Tailored Courage Behavior Solutions for Fearful Pets

08/24/2025

Stop by the K9 Kindness Coaching Connection booth for an on the spot mini consultation from Tailored Courage Behavior Solutions for Fearful Pets and our local positive training and behavior colleagues tomorrow.

07/07/2025

🐾Big News! 🐾
I’m officially Fear Free Certified!

That means I’ve completed specialized training to help reduce fear, anxiety, and stress for the animals I work with, and to support you through the process too.

At Tailored Courage, fear-free isn’t just a label, it’s how I’ve always approached behavior work. But now I have even more tools to help your dog or cat feel safe, supported, and empowered every step of the way.

If you’ve got a nervous pup, a sensitive cat, or a household that’s been feeling a little upside down, let’s talk. I’m here to help.

🐾 Because behavior change shouldn't come at the cost of emotional wellbeing.

🐾 Because learning sticks best when your pet feels safe.

💙 Because you both deserve peace of mind.

05/01/2025

It’s been a minute since I posted—but I promise I’ve been busy behind the scenes helping pets and their people.

I just finished a new guide all about Preference Testing—because every pet has their own unique likes and dislikes, and knowing what your dog or cat actually enjoys can make a huge difference in motivation, enrichment, and overall well-being.

One of the strategies I use with my clients is to take those preferences and put them to work—by using what your pet loves most to support learning and encourage behavior change in a kind, effective way.

This quick and easy guide walks you through how to figure out what treats, toys, and beds your pet enjoys most—so you can confidently use those favorites to improve their daily life.

📄 You can check it out right here—hope it helps make life with your pet a little smoother (and more fun)! 🐾

https://www.canva.com/design/DAGhjFtnuy8/NFDV46ARAARX25-jhHkiBw/view?utm_content=DAGhjFtnuy8&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=h1c6a26782d

04/15/2025

🎉 Join the Fun & Support a Great Cause! 🎉
Whatcom Humane Society's 23rd Annual Gala is just around the corner, and Tailored Courage Behavior Solutions is proud to be donating to the auction!

I've contributed two of my most popular behavior consulting packages:
🐾 The First Steps Package – perfect for pet parents needing guidance on behavior concerns
🐾 The Behavior Boost Package – for those ready to dive deeper into behavior change

Your bids help raise funds for the animals in our community and give you a chance to win personalized support for your pet.

✨ Come enjoy a night of compassion, community, and celebration.
✨ Bid generously—your pet and the animals at WHS will thank you!

📅 Saturday, May 17th from 5:00 to 9:00 pm| 📍Four Points By Sheraton, 714 Lakeway Drive, Bellingham, WA

03/08/2025

My mentors are the owners of Pet Harmony and I’m so grateful to have learned from the best. Enrichment is at the core of all behavior change.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18WmReY7cv/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Too often, people think enrichment is just about keeping pets busy or providing expensive puzzle toys, but that barely scratches the surface.

Enrichment isn’t just a way to combat boredom, it’s a tool for meeting your pet's real needs. When done right, enrichment helps to solve behavior problems by addressing the root causes, like unmet physical, mental, and emotional needs.

Imagine how much easier life with your pet could be when their needs are truly fulfilled.

If you’re ready to learn how to use enrichment as a functional solution to enhance your pet's life, join our upcoming group class "Is It Enriching?" and start creating behavior change plans that actually work. Learn more here: https://karenpryoracademy.com/live-classes/is-it-enriching-making-your-behavior-change-plans-count/

01/31/2025

It’s Been a While—Let’s Change That! 🐾

I know it’s been a while since I posted here—I’m going to do better! Building a business means wearing every hat, and sometimes my social media hat isn’t the top priority. But I’ve been busy working with clients and their pets, and I’m excited to start sharing more with you all!

Recently, one of my clients was preparing for a big move, and I wanted to give him a resource to help make the transition easier for his dog. Moving can be stressful for animals, so I put together some helpful advice to set them up for success. I figured I’d share it here, too—because I know many pet parents could use this info!

