Pawsitively Trained LLC

05/05/2025

Monthly Member Support Group this evening at 7pm (Pacific)

We hold these the first Monday of every month as a way to connect within the Membership community, ask questions, discuss updates, and support each other on our animal care journeys.

Members, check your email before the session for the Zoom link.

Non-Members, sign up to join us www.pawsitivelytraineddogs.com/membership

🐾

05/03/2025

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Behavior “problems” people tell me their dog has (and they want to fix) that I find extremely relatable -

- He doesn’t like it when people he doesn’t know come to the house, especially if it’s a man.
- SAME
*dogs don’t understand company coming over. They have no concept of UPS, Amazon Prime, or family barbecues. The majority of time in human civilization that dogs have existed with us did not include ANY of these things. They are mostly still hardwired to view unknown visitors on their territory as a potential threat or danger. We forget that most of the time we KNOW who’s coming, but our dogs don’t. And imagine if you didn’t know and suddenly a stranger showed up wanting to come in and hug you. I bet you’d freak out too*

- He’s fine with people he knows, but he doesn’t like it if a stranger tries to or does touch him.
- SAME
*dogs are not public property. I wouldn’t allow a stranger to touch my child or baby simply because she’s cute, why my dog? Dogs should be able to choose if they want to interact with someone and people need to learn how to accept and understand when they say no politely, before the dog feels they have to escalate to get more distance*

- She doesn’t want me to touch her while she’s eating and will sometimes growl or grumble if she has a toy and I try to take it away.
- SAME
*ever try to take away a kids Easter candy? How about taking someone’s money that they are holding in their hand? How do you feel when someone takes food off your plate? Sharing doesn’t come naturally to humans OR dogs, but for dogs it’s rooted in survival and completely normal.*

- She growls when the kids lay on her if she’s sleeping, or if I try to move her when she’s on the couch napping.
- SAME
*not wanting to be bothered when resting is also natural and normal. If I groan and get irritated when my kids do that to me, I’m not labeled as aggressive or unpredictable. What dogs do to communicate irritation or discomfort is absolutely acceptable, and yet they are the ONLY creatures that we see this behavior as a problem*

- He used to be fine with big social gatherings like the dog park. Now he’s not.
- SAME
*behavior and ideas of “fun” change as we get older and mature. Same happens to dogs. I’d love a nice bath and a book at the end of the day now, not a night on the town. Nothing happened to me, I just grew up. Dogs are the same way many times. Their likes and dislikes aren’t always concrete and we have to learn to adapt with them, just as we do ourselves*

I seriously could write these all day. All it takes is a mild shift in perspective to see the issues we label as bad or rude or negative in dogs are often COMPLETELY normal mix and “fixing” them first starts with understanding them, then helping your dog, and meeting in the middle. Training is appropriate in lots of different situations but it’s useless if we fail to actually realize dogs as the animals they are. The more we do this, the easier life with these amazing creatures is for both of us.

- Helen St. Pierre

04/29/2025

🐾 Upcoming Discussions 🐾

⭐ FOCUS Group ⭐

In our FOCUS Groups within the FOCUS Membership, I will be discussing the takeaways from the CCC interviews with various pet professionals across the industry and giving you practical, actionable tips to work on.

Topic: Working Dogs & Modern Jobs

Schedule: Tuesday., April 29th, 2025 / 5:30-6:30pm (PST)

Details: Keeping welfare front of mind when giving dogs a job.

Can't wait to chat with you!

04/27/2025

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Behavior Bites! FREE 🐶 Live Q&A with Michelle Stern, CPDT-KA!

Expecting a baby and wondering how to prepare your dog? Need expert advice on keeping both kids and dogs safe and happy? Now’s your chance to ask!

Join Michelle Stern, Founder of Family Dog Mediator, and Certified Professional Dog Trainer, for a 45-minute live Q&A focused on dogs and kids! Whether you're preparing your pup for a new baby, navigating toddler interactions, or addressing behavior changes, Michelle has the expert guidance you need.

