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Summertime brings a lot of great things, but for many dogs, thunderstorms and fireworks aren’t included in that list. Noise sensitivity in our canine companions is really common and so it’s worthy of discussion here. First things first: when a dog hears those scary sounds, remember that their behavior is a result of their fear….

Summer is often when we spend the most time outdoors, but it can be a tricky time to keep a dog well exercised and stimulated when they overheat so easily. Often, the dogs get hot well before they get legitimately tired and this can lead to behavior problems when you bring those under-exercised dogs back…

  Lately, the internet is brimming with ideas for providing enrichment for our dogs. The trend towards finding ways of engaging and enriching our pets and other animals in captivity, like zoo animals, has been one of the best developments in recent history when it comes to animal care, in my opinion. That being said,…

Like most of you, I never thought we’d be here. And by here, I mean… home… quarantined and unsure of when this all will end. Over and over again we hear the words, “new normal”, but it certainly doesn’t feel normal to me yet. Still, it is becoming increasingly clear how many of our dogs…

Do you find that sometimes you struggle to get your dog to cooperate with what you have in mind? I’ve assembled five handling tricks that can make all the difference. Feed from the hand closest to your dog when walking or luring. Dogs are master observers and they notice every little thing we do with…

One of the best quotes in dog training, in my opinion, is the following from the fabulous Ken Ramirez: “Advanced training is just the basics done really, really, really well.” It is so easy to want to jump right into the difficult skills like advanced stays where you can leave the room or walk a…

You may have heard dog trainers say, “no retractable leashes,” as a part of the class rules. You may have even been to dog events with huge signs that state a similar ban. You might have wondered, why are retractable leashes the black sheep of the leash family? I’ll break it down here. 1.Retractable leashes…

Dogs love belly rubs, right? That’s what we all have been told. And it seems obvious when we see so many dogs flop onto their backs for us. The trouble is, that might not be what your dog is actually asking for. Let’s explore this tricky situation. It is important to note that a dog…

Offering your dog choice is becoming an important part of dog training and behavior modification. It might seem strange and counter-intuitive that giving your dogs more choices can lead to better behavior, but the benefits are becoming more and more clear. Giving your dog a choice doesn’t mean you let them do whatever they want….

One of the most common reasons I hear people say they are not crating their puppies or dogs is out of guilt. I’m told over and over how people feel like bad dog owners for putting their dog in a crate during short periods throughout the day. The thing I want to get through to…

For the past few years, I’ve compiled a list of products I think belong in dog owner’s homes. This year is no exception. I’ve put together a list of a few great products you should check out. Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, Heavenly Hounds…

  Imagine for a moment that nobody ever showed you how to go to the store and buy things. Do you think it would have ever occurred to you to try to exchange green paper for things that you needed? More likely, you would have tried to offer things that were natural to you or…