I was SO TRIGGER-STACKED, I felt nauseous! And it made me realize something important about reactive dogs. Have you ever had one of those days when everything seems manageable until ONE MORE THING happens? Suddenly, you’re overwhelmed, frustrated, or ready to lose it. That’s trigger stacking. And it happens to dogs, too. Trigger stacking in dogs occurs when stress accumulates
My four-year-old grandson, Joey, loves Matchbox cars. And not just playing with them. He loves racing them! One beautiful fall day, Joey and I headed to the park. What started as a fun afternoon with my grandson got me thinking about something important in the lives of our dogs. How much say do our dogs actually have in their own
If you have a reactive dog, you’ve probably asked yourself some version of this question: “What did I do wrong?” Maybe your dog barks, lunges at other dogs, loses her mind when someone comes to the door, and reacts to people, bicycles, cars, trucks or seemingly nothing at all. And if you’re like most owners of reactive dogs, you’ve probably
If you’ve searched how to fix dog reactivity, you’ve probably tried a lot already: more socialization, more obedience classes, maybe even a stern correction or two when your dog lunges at another dog or person. And yet here you are, still Googling “how to fix dog reactivity”, or watching hours of YouTube videos. It’s not because you’ve failed. It’s because
If you are reading this, chances are you have reached your limit. There is so much barking; At the window, in the yard, in the car, even at things you cannot see or hear. You love your dog — but the noise is relentless, and nothing you have tried has made the barking stop. Figuring out how to stop my
If you share your home with more than one dog, you have probably asked yourself some version of this question: how do I stop my dogs from fighting? Maybe you have already witnessed a fight — the shock of it, the helplessness, the guilt afterward. Or maybe things feel tense between your dogs and you are waiting for something to
If you have a reactive dog, you already know the feeling. The moment another dog appears on the street, your dog transforms. Lunging, barking, pulling with everything he has — and there you are, red-faced, gripping the leash, apologizing to strangers, wondering what you did wrong. So what is a reactive dog, exactly? The simple answer is a dog whose
If you’ve ever been on the other end of the leash when your dog explodes at another dog — lunging, barking, pulling with everything he has — you know the feeling. The embarrassment. The helplessness. The quiet dread every time you see another dog turn the corner. Understanding how to stop a dog lunging at other dogs starts with something
If you’ve been Googling how to raise a confident, friendly dog, you’ve probably run into the same advice everywhere: take your puppy to the park, bring them to pet stores, ask strangers to hand them treats. The best way to socialize a puppy, according to most of the internet, is to expose them to as many people, places, and experiences
You’ve been told your dog is aggressive. Maybe by a trainer, maybe by a vet, maybe by the look on your neighbor’s face after a walk that didn’t go well. And now you’re carrying that word around — aggressive — trying to figure out what to do with it. Treatment for dog aggression isn’t simple. I want to start by
You’ve done the obedience classes. Maybe more than once. Your dog can sit, stay, and shake a paw — at home, on a good day, with no distractions. But the moment another dog appears on the other side of the street, or a visitor walks through your front door, it’s like none of it ever happened. I want you to
After 30 years of working with reactive dogs and the people who love them, there is one thing I hear more than almost anything else: “But he was fine. He wasn’t barking or growling or anything.” And then — an explosion out of nowhere. Here’s what I want you to know: it was never out of nowhere. Your dog was
You’ve done the obedience classes. You have watched hundreds of hours of YouTube videos. You’ve crossed the street so many times you’ve forgotten what a straight line is. And your dog is still lunging, barking, and pulling toward every dog or person or both who crosses your path. It isn’t because you’ve failed. It’s because most reactive-dog advice solves the
If you live with a reactive dog, barking can feel relentless. Your dog barks at noises outside the window. They bark when someone walks past the house. They bark on walks when another dog appears. They may even bark the moment they sense something before you do. Over time, this can become exhausting. Many owners feel frustrated, embarrassed, and constantly
You live with your dog, and you love them. And yet daily life with them can feel frustrating and unpredictable. Walks feel less enjoyable and more like risk management. A knock at the door or a package being delivered sends your dog into a frenzy of barking. In your home you may find yourself constantly adjusting doors, windows, and blinds
Food aggression in dogs can be alarming. A dog may growl when someone approaches their food bowl, stiffen when another dog comes near, or even snap when someone reaches toward their food. When this happens, many owners worry that their dog has suddenly become aggressive. In reality, food aggression in dogs is a form of resource guarding. Understanding why this
