The Dog Blog

A Free Resource for
New and Experienced Owners

Get Your Socks On!!

This post is a little different than my others because it's a giveaway! Ever wanted to put your dog on a pair of socks? Now's your chance, but only if you act quickly! The first 10 people to follow the steps below... (continued)

What You Believe, You Can Achieve

If you can't imagine your dog behaving well, or even what it would look like if he did, getting the results you want from your training will be much more difficult and in some cases, impossible. Here I teach you... (continued)

Bark Box Halloween Fun

If you haven't heard of Bark Box, it's a monthly subscription of dog products that are sent directly to your door. Each box is full of toys and treats customised to your dogs size and each month offers a unique... (continued)

Week One: Learning Loose Leash Walking

In week one of our training series with reporter Maggie of A-channel’s Breakfast Television, we introduce Maggie, her 7 month old Labradoodle, and teach the fundamentals of loose leash walking. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV5M82V5cJk Additional Lessons: Week 2 – Learning the “Come” Command Week... (continued)

When Is Rehoming Your Dog The Best Option?

Rehoming a dog is a very taboo subject. After all, dogs are for life, no? For me that’s a definite yes……but…..sometimes circumstances dictate that rehoming is actually in the best interest of everyone involved, especially the dog, and we’d be... (continued)

Week Six: A Wrap-up and Review at the Park

In week six of our training series with reporter Maggie of A-channel’s Breakfast Television and her 7 month old Labradoodle, Lucy, we wrap up our lessons with a quick overview of what we covered, a demo of Maggie's now excellent... (continued)

Dog-to-Dog Introductions: The Fearful Dog

When you have a fearful dog, introducing it to other dogs isn't as simple as it is for an outgoing dog. Here I teach you a really simple approach to help give your dog exposure to other dogs without stressing... (continued)

Getting Your Dog Comfortable Being Brushed

For some dogs, regular brushing is a must, but often avoided because the dog is un-cooperative. Regular brushing not only helps to get rid of dead hair and skin cells, it keeps your house cleaner and also makes your groomers... (continued)

Week Three: Discouraging Jumping & Moving to More Distracting Environments

In week three of our training series with reporter Maggie of A-channel’s Breakfast Television and her 7 month old Labradoodle, Lucy, we talk about how to discourage your dog from jumping up on you. We also discuss why it's important... (continued)

How To Resolve Fence Fighting

Fence fighting is what happens when dogs on opposite sides of a fence or other barrier act in a barking, aggressive frenzy when they see one another. This barking can start off friendly enough but over time the frustration of... (continued)

Six Holiday Safety Tips

Since many of my friends, clients and relatives already have their Christmas decorations up, I wanted to share some simple safety tips for the holiday season to help keep your dogs safe, healthy and out of the emergency vet this... (continued)

From Alpha to Understanding: A Dog Trainer's Journey

I used to be one of those trainers who taught using dominance as my base for all behaviour. Even after I transitioned into positive training, when a dog would act up I would still use that as my behavioural model,... (continued)

Walking Made Easy: Teaching Your Dog To Wear A Head Halter

If you have a hard time walking your dog on a leash due to mobility issues or you have a dog that is far too powerful to be walked on a leash with a collar or harness, this video is... (continued)

The Key to Motivating Your Dog

If you find your dogs response to commands, especially around distractions, is lack luster at best, than take a look at what you're using for motivation. The type of rewards you use in training can make the difference between a... (continued)

Fun with Tricks: Teaching the 'Leg Weave'

Keeping your dog mentally and physically stimulated can be really challenging, especially if you have a high energy dog or one that is recovering from an injury. Teaching tricks is a great way to combat boredom while building a better... (continued)

Because Of A Dog

My first dog was a black and white Springer Spaniel. A very regal and handsome looking boy who was more like a stately gentleman than a dog. When he and I were out together, people used to come up to me... (continued)

Picking the Right Dog

Stay connected with me on Facebook and Twitter. We all go into purchasing or adopting a new dog with high hopes and expectations, but it doesn't always work out for the best. Here I explain how to determine what the best... (continued)

Week Four: Road Test – Taking Our Leash Manners to the City

In week four of our training series with reporter Maggie of A-channel’s Breakfast Television and her 7 month old Labradoodle, Lucy, we take the show on the road and do our lesson in downtown Sidney. We talk about how to... (continued)

Halloween Safety Tips

????Happy Halloween!!???? Although tonight is going to be a fun night for most of the kiddos, for many dogs it’s going to involve a lot more stress. People moving around in strange looking costumes, non-stop strangers at the door and, the... (continued)

Socialization Myths: Part 1

There are so many myths about socializing dogs, that it inspired me to create a 3 part video series to bust some of the most common ones I hear. Tune in for Part 2 this week! Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRYxouBpEFc In this... (continued)

Overcoming Fear of Noises

A few years back I got a toaster. When I first brought it out of the box, it had to be run three times in a row to get rid of any chemical residue left over from the factory. I... (continued)

How to Get the Perfect Dog

(As posted in Monday Magazine February 2014) Imagine taking your dog to the park or on a hike, letting him off leash and trusting him to come back when you call him? Or bringing him on your next family trip with... (continued)

Preparing Your Dog Before Your First Baby Arrives

For some dogs, transitioning into life with a new baby is effortless. For others? Not so much. So I'm sharing with you some of the most important things to start teaching your dog NOW, before that baby arrives, that will... (continued)

Proper Dog Etiquette

Is it appropriate to let your dog greet and play with every dog they meet on the street? Since dogs are social creatures, do they need to make new friends every day? What do you do if you're walking your... (continued)

