Savvy Canine & Equine Training

08/11/2025

Gates don't need to just be "for training" or when you first get a puppy.

There may be some parts of your house that have too many temptations or unknowns.

How many times has a person gone to their vet shocked that their "fully trained" adult dog ate something that they really shouldn't?
A lot (Ask a friendly emergency vet sometime when they are not extracting 25 hair elastics and 13 and a half socks from an 8 year old golden retriever).

I have two spots in my house that will always have gates, no matter how trained the dogs are.

🧸 Kid Rooms. Between Legos, scented slime, hair elastics, socks, a hidden stash of Halloween candy, a random piece of gum under the bed and other random and mystery items this is a no go zone for dogs.

😺 Cat litter boxes. Why tempt a dog with a good time?
I am meticulous about cleaning my cat's litter box several times a day. It's pretty rare that a dog could discover a treat but I don't want to give them a chance.
Cat boxes are always gated off.
Plus, cats deserve space and privacy.
Hooded litter boxes can create issues - just think about a cat going in and a dog sticking their head in. The cat may feel blocked or trapped (because they are).
A gate, in my opinion is a much better option.
I use a closet as my cat's litter box area. The door is always propped open and she can easily get through the gate without jumping.

My dogs have never had access to the litter box so on the rare occasion that the gate is down they never seem to notice.

Gates have a million uses.

While I don't want gates all over my house and prefer training in many instances these are two area with far too much temptations and unknowns.

I never want my dogs to learn that treats come from these places and vet bills are expensive.
Why risk it?

🎄 Holidays are often a time people realize that a gate or two will be useful.
Dogs need to learn to live with gates. Start now.

07/11/2025

Separation anxiety. Recovery is possible.

It is simple, but not easy.

You need to stop leaving your dog alone longer than they can handle. You need to break absences into increments your dog can be completely comfortable with. You need to be open to asking for help—someone to sit with your dog, cheer you on when progress feels slow, and guide you to know what “totally comfortable” looks like for your dog.

Most importantly, you need to treat the root cause of the anxiety, not just the symptoms.

Need help? My Separation Anxiety Training Foundations course gives you the right information at an affordable cost.

Learn more below.

06/11/2025

NEW BLOG POST

The second post in our pain and behaviour series is out.

In this post, I discuss 3 of the most common misconceptions about pain in dogs.

🔗 Read here: https://www.buttonsandleash.co.uk/3-common-misconceptions-about-pain-in-dogs

05/11/2025

Interesting

04/11/2025

Great info

01/11/2025

31/10/2025

He's freaking everybody out

🎃Join us on Patreon! Patreon.com/ScottMetzgerCartoons

31/10/2025

In case anyone may need assistance.

29/10/2025

SECONDS COUNT
This post is not advocating that dogs meet every other dog, but rather about how to go about it in a safer way, if and when it does happen.

The 3 second rule for dogs meeting each other is used as a guideline to help foster positive introductions, prevent either dog from feeling overwhelmed or trapped and prevent any potential reactivity and stress.

A short 3 second introduction is enough time to provide important information to both dogs.

Enough time and information for dogs to decide – “are you a threat?”, “do I like you?”, “do I want to learn more about you?”, “do I really dislike you?”, “do I want you to go away?” etc. Both dogs may not feel the same way – one may not be happy to engage while the other may want to.

All interactions should ideally happen like this, not just initially. Just like us, dogs can have off days – things like pain, trigger stacking, lack of sleep or a host of other reasons can influence a dog’s emotional state and whether a dog wants to interact or not.

There are countless times I have witnessed meetings or introductions between dogs that have gone on just a few seconds too long and have not ended well.

This can have long lasting effects on future behaviour when meeting other dogs.

Understanding body language is critically important. If we are going to share our lives with another species, protect them, advocate for them and help them feel safe, then we need to understand and respect their language.

The examples in this post of red and green flags are just a few general ones to look out for – there are many more and these will differ depending on the individual dog, context and circumstances.

Here are some resources that provide more detailed information about body language –

The Veterinary Behaviour Centre
https://bit.ly/4hwC8k1

On Talking Terms With Dogs - Calming Signals, 2nd Edition by Turid Rugaas
https://bit.ly/4oftWqW

Make sure those first 3 seconds count – they can make all the difference.

29/10/2025

With Halloween coming up and Christmas right around the corner, it’s a good time to remind people that Scared Dogs Aren’t Funny.

Social media posts, usually videos, of clearly scared dogs and people laughing at them make me sad. Dogs startling at lawn inflatables. Dogs backing away from people in costumes. Dogs barking at toys or decorations that move or make sounds. Dogs barking at or giving Santa the side eye.

And people laughing at them or worse, pulling on the leash to force the dog to have an interaction with the scary thing. People trying to get the dog to sit next to the scary thing and then getting frustrated when the dog won’t sit.

Let’s reduce dog bites this holiday season by being thoughtful and understanding of our dog’s fears and what they’re communicating.

Read more here: https://rescuedbytraining.com/2025/10/20/archives-scared-dogs-not-funny/

27/10/2025

lol

🐶🐶