Best Of Behavior, LLC. Dog Training and Behavior Consulting

04/01/2026

‘Me so’ in love with this little guy! 🥰

I met the most charming mini long haired Daschund puppy today- Miso!

He was a little nervous and apprehensive at first- but I let him warm up in his own time, and gradually invited him to play- which, as usual, opened this guy right up.

By the end of our session we were fast friends, and he literally flung himself into my lap. 🤣 (see video, lol).

Miso- you are the cutest! And I cannot wait to help you and your Mum learn and grow together - the wonderful team that you are! 💚🐾

And, thank you for bringing such love and giggles to my week! 💚🥰

03/19/2026

March is Pet Poison Prevention Month!
Keeping pets safe means knowing what to watch out for, as some common household foods and drinks can pose serious risks to the animals in your care. Depending on what is consumed, the effects can range from mild stomach upset to severe toxicity and life-threatening reactions.

02/09/2026

This is a great post by Dr. Dr. Lisa Radosta!
We do see an explosion of clientele between 1-3 years of age! Oftentime around 8 mos + is where things start to escalate.

If you are seeing problems in your puppies, for example- resource guarding-

‼️ 📣 THEY WILL NOT ‘JUST GROW OUT OF IT’!!!
It will only (very likely) get worse.

So- if you see something- call a qualified, experienced trainer, and say something!

The best way to address behavior issues is by addressing them early- as soon as you see them- and continuing to work on it/them throughout the adolescent period (which could be 3-4 years of age).

When dogs enter adolescence, many families are surprised by how quickly behavior can seem to deteriorate. A dog who was previously manageable may become reactive on walks, resistant to handling, more sensitive to strangers, more intense around food or toys, or emotionally unpredictable at home. It often feels as though something suddenly went wrong.

From a veterinary behavior perspective, that is rarely the case.

Most adolescent behavior problems are not new. They are the result of patterns that have been developing quietly since puppyhood. Early fear responses, tension around bones, discomfort with handling, overarousal, and avoidance behaviors are frequently present long before adolescence, but they are minimized because the dog is young, small, or still “learning.” Over time, those responses become part of the dog’s emotional repertoire.

During this stage, the brain regions responsible for impulse control and emotional regulation are changing. This is also a time when pet parents are on autopilot; they aren't reinforcing behaviors, providing structure or training.

This is why behavior problems often appear to “explode” during this period, but they really aren't.

Adolescent dogs are not being difficult on purpose. They are neurologically unfinished.

How they are supported during this period has lasting consequences.

Support them with structure, patience, consistency and positive reinforcement training.

01/31/2026

Skills.
What to do.
How to do them.
When to use them.
Where to work them.

Focusing on the journey of teaching the above, understanding that dogs can’t always guess what we want, expect, plan to do, or what we are envisioning - our part of the equation is to patiently break down behaviors, teach comprehension, practice together, raise criteria appropriately, and keep our expectations fair, consistant and achievable.

Happy last day of National Dog Training Month!

Remember- it’s a marathon not a sprint! 🐾💖

12/22/2025

CAUTION ⚠️ TRIGGER WARNING‼️
Please know that these photos are unbelievably unsettling and disturbing.

This was done to a dog in a ‘training’ session.

Please, please be aware that there are people out there, and I am talking within a 50 mile radius of here in Homewood, and Chicago, that call themselves professional dog trainers, and have no idea what they are doing.
And the animals suffer because of it. (I watched a video of a person try at I’d never seen, 30 miles from where I live, spouting absolute rubbish and doing things on video, posted on their page, to a very young puppy that made my hair stand on end. 😢

This isn’t rare. Not as much as it should be.
It should never, ever happen.

Please, I beg of you, be careful who you trust your dog with! I share this because you need to know. There are trainers out there who do terrible things behind closed doors to your beloved pets, in the name of training and behavior modification.

The clown who did this claimed he trained police dogs. I see that all the time. ‘Ex- Military or ex police dogs trainer’ usually offering protection work and the like. Most of the time they are not what you think…not in the slightest. Be careful!

