Apex Canine Behavior & Training

10/01/2026

Well, I finally did the thing. 🖤

I’ve officially launched a fundraiser for The Pavarotti Project: Support for “Dogs in Need of Space” 🪐

The Pavarotti Project has slowly grown out of the work I do with dogs whose behavioral needs make traditional options difficult or sometimes impossible. For some, that means helping their families find a safer path forward. For others, it means having somewhere appropriate to land. And for a handful of dogs, it has meant becoming permanent residents here and receiving lifetime sanctuary.

Right now, Jude, Mowgli, Bear, and Willow all have veterinary and care needs stacking up at the same time. Jude in particular needs further diagnostics and imaging for the severe, unexplained pain episodes he has been experiencing. Between annual care, bloodwork, dental care, medications, preventatives, supplements, possible sedation, diagnostics, and the normal costs of keeping everyone cared for, I’ve reached the point where I need a more sustainable way to fund this work.

There is a lot that I can donate myself. I can give my time, my knowledge, my space, my labor, and my professional services.

Unfortunately, the vet does not currently accept payment in trident layers, so I’m asking my community to help with the part I can’t provide myself. With that being said, I also want that support to go both ways.

For every dollar raised through this campaign, I am committing an equivalent value in professional behavior services through Apex Canine Behavior & Training back to dogs and families who need help but may not otherwise be able to access it.

I’ll also be opening a separate community nomination process for dogs and families who could benefit from those services, including the ability to nominate your own dog or someone else who needs help. No donation will be required to nominate or receive services, and donating will not affect who is selected. I’m still putting that process together and will share the details soon.

The idea is pretty simple: the community helps me provide the tangible things I cannot donate, like veterinary care, diagnostics, medications, preventatives, food, and supplies for the dogs who have already been given sanctuary here. In return, I can pay that support forward with something I can give: my time and professional services to other dogs who need someone in their corner.

If you’re able to contribute, thank you. Truly. If you can’t, please consider sharing this. Getting it in front of the right people is incredibly valuable too.

Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely, for that one dog, the world will change forever. 🐾

The Pavarotti Project: Support for “Dogs In Need Of Space”

🔗 Fundraiser: https://gofund.me/7b9e2a9e4

09/28/2026

A familiar face is back at Apex this week... 👀

Viggo recently returned for a short follow-up board & train after spending a month with me earlier this summer.

When Viggo first came to me, his family was at a really difficult point. They were dealing with some significant behavior and safety concerns, and needed support beyond what a typical training program could offer. They needed help understanding the dog in front of them, an honest assessment of what they were dealing with, and a realistic path forward that prioritized both Viggo and the people who share their lives with him.

That first month gave us the opportunity to slow everything down and really get to know him. We learned a tremendous amount about what drives his behavior, where he struggles, what he communicates before those struggles escalate, and what he needs from the humans around him to be successful.

Since returning home after his stay this summer, his family reported that they have noticed a big difference in him at home… and THAT is ultimately where this work has to matter. A dog doing well with me is wonderful, but the goal was never to create a dog who functions beautifully in my environment. The goal is to give Viggo and his family tools that continue working when he goes home and real life resumes.

This week we are building on the foundation we have already established, revisiting things with the benefit of seeing how they translated into everyday life, and spending some focused time expanding on a few areas that will help support Viggo and his family moving forward.

Complex behavior work is a process. We learn, we implement, we observe, we adjust, and we keep building.

There was a lot of uncertainty surrounding Viggo’s future when this journey began, and I’m so grateful to be in a position to offer dogs like him a second chance when they need it most. This is exactly why I created this space, and I am so excited to see this little floofer and his humans continue to grow and succeed together. 🖤

09/27/2026

On today’s episode of “if Jude fits he sits”…

09/13/2026

🎄🐾🍂 NOW BOOKING NOV/DEC 🍂🐾🎄

If you’ll need boarding over Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, or for winter travel, now is the time to reserve your dog’s stay!

Apex Canine accepts only one dog at a time, which allows me to provide a calm, structured, and highly individualized environment, but it also means holiday availability is extremely limited.

My calendar is currently booked for extended stays through October, so I am now primarily scheduling November and December Boarding + Board & Train reservations.

🐾 LOW STRESS BOARDING 🐾

Apex Canine was intentionally designed for dogs who may not thrive in traditional boarding environments.

This allows me to safely accommodate:

▪️ Dogs In Need Of Space (DINOS)
▪️ Reactive or behavior-sensitive dogs
▪️ Dogs experiencing fear, anxiety, or stress
▪️ Dogs who struggle in group environments
▪️ Dogs requiring no-contact management
▪️ Dogs who benefit from thoughtful structure, predictability, and individualized care

Because there is only one boarding client at a time, the environment, routine, enrichment, handling, and management plan can be tailored around the individual dog.

❇️ WHY APEX CANINE IS DIFFERENT ❇️

🐕 One Dog at a Time
Your dog receives individualized attention and care rather than being one of many dogs moving through a high-volume facility.

🏡 Private, Home-Based Setting
Your dog resides on private property with us rather than in a traditional high-traffic boarding environment.

