V Smart Dogs

Is your dog struggling when you leave?

Book a call today to repair your dog’s relationship with alone time.

Does your dog struggle with being left alone and you don’t know what to do?

You deserve to have a certified expert who will listen to you, empathize with what you are experiencing and take the guesswork out of training.

🚨Official Announcement!🚨 V Smart Dogs is finally launching it’s newest specialty and program, touch sensitivities and No Touchy Dog Tutoring. 🎉

As many folks know, one of the things I am most passionate about in dog education is helping dogs learn to cooperate with their humans when it comes to being touched, handled, groomed, or receiving vet care. AKA cooperative care training! 💜

I believe this may even be the most important thing anyone could ever teach their dog and have spent many years making this a heavy focus of my training with my own dogs, foster dogs, and client dogs alike. 🐶

The reason I believe this to be so important, especially for dogs who find touch and handling stressful, is because touching our dogs is a necessity throughout their entire life! And if your dog finds it stressful to be touched or handled, it is more difficult to keep them happy, healthy, and comfortable. When we have to “fight” dogs to put on their harness, brush their fur, clip their nails, or take them to the vet, those things will inevitably happen less often! 🛁

A long time coming, this program has been in development for well over a year now! Finally, it is ready and officially available to the public. 🥳️

With this new expansion and program, I will be working with dogs who experience mild to severe levels of distress from handling to both prevent mild fear or distress from escalating, as well as to help dogs who do experience severe levels of distress overcome their fears. Of course, the training methods I use are positive, effective, and adaptable for dogs of all ages, breeds, abilities, and health status.

And because of the nature of these behaviors and the training/recovery process, I am able to meet with clients no matter their location. Though cooperative care training is steadily growing in popularity throughout the dog training world, there are many folks who still will not have specialists in their area. No worry, specialized help is still available! 😀

All dogs start with an Initial Assessment, and from there we develop their training plan! For more information, check out vsmartdogs.com/touchy

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Impatient Freddie: "Is this what you want?!"

Boy... Not quite... 😅

I was sitting down in my "standby" position as I planned out exactly what we were going to work on (in my head).

Oddly enough "chin rest on a slow bowl" was NOT on the agenda 😂

Celebrating some v big progress today! 🥳

Ryder the GSP just completed week 4 of his separation anxiety recovery training and snoozed through an entire 20 minute absence today! 🤩

Before we started training, Ryder's threshold was only 5 seconds!!!

So proud of this boy 🥰💜

The second photo is a screenshot of his rendition of "Blob on Bed" for 20 minutes 😂

Happy and clean Freddie 🥰

Happy Sunday everyone! 💜

My number one tip for dogs with separation anxiety? 🔽

BRING YOUR DOG WITH YOU everywhere you can! 👏

And when you can't, find someone they can stay with.🧍

If you don't show them that they are actually safe (put a full stop to the panic) good luck convincing them that training is safe. 🤷‍♀️

(Pic: Zelda the red and white Pembroke Welsh Corgi standing on the floor and Kyle the black and white mixed breed lying down on a blue couch, both looking at a treat behind the camera 🙃 old friends finally hanging out again 🥰💜)

This feels surreal to finally share! Planning this move is the primary reason I've been mostly absent from social media the past few months. It has been a long time coming! Moving is so stressful, but the light at the end of the tunnel is swiftly approaching! 😁💜

📣 ALL dogs should be taught to tolerate wearing a muzzle. 🐕

👏 Yes, even super friendly dogs that “would never bite” (that’s a topic for another day).

These are pics from our Sunday. Freddie has a sore between his paw pads. He wants to lick it and chew it. And I need to make sure it is clean and medicated. 🩹🐾

Cones are incredibly stressful for most dogs. Not to mention they knock EVERYTHING over and are such a pain to deal with. A donut would not be enough of a barrier from his paw. Wrapping his foot would trap moisture and the wound needs to breathe.

🌟 Cue the modified muzzle! 🌟 I put some vet wrap on the front, which has very effectively stopped the licking. Of course, he cannot chew with the muzzle on either. Later in the day I added some vet wrap at the top for comfort on the bridge of his nose. The headband is just for fun. 🙃

Mr. F doesn’t love wearing the muzzle for an extended period, but it is something he is familiar with, unlike a cone.

What’s the point? 🤔

🙌 LESS STRESS! 🙌 For everyone, but especially Mr. Sick Man. 💞

Less stress means faster healing and more comfort. That is always the goal.

It’s important to note that pain management is also critical for times like these. To disregard the pain and slap the muzzle on would not be fair or nice.

Muzzles ≠ mean! 💜

💞🌟MANAGEMENT🌟💞

Before your dog can start to feel safe home alone, they need to stop feeling unsafe when home alone. Stop the distress and panic first. This is critical. 👏

How? Here are just a few ideas…

☑️ Reach out to friends and family who live nearby
☑️ Bring your dog in the car with you for quick errands
☑️ Network with people in your area who love dogs and stay home during the day
☑️ Hire a trusted dog walker, pet sitter, or daycare

There are so many ways to make sure your dog feels safe during the day, though sometimes it does take some work and digging to set up. 🕵️

All dogs are different. All humans are different. If you are struggling to find a safe place for your dog to stay when you need to leave, reach out and let’s brainstorm ways to make this possible. 💜

If you are wondering if you’re doing a good job, you are doing a good job. 💞

We all do the best we can for our dogs with whatever information and resources we have available to us in the moment.

The fact that you are trying to help and have your dog’s wellbeing in mind, means you’re doing a good job.

