Mississippi Animal Behavior Consulting

08/03/2026

**Please read the whole post**

We know that veterinary care for your dog isn't always easy when money is tight, and we want to help. 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭, 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐏𝐞𝐭 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 $𝟐𝟓 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐨𝐠 𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩, 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

Here’s what’s included:
✔️ Free rabies vaccine and 6 months of Simparica (courtesy of Banfield Foundation)
✔️ Free DAPP vaccine (courtesy of Petco Love)

A few things to know:
• Open to everyone, no county restrictions!
• Up to 4 dogs per client
• All dogs must be on a secure leash
• Additional fees may apply

Here’s how to book: visit www.sopineshealthypets.org, select spay/neuter appointment, and indicate that you receive financial assistance. Spots are limited, so don’t wait!

💬 𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠? 𝐍𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬! 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞.
Just email [email protected] with your name, phone number, and your pet's name, and a staff member will confirm your discount.

Every dog deserves care. We're here to help make that possible.

08/03/2026

07/27/2026

07/27/2026

Yes my dog has probably way too many enrichment toys 😅 but I also do lots of “free” and budget friendly things like these! Kávé enjoys shredding soda and cereal boxes just as much, if not more, than any puzzle toy.

One of the biggest misconceptions about enrichment is that you need a cabinet full of expensive puzzle toys.

You don't.

Enrichment isn't about how much money you spend. It's about meeting your dog's needs in ways that fit your lifestyle.

And sometimes the simplest ideas are just as valuable as the newest enrichment toy!

If you'd like to learn more about enrichment, be sure to check out:
✅ "Canine Enrichment For The Real World" book and workbook, available on Amazon, Dogwise, and Audible.
✅ "Enrichment For The Real World Podcast" available on Apple, Spotify, Youtube, or wherever you podcast!
✅ If you’re a pet professional, check out our mentorship program, PETPro (https://petharmonytraining.com/petpro)

07/11/2026

“The dog has already been checked by the vet.”

It’s something I hear all the time.

And it’s often used as reassurance that pain or physical discomfort can be ruled out before starting behaviour work.

But here’s the thing…

A veterinary examination and a professional behavioural consultation are two completely different appointments, with two completely different purposes.

A GP doesn’t carry out the same assessment as a physiotherapist.

An orthopaedic surgeon doesn’t carry out the same assessment as a neurologist.

Each professional observes through the lens of their own expertise.

The same applies in veterinary practice.

A routine veterinary consultation isn’t designed to be an extended behavioural assessment.

Likewise, a behaviour consultation isn’t a veterinary examination.

One doesn’t replace the other.

As behaviour professionals, we shouldn’t assume that because a dog has been “vet checked”, we’ve answered every question about that dog’s physical wellbeing.

Nor should we assume that every behavioural concern is purely behavioural.

Our role isn’t to diagnose.

Our role is to make systematic, objective observations, recognise when something doesn’t quite add up, and communicate those observations appropriately so the dog receives the most appropriate support.

The best outcomes happen when professionals work together, not when we assume someone else has already looked at everything.

So perhaps the question isn’t…

“Has this dog been checked by a vet?”

It’s…

“What information do I still need before I can be confident in the decisions I’m about to make?”

I’d love to know your thoughts. Have you ever worked on a case where the phrase “the vet has already checked them” turned out not to tell the whole story?

07/10/2026

Bake the Burg … Best of the Pine Belt Edition

Go vote for Rayanne Craven for Best Dog Trainer! Voting is open for one more week, you can vote once a day.

https://hubcityspokes.secondstreetapp.com/og/fd1cbdba-3631-4b06-813a-f5e088eec279/gallery/541703365

(as you can tell, I did not beat the two minute downpour when taking the cake to a dinner party last night🤦🏻‍♀️)

07/09/2026

07/08/2026

Check it out now!

07/08/2026

06/15/2026

Improvement does not occur in the presence of constant overwhelm. Dogs can't learn how to cope if they are busy trying to avoid the things that are scary. The avoidance will be the way that they learn to copy.

Busy neighborhoods are rich in triggers: unpredictable movement, proximity to unfamiliar dogs and people, noise, and limited ability to create distance. For a reactive patient, this results in repeated activation of the stress response.

When a dog is consistently over threshold:

▶️Sympathetic arousal increases
▶️Cognitive function is impaired so your dog can't learn the behaviors that you are trying to teach
▶️Defensive behaviors are reinforced through repetition without you doing anything except continuing to walk your dog

This is not exposure therapy nor is it desensitization. It is training your dog to BE REACTIVE.

Each reaction strengthens neural pathways associated with threat detection and response. Over time, the behavior becomes more efficient, more intense, and more easily triggered.

Progress happens where the brain is able to process and learn—not where it is in survival mode. If we want different behavior, we have to change the conditions in which behavior occurs.