Your Inner Dog

12/15/2025

Winter can be confusing for blind and blind/deaf dogs ❄️🐾

This past week, we've had several snowstorms, and now we're getting slammed with below zero temperatures. I've had to make some adjustments to support my blind/deaf dogs, so I thought I'd write a blog post about why our blind dogs may struggle with snow and extreme cold weather, and how we can best support them.

Snow covers up the landmarks that our blind dogs use to navigate their yards. The ground feels the same everywhere, scents move differently, and even familiar spaces can suddenly feel disorienting.

This can lead to hesitation, wandering, slips, or dogs getting “lost” in their own fenced yards - especially during deep snow or intense cold.

I hope you're not dealing with this crazy amount of snow and cold, but if you are - this blog post can help! And if you're not yet ... it will give you some tips to be prepared for when you might need them.

👉 Read more here: https://www.yourinnerdog.com/post/helping-blind-dogs-navigate-snow-and-cold-safely

If winter has brought new challenges for your blind, deaf, or blind/deaf dog, I’m always happy to help, and I work virtually, so support is just a conversation away ... no need to go out in the snow and cold 😀

Knowing how to keep your blind dog safe when the weather changes is imperative to their safety. Help your blind dog navigate snow and cold weather easily with these tips and considerations.

12/13/2025

Are you finding it challenging this year to help your blind dog coexist with your Christmas tree?

Living with many blind dogs has taught me to be a bit creative with my trees. Some of my dogs have knocked the whole tree over! Others just bump into the tree enough to knock off my favorite ornaments, or to poke their eyes on the pine needles. Some have tried to open gifts that weren’t for them.

There were the alternatives of not having a tree or of putting the tree in another room and using a gate to prevent my blind dogs from getting into the room. But I enjoy having my dogs with me while I enjoy my Christmas tree.

So here are some of my tips. You’ll need to see what works best for you and your dogs. Each dog will need something a bit different to keep both them and the tree safe from harm.

With a dog that isn’t going to bother your gifts, but who bumps into the tree, you might find that piling some larger gifts around the base of the tree will provide a buffer, so your dog doesn’t poke her eyes on tree branches.

A dog that is very aware of texture and surface changes can be warned that they are getting near the tree by using a large textured tree skirt around the base of your tree. The skirt should poke out farther than the tree’s branches so your dog will have enough warning to stop or turn away before running into the tree.

You may decide to have a slightly smaller tree and place it up on a sturdy table. This will eliminate the chance of your dog bumping into the tree. Just make sure the table is sturdy in case your dog bumps into the table. Putting this table in a corner is also helpful to provide more stability.

One of my favorites is to use a small decorative fence around my Christmas tree. You can paint or decorate the fence to look festive, and you can choose how tall the fence needs to be based on your dog’s height. This will also prevent your dog from drinking water from below a live tree.

Do you have a different Christmas tree tip that you’d like to share? Please let me know in the comments your favorite way of keeping your dog and tree safe during the holiday season.

https://www.yourinnerdog.com/post/blind-dogs-christmas-tree-tips

12/01/2025

Did you know that socializing your puppy is not only about taking them out and about? A lot of positive, new experiences can be created for them right inside your own home!

Anything new gives you the opportunity to set up the situation so your puppy has a positive experience. Allowing your puppy all the time and space they need to explore and feel comfortable increases their confidence and leads to a well adjusted dog.

Nigel can be unsure about new experiences at first. Allowing him to approach when he's ready and have the space to move away is doing wonders for creating a braver, more confident puppy!

And, we can do this from home during a snowstorm. Tonight he explores a large wad of crumpled and rustling paper.

11/28/2025

Need a great gift for someone you know?

Dog professionals of all types LOVE continuing education materials! (Trainers, Sitters, Groomers, Vet Staff, Rescue/Shelters)

You can be sure your thoughtful gift will be remembered for years to come.

Through A Dark Silence: Loving and Living with Your Blind and Deaf Dog; and White Dog Blog - both by blind/deaf dog expert Debbie Bauer

Buy on amazon or through www.yourinnerdog.com

Thank you for supporting my small business as well this time of year

11/27/2025

I'm thankful for you! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families.

Thank you for supporting me and my small business through the years. I've enjoyed supporting you and your dogs, and I'm looking forward to lots more in the year to come.

11/24/2025

As you’re getting ready for Thanksgiving, you may want to make something special for your dog as well. What about creating a barkuterie board? It’s a nice way to give you dog a sampling of dog-safe foods, and include something new for them to try as well.

photo: Text - Make your dog a barkuterie board! Treat yourself. A list saying, foods shown: zucchini, apple, bone broth jerky, blueberries, green beans, freeze dried heart, carrots, dehydrated chicken jerky. Photo shows a small tan dog taking a bow looking up at a paw-shaped wooden board with the variety of foods on it. Text at bottom: healthy, dog-friendly foods only please. www.yourinnerdog.com

11/21/2025

A special coloring page for the kids (and kids at heart!). Vinny’s coloring page of Dog Needs - Vinny says dogs have many needs, just like you! When their needs are met, they are happy and healthy.

A family, a house, playtime, love, healthy food, safety, vet care, a bed and toys.

