Your Paws and Me Dog Behavior And Training

08/14/2025

A new study in JAVMA finds a correlation between early spay/neuter (3 - 6 months) with overweight/obesity in some large breeds, especially Labradors and golden retrievers of both s*xes. Small breeds were not affected, and the results varied by s*x in boxers, bulldogs and German Shepherds.

Food for thought, hey? Kudos to the authors for doing this study; it is just one study, always reason for caution, but it’s a large sample size (over 200,000 dogs) and deserves attention.

Read the full study here:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40367978

08/07/2025

08/07/2025

THE PLAY BOW

Dogs are constantly communicating through their body language and the play bow is one that is very easy to see, but despite its name, it doesn’t always mean “I want to play with you!”

Yes, in general, it means – I’m friendly and I have no aggressive intent, although context and the individual dog always need to be taken into account.

Some time ago, one of my little dogs was attacked by a bigger dog while we were out waking. She has never completely recovered from the trauma and ever since then, immediately play bows if a bigger dog comes anywhere near her.

I believe what she is communicating is – a calming signal to show the other dog she is not a threat, a position in which she can quickly escape if need be and the most likely explanation is to pre-empt any conflict and reduce any potential tension.

She has absolutely no desire or intention of playing or interacting with the other dog, but is trying to communicate her non-threatening intent. This may be a more unusual use of the play bow, but the purpose of this story is that context and the individual dog really does matter.

Some dogs also use play bows to reset an interaction that is getting too much or perhaps to say “I’m sorry!”, in an attempt to reduce social tension or initiate conflict resolution after being too rough.

A prayer bow, which looks very similar to a play bow may indicate discomfort. A prayer bow is a more lengthened stretch, where a dog extends the front paws really far forward and the chest area is very close to or on the ground.

This could indicate abdominal pain, gastrointestinal discomfort, bloating, gas, or it’s simply an effective stretch to loosen up stiff muscles or joints and get ready for movement.

08/04/2025

Small signals.
Big meanings.
These movements and behaviors aren’t random.
They've been carefully chosen and deliberately used by your dog and they're being used to avoid confrontation, deescalate or steer clear of something they feel uneasy about .
They might sense just a little pressure or conflict...so they offer a signal to say, “We’re all good here.”

Growling is a clear signal they can give...but it's risky.
Way before the growl are all these little signals they can give.
It's communication and it's natural....but we can be "offended" when we realise they are aiming them at us.

Instead of taking it personally, we can ask ourselves....
Why do they feel the need to use them?
That question is an opportunity to support our dogs better

Some signals serve a double duty.
A tail lowering, perhaps tucking? Often fear.....but it can also act as appeasement.
A lowered head? Maybe appeasement, maybe fear.
Context matters.

They can be incredibly subtle.
Tricky to spot....but we owe it to our dogs to look a little deeper at why they are behaving the way they are.

It is all communication.

07/31/2025

What they said! 🙌🏼

07/30/2025

07/30/2025

"All good ☺️Neither dog are growling"
Hang on.
Dogs can and do growl in play.
It can be completely normal.

"So how can I tell"?
It can be tricky to tell the difference between healthy play and those interactions that are something else entirely.
There are some areas we can look at to help us decipher.

➡️Immediate posture changes/rigidity/stillness

Some dogs pause, go still..... then explode with loose and wiggly movements. That’s often play.
The problematic kind of rigidness is different. It can linger for longer.
Even when the other dog is showing everyway they can "all's good here"
That stillness and posture is "tight".
It can come with hard stares, leaning or standing over.
Stiff body posture from either dog.....even the one on the ground.
That’s not play

➡️When high energy switches to frantic

Chasing and being chased.
Some dogs love this.
There can be an energy change with chasing that we need to watch for though.
It can turn.
It can become far more frantic and direct.

If one dog is always the chaser, and when they catch the other.....the tone changes, the body language tightens, the movements escalate and it stops looking mutual...that’s when caution is needed.

We don't want to stop dogs playing....but we do need to recognise when it is no longer fun for all dogs involved.

07/30/2025

07/27/2025

BREAKING NEWS: I’M A VERY GOOD BOY WHO LOVES BEING ELECTROCUTED!

Just slipped on my sleek, stylish neck taser—oops, I mean e-collar—and I am SO EXCITED to be emotionally and physically micromanaged today!!

Nothing screams “trust-based relationship” like a remote-controlled pain button!
Me: breathes too loud
Human: ZAP
Me: “Thank you, Alpha! I was out of line!”

Today’s agenda:
- Walk exactly 0.00002 mph behind my human
- Maintain unbroken eye contact with their kneecap
- Ignore every squirrel, dog, tree, and joy that enters my field of vision
- Get shocked anyway just to keep me on my toes

Don’t get it twisted—I’m not stressed, confused, or suppressing my natural instincts. I’m just suddenly extremely obedient because I LOVE this tool. LOVE IT.

Remember folks: If your dog doesn’t listen, just electrocute them until they act like they do! Problem solved!

Dont be put off by the positive, caring, empathetic trainers, that are against these tools, they have no idea how they work, and no idea how we love living in constant low-voltage suspence!