How to Bring More Ease Into Your Life With Your dog

A person sitting cross-legged to meditate. The photographer captured only her knee and her hand in Gyan Mudra

You’re worried that your dog can sense your anxiety. In fact, you can see him get more tense when you start wrapping the leash around and around your hand (which you always do when you see a dog…or a squirrel…or a jogger…actually, now it’s cars too. Eek!)

You’ve heard that stress travels down the leash and now you’re living it.

You can almost see the negative energy racing down the leash toward your dog like lightning and then BAM! - he blows up. He’s barking, lunging, and standing on his hind legs. This makes you feel embarrassed on top of anxious.

a large brown dog pulling on the leash

Your neck and shoulders constantly feel tight and your wrists hurt from holding her back when she lunges on the leash.

You feel like you’re caught in a stress hurricane with no end in sight.

How can you bring ease into your life with your dog when nothing feels easy.

The first thing I invite you to do is pause and breathe.

Set a timer on your phone for one minute. Sit down somewhere comfortable and close your eyes.

Breathe in for a count of four. Hold for two seconds. Breathe out for six seconds. When our exhale is longer than our inhale, it naturally calms us down.

One minute may be so enjoyable that next time you try 90 seconds. Make this a daily habit. The more you develop this calm muscle, the more you can call on it in times of stress (like after a reactive blow up.)

A person meditating on a yoga mat.

The next thing I invite you to do is to try the place command with your dog.

The place command is not only an amazing strategy to clearly communicate to your dog - go here, be calm, and stay until I release you, it’s also an opportunity for us to practice calm breathing while training our dog (instead of what’s currently going on during walks - a whole lotta breath-holding.)

Before you begin placework, you will need an elevated dog bed (place cot) with grippy feet. Be sure to set the cot on a non-slip surface before you introduce it to your dog.

Something amazing happens when we do placework with our dog.  We begin to notice whether or not our dog can listen us in an area free from distraction - for example, inside your home. When we strip away all the things our dogs find distracting or stressful, we can begin to teach them how to be. All we’re asking for is calmness, and they respond with relief.

Phillip the foster dog sleeping on his place cot

Through this process, you become a detective, and uncover the reasons that your dog is so reactive on walks.

Maybe you’ll find out he’s afraid to step on the cot at all. He’s afraid of stepping up onto something and he isn’t trusting you to guide him through it yet. Don’t beat yourself up about this, this is just information your dog is sharing with you. You’ll get through it. But now you understand that if he can’t do what you ask inside your home, it makes sense that he won’t listen to you when he sees a dog, squirrel, or jogger coming at you on your walk.

Perhaps your dog has no problem hopping up onto the cot, but once he’s up there he jumps on you and bites the leash. This is very pushy and rude behaviour. This can tell us that our dog has become our boss, so he doesn’t think he needs to look to you for direction on the walk - he’s the boss of the walk.

Using placework as a diagnostic tool helps us reveal what we need to change in our relationship with our dog in order to improve it.

Sam the Golden Retriever laying down on her place cot. Her owner is holding her pink leash.

And something else amazing happens. We adopt a calmness practice as we practice place. Place isn’t just about your dog learning how to calm down - it’s an opportunity for us to learn calm skills as well.

While your dog is on place, you can practice breath work. You can practice being in the present moment. You can meditate. Did you know you can meditate standing up? You can!

As you work your dog on and off the cot, you can use this calmness that you’ve cultivated to improve your leash handling skills. If your dog gets off the cot and immediately pulls toward his favourite toy or another family member, it’s a reminder that if you allow him to do this inside your home, he will do the same thing on walks.

Before you know it, you have created a ritual that calms you and your dog down. You can use this routine before your walks to make sure you’re both present and connected before you leave home.

Lily the Australian Shepherd sitting on her place cot in her home.

Take your time and enjoy developing these newfound calmness skills.

The more you practice, the better you’ll both feel.

Before you know it you’ll be able to put your dog on place and:

-sit on your couch and meditate (or read a book)

-practice yoga without being stepped on, mouthed, or mounted

-have a friend over for a chat

-turn your dining room table into a place for painting, crafting, or puzzles

With your dog on place, she’s no longer:

-anxiously barking at your visitors

-jumping all over you, your family, and your guests

-racing from window to window barking at every sound she hears

-panting, pacing, and nervous

-bolting out the front door and running away

-stealing food off the countertop

With those worries gone from your list, you can be free to be a calmer version of yourself. A more peaceful version of yourself.

If you’re nervous about trying placework on your own, in-home sessions will quickly help you build your confidence.

With weekly sessions, homework that you and your dog will actually enjoy doing together, and email support to keep you on track, you’ll feel like you have a trainer on speed dial.

Schedule your free call now. You deserve more calmness in your life.

Yours in calmness,

Alyssa

Photos by: a person sitting cross-legged to meditate. The photographer captured only her knee and her hand in Gyan Mudra Ksenia Makagonova @dearseymour; a large brown dog pulling on the leash (Upsplash Images); person meditating on a yoga mat (Katerina May @kat_vagary); Phillip the foster dog sleeping on his place cot (Alyssa Foulkes); Sam the Golden Retriever laying down on her place cot (Alyssa Foulkes); Lily the Australian Shepherd sitting on her place cot (Alyssa Foulkes)

Do You Have the Crate Training Blues?

You’re exhausted and overwhelmed.

Your new puppy barks, whines, and tries to escape her crate.

You tried leaving her out, but she peed and pooped all over your home, chewed up everything she could get her mouth on, and used you as a chew toy.

You’re overwhelmed by all of the crate training videos online because all of those puppies seem so happy in their crates while your puppy is losing her mind.

A woman holds her head in her hands while staring at her laptop.

You’re starting to feel like a prisoner in your own home. You can’t even leave her alone to simply go outside and get a package, let alone run an errand or go to work.

You’ve done a lot of reading, so you’re getting really worried that your puppy is already showing signs of separation anxiety. You can’t even leave the room without her panicking.

You’re nervous to try the crate again in case you accidentally make her anxiety worse. It doesn’t help that your neighbours complain about the tiniest noises she makes — and the noise she makes in the crate is anything but tiny.

Here’s how to add crate training into your daily routine with your puppy to help it feel less overwhelming.

The thing no one tells you before you get a puppy is that crate training takes a long time. The internet makes it look as easy as baking a cake. Pop it in the oven, walk away, come back when it’s ready. Crate training doesn’t work that way.

A simple cake baking in the oven.

The good news is that if you begin to make crate training part of your daily routine with your puppy, you’ll get lots of repetitions in and see progress very quickly.

So how do you work crate training into your daily routine with your puppy?

Every time you take your puppy out to potty (which is often with a young puppy), you’re going to make sure they:

-potty outside

-play with you

-explore a little bit (with their nose)

-learn (right now, you’re probably teaching them to walk nicely on the leash, be polite at doorways, and how to sit — you’ll keep working on these and also add in a mini crate training session.)

So what does this mini crate training session look like?

Every session is going to look a little bit different, but before you dive into crate training, you need to know another crate training secret: how it feels matters more than how it looks.

It should feel:

-fun

-calm

For both of you.

A woman holding a terrier. She is smiling as the dog sniffs her face.

