Ann King Canine Behavior Consultant

09/15/2025

Waiting.
Any second now.
Kaboom!
Who knew a little fence could cause so many issues.
Entertainment? For some, yes.
Addictive, yup for many.
Stressful? Absolutely, for you both.
If you have a reactive dog outside of the home, there are two areas that must be looked at and worked on in conjunction with the work you are doing on your walks.
Fences and windows.
These are barriers and barrier reactivity/frustration is a problem for many dogs.

Big, big emotions at those fences and gates.
If you are having difficulty, look at the suggestions given in the graphic.
Add in other "entertainment".
Enrichment, slower walks or maybe their exercise needs to be actual physical exercise because they are struggling to regulate that energy they feel.

Fence reactivity isn't a game that we should encourage or ignore.

08/31/2025

Very important info. Dog acting differently? There's a reason.

07/10/2025

They are confused.
Many may feel vulnerable and their body language can give mixed messages that we may misread.
Those first few days can help shape everything .
Whether it's a new puppy or an older dog joining your family....there's a lot of information to take in.
It can be overwhelming.

Accidents on the carpet?➡️Completely normal when you are both adjusting to signals each other gives.

Changing foods?➡️As much as you may dislike the food they came with...their system is already under a bit of stress.
Changing now can add to those accidents in your lounge, hall.....or those sneaky "presents" you'll discover behind the couch.
Wait a week or two then slowly transition.
This gives their body more time to adjust and settle.

Go slow.
Breathe.
Give some space when needed.
Take care of yourself....it's a big change for you and your family too.

Settling takes time and patience but the confidence it builds?
So worth it !

06/29/2025

Want a quick confidence booster?
A way to lessen stress hormones?
How about a a way to calm them down too?
Mental enrichment....yup this covers that too.

"So i just throw food down.....why?"
Because this taps into their natural instincts.
It is rewarding for them to figure out where that next piece of tasty food is and you are encouraging them to have a "mental workout" too.

Many dogs don't get enough opportunities to just "be a dog".
This game can help them to decompress, focus and challenge them.
All at the same time!

Start small, don't rush this.
You can absolutely encourage them but when they get the hang of it....leave them too it.

This little "game" is powerful 💪

05/27/2025

Dog pros—remember when Shiba Inu got popular in the early 2010s (the Doge meme phenomenon)? And that immediate feeling of “oh boy” when you’d get a call to work with one? 😅😂 We might not have had the brain scans, but we had the experience of certain ancient breeds not being as easy to train. Add Akitas to the list.

04/21/2025

Dogs who have issues with other dogs can learn to be calm around other dogs – and maybe even make dog friends.

11/04/2024

Important and often misunderstood. Kind of like when a dog licks your face…is it a kiss, or a “kiss to dismiss”.

Does he really want a belly rub or is he asking for space? Learn more in this post: https://rescuedbytraining.com/2024/10/21/appeasement-behaviors/