Whole Dog University, LLC

03/17/2025

I got busy last week and forgot to introduce beautiful little Miss Kara…she is a 18 week old mini Newfie-poo (Newfoundland x Miniature poodle mix…. And maybe has some Aussie mixed in, too). She is with me through the end of this week for a 10 Day Residential - Training Program.

She is doing very well with learning her obedience commands and an added bonus she is has become good friends with my Madison (11). This week we start putting into practice in public (added distractions) all she has learned so far, so maybe we’ll bump into you in the process of training.

Even though you don’t see a lot of posts here, don’t assume we aren’t open or busy. In addition to Day-Training clients, I’m working with several weekly private lesson obedience clients and their dogs in addition to doing behavioral consultations / training sessions. Our Early Puppy Development program is still going on…. Looking for puppies under 16 weeks and their owners who are ready to get their pups off to a good start in life by learning proper and adequate socialization of all kinds, confidence building, teaching rules and boundaries and of course help with housebreaking and other puppy issues (play-biting, jumping up, etc). If you know of anyone who has a new puppy, this is the place to come for this caring, unique education and hands on puppy program.

02/24/2025

Magnus and I made a training trip to the new TSC store in Lebanon. So excited to have them here now…they have some opening specials going on there right now (crates, beds, some foods)… check them out! (They also carry several brands of dog food, including some premium brands like Acana; in addition to their premium store brand called 4Health. If are looking for a good quality dog food at a reasonable price / on a budget in today’s economy, check that one out… they carry non-GMO grain inclusive foods as well as grain-free options in the 4Health line. They have everything from small, regular, and large breed puppy to adult, to sport dog lines of food.

Friendly, helpful staff there and lots of good products of all kinds including clothing, some outdoor furniture, decor, as well a whole bunch of other items for home or farm.

Magnus was working on his down - stay as I was looking at various dog beds away from where was. He did great holding his stay!! He also practiced calm greetings today…getting better every day! Proud of him!

02/15/2025

Good video showing how a confident, balanced, more dominant dog (the male husky) corrects and keeps in check the male GSD who is bullying some other dogs in what I think is dog park. The husky actually prevents a fight or perhaps one of the other dogs from being hurt by the GSD.

The GSD attempts to show dominance over the Husky in the beginning and the Husky basically says, via body language, you better get off me / stop right now (He does) and you better stop bullying and play nice with these other dogs (corrects the GSD and advocates for the more submissive, younger and/or smaller dogs in the group).

Excellent “study” or lesson in canine body language / social interactions in all the dogs in view. Note the body language displays of dominance by the GSD, how the other dogs react to the GSD and how the confident, balanced, more dominant Husky reacts to the inappropriate dominant behavior by the Husky (watch his initial body language) and then the body language of correction - the Husky isn’t looking for a fight but is letting the GSD know his behavior is unacceptable.

02/10/2025

This handsome fella is 7 mo. old, Magnus, a full-blooded Rottweiler. He’s joining me a 3 week Residential Day Training program to focus on improving his on-leash obedience skills, then start on some off-leash work, and address some typical big puppy behaviors that we need to reign in. He’s a sweet boy, just a lot of dog even at this age! He’ll be about 120 at full maturity his owners think.

Hope to see you out and about.

01/29/2025

This cute little girl is Stella, a 1+ yr old Rat Terrier. I met her and her people last spring when they came to me with her significant issues with fear, especially outdoors and wanting to do some basic obedience training.

As it is in all dogs, both genetics and nurture play a role in a dogs behavior…from things that the puppy experienced while with the breeder starting from 3 weeks on up until they find their way into a home and then the weeks and months that follow up until roughly 6 months of age will have an impact. Genetics cannot be changed (such as the temperament inherited from the parent dogs), only managed. In Stella’s case, part of why she is struggling with the anxiety, in my opinion, is genetic…it’s likely one or both of her parents also had an anxious temperament.

Unfortunately, not long after they got her, one of her owners had an accident at home that resulted in a major orthopedic surgery and a very long recovery that sidelined their socialization efforts for several months until they were able to come to me for help. While out of their control and certainly unintentional, that resulted in an exacerbation of her fear and anxiety symptoms. They were all ears and totally committed to what needed to be done to help Stella become the best version of herself. They got to work right away with my suggestions.

We focused initially and throughout the summer on developing their canine leadership skills, working on confidence building development and helping Stella with developing better coping skills, as well as socialization of all kinds.

Fast forward to this fall and when we reconvened to start the obedience training work, they reported Stella was doing quite a bit better…no longer spooked upon just seeing a car in a driveway next-door or wanting to take care of her potty business outside and rush back inside. She now was enjoying time outside playing with them, going for car rides, going on walks on both their property and in a local park / trail, was no longer spooked by unfamiliar things she was seeing in her outdoor environment at home including neighbor dogs. Overall, her confidence in general was better and she was less anxious/fearful than when I had last seen her, but she still struggled with the anxiety in particular.

We continued to work on her confidence (with the goal of lessening of her fearfulness and general anxiety further if we could) through the obedience training. I’m happy to report that she did quite well! She really enjoyed the training
process, and while the general anxious / nervous temperament remained, her fearfulness was further improved by the time we finished. It was so encouraging and exciting to see the improvement overall and to see her succeed with her obedience skills. She is much less fearful, is handling new experiences better and I believe that will continue to improve as her owners continue to work with her. Will she always struggle with some degree of anxiety? To a degree, yes, but I do think her fearfulness will definitely continue to improve as they work with her on socialization and continue to be consistent and effective in being confident leaders, meeting Stella’s needs as a dog and for the breed of dog she is.