Here’s an example of what a mini crate training session might look like:

Put some of your puppy’s meal into a treat pouch. Leave their leash on, in case they are overtired and start to bite you all over. Place a few kibbles into the back corner of their crate. Let them go in, eat it, and come out. Yes, we want them to look at you politely before leaving their crate, but you have to start small. If they happen to look at you before coming out, capture that moment by saying “let’s go” and allow your puppy to follow you away from the crate. Come right back and do that again. Notice how you’re not closing the door on them yet? That’s on purpose. As you progress, you’re going to add in closing the door and opening it right back up to get your puppy used to that.

During some of these mini sessions, your puppy may get tired and lay down in the crate. What you do in that moment is going to be what feels right for where you and your puppy are in your training journey. You may leave the door open for that nap and keep an eye on her so you’re ready for that potty break when she wakes up. If you’ve been practicing crate training for awhile and your puppy isn’t panicking when you shut the door, you may shut the door for that nap. The important thing is being there before she wakes up and starts barking and whining. We don’t want to teach her that barking and pawing the door is the key to getting let out.

As you’re working on these mini sessions throughout the day, be sure to take off your puppy’s collar and leash if they will be in the crate unsupervised.

Magic the Rottweiler puppy riding to her forever home at the age of 8.5 weeks. She is napping in her crate on a comfy white fleece. The door of the crate is open.

The sessions you do won’t look the same every time or both of you will get bored. Mix things up by:

-asking your puppy to go in their crate and then asking them to sit (if they already know how to sit.) Invite them back out after they do the sit.

-giving them a frozen Kong or Toppl that has a small amount of frozen kibble, fruits and veggies that are safe for dogs (eg. blueberries and carrots), and/or canned/raw dog food inside

-having them go in one crate door and out the other door (if your crate has two doors.)

There’s a lot of nuance when it comes to crate training. You need to teach them:

-the door shuts, but it always opens again (when they are calm and quiet)

-how to go in on a verbal command (eg. Crate)

-how to wait politely and not barge through the door when it opens

-how to feel calm when they’re in there

Like any new skill you’ve learned before (a language, how to play an instrument, how to snowboard, how to do your current job really well, etc.) crate training takes time to get good at. Be patient with yourself and with your puppy.

Woman playing a violin.

If crate training has you feeling overwhelmed, we would love for you to join us for our Crate Training for Puppies Workshop.

We’ve helped hundreds of clients overcome their crate training nightmares (everything from severe separation anxiety to owners who accidentally used their crate for punishment, creating a puppy who refused to go in their crate.)

This workshop will help you:

-teach your puppy how to love her crate

-decrease puppy biting

-put an end to accidents (pee/poo) in your home

-stop your puppy from chewing household items

-prevent or overcome separation anxiety

We’re limiting the number of participants to four to ensure that you’ll get your questions answered — and we’re going one step further to make sure you’re set up for success: After the workshop, you’ll receive a one hour online session to make sure you’re on track.

Here’s what you need to know:

Date: Sunday, April 27th 2025

Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Location: Grand Bark in Fergus (465 St Patrick St W Rear Unit, Fergus, ON N1M 1L7)

You’ll feel so relieved to finally have a crate trained puppy.

Imagine your puppy settling in her crate so you can finally go get groceries or enjoy coffee with a friend.

Envision the peace of mind you’ll have knowing your puppy is safe and your house isn’t being destroyed while you’re out.

Picture your puppy living a happy life that’s free from separation anxiety.

Looking forward to helping you and your puppy live calmer, happier lives.

Alyssa

Photos :Woman with laptop (Upsplash Images); cake (Upsplash Images); woman with terrier (Upsplash Images): Magic the Rottweiler (Alyssa Foulkes); woman playing the violin (Upsplash Images.)

Decrease Your Stress with These Dog Training Tips

Decrease your stress with these simple dog training tips (Photo: A woman sitting crosslegged on a mountaintop during sunrise)

Feeling stressed out by your dog’s out-of-control behaviour? 

If you dread coming home to another accident or to finding out what your dog has destroyed in your home today, it is adding to your daily stress. 

If you dread going home because every day you arrive to something cherished that’s been destroyed by your dog, it’s time to schedule your free call for in-home training (Photo: a broken Christmas tree ornament.)

We all know that a balanced diet, getting quality sleep, and having a better work-life balance reduce our overall stress. We also know that having positive relationships are better for us…but that just means with humans, right?! 

No.

The amount of owners out there struggling with their dog’s unruly behaviour is staggering. You’re already stressed out by your boss and your coworkers at work; your partner not doing enough chores around the house; and having to constantly referee your kids. 

There’s so much on your plate already and the stress of your dog is just teetering on the top. Something has to give. 

Your stress is piling up to dangerous levels. It’s time to put yourself first — you deserve to feel calm. (Photo: Avalanche warning sign at the top of a mountain.)

You need to reduce the stress load you’re carrying. Fixing your relationship with your dog will help take some of the stress off your plate. 

Follow these three steps for a happier you and the rest will follow.  

Step Number One: TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF DURING THE DAY

Grab your calendar and let’s get started. It’s time to take a look at your day. 

You’ve heard that expression ‘you can’t pour from an empty cup,’ right? Let’s make sure we take care of YOU because you’re important and special. 

Are you making time to eat healthy and hydrate while you’re at work? If not, set an alarm in your calendar that will help you think to drink and get you fed on time. When your blood sugar’s in your boots you become a hangry monster. It’s not helping you with your boss or your coworkers, and it’s certainly not allowing you to have any patience nuggets left when you get home to your furry and human family. So, set the alarm. You’ll thank me later. 

Give yourself permission to take care of yourself (Photo: A person filling a water bottle from a stainless steel tap)

You deserve to spend your energy on things that light you up and make you happy. Schedule 15 minutes into your day that are for you. What will you do? Will you revisit an old hobby, like painting? Will you walk in your garden and cut some flowers for a bouquet? Maybe you’ll sit down and read with a glass of water or a cup of tea. 

Carve some time out each day that’s just for you (Photo: A girl with a long blonde ponytail contemplates what to paint)

Step Number Two: SETTING YOURSELF UP FOR A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP

Getting quality sleep is important for your brain health. It also helps increase our patience (which helps with our relationships.) This sleep tip is so simple, but often overlooked: If you want to get enough sleep, say 8 hours, be sure you’re in bed for more than 8 hours. It takes the average person about 25 minutes to fall asleep, so leave yourself time for that. 

Set an alarm to remind yourself to get ready for bed so you’re not in a rush. Take time to read, meditate, or treat yourself to a bath beforehand. 

You deserve a good night’s sleep (Photo: a woman sleeping on a comfy bed wearing a sleep mask)

Step Number Three: RESPECTING YOUR BODY’S NEED FOR NATURE

Spending time in nature is finally becoming recognized as part of a healthy lifestyle. There’s now scientific evidence that shows the benefit of simply walking in the woods. Isn’t that amazing?! 

If you’ve never heard of forest bathing, I hope you check it out and that you enjoy it as much as I do (Photo: a beautiful forest with sunlight filtering in)

Make sure you get outside with your dog for fresh air every day. If your walks are a source of stress, sign up for The Calmness Club™. It’s on sale right now. It’s time to stop the lunging and barking that’s stressing you (and your dog) out. 

I want to enjoy walking my dog!

One of our amazing Calmness Club™ members enjoying her dog Clover’s newfound calmness (Photo: a woman wearing a pale pink top smiles at the camera. Her black poodle is relaxing on an elevated dog bed.)

