Serving Jamaica Plain, West Roxbury, and surrounding communities
info@sitprettydogtraining.com
Tips for Boston area dog owners
Recall is a behavior in which our dog comes to us when called. For example, our dog is chasing squirrels in the yard. We call out “HERE!” and our dog comes running back inside the house. Simple. As many of us have experienced, recall is anything but simple. We...
Before the curtain rises on scenes IV and V, take a moment to revisit scenes I–III—whether you’re catching up or just need a quick reminder of the play so far: Gideon as Sandy: A Recap — Act 1: Scenes I–III. Scene Four: Showbiz, Baby! Hooverville scene. Photo by...
This two-act, five-scene series is an attempt to capture my dog Gideon’s time as Sandy in Annie—from early prep through the full run of the show. What started as a training project with a very young adolescent dog quickly became a real-time lesson in behavior,...
You come home from work, exhausted and hungry. You prepare yourself a sandwich and place it on the counter. You turn your back and ‘poof’, your sandwich is gone! The counter shark has struck again! Dogs are opportunistic scavengers. If we leave temptation out, they...
It’s been more than three years since I had to navigate managing absences for a dog with separation anxiety while also trying to live my life—as a single person, in an expensive city (Boston!), with a job outside the house and my closest family several states away....
I recently took a call with a prospective client that brought me back to some of the most important words any of us can hear, especially when caring for a dog with behavior challenges: I support you. The emotions that come with loving a dog who struggles behaviorally...
Last year, Sit Pretty set a goal to publish 12 blogs, one each month. It mostly went well, but it was hard because writing regularly wasn’t yet part of our routine. We took turns writing, and I think we all genuinely enjoyed the process, but it was just hard to...
Before I became a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer (CSAT), I had been running long-distance races — half and full marathons — for almost 15 years. What I hadn’t anticipated when I started my journey to become a CSAT was how much I would draw from my experiences as...
As a dog owner and trainer, I rely on many different props and items as training tools for my clients and for myself. Over the years, I have tried many different products, and there are several that I regularly use myself and recommend to my clients. Sometimes, I have...
If your dog struggles with being left alone, you’re not alone. Separation anxiety can feel heartbreaking and overwhelming—for both you and your pup. The good news is that there are simple, gentle steps you can take today to begin building your dog’s comfort with alone...
Trigger warning: This blog talks in detail about behavioral euthanasia.
It’s time to talk about the caregiver toll of BE. BE happens, and it’s not a decision that anyone makes lightly. For those who are weighing or have made this impossible decision, I see you. You are not alone.
Ever wonder what your dog would choose to do if they could pick their own hobby? Many of us want to do more with our dogs. Luckily, there are a wide variety of dog sports now available ranging from very casual to full-on lifestyle. Dog sports are fun, structured...
I confess, I am the quintessential Type A personality. I like to work, have strong perfectionist tendencies, and possess impeccable planning skills (I love making lists and checking them off!). So, before I welcomed home my first dog, Cyrus, I made sure I had all of...
How many of us have eaten dirt while walking our dogs? Well, not literally. You are walking and suddenly your dog lunges to the end of the leash, and you are pulled to the ground. It’s always when we least expect it; we are picking up after our dog’s business,...
I’ve now house trained two species, so clearly, I’m an expert – except when it comes to small humans. I teach people how to house-train dogs, but do I teach human children? Not so much. Want some entertainment and thoughts about puppy training for human toddlers? Read...
If your dog struggles with separation anxiety, you might have been surprised to read or hear that the best practice for helping your dog overcome their fear of alone time is for training to happen remotely or, in other words, having a trainer come to you virtually....
My border collie Adélie has been dealing with some gastroenterologic and orthopedic health issues recently that require increased medical care. While we had gotten into a comfortable rhythm of cooperative care such as daily tooth brushing and regular nail trims, as...
Do you have the reactive dog owner sixth sense? You know, that ability to identify what your dog will bark at before they bark when you walk down the street. Maybe it’s the dog tags jingling at an incredible volume two streets over? Or, a flag blowing in the wind? Or,...
