Graceful Canine

07/29/2025

Thank you Canine Connection for this little gem.

07/16/2025

05/14/2025

02/19/2025

03/07/2024

If it seems to good to be true, it is. Behavior problems are not fixed in a session or two. We all wish they were.

The Dog Daddy's techniques under the guise of training are not only scientifically unsound but also ethically unacceptable. This examination serves as a warning against the allure of quick fixes and the importance of adhering to humane, scientifically backed training methods.

08/29/2023

03/23/2023

11/16/2022

This is spot on! Don’t feel bad if your dog is more selective.
Thanks to for these words of wisdom.

09/16/2022

NYC area adopters, here's a pretty boy for you.

08/10/2022

NEW BLOG POST

When Your Best Friend Bites
By: Jess Feliciano CDBC

Tiptoeing around teeth in your own home isn’t exactly what someone expects when they acquire a dog. The fundamental age-old idea of having a dog is like having a best friend. But what happens when your best friend displays aggression towards you?

Read more here https://bit.ly/3P6Q4Bv

07/23/2022

07/09/2022

Summer and heat danger for dogs

A post about the most important hazard of summer: Heat can be dangerous for your dog.

There are many PSAs about the hazards of hot weather; so many that we may become desensitized to their message. I hope these thoughts can help to bring more attention to prevention of worst case scenarios.

-- As tempting as it may be, choose not to bring your dog to summer events such as street festivals and parades. Somehow this seems to be overlooked by people with the best intentions. At our local Pride event in Philadelphia it was blisteringly hot, yet I encountered one dog after another, dressed in rainbow finery and panting heavily while their humans slowly meandered through the crowd.

-- Use common sense in the car. Running into a store to pick up a few things allows enough time for the car's internal temperature to rise very, very quickly. Don't do it -- take your canine passenger home, and come back for those few things without her. If you absolutely must leave your dog briefly, keep the engine and air conditioning on and lock the door.

-- During the summer months, change your dog walking schedule to accommodate the rise in temperature. Walk him at dawn or after sunset. On days expected to reach very high temperatures, stick to one longer walk at daybreak (see the happy Cardigans in the photo :)) -- or none at all.

-- Get into the habit of bending down to touch the ground. If it's hot to your hand, it's not safe for your dog's pads.

-- Watch your dog's attitude - if she's dragging along, panting hard or reluctant to move, go back home. Along with that, know the signs of heat stress or, when more severe, hyperthermia (heat "stroke"):
---- Uneasiness, anxiety, whining
---- Drooling
---- Gums and tongue extremely red
---- Exaggerated panting
---- Collapse
---- Seizures

-- If you feel there are signs of heat stress, move your dog quickly to a cooler, shaded or air conditioned location. Wet the bottoms (pads) of his feet; offer water. If the heavy panting and other signs persist, take him to an emergency veterinary clinic.

Please remember that your dog will feel uncomfortable and become overheated well before you do.