Hounds At Home

07/06/2024

I LOVE being a Family Dog Mediator and teaching people how to understand and balance their dogs’ LEGS (Learning, Environment, Genetics, and Self) - this is my boy Sonic showing how the G part can show up (and does show up!) in our world!

Understanding your dog's [G]enetics is so important to setting up their environment and learning experiences so that they can thrive!
One of our Family Dog Mediators- Bridget- from Hounds At Home shares about meeting the needs of her sweet bully, Sonic.
"My American Bully (Bully / Terrier) is the resident Vole Patrol and he checks the yard and garden for rodents. Yesterday he found a mouse in the wood pile, and had a ball smashing through the wood pile to try to find the mouse (no mice were harmed). In addition to his yard patrol duties, he loves playing with his frisbee and flirt pole, and we make sure we do this so he has something he can actually catch, grab, and shake. He enjoys FastCAT, swimming, and hiking. Indoors, he enjoys smashing through busy boxes and cuddling in a pile with the other dogs."
Understanding that these are all representations of Sonic's genetics is crucial helping to set him up for success!

Wanna learn more about the G? Take 50% off all courses through July 4th at www.familydogmediation.com

09/11/2023

🚨 FYI, three recent dog food recalls due to salmonella contamination:

👉Victor Super Premium Dog Food Select Beef Meal & Brown Rice Formula

👉 Blue Ridge Beef

👉 Retriever All Life Stages Mini Chunk Chicken Recipe

Lot numbers for involved bags are listed in the following article:

Three dog food brands recalled products in October due to salmonella contamination. Both dry and log type food is affected.

07/11/2023

Hey friends - Sonic here! I just want to remind you to go use your vote today! Local polls are open until 8 PM, so you have a few more hours to get it done.

06/11/2023

The hard copy of my new certificate arrived in the mail from the UK - I’m so excited!!! I can’t wait to help even more dogs and their people! 🤩

04/11/2023

Hack for aging dogs 🐶

03/11/2023

This is very important information 🦴 remember, no matter the age of your dog, slippery floors are not good - area rugs are your friend!

This is something everyone should see. This xray is of a 2 week old puppy.

When you get your 8/10 week old puppies, please keep this image in mind. Their bones do not even touch yet. They plod around so cutely with big floppy paws and wobbly movement because their joints are entirely made up of muscle, tendons, ligaments with skin covering. Nothing is fitting tightly together or has a true socket yet.

When you run them excessively or don't restrict their exercise to stop them from overdoing it during this period you don't give them a chance to grow properly. Every big jump or excited bouncing run causes impacts between the bones. In reasonable amounts this is not problematic and is the normal wear and tear that every animal will engage in.

But when you're letting puppy jump up and down off the lounge or bed, take them for long walks/hikes, you are damaging that forming joint. When you let the puppy scramble on tile with no traction you are damaging the joint.

You only get the chance to grow them once. A well built body is something that comes from excellent breeding and a great upbringing-BOTH, not just one.

Once grown - around 12-18 months depending on their breed, you will have the rest of their life to spend playing and engaging in higher impact exercise. So keep it calm while they're still little baby puppies and give the gift that can only be given once.

03/11/2023

Cancer sucks. All cancer. Human cancer, pet cancer, ALL cancer. But since it's Month, we wanted to share a few ways you can help reduce the risk of cancer in your pets:

🐾Keep your pet at a healthy weight with quality, nutrient-dense food.
🐾Spay or neuter your pet at an appropriate age.
🐾Minimize exposure to carcinogens and other toxins.
🐾Don't skip your pet's yearly physical check-up.

Pass the word by sharing this post or if you have a personal story with pet cancer and feel obliged to share it, there are tons of pet parents who could benefit from knowing they are not alone and that people are fighting to end !

03/11/2023

RIP, Matthew Perry. 💔

02/11/2023

If you’ve wondered why it’s been a bit quiet around here, it’s because I’ve been hard at work completing a new certification that will drastically change (improve!) the way I work with dogs and their families. I am now officially a Dynamic Dog Practitioner, and am fully trained to carry out a functional assessment on your dog, so I am better able to help dogs with pain related behaviors, and be part of a multidisciplinary team (including your vet) to get to the bottom of what your dog needs help or support with! If there is underlying pain that is causing the “problem behaviors” you see, the pain has to be addressed before we put a training plan into place, and now I can help you do that for your dog! The Dynamic Dog report is done completely virtually, so I can help you no matter where you live. If you have questions, feel free to reach out, and know I will be posting lots more about this certification in the weeks to come!

02/11/2023

I just wanted to post this happy follow up of Molly (the dog who ingested mushrooms), who is now at home! ❤️

31/10/2023

Happy Howl-O-Ween from The Bark Knight!

