How Starting a Gratitude Practice Can Enhance Your Life

How Starting a Gratitude Practice Can Enhance Your Life

You might think that starting a gratitude practice can be time-consuming or involve something special like sitting on a fancy cushion or meditating. But really, for us dog owners, it can be as simple as taking the time to notice and be grateful for that wonderful connection between you and your dog. Being grateful for […]

How a Troubled Rescue Dog Became a Brilliant Partner

How a Troubled Rescue Dog Became a Brilliant Partner

Sue is a professional dog trainer, so she has a lot of experience dealing with and training difficult dogs. However, nothing could have prepared her for the battle that Charlie would bring to her and her family. Sue rescued Charlie and it wasn’t long before she suspected that he was very different from other dogs […]

Why Dog Moms are Natural Mothers

Unconditional Love is Not Contingent Upon Behavior

In its purest form, unconditional love is not contingent upon your dog’s behavior. Yes, you might get frustrated or even angry when your dog misbehaves, but you don’t stop loving them because of it. There’s a reason why I call myself and you guys ‘dog moms’, it’s because you are, in a sense, your dog’s […]

Why Your Dog “Forgets” their Training During Walks

Why Your Dog “Forgets” their Training During Walks

Walking your dog around the house or garden is one thing. Transitioning those skills to places outside of those areas is an entirely different story and often, the perfect recipe for disaster. After weeks or even months of practicing with your dog, it can be really disappointing when everything you’ve been training for goes out […]

The Biggest Myth in Dog Training

The Biggest Myth in Dog Training

Is training really the best solution for a misbehaving dog? Or, is it the one thing that’s making the problem worse? There is a huge myth surrounding dog training. If you ask me, believing in this myth and assuming that training is the solution for a naughty dog or a dog who just won’t listen, […]

The Power of Intentional Breathing to Calm You and Your Dog

The power of intentional breathing to calm you and your dog

If you’re feeling a little stressed lately, you’re not alone. The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has changed the way we live our lives and will likely continue to do so for a while yet. Considering it’s a worldwide pandemic at this stage, you’re forgiven for feeling anxious, stressed, frustrated, or worried! As you can probably guess, […]

How to Avoid Frustration with Unwanted Behavior

How to avoid frustration with unwanted behavior

Have you ever been snuggled up with your dog with a cup of hot cocoa in one hand, the other gently resting on your dog’s back when BAM! There’s a knock on the door, your dog jumps up, knocks the mug out of your hand, and barks hysterically at the unknown caller? Now you’re furious […]

Rehabbing An ‘Untrainable’ Rescue Dog

Rehabbing an untrainable rescue dog

How can you train an “untrainable” dog? Do such dogs even exist? Many clients have come to me over the years with claims that their dogs are out of control and untrainable. Usually, they’re at the end of their tether both emotionally and physically. Dogs described as “untrainable” are not “bad dogs.” They may be […]

It’s Your Choice – Transactional vs Relational

It's your choice - transactional vs relational

Do you have a transactional or a relational lifestyle with your dog? And…is one better than the other? If you’re scratching your head (and your dog is doing the same) – don’t worry, I’m going to explain all of this further as we go. But first, let me grab my white lab coat and talk […]

One of my most painful mistakes and what I learned

Kathy Kawalec's Haley

If you’re anything like me and most of my students and clients, your dog is a core part of your life…and you do, or would like to do, lots of fun things with your dog. You dream of enjoying the benefits of having a happy, friendly dog in your life…a dog that you can take […]

Confession #2: How I Taught My Dog to Run Away When I Called

This is #2 in a series: “Dirty Secrets Revealed: Confessions of a Professional Dog Trainer”. You won’t want to miss Confession #1, “How I taught my dog to pee in the house”. Love at first sight. I vividly remember the day I first met Haley. I was at the Quarter Horse Congress in Ohio and […]

Dirty Secrets Revealed: Confessions of a Professional Dog Trainer

Sue at 5 weeks old.

Or: How I (almost) Wrecked My Dogs… There’s one thing that I’ve learned from all of my years of living with and training dogs that stands head and shoulders above the rest: If you don’t have a good sense of humor, you might as well just throw in the towel and live a boring and […]