Pawsitive Pup Training

10/16/2026

10/16/2026

Yeah, yeah. Trigger stacking 🥱
I know. We harp on about it.

But it's fundamental to understanding and helping a dog.

And those triggers?
They can be pretty insignificant when looked at individually.
A sniff that went wrong, a rattling trailer driving past or even a barking dog behind a fence.

That's why we always need to keep trigger stacking tucked away in the back of our minds.

It's often easy to recognise when a dog has reached complete emotional overload.
Clear as day.

All those other stages?
Sometimes not so clear.

And when things aren't quite so obvious, it's easy to make decisions to stay at the park a little longer, meet that next dog, or greet that person.
When maybe we should have recognised what our dog was already telling us.

And those stages?
They're not really a reliable, fixed scale.
Dogs won't necessarily work their way neatly or clearly through each one.
The stages can overlap, those changes can be really subtle, and recovery?
Yup, pretty individual too.

So maybe it's time to stifle that yawn and give trigger stacking the attention it deserves.
Because those seemingly small, insignificant experiences can add up.

And what a dog could cope with an hour ago might be something they simply can't cope with now.

Even your dog.

10/14/2026

Why does my pet suddenly act differently toward other animals or people?

Ever notice your usually friendly furball suddenly giving the side-eye to other pets or humans? 😳 Behavior changes can happen for a bunch of reasons:

Health issues: Pain, vision/hearing changes, or discomfort can make your pet more cautious. 🩺

Stress or anxiety: New routines, loud noises, or even new smells can trigger “grumpy mode.” 😬

Life stage changes: Senior pets sometimes mellow… or suddenly become drama queens. 👑

Vet tip: Observe, document, and call us if changes stick around. Sometimes a small health check or behavior tweak is all it takes to get tails wagging (or purrs back on track). 🐶🐱💬

10/14/2026

10/14/2026

✂️🥜🐶 WHAT IF WHEN YOU SPAY OR NEUTER YOUR DOG MATTERS JUST AS MUCH AS WHETHER YOU DO IT?

Preventing unwanted litters matters. But is it time to rethink HOW we sterilize dogs? Hormone-sparing procedures, including hysterectomy and vasectomy, can prevent reproduction while preserving natural s*x hormones.

🔬 NEW 2026 PEER-REVIEWED RESEARCH

Over 10 years, researchers reviewed records from 56,254 veterinary patients, including 313 dogs with mast cell tumors and 638 tumor-free comparison dogs. The study was accepted for publication in The Veterinary Journal.

🤯 1. TIMING MATTERS!

Dogs spayed or neutered before age 2 had 343% higher odds of a mast cell tumor diagnosis compared with intact dogs. Dogs sterilized after age 2 showed no statistically significant increase.

🐕 2. SIZE MATTERS!

Compared with small dogs, medium dogs had 2.6 times the odds and large dogs 5.2 times the odds.

⚖️ 3. WEIGHT MATTERS!

Overweight dogs had 80% higher odds than dogs at an ideal weight.

🧬 4. BREED MATTERS!

Compared with mixed-breed dogs, American Pit Bull Terriers had 7.5 times the odds and Boxers 3.9 times. Some breed groups were small.

❤️ 5. WHAT ABOUT SURVIVAL?

Neutering status wasn’t significantly associated with survival after surgery. Tumor grade and size were more important predictors.

🔬 WHY MIGHT HORMONES MATTER?

S*x hormones influence immune function and development. Researchers propose that early hormone removal and changes in luteinizing hormone (LH) may play a role, but this remains unproven.

🐾 THE BIG TAKEAWAY

Preventing unwanted litters doesn’t always mean removing hormone-producing organs. It’s time for individualized conversations with veterinarians about WHEN and HOW we sterilize dogs.

📄 Download the FREE PDF with the latest research surrounding Spay & Neuter Syndrome. Link in comments!

10/09/2026

RED FLAG WORDS WHEN LOOKING FOR A DOG TRAINER: The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) published new guidelines about how to select a dog trainer this past August.

Included in this new publication are "red flag" terms dog owners/guardians need to know and listen/look for when selecting a dog trainer. I'd been thinking of writing a post with some "red flag" words, so I was glad to see the AVSAB was thinking the same and came out with this.

Meta won't let me post the link - go to the AVSAB website and look under the "Resources" tab and from there, and click on "Position Statements."

The "red flag" words include:

"Balanced training"
"Punish/'correct' unwanted behavior"
"Command"
"Respect"
"Obey"
"Boss"
"Alpha"
"Pack leader"
"Prong or shock collar"
"Dominance/submission"
"Spray bottle"
"Rattle can"

And more...

~ Cindy

10/09/2026

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