Remember to keep the chocolate away from your pups tonight, and have a fun and safe evening! 🎃

27/10/2023

Watch out for these mushrooms when you have your pup outside!

24/03/2023

Hope you all had a great National Puppy Day today!

The information pet professionals give new puppy owners can literally mean the difference between life and death. Make sure all your new puppy patients have a happy AND a happy forever with these tips: https://fearfreepets.com/new-puppy-tips/

24/02/2023

Love this 🥰

17/02/2023

While Hounds At Home is a canine-centered business, we do also love kitties!
If you have community cats in your neck of the woods, consider making some cat shelters to get them through the winter.

Putting one Rubbermaid bin inside of a slightly larger Rubbermaid bin and filling the gap between the bins with insulation is one fast and easy way to make these shelters. Don't forget to pop the lid on!

There are two things to keep in mind when DIY’ing a warm outdoor cat shelter:
Strong insulation to trap body heat. Straw is a good insulator because it can absorb more moisture than hay, does not retain wetness like blankets, and is less prone to mold or rot.

Minimal air space by keeping the interior small. Smaller shelters can be heated by only one to two cats. Larger shelters with more space will not keep only one or two cats warm. This is why a standard Rubbermaid bin is a good size.

And finally, where you put your outdoor cat shelter is uber important in keeping cats safe from predators. Keep it away from any threats of dogs or wildlife, and if you add food, keep the feeding stations out of sight. Keep in mind in certain locations, if you feed them you own them. If you don't want to be responsible for a colony, don't feed them - they will move along to find food elsewhere.

Offering warmth along their way is a kind thing to do without rolling out the welcome mat and inviting them to stay with food. If you have a local TNR group (trap, neuter, return), they often give out vouchers to have outdoor cats sterilized. Consider doing this to humanely keep the number of outdoor cats low and the local bird population thriving.

15/02/2023

ANYTHING matching my pet and I.am.down! Scarfs, bandanas, shirts… you name it. But seriously, a pet-safe scarf will keep your pup warm and snuggly in the windy winter weather. 🌨️❄️ Especially if your dog has cropped ears, a snood can be very helpful for keeping out the chill. Snoods are also useful for dogs with sound sensitivities, as they not only keep your pup warm, but muffle sounds outside. I adopted my American Bully with ears that had already been cropped, and he has an adorable collection of snoods, including one that was made for him that has bear ears on it 🐻 ... now all I need is a matching bear ear hat.

Let me see you twinning with your pup in the comments! 😍

14/02/2023

From my family (including the furry ones!) to yours, I hope this Valentine’s Day is filled with UBER amounts of love, joy, and lots of fuzzy, warm snuggles! Happy Valentine’s Day to all you amazing pet parents! ❤️

Show me some puppy love in the comments - I want to see your cute furry Valentines! 😍

13/02/2023

For all the dog fashionistas out there, grab a new windproof jacket to add a fun flare to the chilly winter walks!
PSA: Certain fabrics in pet clothing may cause allergic reactions. Keep an eye out for repeated itching, sneezing, or red and inflamed skin.

Let's see your pups bundled up for their walk in their favorite coat! 👇

12/02/2023

Let’s go Eagles!! 🏈 Super Bowl Sunday is here and we’re ready for kick off! If you’re throwing a party, make sure you have a game plan for keeping your pets safe and comfy throughout the festivities, and let me know if you are watching the Super Bowl or the Puppy Bowl today. 😍

10/02/2023

They’re cute, stylish, comfy, and keep your furry one (or not-so-furry one!) warm! My dogs love their winter wardrobe. They each have multiple coats and sweaters because they both have short fur, but by far our most used coat is the warm and waterproof Squall Jacket from Lands' End (which is on sale right now). I love *most* things about these jackets, as the fit on my Coonhound mix is just perfect, but wish it fit my blocky American Bully just a little bit better. I'd love to see your dog's favorite coat or sweater - drop a picture down below, and also let me know if you have a bully breed and a recommendation for a deep-chested-friendly coat! Remember, little dogs and hairless breeds might need a sweater inside *and* a coat outside to get through the winter. Stay warm, friends!

09/02/2023

There may be no better edible creation on Earth than 🍕🍕🍕, and you’re not the only one who’d like a slice today…

Anytime I think of dogs and pizza I think of my late friend's sweet video that she called Pizza Crust Zoomies. Her dog loves "pizza bones", aka the crust, and gets SO excited when he gets some that he can't help but zoom around the room.

If you want to see Finn enjoy his crust, check it out here: https://youtu.be/gsSE1FC6RtI?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=ap_y5lrsn2k5n

Let me know in the comments below, does your dog enjoy a rare pizza crust here and there?

