Dog Daze

Athena had a great training session at Raccoon River! To paraphrase her parents, "We've really seen a big difference in her behavior since we started. And not just with her, but with our puppy and our guest's dogs." I love that the principles and methods I teach are being applied to positively affect an entire household and bringing harmony to a family and their doggie friends.

It's OK to say no.

No to the trainer who wants you to yank your dogs neck.

No to the vet who wants to pin your dog down for a procedure.

No to the daycare who walks your dog into a room with 80 other dogs and let's them figure it out.

No to your cousin who says you 'need to be the boss'.

No to your neighbour who says you shouldn't train with food.

No to the groomer who restrains a terrified dog.

You are your dog's advocate. You CAN say no.

There is another way. There is a kinder way. Empower your dog.

For a vet (or trainer) check out directory

In Alberta visit the directory for a groomer/trainer/daycare/rescue/kennel.

For your friends or family send them to do research from science informed platforms.

*You may need to use some restraint or leash pressure in emergency situations. Save that for an emergency, when you have time to plan and train do so thoughtfully with your dog's perspective in mind.

I've been working with a lot of dogs that have bite histories. A muzzle can be a great tool to keep everyone safe as we work through the dog's fears. While we never want to push a dog over their bite threshold (thereby not needing the muzzle) the dog's mindset can sometimes change quickly and/or humans can misjudge the dog's internal state. This is especially true if the dog has a history of being punished for showing salient signals like growling and showing teeth. In these cases, teaching a dog to love wearing a muzzle can assist in the training process. It often helps clients feel more comfortable working with their dog, knowing if an accident happens, there's less chance of a bite happening.

Muzzle Acclimation