Perfect for families with dogs, dog trainers, behavior consultants, veterinarians, pet sitters, doulas, and anyone working with families and dogs, this session will cover essential strategies for a smooth transition when adding a baby to the mix.

🔥 Don’t miss out—bring your questions and join the conversation!

04/23/2025

Back from vacation! We had a LOVELY trip to Australia 🦘🐨 but I really missed my usual daily dose of dogs 🐾 Excited to get back to work and meet all the new pups who have signed up over the past few weeks 🤩

04/18/2025

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Not trying to interact with the dogs we see on the street or in homes can make a huge difference to both the dog and owner.

It can help puppies build confidence and impulse control, make worried or reactive dogs feel safer and set the owner up for success.

Not to take away the joy of meeting dogs, but both dog and owner will make it pretty clear if they are keen to interact. And that’s when the question can the be asked if it’s okay to say hello.

Some of the best relationships I’ve had with dogs has started from waiting for them to make contact first.

04/01/2025

In just a few days I'll be separated from this sweet fluffy face for almost 3 weeks 😳😱 It's so tough to leave the animals at home when Zach and I travel, but I'm also VERY excited for our trip to visit family in Australia 🥰

One of the things I prioritize in my personal training program for my pets, is building routines, patterns, and skills to make it easier for someone ELSE to care for them while I'm away. We have a wonderful house sitter (sorry, she's not for hire) who stays with everyone and makes sure they are all fed, cared for, and loved. But, she is only able to take care of the farm if meeting their needs is a transferrable skill.

I'm not going to lie, I do provide her with a 5 page document that includes links for photo and video references 🫣😅 but still — it is possible for someone (who is not a pet professional) to step in and facilitate farm care in my absence. That is the only way I'd feel comfortable leaving the menagerie at all, let alone for multiple weeks at a time.

Consider your pets' care routines. Could you write it all out in a bulleted list for someone else to follow? Are your routines so strict and nuanced that no one else can do them, or do your animals tolerate the wiggle room inherent in a handoff to a new person? Do your routines lack any predictability, or will it feel like a seamless transition when someone else is following your guidance?

There is a Goldilocks-type balance that needs to happen to have enough predictability to create feelings of security and safety (for the pets and the people), while still allowing for the flexibility to go off script without creating frustration and anxiety. This balance is a good one to practice as you prepare for upcoming travel, illness, or just general breaks from pet parenting — because you deserve to take a timeout too!

03/22/2025

Curious About L.E.G.S.® in Motion? Experience It for FREE!

Are you a dog professional who wants to better understand behavior at its roots but aren’t sure if the L.E.G.S.® in Motion Conference is right for you? Let us show you what makes this event stand out!

We’re offering you FREE access to two exclusive deep dives from past conference sessions—so you can see for yourself why attendees call this one of the most valuable educational experiences in the industry.

These aren’t surface-level webinars. These are insight-packed sessions that will challenge the way you think about dog behavior, training, and welfare.

Your FREE Deep Dives Include:
✔️ Kick-Ass Group Classes with L.E.G.S.® (Sarah Dixon)
→ How can we move beyond traditional obedience-based group classes? Sarah explores how to redesign training programs that prioritize real-world skills, enrichment, and welfare over rigid commands.

✔️ The Cutest L.E.G.S.® of All: Puppies (Kathy Callahan)
→ Puppies aren’t just mini-adults, and their challenges go far beyond simple house training. Kathy rethinks how we support overwhelmed puppy owners and nurture young dogs through empathy, trust-building, and the L.E.G.S.® model.

🔥 Use the code "TASTEOFLEGS" to access these sessions for free!

Still on the fence about L.E.G.S. in Motion 2025? This is your chance to see the depth of knowledge shared and get a preview of the groundbreaking conversations happening at this conference.

