DOG

Does a physically intense walk with lots of play – tiring the dog out – bring them to low arousal? Absolutely not - it actually pushes them even higher.

He disappeared into the bushes and came back… transformed. Later I found out why - a dead beaver, and the smell that stayed with us for days. Turns out, that’s what happiness can look like to a dog.

And one note for everyone bringing a new puppy or kitten into a home where animals already live: Always — absolutely always — the resident animals come first. They need to feel and know that the newcomer isn’t taking away their resources, including you. 😊

It’s learning based on confirming to the dog that he did something right — without giving him verbal hints. To make things easier, we divided the behavior into small parts and rewarded every correct step.

How come — don’t talk? Such a tiny, fluffy creature surely needs our words, our comfort, our soft tone... “Oh you little one,” “what a good boy,” “look how nicely you eat” — and so on, always with the name at the end.

Dog training week with our ACD: nosework, shaping, mantrailing. Expert-led, practical, and surprisingly insightful. One dog, three paths — and a better bond.