Furry Tail Training: For Dogs and Cats

09/04/2026

🐾👃 It’s National Walk Your Dog Week! 👃🐾

October 1–7 is National Walk Your Dog Week, and while getting out for a walk is great for your dog’s physical health, let’s remember that a walk can be about so much more than distance! 🐕

Have you ever taken your dog on a Sniffari? 🌿👃

A Sniffari is a walk where your dog gets to slow down and explore the world through their nose. Instead of worrying about how far you go or how quickly you get there, let your dog investigate those fascinating smells along the way.

Think about it this way: we experience the world primarily through our eyes. Dogs experience so much of their world through their noses. 🐶👃

Sniffing allows dogs to gather information about their environment, investigate who and what has been there, and engage their brains. It can be incredibly enriching and satisfying!

🐾 How to take a Sniffari:

🌱 Choose a safe, dog-friendly area
👃 Slow down and let your dog sniff
⏰ Give them time to investigate instead of rushing them along
🐕 Let them choose some of the spots they want to explore
📏 Forget about the mileage—**quality over quantity!**

And remember: not every walk needs to be a training walk.

Sometimes your dog doesn't need to practice heel, perfect their leash skills, or get from Point A to Point B.

Sometimes they just need to stop and smell the roses… or the fire hydrant, tree, bush, sidewalk, and approximately 47 blades of grass. 😂🌿

So this National Walk Your Dog Week, grab the leash and give your dog the gift of a Sniffari!

Because a good walk isn't just about exercising your dog's body.
It's about enriching their mind, too. ❤️

09/04/2026

🐕‍🦺 National Service Dog Month 🐕‍🦺

This month, we celebrate the incredible service dogs who help their handlers live more independent, confident, and fulfilling lives every day. ❤️

Service dogs are much more than well-behaved companions—they are highly trained working dogs that perform specific tasks to assist individuals with disabilities. These tasks can include:
🐾 Guiding someone who is blind or has low vision.
🐾 Alerting to sounds for someone who is deaf or hard of hearing.
🐾 Retrieving dropped items or opening doors.
🐾 Providing medical alerts or responding to changes in a person's health.
🐾 Assisting with mobility and balance.

A few important reminders:
✔️ A service dog is working whenever they're with their handler.
✔️ Please don't pet, talk to, whistle at, or distract a working service dog without the handler's permission.
✔️ Not every disability is visible, so avoid making assumptions or asking personal questions.
✔️ Giving a service dog space helps them focus on the important job they're trained to do.

This month, let's thank the dedicated handlers, trainers, volunteers, and organizations that help these remarkable teams succeed.

Have you ever met a service dog? Share your experience in the comments and help spread awareness about the important work these amazing dogs do!

09/03/2026

🐱 Happy Cat Month! 🐱

This month, let's celebrate our feline friends and everything that makes them so special! 💙

Cats may have a reputation for being independent, but they're also incredibly intelligent, curious, and capable of learning. They communicate with us every day through their body language, vocalizations, and behavior—we just have to know how to listen.

One of the best ways to celebrate your cat this month is by spending a little extra quality time together:
🐾 Play with an interactive toy.
🐾 Offer a food puzzle or enrichment activity.
🐾 Practice a simple behavior like targeting or coming when called.
🐾 Create cozy places to climb, perch, and observe.
🐾 Respect their boundaries and let them choose when they want affection.

Every cat deserves to feel safe, confident, and understood. Whether you share your home with a playful kitten, a senior cat, or a shy rescue, small moments of positive interaction can make a big difference.

❤️ Tell me about your cat in the comments! What's their name, and what's one quirky thing they do?

09/02/2026

🐾 September is Animal Pain Awareness Month 🐾

Our dogs and cats can't tell us when they're hurting—but they do communicate with us through changes in their behavior.

Pain isn't always obvious. In fact, many pets continue eating, wagging their tails, or purring even when they're uncomfortable. That's why it's so important to recognize the subtle signs.