So, why did I become a CSAT? Because you deserve to get the right information first and the resources you need to best support you and your dog on your journey to resolution. Like most of life’s journeys there’s a much longer story behind the shortest version I can...
Proud to announce that I am now a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, a certification granted through the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. Excited to continue to offer dog training and behavior...
Is your dog making this face about all the fireworks and storms they've been hearing? Let's chat through a few tips for how to help with noise aversion prior to the big holiday weekend! Ellie doesn't really yell at fireworks. - Don't be afraid to comfort a scared dog....
We've had a series of scorchers! How do we enrich our dogs and keep them cool at the same time? Ice cube treats! Small ice cube treats are excellent to fill puzzle toys indoors. Bigger frozen ice treats can be a long-lasting enrichment activity for outdoors! I've...
My other favorite enrichment item to purchase - nylon chew toys! One company even stepped it up and made an option that you can fill with food. Make sure you choose a nylon chew that is appropriate for your dog's bite force; if they can take large chunks off it is not...
Splish splash, we're bobbing for treats. This is a great activity for warm days where you can play around with water outside. Be sure to let your dogs take turns if you have multiples and watch the amount of water they're ingesting. Also try this activity with toys in...
Why are all the humans covering half of their faces? If your dog is worried about you or other humans wearing masks, this video gives some ideas for how to work through it. Here are the steps: Step 1: Wearing a mask is good. Put your mask on, feed your dog a few high...
Let’s continue to work those noses! This time get your dog engaged in some snuffling for food. Dogs rooting for food with their noses is an excellent diffusing and calming behavior, it is also mentally tiring. I give an outdoor option, though you may want to wait...
What is your favorite dog toy to fill with food? I love the classic kong, and here I show you how I fill my kongs! Need a polite dog during an online meeting? Throw them a stuffed toy to reward them for patiently waiting on their bed. Stuffed toys are also a great...
This game is all about presenting soft foods in an interesting way. Does your dog like peanut butter, cream cheese, canned food? These foods are excellent for spreading on lick mats and bowls to give your dog a calming slow activity to enjoy. Use this as a reward for...
Raining, again! Don't put out that recycling quite yet, today we're using paper bags to enrich our dogs. Here I describe the first two levels of difficulty with this game, but the sky is the limit. You can stuff a bag with a longer lasting enrichment toy to make a...
Did you like 101 Things to do with a Box? Here is the continuation of that game! The sky is the limit with behaviors you can choose to teach your dog to do in, near, or with the box. Get creative and send me photos and videos of the results. Look back to the first...
Ever just want to throw a whole burrito to your dog and just have them leave you alone for a bit? Me too. Here is the enrichment equivalent (and we can save the burritos for ourselves). Tips at the end to build confidence with this game!
Got a muffin tin? Got a dog? Play along! This game is gaining popularity with bored dogs online right now, for good reason! It’s easy and we can make it as challenging as we’d like. Stay tuned for further ways to up the challenge! https://youtu.be/vQm46_HRR6s
Today our enrichment game involves some training! All you need is your dog, a box (bigger is better for this game, but cut down those sides to make it less tall), and some treats. I explain what to do if your dog acts like the box is lava, but remember that ANY...
We all need a laugh this weekend. We’ve played a rummage game and a tube search so far; now let’s enlist those shipping boxes we all have on hand. Feel free to rename this game - the more outlandish, the better! Stuffed box was the best I could come up with. But the...
Whoa, now it’s raining on top of all of this? Here is another enrichment game to keep you and your dog entertained. Reward your dog for giving you time to get work done by playing a great lunch time game. Today it’s tubes in a bowl, use any type of bowl for this, but...
In these changing times, I have a question for you. Are you and your dog bored? Let’s play some enrichment games! Enrichment is anything we can modify about an animal’s environment to allow them to express normal behaviors and challenge them in new ways. For our dogs,...