New puppy, teenage dog, or new dog owner? Get practical tips for easier walks and everyday life together.I’m Kristine, a dog trainer with a veterinary technician background. My emails share helpful tips, recommended products, and training resources and services when you need more support.
Does your dog only listen to you?
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Hello Reader, When someone tells me, “My dog listens to me, but not anyone else,” part of me wants to say, “Congratulations—and also, that sounds exhausting.” Because being your puppy or dog’s favorite person is wonderful. Being the only person who can walk them, guide them, calm them down, or get them to cooperate is something else entirely. Usually, it happens because you are the one handling the walks, meals, training, appointments, and most of the daily care. Your puppy or dog gets very used to looking to you for everything. Without meaning to, you can end up backing yourself into a corner. You have to do everything because no one else can easily step in and help. Then life happens. You get sick. Work gets busy. An appointment runs late. You want to travel or spend the holidays with family. But leaving your puppy or dog with someone else feels impossible because they will not walk with them, settle for them, or listen to them. Your strong bond should not leave you feeling as though you can never go anywhere or accept help. Your puppy or dog is probably not trying to make things difficult. They may simply need safe, positive practice learning that other trusted people can guide and support them too. That could be a family member, friend, dog walker, pet sitter, or trainer. You do not need to hand over everything at once. Start with one person and one simple part of the routine while you are still there to help your puppy or dog feel comfortable. And if you are not sure how to begin, or you already know you need more support, I can help you figure out what would make things easier. I offer virtual support wherever you live, along with Pup Walk Academy and Day Training for puppies and dogs in Davis. If you would like help, you can tell me a little about your puppy or dog here.https://dogtrainingsurvivalguide.com/contact/ Talk soon, Kristine P.S. You can still be your dog’s favorite person. You just do not need to be the entire department. |
Dog Training Survival Guide
New puppy, teenage dog, or new dog owner? Get practical tips for easier walks and everyday life together.I’m Kristine, a dog trainer with a veterinary technician background. My emails share helpful tips, recommended products, and training resources and services when you need more support.
Hello Reader, Have you ever caught yourself doing something differently just to make life with your puppy or dog a little easier? Maybe you avoid a certain route. Maybe you time things so fewer people are around. Maybe you skip something because you just do not feel like dealing with the hassle that day. At first, it can feel like no big deal. But when you start changing more and more of your day around the same thing, that is usually when it is worth taking a closer look. Sometimes a...
Hello Reader, I was thinking about how easy it is to slowly change little things around your puppy or dog without really noticing it. Maybe you start taking a different route on walks. Maybe you wait until fewer people are outside. Maybe you put your puppy behind a gate when someone comes over because it just feels easier. Maybe there is somewhere you used to take your dog that you have quietly stopped going. None of that means you are doing anything wrong. Sometimes those workarounds are...
Hello Reader, On Wednesday I talked about how easy it is to buy more stuff for your puppy or dog when every store seems to be running a sale. And sometimes the right thing really does help. A better leash. A harness that fits well. A toy your puppy actually likes. Something that makes part of the day a little easier. But there is another side to it. You can buy the right thing and still feel like you are not getting anywhere. The leash is fine, but walks are still frustrating. You have toys...