Absolute Angel Dog Training

08/27/2026

Dogs just seem to know how to make us feel better! ☺️ Curious-What does your dog do to cheer you up? Muzzle nudge for pets? Goofy play? The "I'm here for you" look?

08/26/2026

Ahem...attention please! It's National Dog Day 🐾🥰 This means dogs get to make the rules today.

So I asked Scooter, if he had one wish on this "day of dogs" what would it be?

“My wish is simple: breakfast in bed, lunch on the couch, and dinner wherever I happen to be napping.”

What's your dog's wish for today? Don't forget a pic!

08/20/2026

Your senior dog isn't ignoring you. They are losing their hearing.

The other day I went downstairs, came back up because I forgot something and left the basement door open.

I rounded the bedroom corner, and there was Scooter, standing at the top of the stairs with the door between us, looking for me.

I called his name. Used my best high-pitched, kissy-noise voice. Banged on the wall.

Nothing.

Not because he was ignoring me. Because he genuinely couldn't hear me.

Hearing loss in senior dogs is real, and it happens more often than people realize. It creeps up gradually, so you might think your dog is being selective, but often times their world is just getting quieter.

That's exactly why I teach hand signals right alongside verbal cues from day one. Hand signals can be used as a backup system, so when your dog's hearing starts to fade, you still have a way to communicate with them. 🐾

The video below is me using only hand signals with Scooter. No voice at all.

If your dog doesn't know hand signals yet, it's not too late to learn them!

Drop a post in the comments if you want to know where to start.

08/18/2026

You love your senior dog. You just wish you knew whether you were doing enough.

A few days ago, I shared that I was expanding Absolute Angel Dog Training to include Senior Dog Support Services. 🥁DRUM ROLL… Here they are!

🐾 HOME & SAFETY ASSESSMENT
Together, we’ll look at your dog’s home environment, routine, mobility, and current challenges. You’ll receive prioritized recommendations to make everyday life safer, easier, and more comfortable.

After your assessment, you can continue with:

🐾 MONTHLY SUPPORT
Ongoing guidance as your dog’s needs change, so you can prepare earlier, recognize concerns, make decisions with more clarity, and have a familiar person beside you throughout the senior journey.

🐾 ENHANCED WELLNESS
Everything included in Monthly Support, plus canine massage coaching and guidance with veterinarian-approved exercises designed to support comfort, strength, balance, and mobility.

One of the biggest mistakes we can make with an aging dog is waiting until a manageable change becomes an urgent problem.

You don’t have to wait.

Visit my website and submit the contact form or email [email protected] to request your Home & Safety Assessment.

P.S. All services are available virtually in the U.S. or in-person throughout Lynchburg, Amherst, and surrounding counties.

08/18/2026

Last week, I shared that Scooter has GOLPP (Geriatric Onset Laryngeal Paralysis and Polyneuropathy.) What I didn't mention is what I'm doing to help his condition and prevent him from developing aspiration pneumonia. The full breakdown is in the comments 👇

08/18/2026

Have you noticed your dog's paw knuckling under when they walk, like they're stepping on the top of their foot instead of their pads?

It can be easy to write off as a stumble, but it's actually worth paying attention to, because the causes range from a pinched nerve to something neurological going on.

Scooter started "knuckling" a few months ago; a sign that his GOLPP and hind-end weakness is progressing.

How many of you have ever seen this with your dog?

08/13/2026

I haven't shared this publicly, but several months ago, I noticed something different with Scooter.

It began with occasional coughing and hacking. My first thought was something like kennel cough, so of course, I took him to the veterinarian.

Bronchitis was suspected, and Scooter was put on antibiotics. It seemed like a perfectly reasonable explanation.

Except the antibiotics didn’t really make a difference.

When the coughing continued, we started looking at the bigger picture. Along with the coughing, I also noticed noisier breathing, increased panting and more weakness in his hind end.

That’s when "Geriatric Onset Laryngeal Paralysis and Polyneuropathy", or GOLPP, started making a lot more sense.

What is GOLPP? In simple terms, the larynx, or voice box, contains structures that should open when a dog breathes so air can move freely into the airway. With laryngeal paralysis (also known as "lar-par"), they don’t open properly, making it harder for air to pass through.

Signs can include:

• coughing or hacking
• gagging or throat-clearing
• noisy or raspy breathing
• increased panting
• changes in the bark
• difficulty tolerating exercise or heat
• more noticeable breathing difficulty as it progresses

🔈Turn your sound on when you watch the video with this post.🔈 You can hear Scooter’s panting and breathing, which gives you a much better idea of what this can sound like.

