Paws and Reward Blog

One of my favorite tools when working with a new client is to teach their dog how to relax on a mat. There are so many benefits to this behavior: It teaches your dog how to settle. It provides an environmental cue (the mat) indicating to your dog how you’d like them to show up or be in that moment. … Read More

“This is my ball.”  “I am pretty sure I saw it first.” “Actually, when you were playing with Charley, I had my eye on it.” “Oh yeah, well it’s mine now!” “Over my dead body!!” If dogs could talk, this would be close to a resource guarding conversation. Resource guarding is when a dog acts in a confrontational manner towards … Read More

Mouthing and chewing are very normal dog behaviors; however, they can be destructive, painful and dangerous if not addressed right away. When puppies are very young, they learn bite inhibition from their littermates. If puppy A applies too much mouth pressure to puppy B, puppy B will correct puppy A indicating his discomfort. Play may temporarily end and if that … Read More

If you are checking out this post, hopefully your dog understands what your recall word means for off leash dog training.  If not, please check out this Beginner Guide to Come!   If so, let’s begin!! Dogs do not have the capability of generalizing one behavior to multiple contexts.  For example, just because your dog knows how to come when called … Read More

Years ago, when Sully, my family and I relocated to Denver, I was concerned about our living situation. We moved into a boutique, pet-friendly apartment building, which meant we would be running into other dogs in hallways, stairwells, and elevators. Sully and I had never lived in this type of housing before, and I wasn’t sure how he would adjust.  … Read More

How is it that our dogs know THE EXACT moment when we need to focus on other tasks that do not include them, such as a work conference call, the latest episode of Homeland or chatting on the phone with our best friend??? EASY….You trigger them. The dog has learned a sequence: When mom picks up the phone, I lose attention. When … Read More

Come when called is a pretty complex behavior and is absolutely necessary for off leash dog training.  There are many things to consider when you begin to teach this recall behavior.  The 5 rules of Recall: 1.  Always REWARD your dog when he/she comes to you.  For example, give lots of yummy treats, praise, love and attention as if it was the … Read More

A few months ago I decided to try a somatic therapist.  I had been going to regular “talk” therapy for many years and wanted to try something new.  A somatic therapist is one that encourages communication between the mind and the body.  Just as the mind holds wonderful messaging for us, so does the body.   During my first session … Read More

The other day I was at a yoga class in down dog position. Fitting, right?! We had just finished a grueling sequence and I noticed my body start to fatigue. Despite the internal judgement of self and fear of being vulnerable, I decided to go into child’s pose to relax and give my body a rest. As I knelt into the pose, … Read More

A few weeks ago I received a call from a guardian that needed assistance right away.  She and her family had recently adopted a young female dog named, Nola.  Unfortunately, Nola and the resident dog, Jim, were not getting along.  Nola was a larger dog with buckets of energy, constantly asking Jim to play.  Despite his communication efforts indicating he … Read More