Every week I hear from someone who feels crushed because their dog had a reaction. Maybe they barked at a neighbour, lost their cool at a dog on the street, or had a really hard time with a visitor. “Did we undo all our training? Are we back at square one?” It's OK. Reactions are not the end of the world. Occasional failures are a part of growth. The trap many of us fall into is playing it too safe. When we stay too deep in the comfort zone, progress slows. When we don't push boundaries, you...

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...

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...