Train and Simple Dog Behaviour Consulting

09/18/2025

This also applies to slow progress or unexpected regression in baby dogs!!!

Baby Rory has been a little cranky lately. At 13 weeks, I can expect her to start losing baby teeth, so some discomfort is to be expected. She still has all of hers, for now. She’s been biting, vocalizing, and avoiding pottying when asked. She had previously been super duper reliable.

We also just started training on a potty patch for the backyard. Because the fake turf is a little different than real grass, it’s often hard to coax out the first couple of potties on it. Substrate preference can take over quickly in puppies, which is why it’s so important to prevent pottying inside on rugs and furniture! In this case, it should have helped Rory by making the potty patch more and more appealing. I expected her to start seeking out the potty patch after about 3 potties on the new surface.

That didn’t happen! We ended up in a potty standoff. I first blamed myself; sometimes it’s too cold and we go inside right after potty, or sometimes I have other plans for us, so we go straight inside first. However, I have reason to believe in my training plan. It’s worked many times before, with multiple species. Besides, if it’s too cold for Rory, she WANTS to go inside! If I have other plans, those plans are always pretty fun. There had to be some other problem.

I put away the potty station for a while, but found that the reluctance had generalized to potty in other places, too. Sure enough, by last night, she had some redness and a tiny, tiny suggestion of discharge, so we dropped off a urine sample today. She has a urinary tract infection.

It would be shaky logic to have guessed that my puppy had a specific medical problem based on one or two behavioural signs with other plausible explanations, but cranky, increasingly vocal, and potty-avoidant behaviour were a red flag for *something*. I’m glad I was watching for the first physical signs so I could get her treated right away!

Inappropriate elimination (house soiling) in adult dogs. This comes up pretty frequently even among pro trainers. I’m on a “behaviour is a medical issue” tear (for the past several years and foreseeable future) so you’re welcome, or sorry, or whatever. I posted this in a group earlier, but it might help to make it public.

• “Ruled out a UTI” does not mean that house soiling is not medical. In-house tests are limited at most veterinary clinics. Sterile samples can produce different results than free catch samples.

• “Didn’t find crystals” does not mean that house soiling is not medical. Diagnostic imaging may not help visualize small crystals. Large crystals may not be possible to sample with sterile draw or free catch.

• “Already on pain management” does not mean that house soiling is not medical. Pain management does not eliminate pain and does not prevent breakthrough or new pain. Doses get missed. Low doses may not be effective. High doses may cause painful side effects. Certain drugs may not target the right systems to relieve the pain.

• “Always potties fine on a walk” does not mean that house soiling is not medical. Physical activity stimulates elimination; eventually, the dog will have to go. Elimination can facilitate escape from painful activities, like walks. Or obedience. Or barn hunt. Or whatever.

• “Only started after [life event]” does not mean that house soiling is not medical. Medical problems do not wait for a good time. Humans are superstitious.

If you didn’t do or see something happen to your dog that would obviously relate to their elimination behaviour, like getting shocked or attacked while peeing outside, please don’t assume that it’s behavioural.

Feeling really freakin’ inspired by a client who informed their vet, assessed their dog’s medication schedule, AND used management strategies to contain accidents until we could discuss the behaviour, instead of focusing on changing the behaviour itself. The behaviour resolved without my help and they now recognize it as a sign of discomfort.

Included is a photo of someone who doesn’t like to call them “accidents”. [Image: Close up photo of Greta the border collie giving side eye.]

09/04/2025

“I’m not tired, you’re tired” – Rory 😤

Puppies need so much sleep! A regular nap routine can help you with potty training, learning and making memories, and reducing puppy biting.

Puppies also need management. Management in the form of safe confinement can prevent accidents like foreign body ingestion, exposure to chemicals, or potty mistakes while your puppy isn’t supervised.

Rory was introduced to exercise pens and crates early in life with her breeder, but separation is still new to her. By using some of her naps to practice separation and confinement, we can ease the transition.

