Helping Pets Behave

04/26/2025

🚨Classes are back!
https://helpingpetsbehave.com/classes/

💃🏼 Can't make it? Schedule private training
https://helpingpetsbehave.com/training/

Mary Huntsberry is an Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist based in Montgomery County, MD. She provides behavior modification consults for problem behaviors commonly seen in pet dogs and cats. Mary collaborates with various behaviorists across the country, in addition to her clients' veter...

01/24/2022

Once a dog trusts you, they want to do things for you. Even silly things like put their head on the ground for no reason. Pru loves this behavior so much she does it on cue from her resting place (see top left corner). Now that’s what I call stimulus control! 🤓

03/03/2021

Squinty sun eyes are waaaay better than the wet rain walks we took for four days straight! Hot or cold, sunny weather is the best mood elevator. 😊

03/01/2021

The girls love to hide their p*epers 👀. This cute trick is relatively easy to teach. They just need to know how to sit, put their front feet onto something, and to follow a treat between and below their legs. With practice, you gradually add duration, then fade out the treat as a lure. My cue for this trick is “hide”. What’s yours? 🤓

02/18/2021

Disappointed Pruddy wanted to play in the snow today, but got stinky ole sleet instead. Darn you old man winter!!

02/13/2021

“Back” is one of the first behaviors I train. It teaches your pup to use their body and take cues from a distance. Impressive and fun, what’s not to love! 💕

02/03/2021

To earn her intermediate trick dog title, one of Scarlett’s tricks was to crawl five feet 2x! This is not easy as it requires a lot of strength and use of the hind legs to propel the body forward.

02/02/2021

Another day of snow and ice! 🥶 Pru spent her day in true snow day mode. 😴

01/31/2021

Early morning snow walk ❄️⛄️🌨

01/27/2021

Just some sisters hanging out together. Remember when Scarlett rejected puppy Pru? It took time and controlled interactions, but they figured it out. 😛

01/24/2021

Now that’s a drop on cue! Scarlett is almost completely deaf from aging. After being nearly fluent in verbal cues, she’s had to relearn everything using hand signals. Although it was sad to lose the ability to talk to her, we still have a way to communicate. 🥰

01/17/2021

Look at that enthusiasm! 🙌🏻

01/16/2021

Always ready to work! It took lots of reward to convince this independent lady to look to me for direction. Now she checks in all the time. 🥰

01/13/2021

Not the most productive use of midnight p*e time. 😛

*etimeismetime

01/10/2021

The girls and I have been busy training. Scarlett and Pru earned their 7th AKC title in 9 months on December 27th. It was the CGCU! The evaluation was very challenging, so I literally leapt for joy when we passed. We also earned the CGCA and are up to the fourth tricks title, the “Performer” level. I’m so proud of us I just had to share. 🥰

05/29/2020

Safety is always #1 here at Helping Pets Behave, so to ensure the well-being of pets and their loving family I am offering online video consults and classes during COVID-19 social distancing! In-person consults will resume in accordance with guidance from the State of Maryland and the CDC.

I've been conducting virtual sessions for over two months now and have been really pleased with the results so far! While it might seem strange, behavior change can absolutely be achieved during online sessions.

As we all continue to navigate through this difficult time, it's important to notice and appreciate the positives.

04/13/2020

You guys! My girls got their CGC and Novice tricks titles on the same day in February, back when life was normal. Despite being over a decade apart in age, they can do the same behaviors and make their momma so proud. 🥰

You can do the same with your pups right now! While dog owners are staying at home practicing social distancing, the AKC Family Dog Program and Do More With Your Dog recently announced that dog owners may teach their dogs tricks at home and submit a video to an AKC CGC Evaluator for review and approval. With your help, your dog can earn trick titles, complete with ribbons and certificates, from the safety and comfort of your home!

Check out my online CGC prep class and tricks classes ranging from beginner to advanced.

CGC prep: https://www.helpingpetsbehave.com/services/classes/heeling-helpers/

Beginner, Intermediate, & Advanced Tricks classes with rolling registration:
https://www.helpingpetsbehave.com/services/classes/trick-training-beginner-to-advanced/

04/09/2020

Tips when caring for existing or adopted pets in a crisis

All over the country Americans have stepped up to provide foster and permanent homes to pets in need during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Since social distancing and loneliness have been linked to poor mental health (Holt-Lunstad, et al, 2015) and various medical conditions (Holt-Lunstad, et al, 2016) pet ownership and its purported health benefits (CDC, 2019) seems like the perfect way to cope with the trauma we are all facing at this time. While there is no doubt that having a pet in the home is a great distraction, they are individuals with specific and unique needs. The following tips can help create a mutually beneficial relationship with your new or existing pet.

Quality time should include more than just cuddling! Pets need mental and physical stimulation to thrive in their environment. Give your dog or cat plenty of both in the form of:

Walks (at a safe distance from others). There is research that indicates that insufficient exercise can contribute to behavior problems (Landsberg, et al, 2013), including fear-based behaviors towards other animals (Tiira & Lohi, 2015).

Games. Tug, fetch, hide and seek, and meal-dispensing toys are great ways to keep your pet busy when you can’t be distracted or need to rest. Due to a lot of crossover in toys for pets, there are wand toys for dogs, called flirt poles, and fetch toys for cats.

Enrichment. You can also create obstacle courses with furniture and boxes in your home to create tunnels and jumps. Just use treats to lure them through! Once they figure out the pattern, switch the order for a new challenge.

Virtual Training. One of the best ways you can spend time with your dog is through online training classes. Using interactive technology, dog owners can gain a sense of community by socializing and entertaining each other while getting help with training their dogs. Using reward-based methods to teach new skills helps create a lasting bond between owner and pet. Whether teaching a trick or overcoming a persistent behavior problem, dogs can quickly learn to trust and enjoy engaging with their owners. https://www.helpingpetsbehave.com/services/classes/

Socialization. Don’t forget how important socialization is for puppies! Although 100’s of close interactions with other dogs and people are out of the question at this time, you can still socialize your young dog at a distance. Learn how here: https://www.helpingpetsbehave.com/services/classes/puppies-without-issues-getting-started-new-puppy/.