Does your dog stiffen over a bone, growl from the couch, or guard a stolen sock? You're not alone. Resource guarding is normal dog communication. It's how dogs evolved to survive, sometimes it is what we bred them for. But sometimes resource guarding strays away from what's just normal, healthy communication and becomes something that's dangerous and problematic for the dog and for the people or the other animals that the dog lives with In this week's episode of Dogs with Big Feelings, I...
1 day ago • 1 min read
See how much fun Riker and Jubilee are having in these videos? That’s what training should look like — joyful, connected, and fun for both you and your dog. Not all training is upbeat and energetic, but it should always feel safe, kind, and connected. A friend sent me a post from a popular trainer whose fix for a distracted dog was to clamp its mouth shut and flip it onto its back. The result? The dog now listens to them and follows them everywhere. That broke my heart. Because I don’t ever...
2 days ago • 1 min read
I wish I could have a do-over with all of my previous dogs. With Jubilee, it took me way too long to realize she was in pain. Looking back, I feel so bad for her and what I asked her to do. With Enzo I didn't know enough about toy play so I built conflict into the game. Traditional games didn't work for him so we blamed the dog instead of the method. Maxi - oh she was the sweetest. I don't have a lot of regrets with her, I just wish I took more time to cuddle and hug her. Ramses - his illness...
4 days ago • 1 min read
I hear that constantly. Usually it's followed by: that method doesn't work, or my dog is different. Both might be true. But there's a third option that almost nobody considers: the method had prerequisites, and nobody told you what they were. The technique is the tip of an iceberg. The foundation underneath is what makes it possible. Miss a piece of that, and the technique fails — not because it's wrong. Here's an example. I recently shared how we train dogs to take a pill to earn something...
7 days ago • 1 min read
Is your dog a master at avoiding medicine? You've tried all the things? You've tried putting the pill down their throat. You've tried grinding it into a powder and hiding it in something awesome. You've tried tricking them by wrapping it in cheese or hot dogs. You've even tried the rapid fire method. ... sometimes a trick works for a bit, then it doesn't. Did you know that eating is a behaviour, no different than sit, down, or shake-a-paw? We can train our dogs to sit to get a treat or toy,...
8 days ago • 1 min read
"Good Dog!" 3 Steps to Helping Dogs with Big Feelings ⏰ Free Live Training Oct 21st at 6PM PST Can’t join live? Don’t worry, you’ll get the recording! Ask questions for discussion live or submit them ahead of time. If your dog is struggling, it's not your fault. Dogs today are different from dogs of years past who seemed to fit seamlessly into family life with little more than regular walks and food once or twice a day. Most of us aren't prepared for what the sensitive rescues or the...
12 days ago • 1 min read
At the start of a session recently, a student told me: "I'm tired of hearing we aren't doing enough." My heart broke for her — because this family was already going way above and beyond what a typical dog needs to thrive. The problem was that their dog isn't a typical dog. Sometimes the reason nothing is working isn't the training plan, the structure, the enrichment, or you. Sometimes it's the dog — something mental, emotional, or physical that training alone can't fix. In this week's episode...
13 days ago • 1 min read
Your dog has already figured out the rules of your house Hey there, Your dog knows every unspoken rule in your house. If the couch or your bed are fair game, what happens when someone knocks on the door, do we greet other dogs or people on a walk? Whether or not you chose those rules on purpose — your dog knows them. There is no 'wrong' set of rules. The trouble starts when you bring home a dog that culture wasn't built for. A second dog. A higher-drive dog. A more fearful or more protective...
18 days ago • 1 min read
"How many tricks does your dog know?" I ask this question a lot. It's not about the tricks themselves, it's about having a robust history of communicating with your dog - having learned things together. The more "tricks" your dog knows, the bigger your communication toolbox gets. A lot of dogs only know a couple of cues - sit, down, maybe shake a paw or stay. Imagine building a house, but you only have two or three tools - a hammer, maybe a screwdriver and a hand saw. It's going to take you a...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read