The Dog Classroom

10/21/2026

It’s grad season!! 🎉🎓

10/20/2026

🌱WHY DO DOGS EAT GRASS?
Article by Anne-Marie Mayes CPDT-KA RVT BSc
🔗Read full text at https://www.thedogclassroom.com/post/dog-myths-eating-grass

I am asked frequently as to why dogs eat grass or I overhear clients discussing it. Some of the more common things people believe are that their dog is not feeling well and is eating grass to get themselves to vomit, or that they are lacking some nutrients in their everyday diet, but it isn't always that simple. Unfortunately there are not currently any scientific studies that support the reasons as to why dogs eat grass.

Some reasons (aside from digestive issues) that dogs eat grass are that they may be bored and lack appropriate toys or other ways of entertaining themselves in your yard. If your dog is in a new area or anxious about their environment, they may to start to eat grass to preoccupy themselves (in comparison to people chewing their nails).

A few health reasons that dogs eat grass is to increase roughage in their diet which may help to digest food and relieve constipation. Some dogs may lack chlorophyll in their diet so dogs will seek out grass to eat which helps the immune system and the digestive tract. When there is moisture on the grass your dog may eat it to consume the moisture if they are thirsty.

Ultimately dogs are scavengers which is a natural instinct when outside (I mentioned dirt eating in my last article on digging).

Some of us do not discourage our dogs grass eating but I am going to recommend that you pay a little more attention to how much grass they are really eating as it can cause a blockage and slow down, if not stop, your dog's digestive system which leads to surgery. There can be different intestinal parasites (roundworm, or hookworm) that live in the grass. If your dog is eating the grass on a walk it may be treated in pesticides which can cause a toxic reaction including vomiting or diarrhea. As your dog gets older and continues to eat grass it can cause chronic issues with digestion as the body is working harder to break down the roughage – which may not have any value at all.

So, how can you get your dog to stop or reduce the amount of grass that your dog is eating? Simply give them something else to do in the yard. More outdoor toys (let your dog pick them out), prepare interactive toys for outside Kong Wobbler or stuffed Kong or Toppl – the idea is if they are chewing these toys they are not eating the grass. Provide more supervision or move your dog into any area in the yard that there is not as much grass. On walks teach your dog a leave it cue for the grass eating and reward when they stop or spit it out.

My thoughts when it comes to my dogs is a little is fine but too much may cause dietary issues. Use your own judgment rather than listening to a friend who says it is no big deal. Make sure that you are providing adequate exercise and mental stimulation for your dog and feed a well balanced dog food. If your dog is eating other objects like socks, Kleenex, or rocks discuss this with your veterinarian. With the all the information that I mentioned your dog just may enjoy eating grass. But it never hurts to learn something new!

10/19/2026

Congrats Remi on your Advanced Trick Dog Title! 🏅

10/17/2026

Congrats Puppy Playschool graduates Kida, Ghost, Kami, Freya, Ella, and Bones 🎓

10/13/2026

🍪Is positive reinforcement training all about just tossing cookies?
Article by Anne-Marie Mayes CPDT-KA RVT BSc

🔗Read full text at https://www.thedogclassroom.com/post/positive-reinforcement-tossing-cookies

I want to address Positive Reinforcement as some people believe that it only is about using food for training. Though food is used often, there is a lot more to it.

First I would like to start by defining positive reinforcement as it is actually a scientific term that has been used incorrectly quite often on social media and other areas. In animal behaviour, the term 'positive' means 'to add' (like in mathematics).

Reinforcement means that the target behaviour increases. So you could define it as "adding something that causes a behaviour to happen more often". This is why we are able to reward a specific behaviour using food at the right time and the dog is motivated to repeat it.

One major misconception is that using food to reward behaviours is bribery. When used properly, the food should be given after the behaviour occurs. Positive reinforcement encourages the dog to want to learn and try different exercises for the well-being of the dog.

Some owners will say that their dog is stubborn or not food motivated. When this occurs sometimes the cues or behaviours may not be taught correctly by the owner which can create frustration for the dog. Other times, we need to get creative as to what motivates the dog. It may not be food but you could try toys, praise or real life rewards. Instead of blaming the training or your dog, evaluate the environment that your dog is trying to learn and evaluate if your dog is comfortable and attentive in the location that they are in.

Do not let yourself label your dog as stubborn but try to understand what your dog needs to be successful. You may need to start simpler at home then try practising in your yard and then try in an outdoor location.

Some other methods of training encourage you to suppress behaviour through punishment to get a quicker response. What is often overlooked is that these methods may cause long term behavioural issues. In dog training there is a saying "Pavlov is always on your shoulder". This means that dogs are always making associations, whether we intend for it to happen or not.