07/02/2023

Winter elements are already dangerous, but add sidewalk salt and chemicals to prevent icy roadways, and you have a recipe for a dog-paw disaster. We heard from you yesterday that a lot of your dogs are not pro-booties. So what can you do? Help prevent cracked and bleeding paw pads by applying a pet-safe, paw wax before you take Fido out for his or her winter walk. We love Musher's Secret but know there are lots of other great brands out there. Do you have a favorite for your dogs? We'd love to hear about it in the comments!
Pro Tip: Make sure you have a towel on hand when you get back inside to wipe it off! 😉

06/02/2023

Winter boots for dogs are a matter of opinion, coat, and comfort. Some dogs can definitely benefit from winter boots, especially ones with furry paws ("slipper feet") that easily collect ice and snow between their toes, but some might not feel comfortable with something on their precious paws.
If your dog flat-out refuses to wear them, there are other steps you can take to protect his or her paws.
🐾 Keep the fur around your dog’s paws well-groomed.
🐾 Apply a paw balm before walks.
🐾 Clean their paws and dry thoroughly immediately after winter walks.
If you are prepared for the winter weather you can help keep your pet safe and warm!
Let me know - do you have booties for your dog that you swear by? Does your dog walk out of every pair you have tried? Do you prefer to use balm like Musher's Secret? Sound off in the comments!

05/02/2023

Is there a more perfect way to escape the chill of winter than your fav spot on the couch + your pet(s) + A HEATING PAD??

The answer is no.

Go get dem' cuddles. Stay warm and safe, friends.

04/02/2023

It's freezing outside, so let's stay in and have a comfy cozy competition! Who can give their dog the comfiest of comfy lounging spot? Drop a pic in the comments and feel free to tag me at so we can all see what makes the best pup-friendly throne of comfy cozy! Ready? Go!

03/02/2023

There is a wealth of information out there about behavior and dog training, but it’s important to learn from trusted sources. The field of dog training is highly unregulated, and anyone can technically call themselves a "dog trainer", so how are you supposed to know who to trust with your canine companion's training? With Hounds At Home training you will always be working with a certified professional. Not only am I a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA), I am also a Certified Fear Free Professional (CFFP) and a Licensed Family Dog Mediator (LFDM). I always continue my studies and am currently taking a course to become a Dynamic Dog Practitioner, and working on becoming a Certified Control Unleashed Instructor (CCUI) as well. Is that enough letters for you? In addition to being a lifelong learner I am an empathetic teacher, always taking a holistic view of the individual learners in front of me and adjusting lessons as needed. Sound good? Reach out if you need help with your pup!

03/02/2023

When you learn how to listen to your dog, you can build a magical relationship. I love teaching dog parents how to read their individual dog’s body language and strengthen their bond. 🥰🐾

Some dog researchers are rethinking the goals of obedience training, which should include listening, a strong parenting style and collaboration with your dog.

03/02/2023

Now that’s love ❤️

15/12/2022

Are you stuck for a gift idea for a Dog Mom in your life? Here are 5 ideas now that we are only ten days away from Christmas! (Note that customized gifts need to be ordered ASAP to get them in time! 🎁)

1) A hat with a built-in, USB rechargeable light for safety during nighttime walks. This lighting solution keeps your hands free for leash handling and also keeps you warm! I have more than one and I LOVE them! Available from Night Scout (at many locations and now at Walmart!) or Night Scope (if shopping on Amazon). $11.53 - $19.99

2) Warm pajama pants, because Dog Moms wake up and walk the dog in whatever they have on. I don’t really think you can have too many deliciousy fuzzy pajama pants, and bonus points if you get some with their dog on them! Customized pajamas available via Photo Pajamas (dot) com, OR via many artists via Etsy! $19.95 - $49.95

3) A personalized pet pendant for a keychain or jewelry, or a portrait of their pup! This idea is for those of you who love to . My good friend and artist extraordinaire, Jill, runs The Creatorium Emporium (jillscreatorium.com) and makes wonderfully detailed pendants (as well as portraits) that any Dog Mom would love!

4) Slip on shoes for dog walks! I know not everyone loves the look of Crocs, but they offer lined ones that are extremely convenient for popping on and getting going (as well as warm)! No matter what slip on shoes (or boots!) you choose, I guarantee they will be a hit, and will get lots of use - win, win!

5) A shiny new treat pouch! I recently got myself a treat pouch from Sipsey Wilder called the Rover Hip Pack that has extra room for things like p**p bags and my phone - it is great! They also have matching accessories like hats and larger bags. The treat pouches come in different colors / prints - I love them all, and so will the recipient! ($34 - $38)

I hope these ideas are helpful - let me know if you have any questions or any other great gift ideas! Merry Christmas! 🎄

15/12/2022

Adorable pup opened his gift early ❤️🎁