Since we’re working toward a healthier you, did you know that learning new skills is also great for your brain health? 

These three dog training skills will help reduce your stress AND your dog’s stress too.

Remember how you carved out 15 minutes for yourself? We’re going to find another 15 minute block where you’re going to teach your dog a new skill. Maybe you’re sick of him destroying your home and you want to teach him to love his crate. Maybe you want to teach him a trick. Maybe you want him to come when called so you can keep him safe next time he blasts out your front door. 

All of these skills will help reduce your stress. You won’t come home to another devoured wall again. YAY! 

The new trick will put a smile on your face as well as tiring your pup out. DOUBLE YAY! 

Next time someone leaves the door open, he’ll come when called, so you won’t have that feeling of extreme dread anymore. SUPER YAY! 

Imagine the feeling of relief you’ll have knowing that if your pup accidentally gets out your front door, he’ll come right back when you call (Photo: a Yellow Lab puppy running toward the camera.)

These skills will also be great for your dog’s health. 

Crate time will help him learn to settle when he’s not touching a human, so you’ll be helping him over his separation anxiety. 

Tricks are great for burning up physical and mental energy, so you’ll be fulfilling him. 

Recall prevents your dog from getting into serious trouble (in a dog fight, run over, skunked, etc.) This life-saving command should be practiced every day to keep it sharp. Keep the leash on when you practice, so your dog can’t ignore you. 

If you’re feeling overwhelmed about how to teach these skills, schedule your free call now. Our in-home sessions will help decrease your stress because of all the support you get in between sessions — it’s like having a dog trainer on speed dial. 

Dogs are such a gift because they encourage us to take care of ourselves. They help us get daily exercise, get us out in nature, and help us limit our screen time…except when we’re taking another cute photo of them, of course. 

It’s time to turn the volume down on your stress and turn the volume up on your happy. 

Wishing you a happy day, Dog Leaders. 

Alyssa 

Photos by: A woman sitting crosslegged on a mountaintop during sunrise (eniko kis @enikoo); a broken Christmas tree ornament (freestocks @freestocks); Avalanche warning sign at the top of a mountain ( Nicolas Cool @shotz); A person filling a water bottle from a stainless steel tap (Bluewater Sweden @bluewaterglobe); A girl with a long blonde ponytail contemplates what to paint (Bárbara Fróes @barbarafroes); a woman sleeping on a comfy bed wearing a sleep mask (Dmitry Ganin @ganinph); a beautiful forest with sunlight filtering in (Sebastian Unrau @sebastian_unrau); Alyss Foulkes ( a woman wearing a pale pink top smiles at the camera. Her black poodle is relaxing on an elevated dog bed); a Yellow Lab puppy running toward the camera (Andrew Schultz @andrewschultz);

Calmness Club™ for Puppies

Welcome to The Calmness Club™ (Photo: A shaggy black dog relaxing on his owner’s outstretched legs.)

Forget everything you know about traditional puppy class and step into a whole new realm of serenity and connection.

Welcome to The Calmness Club™ — a special place to practice calmness with your puppy. 

You want your puppy to grow up into an adult dog who can be calm and listen to you no matter where you go. The Calmness Club™ for Puppies is the only place where you and your puppy can learn the calmness skills they need for real life. 

Whether you want your puppy to be calm on a patio or at your kid’s soccer games, you need to develop and practice your calmness skills around other like-minded owners. (Photo: Golden Retriever puppy relaxing on a restaurant patio.)

Learn how to communicate with your puppy so they:

-never pull on the leash

-can be calm in their crate

-learn to relax on place

-come when called 

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to teach your puppy how to be calm and neutral around other puppies. This is your chance to prevent leash reactivity, fence fighting, and crate training nightmares. 

If you’re ready to put an end to demand barking, leash pulling, puppy biting, jumping up, and whining in the crate, join our supportive community.  

Sundays from 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM on July 28; August 11, 18, 25  Yes! This is what I've been waiting for! 

Our location is tucked away on a quiet street where participants can enjoy hearing songbirds as they practice calm car exits. There’s a lovely outdoor green space to enjoy and when we’re inside you’ll still feel connected to nature with the roll door letting in the fresh air and sunshine.  

Address: Grand Bark in Fergus (465 St Patrick St W Rear Unit, Fergus, ON N1M 1L7)

Our location provides you with the best learning opportunities because you and your puppy can practice calmness indoors and outdoors. (Photo: a white puppy sitting on a lawn looking up at its owner.)

The Calmness Club was created for you. 

You want your puppy to be able to relax inside your home, on your porch or balcony, and in your backyard. You would also love it if she could chill when you’re at the cottage, on vacation (hotel, Air BnB, parent’s house, etc,) or while hanging out at a park or local patio. 

It takes practice to achieve a calm state of mind in all of these places, so we created The Calmness Club — a place for you and your puppy to practice lifestyle skills and relaxation — together! 

Here’s what Calmness Club members are saying about The Calmness Club: 

““Being surrounded by like-minded owners and their dogs, all striving for the same sense of peace, was incredibly motivating.”
”

— Kaitlyn S. -- Guelph

““We just went for a walk and there was a dog on the other side of the street. Lenny did nothing. First. Time. Ever!”
”

— Katherine N. - Guelph

Space is limited to four participants to ensure that you get the attention you deserve and a chance to ask questions. These small numbers help fearful and anxious puppies thrive.

The Calmness Club gives puppies and owners lots of space to breathe and believe. (Photo: woman doing yoga outdoors beside an Australian Shepherd.)

This club is going to bring much needed calmness into your life and your pup’s life.

Imagine the possibilities life holds once you practice calmness in this setting.

Envision yourself being able to walk your puppy without him pulling toward every person, dog, and squirrel.

Picture yourself relaxing in your backyard with your pup without constant barking and digging. 

Visualize sipping your favourite beverage out on the patio this season with your puppy lounging at your feet. 

Kiss your worries goodbye by joining The Calmness Club (Photo: silhouette of a person facing their dog with a sunset in the background.)

Whatever your calmness goals are, The Calmness Club is the place to practice them.

I can’t wait to watch your calmness skills flourish. 

Yours in calmness,

Alyssa 

Photos by: Graham Smith @smithographic (shaggy black dog relaxing on his owner’s outstretched legs,) Anders Ipsen @andersipsen (Golden Retriever puppy relaxing on a restaurant patio,)Upsplash Images (a white puppy sitting on a lawn looking up at its owner,) Alonso Reyes @alonsoreyes (woman doing yoga outdoors beside an Australian Shepherd,) Patrick Hendry @worldsbetweenlines (silhouette of a person facing their dog with a sunset in the background.)

Place Command for Beginners

Fluffy brown puppy on a pink bed

You want a calm dog. A dog who doesn’t bark at every little sound outside your home. A dog who doesn’t chew up your shoes, walls, and carpets. A dog who doesn’t counter surf or beg at the dinner table. A dog who doesn’t jump on your houseguests or herd your children. 

The place command takes care of all of that and more. 

Want your dog to stop digging in the garden? - place command. 

Stop fence fighting with the neighbour’s dogs? - place command.

Stop chasing your kids around the pool? - place command.

