Veterinary Behavior Specialties of Minnesota

06/09/2026

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The Dog Aware funnel is designed to help families slow down and look at interactions through a safety-first lens 👶🐶

It allows for families to understand that for each situation, we must actively be reading the dog, reading the moment, and choosing the appropriate level of supervision for that interaction!

We start with the foundation:

➡️ Body Language

Learning how to recognize stress signals, calming signals, and consent cues helps us better understand what our dogs are communicating before situations escalate.

Then we look at:

➡️ Sensitivities

Every dog has things that make them uncomfortable — touch, noise, movement, space, handling, children, or certain environments. Understanding these sensitivities helps us set everyone up for success.

Next comes:

➡️ Proximity

How close is too close? We help families learn how distance impacts comfort levels and why creating space is one of the most powerful safety tools we have.

And finally:

➡️ Supervision

True supervision means active, awake, and aware supervision — not multitasking from across the room. Safe interactions happen when adults are intentionally present and ready to make adjustments as needed for safety!

The 4 Pillars of Dog Aware work together to help create safer, more successful relationships between dogs and children 💛

Don’t forget to like, comment save and share to help others to become more Dog Aware!

06/08/2026

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REACTING TO REACTIVITY

When a dog reacts, it's natural that all the focus is on the behaviour we see in that moment, but the reaction itself is not where it begins — it's where it ends up.

Reactive behaviours like barking, lunging, snarling, growling is often the final behaviour in a much longer chain.

The reactive behaviour itself becomes the primary concern. It’s what we focus on and try to stop or “fix”.

By the time a dog reacts or explodes, the nervous system has likely already switched over to survival mode. In this state, the brain's ability to listen, learn, respond, process information or make appropriate choices is switched off.

Reactive dogs are struggling to behave differently because they no longer have access to the part of the brain that allows that to happen.

When we only focus on stopping the behaviour when it happens - we're just reacting to the reaction.

This is why working with a reactive dog often looks really boring. It's not about dramatic interventions during the explosion. It's about noticing what came before it.

When we understand why a dog is reacting, rather than simply reacting to the behaviour itself, we can start addressing the cause instead of just focusing on the symptom.

06/05/2026

The science behind the process of learning - in both humans and animals - is fascinating! Enjoy this video that illustrates the concepts of how neuroplasticity enables learning of new things. The core theory is that of Canadian psychologist, Donald O. Hebb, and can be paraphrased as, 'what fires together, wires together'!

https://youtu.be/BEwg8TeipfQ?si=FGnh-7VFmBsTlvNW

06/05/2026

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06/04/2026

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Yes, of course we should ask the dog! Except when we shouldn’t...

I was at the airport the other day and there was a gorgous "therapy" dog there. The man had his leash wrapped tightly around his hand and he went around from person to person, physically positioning the dog while hands groped his body. The dog looked as though he had completely shut down.

He came over to me and I simply smiled, had a short conversation, and kept my hands to myself. There was clearly no reason for me to even ask this dog.

When it comes to touching a dog, especially for "petting" purposes, I almost always prefer to let the dog ask me, rather than the other way around. This is especially true if they are unfamiliar to me, eating, chewing, sniffing, exploring, resting, sleeping, watching something interesting, or already engaged in another activity.

Asking is important, but asking is not always neutral. Sometimes the question itself creates social pressure. It asks the dog to respond to us, manage our proximity, and make a choice in a moment when they may have preferred not to be included in the interaction at all. That is why “ask the dog” should not mean interrupting whatever they are doing to offer touch.

Sometimes the more respectful question is the one we don't ask. Their body is not an open invitation just because they are nearby.

So, first: Don’t ask. Wait!

Notice what the dog is already doing. Notice whether they are awake, relaxed, and available for interaction. Notice whether they are choosing to come closer, stay nearby, orient toward you, soften, nudge, lean, or re-engage.

When there is some indication that the dog may be asking us, or is at least fully awake and engaged with us, then yes, ask before assuming. When we do ask, it needs to be an actual question, not a polite announcement before we do what we wanted to do anyway. We can ask by inviting them into our space. By turning slightly sideways instead of looming. Soft eye contact without staring. By inviting interaction without closing the distance.

The most important part is whether “no” was easy, safe, and respected.

A dog who turns away, ducks, freezes, licks their lips, goes still, moves off, exposes their belly, or simply does not re-engage has answered.

But better yet, LET THEM ASK YOU!

Dogs ask us in quiet and not so quiet ways. They come closer, sometimes guns blazing with tail wagging widely and a loose, wriggly body. They choose to stay. They make soft eye contact in conjunction with these other asks. They press into us. They nudge a hand. They lean a shoulder or hip against us. They paw our hand, they rest a chin on us give us a soft look. They return after we stop. They make the interaction mutual.

