The Successful Mix

08/25/2025

After 8 pm in the evening Candle seems to settle in one spot, so she earns a bit of time out of the crate. Otherwise, during the day, it's in the crate with benefit of food-stuffed Kongs and our friend Trazodone and, of course, short leash walks for potty breaks.
It's going to be a long 2.5 more weeks.

08/23/2025

101 Ways to entertain a Border Collie in her crate... includes a bowl full of ice cubes 🥰

08/23/2025

Candle entertaining herself in crate confinement. Wait for what happens at the end...

08/21/2025

Doing Passive Range of Motion (PROM) exercises with Candle post-right shoulder arthroscopy.

08/15/2025

Take the challenge... Show Us Your Sit!
Post your video or pic in the comments.

Be sure to Like and Share this video!

Animal Positive Coalition

08/09/2025

07/31/2025

New group classes scheduled to begin Thu, 8/14, at 10:30 am and Wed, 8/20, at 6:00 pm!
Email: [email protected] to get registered.

07/17/2025

What I saw on my walk home from teaching my group class this morning...

07/04/2025

Fireworks are scheduled to go off on the mountain that overlooks my home a short time later this evening. Two of my three dogs have been prepared to help them cope with the noise with some medication. Windows are closed, A/C is running, and TV is on.

I hope you have your own pets prepared for this loud holiday.

06/28/2025

Today I asked two of my dogs to approach me, to accept me moving my hands toward a leg, or to offer me a leg to handle while I removed ticks that I saw crawling on their legs. Because I've created a healthy understanding of communication with them to build their trust, they were both cooperative with me. Removing the ticks was easy to do.

Can you say you're able to do the same with your dog?

06/14/2025

Dear Friends,

I am writing to express my concerns about your upcoming Raising the Perfect Pet Collaboration with Martha Stewart, especially in light of recent misguided and harmful puppy tips she put forth.

I am an internationally-known professional dog trainer/behavior consultant and seminar speaker, author of 10 books on dog training and behavior, past Training Editor of the Whole Dog Journal, and owner of my own dog training business, Peaceable Paws LLC. You can find me here: www.peaceablepaws.com .

The misinformation put out by some celebrities and celebrity "trainers" is doing a lot of harm. Dogs have already been subjected to horrific treatment because of outlandish recommendations by folks like Cesar Milan, and sadly, Martha Stewart appears to be following his ridiculous, flawed, scientifically debunked "dominance theory." These methods put dogs, their humans, and their larger communities at risk. In fact, I wonder if Royal Canin would be held responsible if people are injured using Stewart's ill-advised recommendation to bite their puppy's nose.

Please reconsider.

Here are a couple of position statements on relevant topics from the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior:
-https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Dominance_Position_Statement-download.pdf
-https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/AVSAB-Humane-Dog-Training-Position-Statement-2021.pdf

Modern, educated, science-based trainers are well aware of these, and are committed to using positive-reinforcement based methods that invite the dog's cooperation and strengthen and enhance the human-animal bond.

I encourage you to be aware of this dichotomy in today's dog training world, and hope you will aim for future relationships that embrace the modern, humane approach to dog training, behavior and caretaking. If you're looking for a celebrity, Victoria Stillwell is amazing. Otherwise, there are Veterinary Behaviorists and a wealth of certified force-free behavior professionals who could do a much better job of representing Royal Canin to the dog-loving public.

Please let me know if I can be of service to you in any way to help make this happen. Thank you for your attention...

Warm Woofs,

🐶🐾🌞🌼🐶🐾🌞🌼🐶
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
Peaceable Paws Owner/Training Director
Peaceable Paws LLC, Fairplay, MD: www.peaceablepaws.com

06/10/2025

Sharing for my friends at WOOFS! Dog Training Center in the DC area. If you're looking for a new dog to add to your home, this might be a good choice. Read the general suggestions they make for what his new family should be ready to provide for him to give him the best life.

Hi all,

This handsome guy is looking for his forever home. His name is Rhinehart and he is about 10 months old. This dog is amazing. Great with people and dogs. He is an active guy and would love a home where he can run and swim and camp and hike. He is already quite good off leash. He loves just hanging outside.

He would do best in a single family home. He can be a little vocal when left alone in his crate during the day. He would LOVE another young dog to play with. Would also be best with kids over 8. He’s a bit rambunctious for very young kids.
Rhinehart is 1/2 husky and 1/2 labradoodle.

He comes with free training classes at WOOFS! and free daycare for 6 months! Also there is no adoption fee.

If you are interested in meeting Rhinehart please reach out. We would love to find this guys forever home in the next week or so. He is often at WOOFS! daycare.