The place command prevents counter surfing, jumping on house guests, and stealing and chewing inappropriate household items (Photo: Puppy lying on its back on the grass beside a unfurled roll of toilet paper)

When introduced correctly, the place command teaches your dog to go to their place (an elevated dog cot), to be calm, and to stay until released. Read more about the place command here: https://beyonddogtraining.ca/news/what-is-the-place-command

You want to teach place command to your dog, but you don’t know where to start. You don’t want to do it wrong and accidentally make your dog afraid of the cot. 

Now, you can introduce the place command with our interactive 4-week online course: Place Command for Beginners. You won’t be alone — we’ll be right there helping you.

We’ll guide you through how to: 

-introduce your dog to the cot 

-guide your pup onto the cot

-get your verbal timing right, so you can praise your pup when he gets it right

-use spatial pressure to communicate

-add distractions to your placework

-guide your pup off the cot

We’ll be with you every step of the way on Google Hangouts (Photo: Pomeranian looking up from the computer screen wearing glasses, a red sweater, and a string of fake pearls)

This amazing online adventure will take place on Tuesdays in August at 5:00 PM EST — August 6, 13, 20, and 27. 

You’ll receive: 

-Four 1-hour online group sessions

-Live demonstrations from Alyssa and Ripple

-Handouts to help you practice on your own between sessions  

-Access to recordings so if you can’t attend live, you will still benefit later on 

-Mindset coaching to help you focus on your wins and let your mistakes become things to learn and grow from 

Plus, each session will have 15 minutes for Q and A, so you can get your questions answered. 

There’s no other class that helps you teach your dog the place command in the comfort of your living room alongside a community of like-minded dog leaders. 

Sign me up!

There’s no pressure to have your camera on. 

You can leave you camera off and: 

-practice place command with your pup

-watch the live recording to take notes and then play the recording later on while you try it out with your pup

You can leave your camera off or practice with us in real-time (Photo: Pomeranian sitting at a computer screen wearing glasses and a red sweater)

Limited Time Offer

〰️

Limited Time Offer 〰️

Register now and you’ll receive a 10% early bird discount. Hurry! Spots are limited and the sale ends June 28th at noon. 

This sounds amazing! Sign me up! 

Early bird pricing: $225 + HST

After the early bird sale: $250 + HST 

It’s time for you to have a quiet, peaceful home and yard. Let this course set you up with the tools you need and the confidence to succeed. 

If you’re ready to: 

-improve your relationship with your dog 

-have fun

-help your dog have a calm state of mind 

Register now and grab your discount.

Can’t wait to help you live a more peaceful life with your pup. 

Alyssa 

Photos by: Emily Star @emilystar346 (fluffy brown puppy on a pink bed,) Daniël Maas

@daniel7450 (puppy lying on its back on the grass beside a unfurled roll of toilet paper,) Cookie the Pom

@cookiethepom (Pomeranian looking up from the computer screen wearing glasses, a red sweater, and a string of fake pearls,) Upsplash Images (Pomeranian sitting at a computer screen wearing glasses and a red sweater,)

The #1 Dog Training Secret

A woman holding a finger to her lips as if gently saying “Shhhh.”

Raise your hand if you’ve ever: 

• wrapped your leash around your hand when you’ve seen a dog up ahead

• tensed up (brought your shoulders to your ears and held your breath) when you’ve seen a dog/squirrel/person/bike/car etc

• felt really nervous or embarrassed when you’ve been walking your dog

• had the thought “Here we go again” before walking your dog or when you saw a trigger coming at you

Here’s the thing no one else will tell you: how you’re feeling matters and so do your thoughts. 

A hand holding a lightbulb up to a beautiful blue and pink sky

It can feel very overwhelming to control our thoughts and process our feelings in today’s fast-paced society. The good news is, you can start to reframe your thoughts today using this step-by-step process. 

It’s called a mind, body, heart scan. Here’s how it works: 

Before you go get your leash today, go to a quiet room in your house. You can stand, sit, or even lay down for a minute if you like. Whatever position will help you feel the most relaxed. 

Close your eyes. 

Breathe in slowly through your nose. Breathe out a sigh through your mouth. 

Do that three times. 

Relax your shoulders. Let that tension fall away. 

Scan the rest of your body. Breathe in and out as you allow the tension to melt away from any place you’re holding it. Let it go. Take your time to scan your whole body. 

Woman meditating on the edge of a cliff overlooking many red peaks

Next, we’re going to weed the garden (your mind) of any negative thoughts you have about previous walks with your dog. Pull those weeds out and throw them away. Make room for the intentions were going to set for this walk. 

Let go of any judgements. 

You are a great dog owner. You can do this. 

Breathe in. Breathe out. 

Now, we’re going to set your intention for this walk or training session. 

This walk (or training exercise) that you’re going to do with your dog is going to go really well because you’re going to envision everything you’re going to do right now and you’re going to imagine it going well. 

A person’s hands making the shape of a heart in front of a sunset with trees in the background

Imagine yourself calmly picking up your leash. You’re going to take your time to do the leash up routine properly to build trust with your dog. You’re going to wait at the threshold until you get relevant eye contact. Envision all of the things you’re going to work on in this upcoming session and picture it working out. 

Breathe in. Breathe out. 

You can do this. 

At any time during this scan your mind begins to drift to negative thoughts or your to do list, gently guide it back. Breathe in. Breathe out. 

Use the body, mind, heart scan anytime you need to reset your day. It will help you disagree with any negative thoughts you’re thinking. It will help you set a clear intention for your walks and training sessions. It will help you reach your goals and also bring you wellness you didn’t realize was missing in your life. 

Try it out and let us know how it goes in the comments below. We would love to hear from you! 

Pine trees in the morning mist

If this blog post resonates with you, then you’ll love The Calmness Club™. The Calmness Club is a special place to practice calmness with your dog around other like-minded owners. 

One of the reasons reactive dogs remain reactive is because owners come across dogs on their walks who are also reacting and everyone rushes away out of embarrassment. Your dog practices barking and lunging and making dogs/people go away multiple times per day every day — and as we know, we get really good at the things we practice. 

The Calmness Club provides owners with the opportunity to finally get the chance to work through the reactivity properly. Your dog will begin to learn that blowing up doesn’t make the other dogs go away. That strategy doesn’t work for them anymore. We create the chance for them to learn how to be calm and neutral in the presence of other dogs. 

This program will get you results that will instantly ripple into your life with your dog. 

Check out the results that Calmness Club member Katherine has been enjoying since her first week:

“When Lenny and I walked back to our building there was a dog outside and Lenny didn’t explode like he normally does!! I never expected results like this so quickly!”

— KN - Guelph

Join us for four weeks of calmness. You’ll enjoy 4 one-hour sessions deepening your connection with your dog. 

Our location is tucked away on a quiet street where participants can enjoy hearing songbirds as they practice calm car exits. There’s a lovely outdoor green space to enjoy and when we’re inside you’ll still feel connected to nature with the roll door letting in the fresh air and sunshine.  

Address: Grand Bark in Fergus (465 St Patrick St W Rear Unit, Fergus, ON N1M 1L7)

Dates and times for Adult Dogs: 

Tuesday evenings at 6:30 PM — July 2, 9, 23, 30 Sign me up! 

Sunday mornings at 10:00 AM — July 28; August 11, 18, 25 I'm ready for calmness!

