Your Inner Dog

09/03/2025

What are you doing to care for yourself today?

09/01/2025

My dog Brinks was already a great agility partner when I started learning about Tellington TTouch. He was extremely fast and was becoming more and more accurate by the month. I didn’t expect that TTouch would improve his performance even more than I thought possible.

Using TTouch as part of his warmup routine allowed him to remain composed and focused so he could listen for my cues even though he was super ready to go! His balance and coordination skyrocketed, and his weaves, contacts and variety of turns improved as if by magic. Even after a long weekend of competing, he was less tired than he used to be. He was more content overall - still active and ready to go, but that anxious edge was gone. And, he barked less at other dogs in class and show environments. And teaching him how to slow down and focus in the TTouch Playground was so powerful in teaching him accuracy that seamlessly carried over when he poured on the speed in the agility ring.

TTouch allowed me to support Brinks in other areas of his life too - his fear of thunderstorms was a big one. He learned to seek me out to help him with TTouch at the first hint of thunder. He recognized that it helped him to feel safer and calmer. I use TTouch techniques regularly during vet visits to ease anxiety and help with cooperative exams and other procedures. I wouldn’t want to be without my knowledge of TTouch for myself or any of my dogs, and so, I became a practitioner.

And now, I want to share what I’ve learned with you so that you and your dog can benefit from these easy-to-do techniques. I’m running a 4-week virtual workshop and you’re invited! Registration is open now, and spots are filling up, so click on this link to learn more and see if it’s the right time for you to join us! https://uniquely-paws-able.teachable.com/p/wellbeing-through-tellington-ttouch-method

Photo description: A tri-colored dogs jumps up on two hind feet on a yellow background. Heading text says, “Tellington TTouch for Positive Behavior Change.” Bulleted description says “Active dogs: body awareness and surefootedness, focus for training activities, nice pre and post-competition routine, increase confidence, for overall wellness and wellbeing, emotional regulation, calm focus around triggers.” Second bulleted list below that one says, “Other benefits: calming and helpful in emergencies, travel, vet visits, ease of grooming and handling, part of a rehabilitation program, fireworks and stressful events, and so much more!”

09/01/2025

We started our very first book club this month in the Uniquely Paw-Able Member's Group! Did you know that dogs have a universal language they use to communicate to each other ... and to us? Did you also know that dogs that are blind from birth also use these signals? Even though they haven't been able to learn them by watching :O It's really fascinating!

If you live with a dog with visual and/or hearing differences, our Member's Group is an ongoing support for you. We cover a wide variety of topics of interest to you and of benefit to your dog! Come join us. https://uniquely-paws-able.teachable.com/p/exclusive-up-membership-package

08/29/2025

Are you wondering about what Tellington TTouch is or if it’s right for you and your dog?

The Tellington TTouch Method is an approach to the care and training of animals that emphasizes their physical and emotional well-being, with a priority placed on establishing trust, mutual respect, and two-way communication.

So many of the behaviors we see from our dogs stem from them feeling things physically and/or emotionally that cause them to feel a bit “off.” Sometimes there are no other signs for us to see besides their behavior changing. And often these behaviors are ones that we don’t appreciate. The thing is that many people jump right into training and trying to get the dog to stop those behaviors and do something else instead.

With Tellington TTouch, we can help our dogs to come back into balance physically and emotionally, so they feel better. And when they feel better, they learn better and behave in ways that we find more pleasant. Dogs who are feeling balanced physically and calm emotionally are a joy to be around. They can play and be active when we’re ready for them to be, and they can be relaxed and content at other times. All without a lot of specialized training.

TTouch is so much more than affecting our dog’s behavior, but this is often the thing that people find the most helpful. This 4-week virtual workshop will give you and your dog an introduction to the Tellington TTouch Method and will teach you specific techniques to help you support your dog and have a positive influence on their behavior.

The workshop starts Sept 8th, and spots are filling up now. Registration and more information can be found at: https://uniquely-paws-able.teachable.com/p/wellbeing-through-tellington-ttouch-method

Recordings will be available to those who register. Hope to see you there!

08/29/2025

🐾 A New Chapter, Together 🐾

One of my recent clients had a big life transition ahead of him — he was moving into an assisted living community. And there was one thing that mattered more than anything else to him and his family:

❤️🐾 Bringing his beloved small dog with him.

Because this little dog wasn’t just a pet — he was a best friend, a lifeline, and a source of comfort during a time of big changes.

When we started working together, our goal was simple: Help this man and his dog continue living happily and safely together in their new environment.

Our 1-on-1 training sessions were tailored just for them, focusing on what really mattered in their day-to-day life:

✨ Walking calmly through hallways and past other residents
✨ Getting comfortable around medical equipment like wheelchairs and walkers
✨ Attending social events in the community
✨ Staying relaxed in the room when his person stepped out for meals or activities
✨ Greeting staff politely (no jumping!)
✨ Finding enrichment activities they could do together in a small space
✨ And even creative tools to make daily routines easier — like putting on a harness without bending, and visual reminders to support memory and consistency

📌 Every situation is unique — and that’s one of the things I love most about my work. No matter where you live or what your needs are, we can create a plan that works for you and your dog.

