wiggle has lived with and seems to enjoy being with children. He is an active young dog, and could potentially knock younger kiddos over in his exuberance. We always recommend adult supervision between kids and dogs.

Dogs: Wiggle could benefit from having a calm and confident dog in his new home. He is currently living with other dogs and does well sharing his things, space and foster human with them. He plays vigorously with his bully breed housemate and loves to cuddle with both dogs during nap time. Wiggle can be reactive to some dogs (barky/lungy) and will need to be introduced to any new dog friends in a structured way.

Cats: Wiggle has a high prey drive and should not live with cats, bunnies or barnyard fowl.

Medical Information: Wiggle came to The Mitzvah Fund after having been hit by a car. His hind leg was badly broken. Unfortunately there were several weeks between the accident and Wiggle coming into care and leg could not be repaired. The loss of his leg hasn’t slowed him down one bit, and he is so relieved to no longer be in pain. Wiggle was very underweight when he first arrived, and is still in the process of putting on a few pounds to become a healthy weight.

Wiggle will come with post adoption support from our behavior consultant to ensure a smooth transition to his new home. If you think that your family could be a good fit for our special boy please reach out to at [email protected]

31/10/2024

Happy Halloween! Fisher wants you to know he’s Super Beagle every day, but only dresses the part once a year. Did you dress up your pet today?

10/10/2024

When I talk about adding distractions to training I don’t generally envision a small herd of cats joining the party. But for Koru this is the kind of real life distraction that he’ll face on a daily basis. His mom does a great job of managing the cats while also reinforcing Koru for staying on his mat, quite the accomplishment!

13/09/2024

Name a cuter couple than this, I dare you! PD brings his emotional support Carat to our training sessions, and she is more than happy to learn (and eat treats) along side him. PD is working on being comfortable when left alone, being calm when seeing dogs on walks and learning to make good decisions in high arousal situations. This goofy guy is already making great progress.

05/09/2024

I love spending time with the dogs, staff and volunteers at and it’s often the highlight of my week. There are so many wonderful dogs looking for homes, and one of them is my pal Chanel. This sweet, goofy girl would love to help you bring your selfie skills to the next level. She excels at giving kisses and cuddles to her friends, playing fetch and making people laugh. For more information about Chanel you can check out her profile at hsccvt.org

26/08/2024

Happy National Dog Day from the Vermont Dog Behavior crew! We hope you and your pups have a fabulous day.

01/07/2024

How can you and your pups survive Booms Day? Be prepared!

🎆 Know the schedule for your local fireworks, and stay home with your sound sensitive dog(s) at those times.
🎆 Feel free to go out and celebrate, but leave your pets at home. The sounds and sights that are exciting to us can be terrifying for them.
🎆 Make sure your pets are wearing up to date ID, even in the house. More pets are lost on the 4th of July than any other time of year. When they’re scared, they might run and accidents (like a door being left open) might happen.
🎆 It’s okay, and important, to comfort your dog! You can’t reinforce fear, but you can help reduce it. If petting, cuddling, or taking to your dog helps them to feel better than do it.
🎆 Promote relaxation in your home:
🐾Prior to the start of fireworks, being playing some music, the TV or run an air conditioner. Keep it going until after the booms end.
🐾If your dog can see the light show, close the blinds or curtains or add some window film.
🐾Some dogs might appreciate being in a smaller space like a bedroom, crate or even a coat closet - stay with them if they do!
🐾Provide a high value chew, stuffed Kong or lick mat as chewing and licking are soothing for dogs.
🐾Try a calming supplement, I use Composure products for my pups.

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21/05/2024

The Dog Trainer’s Retreat on Aggression and Reactivity is a wrap! Thank you to everyone who joined us for such an exciting weekend. I had a wonderful time getting to share my knowledge and experience with a group of engaged and thoughtful trainers, shelter volunteers and pet guardians. No presentation would be complete without a cameo from my girl Callie and her big ole grin 💖

Thank you to and for being such excellent hosts, and to my co presenter for bringing so much joy with her to our little state. is not only a beautiful venue, it’s a community. I can’t wait to go back!

17/05/2024

It was enrichment prep night here at camp chaos. We use a variety of enrichment toys and on the menu for this week are Kongs, Toppls and Pupsicles.

I mixed low fat plain yogurt with beef stew Top It for filling and hid their freeze dried liver treats on the bottom of each item.

Get your pups some Grandma Lucy’s using my discount code LCBEHAVIOR10 at checkout.

19/04/2024

I’ve been fine tuning my presentations for the upcoming Dog Trainer’s Retreat on Reactivity and Aggression at Lemon's Hope Sanctuary. It’s given me an opportunity to review so many cases from the last 10 years. I love looking back at how dedicated my clients have been to their dogs, and I’m thankful to have been a part of each of their journeys. I’m excited for the opportunity to share my experience with fellow trainers and dog guardians. There’s still time to get your ticket by clicking the link below:

http://tiny.cc/6e4txz