Puppies aged 8 weeks - 16 weeks: 

Sunday mornings at 11:30 AM — July 28; August 11, 18, 25  Less puppy biting and more calmness!

Register now and you’ll receive a 10% early bird discount! 

Early Bird Price: $250 + HST 

It’s time to leap on that summer sale! (Photo: a dog leaping through the air)

HURRY! Sale ends May 31

〰️

HURRY! Sale ends May 31 〰️

This club is going to bring much needed calmness and positivity into your life and your dog’s life.

Imagine the possibilities life holds once you practice calmness in this setting. 

Envision yourself being able to walk past another dog without blow-ups. 

Picture yourself smiling and enjoying your backyard without fence fighting, digging, barking, etc.  

Visualize sipping your favourite beverage out on the patio this season with your dog relaxing at your feet. 

Dream big and bring those dreams to The Calmness Club. 

I can’t wait to watch your calmness skills flourish. 

Yours in calmness,

Alyssa 

Photos: A woman holding a finger to her lips as if gently saying “Shhhh.” (Upsplash Images); A hand holding a lightbulb up to a beautiful blue and pink sky (Diego PH); woman meditating on the edge of a cliff overlooking many red peaks (Matteo Di Iorio); a person’s hands making the shape of a heart in front of a sunset with trees in the background (Oleg Illarionov); pine trees in the morning mist (clement proust); a dog leaping through the air (Ron Fung)

Welcome to The Calmness Club™

Welcome to The Calmness Club™ (Photo: A shaggy black dog relaxing on his owner’s outstretched legs.)

Forget everything you know about old school dog training class where you’re surrounded by other dogs lunging on leash and barking. No. That was never for you. 

You crave calmness and you want your dog to be calm too. This is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for. 

Welcome to The Calmness Club™ — a special place to practice calmness with your dog. 

Our location is spacious with lots of natural light and filled with plants. What better place to relax and foster a calm state of mind? 

You’ve been working on the place command and loose leash walking and it’s going pretty well, but you’re still struggling to achieve calmness on leash and on place in new settings, like when you visit your family and there’s other dogs present who have no off-switch or when you’re at your cottage and there’s lots of wildlife distractions. 

This is your chance to practice calmness and neutrality around other dogs and owners who have the same goals as you. 

This is a unique opportunity being offered to owners who are out there working hard with their dogs every single day. 

Get ready to love your Thursday mornings. Sip your tea. Wear your comfy clothes. And definitely don’t do your hair. 

Happy, smiling woman presents a tug toy for a German Shepherd mix while sitting on a gym floor.

The Calmness Club was created for you. 

You want your dog to be able to relax inside your home, on your porch or balcony, and in your backyard. You would also love it if she could chill when you’re at the cottage, on vacation (hotel, Air BnB, parent’s house, etc,) or while hanging out at a park or local patio. 

It takes practice to achieve a calm state of mind in all of these places, so we created The Calmness Club — a place for you and your dog to practice lifestyle skills and relaxation — together! 

Whether you want your dog to be calm on a patio or at your kid’s soccer games, you need to develop and practice your calmness skills around other like-minded owners. (Photo: Golden Retriever puppy relaxing on a restaurant patio.)

Here’s what Calmness Club members are saying about The Calmness Club: 

““It was a great experience for us and our dog.”
”

— CK -- Guelph

““Looking forward to next week!”
”

— KN - Guelph

Other amazing benefits? 

-Our space also has a long elevated table with chairs — can you say “what a great place to practice calmness at patios and restaurants?” I sure can! 

-The room has movable partitions, so if you need to carve out a little space for yourself and your pup, you can.

-Dreamland Pet is right next door, so if you need anything for your pets you can shop in a relaxing environment after enjoying your time at The Calmness Club. 

We also have access to a large, quiet parking lot to practice calm car exits and loose leash walking. There’s a long and narrow stretch of grass for potty breaks which can also be used as a distraction if your loose leash walking skills are advanced. 

Here’s what Calmness Club members have to say about our training space: 

“I’m in love with this room. There’s so much light. It’s the nicest training space we’ve ever been to.”

— AC -- Kitchener

Here’s the details:

Location: Dreamland Pet in Elora 

Dates: Thursday April 11th, 2024 kicks off 4 consecutive weeks of calmness: (April 11, April 18, April 25, and May 2nd.) 

Time: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Register now and you’ll receive a 10% early bird discount. Click the link to register.  I'm an early bird!

Hurry. This early bird pricing will only be in effect until midnight on March 24th. 

Early bird price: $225 + HST 

After the early bird sale is over, the cost will be $250 + HST, so what are you waiting for? Sign up now. Spots are limited to set everyone up for success. 

THERE’S ONLY THREE SPOTS LEFT IN THE CALMNESS CLUB. REGISTER NOW TO SECURE YOUR SPOT IN:  The Calmness Club

It’s your time to build a beautiful relationship with your dog built on calmness and trust. 

What do you want your life with your dog to look like? (Photo: A woman wearing a toque reaches down to pet her dog while enjoying a beautiful view of a lake at the top of a cliff.)

One more perk?

This space used to be a gym, so if your goal is to be able to work out at home and not have your dog ruin your workout by stealing (or chewing up) your yoga mat, bring it along so you can practice the lifestyle you want. Or maybe you’ve always wanted to try meditation and you’d like to sit calmly on the ground and have your dog stay on place. Whatever your calmness goals are, this is the place you’re going to achieve them. This is real life dog training. The place where dog training becomes a part of your lifestyle and starts to feels easy. 

You’re ready to be surrounded by like-minded dog leaders to keep advancing your skills. Use this direct link to grab your spot right now: Yes! This is what I've been waiting for! 

Whatever your lifestyle goals are for yourself and your dog, The Calmness Club is the place to achieve them. (Photo: woman doing yoga outdoors beside an Australian Shepherd.)

This club is going to bring much needed calmness into your life and your dog’s life.

Imagine the possibilities life holds once you practice calmness in this setting. Envision yourself being able to do yoga in your living room, without the drama of your dog stealing your mat (or chewing it to bits.) Picture yourself being able to sit and meditate beside your dog’s cot, both of you in a totally relaxed state. Visualize sipping your favourite beverage out on the patio this season with your dog relaxing at your feet. Imagine hiking with your dog on a trail and finally feeling calm.

Dream big and bring those dreams to Dreamland for The Calmness Club. 

Dream big and bring those dreams to The Calmness Club (Photo: silhouette of a person facing their dog with a sunset in the background.)

I can’t wait to watch your calmness skills flourish. 

Yours in calmness,

Alyssa 

Photos by: Graham Smith @smithographic (shaggy black dog relaxing on his owner’s outstretched legs,) LOGAN WEAVER | @LGNWVR @lgnwvr (happy, smiling woman presents a tug toy for a German Shepherd mix,) Anders Ipsen @andersipsen (Golden Retriever puppy relaxing on a restaurant patio,)Coral Ouellette

@coralouellette (A woman wearing a toque reaches down to pet her dog while enjoying a beautiful view of a lake at the top of a cliff,) Alonso Reyes @alonsoreyes (woman doing yoga outdoors beside an Australian Shepherd,) Patrick Hendry @worldsbetweenlines (silhouette of a person facing their dog with a sunset in the background.)

