Walking an Adolescent Dog: A Journey of Socialization and Learning Today, I want to talk about adolescent dogs. Meet Bear, an incredible young dog who has been part of my journey in understanding and guiding dogs through their teenage phase. Bear's initial interactions with me began during our play sessions, and he even came over for some drop-off playtime. At first, he was quite unsure about everything around him—typical for a young and inexperienced dog. My primary focus was on making him feel comfortable. Recently, Bear was neutered, which can significantly help adolescent dogs regulate their emotions. Now, we have a neutered teenager who, while still full of feelings and energy, has a better handle on his emotions. There's still much to do with Bear, but he's already showing tremendous improvement. Our main activity is play, but it goes beyond that. Being in new environments like this one provides natural socialization. Socialization isn't just about how a dog interacts with other dogs or people. It's about how they feel in different settings, whether they can make good choices, and if they can engage with their handler. All these factors indicate a well-socialized dog. When Bear and I explore new places, he behaves like someone walking through a museum or a mall, curiously observing everything. My focus is on his feelings—his body language, tail, posture, and how he engages with me. These observations help me understand his comfort level and guide him better. Socialization is crucial, especially for young, shy, timid, or inexperienced dogs. It's about ensuring they feel okay with each step they take. For adolescent dogs like Bear, who experience a lot of emotions, it's vital to create moments where they don't have to think or feel intensely. Before this walk, we ran together, which is like recess for children—just a chance to let loose and have fun. Running helps Bear relax and be a dog. In the future, I'll look for groups of dogs he can play and socialize with, keeping sessions short and sweet. For any adolescent or inexperienced dog, these experiences are invaluable. They help them find calmness and relaxation in new situations. When reintroducing the world to Bear, I focus on simple activities where we practice just being present. He's curious and takes in all the information around him, which is fine. My main concern is how he feels during these moments. Whether he walks ahead or lags behind, these behaviours indicate his feelings—curiosity, eagerness, or a need to rest. It's important not to perceive these behaviours negatively. Today, Bear engaged with me on his own, making eye contact and seeking touch. This engagement is crucial, as it shows he's comfortable and connected. Every little thing, from the sound of my shoes to a lady cutting grass, should represent peace and neutrality. When socializing a shy or inexperienced dog, especially an adolescent, our goal is to ensure they feel okay. Once they do, we can decide if we want to be excited, run, or explore more. But the baseline is always to feel okay being outside in the real world.

✔️ Healthiest alternative to a dog bowl ✔️ Relaxes and overexcited/tired dog's mind ✔️ Slows down eating in an engaging way This food snuffle mat is 100% a must-have! regardless of your dog's age, breed, or personality. A snuffle mat like this one can easily replace your dog's bowl (and I recommend you do) as a more engaging way for your dog to search and find his food by snuffling for each piece. Snuffling and scavenging-like exercises are natural for dogs and other animals, and incredibly beneficial. Through snuffling and using their nose, dogs also get to slow down their brain and effectively regulate their own emotions. Young dogs and puppies benefit from this highly, as it's normal for them to feel easily excited about the world around them and are not yet equipped with the means to easily regulate their own feelings. This is where snuffle mats come in super handy! Most snuffle mats are machine washable but this one, in particular, should be okay with being hand-washed, except perhaps the toys it comes with. You can also use your dog's other toys, not only the ones it comes with. Just like other snuffle mats, this one is really easy to transport as it also comes with a hook & loop closure to keep it neatly closed and put away. You can bring it to places where your dog could use some help winding down and settling, by snuffling. This is one of the biggest and most convenient advantages of snuffle mats over food puzzles. 3 ways your dog could play with it. 1. Easy challenge: Hide treats or dry food under plush material & encourage your dog to sniff them out. 2. Increased challenge: Hide treats in pockets and cover them with the toys. 3. Ultimate challenge: Hide treats in 5 treat pockets & secure them with hook & loop closure and hide treats with toys for a harder challenge. Make sure to supervise its usage. If your dog starts chewing it or throwing it around, it may be best to switch to a more physically stimulating game at that time, before trying again. Strongly recommend! 10/10