11/19/2025

With each new puppy that I raise, I find myself doing things differently and reflecting in new ways. As I learn and experience more, I bring new ideas and concepts to my ways of living with and working with dogs. It’s an ongoing evolution for me as a dog professional and as a dog parent.

I also find myself coming back to simplicity. Our puppies don’t need to learn everything all at once (more about this another time), and often I think we feel pressured to teach our puppies all the things within a small period of time. After all, just about everywhere we look, we are advised that there is only a certain window of time that we can take advantage of.

What are we to do? What are the most important things for us to teach our puppies? How do we fit these into those most important formative months?

I’m looking at these questions as I bring home my new puppy Nigel this month. How can we provide our puppies with the most fabulous foundation without overwhelming them, and us? What are the most important ideas and activities I can bring to my current puppy class clients?

I’ve come up with several things that I think are important puppy foundations. One of those is predictability.

When we learn what to expect based on our observations and experience, we are able to predict what is likely to happen. When we know what to expect will happen and we are relaxed about it, we feel safe and secure, and we can trust those around us.

I believe these things should always be predictable for our puppies:

💟 My person is always safe, and I can trust them all the time, in any situation or environment.

💟 My routine is predictable. I know my needs will be taken care of consistently and whenever I ask.

💟 I know what is going to happen. I have time to get myself ready and feel safe about it so I can choose to opt in.

These are the three most important concepts of predictability for Nigel to learn in his first month with me. I want to watch him blossoming into a happy, confident puppy who feels safe with me and with what’s happening around him.

He knows that I am always safe. He can come to me anytime he needs reassurance or support with something.

He knows the general routine here - that mealtimes, playtimes, naptimes and walks happen in the same general order daily. I don’t adhere to a super strict schedule, as I do think our dogs need to learn to be adaptable, but I do stick to the same general routine throughout our day.

I let Nigel know what is going to happen next, and I give him time to adjust and choose to participate. Whether I’m going to pick him up, play a game, put on a leash, or gently brush him - I want him to feel good about it and want to participate. This means I need to let him know first what is going to happen and then give him time to respond.

I’ve seen him responding so well to this and he’s learning quickly what to expect when he receives this information. All puppies can benefit from knowing what is coming next. Communicate often with your puppies in whatever way works best for them.

What are some more benefits that you can think of around creating predictability for our puppies and dogs?

11/17/2025

I’d like to introduce my newest family member - Nigel! He’s a bi-blue Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie) and he’s just the most adorable fluff ball I’ve seen in a long time

11/14/2025

Free e-book Your Blind & Deaf Dog: All You Need to Know to Get Started on the Right Path, by Deb Bauer, Blind and Deaf Dog Expert

https://uniquely-paws-able.teachable.com/p/blind-deaf-dog-ebook

11/12/2025

These photos are from the same dog. Before and after having the hair trimmed from the bottom of his paws.

In the photo on the left, you can see how long the hair had grown, and how much of the paw pads were covered by the hair. When a dog can’t get good traction on smooth floors, they can slip or have a harder time standing up when they’ve been lying down.

Unfortunately, many of our homes and other places that we take dogs have these smooth and slick floors. Slipping on floors can cause a dog to scramble to keep their footing and this can lead to injuries. It can also lead to dogs having anxiety or avoiding walking on certain surfaces altogether.

Dogs that are losing their vision use the pads of their feet to receive information about different surfaces and terrain. This helps them to navigate safely and know where they are going.

Using a small electric hair clipper can be a quick and easy way to keep your dog’s paw pads hair free. Introduce this to your dog gradually and in a way that encourages their cooperation. Use lots of tasty treats to help your dog learn that the clipper is safe and leads to good things.

If you need any help in teaching your dog to accept paw hair trimming, I’m happy to help. Simply comment below or send me a private message and we can get started.

11/10/2025

This month in the Uniquely Paws-Able Member’s Group, we’re continuing our series on Scentwork - its benefits, a variety of scent-based activities, and how to use Scentwork in a variety of daily situations to increase confidence and comfort levels, and to encourage calm contented behaviors. The perfect solution for all of our human holiday plans - a calm, contented dog!

If you’re curious and would like to join us, the UP Member’s Group is specifically for anyone living with a dog with visual and/or hearing differences. This is why our group is so unique and supportive - everyone understands what you’re going through. Everyone is there to support you.

We have a private FB community only for Members, two live calls each month, and fun activities, enrichment, and challenges to help us teach our dogs new things. Come join us! We can’t wait to welcome you!

https://uniquely-paws-able.teachable.com/p/exclusive-up-membership-package

Photo: on dark greenish background. Text says: What our members have to say. “This group helps me keep focused on working with my blind/deaf dog in a way that is tailored to her needs and abilities. The other members understand how it is having a blind/deaf dog. It is a safe place to ask questions and feel supported. This group is very educational and informative!” UP Member living with blind/deaf dog. Dogs with sensory differences can learn good manners, fun tricks, and even participate in dog sports activities! They can live full and extraordinary lives. Join us! Find out more www.yourinnerdog.com There is a group of red hearts and a 5-star rating on the graphic.