Downward Dog Canine Transformation

Downward Dog Canine Transformation Downward Dog Canine rehabs dog behavior and transforms the human/dog relationship by teaching humans how to communicate effectively with dogs & get results

Downward Dog Canine Transformation offers the only dog behavior service of its kind in the Louisville area. The Downward Dog approach is based on the application of dog psychology to rehabilitate canine behavior issues and challenges. The foundation of the dog psychology approach rests in the belief that dogs are happier and healthier when humans learn to understand and communicate with them as do

gs, rather than as humans. And when behavior issues arise with a dog, the key to unlocking those challenges can be best resolved through an understanding of how the dog relates to the world around him. Downward Dog focuses on the training or rehabilitation of dogs, while training humans in the process. This is different than traditional training. Traditional obedience training is based on the goal of having the dog perform a behavior in response to a command. This may be achieved with the use of physical and sound reinforcement, leash training, treats, clickers, and a variety of tools and strategies. Obedience training is a terrific thing for any dog owner and their dogs and it serves as an effective compliment to psychology-based rehabilitation. Obedience training is not, however, necessary as a pre-requisite to the application of psychology-based training or rehabilitation. The Downward Dog services are a home based. Problem behavior in the home is best assessed in the home where multiple influences (human, dog, environmental, etc.) can be observed. The goal is to identify the behavior(s) that the client wishes to change, identify the source of the behavior, and determine the human, canine and environmental adjustments that need to take place. Regardless of the specific issue(s) and training or rehabilitation plan, every dog needs a home that provides him/her with meaningful exercise, structure, and affection – in that order. What that looks like varies from home to home and dog to dog.

Samson is ready to find his forever family!! Please share and let me know if you have any questions about this special ...
04/11/2025

Samson is ready to find his forever family!! Please share and let me know if you have any questions about this special boy! He is an absolute doll!

04/01/2025

Samson update. He’s great! Still working on what I’m calling “displaced dominance” and that may take a while. But everything else is a cake walk with this cutie.

What’s “displaced dominance”? In Samson’s case, when he gets excited, which is common b/c he’s a playful and social guy with my dogs, he redirects & attacks the leash when he’s on one. When he’s not on leash, he redirects on the nearest human, which is always me right now. n When Sam first arrived, his redirect on humans took the form of hu***ng and biting, but he is dialing down as time goes by and he gets a correction from me every time he does it. Now he jumps and snaps/bites without trying to hump. It’s a journey, but we’re on our way.

It is not often that I get to work with a client who weighs less than 5lbs, but Biscuit is here and we love this little ...
03/30/2025

It is not often that I get to work with a client who weighs less than 5lbs, but Biscuit is here and we love this little dude. Many folks have asked, “What training could that itty bitty cutie pie possibly need?” Biscuit doesn’t need obedience training or behavior modification. His momma called b/c after having him for 6 mos, he was still afraid to come out of his crate or take a walk, among other basics. She felt like no matter what she did, she could not make a connection with Biscuit b/c he was shut down. Biscuit came to his momma from a rescue who took him from a puppy mill situation.

Dogs who come out of puppy mill hell very often have no experience with the world beyond their cage. When they find themselves out of a crate, among humans, surrounded by the enormity of the world and its endless sensory experiences, they often shut down and/or retreat and hide. They are overwhelmed and frightened and have no experience or reference that will help them feel safe or secure. As a result, it becomes very difficult for humans to build a bond or to help the dog adapt to the world and find peace and joy in a normal life. Thankfully, Biscuit’s momma is focused on how to help the little boy feel safer, happier and more peaceful in the hope that one day she can build a bond that will allow her to give him the best life possible. She doesn’t care what it takes.

My preferred strategy when helping a dog like Biscuit who has zero experience in the world is to surround him with dogs who who are pretty easy going and can create a role model and safety net dynamic. Dogs from puppy mills and other sh*tty breeding operations are often comfortable or good with dogs, as is Biscuit. In these cases, dogs may offer the only comfort the dog knows, other than a crate. Also, dogs do not coddle one another or feed fear and insecurity. They just go about their business and share their happy and confident energy (the right dogs). Fortunately, my 3 personal dogs are a great fit for Biscuit and he loves them. It took a few days, but being with my dogs brought Biscuit out of his shell and he gradually started to follow the pack through their daily routine. We shut his crate door so that retreat and hide was not an option. During his first week, we asked nothing of Biscuit except that he be with us and the dogs. As we begin week 2, we begin asking more of the little guy. He will start following the pack on a leash walk and begin exploring the world beyond his already bigger zone of comfort. When the walk is smooth, we will had out into the larger world with field trips and human socialization. Here we go . . .

