Sometimes There's Side Eye

This week we are talking about adding a confident dog to your home to help your shy dog.  This can be immeasurably helpful for some dogs, while for others it makes almost no difference at all.  We'll discuss what things to consider when adding another dog.  We'll also talk about how to stack the deck in your favor for the best possible results. Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instag...

**Tissue alert....we discuss grief and loss in this episode*** This week we are talking to Kate Rapkoch, who runs Paws and Breathe. Kate is not only a talented and trauma informed yoga instructor, but she is also a certified end of life pet doula. We have an open and sometimes emotional talk about pet loss as well as healing after a loss. Kate is kind enough to share her experience of loosing her...

This week we are addressing the comparison game that so many of us are playing.  We have a real and raw conversation on how comparison has been the thief of joyful moments with our dogs. We both find that we don’t compare our dogs' abilities to other dogs but instead compare our individual shortcomings to other more successful or experienced handlers. Realistically we should be proud of both o...

In this episode we are taking on the difficult subject of behavioral euthanasia.  Both Heather and Kristi share their personal experiences with behavioral euthanasia. For Heather a suspected brain tumor created huge changes in Cash's behavior and personality.  For Kristi it was Ginny's increased anxiety that put Ginny and other dogs in the home at risk.  However, other people have to make...

This week we are talking about how hormones can drastically change behaviors in dogs.  Trin's most recent heat cycle ended up leading to some aggressive behaviors, which was a bit triggering for Heather.  However, as we have preached in the past, behavior doesn't change on a dime, and typically there is a medical issue.  In this case the medical issue was hormones. Hormones can affect indi...

This week we are talking about separation anxiety with Caitlin Wolfe.  After adopting a dog who suffered from separation anxiety Caitlin wanted to be able to help other dog owners experiencing the same thing. While Caitlin works with a variety of behavior issues, she is specifically CSAT certified for separation anxiety.  Each dog is an individual and it's important that the training can be cu...

The teen/adolescent years - regardless of the species they can be tumultuous.  So how much stock should we put into teenageadolecent dog behavior? The adolescent years for dog can be messy.  Often owners see a side of their dog they haven't seen before, or behaviors intensify during this time.  We talk through some of the behaviors that we have experienced with our own dogs and how we addresse...

This week we are talking about dog relationships and how they differ between individual dogs.  We talk through a recent play group at Heather's house that included 6 dogs of varying sizes and personalities.  There were several different play styles among the group and different interest levels between the individual dogs.  We discuss how dynamics can change when adding or subtracting individual do...

In this episode we are continuing our conversation with dog trainer Sunny Bravo about service dogs. In our continued conversation we talk about what to look for when selecting a dog for service work. We also talk through who should be involved in the dog selection process. Once a dog has been selected Sunny likes to start the training process simply with body language, then adds leash pressure, to...

This week we are talking with dog trainer Sunny Bravo who specializes in training service dogs. Sunny has been in the dog training industry for 26 years and has worked with a large variety of breeds. She has worked with everything from basic family dog training to human focused dog aggression cases. Sunny helps define the differences between emotional support animals, a therapy animal and a servic...

This week we are addressing some of the complexities of dog behavior.  Often, we are told things like ears pinned back or hackles up mean aggression, and while this may be true for some dogs it is not true for all dogs.  Often dogs will raise their hackles due to excitement, surprise, or a number of other reasons. While there are guidelines on what a behavior might normally mean, each dog is an in...

This week we have Katherine Burbach on the episode talking about her relationship with her dog Dos over the years and how it has grown and changed.  Dos can have big feelings about people and dogs when he's on walks, and Katherine realized early on that she needed a plan that she could easily implement with positive results.  Stinky treats were the key to helping refocus Dos and helping him learn...

This week we are talking about different perspectives for the same event.  This was inspired by a recent agility class that Kristi and Jaxon went to.  Kristi had an apponion on what happened, the trainer had a different oppinion, and Heather had a third opinion about the same event and behaviors.  As humans we often create a story and interpret behavior through the lens of the story we have create...