📅 Conference Date: May 16–18, 2025
📍 Concord, NH + Virtual Option Available

Experience your FREE Deep Dives here ⬇
https://kimbropheylegscourses.thinkific.com/pages/taste-of-legs

03/16/2025

🐾 Upcoming Discussions 🐾

For anyone who has had a session with me recently, you have likely heard me talk about the nervous system and how that impacts behavior. My training program centers around the emotions of the dog(s) and human(s) in the household and addresses the friction that may be causing "big feelings". When we look at WHY a behavior is occurring, it becomes so much easier and more effective to create a solution that works for everyone.

A LEGS Assessment can help with this, and that is exactly what we will discuss in our upcoming conversations.

⭐ Curious Connected Conversation ⭐

Family Dog Mediation Outreach & Support is a free Facebook group with monthly Curious Connected Conversations. You do NOT need to attend this session in order to participate in our FOCUS Group, but here are the details, if you'd like to join.

Topic: Application of LEGS in Training

Schedule: Mon., March 17th, 2025 / 12:00-1:00 (PST)

Details: "Understanding Changes Everything”. This Family Dog Mediation tagline gives us an excellent framework for a discussion on how to look at dog training through a lens of curiosity and empathy. This month, the Training Division heads will help us focus on gathering data to better illuminate why behaviors may be occurring.

⭐ FOCUS Group ⭐

In our FOCUS Groups within the FOCUS Membership, I will be discussing the takeaways from the CCC interviews and giving you practical, actionable tips to work on.

Topic: Training Evolution

Schedule: Mon., March 24th, 2025 / 7:00-8:00 (PST)

Details: Adjusting traditional training mindsets to accommodate the dog's needs.

Can't wait to chat with you!

03/14/2025

Working at the Trailblazing Tails booth with Tricia at the 2025 Clicker Expo in Chicago 🤩 Come visit us!!

02/17/2025

🐾 Upcoming Discussions 🐾

I talk a lot about "handling" in my program, but what does that refer to? I think of "handling" as any time I reach into a dog's space. This may be to reach over to pet them, to pick them up, to groom them, to have a vet examine them, to wipe them off with a towel, to put on a harness...etc.

We need to handle dogs all the time, so it's important for them to feel comfortable when it happens! This month, we will cover how to enhance the relationship during handling, rather than regularly rehearsing distrust and stress.

⭐ Curious Connected Conversation ⭐

Family Dog Mediation Outreach & Support is a free Facebook group with monthly Curious Connected Conversations. You do NOT need to attend this session in order to participate in our FOCUS Group, but here are the details, if you'd like to join.

Topic: Application of LEGS in Handling

Schedule: Mon., February 17th, 2025 / 12:00-1:00 (PST)

Details: As Laura Gendron says, 'handling is part of all aspects of a good dog life'. Join us this month to chat with Laura about how to use the dog's (and your) LEGS to make handling as successful and low-stress as possible. This is not a training discussion, but rather a wellness discussion for the health of your dog and relationship.

⭐ FOCUS Group ⭐

In our FOCUS Groups within the FOCUS Membership, I will be discussing the takeaways from the CCC interviews and giving you practical, actionable tips to work on.

Topic: Handling and Husbandry

Schedule: Mon., February 24th, 2025 / 7:00-8:00 (PST)

Details: Helping humans address animal husbandry needs with empathy.

Can't wait to chat with you!

02/02/2025

Katia and I will be taking a break from our snowy vacation to host this month's Member Support Group — Monday, 2/3/25 at 7pm (Pacific).

We've been having a great time bounding around along the snowy riverbank, snuggling in blankets by the fire, and spending time with some of our favorite people 😍

If you'd like to tune in to this month's open discussion Q&A, make sure you're enrolled in our FOCUS on Dogs Membership.

www.pawsitivelytraineddogs.com/membership

🐾 Members, you'll receive an email with the Zoom link before our session.

See you soon! ❄️😎