Great job to her owners (they choose not to be pictured) and Stella! ❤️🐾👏🏻🎊🎉

01/16/2025

If you feed your puppy or adult dog from an elevated feeding dish / station, you may want to reconsider using it (unless for a senior dog with shoulder or neck issues). New research is showing that elevated food dishes may have an adverse impact on health. I suggest doing some research on the subject yourself as well.

Dr. Karen Becker, DVM shares the following points in her recent Barks & Whiskers newsletter:

“*Elevated food bowls, once believed to prevent bloat in dogs, are now linked to increased risk of gastric dilation volvulus (GDV) in large and giant breed dogs, according to veterinary research.

*While elevated bowls can ease neck and joint stress for senior or arthritic dogs, they may be more expensive, complex to clean and do not guarantee neater eating habits.

*Veterinarians recommend consulting an integrative veterinarian to determine if an elevated food bowl is appropriate, considering factors such as breed, size, bowl material, and stand design.

*A study of 1,637 dogs found that approximately 20% to 52% of GDV cases in large and giant breeds were attributed to using raised feed bowls, challenging previous health claims.

*Regular cleaning of pet food and water containers is crucial for pet health, with experts recommending washing food bowls after every meal and thoroughly cleaning water bowls every few days.”

01/15/2025

It’s that time of year again for Ohio dog owners….Dog license renewal. I know not everyone is in favor of licensing (more regulations) but just know it is Ohio law and if your dog ends up off your property, you can be fined for not having your dog licensed or the license on their collar if they are picked by someone other than you. (I don’t make the laws / rules…just making you aware). Just a friendly reminder that by state law you have until January 31 to renew your dog’s license. If you just got a dog, you have 30 days to license your dog and with puppies, this is supposed to be done by 4 months of age. ($15.75 / dog / yr). You can do this online or in person at Ace Hardware or Shelter if in Lebanon.

01/11/2025

Dog / cat owners beware:

January is the beginning of coyote peak season in Ohio. Here are some tips to make your backyard less desirable to coyotes:

- If you repeatedly observe coyotes in or near yards, stop all wildlife feeding, including bird feeders.

- Pet food should not be left outside. Pets and small children should be supervised when outside.

- Do not put out trash until the morning of pick up and do not compost any meat or bones.

- Coyotes are curious, but generally avoid humans. Clap your hands or shout to scare off coyotes that are investigating your yard.

Learn more about coyote history, behavior and what to do when you see one from Shannon Russell Pennington, Naturalist for the Warren County Park District, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0mwh2ZvtvY.
…

01/08/2025

The temps are going to really drop the next 2-3 days (near to below zero) and more snow is forecasted for Friday - Saturday.

I thought this chart might be helpful for you. If you have a short-coated dog, a very young puppy or elderly dog, it’s a good idea to have a coat for them and other than thick double coated dogs breeds, most dogs can benefit from wearing a sweater or coat when these temps get close to zero as they are not conditioned to this kind of weather.

01/06/2025

Show us those doggie playing in the snow pics! 9” here this morning before the snow resumed! Madison’s days of romping in playing in the snow (at least in deep snow) seemed to have passed. Those joints are just a little too stiff for deep snow play but we’d love to see your pics!

01/05/2025

For those who have a snow plow and big back yard (or small one)… inspiration for a big snowy Sunday - Monday.

01/04/2025

Happy 11th Birthday to my best girl, consistent training helper, business partner, and sweet companion, Madison! ❤️🤩🐾 My goodness the time flies! It doesn’t seem that long ago that you showed up outside my door as a 12 week old puppy (long story) and I knew within 24 hours, you would be mine. We have been through a lot together in the last 11 years, including you struggling for awhile being an only dog after losing 2 of 3 of your canine companions over the last year. You are back to your old happy, goofy self again, albeit a little stiffer and slower as time continues to march on.

01/03/2025

Winter weather tips for all you SW Ohio short legged doggie owners….with the current (subject to change) forecast of anywhere from 6-16” of snowfall Sunday - Monday with Arctic cold to follow (highs by Thursday of 12, lows around 0), now is the time to prepare — for your dogs.

1) short-coated dogs and any puppy under 6 months would benefit from having a coat to wear for those trips out to potty or short walks. Get out there tonight - Saturday before things are pretty picked over. Things go quickly with this kind of forecast being put out.

2) for short-legged dogs, consider putting either a large pc. of heavy plastic drop cloth (anchored well with bricks or similar weights) OR a 4’x8’ pc of plywood to put down on the grass just off your patio, deck, sidewalk, etc. Periodically shovel the snow off whatever you put down (so not too heavy to lift) and when your dog needs to potty, lift / flip the drop cloth or pc of plywood to expose the grass so your dog can potty more easily without trying to do so in deep snow that may be up to their bellies… Also, the snow is going to be around for several days and when the temps get down in the single digits or below, some dogs can have a hard time standing in the snow long enough to p*e / p**p. (Too painful for their feet). Having a snow-free zone can be a “life-saver” in terms of getting your dog to potty outside and not do so indoors instead.

3) Those I’ve taught how to train to use potty pads for situations just like this, step up that training review in the next couple days and have enough pads on hand to be prepared…. (You’re welcome 😉😄)

Looking forward to seeing those doggie in the snow pics in the coming week! Stay safe!

01/01/2025

Whole Dog University family…. wishing you and your family a Happy, Prosperous, Healthy, and Successful New Year!

12/25/2024

Cute idea!!

12/24/2024

A friendly reminder as you have company or if you go to someone else’s home where there is a dog in the coming days during this holiday season. Advocate for your own dog and be respectful with other people’s dogs or new puppies / adult rescues.