What is Drive? In Episode 52 we talked a lot about drive, but never really defined it.  Drive can look very different between dogs.  Often we talk about drive in reference to prey and food, but drive can show up in a variety of forms such as people drive, owner drive, etc.  Even drive within the same area can look really different.  For example Heather has three dogs with food drive, but how that...

This week we are talking about unexpected consequences of desired dog behaviors.  We often have certain behaviors we are looking for when purchasing or adopting a dog, however many desired behaviors have an unforeseen flip side to them.  Something as simple as dog sociability can lead to reactivity if socialization needs are not being met.  Of course, there is nothing wrong with wanting an athleti...

We are talking about a recent study that says 99% of dogs have behavioral problems.  While we disagree with that number, we do agree that behavior problems are increasing.  We also agree with a recent post Heather found stating that training has become more about educating people and less about hands on dog training.  There are likely too many factors contributing to an increase in behavioral issu...

*It is our 50th episode!!!! * This week we are talking about our recent experience ata dog show cluster from both a newbie's point of view and a more experiencedpoint of view.  We talk through how much is expected of the dogs in thissituation, and how much we appreciate our dogs being able to perform and behavedespite endless distractions in a new/strange environment.  We arerecapping our high...

What happens when an experienced foster falls in love with an "easy dog"?  Typically they give the dog up to another home so that they can take on a more difficult dog. In this episode we are pushing back on the idea that experienced dog people should take on more difficult dogs just because they can. We also know that everyone defines "difficult" differently, so a difficult do...

In this episode, we are talking all about dog balls. Unneutered males have a reputation of being aggressive, marking, humping and overall having a variety of behavioral issues.  Because of this it is often thought that neutering a dog will solve any unwanted behavior in male dogs, however we are challenging that thought process.  Recent studies show health benefits for later spay and neuter surger...

In this episode, we wrap up our sports series.  We talk through what we've learned from our guests, some common themes we saw, and our own outlook on sports. Dog sports provide such a unique way to bond with your dog; in addition to providing positive outlets for physical and mental stimulation.   Sports can be great for the average pet owner just looking to have fun with their dog, as well as for...

This week we have Molly Purcell on to share her adventure of adopting a rescue puppy named Juniper, who has become an all-around sport dog.  Molly and Juniper came to Heather for puppy training and Heather quickly saw the potential for Juniper to be a sport dog. Additionally, Heather was able to see that a confident, high energy, intelligent dog like Juniper was going to need a constructive outlet...

This week we are talking with Amanda McGavin who shares her home with a pack of Brittanys. She currently trains and competes with her three Brittanys; Glory, Lyra, and Cherry Bomb, in agility. She also has experience in conformation, hunt tests, and field trials. Amanda started training agility in 2010 with her foster Brittany, Cooper who needed a positive outlet for his energy. We talk about some...

In this episode we talk with Eve Hoehle of Von Major Sheds Kennel about shed hunting.  Eve lives with, competes with, and breeds German Short Haired Pointers.  Shed hunting gets its name from the antlers animals such as deer, elk and moose "shed" each year.  Shed hunting is scent work, but out in the open, off leash, and specifically for medium white tail deer antlers (if you are competing).  The...

In this episode we are talking about dog parkour.  Parkour combines elements of human parkour and dog obedience to create a fun and unique sport.  Parkour, just like any sport, has different levels starting with Novice and going to Expert.  They even have a Training level for dogs under 18 months since it's important to protect those growing pups' bodies.  There are also specialty divisions that d...

This week we are talking with Cady Jones about the sport of dock diving. Cady and her husband compete with their 12 dogs in a variety of dog sports including dock diving. Dock diving consists of a dog jumping off a stationary 40-foot dock for one of three events.  Distance Jump is the most popular event.  This is where dogs run from the end of the dock and jump for a toy that is being thrown for t...