The Motivated K9

21/09/2026

Bear and Oyster

13/06/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DUd5k3VGa/

🐾 Not every dog wants to be touched — and that's okay.

Dogs are not public property, and we should never assume that an unfamiliar (or even familiar) dog is inviting interaction just by being present.

The golden rule: don't approach unknown dogs. Give them space, stay relaxed, look slightly away, and let them come to you.

And even when a dog does approach you, sniffing, standing nearby, or coming close is NOT necessarily an invitation to pat them. Wait for clearer signals — loose, relaxed body language, leaning into your leg, gentle eye contact, a nudge, a paw, or a play bow. Those are consent.

Once you have those signals, you can ask their guardian if it's okay to interact. Keep it brief, and pause to check if they want to continue.

🚫 Avoid: patting on the head, pushing your hand in their face, hugging, or overwhelming them with too many people or too much intensity.

⚠️ Signs a dog is uncomfortable: lip licking, yawning, looking away, moving away, ears pinned back, tail tucked, whale eye (whites of the eyes showing) — and of course snapping or growling, which is an immediate request for more space.

This applies to children too — teaching kids that unknown dogs are not to be approached is one of the most important lessons we can pass on.

I've put together an infographic breaking all of this down — save it and share it! 👆

And if you want to go deeper, I've also made a video exploring whether people should even have the expectation to pat an unknown dog — and why "asking first" doesn't always make it okay 👇
📺 https://youtu.be/K2D8cOGUhs4

05/05/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/17HSuM7R58/

✨WE 👏🏻CANNOT👏🏻RULE👏🏻OUT👏🏻PAIN

Dogs can’t tell us. There’s no test for it.

Friends, I have had DOZENS of cases where the dog has been deemed “fine” by multiple professionals only to find severe pain after persisting, the treatment of which led to significant behavior change.

To say nothing of the cases involving finding of moderate or “mild” pain, the treatment of which led to significant behavior change. This is the majority of my client population.

IVDD. Lumbosacral disease. Severe arthritis. CCL tears. Cancer. Broken bones. Bone on bone. IBD. Fractured teeth. Chronic ear infections. Chronic pancreatitis. Hip dysplasia.

We tend to think that if there was an issue causing significant pain, it would be obvious. But I’ve seen many cases where significant issues were only found after seeing multiple professionals. I will probably never shut up about the client with a broken bone that wasn’t diagnosed until their third veterinarian.

Even when your vet is awesome. Even when your dog gets regular care. Even when they get MORE than regular care. Even when they’ve had an exam. Even when someone has said they’re fine. Even if they’re active. Even if “they’ve always been like that”. Even if they’re young.

Pain can exist.

And we need to ALWAYS think about how the dog might feel in their body as part of our behavior plan.

And if your dog has complex behavior needs? It is ✨very likely✨ there are things we can do to help them feel better in their body.

Behavior and physical health aren’t separate spheres. It’s not either-or. The dogs with complex behavior needs need help feeling better in their body AND behavior therapy. We don’t rule out pain and then do behavior work - we investigate pain as part of a larger behavior framework.

22/04/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1ChPMcAnYh/

⚡️DOGS IN PAIN STILL RUN, PLAY, AND KEEP GOING⚡️

Not a week goes by without a client saying:

“But my dog can’t be in pain—they still…”
• Play ball
• Go for walks
• Do agility
• Run and play with the grandchildren
• Compete in sports
• Jump on the sofa
• Chase squirrels
• Act ‘normally’

…and this is one of the biggest misconceptions we see in canine rehabilitation.

🐾 Dogs in chronic pain often continue to perform normal activities

Unlike humans, dogs are incredibly stoic. Pain behaviours are often subtle, gradual, and easily dismissed as “just getting older” or “slowing down.”

Many dogs with musculoskeletal pain, osteoarthritis, compensatory strain, or soft tissue dysfunction will still run, play, and remain active—because movement is instinctive, routine, and often driven by adrenaline, excitement, or habit.

They do not always cry, whimper, or limp.

In fact, by the time obvious lameness appears, pain may have been present for weeks, months, or even years.

🔬 Common subtle signs of pain include:
• Slower to rise after rest
• Reluctance to jump into the car
• Hesitation on stairs
• Reduced stamina on walks
• Behavioural changes or irritability
• Changes in posture or weight shifting
• Licking joints or limbs
• Difficulty settling comfortably
• Reduced performance in sport or exercise
• “Good days and bad days”

Pain is not always loud. Often, it is silent compensation.

Early recognition matters—because chronic pain changes movement patterns, increases compensatory strain, and can significantly affect long-term mobility and quality of life.

As therapists, our job is not just to treat pain—but to help owners recognise it.

Because “they’re still playing” does not always mean “they’re pain free.”

09/04/2026

Moose is here for a board and train while his mom is away. We are working on reactivity and recall.

21/12/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/1Mz67ZEXYY/

Most people think changing a dog’s behavior is just about giving treats or teaching tricks. In reality, it’s so much more than that.