Sometimes it really does take a village and we need a village now. This pretty girl is Luna. She’s around a year old a...
03/23/2025

Sometimes it really does take a village and we need a village now.

This pretty girl is Luna. She’s around a year old and she and her 2 littermate brothers and 3 other pitbull types (total of 6 dogs) are temporarily living in an enclosed porch/fenced yard with their owners, who are unhoused adults. A Good Samaritan has opened her back porch and yard to the family while they work to get on their feet.

The six dogs include the parents of Luna’s litter and another dog, along with Luna and her brothers. 4 males & 2 females and nobody is spayed or neutered. They’ve been saving money to get into the SNIP Clinic, but that’s been slow. I was asked if I could help, especially with rehoming Luna & her brothers.

When I went to meet the pack, it was overwhelming. The older dogs are suspicious and unwelcoming of strangers. Luna and her siblings are afraid of strangers and take flight. But the most immediate issue was that Luna is in heat and had an injured leg. I took her at that moment to get her out of there and brought her to my house: I called PBSF Rescue to beg for help.

PBSF has already vetted Luna and her leg will be fine. She has pain meds, she’s HW - and she had a clear f***l. So she’s in good shape. The next step is to get her spayed asap so that she can safely return to her family until we can find foster homes. She will stay with me & Deb until that time. In the meantime, PBSF is in the process of expediting and covering the cost to get the rest of the dogs into SNIP.

Thanks to PBSF, all of these dogs will soon be vetted, altered and vaccinated so that everyone can be healthy and nobody will breed. HERE’S WHERE THE VILLAGE COMES IN . . .

Luna’s owners know that they cannot move forward with 6 dogs and they also know that Luna & her brothers are the best options to re-home. While they are under-socialized and fearful, they are good with dogs and no threat to humans. We are looking for foster homes for these three youngsters AND hoping to find a trainer or two who would volunteer to help me help the dogs adapt to being in homes and moving through the world.

Please share far & wide and message me or comment if you or someone you know can help. Many thanks!

Running errands on a rainy day with my main man. Sam Sam loves a car ride. He’s going to make someone a fantastic side...
03/23/2025

Running errands on a rainy day with my main man. Sam Sam loves a car ride. He’s going to make someone a fantastic sidekick someday!

Look who just had his special bath to soothe his itchy skin! The best bath boy, Sam Sam!! He is so good during his bat...
03/21/2025

Look who just had his special bath to soothe his itchy skin! The best bath boy, Sam Sam!! He is so good during his bath and feels frisky when it’s over! Two baths per week to treat his demodex and Sam looks better and feels better with every splash!

I have the honor of getting to work with the very special Samson from PBSF Rescue (Pitbulls of St. Francis). Thanks to ...
03/18/2025

I have the honor of getting to work with the very special Samson from PBSF Rescue (Pitbulls of St. Francis). Thanks to LMAS & PBSF, Samson survived against all odds. He was a medical mess who required 2 blood transfusions, in addition to alot of other emergency care. As you can see in the pic, he is still recovering from severe demodex mange. His paws are still sore and swollen, but he wobbles around like a champ and he is as sweet as a boy can be.

For now, we’re mostly a foster home. But as “Sam Sam” continues to recover and show us the full range of his personality, we must address his fierce and combative hu***ng habit with humans. By that I mean that Sam will suddenly have an energetic explosion during which he jumps on the human, bites (no intent to harm, but harmful), and grabs/chases the human with a passion. It sounds sort of funny, until you witness it or are the target of it. He could really hurt someone. The good news is that Sam has not been neutered yet b/c the vet prefers that his mange improves more. We HOPE that a neuter will help dial Sam down, but I rarely see a neuter fix everything.

Interestingly, Sam will respect any dog who responds to his advances with a growl. But he takes a human’s direction as a challenge and will ramp up if not physically stopped with a leash or other restraint. He’s an unusual dude and I can’t wait to help him overcome his hu***ng fever.

This is what a successful socialization exercise looks like for an insecure and dog-reactive dog. The little black/whit...
03/12/2025

This is what a successful socialization exercise looks like for an insecure and dog-reactive dog. The little black/white guy is Charlie and he is nervous & unsure around dogs, which leads to reactivity and unfriendly responses when he is near another dog. The big fella is Kyle and he has never met a stranger - dog or human. . He’s friendly and easy going so he was a great choice to help Charlie.

Our goal for this exercise was to help Charlie experience a feeling of safety and relaxation near another dog. We are not trying to get Charlie to play. That requires trust and comfort. At this early stage, we just want to start alleviating his stress and uncertainty around dogs. Kyle helped give Charlie a great first experience. Now we will expand to other dogs and different energies. The journey begins . . . .

