Speaking Species

06/08/2026

Same dog. Same session. Different communication. 🐾

The first clip shows Gunner leading the walk, pulling toward smells and making most of the decisions about where the team was going.

Just a few minutes later, after some coaching with his owner, Justin, we started seeing a different picture.

Notice that Gunner still gets to investigate the environment. He walks over to sniff a post, but instead of pulling Justin toward it, he approaches calmly, keeps the leash loose, and then re-engages with the walk on his own.

Loose leash walking isn’t about eliminating exploration. It’s about teaching dogs how to enjoy the environment while staying connected to their handler.

One of my favorite moments in this clip is Gunner’s voluntary check-in. That’s the beginning of engagement becoming a habit rather than something the owner has to constantly ask for.

Great work from both Gunner and Justin 👏

06/08/2026

Honored to be featured as a vendor spotlight for the upcoming Makers Market! 🐾

Whether you’re raising a new puppy, working through behavior challenges, interested in enrichment, or simply fascinated by how animals learn and communicate, I’d love to meet you.

I’ll be available throughout the event to answer questions, talk training, discuss behavior, and share resources to help strengthen the connection between people and animals.

If you’re attending, be sure to stop by and say hello! 🐾

🎨 Makers Market Vendor Spotlight 🎨

Say hello to Speaking Species, LLC at our 2nd Annual Makers Market!

Specializing in animal training, they bring a unique and educational presence to the market - sharing insight, connection, and a deeper understanding of animal behavior! 🐕🦜🐾

A great stop for anyone who loves animals and wants to learn more about building better communication and relationships with them! ✨🛍️

06/06/2026

Rescued a dog, brought a puppy home, or working through barking fits, reactivity, separation anxiety, or leash pulling?!

Join me today from 12-2p at Pet Supplies Plus - Springfield - Tuttle Rd., OH for free dog behavior and training advice!

Also excited to support the community and bridge the gap between shelters and pet stores, as I will be accompanied by a puppy from Barely Used Pets 2022 🐾

06/05/2026

Scout’s first training session 🐾

One of Scout’s biggest challenges was intense leash pulling. Instead of jumping straight into the behavior, we started by building engagement.

Using play, reinforcement, and hand-target games, Scout began learning that staying connected with his handler is rewarding and fun.

The goal isn’t just a loose leash, it’s teaching the dog how to successfully navigate the walk with their person.

For a first session, Scout absolutely crushed it 👏

Every great walk starts with engagement.

06/01/2026

One of the biggest misconceptions in dog training is that dogs automatically have to react when another dog reacts.

During Gunner’s first session, we introduced a common trigger: knocking and opening the front door.

While another dog in the home barked in response to the knock, Gunner remained focused on his enrichment activity and chose to continue working through his puzzle instead.

This wasn’t luck.

By creating an errorless learning setup and giving Gunner an appropriate outlet for decompression, we were able to reinforce calm behavior before the barking response ever started.

Training isn’t always about correcting unwanted behavior after it happens. Often the most effective progress comes from creating situations where the dog can practice making successful choices from the beginning.

Small moments like this lay the foundation for lasting behavior change.

05/29/2026

Just one week ago, Xaden and Haven were learning the “down” behavior for the very first time. Now, Kelly is confidently guiding all three dogs together through a calm group exercise. 🐾

One of the biggest focuses during my sessions is making sure owners feel comfortable, confident, and supported implementing their personalized training plan outside of our scheduled sessions.

Real-life progress comes from communication, consistency, and helping both dogs and humans clearly understand how to work together successfully within the home environment.

Watching Karen’s confidence and communication grow alongside her dogs has been amazing to see.

05/29/2026

Working with Echo on loose leash walking and engagement during today’s session 🐾

One thing I focus heavily on during leash work is helping dogs learn how to re-engage and problem solve on their own instead of relying on constant leash corrections or repeated commands.

In this clip, when Echo creates leash tension by moving too far ahead or losing focus, the walk simply pauses. The moment he checks back in, releases the tension, or returns closer to position, he’s immediately reinforced and the walk continues.

Over time, this creates:
✔ faster check-ins
✔ calmer walks
✔ better engagement
✔ less frustration for both dog and owner

The goal isn’t forcing the dog into position, it’s helping the pup understand how to succeed during the walk.

Echo has been making great progress with this framework 🐾

If anyone local is struggling with pulling, overexcitement, reactivity, or general leash frustration, feel free to reach out.

05/28/2026

Happy ! 🦦 Did you know that keeping these energetic little guys healthy requires a lot of behind-the-scenes teamwork? From regular weigh-ins on the scale (which takes some serious treat-motivation!) to inspiring the next generation of animal lovers, every day is an adventure. Let’s celebrate and protect these amazing semi-aquatic cuties today and every day! 🌊✨

05/27/2026

Just one week prior, Xaden and Haven were learning the “down” behavior for the very first time. Now, owner can confidently guide all three dogs together through a calm group exercise.

One of the biggest focuses during my sessions is making sure owners feel comfortable, confident, and supported implementing their personalized training plan outside of our scheduled sessions.

Real-life progress happens through communication, consistency, and helping both dogs and humans clearly understand how to work together successfully within the home environment.

Watching Karen’s confidence and communication grow alongside her dogs has been amazing to see. 🐾

05/25/2026

One of the biggest misconceptions around reactive behavior is assuming that silence automatically means emotional calmness.

In Whiskey’s first session, another approach was already being used to interrupt barking behavior toward visitors entering the home. While the barking could momentarily stop, Whiskey was still emotionally overwhelmed by the situation itself.

That distinction matters.

Behavior suppression and emotional regulation are not always the same thing.

So instead of focusing only on stopping vocalization, we began shifting focus toward changing Whiskey’s emotional experience around visitors entering the home.

That meant:
🐾 reducing conflict and pressure
🐾 creating safer associations
🐾 purposeful engagement
🐾 environmental support
🐾 calmer entry routines

Just a few days later during session two, I entered the home again and Whiskey remained calm, quiet, and emotionally regulated throughout the interaction.

The goal wasn’t forcing him to “ignore” visitors.

The goal was helping him feel safer experiencing them 🐾