This story has a truly happy ending. These two best buddies are thriving in their new home — with all the tools, support, and confidence they need to continue sharing life side by side. 🐶👴❤️

If you or someone you love could use customized support like this, I’d love to chat. Reach out anytime or visit www.yourinnerdog.com to get started.

08/27/2025

The Name Game is one of the easiest and perhaps most important foundation games that I teach all dogs. Even my puppy Delight learned it.

Yes, she is blind and deaf, but the concept she is learning is just the same as if she could hear me cheerfully calling out her name. Except that instead of hearing it, she feels it through my touch.

When we teach Name Game, we help our puppy to associate wonderful things (usually delicious food at first) with their name. As they learn that when they recognize their name, food is coming, they will begin to respond and turn toward us very quickly each time we call their name.

As they master this in quiet and familiar environments, we can then expand on the game to play it in new quiet areas. Gradually we will practice the Name Game in areas with more distractions or in environments and situations where we really want our dog to respond quickly when we call them.

Delight practiced her Name Game today in a new environment with lots of exciting smells. She rocked it - turning quickly each time I gave her the touch cue of her name.

This game is a wonderful way to start a puppy or new dog out on the road to learning to come when called in all sorts of situations. And it's never too late to teach or review the Name Game - practice gets us better responses!

Have you taught your dog the Name Game? I’d love to hear about a time when you used it, and your dog made you super proud with their response! If you haven’t yet taught the Name Game, would you like to learn how? www.yourinnerdog.com

08/27/2025

Imagine your dog feeling calmer, more confident, and being easier to live with …

It’s here again! This has been such a popular workshop, and this will be the last time I’m running it until next year. The Tellington TTouch® Method is instrumental in everything I do with my own dogs and when supporting clients.

With TTouch, you can help your dog release stress, focus better, and become more cooperative - all done gently while enhancing trust and communication.

Over 4 weeks of live, online training, I’ll teach you hands-on TTouch techniques you can use right away to:
🐾 Ease anxiety, reactivity, and noise phobias
🐾 Build trust with shy or rescued dogs
🐾 Improve leash manners, focus, and sports performance
🐾 Make grooming, handling, and vet visits easier
… and so much more!

📅 Mondays, Sept 8–29, 2025 - 6:30 PM CT
🎥 Recordings included
🐕 For dog caregivers & professionals - all levels welcome, great for shelter/rescue staff and volunteers as well.
⚠ Space is limited - this fills up fast!

Come learn a heart-centered approach to supporting dogs — and watch them thrive. I’d love to have you join us! And tell your friends.
👉 Join us here:

Are you looking to deepen your connection with your canine companion and help them thrive physically and emotionally? Look no further! Join us for a 4-week virtual workshop led by the renowned and compassionate Deb Bauer, a certified Level 2 Tellington TTouch Practitioner for companion animals and e...

08/25/2025

Living with a blind and/or deaf dog means you’re already tuned in to the importance of trust, calm, and communication. But even with all that awareness, stress can sneak up on our dogs—and on us.

Inside the Uniquely Paws-Able Members Group, we’ve been focusing on reducing stress—what it looks like, where it comes from, and how to help our dogs (and ourselves) feel more regulated and relaxed.

I want to share two simple but powerful tools that came up in our recent member webinar:

🌀 1. Decompression Days
Sometimes the best thing you can do is… less. If your dog has had a vet visit, a big change, or even a string of exciting (but stimulating) days, a decompression day can help their nervous system reset.

That means:
🐾No busy walks or outings
🐾Quiet enrichment like sniffing in the yard or a lick mat
🐾No training expectations—just rest, comfort, and choice

Dogs process the world through their bodies and senses—giving them space to downshift helps prevent stress from stacking up.

🤲 2. T-Touch (Touch with Intention)
Every time we touch our dogs is an opportunity to calm their system—if we do it with awareness. We practiced a few simple T-Touch techniques in our member group that are easy to add into your daily routine. Even one or two circles with your fingertips during a cuddle or leash-up moment can help your dog release tension.

Touch, done intentionally, isn’t just comforting—it literally helps regulate the nervous system.

❤️ In the Members Group, we dive deeper into techniques like these each month. We also talk through real-life situations, questions, and experiences—like how stress shows up in different dogs, what signs to watch for, and what to do when your own stress is making things harder.

If you’re looking for practical tools, community, and creative ways to support your blind or deaf dog, you’ll be right at home with us.

👉 Click here to learn more and join us https://uniquely-paws-able.teachable.com/p/exclusive-up-membership-package

In the meantime, maybe try a decompression day or a few intentional touches this week—and see how your dog responds. 🐾

You’ve got this. And we’re here when you’re ready to join us.

08/23/2025

🐾🌍 Happy International Blind Dog Day! 🌍🐾

August 23rd is a day to pause and celebrate the incredible resilience, spirit, and joy of blind dogs around the world.