MOVING DAY TIPS: PART 2

Is your dog ready for moving day? (Photo: small dog stands on grass in front of a house)

Are you moving soon? If so, you’re most likely stressed out. If you want to know how to keep yourself and your dog stress-free leading up to moving day, check out last week’s blog post: https://beyonddogtraining.ca/news/moving-day-tips-part-1-67gzg

If you’re worried about how your dog will react to your new home, you’re in the right place. 

Will your dog be stressed out on moving day? Do they hate car rides? Is the only place they’ve ever been their own backyard (and the veterinarian?) What about the new home? Do you feel badly because you’ve downsized and are afraid they might miss their yard? Are you super excited to introduce your dog to the new swimming pool, but kind of scared because they don’t really know how to swim? 

You want your dog to feel happy and relaxed on moving day. A lot of people think that talking in a high-pitched voice and tossing treats into the backseat like tasty confetti, will make their dog feel at ease. This can actually have the opposite effect, by making an excited dog more excited and a fearful dog more confused and afraid. 

Talking in a high-pitched voice may make you feel better, but it doesn’t help your dog feel calm (Photo: Pomeranian with whale eye)

Here are a few steps to make moving day easier on everyone: 

1. EXERCISE - Your dog needs daily exercise and so do you. Take a structured walk first thing in the morning on moving day. What’s a structured walk?  In a nutshell, a structured walk looks like this: You lead the way, your dog follows beside/slightly behind you, and you allow them to take sniff breaks, bathroom breaks, and bounce-around-chasing-butterfly breaks. Read more here: https://beyonddogtraining.ca/news/give-your-dog-a-break

2. BREATHE - Your dog picks up your vibe. If you’re sitting in the front seat worrying about traffic, unpacking, and whether or not your dog will eat dinner in the new house or not, your dog will sense your nervousness and happily take over the leadership role in your relationship. This could look like: herding the children when you reach your destination, barking at strangers and dogs who come over to the house to meet you, or chasing the cat all over the new apartment. Do your best to enjoy the car ride — unroll the windows and breathe the fresh air, listen to music, or play a fun game with your kids. 

Relax and enjoy the ride. Your calm energy will be passed along to your dog. (Photo: woman in the passenger seat with her head and arm stretching out of the window)

3. WALK - When you arrive to your new home, take your dog for a structured walk around the property and the neighbourhood. This allows them to burn off energy from the car ride and to be introduced to their new environment calmly. 

Walk your dog BEFORE introducing them to your new house (Photo: person walking a white French Bulldog in front of a bright yellow house)

4. THRESHOLDS MATTER - You need to enter the house first and invite your dog in when they are calm. This sets the tone for what behaviour you would like to see more of inside your home (calm behaviour.)

5. LEASH ON INDOORS - Keep a leash on your dog and calmly lead them into your new home. If your crates or place cots are already set up, you can lead them there to rest. Be sure to take the leash off when your dog is in her crate or any time she will be unsupervised. Your dog does not need to wander all over your new home unsupervised. Unsupervised dogs (and puppies) make mistakes and if you’re not there to say no, they will learn it’s a go. You don’t want your dog to learn to bark out the window, chew the baseboards, or mark their territory. Prevention is the key to you reaching your goals with your dog.

6. CALM and CONFIDENT - The easiest way for your dog to feel calm and secure about moving day is for everyone in his human family to be calm and confident. The quote from the Navy Seals: “Calm breeds calm, panic breeds panic,” may help you to visualize the situation. If I walk into an elevator and begin pacing, acting nervous, and wringing my hands together, how will you feel? Panicked. If instead, I walk into the elevator and give you a confident smile, nod my head, and mind my own business, you will feel calm. Your dog is a master of reading your moods and feelings. Work hard to find happiness and balance in your life, and then watch your dog’s behaviour adjust like magic in front of your eyes.  

Calm breeds calm (Photo: Yellow Lab relaxes on his owner’s legs.)

If you’re stressed out because your dog barks at everyone who walks by your current home, guards the fence in the backyard like a police dog, and won’t get off the couch when you ask them to, there’s still hope. Leadership doesn’t happen overnight. If you’re moving and want to prepare yourself, your family, and your dog for this big change, call a dog behaviourist and begin working on any issues you and your dog are currently facing at least two months in advance of the move.

You need to become your dog’s leader before you move and you need a strategy to set you up for success on moving day. You also need a coach who can help you prevent separation anxiety, fence fighting, and barking from happening after the move takes place. No one wants to be that new neighbour with the noisy dogs. Schedule your free call now.

We hope that you enjoy moving day and that you have fun exploring your new neighbourhood with your dog. 

Alyssa

Photos by: Natalia Shiel (small dog stands on grass in front of a house,) Michelle Tresemer (Pomeranian with whale eye,) averie woodard (woman in the passenger seat with her head and arm stretching out of the window,) Harry Cunningham (person walking a white French Bulldog in front of a bright yellow house,) and Taylor Kopel (yellow lab relaxes on his owner’s legs.)

Last updated: December, 2023

MOVING DAY TIPS: PART 1

Moving is stressful. Let’s make it better for you and your dog. (Photo: person wearing a hoodie, covering their eyes and sitting on a couch surrounded by boxes)

Are you moving soon? If so, you’re most likely stressed out. You’re up to your eyeballs in packing peanuts and if you stub your toe on that box in the kitchen one more time…!!! 

Your dog is a barometer for your stress level. They feel every ounce of your tension, frustration, and packing-deadline panic. If you’re exhausted from folding (okay, shoving) clothes into garbage bags until three in the morning, your dog will slide into the leadership role in your household in the blink of an eye. 

You may not notice it at first, because you’re so tired, but here are some examples of things that happen when your dog takes over your (current) house before you even move: 

-excessive barking in the home

-growling at your house guests

-charging the fence in your yard

-nipping and/or herding you or other family members

-stealing socks, shoes, and other inappropriate items

-counter surfing

-chasing your other pets

-claiming thresholds

-refusing to get off the furniture

-mouthing you

What is your dog trying to tell you about your own stress level? (Photo: a red dog with pointy ears howling)

As you’re packing everything into boxes and bustling around, you may see these changes as well: 

-following you from room to room 

-getting into the garbage (even if they never did that before) 

-attempts to escape your home (breaking out of crates, eating drywall, scratching underneath doors, and jumping through windows)

These are signs of separation anxiety and should be addressed with a trainer immediately. Separation anxiety will not disappear when you move. In fact, the symptoms will most likely worsen when you move.

The good news is, you can help your dog overcome separation anxiety before you move and you can become your dog’s leader too!

The tricky part is learning to feel calm while simultaneously juggling work, kids, and getting ready to move. Dogs are hardwired to follow calm, balanced energy and leaders who are confident and fair. They will not follow tense, frustrated, tired, or fearful humans — and mastering your emotions is easier said than done. 

So what can you do? 

1. RUSH LESS - If you’re moving into a house and have time to pack slowly, do so. Take your time, listen to music, and of course, take walks with your dog to break up your day. 

Take breaks from packing and walk with your dog. (Photo: Golden Retriever walking on leash with a person)

2. DOGGY DAYCARE - If your deadline is impossible and you really need to pack quickly, consider taking your dog to doggy daycare*.

*If they are not accustomed to doggy daycare already, this is likely not your answer, as it may stress them (and you) out even more. If they already LOVE going to doggy daycare, then this solution might help you. Be sure that the doggy daycare you select practices placework and other calm rituals with the dogs in their care.