Four Simple Ways to Stuff a Kong

I am ALL about problem behaviour prevention. After all, it's usually easier to prevent them than to fix them. Giving your dog something productive to focus on, like chewing on a well stuffed Kong, is one way to keep them... (continued)

Choosing a Great Breeder

Once you decide on the right breed of dog for you and your family, choosing a great breeder to get your puppy from is the next most important step. Here I share a few benefits to purchasing from a reputable... (continued)

Introducing a New Dog Into Your Home

It's SO EXCITING bringing home a new dog, right?! And we all hope that the new dog will get along beautifully with the dogs we already have, but that isn't always what happens. So to increase the chances of getting... (continued)

Pulling on Leash

One of the biggest complaints I get from owners is that their dogs pull on leash. Here I explain why your dog still pulls despite any training you may have done and a simple exercise to start teaching your dog... (continued)

Five Tips to Stop Your Puppy From Biting

We all know that puppies have sharp teeth, but how do we teach them to be more gentle with them?? Here are 5 strategies to help you get through that nasty puppy mouthing stage without turning yourself into a human... (continued)

Trail Etiquette: 5 Ways to Share the Trails

We undoubtedly live in one of THE. BEST. places to walk our dogs in all of Canada, but sometimes we share very different views on how to best share our walking spaces. Here are 5 simple etiquette tips for you... (continued)

Should Dogs Be Left To 'Work It Out' On Their Own?

How many times have you heard someone say to you 'Let them work it out' when two dogs are in a disagreement with one another? This is not only terrible advice, it could potentially have serious consequences for one or... (continued)

Week Two: Learning the Come Command

In week two of our training series with reporter Maggie and 7 month old, Lucy, of A-channel's Breakfast Television, we reviewed last weeks loose leash walking lesson with and introduced the come command. Plus, we talked about the importance of... (continued)

On Grief and Losing a Loved One

A very special client emailed me today letting me know her dog had recently passed. Even though she had lost several dogs before, she was really struggling with this particular loss and asked if I had any words of wisdom... (continued)

What's Your Dog's "Type"?

A friend messaged me the other day saying he noticed that one of his dogs seemed to have a preference for playing with little white fluffy dogs, both male and female, and he wondered if this was normal? Dogs, like... (continued)

Dogs Still Need to Be Dogs

I recently worked with the sweetest,... (continued)

Teaching Your Dog To Love Being Caught

If you have a dog who refuses to be caught when he is off leash, always running away every time you reach for him, this video is for you. For some dogs, playing the Gotcha Game alone has completely curbed... (continued)

Socialization Myths: Part 2

This is part 2 of the series uncovering some of the more common misunderstandings about how and why to socialize your dog. This video will explain: ~ the behaviour changes you can expect as your dog grows up from a puppy... (continued)

Should All Dogs Be Saved?

Telling someone that they need to euthanize their dog is the shittiest part of my job. I entered this career to help fix them, not to kill them, but once you’ve been in this career long enough you realize that... (continued)

Quality Canadian Dog Collars and Tags

If you're anything like me, you want sustainable products for your dog that you know will do the job, last a long time and make a positive impact. As a dog trainer for well over two decades, I have run... (continued)

Freedom is Earned, It's Not a Right

I know how important it is to you to be able to give your dog(s) off leash freedom. And as a trainer, I want nothing more than to help you teach them to listen reliably when they are off leash. You... (continued)

How to Fade the Food Lure

Having a dog that "only works for food" or "only listens if he knows I have a cookie" is one of the most common complaints I hear. So today I want to teach you how to eliminate the food lure... (continued)

Tips For Safe Playtime

Something I have been seeing quite a bit of lately are dogs who are getting really aggressive with their owners when they are playing with them or refusing to play altogether. A case in point was a puppy I... (continued)

Dogs and Calculus

When we raise our children from babies, it is understood and expected that they won’t understand our language or know our rules. We know that it will be our job to teach them, step by step, and then to remind... (continued)

Tuna Fudge Training Treats

These are healthy, easy to make training treats that appeal to even the fussiest of palates and can cater to dogs with food allergies. They also taste good enough that if you get hungry while you’re training, you can snack... (continued)

No more biting issues!

Charlie is doing great! The biting/mouthing is not really an issue any more. If it does happen, it ends pretty quickly without any drama- it’s great! I bought a 20ft rope which I let him drag around in the yard... (continued)

My Top 6 Must Read Dog Books

As winter approaches, there's no better time then the present to curl up on your couch with a warm blanket, hot cup of tea and a great book to learn more about the dogs you love and share your life... (continued)

Bringing Home a Rescue Dog

Adopting a rescue dog can be incredibly rewarding, but many people don't realize that many dogs don't come "move in ready." Here I share three important things to know about your new rescue, a common mistake I see people make... (continued)

Five Tips for Sending Your Dog to the Sitter

Most of us leave our dog sitters with a pretty comprehensive list of our dogs care instructions. In addition to that, here are 5 simple things you can do to minimize everyone's stress while you are away, especially in the... (continued)

"Why?" And Other Questions To Ask When Training Your Dog

As a society, we are usually taught to follow what others tell us. Following the rules as they are laid out is favoured to critical thinking. When we're told that drinking two cups of milk every day is necessary for... (continued)

Come Command Do's and Don't's

'Come' is the one command that almost everyone struggle's with at some point and, for some of you, that struggle is a daily occurrence. Let's be honest, most of us (yes, even me) have had the experience of being left... (continued)