Have you always wanted a Frenchie? Daisy is about 3yrs and is looking for a home. She’s in Louisville. Message me to ...
02/14/2025

Have you always wanted a Frenchie? Daisy is about 3yrs and is looking for a home. She’s in Louisville. Message me to be connected with my friend who is looking for a home for Daisy.

ATTENTION LOVERS OF BIG DOGS . . . The ultimate family dog is about to be available for adoption!!!! Denver seems to b...
02/06/2025

ATTENTION LOVERS OF BIG DOGS . . . The ultimate family dog is about to be available for adoption!!!! Denver seems to be a Greyhound, maybe Plott hound mix and, while his build is sleek, he’s easily 80lbs.

Denver is a giant lap dog. His favorite activity is hugs from humans and he is gentle with kids of all sizes. He is playful with dogs and would make a great pal for another playful pup. He’s an LMAS foster dog and his foster mom can tell you how wonderfully he has done with her big boy dog and her little human girl. A total doll baby. His foster mom is my client and I concur on his wonderfulness!!

Message me with interest or questions, or to set up a meeting with this big cuddle bug.

When you’re as cute as Bow, sometimes you can get away with shenanigans. But when those shenanigans include resource gu...
02/03/2025

When you’re as cute as Bow, sometimes you can get away with shenanigans. But when those shenanigans include resource guarding around your canine sister, it’s not cute.

Bow was recently adopted from our local shelter and he is dog-friendly. But days after joining his forever family, Bow started guarding almost everything with his canine sister, Arrow. He guarded dog bowls, areas where human food was present, dog toys, kid toys (3 y/o human in the home), his crate and more. He was attacking Arrow when she entered many spaces.

Our initial session focused on helping Bow’s mom & dad better understand why Bow is resource guarding AND what he needs from humans to live past that behavior.

For starters, when I met Bow, he had been with his new family for less than a week. He had not had time to decompress and adjust, nor had his family had time to establish the structure & routine that every new dog needs to feel safe and settled. In addition, Bow came from a neglect situation that left him frequently roaming the streets. So, he spent his days in some degree of survival mode.

So, what does Bow need from his humans to get past his guarding behavior? Here are the highlights:

1. Time & patience to allow Bow to settle & decompress;
2. Routine & structure established in the home to create predictability and comfort for Bow;
3. Humans must learn how to communicate “ownership” of food, items, spaces, etc. in order to give Bow the clarity & leadership he needs to let go of his need to claim everything. (See “Owning” videos on the Resources page of my website: https://downwarddogcanine.com/resources/)

01/21/2025

I’m a big believer that that the best tools for your dog are the tools that work best for your dog. While I tend to not be a fan of harnesses, some dogs excel on a harness and small breeds (& others) have sensitive tracheas and cannot have pressure on their throats. The gentle leader/Halti head harnesses are game changers for many dogs, but some dogs can never adapt to them. Other dogs are just fine on regular flat collars. And still other dogs do really well on a prong collar. It’s all about using a tool properly and finding the one that resonates with your pup.

Case in point. . . Archie. I posted this young boy when my friend found him stray a few weeks ago. Happily, Archie found the perfect home and now his mom & dad are working on leash manners with him. Archie is a puller and an over-excited greeter/passer. We need to help him find some calm while on leash. As with many dogs, a regular flat collar put too much pressure on his throat and caused coughing, and trachea stress. That experience only excites the brain more in a nervous way. On a harness (a no pull model), Archie pulled and put pressure on chest & torso, which triggered even more pulling. And he could not tolerate a gentle leader and having something on his snout. But the prong collar is his jam. When used properly, the prong gets the dog’s attention before he fully engages in pulling, preventing pressure on the throat and disrupting fixation and over-excitement before it escalates.

The key to using a prong collar is recognizing that the collar alone does nothing. It does not create discomfort and is barely noticeable if you don’t learn to “tap” it properly. Also, the prong should not be used in a punitive or heavy-handed way. Pain or discomfort are not part of the proper prong usage: the key is timing and learning to tap on the prong when that cue will have the most relevance and then to support the prong cue with clear direction. See this Archie video for example.

01/06/2025

Who wants a very good boy to join their family?? See comments for still shots. Archie is around 5 mos old and was abandoned and rescued by my neighbor friend. She had him vetted and vaccinated and he’s in great shape. Planning to neuter him soon. Please share Archie and help us find the home he deserves.

Indiana/KYIt’s hard to imagine that this sweet and handsome old guy has been in boarding (with a rescue) for 8 years. H...
12/23/2024

Indiana/KY
It’s hard to imagine that this sweet and handsome old guy has been in boarding (with a rescue) for 8 years. He still waits for a real home. When the rescue got Dutch he was around 1yr old and had no social skills with dogs. He also had the ability to climb fences and escape yards, so adoption for this handsome Dutch Shepard mix was challenging. As time passed, folks learned that he does well with female dogs. And, as he got older and bigger (he’s 70lbs), his fence climbing days ended. So now this 9 year old huggy bear just became a resident at the boarding facility, but he deserves a home and a family of his own.