If you’re searching for how to calm a reactive dog, you’re probably feeling exhausted, discouraged, and unsure what advice to trust anymore. You may have been told to: 🔘 Socialize your dog more🔘 Train harder🔘 Expose them to triggers until they “get used to it.” And yet, instead of calming down, your dog’s reactions feel bigger, faster, and harder to
If your dog barks, lunges, growls, or completely loses control on leash, you’re not alone. Leash reactivity is one of the most common reasons dog owners feel confused, embarrassed, and unsure of what to do next. Walks that should be calming become stressful. You start scanning the horizon for other dogs while you brace yourself every time someone turns the
Aggressive behavior in dogs can be frustrating and confusing for many dog owners. A dog may growl, snap, lunge, or bark intensely at people, other dogs, or even family members. When this happens, owners often feel embarrassed, worried, or unsure what to do next. But aggressive behavior rarely appears without reason. Understanding what drives these behaviors is the first step
Whether your goal is competing in dog sports or simply having a dog who greets visitors politely at the front door, it helps to understand how dogs learn. Dogs are learning all the time. Not just during formal training sessions, but during everyday life with you. When you understand how dogs learn, you can begin to guide behavior intentionally. Instead
Few things alarm new puppy owners more than aggressive puppy biting. Your sweet little fluff ball suddenly clamps down on your hand or grabs at your pant leg. And you start wondering: Is this normal?Is my puppy aggressive?Do I need aggressive puppy training already? Let’s take a breath. Most puppies are not truly aggressive. In rare cases, they can be.
If you’re searching for obedience training for aggressive dogs, you’re probably hoping for one thing above all else. Safety. You want your dog to stop reacting, feel manageable on walks, and get along with other dogs. Obedience training is often presented as the solution. Teach your dog to sit, stay, heel, and leave it, and the aggression will fade. Sometimes
If you’re searching for how to stop reactive barking, you’ve likely tried a lot two or more of the following: You’ve repeated “quiet.” You feel so frustrated, you may have even yelled at your dog (it’s ok, you are human and it’s so FRUSTRATING!). You may have tried a shock collar, and keep your blinds drawn to avoid the barking.
The Real Issue With Doggy Daycare for Reactive Dogs (It’s Not Just “Too Many Dogs”) Most dogs can tolerate short bursts of stress. Crowded spaces.Noise.Social pressure. Changes in their routines. Humans manage these situations because we understand time. We know when it will end. Dogs don’t. Dogs live in the moment. When stimulation is constant, their nervous systems stay activated
If you’re searching for how to socialize a reactive dog, you’re likely being told the same well-meaning advice over and over again: more exposure, more outings, more dogs, more people. However, this advice is not only misleading—it often makes things worse. Most reactive dogs are not lacking social skills. Instead, they are overwhelmed, emotionally dysregulated, and stuck in survival mode.
If you love a leash reactive dog, walks can feel exhausting before they even begin. For example, you scan ahead for other dogs, rehearse escape routes, tighten the leash. You firmly say, “With me” or “Leave it.” Yet, all to no avail. As a result,you are feeling embarrassed and confused regarding your dog’s behavior. In most cases, owners in
If you have a reactive dog, chances are you’ve been told—by trainers, veterinarians, strangers on the street, or even well-meaning friends—that you are the problem. You didn’t train enough, socialize enough, even that you spoiled your dog. But what if the person best equipped to help your reactive dog… is already right there holding the leash? This is the part
by Denise Mazzola, CPDT – KA Is there a second dog in your future? When is the best time? Have you watched the Secret Life of Elephants on National Geographic? It’s an incredible show that underscores the importance of generational learning. Elephants live in Matriarchal family units where information about survival is passed down from generation to generation. Most human
by Denise Mazzola, CPDT – KA “Our dogs are not broken. Dog Training is a broken and an outdated concept for helping modern dogs & their families.” – Kim Brophey, author of Meet Your Dog. I couldn’t agree with her more. There are more dog behavior problems in the 21st century than ever before. And there are even more dog
by Denise Mazzola, CPDT – KA Does it ever feel like your dog just won’t stop barking? Maybe you feel like she has supersonic hearing, barking constantly at noises you can’t even hear. She’s always at the door or windows, or running along the fence outside and making a racket. Even when you know what your dog is barking at,
If you live with a reactive dog, learning how to read dog body language is one of the most important skills you can develop. Because barking, growling, lunging, and snapping do not happen out of nowhere. They happen after your dog has already tried to communicate, quietly. As a professional dog trainer for over 30 years, I observe behavior constantly.
