Fear Free Happy Homes
Reading Time: 4 minutes I had barely stepped in the house when the client attempted to hand me her puppy. The puppy was clearly terrified, dangling from the woman’s extended arms. I backpedaled right back out the door, “Please don’t give her to me. She’s afraid. This will just make it worse.” But the client, beaming with new puppy […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes When you think of summer, what comes to mind? For me, it has always been beachy weekends and holiday gatherings with family and friends. Even hammock-lounging, agenda-less summer days were associated with blissful tranquility, until, that is, I shared those dog days of summer with my best fur pal Bug. For Bug, summer, specifically the […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Summer is almost upon us! For most, warmer weather represents a joyous time to be outdoors enjoying nature with friends and family. For some pet owners, however, it signifies the start of thunderstorm season, with resulting anxiety for furry family members. Insights from Fear Free certified professional trainers can help you lessen your pet’s fear, […]
Reading Time: 5 minutes I get about three similar calls a week. Sometimes, callers are a bit coy. “My groomer said my dog was … er, um … well, we could use some help training him to behave.” Other times, they’re up front, “My groomer gave me your number. She said my dog tried to bite her when she […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Growing up, we had the cutest little black-and-white Shih Tzu named Caterpillar. He was good-natured and playful, pulling toilet paper from the roll until it unraveled and climbing on top of our board games so he could become the center of attention. As he aged, Caterpillar gradually began to lose his hearing. It was difficult […]
Reading Time: 4 minutes My first night of dog training classes is just for the human end of the leash. I want to make sure the people are on board and ready before we introduce dogs into the equation. After a successful registration night, I was going over paperwork when I spotted something out of the ordinary. “This dog […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes When my Lab mix, Rio, was younger, we volunteered as a therapy dog team at a hospital. One evening, a 2-year-old girl with a huge bandage covering one side of her face ran up to Rio and started patting him on the head and trying to hug him. Rio licked the unbandaged side of her […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes April 10 is National Hug Your Dog Day, but hugging dogs isn’t always a good idea, or even an expression of love, at least not from the dog’s perspective. All primates, from chimpanzees to Japanese macaques (snow monkeys) to humans, are hard-wired to console others and communicate affection by hugging. Dogs are not primates. Perhaps […]
Reading Time: 4 minutes The doorbell rang. “Rosie, Place!” I called out. Four pounds of Yorkshire Terrier energy bolted across the home office, dashed into my open bedroom door, then pivoted around to face me. Her little nubby tail wagged furiously. “Yes!” I marked, tossing a treat into the bedroom. Rosie ran to inhale it, then dashed back to […]
Reading Time: 4 minutes Relationships are at the heart of Fear Free, including the ones that are sometimes overlooked by society. “Imagine being an unhoused pet parent living in the shadows of society with a life preserver cleverly disguised as a dog or cat. You might be sick. Your pet might be sick. Or both of you,” says Fear […]