Sunny Paws Dog Training

10/27/2026

Some dogs are tethered to a kennel.
Others are tethered to our expectations.
And that tether is much harder to see.

They live inside our homes now.
They sleep on orthopaedic beds.
A few toys to play with. A wardrobe full of coats.
They are loved. Oh, how they are loved.

But a loved life is not always a lived life.

We shrink their world for convenience.
We want a dog that fits into our life,
not a life that stretches to fit a dog.

So before they even arrive, the plan is made.
They will be calm when people come over.
They will be fine with 10 minutes around the same block.
They won't complain when we skip it.
Five minutes of fetch while dinner cooks.
And they will be my loyal companion.

But what if who they are doesn't fit the plan?
What if they were bred to run for miles and we give them a block?
What if they were bred to use their nose, and we never give them anything worth sniffing?

So the cracks show.
The chewed rug.
The paint scratched off the wall.
Whining at the door.
Jumping all over guests because it's the most excitement they've had in 8 days.

And we call it misbehaviour.

So we train them harder.
Not to understand them better-
but to make them fit neatly again.
Calmer.
Quieter.
They need to accept this is the life we decided they should have.

After all, dogs are meant to be loyal companions.
We never stop to ask if we are being a loyal companion to them.

We look at photos of dogs chained to kennels and feel angry.
We all agree, that's no life for a dog.
We give ours a bed instead of a rag on the ground.
A beautiful home instead of a chain.
A couple of toys instead of dirt and twigs.
We just don't see that the chain can still be there

09/17/2026

Now will people actually respect these little guys?

Did your chihuahua's confidence ever seem a little too wild? Scientists now have an answer, thanks to a new study linking parts of their genetic makeup with those of coyotes: http://www.king5.com/article/life/pets/chihuahua-coyote-dna/507-c648c281-1400-4e8b-bd7a-d46259e0d2cc?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_KING_5

09/17/2026

What if I told you that having a well-adjusted puppy, who was pretty chill in almost every situation, didn’t require much training at all? What if I told you that simply building trust, creating a relationship, learning how to talk to your puppy, AND meeting their innate needs to dog could give you that adult dog you always dreamed of? It’s true. Yes, training matters and some IS needed, but there’s a much better, easier, and cheaper way to do this than focusing on protocols and chaotic puppy classes. Reach out if you’d like more information on how to help your puppy learn how to exist in our weird, noisy, and chaotic human world without spending months and buckets of money on boring and, at times, frustrating protocols.

09/10/2026

Truth.

09/03/2026

Dogs are not our minions. They are not robots. They do not need to be “obedient” at all times and it’s not fair for us to view them as good or bad based on our human perceptions and misconceptions. Let them dog! Watching a dog revel in being a dog brings me so much joy.

08/31/2026

We expect far too much.

Please be social and like people but not too social because jumping up is rude.

Please be energetic and want to go on walks with me but be able to calm down immediately afterwards.

Please be protective of me when I need it but not all the time.

Please tell me when someone is arriving or coming to the house but then calm down immediately so you don’t embarrass me.

Please hold your bathroom needs until I am able to let you out, even if that’s for hours, and make sure you only use this area.

Please be so loyal and devoted to me but not be anxious when I leave or am gone.

Please be playful but only when I want to as well and never play too rough.

Please be independent but immediately return to me if I need you.

Please ignore thousands of years of natural instincts because we live inside now.

Please let me touch your stuff and your body and your food at any given moment and not have a problem with it.

Please be okay with confinement and not be loud or get bored.

Please spend my work day relaxing but then walk politely on a 6 foot leash with me when we do go outside.

Please accept these human made substitutions for enrichment as just as good as the real thing.

Please save your chewing, shredding, digging and other outdoor behaviors only for items and areas that I designate and at times convenient to me.

Please get along with other dogs, even if they are pushy or rude, and never ever hump anything or anyone.

Please watch birds and squirrels and other small animals quietly and not chase them, especially on leash.

Please listen dutifully to me under any and all distractions.

Please eat the same food every day and only show interest in food I offer you in certain contexts, not at any other time.

Please accept these strangers touching and patting you in public because it makes us happy.

Please, do all these things. And you’ll be a “good” dog.

I could go on and on and on. But this is what I see and hear all day. It’s probably the most unfair deal you can imagine between two species, and yet you know what? They still try. Despite us humans not being okay with over HALF of the demands and expectations we put on them, they still try. We don’t deserve them, so we should learn to treat them as such.

- Helen St. Pierre

08/31/2026

I’ve been absolutely buried in life lately, but taking a few minutes to harvest my neglected garden makes me happy. I’m drowning in cherry tomatoes so I didn’t feel like harvesting them today. I’ve also had an epic cabbage year so I’m donating cabbage to the local little free pantry. With any luck I’ll actually post some dog content soon. Business is doing well and I have some incredibly cute clients to show off.