When we use things the dog enjoys like food or toys, good feelings are created about whatever else is going on in the environment. When we use punishment, unpleasant associations can be made that can lead to fear, aggression, or the dog shutting down.

While positive reinforcement will create behaviours that the dog will continue to offer and want to participate with us and builds behaviours that will remain for a lifetime. This is also the more ethical option.

Another misconception is that using reinforcement allows the dog to have no boundaries. But it is the opposite. A dog will learn through gentle guidance and reinforcement better than they do with punishment. Which results in learning and the building of a relationship. As the dog chooses to be with us instead of being fearful of what might happen if they make a mistake.

I would like to end with a quote from another article I read recently.

"Positive reinforcement isn’t a trend or a compromise, it’s the most humane, effective and scientifically sound way to teach. And as professionals, we don’t just use it. We understand it, defend it and help our clients see why kindness isn’t just ethical, it's smart.- Jo Middleton Canine Ethics"

10/06/2026

Read full text at https://www.thedogclassroom.com/post/is-your-dog-territorial

Many dogs have some level of exhibiting protectiveness or guarding of their home, even barking as people pass by. Specifically, many dogs have issues with people entering the door. I would like to discuss how to deal with your dog in order to reduce territorial behaviour at the door. The door is a very exciting and stressful place for the majority of dogs as this is where people come and go from the house.

People who do not live in the home come through the door to visit or drop off packages which may cause our dogs to be stressed whether they are socialized well or not.



There is a common scenario that occurs when most people have someone arrive at the door. There is a knock at the door or the doorbell rings. Dogs bark ,people yell, and then there is a rush to see who makes it first to the door. Dogs are still barking while we are holding them back while trying to hear or deal with the person at the door.



Really why do we do this to ourselves? Some people hope the next time will be better but without changing the situation, it won't suddenly improve. I am going to recommend a few different scenarios for to teach and work with your dog to answer the door with a little less noise and stress.

The first step is to have a plan before the chaos of someone arriving at the door. You can put a sign on your door with a message like "Dogs in training, please be patient. It may take a minute or two for us to answer the door." This way you won't have to yell over the sounds of dogs barking or risk missing your package drop off. Next is to have a plan for answering the door while keeping the dogs contained. This could change depending on the situation. Here are a few example plans:

Plan A: Bring your dog to a safe location, such as outside through an alternate door, or into the bedroom with a kong. Then answer the door while the dogs are busy elsewhere.



Plan B: have to have a gate at the top of the stairs or another location so your dog cannot reach the door. There are many different types of gates these days for large or open concept spaces, and more stylish options than your typical baby gate if matching your decor is important. Both plan A and plan B are what we call Management Strategies. This is something you put into place (usually temporarily) to stop the unwanted behaviour.



The next two are the training plans, where you actively work with your dog to show them the behaviour you want instead.



Plan C: if you know the person is coming over, have the harness and leash on your dog and treats in your pocket. When your dog hears the person arriving and starts to bark do a u-turn and reward the dog when they turn and walk with you. Then turn back around and move towards the door. If they bark again, turn and repeat. If your dog is familiar with this person, once your dog is calmer you can ask the person to offer a hand target or calm behaviour to greet. If not, move your dog out of the way and have your company enter the house and sit down before you bring your dog to greet the visitors. This way your dog will be less excited.



Plan D: Be outside with your dog on leash when your company arrives. Walk around the block with your dog and the visitors. This gives your dog the opportunity to be around them without being in the house. Reward your dog for being calm and not barking at the person. Once back at home, let the visitors enter first and then bring your dog in.



These are all just examples and may not be the right plan for you and your dog. Create your own plan, whether it is a combination of the plans above or something different, then start training.

There are way more options than barking, yelling and running towards the door that will make everyone in the house hold a little calmer

10/03/2026

Congrats Puppy Playschool graduates Jasper, Teddy, Mocha, Herb, Willow, Tilly, Ella, and Freya 🎓

09/16/2026

There is still room to join our Reactive Dog Seminar coming up in just 10 days!

📍This seminar will be held in person at The Dog Classroom (Building 2). Dogs do not attend.

🗓️Saturday, September 26
⏰2:00-4:30pm
💵$55 incl HST
Register at https://go.thedogclassroom.com/register-reactive-seminar

This seminar is a prerequisite to attend our Reactive Dog Classes. It will cover topics such as:
✅different types of reactivity (dog-human, dog-dog, leash reactivity, etc.)
✅managing reactivity
✅training methods to improve reactivity
✅training methods that can worsen reactivity
✅understanding canine body language
and more

We will also discuss some issues that participants are having with their dogs.

09/15/2026

09/08/2026

There is still time to get in on classes starting this week!
Register online at www.thedogclassroom.com or DM if you need help choosing the right class for you & your dog