🌿 Low Stress Design
The environment and daily routine are carefully adapted around your dog’s individual needs to promote comfort, predictability, decompression, and success.

🎾 All-Inclusive Care
There are no additional charges for medication administration, individualized enrichment, one-on-one play, stuffed Toppls, LickiMats, food puzzles, chews, or other appropriate enrichment.

Depending on the individual dog, stays may also include adventures such as sniff walks, hikes, road trips, and swimming at the river, all at no additional charge.

📚 PROGRAMS OFFERED 📚

❇️ Low Stress Boarding

Structured daily care with individualized enrichment, exercise, outdoor time, decompression, and thoughtful management. Calm behavior and everyday life skills are consistently reinforced throughout the stay.

❇️ Board & Train

Includes multiple focused training sessions per day tailored to your dog’s individual goals.

Available for Foundations & Life Skills as well as Behavior Modification on a case-by-case basis.

🏡 ACCOMMODATIONS 🏡

▪️ Kennel A | Standard Boarding: Spacious 8’ x 8’ private suite with antimicrobial comfort flooring and an optional fully breathable 90% opacity privacy screen to reduce visual stimulation.

▪️ Kennel B | No Contact Boarding: 5’ x 10’ indoor space with an attached 10’ x 10’ outdoor area for dogs requiring additional separation or specialized management.

▪️ Climate-controlled environment with remote monitoring

▪️ Supervised access to a ½-acre fenced play yard

▪️ Daily individualized enrichment and exercise

▪️ Multiple focused training sessions per day for Board & Train dogs.

✨ HEALTH, SAFETY & ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS ✨

Every element of the facility was intentionally selected to support comfort, sanitation, air quality, environmental stability, and security.

🔺 Air Quality Monitoring: Four independent monitoring systems track temperature, humidity, CO₂, smoke, carbon monoxide, particulate matter (PM1.0, PM2.5, PM10), VOCs, and additional environmental measurements, with WiFi-connected real-time phone alerts.

🔺 Climate Control: WiFi-connected mini split allows precise temperature and airflow adjustments with remote monitoring and control.

🔺 Ventilation: Dedicated ventilation system provides fresh-air exchange independently of the heating and cooling system.

🔺 Video Monitoring: Interior and exterior monitoring provides additional oversight, including temperature, humidity, and sound detection with real-time alerts.

🔺 Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detection: Dedicated monitoring and remote notifications provide additional layers of environmental safety.

🔺 Security: Continuous video monitoring plus a smart fingerprint locking system that can be remotely opened in the event of an emergency.

🔺 Calm Environment: Radio, white noise, and an Adaptil diffuser with canine appeasement pheromones are available to support a quieter, lower-stress environment.

🔺 Natural Light With Privacy: Privacy film allows natural daylight while reducing unnecessary visual stimulation from outside activity.

🔺 Cleaning & Sanitation: The facility is routinely cleaned and disinfected using KennelSol, a veterinary-grade disinfectant effective against viruses, bacteria, and fungi.

🔺 Food & Water Safety: Meals and water are served in food-grade stainless steel bowls and buckets that are sanitized daily and after use.

🔺 Flooring: Antimicrobial flooring is installed throughout the building to support sanitation and comfort.

🎄 HOLIDAY RESERVATIONS ARE LIMITED 🎄

With only one dog accepted at a time, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and other popular travel dates can only accommodate a very small number of reservations.

📅 Now booking November + December

🦃 Thanksgiving travel
🎄 Christmas & holiday travel
🎆 New Year’s travel
❄️ Winter vacations
🐕 Boarding + Board & Train

If you already know you’ll need care during the holiday season, please don’t wait until the holidays are approaching to reach out.

📩 Contact Apex Canine directly to discuss dates, availability, and whether our environment is the right fit for your dog.

🐾 Seren Maxwell | Owner & Trainer
🐕 Reactivity • Aggression • Fear • Anxiety • Stress
📱 (603) 361-5719
📧 [email protected]
🌎 www.apexcaninebehavior.com
🗺️ Northfield, NH

09/06/2026

“Sunday Funnies” 🗞️: This one gave me a good chuckle, just had to share with you all.

09/06/2026

Oh you know… just the dog who was once suspicious of even a blanket on the floor, enjoying a chewie from the comfort of his raised cot + memory foam mattress. 😆

Such a privilege to get to see him enjoy all the perks of having a home and being loved. 🐾

08/27/2026

🐾 The Pavarotti Project - We Could Use Your Help

With several upcoming medical expenses for the dogs here at Apex, The Pavarotti Project medical and care funds are currently depleted, and we’re hoping our community might be able to help us build them back up.

For those who may not be familiar with it, The Pavarotti Project is an initiative through Apex Canine Behavior & Training created to help dogs whose behavioral, medical, or individual needs put their safety, stability, or future at risk.

The project provides support for dogs and families who may otherwise be unable to access the level of behavior support they need, as well as dogs within the shelter-rescue-foster system who need additional assessment/training/advocacy to successfully move forward. This can include dogs struggling with significant fear, anxiety, reactivity, or aggression; dogs facing surrender, displacement, or behavioral euthanasia when appropriate intervention could provide another path forward; and sanctuary dogs in our care who may require long-term or lifelong support because traditional placement is not appropriate for them.

