Dogs are smarter than we give them credit for. They can experience something so impactful that it only takes a single time for them to understand that the experience is something to be avoided or scared of. This is called single-event learning (sometimes called a one-time learning event), and it's more common in dogs than you might think. If you have ever trained your dog, you know that usually, it would take many repetitions for your dog to understand the consequences of certain events or actions. However, single-event learning can be so frightening (or in some cases, pleasant) that your dog develops an avoidance, fear, or phobia with a single exposure. Keep reading to learn more about how single-event learning works and what you can do to help your scared dog.

It can be heartbreaking to see your dog cower in fear or tremble with anxiety. Maybe you just adopted a new dog and they aren’t as outgoing as you hoped. Or maybe your shy dog has always been a little more reserved than others. Regardless of the reason for your dog's fearfulness, there are things you can do to help ease their anxiety and make them feel more comfortable in their home environment. Here are five things you can do if you find yourself living with a fearful, shy, or anxious dog.

If you are holding onto your dog’s leash for dear life on every walk because your dog tends to bark, lunge, or growl at each passerby, your dog could be displaying leash reactivity. This can make daily tasks like exercising your dog; or taking your dog to potty nearly impossible and oftentimes, embarrassing. However, people rarely know that there are actually two emotional states that can cause this behavior and it doesn’t always mean that their dog is a truly aggressive dog. This blog post will discuss two types of leash reactivity, frustration-based reactivity, and fear-based reactivity, and their differences.

If your dog is exhibiting aggressive behaviors that aren’t improving with training, you may be wondering if behavioral euthanasia is the right choice. It's a difficult decision to make, but it's important to remember that you are not alone. Many dog owners have found themselves in the same situation, and there is no easy answer. In this blog post, we'll explore the topic of behavioral euthanasia in dogs and offer some guidance on when it may be the right choice.

Owning an aggressive dog can be a life-changing experience. A dog owner can quickly go from being the central hub for their entire family at Thanksgiving to never having anyone enter their home because they fear what their dog might do. Oftentimes, when a dog exhibits aggression, dog owners start to think euthanasia might be their only option after training technique after training technique fails. Before making this difficult and painful choice, it is important to gather information from a professional dog behavior consultant (we are quite different from dog trainers!) about your dog's behavior.

If you're a dog owner, you know that there are a lot of different services out there purporting to help with your furry friend. But how do you know which one is right for you and your dog? In this blog post, we'll be discussing the difference between dog training and dog behavior consulting, and outlining when you might need each service.

Often when dog owners come in for training, they immediately expect us trainers and behavior consultants to judge them.

They will say things like:

"My dog sleeps on the bed. I know he isn't 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥 to, but..."

"Sometimes I give my dog a treat just to give them a treat. I don't make them do anything to earn it. I know I am not 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥 to, but..."