⚠️ Some signs of pain may include:
• Reluctance to jump, climb stairs, or play
• Changes in appetite or sleep patterns
• Hiding or avoiding family members
• Increased irritability or sensitivity to touch
• Excessive licking or chewing at one area
• Limping or stiffness, especially after resting
• House-soiling or changes in litter box habits
• Panting, restlessness, or difficulty getting comfortable

As trainers, we often say behavior is communication. If your pet suddenly develops a new behavior problem, the first step should always be a visit to your veterinarian. Pain and medical conditions can often be the underlying cause of behavior changes.

By listening to what our pets are trying to tell us, we can help them live happier, healthier, and more comfortable lives. ❤️

Have you ever noticed a subtle sign that turned out to be pain? Share your experience below—it may help another pet parent recognize it sooner.

09/02/2026

Congratulations to Simba! Furry Tail's newest graduate!

09/01/2026

🧡🐈 Happy Ginger Cat Appreciation Day! 🐈🧡

Today we're celebrating the fiery felines who steal hearts with their vibrant coats, larger-than-life personalities, and endless charm!

Did you know?
🐾 Ginger cats are more likely to be male than female thanks to the genetics behind their orange coloring.
🐾 They come in a variety of beautiful patterns, including classic tabby swirls, stripes, and spots.
🐾 While every cat is an individual, many ginger cat owners describe their orange companions as especially affectionate, playful, and full of confidence.

Whether your ginger kitty is a mischievous troublemaker, a professional lap warmer, or the ruler of your household, today is the perfect day to celebrate everything that makes them special.

📸 We'd love to see your orange fluffballs! Share a photo of your ginger cat in the comments and tell us their name and what makes them one of a kind.

🧡 Happy Ginger Cat Appreciation Day from all of us at Furry Tail Training!

08/31/2026

🐾 What if the behaviors we call "problems" are actually dogs doing exactly what they were born to do?

Barking. Digging. Chasing. Herding. Hunting. Scavenging.

These are some of the most common reasons people seek dog training. But here's something worth thinking about: for thousands of years, these weren't unwanted behaviors—they were valuable jobs that humans intentionally selected and bred dogs to perform.

As our world changed, our expectations of dogs changed much faster than dogs themselves. Many breeds are still carrying instincts that were essential to their survival and partnership with humans, even if those instincts don't fit neatly into modern suburban life.

That doesn't mean we should let our dogs do whatever they want. It means we should strive to understand why they're behaving the way they are and teach them appropriate outlets for those natural instincts rather than expecting them to simply "stop."

One of my fellow trainers—and a good friend—created this incredible timeline and blog. I absolutely love how it puts canine behavior into perspective and explains why understanding a dog's evolutionary history is so important.

📖 I highly recommend giving it a read:
https://giveasitdogtraining.com/blog/in-the-defense-of-dogs

The better we understand our dogs, the better we can meet their needs—and that's where real training begins. ❤️🐕🐈

In just a few hundred years, dogs went from having jobs, large open areas, and fewer restrictions to crammed housing, traffic, leashes, technology, and humans gone for eight-hour workdays.

08/30/2026

08/30/2026

Congratulations to Furry Tail Training's new pet first aid and cpr certified pet parents and professionals. 8-29-2026

08/29/2026

🐾 August is World Mutt-i-grees® Rescue Month! 🐾

Every rescue dog has a story—but their future is what matters most.

Whether your best friend is a mixed breed, a purebred from a rescue, or somewhere in between, they all deserve a loving home, patience, and the chance to learn.

If you've recently welcomed a rescue dog into your family, remember:
❤️ Give them time to adjust.
🐕 Keep routines predictable.
🦴 Use positive reinforcement to build trust and confidence.
🎉 Celebrate every small success along the way.

Many rescue dogs need a little extra support as they settle into their new lives, and that's perfectly normal. Training isn't just about teaching cues—it's about building a lifelong bond based on trust and understanding.

Thinking about adopting? Visit your local shelter or rescue organization. Your new best friend might be waiting for you. 🐾

Have a rescue pet? Share a photo and tell us their adoption story in the comments—we'd love to celebrate them with you! ❤️