Expectations Lead to Disappointment (Original Post from Trizane Dog Services , by Reanna Ali) A story of true acceptance. It’s taken me a while to get to this place with Amelia. It’s taken me over 3 years to get here, almost 4 years to realize this, and nearly a year later to post this. Before we get into it, you can also head over to my podcast to hear it, if you choose. It’s challenging to live with a dog who struggles on a daily basis… pair that with your own expectations. I’m sad to admit that it’s taken me this long to learn. I train with kindness, love and compassion, but sometimes it’s hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve unexpectedly learned as time passed, that if you let go of your expectations you can no longer be disappointed. Amelia is not a disappointment to me in the least. She’s a brilliant dog. She’s good company, a wonderful companion, we trained together, we work together, she even graduated alongside me at Karen Pryor Academy (KPA), service dog coaching, and The Fearful Dog Project. She’s helped me to realize a lot of my dog training life lessons. She’s helped me to help other families and dogs, but it comes at a cost to her. Circling back to being a professional dog trainer, it doesn’t mean we don’t have goals for ourselves or for our dogs and what we think we should be able to achieve in our partnership. Taking a step back now, I can see how far we’ve come as a team. Albeit not what I expected and a long journey to get here. I too, suffer from “my old dog”, “my other dog”, “my first dog syndrome.” I had these expectations and goals of what I thought Amelia should be and be able to do. I think my turning point at true acceptance and realizing our path was in 2020. That year was not kind to Amelia. We’ve made significant strides and overall her quality of life living with anxiety (keeping her safe, below threshold, happy and calm), but that year was a doozy. After spending majority of the year trying to “fix” her I realized that she needed time. She needed time to rebound from sensory overload. 2020 was our first year with COVID-19. We went from daily walks where we saw no one, I mean not a soul to be seen. You can imagine people were also going stir crazy at this time being couped up in their homes, they soon took to the parks, nature trails and parkettes in their area for daily strolls and exercise. As this happened more and more people began appearing on our usual route. After not seeing people for weeks, we started to encounter them. As the world re-opened, Amelia got sensory overload at this sudden influx of people. I tried everything. I tried training, not training, medicating, desensitizing, counter conditioning, a vet behaviourist even! – I exhausted all of my options. The last straw was medicating. Her personality changed. She no longer found joy in the small things she used to. This was not how I imagined her life to be. After weaning her off, I gave her time. That time grew into weeks, which grew into months, that grew into a year. Reflecting back I realized we were still out, we still did things! We still encountered people. That downtime allowed her to recover and unbeknownst to me, we were still doing everything we normally did, but on a much smaller scale. During that time I tried to bring back that joy, to make her happy, to see that sparkle in her eyes -the enthusiasm. I just wanted to make her happy, because ultimately when she was happy, I was happy. Fast forward to January 2022 (I know, I know, it’s taken me this long to post a whole year has passed) – we are going for walks, we enjoy hiking, we go to the drive-thru, we visit neighbours. Who would’ve thought?! I certainly didn’t. Her behaviour and nuances elevated me as a trainer and person. I have a lot to be thankful for. Sometimes if you let life flow it will take you where you need to be. Trust the process even if you don’t know exactly what it means. Amelia is a magnificent animal and has shown incredible resilience. Will she ever be able to do things we all hope and dream and think every dog should be and do… no, but that’s ok. True acceptance comes from observing the animal in front of you and changing your expectations to meet theirs. To meet them at their darkest and support them. It’s not about us and our silly notions of what should be, abandon your beliefs and enjoy what you have. Even the smallest sparkle still shines. True acceptance.

Exploring the Hype Around Amazon's Bestselling Dog Toy The following is currently Amazon's #1 best-selling dog toy: the Chuckit! ball (pack of 2). I'm quite happy about that! This lets me know that fun and physical exercises are a priority for a lot of pet parents and people in the industry. The best part about this I'm a big fan of the Chuckit! brand as a whole. There's really nothing better than going out to an open field, whipping out their launcher, loading it with a ball and throwing it for your eager pooch to run and fetch. If your dog isn't the best or most interested in fetching like a pro or consistent with bringing the ball each time, you can load up and launch a second ball for them to run after. The fun doesn't end there, however. Especially if the weather is limiting you and your dog a bit, you can have a lot of fun indoors with the Chuckit! ball by playing fetch inside, but even better, by combining it with puzzle-like games. For example, an easy game you can use this ball for is by bringing out a muffin baking pan and putting different treats in some of the cups but covering all of it with balls, for your dog to have to use their nose. How to not use this toy As I would advise with most balls, it's best to keep them stored away, for best use. Keeping your dog's balls away and not constantly available will help prevent any destructive chewing, which could be dangerous for your dog if they eat it, and of course not ideal if you'd like to avoid having to purchase another. But also, by storing the ball away and bringing it out when it's time to play, you have a better chance at ensuring that your dog will feel as interested and engaged in the game as possible, with you.

Does your dog have a tough time remaining calm and relaxed when it’s human dinner time? Try this: 1️⃣ Make sure that your dog has had plenty of proper physical, mental and social enrichment exercises prior to dinner time. This will help them feel more mellow and thus be able to remain at ease more easily. 2️⃣ If needed, use a leash to make it so your dog can’t get too close to you (especially if they tend to jump) and your food. Though tethering can help, depending on how difficult this is for your dog, one family member may need to walk with your dog inside your home to help redirect them away from the others while they eat. 3️⃣ The moment your dog starts showing you signs of relaxation on their own (which is far more fruitful if done without verbal cues from you), be sure to repeatedly reinforce these choices with their food, treats or even toys. It’s also important to note that if you don’t provide your dog with human food near the table, they’re far more likely to give you space and time when you’re eating.

