Polite Paws

06/14/2026

06/04/2026

People often say a dog’s reaction came “out of nowhere,” but dogs usually give us plenty of warning through their body language.

Learning to recognize those signals can help you understand when a dog is feeling overwhelmed and needs support before a situation escalates.

Mr. Moose is a great example—what signs do you notice?

06/03/2026

Some people feel a little uncomfortable about using a muzzle on their dog, but it can be one of the most responsible things you do.

A muzzle not only helps keep everyone safe, it can also create space and reduce pressure for your dog while they learn to make better choices.

In this video, Lucy is wearing a muzzle at the beginning of our walk to help protect River while we work through some challenges. The best part? Lucy made such great choices around passing dogs and with River right beside her that before long, I was able to take it off.

We’ve only been working with Lucy for just over a week through her dog social, and I’m so proud of the progress she’s made. Today’s downtown walk was supper awesome 🐾❤️

05/27/2026

This dog is a constant entertainment. Love this little guy.

05/19/2026

Working with Gryph at the park 

This sweet boy is such a lovely guy. Because of a lack of socialization — and living with another reactive dog — Gryph has started to become a little over-aroused around approaching dogs.

In this clip, you’ll see Kylie give a quick correction simply by turning her leg into him as he starts to get excited about my approach with Blue. The correction is quick, gentle, and effective, helping interrupt the loading process and bring Gryph back into a more neutral state of mind.

There are lots of ways to work with a dog who’s starting to fixate, but this is one technique we find works really well — especially for dogs like Gryph who aren’t  going into the red zone. Sometimes you just need to interrupt the thought process early and help guide them back into a calmer, more thoughtful state where positive reinforcement can happen.

Gryph really is a great guy, and lowering those excitement levels helps him get into a much better energy state where he can comfortably exist around other dogs… and even start making friends 

05/15/2026

In-home fighting can be a real issue for people living with multiple dogs. Structure and clear boundaries go a long way when managing pack dynamics.

A lot of problems happen during moments of high excitement and arousal — people coming home, leaving the house, dogs chasing, playing, or humans getting overly excited in the home. These are the moments where dogs can get themselves into trouble.

Even within my own pack, when we play fetch, every dog has their own toy and they know not to go after each other’s. This helps prevent accidents and keeps anybody from getting frustrated in an overly aroused state.

My dogs also love playing together and having high-energy play sessions. Those are important and healthy dynamics too. But even in play, you can sometimes see dogs getting too wound up.

The truth is, some dogs can play together for hours with no issues at all, while others shift into a more corrective state as soon as the energy gets too high. Learn to recognize those moments and step in to help the dogs by adding some boundaries and structure.

Doing that can help prevent situations from escalating into fights.

05/08/2026

Congratulations to our graduation class. We’ve really enjoyed having you guys train with us.

05/06/2026

Not every dog you meet wants to be petted—and that’s okay.

Before reaching out, take a moment to observe the dog’s body language. A loose, wiggly posture, soft eyes, and interest in you usually mean they’re open to interaction. A stiff body, turning away, tucked tail, or avoidance are signs they’d prefer space.

Some dogs enjoy a quick hello and a scratch. Others are more focused on their environment (or snacks on the ground). And some may feel uncomfortable with strangers approaching at all.

A good rule: pause, give the dog a moment, and let them choose to come to you. Keep movements calm and avoid reaching over their head.

Respecting what the dog is communicating helps keep everyone safe—and builds more positive experiences for dogs who may be unsure.

05/04/2026

It’s that exciting time of year again! and we’re thrilled to share that we’ve been nominated for Best of Kelowna 2026!

We’re so grateful to be recognized, and even more thankful for the amazing community that continues to trust us with their dog training journey. Being part of your lives (and your dog’s lives!) means everything to us.

If you’d like to show your support, give this post a like, share it with friends, and head over to the Best of Kelowna website to vote for us. We appreciate you more than you know! 🐾

https://bestof.kelownanow.com/

01/14/2026

Meet Copper
Copper recently joined us for our behavioral board & train program. While he lives peacefully with another dog at home, socializing with new dogs outside the house has been a big challenge. Over-arousal and reactivity made it hard for his family to help him feel calm and confident out on walks and have made it impossible to be around other dogs.

This week marks Copper’s second week of training, and today was a big milestone—his first structured introduction to my dogs. We’re taking things slow, building trust, and teaching Copper that he can be social without fear or big reactions.

We still have a long road ahead, but this was a huge first step and an excellent start to his social journey.