Other options:

-if your dogs love hanging out at your mom’s house, or with your sister, see if they are available to take your dogs for part of the day so you can pack in hustle-mode.

-Have their favourite dog walker take them out for a walk or play session.

NOTE: Simply sending them out of the home for a break will not magically fix the behaviours listed above. You must provide calm and confident energy when your dog is around you. 

3. TREAT YOURSELF - Allow yourself one hour first thing in the morning to walk your dog before the packing begins. Take another break halfway through the day for yourself. If we never practice being calm, then how are we supposed to remain calm on our dog walks/during day-to-day activities?! Do some yoga, practice meditation, play an instrument, pet the cat, or do a crossword puzzle — whatever helps bring you peace and joy.

Make time for calm activities (Photo: a hand petting a cat under her chin)

4. EXERCISE - Your dog needs daily exercise and so do you. Take a break from packing and go for a run (maybe you can even run with your dog.) Make time to play fetch or tug with them. Take time out of your day to go to the gym, go swimming, or play your favourite sport. 

Daily exercise reduces stress (Photo: person running with a dog on leash)

5. GET HELP - If your deadline seems unreachable and you can’t figure out how you’re going to pack and still work your 9-5 job, hire professional movers. The price is worth your sanity. Another option: friends and family will often work for pizza. 

Don’t be afraid to ask for help (Photo: people carrying boxes and petting two dogs)

You may be thinking, why not slap a bark collar on the dog since they’re the problem. If that’s the case, reread this post. 

The problem is NOT the dog. Read that twice. 

Labelling the dog is easy. “What a bad dog! You got into the garbage!” OR “I don’t know what’s wrong with her. She’s acting nuts! Ever since we started packing up the house, she’s been so snippy.” 

Mmmm. Hmmmm. 

Self-reflection is one of the hardest things any of us will ever learn to do. The sooner you try this, the sooner you will develop an amazing relationship with your dog. Instead of asking “Why is my dog so stressed?” ask “Why am I so stressed?” and “What changes can I make to lower my stress level?”

Every day is a chance for you to start again. A chance for you to lead a balanced life, free from fear and anger. Let’s leave these emotions behind and embrace joy. Embrace peace. Embrace love. Quiet your mind from negative thoughts. 

The ripple effect of a calmer you is so much larger than you can imagine. It begins at home with your human loved ones and your furry family. It extends out to strangers as you travel to work and school. To your coworkers, your friends, your extended family. To grocery clerks, gas station attendants, baristas, and bartenders. 

It begins with YOU. 

We hope this post helps to reduce your stress (Photo: a man stands with his dog beside a SOLD sign)

We hope you have a safe and joyful move. Stay tuned for next week’s post about introducing your dog to your new home so they (and you) experience less stress.

Alyssa

Photos by: Christian Erfurt (person wearing a hoodie, covering their eyes and sitting on a couch surrounded by boxes,) Andriyko Podilnyk (Golden Retriever walking on leash with a person.) Robert Gramner (a red dog with pointy ears howling,) Yerlin Matu (a hand petting a cat under her chin,) Sergio Rodriguez - Portugues del Olmo (person running with a dog on leash.) Isaac Benhesed (people carrying boxes and petting two dogs.) Alyssa Foulkes (a man stands with his dog beside a SOLD sign - yes, that’s my man and our first dog, Brooklyn.)

Updated December, 2023

Is Your Dog Obsessed with Squirrels?

Who me? (Photo: a grey squirrel sitting on the grass with one paw on its chest.)

You’re trying to enjoy a nice walk with your dog. The only problem is that when she sees a squirrel, she yanks your arm out of its socket. Depending on how much your dog weighs and how much you weigh, you may actually be getting pulled to the ground. This isn’t what you had in mind when you adopted your dog. Your body aches and you’re so frustrated you want to scream. You’re also embarrassed by her behaviour when you’re out in public because she doesn’t just pull toward the squirrels, she whines, barks, and screeches in a way that makes people think you’re hurting her. You know that walks are good for her health (and yours as well,) but now they’ve turned into a stressful event that you’d rather avoid. Avoiding the walks isn’t making life any easier, though. Now you feel guilty all the time and she’s climbing the walls with all that pent up energy.

Tired of feeling embarrassed and frustrated by your dog’s behaviour around squirrels? Read on for tips. (Photo: a woman with long red hair hides her face behind her mittens.)

When our walks are feeling exhausting instead of fun, it’s very easy for us humans to accidentally get stuck in “fix it” mode. We want our dog to stop doing certain behaviours that drive us crazy, like yanking us toward squirrels, lunging at other dogs, or pulling toward every smell on the ground. What we need to do is become relevant leaders for our dogs so they will look to us for guidance whether in the home, in our yard, or on a walk. We need to build a solid relationship with our dog so they will put their trust in us to lead them on walks and we need a rock solid communication system so they understand to walk beside us instead of pull. 

There are many things that we need to keep in mind if our goal is to be relevant during our walks with our dogs (namely, we want our dog to stroll by the squirrel instead of lunging after it.) Here are a few things to help you get your relationship back on track. 

Does your dog ignore you inside your home? 

You ask your dog to sit. She doesn’t. You repeat yourself. She still doesn’t sit. Instead, she looks at the cookie jar. You walk over, get a cookie, and ask her to sit again. She does. You pay her with the cookie. She eats the cookie and then gets up and walks away. 

If you’re not relevant inside your home, you won’t be relevant out on walks either. If your dog blows off your commands the first time you ask and/or releases herself from commands after she’s been paid, begin working on building your relevancy inside your home before expecting her to ignore squirrels outside on walks. A dog who doesn’t listen to you inside the home will not listen to you outside the home. 

What to work on: 

-Practice saying your command only once. It’s more difficult than it sounds, but you can do it. It just takes practice. 

-Keep a leash on your pup when she’s supervised inside your home so she can’t ignore your commands. Use the leash to guide her if she needs a little reminding at first. 

-Teach your dog a release command so that she knows when work time is over and it’s time for something else. She shouldn’t break that sit command until you tell her what to do next. By providing her clear direction inside your home, you’ll be on your way to improving your relationship. Better relationship —> better walks. 

-Teach your dog the place command. If your dog currently runs around grabbing kid’s toys, herding your children, barking out the window, jumping on guests, etc. she needs to learn what to do instead of those behaviours. 

If your dog ignores you inside your home use a leash to help guide her to success. If she blows off your commands inside your home, she will do the same outside. (Photo: Husky standing on her hind legs looking out a picture window.)

Does Your Dog Spend Time Watching Squirrel TV?

While cats can enjoy squirrel TV without developing annoying habits (like barking at the squirrels, whining at the squirrels, etc) dogs can learn lots of bad habits while watching squirrel (and mail carrier/Amazon driver) TV. 

What to work on:  

-Calm activities like crate and place help your pup keep a calm state of mind in your home. Your walk begins inside your home, so inviting a dog off of place and then out for a walk has a much better outcome than putting a leash on a dog who has just watched an hour of squirrel TV and is vibrating and vocalizing as you open your front door.

-Waiting politely at thresholds. If you can’t currently open your front door without your dog bolting through it, begin teaching her that door open doesn’t equal run out (it means be calm and look at my owner for direction of what to do next.) 

