Mighty Mutts

Teaching your dog to hang out behind a baby gate or puppy pen has lots of benefits. For our more fearful dogs, these barriers can help make guest visits less stressful for everyone.

Mighty Mutt Grant just wants to sleep for 5 more minutes...or 10...the rest of the day would be fine, too.

Say hello to Louie! This handsome guy went from laboratory breeding facility to the good life as a beach boy. Lou loves showing off his smarts and playing with his brother Chester between romps in the sand.

Say hi to Mavis! This active girl puts the "point" in Pointer, throwing her nose in the air to take in ALL THE SMELLS. Mavis loves training time, and is learning that even with all the amazing things in the world, paying attention to her humans is just as fun. Good pup, Mavis!

To help you and your pups prepare for the 4th of July, we're providing 4 days of tips and reminders. Tune in every day July 1-4 to make sure you're ready for the big booms!

Day 4: Prep the House
Put bedding in your dog’s preferred hiding areas - you want to make their safe space as comfy as possible
Prep extra bedding to give your dog in unexpected safe spots
Close windows before dark
Have a leash on hand in case the dog needs to go out late

Do other sounds bother your dog, too? Join Confidence Builders Academy for help all year round. Click the link in bio for more information.

To help you and your pups prepare for the 4th of July, we're providing 4 days of tips and reminders. Tune in every day July 1-4 to make sure you're ready for the big booms!

Day 3: Plan Your Day
You'll want to meet all your dog's needs before it gets dark. The more they've gotten to do during the day, the better:
Schedule walks & exercise early in the day (especially if you live in a hot area
Plan extra enrichment opportunities throughout the day
Feed and do a final potty break before dark

Do other sounds bother your dog, too? Join Confidence Builders Academy for help all year round. Click the link in bio for more information.

To help you and your pups prepare for the 4th of July, we're providing 4 days of tips and reminders. Tune in every day July 1-4 to make sure you're ready for the big booms!

Day 2: Shopping & Puzzle Prep
Stock up on Chews - even if your dog will be too stressed to chew during the fireworks, they can help with destressing before and after the event
Check your dog’s ID tags, and replace as needed
Make and freeze Kongs, Toppls & lick mats

Do other sounds bother your dog, too? Join Confidence Builders Academy for help all year round. Click the link in bio for more information.

To help you and your pups prepare for the 4th of July, we're providing 4 days of tips and reminders. Tune in every day July 1-4 to make sure you're ready for the big booms!

Day 1: Final Medication Checks
If your dog takes meds on the 4th:
Double check the prescriptions, and read about side effects if this will be the first time your dog is taking them.
Make sure you know when to give the first dose, and set a reminder
Call your vet with questions before they close for the holiday

Do other sounds bother your dog, too? Join Confidence Builders Academy for help all year round. Click the link in bio for more information.

In this edition of the Mondays, someone did a little too much partying over the weekend...

Has your dog had a rough case of the Mondays recently? If you want your pup featured in this series, any former or current clients can email me your dog's entry.

It's hot this weekend! If you're going to be training your dog, some frozen dog treats can help them stay cool.

Don't forget to use shade, go inside if your dog is getting hot, and make sure they have plenty of chances to take water breaks, too!

We're going to take a break from our regular themes today to acknowledge a darker side to the history of dogs: slave hounds. During slavery, dogs were used to violently control slaves as well as to hunt those who escaped. While Juneteenth celebrates a freedom from slavery, the unfortunate truth is that there's a direct link between slave hounds and the ways dogs have been used by police forces towards Black citizens from emancipation through the Civil Rights era, all the way to today. This is one of many reasons I personally don't condone the use of dogs as weapons.

Click the link below for the article, "Slave Hounds and Abolition in the Americas" and be sure to check out on IG, for more on animal advocacy & antiracism.

https://ir.library.louisville.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1448&context=faculty

The 4th of July is in just 3 weeks!