It’s about cultivating a deeper understanding of your dog but also yourself.

It’s about meeting everyone’s needs.

It’s about reading stress signals and body language.

It’s about creating trust, breaking old cycles, and building a relationship where both you and your dog feel understood and confident.

And just so much more.

Behavior work isn’t a quick fix, it’s a partnership.

If you’re ready to take the next step and get support for your dog’s behavior, our team of experienced dog trainers and behavior consultants is here to help. Together, we’ll create a plan that meets both your needs and your dog’s, so you can build a happier, more harmonious household!

⚠️ IMPORTANT: Our prices will be increasing on January 1, 2026. Book a consultation now to lock in our current rates and secure your spot before the change! We offer behavior consultations virtually worldwide or training in the Chicago Suburbs! Link in bio for more details.

best online dog training program, online dog training for reactive dogs, dog trainers in Naperville IL, dog trainers Chicago suburbs

11/12/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17Da7q8vp2/

At this point in time, most folks understand the link between pain and behavior. It’s logical: you don’t feel well, you have less patience and tolerance, you lash out or shut down or otherwise are not the best version of yourself. It makes sense that the same would be true for dogs.

But how do we know there is pain with animals who cannot verbalize that pain?

The short answer: we can’t know.

The longer answer: we also can’t know there ISN’T pain.

Meet Malus.

From puppyhood, he’s been a little spicy. But he’s a terrier, so that’s normal, right? He didn’t like having his feet handled. No biggie. And as he got older, he got a little reactive to other dogs - again, see “terrier” in the dictionary. And after he got neutered at 2.5 years old, his behavior spiraled - going after his housemates, aggression directed at his owners, even less tolerance for handling, increased fence fighting. But there’s some evidence of increased aggression after neutering, so maybe he just got unlucky.

For many folks, that explanation would’ve been enough. They would’ve worked on behavior modification, or just accepted a crate and rotate household, or managed the heck out of all of his triggers… or, honestly, would’ve ended up euthanizing him for his dangerous behavior.

Luckily, Malus’s mom is Katrina, who is essentially a terrier in a human body. She dug in.

Training, a veterinary behaviorist, consulting with other behavior experts, expensive testing - and then we got our first physical explanation: low zinc.

But even with a zinc supplement, his aggressive episodes remained unpredictable. Katrina had noticed some very, very intermittent lameness, foot chewing, butt/tail biting, so off they went to the first orthopedic specialist - one who cleared him orthopedically for all activities.

So they did physical therapy, and pain meds, and kept working on training.

But the weird, mild lameness continued, and so did visits to specialists. A neurologist who recommended an MRI, then more physical therapy for a possible psoas strain, different meds, another orthopedic/rehab specialist consultation, adjustments to physical therapy, a PEMF bed for home use, adjustments to behavior meds, consults with nationally respected trainers and behavior specialists, and finally - FINALLY - a recommendation to see a pain management specialist.

“I think he may have Tethered Cord Syndrome. I’m going to try different pain meds, but there’s a specialist in Massachusetts you should get in touch with.”

With the new meds on board, his behavior improved. He was brighter, happier, had fewer episodes of lameness, self mutilation, and aggression.

Yesterday, Malus had a dynamic MRI at Tufts, where Tethered Cord Syndrome was confirmed.

Today, he had surgery to relieve the adhesions to his spinal cord that have been causing him pain.

He was never “just being a terrier.” He was not acting out for no good reason. He didn’t need harsher training methods. He wasn’t aggressing for no reason.

He was in pain.

There are no words to adequately describe how thrilled I am for Katrina and Malus to have this diagnosis and surgery in their rear view mirror - it has been a long time coming. The strain on Katrina and Kevin’s emotions, time, resources, finances, and household over the last 5 years cannot be overstated. Most folks wouldn’t - and couldn’t - go to the lengths they did.

We can’t rule out pain. We can only rule out specific issues and diagnoses. For Malus, it took finding the right vet who had heard about this rarely diagnosed issue to connect them with the vet who could help.

To my clients I encourage to work with their veterinarian to try to find any physical explanations: Katrina and Malus are the reason why I will push you more if your primary care vet shrugs you off. It’s why I will push and push and push, especially if your commitment to training and management is excellent but we still are struggling to make progress. Malus is on my shoulder (sometimes literally), poking me with his nose, screeching in my ear to look harder.

If you’ve ever heard him, you know how hard that ✨ delightful ✨ noise is to ignore.

(PS - Here’s your sign to sign up for pet insurance.)

To learn more about Tethered Cord Syndrome:
https://vet.tufts.edu/news-events/news/breakthrough-surgical-procedure-relieves-dogs-chronic-pain

02/12/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14RZuLvMEX4/

26/11/2025

I now have a newsletter! Be the first to learn about events, sales and new services!
https://themotivatedk9.com/newsletter/

04/11/2025

Freyja and Mora