The Woodland Wag

03/19/2026

Let’s help get Pluto home. Check your cameras, under your decks, and be on the lookout for Pluto. My understanding is he needs space from strangers, so calling the number with any sightings is the BEST way you can help.

UPDATE 3/22/26: Pluto has been found and is home safe!

UPDATE 3/18/26 STILL MISSING Pluto is still missing. It is believed he has traveled out of . For those in surrounding towns please check your outdoor security camera, in, under, around your yard structures. If you see Pluto DO NOT CALL OR CHASE HIM, call the number on the post. Please continue to share Pluto's post to help generate sights to bring this boy home to his very worried family.

MISSING DOG - Male Golden Retriever
3-12-26

Pluto is 3 years old/70 lbs, Golden Retriever. Area of: Lawrence Dr/King Street, Near: Wachusett St & Susan's Way.

Pluto is scared! Do NOT Call Out To, Approach Or Chase him!!

Please share to help find Pluto! Call with sightings: 781-783-7655

11/26/2025

Sometimes our dogs are best kept to a separate room while we eat, other dogs will relax from their dog bed or a couch in the same area, and others spend their holiday safely at home while their humans enjoy a holiday meal elsewhere. Add your dog feeling safe and set up in a safe environment to the holiday to do list. 🤍🤎🧡

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Make sure everyone is on the same page about how to celebrate safely with pets. Some animals are hesitant around groups of people - don't force interactions.
Ask guests not to feed pets table scraps and communicate allergies or intolerances your pet may have.

Show your pet how thankful you are for them - keep them safe and happy!

11/22/2025

Shorter walks, on a flat surface, during warmer parts of the day, and less walks off property for my sweet Abbie. A comfortable rug and bed are always taken outside for her when she’s spending time with us in the yard. Older dogs need us to keep them comfortable, even if that means enrichment and adventure isn’t what it once was when they were young. 🫶🏻

This time of year, colder weather can make our old dogs feel stiffer and less comfortable. Let’s be mindful of their needs by keeping them warm with a cosy coat and adjusting walks to their comfort level—shorter and gentler if they’re not up for long outings. Their comfort comes first.

11/21/2025

A dog who checks in with their human is a dog who has learned to trust and connect when feeling uncertain. Learning our dog’s need for space and reassurance helps them trust us to work as a team to make good decisions together. Goose has a wonderful home filled with love and humans who want to help him feel safe. 🐾 💗

11/12/2025

Support your puppies and dogs day and night 🐾🤍

A damaging myth surrounding dogs, particularly puppies, when they get to their new homes is that, if the cry, they should be left alone so they learn to stay quiet overnight. This is absolutely not the best way to help that new family member feel safe and comfortable in their new home.

From :

"A puppy is like a human child. They cry when there is something they need, including comfort and connection. If they do not get a response when they are crying then yes, they will stop, but not because they have settled. They have learned that nobody is coming and so they give up trying. This will have a serious and damaging effect on the bond between them and their family, and at probably the most vulnerable time in their lives emotionally. One of the most important things we can focus on in these early days and weeks of our shared lives is helping them to feel safe and secure and responding to their needs is absolutely the best way to go about this."

In those early days have them sleeping close to you, and respond when they are distressed. It does not mean that they will always cry at night. It will, however, help them to realise that they are not alone and that they can sleep safe and sound knowing you are there if they need you during the night.

11/09/2025

Dogs like Ralphie are eager to learn and motivated by interaction with people. He’s learning a touch cue with his nose, checking in with his humans, and four paws on the floor are all wonderful ways to ask for attention. ✨💗🐾

07/30/2025

Just like you, your dog may tear up when you're reunited, a 2022 study found. 🥺 In an experiment with dogs and their owners, researchers found that dogs produced tears when they saw their owners after spending hours apart.

The research suggests that “dogs may have a greater attachment to their owners than we previously thought they did,” said Dr. Katherine Houpt, an emeritus professor of animal behavior at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Other research suggests that dogs parted from their owners behave very much like children separated from their mothers, Houpt said.

📸: Getty Images

06/22/2025

Support your dog. Connection over correction. It’s time we move past fear based training methods and embrace gentle, ethical, and effective teaching. Support your fearful dog by giving comfort, helping them create space as needed, and meet their needs. Reactive, and often fearful dogs, don’t need chokes, prongs, or e-collars. They need understanding, support, and guidance on how to make better decisions to help them feel safe. I’ve lived with a fearful dog for 12 years this July. I ignored the bad advice and all the noise, and looked to Abbie for guidance. She’s never let me down. Build the relationship with your dog and the training will follow ✨

03/28/2025

Wonderful post about what all dogs really want from us. The list is quite simple and adds so much quality to their lives ✨🐾
Enjoy those energetic puppies and young dogs. Meet their breed specific needs and allow yourself to sit back and enjoy watching your dog be a dog. So much unwanted behavior is resolved when we simply meet their needs. 🐕 🐕‍🦺

A lot of dogs want you to know this -

Instead of a fancy collar and bed? They’d rather have a fenced in yard - even if it has to be small and home made - so they can have off leash time to dog and dig.

Instead of daily neighborhood walks? They’d rather you drive to a dirt road and put them on a 30ft line and let them zig zag and smell as long as they like

Instead of twice daily meals in a bowl? They’d rather have food through enrichment activities that stimulates their brain and their nose.

Instead of basic obedience training? They’d rather have purpose driven training that feeds their genetic make up and needs AND helps them survive and thrive in todays world.

Instead of a human wanting something from them? They’d love a human wanting to understand them better.

Instead of focusing on perfect “heels” and “stays”? They’d love to learn how to be resilient and less stressed and cope with the outside world and our expectations.

Instead of harsh punishments and corrections? They’d prefer proactive management and rewards for good decisions.

We can’t change everything about the lives our dogs are forced to live with us in, but we can make these kinds of changes and see a huge improvement in their quality of life and wellbeing.

-Helen St. Pierre

03/06/2025

Lately 🤍

06/14/2024

What exactly is a sniff walk?

🐾 Stopping and sniffing as much or as little as the dog chooses to do so.

🐾 Changing directions and walking sideways (seeking behavior).

🐾 Walking in a quiet environment with limited interruptions.

Notice I only talk to Abbie once and it’s to fix her leash. Notice she stops, goes back to investigate the same spot, crosses over the path, and takes her time. I don’t cue her to stop, I don’t cue her to keep going, I don’t expect her to heel, and I don’t pull on her leash. I don’t correct her. I don’t do much of anything except hold the leash to keep her safe.

Dogs need to be allowed to be dogs.
Dogs need to decompress and get out in nature. Dogs need to feel safe in our company.

This was a 35 minute sniff walk ahead of the heat and my busy day. The more we let our dogs stop and sniff, the less they pull on leash. The more relaxed our walks are, the more relaxed our dogs are after. The more we provide opportunities for our dogs to be dogs, the less we have to work on unwanted behavior in the home. Reach out if you want to work on more peaceful walks and return home with a tired, content, and happy dog. Enjoy the adventures with your dog. ✨ 🌳 🍃