Loyal Companions Dog Training

05/10/2026

04/26/2026

04/23/2026

This may be a controversial take but I’m going to say it anyways. Please keep in mind I’m talking specifically about Maryland although I feel this way anywhere red eared sliders are invasive.

Friendly PSA about wild red-eared sliders 🐢

I’ve been getting more messages from kind-hearted people who find wild red-eared sliders and “rescue” them because they know the species is invasive.

I understand the intention — people want to help.

But in many areas, red-eared sliders already have long-established, self-sustaining breeding populations. Removing one random turtle from a pond or creek does not solve the invasive species issue.

In fact, taking a healthy turtle out of the wild often creates a new problem.

A few things to consider:

I found a red eared slider almost always does not mean someone lost a pet.

• Wildlife rescues and sanctuaries cannot absorb endless numbers of common sliders. The cost, space, filtration, food, and disease risks are enormous.

• Taking wild turtles into captive collections can introduce parasites or pathogens to existing animals.

• There is no large-scale “relocation network” where rescues can simply take every invasive slider found in the wild.

• Once a population is established, management is a much bigger ecological issue than individuals can solve one turtle at a time.

If you found a healthy wild red-eared slider and simply picked it up because it was invasive… the best thing is often to return it where you found it or have never taken it at all.

(That is very different from abandoned pet turtles — please never release pets.)

Well-meaning removal of random wild sliders often does more harm than good, and overwhelms rescues already struggling to help animals with nowhere else to go.

Sometimes the most helpful thing is to leave wildlife be. 🐢

04/05/2026

02/28/2026

Ellie is an adorable Mini Bernedoodle who started in-home training as a puppy. In our very first lesson, she learned to automatically sit in front of me whenever she came over to say hi, an impressive start to her training journey.

02/25/2026

This email from the www.DunbarAcademy.com provides a wonderful description of how dogs perceive the world during walks.

(A Walk, as narrated from the mind of a reactive dog)

IT 'S LEASH TIME!

This is excellent news.

Leash means Outside. Outside means Smells. Smells mean Delight. WooHoo!

You clip the leash on. I am excited. I am ready. but...I am also… slightly concerned. Outside is HUGE.

I look at you. You seem calm. Good. If you're calm, perhaps Outside is not planning anything scary today.

We step out the door. SMELLS! SMELLS!! SMELLS!!!
Grass update: still grass.
Mailbox update: neighbor dog was here 14 minutes ago. Suspicious.
Tree update: squirrel traffic heavy.

I sniff carefully. This is important research.

We start walking down the street.

Now there are more smells. And sounds. And wind. And distant car noises. And possibly ghosts. Hard to say.

My brain is working very hard.

I look up at you. You are still calm. Excellent. You appear to know things.

A skateboarder appears:

ALERT! ALERT!! — WHEELED HUMAN APPROACHING AT SPEED.

Wait. Not a dog. Wheels. Fine. Irrelevant. Continue research.

Squirrel!!!!!!

EMERGENCY!

Wait. Still not a dog. Stand down.

I continue scanning, because here is the thing about walks:

At any moment, there could be Another Dog.

Another Dog could appear from behind a bush.
Or around a parked car.
Or materialize from thin air like some kind of dog wizard.

I sniff.

And then I smell it.

DOG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There is definitely a Dog. Nooooooooooo!

I see it. The other dog sees me. We both freeze.

My brain becomes fireworks; noises and lights

BARK! BARK! BARK!
I am saying MANY IMPORTANT THINGS.
I am not entirely sure what they are.

The other dog is also saying many important things.

I am not sure what they are either. But it's scary.

And, oh no... my person is scared too.

The leash is getting tighter.
My human is getting louder.
Everyone is pulling and shouting and everything is BIG and FAST

I'm not sure what's happening but it's a LOT. It's too much.

Then…

The other dog is gone.

The street is quiet again.

You exhale.

I exhale.

I check your face. You are calmer now.

Okay. Good. If you are calm, perhaps the world is calm.

We continue walking.

Smell.
Leaf.
Lamppost. Urine. Mmmmm!

Possibly another squirrel. Where?

Wait.... What's that Smell in the distance?

Not another dog. Sniff. Sniff.

Probably fine.

Probably...
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If your dog is reactive around other dogs, they’re not “bad.” They’re often just overwhelmed — and a little scared. And if we’re honest… you probably feel that way too. Reactivity can make it hard to enjoy walks. It can make it hard to relax. It can make every outing feel like a potential emergency.

02/18/2026

I saw this on Jackson Galaxy, cat behavior specialist's Instagram page. It is hilarious. He has tons of beneficial videos on how to solve cat behavior problems. Check them out!

12/25/2025