I was recently in a discussion with a fellow trainer about a family who contacted her regarding their one year-old Boxer. The Boxer was extremely friendly, and very gentle when interacting with their two young children. The only trouble they had was when the kids would run around the house with their toys: the Boxer would want to join in and play, chasing them as they ran, and the parents were worried that their kids would accidentally get knocked over in play. The trainer wa

Walks are an important part of our dog’s daily routine. For us, walks can sometimes feel like a task on a list, a quick chance for our dog to stretch their legs and use the bathroom before we rush off to work for the day. But for dogs, walks are so much more! A dog’s strongest sense is their sense of smell – think of it as smelling the world in color. For dogs, walks are extremely mentally stimulating and enriching, and to get the most out of them, they need regular opportuni

Fun fact: In two years of working at a shelter, I was never bitten by a pit bull, a German shepherd, or a doberman. I was, however bitten by a chihuahua (and clocked in the face by more than one skeptical cat). Nothing against chihuahuas - or cats - but breed bias is real and the fallout is deadly. So what does a banned breed look like? This is Scout. My little man, one of a litter of 11 puppies and mama that were found as strays and entered the shelter in December 2023 at 5