"Get Unstuck!" Episode 2 is now live. Episode 2 of Get Unstuck! is now live š This weekās topic: Are you overwhelming your reactive dog? We all mean well and work hard to do the best for our dogsābut sometimes, more isnāt better. In this episode, weāll look at how doing ātoo muchā can actually hold you and your dog back, and what to do instead. š§ Listen Now More episodes of our 5-part series are on the wayāstay tuned! Warmly,Christina p.s. I have some free live training coming up! Sign up to...
5 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
Welcome to the new podcast series: "Get Unstuck!" This is Episode 1 of our 5-part series on helping you and your dog navigate reactivity. Today weāre asking the big question: Is my dog reactive? How do I knowāand what do I do about it? Reactivity is complex, and whether or not your dog counts as āreactiveā often depends on environment, expectations, and perception. But the good news isāyou donāt have to stay stuck there. The first episode is live now! If you're ready to get unstuck and make...
7 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
The Truth About Resource Guarding Dogs who guard things they haveāor things they want to haveāare displaying what we call resource guarding. For most dogs, resource guarding is either part of who they are ā often influenced by genetics ā or it simply isnāt something they do. In dogs who do guard, we typically can reduce but not erase the underlying anxiety or instinct to protect resources, unless it's addressed very early in life. What we can do is teach these dogs the skills they need to...
about 2 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
Want to prevent reactivity before it starts? Hereās one of the most overlooked skillsālearning to watch without staring. Hereās how to tell the difference: š¹ Watching = relaxed, checking in, less than 3 seconds of direct eye contact, able to disengage š¹ Staring = stiff, tense, frozen in position, locked-in eye contact, unable to look around, sniff, or connect with you So, why does this become a problem? Because we often miss the early warning signs. š© We confuse "socialization" with letting...
2 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
What's the Real Trigger? Have you ever been told that your anxiety is the reason your dog is reactive? Let me be clear: thatās not true. Reactivity stems from a combination of learning history and geneticsānot your emotions. That said, our dogs do pick up on patterns and cues in ways we often donāt notice. After losing both Maxi and Enzo last winter, I noticed something surprising. I had always assumed I fed the dogs breakfast simply because it was morning. But in reality, it was Maxi and...
2 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
Are you a predator stalking your dog? Or the prey your dog wants to chase? When people practice recall or engage their dogs in play, they often face the dog and move in toward them. Cues are typically reduced to a single word like ācomeā or the dogās name, with the tone becoming more forceful if thereās no immediate response. Letās clear something up right away: a reliable recall doesnāt happen just because you said so. Really. š Your dog doesn't come when called because youāre the boss or...
2 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
One of the biggest reasons people end up in conflict with their dogs is because they believe the dog knows exactly whatās being askedāand is simply choosing not to do it. āSheās just stubborn.ā āHe knows better.ā āThis breed needs a heavier hand.ā Labels like these turn your dog into the villain. And once we decide theyāre being ābad,ā it suddenly feels justified to correct harshlyāor punish. But hereās the truth: More often than not, the dog is confused, overwhelmed, uncertain, or simply...
3 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
Iām SO excited to finally share this with youā¦ the Real Life Solutions course is officially live! š Iāve joined forces with four incredible expertsāMichael Shikashio CDBC, Jessica Wheatcraft CDBC, Amelie Martel CPDT-KA, and Jacqueline Drake CDBC, FFCPāto create the most comprehensive course available for dog guardians navigating aggression. And yes, Iām diving deep into the dog-dog aggression section. If youāre living with a dog who growls, lunges, bites, or just struggles to feel safe in the...
3 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
Relaxation Protocol is just one piece... The Relaxation Protocol is a powerful tool in helping our dogs learn to settle, find their āoff switch,ā and become easier to live with. Itās also incredibly helpful when working through reactivity. But hereās the thingāit's just one part of the puzzle. In the latest podcast episode, Iām diving into what else we need to be teaching our dogs: š¾ How to raise and lower their arousal š¾ How to hold it togetherāeven when theyāre a little excited or a little...
3 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read