12/04/2025

Listen!! It likely wasn’t ’your fault’.
Many times when people take home a newly adopted dog from a shelter, rescue, even a previously fostered dog, behavior starts to bubble up or spring out that no-one has seen before, or could have predicted.
People tend to blame themselves, or feel like often others blame them.
And that’s not fair or often even accurate to do so.
Behavior is complex. Environments can suppress behavior that was ‘already there’ , but just hasn’t shown up under the conditions the dog had been in.

Many times I gently tell clients that they haven’t ‘broken’ the dog, or the dog isn’t trying to be dominant over you and all these other misnomers/causes people tend to start to say or think.

Emily does a great job here saying that. Emily and Laurie both have an extensive shelter background and are incredible rescue handlers (and super awesome people!).

12/02/2025

I LOVE to recommend Benebones for your dogs to chew!
Here’s a great deal to grab while you can!

For over 10 years, we’ve been bringing happiness to dogs with our durable chews that are packed with real flavor and made right here in the USA. Inspired by a dog’s powerful sense of smell, Benebones will help satisfy your pup’s natural urge to chew — one bite and they’ll be hooked!

12/01/2025

Super easy and fun training game to play!

One of the best things for your relationship with your dog, and mood elevation, is PLAY!!!
Sure, it’s great to get the ball, frisbee or tug toy out, but play doesn’t always have to be complicated or have a bunch of rules!

For example, one ‘game’ that I love to do with my dogs is the ‘BOLT’ ⚡️ game (named after Usain Bolt- possibly the greatest sprinter of all time).
How do you play? Easy!

As you’re walking through your house and your dog is trudging along beside or behind you, you suddenly start walking faster. You don’t have to sprint or run (but it’s super awesome if you do!)!
But a quick pace difference will often surprise and excite your dog, and they’ll likely think it’s super fun!

My own dogs ‘Woof!’ and chase me and we all have pets after (as I chuckle), or they go and grab a toy and invite more play.
Or they calm and go and lie down again.

Extra benefit for training- your dog learns to modulate their arousal:
1- I am calm
2- I get excited
3- I calm down again
This is helpful for all dogs- especially young dogs (looking at you adolescents 👀) and can help them practice calming down after spikes of excitements such as deliveries to the house, seeing a squirrel on walks, also increase your ‘fun-o-meter’ scale rating in their estimation and increase their interest in training with you.

Try this a few times over the next few days and please tell me how your dog responded below! Have fun!

(Level up Tip- sometimes I dart through a side doorway or duck behind something- which can lead to extra base training for great recalls!)

11/23/2025

I am so deeply honoured and thrilled to have been asked to be on my incredible trainers’ (Chie and Earl) podcast ‘Beyond the Workout’!
In this episode we cover why I started to see her for help (a medical issue that many women deal with either due to having children and/or ageing), eating challenges and eating disorders, the similarities between human physical training and animal training, thr pressures on women and the challenges we all facr, some of the most important things to consider as a pet owner and so much more! (We squeezed a lot into 30 minutes!)
Please enjoy and feel free to give feedback, ask questions!
And if you are local and want to have help, Chie trains everyone from young prima ballerinas to 90+ year olds, and everyone in between (like me, lol). 💖

Chie talks with her client Sonia Fetherling on how fitness has impacted her life as an animal trainer and mother.

11/01/2025

Happy Howl-oween to all of our incredible clients and everyone else too! 🎃

10/08/2025

I’m So VERY proud and excited to be invited to present at the BIGGEST conference in 2026!! 🙌🥰🐾

Thank you to all of my clients 🐾 who have taught me over the last 25 years, so that I can share that hands on knowledge with many others!

We are officially one year out from CANIS 2026! 🎉

October 7–10, 2026 • Schaumburg, IL

The countdown is on for the event where the future of the dog world comes together.

Because better outcomes for dogs start with better conversations between people.

Because the dog world is stronger when trainers, behavior consultants, veterinary professionals, scientists, shelter teams, dog sport enthusiasts, and even dog guardians learn together.
Because collaboration is how we move this field forward for dogs and for the people who dedicate their lives to them.

At CANIS 2026, we are breaking silos, building bridges, and creating a space where curiosity, compassion, and connection lead the way.

Join Dr. Chris Pachel, Chirag Patel, Sy Montgomery, Patricia McConnell, Ph.D., and more than 40 speakers for four days that will change the way you think about learning, behavior, and community.

This is not just a conference. It is a movement.

Comment CANIS and we will send you the regist