Squirrel TV isn’t nurturing calmness. Squirrel TV is allowing your dog to obsess over squirrels and it is negatively affecting your walks. (Photo: a beagle looking out the window. The beagle has pushed the curtains aside to stare out the window.)

Can your dog walk on a loose leash beside or slightly behind you when there are no squirrels around? 

If your dog doesn’t understand leash pressure (they think pulling you makes you move forward, rather than yielding to your gentle leash pressure) then it’s time to teach them how to yield to pressure, not pull through it. If your walks currently look like: dog pulls, human follows behind, then you allow pulling. Your dog has no way of knowing not to pull you toward squirrels, her dog friends, your neighbours, your kids when you pick them up from school, etc.  

What to work on:
-Heeling with no distractions around (in your home)

-Once that is going well, you can gradually add distractions to your loose leash walk inside your home. Can your dog still heel when a family member walks by at a distance, or does she lunge toward them, bark, try to jump on them, etc? Keep practicing until she listens to whoever is holding the leash without getting distracted. 

-Gradually add more distractions to your heeling. A great next step is to practice in an empty parking lot because grass is way more distracting and smelly than asphalt. Areas with lots of asphalt also tend to have less trees. Less trees, less squirrels. Get those positive reps in. We want to set your dog up for success. 

-Teach a solid break command, so your dog knows when it’s work time (when to follow you on leash) and when it’s break time (time to sniff, have a pee break, time to roll, play with a pinecone, etc) 

Teach your dog how to walk beside or slightly behind you. Teaching this indoors decreases the distractions and sets your dog up for success. (Photo: person practicing heeling with their dog indoors. The person is wearing socks. The dog is walking right beside them.)

Does your dog come when called? 

If your dog doesn’t come to you every time you call the first time you call them, work on recall in distraction free environments and build up to Squirrelapalooza gradually. 

We need our dogs to come when we call them no matter what’s going on in the environment. Once you are relevant to your dog, they know how to heel. and you can call them to you, you’ll have the tools you need to pass by squirrels (and other distractions, like sticks, skateboards, joggers, other dogs, etc.) 

What to work on: 
-Teach your dog to come when called no matter what furry critter is running, climbing, or jumping nearby. Keep a leash on your dog and practice this life-saving command every day. Practice in areas that have low distractions first (like inside your home) and then gradually add distractions. 

Practice recall every day. It saved Harper’s life. It could save your dog’s life next. (Photo: Client dog Harper, a Cattle Dog mix, practicing her recall. She is running to her owner who is taking the photo.)

Do you know how to switch your dog from prey drive into pack drive? 

There’s a lot to know when it comes to living in harmony with a dog. If your dog never follows you on a walk and is always pulling you toward whatever they want to smell, they are in prey drive. If you’re using food rewards on walks, they are in prey drive. It’s a very easy side step to go from salivating and eating a treat to BAM - chase the squirrel. Instead, teach your dog how to calmly follow you on walks without food and you’ll be surprised when your calm dog doesn’t stay stuck in prey drive the whole time. When your dog follows your lead on walks, that’s pack drive. It’s way easier to walk a calm dog who is in pack drive than a dog who is in prey drive (scouting/hunting/on high alert.) 

What to work on:

-Teach your dog to follow you on the leash. You can call it “heel” if you want. It should look like: your dog walking beside or slightly behind you and calmly facing forward (their nose isn’t on the ground and their head isn’t on a swivel scouting for perceived threats.) It should feel: calm for both of you.

When your dog is in pack drive, you’ll both feel calm. (Photo: a dog walking beside its owner on a gravel trail beside a field of sunflowers.)

Are you fulfilling your dog’s breed needs? 

Many dog breeds were bred to work all day long. Some breeds were bred to hunt for rats. Some for herding sheep. These breeds were bred to be tenacious and tireless. Be sure that you are fulfilling your dog’s mental and physical needs every day. A dog with pent up energy is extremely difficult to take on a stroll. 

What to work on: 

-Research your dog’s breed(s) and learn what they were bred to do so that you understand them better. 

-Fulfill your dog’s exercise needs and balance that with placework so that you don’t create an adrenalized athlete with no off switch (because having no off switch doesn’t feel good to your dog.)

Client dog Kano is a cattle dog mix. He has his needs met through frisbee and structured walks. Here he is relaxing on place during one of our in-home sessions. (Photo: Client dog Kano relaxing on his place cot inside his home)

Are you walking your dog on a harness? 

Harnesses were designed for dogs to pull (think sled dogs) and also come in handy for sports like skijoring (where our dogs pull us while we are on skis.) If you’re walking your dog on a harness, she has learned that pulling is what moves humans forward. If you’re allowing her to pull you wherever she wants to go (to say hi to her dog friend, to greet the kids off the bus, etc) then she will continue to pull you toward things (including squirrels.) We can’t expect our dogs to understand they can pull toward everything except for one thing (squirrels.) 

Walking your dog on a harness or a flat collar with them in front of you and you pulling back on the leash leads to opposition reflex. If you’ve ever seen a police officer rev up their dog to go bite the person in the bite suit, that’s using opposition reflex for something that helps humans. When we pull back on our pet dogs, the same thing happens to them (they want to pull toward whatever we’re holding them back from.) This makes it very difficult for us to walk them and also harms their trachea from all the pulling. I’ve seen harnesses choking dogs out as well, not just flat collars. Instead of allowing your dog to pull you, check out the “what to work on” section below to protect their trachea from being damaged. 

What to work on: 

-A clear communication system that will teach your dog to stop pulling on leash and start following your lead (when your dog understands heel, break, come, waiting politely at thresholds, and let’s go, you’ll be well on your way to stopping the squirrel lunging.)   

-Switching tools with someone who can teach you how to use them safely is your best bet for teaching your dog to stop pulling during walks. 

Harnesses were designed for pulling (Photo: a hound pulling his owner on the leash. The hound is wearing a turquoise coloured harness.)

Need help teaching your dog not to pull on the leash? We’ve helped so many owners stop leash pulling and create amazing relationships with their dogs both on the leash and inside their home. 

Schedule your free call now. 

Don’t wait for your shoulder to get injured or for you to get pulled into traffic when your dog sees a squirrel. Get help today. Winter is coming! 

For more tips to stop leash pulling be sure to sign up for exclusive tips and special offers at the bottom of the page. 

Have a safe and wonderful weekend, Dog Leaders!

Alyssa 

Photos by: Bryce Caritheds @bryce_carithers_photography (a grey squirrel sitting on the grass with one paw on its chest,) Dmitry Ratushny @ratushny (a woman with long red hair hides her face behind her mittens,) Alyssa Foulkes (Photo: Client dog Kano relaxing on his place cot inside his home,) Upsplash Images (Husky standing on her hind legs looking out a picture window,)
Frames For Your Heart @framesforyourheart (Photo: a beagle looking out the window. The beagle has pushed the curtains aside to stare out the window,) Upsplash Images (person practicing heeling with their dog indoors. The person is wearing socks. The dog is walking right beside them,) Claire Atkinson (Client dog Harper, a Cattle Dog mix, practicing her recall. She is running to her owner who is taking the photo,) Upsplash Images (a dog walking beside its owner on a gravel trail beside a field of sunflowers,)
Jeffrey F Lin @jeffreyflin (Photo: a hound pulling his owner on the leash. The hound is wearing a turquoise coloured harness,)