And even then, it is still a conversation, not a contract!

The dog who wanted touch thirty seconds ago may be done now. The dog who leaned in for a chest scratch may not want a hand over their head. The dog who enjoys affection on the sofa may not want it while chewing a bone.

So yes, ask the dog and never assume! But first, ask whether this is even a moment in which the dog should have to negotiate an answer.

06/03/2026

Ivy is dreaming sweet! 🥰 Ivy fell asleep playing with her Orbee Snoop during her appointment. 😴❤️

06/03/2026

Sweet Ivy fell asleep with her face in her snoop during her appointment... 🥰 We hope you're having the sweetest of dreams Ivy. 😴❤️

06/02/2026

***PLEASE BE ADVISED***

Upcoming Office Closures.

PLEASE PLAN AHEAD FOR MEDICATION REQUESTS AND PICK-UPS!

Our office staff will be attending the annual Veterinary Behavior Symposium conference from Monday, June 8th, to Friday, June 12th, and will have limited coverage during this time for emails and phone calls. Please note that there will be NO availability for prescription pickups at our clinic during this time.

We kindly ask that you plan accordingly.

If your need is urgent, please email [email protected] with “URGENT” in the subject line, and we will do our best to respond promptly.

Thank you for your understanding and thoughtful planning.

- The Veterinary Behavior Specialties of Minnesota Team

06/01/2026

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🐾 There are many dogs who love to play with other dogs. Most of the time these may be dogs that the dog sees regularly and knows, but some adult dogs do not enjoy interactions with every dog they see.

Socialisation isn’t about every dog playing together or always getting along. It has become a very loosely used word that technically describes a specific period of puppyhood development.

Puppies approach interactions quite differently than adult dogs because they’re at a different stage of development, and are naturally more social butterflies. However, as they grow up (like we do) and reach social maturity, somewhere between one and three years old, some dogs start to socially decline and become more dog selective or dog tolerant.

A few become dog intolerant and prefer no strange dogs at all. Not all dogs want another dog’s nose up their bum.

👨‍🦰Many people believe that all dogs should be friendly and get along. Unfortunately, stereotypes from dog park culture and social media often reinforce this idea. As a result, dog guardians may unintentionally push their dogs into interactions with others in public, often saying, ‘Don’t worry, my dog is friendly’…

This can be both frustrating and unsafe, especially when an on-lead dog is approached boisterously by an off-lead dog. These situations can lead to negative interactions, as the on-lead dog may feel trapped and unable to move freely or express their body language clearly.

💥Long before a dog avoids another dog or lashes out, they usually give quieter signals that they’re uncomfortable. Watch for lip licks, turning the head away, yawning, a stiff or low tail, or freezing on the spot. Most people miss these because they’re waiting for the dramatic stuff. If those early signs are ignored, that’s often when a dog moves on to avoiding or reacting.

How would you feel if a stranger walked up and cuddled you? I don’t know about you, but that’s not something I would enjoy. Not all dogs like to greet or be greeted, and this goes both ways. Even a friendly dog can find a greeting overwhelming.

If you have a dog who does not like interacting with dogs they don’t know (especially while on leash) - that’s ok!

Your dog is allowed to feel this way!

Be your dog’s advocate and tell the other dog guardian to not approach you with their dog. This is being proactive, and preventing your dog from being in a situation that may cause them distress.

Additionally, if you know your dog doesn’t like dogs approaching them, manage your environment by choosing quieter areas, using distance, or positioning yourself between your dog and others to help them feel more secure. Ask for space early, while there’s still a good gap between you. Creating distance at twenty metres is easy. At three metres it’s a scramble.

❗️It is important to not allow your dog to get into the habit of greeting every dog that you walk past because:

• One day you may walk past a dog who doesn’t like being greeted which could cause your dog to get lunged at.

• It puts them at risk as you may not be able to tell if that dog is a good match in temperament for your dog.

• You don’t know if the other dog may have had a negative experience in interacting with other dogs.

• It may cause long-term nervousness if your dog is constantly being snapped at by other dogs which may lead to your dog becoming reactive.

🐕Creating space will help with making your dog or the other dog feel safe, just in case the other dog lunges. If a dog starts to approach you in the street, cross the road to the other side.

www.seespotlearn.co.nz 🐾
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05/29/2026

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When you set up the litter box, make sure it truly is cat-friendly. So many times during consultations I would see set-ups that were designed for client appeal (meaning located in the most remote spot, too small for the cat, and rarely scooped). The litter box is such an important aspect of your cat's daily life and health, so be sure it measures up.