Dog Obedience by Gina, LLC

05/30/2026

While the first 3 domains focus largely on the inputs that influence welfare, the Fourth Domain also asks us to look at behavior itself as evidence of welfare.

In other words:
▪ Is this animal doing what they would naturally be doing if captivity were not preventing it?
▪ Are the behavioral interactions this dog is having with the environment, other dogs, & people reflective of their natural history, behavioral ecology, & natural motivations?
▪ What does that actually LOOK like in dogs?
▪ How can we effectively support natural canine behavior when, as an industry, we have barely identified which natural behaviors dogs need to express for good welfare in the first place?

Worse still, many of the natural behaviors dogs are most motivated to perform have been mislabeled as “behavior problems” when expressed in modern pet environments.

Too often, our efforts have focused on suppressing these behaviors rather than understanding what they were for in the first place or why they are important now.

We were never taught to see many of these behaviors as welfare needs.
But animal welfare science is changing that.

We now have the frameworks, principles, & evidence to begin flipping the script on canine behavior entirely.

Not by creating less dogness in the name of “good” behavior.
Not by shaping unnatural performances.

But by creating healthier, more complete expressions of true dogness.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be exploring these Behavioral Interactions.

We’ll discuss how to identify these behaviors & provide some hacks to support them appropriately in modern life.

Because the expression of natural behavior can be evidence that welfare needs are being met.

And their absence, as well as “behavior problems”, can be evidence that they are not.

This series will also pave the way for the public release of the complete Total Welfare Ethogram, & the Total Welfare client management and behavioral diversity tracking app this July.

We will be redefining our field - together - as welfare literate & competent professionals in 2026.

Whatever your next step is, get ready to take it.

The dogs are counting on us.


Images Commissioned By: Trick Woofs

05/29/2026

Deadly xylitol ☠️☠️☠️

Tonight I ended up trying to help a friend whose puppy ate a kid's vitamin containing xylitol. Simple accident: kid dropped vitamin, puppy scarfed it down. (Note: this household is knowledgeable and is xylitol free, but a relative bought the vitamins, unaware of the risk to the dogs.)

The puppy only ate *one* vitamin. Which turned out to contain 1500 mg of xylitol.

100 mg/kg is the threshold for hypoglycemia which can be fatal. At 500 mg/kg, hepatic necrosis occurs -- destruction of liver tissue.

So just ONE chewable vitamin ended up creating a serious problem for a 30 pound pup (which is not quite 14 kg).

The emergency vet induced vomiting. Thankfully, the puppy had had a meal and so there was food in her stomach. In the vomit was the orange tablet, identifiable though dissolved.

Quick thinking on the owner's part (including grabbing the bottle of vitamins) and fortunately a nearby 24/7 emergency vet hospital meant that this pup received prompt treatment, and should make a full recovery.

Check your medications, vitamins, gum, candy, toothpaste, mouthwash, peanut butter and more for xylitol, also known as birch sugar.

This is useful information to have on hand:
https://www.calculatorsfordogs.com/health-nutrition-calculators/xylitol-toxicity-calculator

ALWAYS contact vet and ASPCA Animal Poison Control center immediately!

As for everyone (the non-vets) recommending the use of hydrogen peroxide, please update your understanding:
https://www.gsvs.org/woodbridge-nj/blog/hydrogen-peroxide-for-dogs-emergency/

Pass this along. I hope you never have to use it.

05/21/2026

Below 57°F (14°C), heartworm transmission stops because mosquitoes cannot support larval development, meaning no infective stage is present. Yet many dogs in low-risk climates are still placed on year-round prevention regardless of actual exposure. This becomes even more important when you consider that resistance exists in certain regions and not all preventatives perform equally. Moxidectin-based products show about 97 to 100 percent effectiveness against resistant strains, while ivermectin products like Heartgard range from about 8 to 37 percent and milbemycin products like Interceptor from about 14 to 36 percent. This highlights that resistance is real but still regional, and that drug choice matters far more than most people realize. It also challenges the idea of a one-size-fits-all approach, since risk depends heavily on climate, mosquito season, and geography. At the same time, natural dewormers are not effective against heartworms because these are blood-borne parasites, not intestinal worms. A more accurate approach is a customized plan based on where a dog lives, their exposure risk, and local resistance patterns, rather than blindly following a universal year-round protocol.

Today we’re covering this quandary on our podcast and how to create a customized plan for your dog based on where you live. Some dogs need year round protection, some dogs need 3 months: knowing the specifics is crucial for protecting against this high risk disease and minimizing drug resistance.

Make sure to download the 60 page PDF before the podcast so you can follow along; we’re covering a lot of ground today!

👉 Comment SCOOPERS and we’ll send you the link to join our subscription group and watch today’s episode live on Facebook. When you subscribe to our community website, you’ll also get access to more than six years of past episodes, expert interviews, ebooks, and more.

05/21/2026

05/18/2026

05/16/2026

Have y’all met Bruce?

05/16/2026

MAISY!!! 💦

05/16/2026

Wow! We are fully booked for new clients through September!

A massive thank you to all of our amazing clients (and their wonderful pups)! Thanks to your incredible support, our training and boarding calendar is completely full through September 30th.

Our calendar for October and the upcoming holiday season is already starting to fill up. If you have fall travel or training goals in mind, reach out soon to secure your spot!

05/16/2026

Suggested neutering age for 40 breeds