Love For Paws Dog Training

05/31/2026

Imagine being touched constantly without warning. Picked up, moved, restrained, interrupted. That’s everyday life for a lot of dogs, and then we’re surprised when they growl.

Dogs don’t get the same social rules humans do. People reach over their heads, hug them, grab collars, move them off furniture, all without checking in. When a dog says no, it usually starts quietly. Looking away, moving away, freezing, lip licking. If those signals don’t work, they get louder.

Growling, snapping, biting aren’t coming out of nowhere. They’re what happens when earlier communication is ignored.

Consent-based handling doesn’t mean dogs get to opt out of everything. It means we actually pay attention. We pause, we give space, we notice when they’re uncomfortable, and we create situations where they can participate instead of being forced.

When dogs have a voice, they tend to use it clearly. When we listen early, we don’t get pushed into the later stages.

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Written By: Claire Anderson

05/31/2026

Many people are surrendering their pets because they can no longer afford to feed them and pay for vet care.
As they say about human babies, fed is best. However you can afford to do it.

Some people are holding onto their dogs by a thread.
And we're arguing about blueberries.

Now isn't the time to shame people for feeding their dog the only way they financially can.

If some rice needs to be added to bulk a meal out because there simply isn't enough food, then that's where some people are right now.

A perfect raw diet served in a beautiful bowl with blackberries, green-lipped mussels and salmon oil might look great on social media.

But for some people, it feels like a slap in the face, over and over again.

They don't know you're already skipping meals yourself.

They’ve no idea you're juggling rent, power, groceries, fuel and a dozen other bills while trying to keep your dog fed too.

Being told "if you cared, you'd find a way" is SO easy when you're not the one standing in the supermarket trying to figure out how on earth you can get the whole family fed for the week when your bank app says seventeen dollars.

Let's be real.

People are surrendering their dogs because they can no longer afford to keep them.

Others are doing everything they can not to.

They're behind on the mortgage.
Behind on the rent.
Putting off things they really need.
Living in cold houses because the power bill has become yet another thing to worry about.
Answering the phone?
Well, you don’t really do that anymore because you know it’s someone wanting money that you just don't have.

And through all of this.
Day in and day out.
People are trying to keep their dog.

Because their dog is family.

Their dog that sleeps on their bed, snuggles and snores.
Their dog that got them through the divorce.
Their dog that sat beside them when life just fell apart.

Their dog was there in those moments when nobody else was.

People are clawing and scraping to hold onto that relationship.

And while they're doing everything they can to keep their dog in their home, they're being told they aren't good enough because they just can't afford someone else's version of the perfect diet.

Perspective matters.
Of course nutrition matters.
And yup, we should feed the best diet we reasonably can.

But right now.
In these economic times.
A dog eating a less-than-perfect diet in a loving home is often in a far, far better position than a dog that loses that home altogether.

And for many families, that's not a hypothetical.
That's the very decision they're trying desperately not to make.

05/27/2026

I wouldn’t let a stranger touch my face either. ❤️

05/05/2026

If you take it away, what have you got?

We have this weird relationship with “sit”.
It’s become an “everything” request and if we have to rely on it so much, we’re missing the point.

What if, instead of a sit when they’re frustrated, we worked on the frustration? Actually work on the issue rather than repeatedly asking for a sit when clearly they are struggling in that moment.

Can we please just have a dog standing beside us or having a sniff on the grass when we stop to chat to someone, rather than insist on sitting?

This next one may sting a bit, but do we need to constantly insist on a sit to prove we have some sort of “control” over our dogs?

Sit is just a position. Not a solution
It’s often the first thing taught and relatively easy to do.
So we use it and boy do we over use it.

I often see rehoming posts for young dogs, in that difficult “teenage” phase. Heavy commissure grin in the photos and then the description.
“He loves running in his yard, comes with his bed and bowl and knows sit”.

What if we concentrated on engagement before we taught a sit.
Could we work on settling skills first?
Maybe checking in?

Imagine the possibilities if we delegated it to be taught further down the road.

Imagine if sit wasn’t first.

05/04/2026

One of the things I cover in every initial consult is case outlook, and one of the biggest factors I consider has nothing to do with the dog.

It's client commitment.

Here's what I see over and over. The families who come in ready to do the work, who take notes, who ask follow-up questions and who start implementing right away - those families get better outcomes. It's not because their dogs are easier, or food motivated or smarter but because consistency and follow-through are what actually make progress.

I recently wrote about a seven-month-old puppy client presenting with resource guarding. I knew early on this case was going in a positive direction. The day after our consult, mom had already talked to the kids about respecting the puppy's body language. By day two, management and supervision were tightened up and training had started. I had an update and questions in my inbox.

That's what hitting the ground running looks like. And it matters enormously in case outcomes.

I can't predict how long behavior modification will take. I have no crystal ball. No ethical trainer can, because every dog learns differently and behavior is affected by so many variables: environment, medical history, genetics, reinforcement history, and more. What I can tell you is that the families who go all in consistently see the best results.

I don't have a magic wand. It doesn't exist but clients doing the work I outline does, and that's what makes or breaks a case.

Need help? Link below!

04/29/2026

I’m still on hiatus but I wanted to share this lovely review that just came in from one of our dedicated clients. Thanks, Jeremy!

04/26/2026

04/20/2026

💯

04/06/2026

Can dogs be autistic? The short answer is maybe. A very fascinating read on whats been discovered so far.

Have you ever wondered whether your pet has ADHD? Research is showing the answer is complicated.

03/31/2026

One on one playdates with a patient and social older dog are one of the best ways to socialize your puppy. As always keep interactions short, 20 minutes or less.
Please remember: when given the choice, dogs don’t choose to socialize in large groups.