But GOLPP isn’t only about the larynx.

The "polyneuropathy" part means nerves elsewhere in the body can also be affected. Over time, some dogs develop weakness or decreased coordination, particularly in the hind legs.

That piece certainly caught my attention with Scooter.

Formal confirmation would require sedation so his veterinarian could examine his larynx directly. Given Scooter’s age, his history and how closely his symptoms fit GOLPP, his veterinarian and I agree that putting him through sedation simply for confirmation isn’t necessary right now.

So, as I seem to be doing quite a lot these days with my aging gentleman, we adapt. ❤️ I continuously ask myself, "What can I do to make his everyday life safer, easier and more comfortable?"

I’ll be sharing more soon about what this looks like in real life with Scooter and some of the things I’m doing to help him.

Scooter’s experience is a good reminder for us senior dog owners not to automatically assume every change in a senior dog is "just aging." Sometimes little changes are giving us useful information, especially when we start looking at them together.

So I’m curious:

Had you ever heard of GOLPP before?

Have you noticed any of these signs in your senior dog, especially coughing, hacking, noisy breathing, increased panting or hind-end weakness?

Drop your experiences or questions in the comments.

08/12/2026

One of the most common issues I see during training? People talking way too much to their dog.

I'm not not saying you can't ever talk to your dog, but here's what happens:

You ask your dog to sit, they sit, and then you launch into "oh my GOSH you're such a good boy, that was SO good, yes yes yes, good job!" And now your dog is spinning in circles, completely wound up, and we've lost the whole moment.

Clear and concise communication means cutting the chitchat during training. When your dog does the right thing, your marker word or the sound of the clicker...those do the heavy lifting. That's it. Then comes the reward. You don't need a whole speech. Trust me, your dog isn't going to feel unloved because you didn't give it 5 minutes of praise.

Two other things I see consistently:
1) People saying the cue when the dog is already doing it (don't ask for a sit when your dog is already sitting), and
2) Repeating the cue over and over before the dog has even had a second to think it through.

Say it once. Be patient and give them time to think.

Lastly, before you ever practice with your dog in front of you, practice by yourself first...the lure, the hand signal, the timing of the marker, the reward. Run through it in your head. Your dog shouldn't have to wait while you fine-tune your mechanics.

The less noise around the right answer, the faster your dog finds it. That's really what this comes down to.

What's the hardest part of training for you right now? Is it the timing, the consistency, or something else entirely? Drop it in the comments. 👇

08/11/2026

Why does the conversation about dogs almost always stop at adulthood?

There are entire industries built around puppies, puppy classes, puppy socialization windows, puppy-proofing your house. We talk about what a dog needs at 2 years old when the jumping and the leash pulling are driving everyone a little crazy.

But somewhere around the time a dog's muzzle goes gray, the conversation gets quiet.

And that's a little strange when you think about it, because the senior years are when owners need the most guidance. Their dog's sleep is changing. Their joints are changing. Their confidence on slippery floors, their tolerance for noise, their ability to hold a sit, their declining mind...all of it shifts, and it shifts gradually enough that most people write it off as "just getting old."

Sometimes it is. But often times, a lot of what looks like aging is actually a dog that hasn't had its environment set up to support what its body now needs. That's not a character flaw in the owner, nobody teaches or prepares you for this stuff. And you don't know what you don't know! Your vet is doing their best in a 20-minute appointment, and Google gives you a list of symptoms without telling you what to actually do specifically for YOUR dog.

The senior stage deserves the same intentional support we give every other stage of a dog's life. Maybe more.

I'm curious, for those of you with older dogs, what's the one thing you wish someone had told you sooner about navigating this stage?

08/11/2026

I know nothing about the group but thought I’d share if you or someone you know is grieving the loss of their pet.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1VCNL6AjWh/?mibextid=wwXIfr

HELD IN OUR HEARTS GROUP AUGUST 17th (our first meeting) free parking in lot across the street.
The clarity house Clarity House Mindful Animal Loss Support Group - Certified Peer support led
A gentle, welcoming space for those grieving the loss of a beloved animal companion. For anyone who has had a hard time coping with the loss of a family member who filled their life with love, comfort, joy, and positive memories. Come share stories, reflect, listen, and connect with others who understand. Whether your grief is recent or something you have been quietly carrying for a long time, you are welcome here.

All pet owners welcome
Free coffee
Judgment free space
First meeting group share

August 17-
Doors open at 6:30 PM
Group begins promptly at 7:00 PM
Ends at 8:45 PM

Clarity House
607 Madison St.
Lynchburg, VA 24504
Honor the love. Hold the memories. Grieve in community.