Tiny Tails

08/13/2026

One of the field’s most credible scientific organizations, the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB), now explicitly lists “balanced training” as a red flag alongside shock collars, prong collars, leash jerks, intimidation, and punishment 🚩🚩🚩

This arrives as dog training conferences continually try to repackage outdated methods as “hearing different points of view.” But there are not two equally legitimate sides to whether professionals should use fear and pain on dogs.

When the evidence says that these methods are unnecessary and unethical, “hearing both sides” is how institutions keep discredited practices respectable. And if you see those positioning themselves as industry leaders doing this, call them out when you see it.

So enough with the pretense that unequivocally opposing aversives is “divisive,” or that professionals who are being held accountable are somehow being “bullied,” while accommodating harmful methods is treated as the reasonable professional middle ground.

That era is dead and this is your final notice. Fence-sitting makes you part of the exact industry problem this statement was written to confront.

To anyone new to this conversation: “balanced” dog training is “cop culture” applied to dogs. Dogs are treated as prisoners in custody rather than sentient partners in our lives. Their life is treated as belonging completely to us for our own purposes, regardless of the dog’s welfare.

As a professional or a member of the public, here are your choices:

1️⃣ Listen to the collective expertise of animal-behavior science, or

2️⃣ Listen to self-appointed alpha-bro influencers who market personal certainty as superior to accumulated evidence.

Those are not equally credible positions, and we will not pretend they are.

If you are a professional, consider withholding your money from any conference that attempts to legitimize these violent methods towards dogs.

Read American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior - AVSAB’s new “How to Choose a Dog Trainer” position statement here:https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/How-to-Choose-a-Trainer-final-final.pdf

Related sources here: https://zakgeorge.com/sources/

Learn more about the global consensus against the use of punishment-based training methods: https://zakgeorge.com/global-consensus/

06/29/2026

04/19/2026

This sweet girl needs some funds for a much needed surgery.

Some of you may remember Crouton, a Buddy Up Animal Society alumni pup who came t… Jamie Johnson needs your support for Help Crouton Get the Surgery She Needs

02/24/2026

I was at a dog event this past weekend - an event where you’d obviously expect plenty of dogs.
I watched a dog with a known history of aggression lunge and latch onto another dog’s face as it simply walked by.
The owner’s response? "Well, that dog just walked by too briskly. That’s why it happened."
I had total déjà vu. A few years ago, my own dog, Kix, had to have her nose stapled for the exact same reason.

She was just walking by (not even LOOKING at the other dog), and the other owner’s excuse was that she was "too animated" and "wagged her tail too much."
We need to talk about why these excuses are so dangerous.
When you hyper-define your dog’s triggers:

"He only has an issue with black Border Collies walking at 5mph who wag their tails too fast" you are creating a false sense of security.
The implication is: "My dog is FINE, as long as the rest of the world follows a very specific set of rules."
But we all know it’s not the truth. And it's not how the world works.
Before anyone says I don't know how hard it is to have a reactive dog ... I sure do.
Reactivity training is the core of my company. I spend my life working with these dogs.
I have all the empathy in the world for how exhausting, isolating, and difficult it is to live with a reactive dog.
But empathy does NOT excuse a lack of responsibility.
If your dog has gone after another dog before, the takeaway shouldn't be a list of excuses about the other dog's "brisk walking."
The takeaway is: "My dog has the potential to escalate to a bite, and I am responsible for managing them so that never happens again."
It doesn’t matter if the other dog was staring, or wagging, or exists in a certain color.
If your dog cannot handle the presence of other dogs without lunging or biting, they shouldn't be in a position where they can reach those dogs. Period.
When we make these incredibly concrete "excuses," we stop being vigilant.
We stop muzzle training.
We stop using shorter leashes.
We put other people’s dogs (and also our own!) in danger.
We can do better for our dogs, and we owe it to our community to stop excuses and start the management.
Have you ever been on the receiving end of an "excuse" after a bad encounter?

09/30/2025

Maine officials warn pet owners over the Parvovirus after multiple positive cases reported. Story link: https://tinyurl.com/2xsapj2y

08/07/2025

"Kelly, just curious what are your thoughts on slip leads and martingales. I am curious about these two options. I was not sure because in some videos it sats it evenly distributed pressure." 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯 F-ing unregulated industry..🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬.

The Perfect Fit Harness company made this visual aid years ago. It still holds true today.

One surefire way to separate your trainers are just listening if they recommend a slip lead. You do not need to listen any further to hear choke chain, prong collar or shock collar. You already know you are dealing with someone who will gladly cause longterm injury to your dog because it beings them a buck today.

Now, if you are picking up a stray or working in a veterinarian office and rely on a slip lead for backup to an owner supplied leash, I get it.....but to require one for trainer....those peope are dumber than words can describe. Run!!! The injuries they cause might not be immediate but will show in time.
🐾💔🐾