The Successful Mix

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.

06/04/2025

Today at The Successful Mix, Valeria's mixed breed, Whiskey, offers his Chin Rest to hand with duration and back at the house, my dogs' cousin, Leo, seems pretty relaxed on his visit to our home mid-way through his several days stay here.

05/30/2025

Plain and simple: Do NOT bite your dog!

05/15/2025

05/13/2025

If your dogs are having a tough time with all of the active critters, avoid walking at dawn and dusk during critter commute.

05/11/2025

Registering now for the next group class series starting the last week of May.
Tuesday evenings starting May 27.
Thursday mornings starting May 29.

Take a class and build a successful relationship with the canine member of your household this year. It's easy to find excuses. Don't put training for your companion off any longer.

05/11/2025

Good reminder for pet owners in the Rockingham County, VA area. We've had a very dry Spring so far, but the upcoming weather forecast for this next week has a few days with rain. Expect a bit of mud!

Remember this the next time your dog comes home with muddy paws.

04/17/2025

This year make a commitment to learn better applications of training for your dog from an experienced professional using effective positive reinforcement exercises. Contact me today to get started.

Noticing some behavior you'd like to change? APC trainers have experience with dogs, cats, and birds!

04/13/2025

After an enjoyable, exploratory outing today... in an instant that I did not see, I suspect Whisper found some deer f***s... I'm sure she enjoyed the moment... but if she wants to enjoy sleeping in bed with me this evening, then she is probably unknown to her making a request for a bath.

Fortunately, we have routines that while bath time may only be tolerable, bath time is at least, not a time for panic.