What is a Reactive Dog? Reactive is a term used to describe a dog who overreacts to the sight or sound of a specific trigger. The reaction may include barking, growling, snarling, lunging, spinning or some combination of these behaviors in response to seeing a trigger like another dog, a person, a bicycle, a child, etc. The reaction is usually
Teaching your dog to come when called is one of the most valuable skills you can teach your dog. Given that our 21st-century dogs are living in captivity, a reliable recall allows your dog to enjoy more freedom, autonomy, and allows them to simply be a dog, sniffing, running, and rolling. Whether you’re hiking on trails, visiting the beach, or
An Effective and Humane Way to Change Behavior Our training focuses primarily on teaching dogs what we want them to do. We work to place heavy value on sits, downs, stays, come when called and other behaviors we want the dog to perform reliably. There are instances where ignoring a behavior we don’t like will reduce and eliminate that behavior,
Is Your Dog’s Barking Driving You Crazy? Read On! We are often asked by clients, “How do I stop my dog from barking?” Interestingly, people who cannot tolerate barking tend to have dogs that bark, a lot. Seems counterintuitive doesn’t it? The fact of the matter is, from the dog’s perspective, barking is often reinforced by the person who hates
Give Your Dog a Safe Space of Her Own What is a Crate? A crate can be made of plastic or wire, and can be purchased at almost any pet supply store. Size is important; your dog’s crate should be just large enough for your dog to lie down comfortably, fully stand up and turn around. You can make the
The First Week with Your New Dog Congratulations on your new dog! We’ve put together some helpful tips to get you and your new best friend started off on the right foot together. Keep in mind that the transition into a new home is potentially stressful for any dog, so keep the environment quiet and predictable for your new pet
Keep Your Puppy and Your Belongings Safe What is Long-Term Confinement? Long-term confinement is a strategy for confining your puppy when you will be away for longer than she can be crated for. See the guidelines for ages and crating times here. This type of confinement prevents destructive chewing and potty accidents, provides boundaries, and teaches your puppy that alone
Give Your Puppy a Safe Place of His Own What is a Crate? A crate can be made of plastic or wire, and can be purchased at almost any pet supply store. The crate should be just large enough for your puppy to lie down comfortably, stand up fully and turn around. Size is important; if the crate is too
A Few Weeks of Work for Long-Term Success The Key is to Limit Her Space The most efficient way to house train your puppy is to limit her space using an appropriately sized crate, 6-foot leash, or a small area of confinement in your home. By limiting your puppy’s space, not only will you drastically reduce the number of accidents
Don’t Miss This Time Sensitive Opportunity Teaching your puppy the world is safe prevents problems in the future. What is Socialization? Socialization is the developmental process whereby puppies familiarize themselves with their constantly changing surroundings. It is how they work out what is safe and good as opposed to what is dangerous and not-so-good. Having a puppy who has been
A Dog is a Friend for Life; Choose Accordingly! We don’t get to pick our family members. You are born into a family unit with all the history, traditions, warts and all. Even our life partners are selected, carefully (hopefully). We watch for red flags, such as abuse or alcoholism, (being dramatic to make a point.) We hope to find
by Denise Mazzola, CPDT – KA Five Sanity Saving Tips to Make the Holidays Happier For You & Your Dog The holidays are upon us. It’s a time filled with of love, joy and peace, yet it can be a very stressful time for everyone including our pets. With house cleaning, gift buying, wrapping, food shopping, the in-laws, small
by Denise Mazzola, CPDT – KA Exercise is so important for our dogs and also for us. There is very little that can replace a good romp through the woods or chasing a ball in the back yard. Dog’s need the large muscle movements. If you live in the northeast you know all too well how cold it can get
by Denise Mazzola, CPDT – KA Please keep the leash loose, please. Today on my early morning run, I saw a woman who was walking her dog on the trail. I was running with, Frankie, he was loose, dragging his leash so I could get him quickly if needed, well, that was the plan. He torpedoed past me in route
by Denise Mazzola, CPDT – KA Resource Guarding is the ultimate culture clash between dogs and humans. In the world of survival of the fittest, she who gets the best bed and the most food wins by living, by surviving to pass on her genes. After all, reproducing and passing on genetics is the purpose of life. However, living with
by Denise Mazzola, CPDT – KA So many times we want the quick-fix. How many advertisements are there for weight loss magic, just take this pill or avoid a certain food. Need to stop cigarette smoking? Use the patch, want your children to behave, plop them in front of a video game, you get the idea. There is no magic
by Denise Mazzola, CPDT-KA When Should I Start Training My Puppy? Recently I’ve had several phone calls from new puppy owners asking when they should begin training their puppy. The conversation is full of how wonderful the puppy is, how cute and friendly. These puppy owners emphasized that there are no behavior problems. My response is always: “begin training now!”