I’m hopeful that crating will rarely be needed at home once Rory is grown up. Even so, since Rory will travel and visit vets and groomers throughout her life, I want her to be comfortable with crating for up to a few hours at a time. Ideally, those hours should be spent sleeping comfortably, not confined while awake and wired!

I’m crating Rory differently than I have crated any dog before her. She’s starting right next to me on the couch, in a big, fluffy nest. It’s more cozy inside the crate than outside, and I’m not asking her to settle when she’s not ready. 💕

What’s one piece of advice you’d give yourself if you were crate training again?

09/03/2025

Expectation ➡️ Reality

Rory reminds me that we’re all doing our best and being as patient as we reasonably can be. There’s always a limit! Even though Rory sometimes bites, like most puppies, she doesn’t actually set out to snark at me or hurt me. She’s just over her limit.

Rory spent the first 9 weeks of her life with her littermates and her breeder’s other lovely dogs. She spent the following week with a variety of other socially sound dogs of different ages and behaviour styles. With all that experience in keeping playmates, I know that when she bites, it isn’t because she’s playing too rough.

Puppy biting often happens in predictable contexts, and it seems to resolve or may even be prevented when needs are met. If you want to teach your puppy not to bite, then they need other ways to have their needs met.

In my experience so far, puppy biting is a sign of overwhelm or frustration. It’s wildly inefficient to try to punish it (even with time outs) without preventing it! Worse, it’s cruel to tease them into biting when what they need is gentle caring.

If your puppy is acting like a total hooligan all of a sudden, ask yourself if they may need:

🍽️ Food
🌵 Water
🚽 Potty
🛏️ Rest
🥏 More activity
🧩 Less activity
💡 Clearer instructions

Your puppy probably isn’t a “mini malinois,” and neither is mine. They’re tired, confused, or asking for help. It’s your job to make sure they get what they need.

Pic 1: Rory the puppy posing nicely for a photo
Pic 2: Rory pouncing on my bare hand about 1 second later

08/08/2025

😍🥹 WOW!!! 😭🩵 I’m not crying, you’re crying… This is the kind of review that keeps a trainer going!! (text below)

Last night was our final Scent Skills 101 tutorial for the summer session. I was SO impressed by my students. Their participation far exceeded my expectations. Engaged, optimistic, and curious students make teaching feel like the easiest job in the world. Reviewing video is so much more fun when we do it together!

While I’m not currently offering in-person training, I am feeling blessed to be able to do some of what I love with people who love it, too.

Congratulations to all my students and their dogs!! Thanks for being brave in sharing your work to help us all learn together. I will definitely run online scent class again!

📝 Testimonial from Britt Howell, Scent Skills 101 student:

“Scent Skills 101 is a perfect course for everyone, whether you’re looking to sharpen foundations for sport or like me, just looking to learn about a new activity to do at home.

The course is full of information and the homework assignments are fun for you and your dog. Really loved using food as the search target because it’s something the dogs already know to sniff out, and then you can just do all the learning about what things like sourcing or discriminating even mean. (But if you already have experience, target odors can also be used!).

Activities can be adapted to your dog’s needs which was exactly what I needed this summer. Also get ready to geek out during video reviews. Kate breaks down body language in easy to understand terms. Honestly the best class I’ve taken!”

🥲 Thank you Britt for these kind words and your permission to share them. Testimonials are one of the best ways to support a small business like mine!

08/07/2025

HRM locals, sign up for puppy classes! You only get one shot at a well-socialized puppy. Make it count!

**AUGUST CLASSES**

Hey Folks! We have several classes starting in August that still have space available! Whether you have a baby puppy, teenager, or an adult dog, there is a little something for everyone! Follow these links for class schedules:

Puppy Socialization: https://sublimecanine.ca/puppy-socialization

Puppy Basic Life Skills: https://sublimecanine.ca/puppy-basic-life-skills

All Ages Basic Life Skills: https://sublimecanine.ca/all-age-basic-life-skills

Online Trick Class: https://sublimecanine.ca/online-classes

08/01/2025

👾 There are a couple of seats left in my online Rewards Workshop for August! 🦄

This three-week workshop will focus entirely on rewards! We’ll address concepts like reward value, variety, placement, timing, and delivery style. These skills apply to any context in which you use rewards. Husbandry, sports, trick training, and lifestyle maintenance.

