Los Lukes

Los Lukes Animal Behavior & Training
Force-Free | Positive Reinforcement
Matt Chan, KPA CTP, CAWA
The California Central Coast Because training time is bonding time.

I'm Matt Chan, KPA CTP (that means I'm a certified dog trainer through Karen Pryor Academy!). Helping people live more peacefully with their dogs is a passion for me. It means more people and their dogs can live in better harmony, and less dogs will be surrendered to animal shelters. Having worked in animal welfare management for over 15 years, I know what it is that often causes dogs to be given

up: too jumpy, too mouth, not sociable, can't be walked down the street without pulling, barks and lunges at people/other dogs/cats/traffic. My goal is to deter all of this, by helping people learn how to communicate better with their dogs. I'll help people understand their dogs better, understand their breed better, and help the relationships all around. Visit loslukes.com to Book Now!

/

Soy Matt Chan, KPA CTP (¡eso significa que soy un entrenador de perros certificado a través de la Academia Karen Pryor!). Ayudar a las personas a vivir en paz con sus perros es una pasión para mí. Significa que más personas y sus perros pueden vivir en mejor armonía, y menos perros serán entregados a refugios de animales. Después de haber trabajado en la gestión del bienestar animal durante más de 15 años, sé qué es lo que a menudo hace que los perros se den por vencidos: demasiado nerviosos, demasiado boquiabiertos, poco sociables, no se puede caminar por la calle sin tirar, ladran y se abalanzan sobre las personas. /otros perros/gatos/tráfico. Mi objetivo es disuadir todo esto, ayudando a las personas a aprender cómo comunicarse mejor con sus perros. Ayudaré a las personas a comprender mejor a sus perros, comprender mejor su raza y ayudar a las relaciones en general. Porque el tiempo de formación es tiempo de vinculación.

¡Visite loslukes.com para reservar ahora!

05/30/2026

Happy Birthday my Love 🧡
Celebrating Luke’s special day through the years 🍰
XOXOXO
🖤

💚

A hard stare with stiff musculature: Deciphering these signals could be the difference between a bite, or not.A hard sta...
05/29/2026

A hard stare with stiff musculature: Deciphering these signals could be the difference between a bite, or not.

A hard stare is when a dog intently focuses on a stimulus—such as a person, or another animal. The eyes will not blink, and will not look away. Pupils may become constricted (smaller in diameter than normal).

Hard stares will be paired with other physical signals, such as:

Stiff musculature
Leaning forward
Alert ears
Clenched mouth
Growling
Barking

Tail positioning will vary.

Stiff body language with hard eyes can be an indicator of a dog who is willing and ready to aggress. As always, context means everything.

Understanding when a dog is feeling tense, we can best understand when to simply leave a dog alone and not approach.

In the next Behavior Detail, we’ll look at Loose Body Language.

Matt Chan, KPA CTP

Illustrations © Matt Chan & LOS LUKES, LLC

05/19/2026

Jumping to Hyperspace with Mia 🚀

05/08/2026

“My dog is giving me side eye...” Well, that’s not what it necessarily is.

Often, it’s an emotional signal described as ‘whale eye’ in canine (and feline) behavior.

Prominently showing the whites of the eyes, for both dogs and humans, often indicates fear. It’s an involuntary reflex for both of our species.

And it tells us so much. We can understand if our dog is afraid of something. If someone is making them nervous or anxious.

And that knowledge tells us what we need to do. One, we need to ensure we aren’t causing it through something stressful we’re intentionally doing—you know the videos we’re referring to. Two, we need to not be filming it.

Instead, we need to call upon our intellect of Emotional Intelligence. Understand if something stressful is indeed occurring, and do something to help our dog feel better about the given situation.

Be comforting, be present, and be understanding of the whale eye.

05/07/2026

Celebrating Willow’s 10th Birthday! 🍰

So much fun sharing your big day with you & your mom recently big girl 🩵

I cherish your friendship and love always~

XOXO
Matt

featuring: Willow, Bosley, and Kaylee
🩵🤎💚

with photos from
The Birthday Girl & LOS LUKES supermodel 🥞

04/24/2026

✨New Product Review: Doggie Desserts!

Plant-based cooldown treat for dogs, in two varieties:
🥨 Pontch’s Mix (peanut butter with pretzel chunks)
🍪 Rosie’s Batch (pumpkin with mini-cookie chunks)

Highly-recommend as a tasty way for your dog to cool-off when they’re hot,
or as a fun way to relax if tense. 🍨

Featuring: Willow, Quinn, and Luke


04/17/2026

Body Language: What is the shake-off?

04/10/2026

Lip Licks are strong potential indicators of stress in dogs.

If we’re seeing them combined with other stress indicators, such as whale eye, stiff musculature, furtive glances, paw lifting, teeth baring, and growling, we need to be proactive to reduce or eliminate that stress.

By always having Attunement with our dog, one of the Core Intellects of an animal guardian, we can perceive these rapid emotional signs. And then we can examine who or what is causing our dog to sign this emotion. If we’re seeing them rapidly while they’re around another dog or a specific person—it’s likely an indication they are not feeling comfortable around that dog, or that person.

Lip Licks are not always an indication of stress—unlike something like the Play Bow, which is an absolute for play. Dogs can lick their lips while excited, or while anticipating play—or food. Or it may even be momentary confusion or stress—such as having their photo taken.

Be attuned, put the Lip Licks into context, and be proactive when your dog is asking you to be.

Illustration © Matt Chan & LOS LUKES, LLC, 2026

04/08/2026

Clicker Training demo! Sound up to hear the moments I click.
With our own girl, Quinn 🤎

Photos by

So thankful for this past 2025 🍂 Every challenge, every mountain climbed, every birthday candle, every walk, every run, ...
11/28/2025

So thankful for this past 2025 🍂
Every challenge, every mountain climbed, every birthday candle, every walk, every run, every moment by the ocean, with every loved one. 🖤

Audrina
Mercedes
Willow, Luke, Quinn, and Olive, counting down to Thanksgiving Dinner
Remi
Hagen
Kaylee & Matt @ City to the Sea Half Marathon

~a big thank you to all of our supporters~ 💗

XOXO
Team LOS LUKES


Address

San Luis Obispo, CA
93401

Telephone

+15402902293

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Los Lukes posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Los Lukes:

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category