Donations to The Pavarotti Project go directly toward the costs associated with helping and caring for these dogs, including veterinary care, medications, food + daily care, behavior assessment and rehabilitation, training and management equipment, safe housing, transportation, enrichment, and other case-specific expenses.

Funds also allow us to reduce or waive the cost of professional services for dogs in the shelter-foster-rescue pipeline, as well as privately owned dogs when financial limitations would otherwise stand between a dog and the help they need. For our sanctuary dogs, donations help provide the safe, stable environment and ongoing medical, behavioral, enrichment, and day-to-day care they need for as long as they remain with us.

At its core, The Pavarotti Project exists to create options for dogs who might otherwise run out of them, whether that means helping a family keep their dog safely at home, giving a shelter-foster dog the support needed to reach a sustainable placement, or providing lifelong sanctuary and quality care when placement simply isn’t the right answer.

Right now, we have upcoming medical expenses for the dogs here and would be incredibly grateful for any help replenishing the fund so those needs can be met as they arise.

If you’d like to contribute, our donation links are below. No amount is too small. A few dollars from a lot of people can add up quickly, and sharing this post is another meaningful way to help get it in front of more people.

For anyone who would prefer to contribute directly toward supplies, we also maintain an Amazon Wish List with food, enrichment, cleaning products, and other items we regularly use for the dogs. Items purchased from the list are shipped directly to us and help offset the everyday costs of caring for them.

🐾 The Pavarotti Project Donations:
https://www.venmo.com/u/thepavarottiproject

📦 Amazon Wish List:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3N4U8PG96I2EK?ref_=wl_share

Whether you donate, send something from the wish list, share this post, or simply continue supporting the work we do, thank you. Every bit of support helps us continue showing up for dogs who need someone in their corner. 🖤

08/14/2026

Friday nights are for….

“Chewies & Chill” 🐶🦴🐾

Really proud of this baby dog for learning how to relax in his own space even with the excitement of another dog being here. Hazel, being a certified therapy dog, is a seasoned pro at being able to handle distractions - so she’s been a truly exceptional partner for Bear to practice with. Hazel is a really special dog, and Bear very much adores her. It’s been really lovely to watch their relationship develop along the way. 🖤

08/12/2026

Hazel is back for another stay with me this week. 💕

This one is a little extra special.

Hazel is 9 years old now, and I’ve had the privilege of knowing her for her entire life. I first met her as a tiny puppy, and over the years I’ve worked alongside Hazel and her humans through so many different chapters…from AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy, to her Canine Good Citizen, to Therapy Dog training, and plenty of other things in between.

And all that work eventually led Hazel to a pretty important job. For years, she has worked alongside her mom, who is a guidance counselor, as a therapy dog in an elementary school. It’s been incredibly special to watch the tiny puppy I knew all those years ago grow into a dog who has been able to have such an impact on so many people.

Hazel stayed with me earlier this year, and during that visit I noticed some changes in her mobility that I felt were worth mentioning to her humans. As always, they went above and beyond for her. Since then, they’ve added some additional supportive care to her routine, including biweekly acupuncture.

Getting her back several months later and seeing the difference has been SO incredible. This girl has been happily trotting around, moving more freely and you can tell she just feels so good in her body.

It’s one of the things I love most about having dogs like Hazel come back to stay with me over the years. I don’t just get to know them during one snapshot in time, I get to see who they become.

I met Hazel when she was a tiny puppy just starting to learn about the world. I got to be there for the training milestones, watch her grow up, and eventually watch her take everything she learned and go on to do something pretty incredible with it.

And now, at 9 years old, I get to know this chapter of Hazel’s life too.

She has a little more gray on her face these days, and life looks a little different than it did when we were working toward puppy and training milestones all those years ago, but she is still so very much Hazel.

There’s something pretty incredible about realizing that the little puppy you helped teach and watched grow up is now nine years old,
and somehow, you’re still part of her story.

Nine years is a long time to get to love somebody else’s dog. I don’t take it for granted that after all these years, her humans still trust me with their girl, or that I still get to have Hazel come back through my door.

And getting to spend this week with a happy, frosted-face Hazel who is apparently feeling good enough to trot everywhere she needs to go…

Not many things come close to that feeling.
🐾🖤🐾

08/12/2026

Just a heads-up for anyone whose dog is currently receiving Adequan! 🐾

The FDA has announced a recall affecting specific lots of Adequan Canine due to the potential presence of glass fiber material.

This does not mean all Adequan is affected, and there’s no reason to panic or discontinue a prescribed medication without speaking with your veterinarian. If your dog receives Adequan, especially if you have doses at home, it’s simply worth checking the lot number against the recall information and reaching out to your veterinary team if you have any questions.

Sharing for awareness since I know quite a few dogs in our community use Adequan. 🖤

Two lots of popular medications for dogs and horses have been recalled over potential glass fiber contamination. Here's what pet owners should know.