This workshop is for people with:
• “Distracted” dogs
• “Low drive” dogs
• Pet dogs
• Sport dogs (especially first-timers!)
• Baby dogs
• Teen dogs
• Dogs who are really good perfect baby angels, and you just know you could have an even better relationship with tidier reward mechanics!!

❓ What is the lesson format?
Written, drawn, and video instructions.

❓ Are there meetings?
Each week for three weeks, I’ll introduce new topics and exercises.

❓ How long will I have to finish the lessons?
❗️ Access to materials does not expire. Old recordings will be replaced with new ones each time I run the class.

Sometimes, “be more interesting than the distraction” just doesn’t cut it. You need more effective, engaging ways to communicate with your dog.

When: Saturday August 9, 16, and 23 at 2 pm Atlantic Time (GMT-3)
Where: Online via trainsimple.dog
How much: $99 CAD or ~$72 USD (as of August 1, 2025)
What you need: Yourself, a video camera, and an internet connection. Dog encouraged, but not required.

To ensure everyone gets ample time for personalized feedback, working spots are limited!

Sign up at trainsimple.dog/courses or the link in my bio

08/01/2025

We love Puzzle Dog’s sensory room!! New dates for the fall:

Sensory Room season is getting closer and I can't wait to see your wonderful dog explore the room!

Here is the schedule (Nova Scotia, Canada):
- Saturday September 20th - Avonport
- Sunday October 12th - Timberlea
- Sunday October 19th - Amherst
- Saturday November 1st - Nine Mile River
- Saturday November 15th - Avonport

How does a Sensory Room session look? 🐾

If you’ve been thinking about booking a Sensory Room session with me, here’s what you get:
✔️ A calm, one-on-one experience; no other dogs, no distractions
✔️ Multisensory exploration: tastes, textures, scents, sounds, and sights
✔️ Custom adjustments for your dog’s comfort and need. No pressure, just freedom to be a dog

It’s perfect for all dogs, and extra special for sensitive, senior, or reactive dogs who benefit from a peaceful space to explore and move with confidence.

Spaces are limited, so if this sounds like a good fit, reach out to book your spot!

07/31/2025

If your dog trainer says your dog looks calm, you should ask if they can help you see what they see. Can they use objective terms, so you could identify “calmness” in the future?

Observations are objective if I could look at your dog, and you could look at your dog, and somebody could walk in off the street and look at your dog, and we’d all use the same words.

Think, tension, angle, shape. Are the teeth showing? How many? Where are their ears now, and where do they usually sit? How quickly are they breathing or panting? How much white can you see in their eyes? Are their legs near their body, or stretched out? Is their tongue floppy or fighting gravity?

If your trainer can’t tell you what they see, you can ask about specific body language that you notice. They should be able to explain it.

Behavior suppression is not behavior modification.

This is one that's hard for clients to grasp, considering the TV entertainers who claim that the ultimate goal is to have a “calm” dog.

Think about it: do you want a dog who is "calm" and subservient or one who is happy and joyful?

Read more: https://rescuedbytraining.com/2025/07/28/a-calm-dog-isnt-the-goal/

12/16/2024

It’s been a wonderful year with my wonderful clients. Happy holidays to all the dogs in the Know!!

12/13/2024

I’ve taken this course and I’ll be taking it again! I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to gain confidence and skills in writing, whether it be about dogs or anything else. Eileen is a competent and accommodating teacher. I really cannot say enough good about this mentorship!

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Add this mentorship to your wishlist 🎁. You'll help your loved ones better understand your passions and interests and each time you apply what they’ve learned, you'll think of them.

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https://learning.iaabcfoundation.org/en/lms/courses/writing-mentorship