Fear Free Happy Homes
Reading Time: 3 minutes Because they do not have bills to pay, annoying in-laws, difficult bosses, because they live in the present and don’t concern themselves about what was or what might be, because they are forgiving, because they delight in small things, because their very presence is so delightful to so many others that they often walk into […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes While the pet dog is snoozing on the couch after a meal, a walk, and a game of fetch, the service dog is on duty. She is always ready to work, even in the middle of night. Because of the nature of the work — looking for something amiss, something dangerous — these working dogs […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Many years ago, my therapist friend, Anita, agreed to take care of my dog, Dexter, while my husband and I went on a trip. Anita had a great idea. Instead of leaving Dexter home while she saw her patients, she had asked each how they would feel about having a dog in the room during […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes We’ve all heard that exercise lowers stress, but working as a dog trainer I also observed that the combination of physical and mental exercise does the job even better. Play is the answer, engaging your dog’s mind along with his muscles. Try to avoid over the top play. Getting a dog overly excited is hardly […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Good planning is absolutely necessary when you are traveling with a service dog. Having the proper paperwork, your dog’s regular food, some toys and an extra leash, plus a clear idea about how to divide your time between human-centered and dog-centered activities, will help make the trip as stress free as possible for human and […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Years ago, after living in the suburbs for a few years, I moved back to the city with my Golden Retriever, Oliver. Ollie was my demo dog, a working stiff who went along with me on my training jobs. I always left time between appointments for him to swim or run, and together we knew […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes You love your new family member, but you notice that she seems hand-shy or that she cowers whenever she encounters something that didn’t faze your previous dog. It’s common to assume that dogs like this must have been abused in their previous home, but that’s not necessarily the case. It is more likely that she […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes Staying in a strange place can be frightening for dogs. If your pup is a homebody, you may prefer to have a pet sitter come in and care for him if you and your family are traveling without him. To ensure that your dog and the pet sitter get off on the right paw, take […]