Dutch is great with people and good with female dogs. Cats are unknown, but not recommended. Male dogs are not Dutch’s cup of tea.

The rescue is looking for a long term foster home or an adopter for sweet Dutch.

Please share Dutch and contact me with questions or to be connected to Dutch and the rescue.

Oh, baby Archie!! This little fella was found stray by my neighbor-friend last night. No chip, no tags and no “lost do...
12/16/2024

Oh, baby Archie!! This little fella was found stray by my neighbor-friend last night. No chip, no tags and no “lost dog” posts. We’re pretty sure that someone dumped this little boy in our neighborhood. He is sweet as can be. Just a baby, maybe 3 - 4 mos. We’re hustling to find Archie a foster home b/c my neighbors lease prohibits dogs.

Please share Archie and hit me up if you or anyone you know can take him for a bit while we get him vetted and find him the home he deserves. He loves kids and dogs.

Look at this little dude! Harper is 11yrs old and he was just surrendered by his owner because her job now 50% travel a...
12/10/2024

Look at this little dude! Harper is 11yrs old and he was just surrendered by his owner because her job now 50% travel and she has no help caring for him. Breaks my heart. 11yrs old.

If you or anyone you know has a love of Boston Terriers or just a place in your heart for a sweet old boy, contact me and I’ll put you in touch with Harper’s foster mom. I believe that he’s good with dogs and cats.

Please share.

Wanna hear the happiest holiday story of the year!!The girls have been adopted!!!! Their new momma, Cathy, just welcome...
12/08/2024

Wanna hear the happiest holiday story of the year!!

The girls have been adopted!!!! Their new momma, Cathy, just welcomed the girls to their new home today and they are settling in beautifully. Even their new kitty sister seems to be happy to have them.

Thank you to everyone who shared the girls. And, especially, thank you to Cathy!!!

Have you, or anyone you know, wished that you could find a dog who is calm, easy, and good with dogs, cats and everyone ...
12/03/2024

Have you, or anyone you know, wished that you could find a dog who is calm, easy, and good with dogs, cats and everyone else?? Have you been hoping to find a dog who is absolutely serene who loves nothing more than to lay around, take leisurely walks and get some lovin? The only thing better than finding that dog is finding her in duplicate. You have to meet Rhonda & Ellie!!!!

Rhonda (top) is around 6yrs and Ellie is around 3yrs. They might be mom & daughter. They are very bonded after having been on their own for quite some time. They came to me somewhat ferile, but now enjoy living in a home, walking calmly around the neighborhood, and accepting affection from humans. They are terrific with our dogs and so calm and agreeable that they are the easiest fosters we’ve had.

The girls need to stay together, but that just doubles the goodness. They are both happiest when laying around, napping, taking slow easy walks and staring lovingly at you. They are still getting used to some of the sounds and commotion of the world and they need calm leadership to help them move through new experiences, but they will follow you anywhere you ask.

For more info, message me. Please share the girls everywhere. Thanks!

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112 Sea Oats Drive
Emerald Isle, NC
28594

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+15029092759

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Downward Dog Canine Transformation offers the only dog behavior service of its kind in the Crystal Coast area. The Downward Dog approach is based on the application of dog psychology to rehabilitate canine behavior issues and challenges. The foundation of the dog psychology approach rests in the belief that dogs are happier and healthier when humans learn to understand and communicate with them as dogs, rather than as humans. And when behavior issues arise with a dog, the key to unlocking those challenges can be best resolved through an understanding of how the dog relates to the world around him. Downward Dog focuses on the training or rehabilitation of dogs, while training humans in the process. This is different than traditional training. Traditional obedience training is based on the goal of having the dog perform a behavior in response to a command. This may be achieved with the use of physical and sound reinforcement, leash training, treats, clickers, and a variety of tools and strategies. Obedience training is a terrific thing for any dog owner and their dogs and it serves as an effective compliment to psychology-based rehabilitation. Obedience training is not, however, necessary as a pre-requisite to the application of psychology-based training or rehabilitation. The Downward Dog services are a home based. Problem behavior in the home is best assessed in the home where multiple influences (human, dog, environmental, etc.) can be observed. The goal is to identify the behavior(s) that the client wishes to change, identify the source of the behavior, and determine the human, canine and environmental adjustments that need to take place. Regardless of the specific issue(s) and training or rehabilitation plan, every dog needs a home that provides him/her with meaningful exercise, structure, and affection – in that order. What that looks like varies from home to home and dog to dog.