There For You Dog Training

07/31/2026

Today with Roo we're talking about giving ear medication! The allergies have been crazy recently, and her ears had gotten irritated, so we were prescribed an ointment to give twice a day for a week. So, let's talk about how this is getting done!

You always want to try and train for these things before they happen, training while needing to get it done doesn't usually work out well. Roo and I had already heavily trained the chin rest onto the bandana long before this. When she puts her chin on the bandana, this is her way of being able to tell me she is consenting to whatever it is we're about to do. If she lifts her head up, that is her asking me to stop. Giving dogs this autonomy actually helps them tolerate tasks better because they know they can trust us to stop if they are really having a hard time, so it's easier to push through. If you've ever gone to the dentist and they told you "Raise your hand if you need a break", you know that sense of relief you get knowing you have some control over things, and it makes the procedure easier to tolerate.

We had also started training me handling her ears before this, though admittedly not as much as I would have liked before this problem came up. We unfortunately had not done any practice with anything going into her ear before this, which did make this harder.

Before touching her ear I say the word "hand." This was something also previously practiced. This let's her know I'm about to touch her, which helps lower the chances of being startled if she doesn't see my hands coming towards her.

I start with a couple practice runs of touching her ear and putting the medication tube in her ear as well (without applying anything) to help prepare her for the medication. Each time I touch her ear and she remains in place I let her know she did a good job and a reward is coming with our marker word "Yip", and then reward her and wait to see if she opts back in.

As I am actually medicating her you can see she's not loving it, and even starts to opt out by lifting her chin off the bandana. Luckily at that moment I had finished applying the medication and removed it from her ear. I more heavily reward her for allowing me to do an uncomfortable thing.

Despite the fact she didn't love this, she was able to tolerate it without any prior practice of applying something in her ears, all thanks to our foundation training, and she even opts back in to continue on.

06/06/2026

Today with Roo, we are demonstrating not only impulse control, but waiting to be released before we are allowed to walk out a door. This important skill can help prevent your dog from running out your door if it's accidentally left open.
It can be hard to see, but in this video I am throwing Roo's food all over the back yard for her to sniff out before releasing her.

06/04/2026

Happy Pride month everyone! Roo and I wanted to show our support in a more fun way by revealing a colorful friend I had the pleasure of drawing recently as a commission for someone.
We are a safe place for everyone, no matter what. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤎🤍

05/22/2026

My own dog, Roo, gets very fearful when people try to put a hand out to her. Before I let anyone interact with her, I advocate for her and go over her "Roo Rules" which include not putting their hands out, not staring directly at her, and not learning over her. For not only Roo, but many dogs, these behaviors from us can make them very nervous and potential feel the need to ask for space in loud ways like biting.
Don't be afraid to advocate for your dog and let people know how they prefer to interact before allowing them to do so.

Let’s talk about the “magica hand.”

Well meaning people reach out their hand so a dog can sniff and make friends. For some dogs, that is fine. For others, it is the fastest way to get bitten.

A reaching hand can:
• Feel invasive
• Reduce distance
• Corner the dog
• Predict restraint

Some dogs have learned that biting makes the hand go away quickly.

A better option:
Allow the dog to approach if they choose.
Ignore them until they initiate affiliative behavior.
Watch body language carefully.

And if:
🚫 You are unsure about what you are seeing
🚫 There is a bite history
🚫 Handling is not necessary

Walking away is the safest choice.

Preventing bites is often about reducing unnecessary pressure.


Dog Illustrations by The Drawables, Owned By: Liz V.

05/09/2026

I'm here at Mountain Pet Rescue Asheville adoption event at Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Center from 12-3pm with some fun activities and treats! Come by and potentially meet your new furry family member 💜

05/07/2026

Understanding aggression means understanding build-up. Aggression isn’t random. It isn’t “out of nowhere.” And it usually isn’t about a single moment.

Imagine aggression like an explosion. Two elements are required:
🛢️ The fuel tank
🔥 The match

The fuel tank is everything that builds over time:
• Chronic pain
• Sleep disruption
• Environmental stress
• Medical changes
• Hormonal shifts
• Hunger or thirst
• Loud noises (thunder, fireworks, construction, etc)
• Changes in routine
• Lack of exercise/enrichment
• Owner’s emotional state

The match is the immediate trigger:
• A stranger entering the home
• A hand reaching toward food
• A dog approaching too quickly
• A collar grab

The match matters.

But without fuel, there is seldom an explosion.

If we only focus on the moment of the outburst, we stay reactive. If we reduce the fuel and manage the matches, we prevent the explosion. And if we help the dog feel safe, we make explosions less likely to happen, even when a match is lit.

This framework is one of the foundations we teach inside the Aggression in Dogs Master Course because prevention starts long before the bite.

04/15/2026