Have you ever moved with a pet? What helped make it easier? Let’s share tips in the comments! ⬇️

10/29/2024

It's Spooky Season! We love to share our favorite holiday traditions with our pets but for many, Halloween is more "trick" than "treat." Here are our top three ways to make the season a little less spooky for our furry friends!

10/22/2024

Update on Bed Preferences! 🛏️🐾

We've been continuing to collect data on bed preferences, and since my last post, I've noticed some changes! Initially, I mentioned that Gemma didn’t seem interested in using the beds—she'd only been on one once in a few months.

But recently, I’ve been catching her on a bed more often, both in the dining room and my office. Maybe seeing the other dogs enjoying the new beds changed her mind!

This brings me to an important reminder: even after testing your dog's preferences, those preferences can change over time. It’s always a good idea to periodically check in and see what your dog enjoys!

10/15/2024

A huge thank you to my friend and colleague Erin Truchan, owner of Dogswell Behavior and Training here in Bellingham, WA!

Erin has been simply amazing, she has gone out of her way to take me under her wing and introduce me to the community and I’m so grateful. It’s so nice when you find “your people” in the world!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/eLytkWiBEirS6Ysx/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Congratulations to my friend and colleague, Kathy Jo Ventrano at tailoredcourage.com, on earning her CDBC (Certified Dog Behavior Consultant) with the IAABC. We're lucky to have her in our community

10/08/2024

I take many classes on every aspect of behavior to build my skills, give me new insights, and learn more about behavior. When I take these classes in the auditor version (you get all the information but not the personal hands-on working with a dog through the class). I don't get as much out of it, and I want to apply these new skills immediately. If I can do that, these classes become significantly more valuable to my clients and me. Here, I am introducing you to my journey of creating safe spaces.

I want to thank Ellen Yoakum, a remarkable mentor from Pet Harmony Training. Her Karen Pryor Academy live class, which I attended this summer, was a treasure trove of valuable information. As I revisit this class, I am reminded of the importance of defining a safe space. It's a place where your pet can seek relief from stressors, de-escalate, and learn to cope with life's challenges in a healthy manner.

We want to ensure that when we purposely build value in a safe space, we must honor the promise that nothing stressful happens while they are in their safe space. You can't control every factor that may be considered stressful in your pet's eyes, but this is not the place to corner them and try to clip their nails or something that they find unpleasant. The goal is to build so much value that the space still holds value even if a heavy withdrawal happens (fireworks, thunder). They should feel like this is the place to go for relief when those loud and scary noises happen.

The pre-work for this class is to observe your pets and collect data, taking pictures and notes on what you learn. We will build on this as we go. I have been preference testing beds in my house. I have several different types of dog beds, and I take note of the beds that each of my dogs gravitates to. I move these beds around the house and test them in different rooms at different times of the day.

Here are some examples of my dogs and their bed preference tests. I have four dogs: Gemma, a 12-year-old Chow/German Shepherd mix; Gabby, a 6-year-old Australian Shepherd mix; DiCaprio, a 3-1/2-year-old German Shepherd; and Olivia Grace, a 10-month-old German Shepherd (who also has big feelings about many things; you'll see a lot of her in the future as she is testing my knowledge and keeping me humble).

So far, I've learned that Olivia Grace loves every bed, seemingly all the time, and Gemma gets on a bed so rarely that I only have one picture of it in the last year. I also learned that DiCaprio mainly chose the couch over a dog bed. Gabby appears to choose the room and then the bed.

I encourage you to take pictures of the places your pet(s) gravitate to.

10/05/2024

Thank you all for supporting Tailored Courage!

As a lifelong dog lover, I'm dedicated to helping families enjoy life with their pets. Behavioral issues can often get in the way, and that's where I come in.

I hope this page becomes your go-to resource for improving your pet's behavior. Feel free to share pet photos, discuss challenges, or suggest topics you'd like to learn about.

Let's work together to create happier homes for pets and humans!

Kathy Jo Ventrano
IAABC-Certified Dog Behavior Consultant