Joan the Dog Coach

August 15, 2016

Disaster preparedness for your dog, planning ahead

Disasters and emergencies come in a wide variety and there’s no predicting them. In many instances such as fires, flooding, earthquake or hurricane, you may have to evacuate from your home for a short time – a few hours…

August 1, 2016

Searching for a lost dog

I can think of only a few things more traumatic than searching for a lost pet. The trauma is most likely a two-way street, as awful for the lost pet as it is for the frantic owner. A lost…

July 25, 2016

Grieving the Loss of a Pet

Dogs bring pure joy into our lives and homes. The flip side of that is the devastating loss when they leave us. As a certified professional dog trainer and behavior consultant, and dog mom, I would be remiss if I didn’t…

July 1, 2016

Creating a dog-friendly Fourth of July celebration

Happy July and here’s to wonderful Fourth of July! It’s a fun and festive time for our country and local communities. While humans are reveling in picnic games, barbecue menus, and colorful theatrics in the sky, the holiday can…

July 1, 2016

Understanding Dog Displacement Behavior

Nail biting, hair twirling, and pacing are examples of nervous behavior in humans. In the world of canines, behaviors dogs use to cope, relieve stress, or stave off trouble (rather than deal with it directly) is called displacement behavior….

June 15, 2016

#Train4Rewards Blog Party … Reward, Reward, Reward

Woofs and wags to Companion Animal Psychology and its #Train4Rewards Blog Party. You think I’d miss this party? Read on! As a is certified professional dog trainer and behavior consultant, I’m all about reward, reward, reward. Plus, it’s an extra-special party for…

June 1, 2016

Dog Training: Why hitting or using pain are not the ideal choices

Dogs are my world. What can I say, I love canines! It’s no wonder my chosen profession is certified professional dog trainer and behavior consultant. Oftentimes at social events, when someone learns I specialize in dogs, I’m asked about my…

May 15, 2016

Pet Planner and Organizer for when you’re away

As the saying goes, “variety is the spice of life.” For many, this is true. On the flip side, we also find comfort in our daily routines, as do inquisitive canines. Meal time, walk time, play time, nap time,…

May 1, 2016

Puppy Parent Tip Sheet

There is no peak season for puppies, but my experience as a certified professional dog trainer and behavior consultant has shown summer to be one of the busier training times for young inquisitive canines. Any time is a good time for puppy…

April 3, 2016

Upcycle Leftovers Into High Value Dog Treats

Last week a private training client mentioned that their dogs had some dietary restrictions, but were allowed to have salmon. Fortunately for me, I had just roasted salmon for our dinner and had some left over, along with brown…

Author: Joan Hunter Mayer