These dogs may experience the world differently — but they don't miss out on life.
They hike trails, play with friends, snuggle close with their people, and live with a level of trust and heart that inspires everyone they meet. 💛

As a professional dog trainer and consultant who specializes in working with blind (and deaf) dogs, this day is especially close to my heart. I’ve dedicated my work — and my life — to supporting these extraordinary dogs and the amazing humans who love them.

I’m lucky enough to share my home with sensory-different dogs, and not a day goes by that I’m not blown away by their brilliance, their adaptability, and their unwavering joy.

Today, I honor:
🐶 The blind dogs living their best lives
🚶‍♀️ The families helping them explore the world safely
❤️ The people who chose to say yes to a dog others overlooked
💡 And the growing number of trainers, vets, and professionals eager to learn how to support them

✨ If you share your life with a blind dog — or are curious about how to — I’m always here to help. It’s what I do, and it’s what I love.

📸 I'd LOVE to get to know your blind dog below — tell me their name, their favorite thing to do, and what they’ve taught you. Let’s fill this thread with joy, inspiration, and celebration!

08/21/2025

No matter what type of dog professional you are - groomer, trainer, pet sitter, veterinary staff, the list goes on and on - the term enrichment is probably on your radar. Enrichment is a critical part of creating the best welfare, wellness, and behavior plan when it’s tailored to each individual dog.

As an expert in working with blind and/or deaf dogs, I’ve spent years tailoring a variety of enrichment activities to meet each specific dog’s needs. While some enrichment is the same regardless of a dog’s abilities, there are specific conditions such as a dog with sensory differences, that require some thinking outside of the box.

Enriching Every Sense is a popular package for dog caregivers and professional alike. Each enrichment activity is designed to use a variety of senses, with instructions tailored for dogs with visual and/or hearing differences.

If you’re looking to up your game to support those clients with sensory-different dogs, this course will give you lots of tools for your toolbox. Check it out here to learn more:
👉 https://uniquely-paws-able.teachable.com/p/enrichment-and-games

Testimonial 3 - From a Dog Professional: "As a dog professional, I'm always seeking ways to enhance the well-being of the dogs I work with. Deb's Enriching Every Sense program has been a revelation for my practice. It has given me a comprehensive understanding of how to tailor enrichment activities for dogs with sensory differences. The program's insights and practical strategies have allowed me to better support my clients and their blind and/or deaf dogs. I can now provide specialized enrichment plans that cater to each dog's unique needs, leading to happier and more fulfilled canine companions." - Mark, Dog Trainer, Pet Sitter

08/19/2025

Stress in blind and/or deaf dogs doesn’t always look like fear or anxiety. In fact, it often hides in plain sight.

Inside the Uniquely Paws-Able Members Group, we’ve been exploring how stress affects our dogs—and the many forms it can take. Even dogs who seem “fine” may be carrying more tension than we realize.

Here are just a few common causes of stress for blind and deaf dogs:

🐾 Changes in routine or environment
🐾 Confusion about what’s expected of them
🐾 Loud or sudden sounds (for deaf-blind dogs, vibrations or changes in scent)
🐾 New smells, places, or people
🐾 Excitement or overstimulation (yep—even the fun stuff!)
🐾 Separation from a person or animal they’re bonded to
🐾 Pain, discomfort, or fatigue

Dogs don’t always tell us clearly when they’re overwhelmed. That’s why learning to read their body language—especially their individual, subtle cues—is so important.

Here are some signs that your dog might be experiencing stress:

🔹Turning their head or body away from something
🔹Tense or tucked body posture
🔹Licking lips, yawning, or panting when it doesn’t fit the moment
🔹Suddenly acting clingy—or withdrawing entirely
🔹Zoomies, jumping, or getting mouthy or silly out of the blue
🔹Not settling or sleeping deeply, especially after busy days

Every dog is unique, so what stress looks like in one might not apply to another. The key is to watch for shifts from your dog’s normal behavior, especially in posture, movement, and expression.

This is the kind of thing we talk about in depth each month in the UP Members Group—real-life caregiving strategies designed especially for families with blind and/or deaf dogs.

If you'd like to join us for full monthly trainings (like this one on stress), community conversations, and our upcoming fun enrichment experiences:
👉 Click here to learn more and become a member https://uniquely-paws-able.teachable.com/p/exclusive-up-membership-package

Consider this your personal invitation. You’re always welcome here :)

08/17/2025

It gives me such joy to watch blind and deaf puppies growing up to be confident, well mannered dogs! This doesn’t always happen, because the growing up process can be challenging. Blind and deaf puppies need all the things that other puppies need … and then they need a bit more to ensure that they are perceiving the world as safe and predictable.

Puppies who learn problem solving skills, learn through positive reinforcement, and are allowed to take the time they need to learn about new environments and people grow into confident, happy dogs who can go out into the world with their people and do super fun things! One of my special interests is getting blind and deaf puppies the skills they will need for a super adult life! And when I see those puppies succeed, and their people beam with pride … well, that makes me one proud trainer! I love to celebrate successes with you and your puppy.

I offer both virtual and in-person puppy lessons, for puppies of all abilities. You can find out more here: www.yourinnerdog.com or comment “Puppy” below and I’ll reach out to you shortly :)