by Denise Mazzola, CPDT-KA I think the question I get asked the most is, “how long do I need to use treats?” and my answer, “how long do you want to get paid for working?” Humans are stingy. Scientists have shown that humans are hardwired to remember the negative. When we were dragging clubs and slaying dinosaurs, we needed to
by Denise Mazzola, CPDT – KA Have you ever been to a party with too many people? It’s only tolerable because you are there for two to three hours. It’s a huge relief when you get home, take your shoes off and stretch out on your couch. When was the last time you flew? Talk about crowded. Flying from Boston
Double the Trouble when you adopt or purchase two dogs.
by Denise Mazzola, CPDT – KA I have worked with hundreds of family’s and their dogs, maybe even thousands of rowdy, barky, peeing in the house, run away dogs, but surprisingly, the most challenging dogs I’ve worked with are the shy, fearful ones. These are the puppies that were curled up in the corner when the family went to select
by Denise Mazzola, CPDT-KA Thor is 13 years young. He’s a yellow lab that has been with me since he was a puppy. He is what we call my heart dog. My daughters all grew up with him, playing, running, chasing tennis balls, hiking together and vacationing together. Thor and I have earned numerous titles in Rally Obedience. He’s slowing
Published on the Ledger Transcript (http://www.ledgertranscript.com) Why I Love The Underdog By Denise Mazzola, CPDT-KA Monday, November 4, 2013 (Published in Print: Tuesday, November 5, 2013) Looking back on my life, I’ve always rooted for the underdog, literally. As a high school student, I would take the city bus downtown to volunteer at the local shelter. Stray dogs found their
Published on the Ledger Transcript (http://www.ledgertranscript.com) Tips on Raising Behaviorally Healthy Dogs By Denise Mazzola, CPDT-KA Monday, October 21, 2013 (Published in Print: Tuesday, October 22, 2013) Physically healthy means keeping the body healthy. It means the same for our dogs. Living in the Northeast means living with mosquitoes, so we give our dogs’ a monthly heartworm preventative. As puppies,
Published on the Ledger Transcript (http://www.ledgertranscript.com) Dogs Have No Remorse By Denise Mazzola, CPDT-KA Monday, September 30, 2013 (Published in Print: Tuesday, October 1, 2013) Being a professional dog trainer, I should know better than to expect a dog to show remorse. I think I’ve shared that Jubilee, as well-trained as she is and having won numerous awards and titles,
Published on the Ledger Transcript (http://www.ledgertranscript.com) Concept versus Context: When it Comes to Dogs By Denise Mazzola, CPDT-KA Friday, August 30, 2013 (Published in Print: Tuesday, September 3, 2013) Every year, I work with hundreds of people and their dogs. When I ask them what behaviors their dogs know, they proudly list them: sit, down, paw, the other paw, stay
Published on the Ledger Transcript (http://www.ledgertranscript.com) Pet Corner: Why Training, Structure and Rules are Important By Denise Mazzola, CPDT-KA Monday, April 22, 2013 (Published in print: Tuesday, April 23, 2013) How and why are training, structure and rules important to a dog’s health and well-being? We love our dogs. We love them so much, that we
by Denise Mazzola, CPDT-KA He’s being dominate. Don’t let your dog out the door first, she’s dominating you. She never comes to me when I call, she’s being dominate. Sound familiar? I’ll be honest here, I cringe at the word dominant. It’s misused; especially by some well liked, commercially popular dog trainers. It’s over used and gives dogs a
By Denise Mazzola, CPDT-KA Monday, July 1, 2013 (Published in the Ledger-Transcript: Tuesday, July 2, 2013) In the more than 20 years that I’ve been training dogs and people, I’ve never once met a dog that was stupid. No, not possible. Dogs are simple creatures, determining minute by minute what is in their own best interest. Most dogs,
by Denise Mazzola, CPDT-KA Motivation and Your Dog When you touch the hot stove as a child, or as an adult, it is usually so painful, so aversive, that you avoid touching it again. That is motivation to avoid the unpleasant feeling. If you’re like me and have gotten a two hundred dollar speeding ticket you pay attention to
How to Stop Reactivity Without More Socialization, Obedience Training, or Expensive Boot Camps.
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