😓 Room to Exhale


One of the hardest things for many of us is really resting. And our dogs—especially dogs with big feelings—need real, quality rest too.

Our well-meaning go-to is often to do more or to wish we could do more, to beat ourselves up for not doing more.

Yes - training is important. But so is teaching our dogs to relax.

A dog who is always expecting more is exhausting—for them and for us. And often, that pattern isn’t because we’ve done something wrong, but because no one ever showed us how to say enough—how to recognize when our dog has had enough, and how to help them rest.

We live in a hustle culture where being busy is worn like a badge of honor. Most of us have so much on the go that we are just trying to keep our heads above water.

​

So find time and space to rest—both for yourself and for your dog.

​

"GOOD BOY!"

3 Steps to Helping Dogs with Big Feelings

ā° Jan 14th 2026 at 6PM PST

Can’t join live? Don’t worry, you’ll get the recording!

​

If your dog is struggling, it's not your fault. The dogs of today are often unlike dogs from years ago who would just seamlessly fit into a family's daily life as long as they got regular walks.

In this webinar, we will talk about why some dogs need... different. Not necessarily more, but different things than you might think they need.

šŸ¤” Understand why your dog struggles so much to do 'normal dog' stuff.

šŸ’” Learn what your dog needs in order to succeed

Come with your questions, or email me your questions ahead of time if you are not able to make it live.

āœ… Perfect for puppies, adult dogs, and reactive dogs

āœ… Short, fun games you can weave into daily life

​

​

P.S. If you’re looking for deeper support and training with a clear plan after the webinar, enrollment for my brand new Dream Dog program will open during the webinar.

2738 Holden Corso Rd, Nanaimo, BC v9x 1n5
​Unsubscribe Ā· Preferences​

Positive Dog

Subscribe if you'd like to receive my somewhat regular emails including training tips and concepts as well as info about my upcoming freebies and programs!

Read more from Positive Dog

I always laugh when Riker gives me the third degree when I get home—he only does this if I’ve been playing with an intact male dog. He can absolutely smell the difference! Riker (which is common in his breed) has same-sex aggression. He adores female dogs and struggles with males, especially intact ones. Some of this is trainable, and some of it simply isn’t. We sometimes want our dogs to be furry humans, but it’s important to remember they’re still animals—still dogs, with instincts and...

This is one of my very favourite types of dogs: an adolescent, intact, field-bred retriever. He’s a great dog, and I hope to have one a lot like him one day. But for him to be successful in life, he needs a different kind of life than the average pet dog. He was bred to work—to do things, solve problems, and use his body and brain. If we don’t teach him how to manage his emotions, how to think before reacting, and how to relax, he’ll keep throwing his body at challenges, hoping something...

Taking pills… and no, you can’t trick him. Sound familiar? Many dogs need to take pills at different points in their lives—and many dogs just don't wanna. If you have an easygoing dog, you might be able to hide it in a piece of hot dog or cheese, or simply open their mouth and pop it in. But for some dogs, those options just don’t work. Riker hates taking his pill. Peanut butter? Cheese? Pill pockets? Nope. Even making it a ā€œgameā€ā€”five treats in a row with the pill hidden in the third—doesn’t...