Being charged by a loose, off-leash dog is my worst nightmare for my clients. An event like this has the power to undo a lot of hard work we’ve put in, and it’s not fair at all. Whether it’s a dog owner yelling “she’s friendly!” as the dog charges you, an off-leash dog who has zero recall, or the loose dog who appeared out of nowhere, it’s absolutely one of those “oh shit” moments that you can’t ever be fully prepared for. That said, there are some things you can do to prepare, and that’s what this blog post is all about. We’ll talk about how to prevent being charged by a loose dog, how to respond if you’re charged, and what to do afterward. 

I know you're busy. I am too! You've been at work all day only to return home to household responsibilities—kids, dinner, sports, other commitments. Sometimes it feels like there's not much time left for your dog. 

But you didn't get your dog to be in the background of your life, and no dog thrives in the background either…

Crate training is an important life skill for any dog. There are dozens of reasons why it’s important for your dog to be comfortable in a crate. This skill can be challenging for many dogs to develop, but it’s worth its weight in gold! Here are three tips that can help your dog become more comfortable in their crate.

Nuisance barking (excessive, ongoing barking) is a real pain for your neighbors, and honestly, it’s also not great for your dog. Let’s unpack that a bit.

In one sense, barking is fun! Most dogs seem to enjoy barking. It’s a way for them to relieve the angst they’re feeling in the moment, whether that’s excitement, nervousness or something else. It’s a normal, natural behavior that’s deeply instinctual.

The problem isn’t barking; the problem is excessive barking.

Your dog will not be on auto-pilot after the board & train. There is no such thing as “train and forget”! There are lots of variables that impact a dog’s behavior: personality, attitude, relationships with the people in his home, relationships with other animals in his home, the home environment, other environments and experiences, maturity, big life changes, etc. As these variables change, so does your dog’s behavior. The key to making good behavior last (or to getting good behavior back) is knowing how to influence your dog.