My Top 3 Dog Food Puzzles From Amazon Food puzzles are probably one of the best toys available for dogs. Especially when it comes to feeding time! So let's throw out the food bowl and take a look at this quick list of my top 3 favourite food puzzles that you can find today on Amazon. The Dog Twister Puzzle This is by far my all-time favourite puzzle! It's also one of the most difficult ones. But I have a secret tip to share with you when it comes to puzzles.. the harder they are the better! Not only because they can be super engaging for your dog, but mainly because if a puzzle is difficult, you can get creative in how you choose to make it easier. As opposed to a puzzle that is already too easy, forcing you to get even more creative to make it more difficult. The Dog Casino Puzzle This one can sometimes feel (to your dog) even more difficult than the Dog Twister because it requires that your dog figures out exactly how to pull out the drawers AFTER having unlocked the corresponding bone. You may need to start off slowly, to help your dog with this one as you go along in order to ensure that they don't feel discouraged and frustrated. The Dog Brick Puzzle Probably the easiest one on this list, but the most diverse! What I enjoy the most about this particular food puzzle is its versatility and how your dog can enjoy it in different ways. It's one you can fit inside the freezer with its pieces containing frozen treats inside of them. Your dog will then need to move its different pieces around to find where you hid each treat, and spend some extra time licking the frozen ones!

Here are 14 quotes I love sharing when working with pet parents, or that I simply like reminding myself of, when working with any dog! - Disobedience is a demand for change. - Seek to understand before being understood. - A plan is only as good as those who see it through. - The best confidence builder is experience. - You hold onto friends by keeping your heart a little softer than your head. - Compromise is a virtue to be cultivated, not a weakness to be despised. - A lesson learned is a lesson earned. - The first step to correcting a mistake is patience. - Sometimes, accepting help is harder than offering it. - Where there’s a will, there’s a way. - Love comes in all shapes and sizes. - When we rescue others, we rescue ourselves. - Never give up hope, no matter how dark things seem. - Embrace others for their differences, for that makes you whole.

I personally don’t recommend using bells, where your dog needs to ring it to signal that they need a bathroom break. In general, it’s better that your pup practices waiting for things to happen/be started by you, as opposed to him learning that he needs to prompt or budge you for something to happen. A smart dog will quickly learn that (even without a bell system in place) if you don’t make sure to provide things when needed, but before being asked. Smart dogs can also even practice using the bell as a way to just get your attention and be outside without the need to pee (which can then also hinder the association), in which case, it’s also recommended that they get all the attention and enrichment outlets they need before they have to ask for it. Have you tried logging the amount of time between pees? How long can he handle vs how much time between bathroom breaks? Figure out what his bladder can handle and take him out accordingly to that before he even realizes that he needs to go out. Once you have that down, you can start increasing the amount of time between bathroom breaks slowly. I do, however, recommend using a catbell with your pup! Here's how and why .

There's no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to making sure that two dogs get along with one another. You have to consider who they are individually, together their environments, past experiences and how they feel towards one another as a whole. But there are a few things you can do to help encourage a positive and safe introduction. 1. Safety first. Make sure that you use space, as well as a leash on both dogs to be able to maintain a safe distance for both dogs. This isn't only to prevent any potential physical altercation, but also to help both dogs feel like they have space and time to think their thoughts and decisions through and above all walk away if they feel unsure about the overall interaction. 2. Ensure both dog's minds and bodies are as relaxed as possible before meeting. Though you don't want to have either dog feeling overly tired, you should still provide both with fun games and activities prior to the meeting. This will help both dogs feel good about themselves while also encouraging a calmer and more mellow demeanour during the introduction. 3. Avoid meeting face to face and pick a neutral environment. You're more likely to be successful if you have both dogs know of each other in an open, neutral space, especially somewhere where they can do activity at a safe distance from each other. For example, an open park where one dog is playing ball with their handler, while the other dog is snuffling for treats with their handler. From there, you can slowly get closer to one another and see how each dog feels. No matter what, do make sure that you keep the interactions short and sweet! This will leave both dogs feeling like nothing bad happened, and like they could do this again.

Despite how it may sometimes seem, your dog is truly always doing the best he or she can to make things easier for you and make you happy. Whether it’s during class, while you’re at work or in a social setting, if it’s feeling like it’s difficult to get your dog to behave in a particular manner, chances are the scenario itself is indeed just that.. difficult. It’s not in your dog’s interest to want to make things challenging for you both. But it is in our very own ability (more than anyone) and responsibility to try to manage the types of environments you both find yourselves in, in order to maximize your chances of success. What this means is that you want to do your best to align the expectations of yourself and your dog’s behaviour, with the type of setting and scenarios you’re working through. Ask yourself these questions: Is it something you’ve successfully done before and rehearsed it often enough? If not, is there an easier version of that setup that you can practice with first? But if so, has something in particular changed recently that is making things challenging for your dog? Adjusting the environments you work on together, as well as your expectations is really an important part of reaching your goals with your dog. Ultimately you want to prevent the feeling of frustration and disappointment on you both, by doing the best that you can to understand why your dog might find a particular environment difficult to navigate.