Path & Paw

03/09/2021

In-person classes are up and running at the East Bay SPCA! We have classes available at both our Oakland and Dublin locations - see you there!

29/05/2021

Sometimes when I work with families on management and boundary setting with dogs and babies or toddlers, people start to think that I’m suggesting zero interaction. In reality, I recommend parent-guided interactions based on the comfort level of the dog. Koa is quite comfortable with brushing, and we use goodies to make it an enjoyable experience. Here’s one way my little guy has started joining me on dog care - with some parent guided brushing! I keep Koa the treats flowing while I show Wiley how to brush out her fluff, and help him use the brush appropriately. Fun for everyone!

22/05/2021

✨Big news!✨ I was recently offered my dream job of Behavior & Training Manager at the East Bay SPCA 😱 This means I’ll be relocating the whole fam bam out to the East Bay for a brand new adventure. It also means Path & Paw, in its business form, will be no more, as I’ll be putting all my professional energy into this exciting new endeavor. This Instagram account will continue on in some form or another - I really enjoy sharing dog/baby tidbits and snapshots of shelter life, as well as seeing all the amazing content shared by so many incredible behavior professionals. I may pick a new handle, as I feel like Path & Paw has run its course and I need something new to mark this new chapter. We’ll see what that may be! 📷

14/05/2021

Poochie was overjoyed to have his good pal Dougie come for a visit! Koa was just, well, Koa... 😂 Setting these three up for success for two nights of sleepovers looked like: letting Doug explore the yard a bit and get acclimated after her long car ride, bringing Mooch out on leash first to say hi - he LOVES her but can be a bit too exuberant, removing his leash when Doug was ready to play, putting him back inside once they were ready for a break, and bringing Koa out on leash, allowing some brief sniffs and then encouraging Koa to give Doug space, allowing them to casually coexist for a bit, and then back to Moochie play, using the gate dividing my living space for all mealtimes and any time when we weren’t actively supervising the dogs, blocking access to the hallway as we know Koa is sensitive about dogs approaching our bedroom, rotating who had access vs who was more contained, and lots of praise and snacks for being lovely. Having friends with realistic expectations about what a safe and comfortable visit looks like is everything! It may sound counterintuitive, but I actually find it easier to set up play dates and dog walks with other people who have dogs with some sort of behavior challenges. People who have easy going social butterfly dogs often just don’t understand the nuances that are required for dogs that are sensitive about sharing space or resources or may be reactive 🤷🏻‍♀️

17/04/2021

Some impromptu toddler/dog enrichment this evening - putting some treats in a crumpled milk jug! Want more ideas about facilitating appropriate interactions between babies and dogs? There are still openings in my Preparing Families with Dogs for Life with Baby course! Link in bio.

12/04/2021

Less than a week now until my Preparing Families with Dogs for Life with Baby virtual workshop through ! This will provide a broad overview of management ideas, helpful behaviors to teach your dogs, and safety tips with plenty of time for specific questions. Link in bio to sign up. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions!

12/04/2021

A lovely way to end a lovely day. Happy Sunday everyone! 🌭🌙🐾

08/04/2021

Are you excited to nerd out about body language with me on Sunday? Here’s another great example of some subtle “no thank you” body language. First, notice Shadow’s ears. In the beginning of the video they’re pinned back. When I move back a bit, they come back to neutral. Then I extend my hand and the ears move back again. Now let’s look at his face/mouth. This isn’t a hot dog - the room is temperate and we had only taken a short potty walk prior to coming into the office. This is a good example of “clown face” which is a sign of stress. Notice the lip lick when I extend my hand the second time? Another subtle stress signal. He also averts his gaze right around this time, which shows that he’s uncomfortable with my proximity. Now, let’s talk about the paw life. Cute, right? Well, yeah, and he probably has some reinforcement history for this behavior, but in this context, with the rest of his body language taken into account, I’d say this is a space creating behavior. By offering a (very perfunctory) paw to my outstretched hand, he’s able to pause the forward movement of my hand and prevent further proximity. About 20 minutes after this video, this dog was climbing into my lap and soliciting all kinds of pets! But in this moment he really needed some space.

05/04/2021

Join me next Sunday for this very important discussion on dog body language for parents and caregivers!

Can you translate what your dog is saying?

Can you take that translation and explain it to a child?

If your dog is ever around children whether they’re your own or someone else’s, it’s so important that you can read what their body language is telling you and over time teach that to the kids around you.

Join the upcoming Support Group hosted by Dogly Training Advocate Tressa from as she offers a private guided discussion and safe space for all of your stresses, worries and anxieties about integrating dogs into your family successfully.

Early bird pricing ends this Thursday so be sure to register before then or join as a Community member and get access to ALL Support Groups across ALL Advocates on Dogly.

See you on the 11th at 1 PM EST!

https://dogly.com/posts/support-group-for-people-who-want-to-successfully-integrate-their-dog-into-a-family-setting-f098a87d-dcf5-4d58-8537-292c9addadd8

05/04/2021

Some dog and baby cuteness from our Easter celebration yesterday! My mom’s dog, Jenny, is a much better sport when it comes to playing “fetch” with Wiley. Having the adult take the ball from the dog and hand it to the baby keeps little fingers away from those pearly whites and is a great way to modify fetch and make it more appropriate for a little one to participate!