If your dog gets a veterinary prescription to help cope, now's the time to make sure you've got enough to get through the loud season.

If you think your dog might need meds, be sure to contact your vet asap so you've got time to get an appointment.

This week it's Mighty Mutt Meru who's got a case of the Mondays. It's only June, and he already says it's too hot for all this nonsense.

Say Hi to Kermit & Rex! These brothers used to get a little cranky about sharing the couch, but they've learned there's space and snuggles enough for everyone. Their goofy Frenchie faces and personalities bring smiles to everyone they meet.

A reminder on National Pet Grooming Day that grooming is a part of your pet's overall enrichment plan.

If your dog is blissed out by the brush, how about adding a nice session today for some bonding and coat care.

If grooming is scary, today is a great day to put one grooming tool on the coffee table, and invite your dog to come have a treat party - let them choose how far away the party should be held! If it's pretty far away, talk to your Fear Free Certified trainer about you and your pet's next steps.

Did you and your dog celebrate National Pet Grooming Day? Drop a 💅in comments to let us know! (Brownie points for telling us what you did).

Here are 5 things Mighty Mutt Mimi and I love about going to Walnut Creek Veterinary Hospital. What are you and your dogs' favorite things about your vet? Share in comments! ⬇️

Mighty Mutt Sasha is launching a new photo series of dogs having dramatic cases of the Mondays...we hope your Monday is going better than hers!

Say hello and congratulations to Jaeger, because he's getting ready to become a big brother to a human puppy! Jaeger's been getting ready by learning to chill out around all kinds of weird stuff, like baby slings and car seats. He's just looking forward to the part of training where the small person throws all the food off their high chair!

Congrats on learning that the vet doesn't have to be scary, Leale! She and her humans have worked hard to make trips to the vet go from high drama to injection and chill. Cooperative care can help everyone feel safer at the vet - pet, guardian and staff. What's your cooperative care win?

Let's take a dog break & enjoy some bird behavior! Every spring, we enjoy watching the Cal Falcons nest cam at the top of UC Berkeley's Campanile. This year, mamma Annie and papa Archie welcomed a record 4 babies!

If you want to improve your pet trainer chops while enjoying the cute overload, pick a bird and see if you notice a particular behavior repeat a few times. Did you get to observe something really cool? Let us know in comments!

Cal Falcons Nest Cam, UC Berkeley Welcome to the livestream of UC Berkeley's resident Peregrine Falcons! Learn more at: calfalcons.berkeley.eduAccessibility Information: This video does not u...

CBA is 3! Help us celebrate by redeeming our free gift for new students - $50 off your first 3 months. Enroll before 5/31 with discount code CBABDAY3 or use this link: https://confidence-builders-academy.newzenler.com/courses/confidence-builders-academy-1?coupon=CBABDAY3

Say bonjour to Celli, because this international Mighty Mutt comes to us all the way from France! She's a rock star service dog with the heart of a farm pup, and loves to take trips to the countryside. She worked hard to earn her public access vest, and we're so proud of her. Good dog, Celli!

International Children's Book Day is here! It hasn't grown as much in the US as some other countries, but I'm all for any holiday that promotes reading. Here are some dog books for kids I recommend:
Doggie Language, Lili Chin (all ages)
What's Up, Pup?, Kersten Hamilton, illustrated by Lili Chin
I Can Be a Dog Detective, Stephanie Zikmann, illustrated by Julie Bryden
The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and The Horse, Charlie Mackesy (ok, a fox isn't a dog, but this story is so great I had to include it)

March's Mighty Mutt of the Month, Spot, loves twinning and shopping at Orinda Books. Where's your dog's favorite place to shop?

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy Pi Day! Here's a fun way to celebrate with your dog. All you need is a lick mat and some canned pumpkin...or any other spreadable goodie.

I can't believe it! We're only 1 week away from our free webinar for rescue groups. If you still want to sign up, you can do so here:

https://confidence-builders-academy.newzenler.com/webinar/your-fearful-rescues/register