I promise. 🥰🐶💜

It’s Zelda’s 9th birthday! 🤯

I want everyone to know that this Corg is the reason I am the dog trainer I am today. She was NOT an easy puppy. There was so much I didn’t know, so much that she struggled with, and we learned so much together. She can still be a real pain at times, but I am so grateful for her. 💜

Will be spending the day trying to not go overboard with the snacks, but that’s the primary thing she cares about so I’m not making any promises. 😂

Happy Saturday! Who else is getting dirty with their pups this weekend? 🙋‍♀️

Freddie's fav place to be is in muddy water 😅
It's ok, we have worked hard on low stress bath time for that reason 😂

Tell me your weekend plans with your pups in the comments! 🐶💜🥰

Consider this. Your dog’s behavior problems might be rooted in pain. And that pain can be well hidden by your dog. 💔

Some dogs will tell you when they are in pain. But many will hide it and instead may change their behavior in other ways. Including (but not limited to) increased anxiety and aggression. 😥

Compare this to humans. If you are in pain, you may become more cranky, agitated, needy, snappy, etc. When you feel better, you behave better. ❤️‍🩹

Our dogs are the same. It is our job to first make sure they feel okay. Only then can we ethically modify their behavior. 👏

Yes, I am posting this because I have been having a painful week. And it definitely changes my behavior. The difference is that I can clearly communicate that to people around me and advocate for what I need. I can buy and take appropriate medications. I can choose when and what I want to eat to help me feel better. 💖
So much of the time pain isn't even considered as a possible factor for distress. Our dogs are doing the best they can with what they have. 💞

If your dog's behavior is concerning, it is NEVER a waste to have a knowledgeable vet thoroughly check them for pain. No matter the results. ESPECIALLY if their behavior has changed suddenly and without any other clear explanation. 🧑‍⚕️

Your dog isn’t giving you a hard time, they are having a hard time. 💜

This has got to be the most frequently asked question I get. And it’s a valid one! We want to plan, we want to know what to expect, we want to budget. There is nothing wrong with that! 👏

Unfortunately, “How long will it take?” is an impossible question to answer. Your dog’s progress depends on so many things. Comparing your dog to other dogs who have experienced separation anxiety is not as helpful as you would think it would be. 🐶

Some dogs who show really “extreme” behaviors progress really quickly. Some dogs who only show “mild” behaviors progress really slowly. And vice versa. 💞

Ultimately, your dog is the only one who can set the pace for the training. They are the one and only dog who is experiencing their anxiety in the context of your home and life. 🏡

The best way to make sure your dog’s recovery is progressing as quickly as possible is to implement a solid systematic desensitization training plan and track your dog’s daily progress. Easier said than done, but that’s why I am here to help! 🥰

If you have a dog who needs help learning to be home alone, comment “Help!” below or schedule a free call with me (link in bio)! I still have a few openings for new clients in December. I'll help you get your life back. You and your dog deserve it. 💜

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Have you ever heard the phrase “Small Dog Syndrome”?⠀

Often, people use it to refer to smaller breed dogs who display behaviours like barking, biting, growling, snapping, lunging, etc. People will say that that’s just how small dogs are or that small dogs are just trying to make up for their size.⠀
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The problem with this thinking is:⠀
😩 We don’t get to the root of why the behaviour is happening.⠀
😩 We end up not doing much to change and to help our small dogs out with their worries and fears.⠀
😩 We blame the behaviour on our small dogs and use punishment to stop their behaviour, stressing them out further.
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The truth is that small dogs aren’t simply more “aggressive” than dogs of other sizes. It’s the fact that when they show subtle signs of fear, stress, and anxiety, they often get ignored and therefore need to use more obvious signals like growling, barking, snapping, etc. to get their point across and get something scary to stop.⠀
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For example, a small dog may be regularly petted over the head by various people when they don’t want to be, and the dog may have started off with stress signals such as tucking their tail and licking their lips. But as that goes unheard, they now have resort to air snapping to stop people from coming over to pet them.⠀

It is so important to listen to our dogs and see their behaviour for what it is, rather than apply labels such as “small dog syndrome” which do not help us with understanding our dogs better and helping change how they feel as well as their behaviours.⠀
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Small dogs deserve to be heard just as much as bigger dogs. Their little “no”s and signs of discomfort need to be respected and taken seriously, rather than be laughed at by us. While cute and little, they are sentient beings who have feelings and the right to communicate them. 💜⠀
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Need help with your little dog’s barky, lungey behaviour? Book a call with me in the link in bio. 💌


ID: In a small hand-drawn style box on the top with text that says “It’s not small dog syndrome”. Underneath that is a larger hand-drawn style box with text that says “It’s small dogs regularly have their signals of discomfort and fear dismissed so they have to escalate to biting/lunging/growling to communicate”. Next to this text is an image of a brown chihuahua looking scared with a hand over the top of its head.

I took a break from training to review footage of our session and when I turned the camera back on, this was Freddie's expression! 😂
Not pleased with waiting, but a very patient boy! 🥰

🚨SEPARATION ANXIETY MYTHS🚨

1️⃣ Separation Anxiety is untreatable and hopeless ❌
This may have been the case 20 years ago, but now we have modern technology and behavior scientists who have developed extremely effective protocols to heal this heartbreaking disorder!💞
2️⃣ You need to work on crate training 🚫
Many dogs will become MORE anxious when confined to a crate or a small room in the home. Instead of trying to find solutions for indestructible crates or spend time crate training your dog, look for management solutions so that you do not have to leave them alone to experience the anxiety in the first place! Ask friends and family to pup sit, bring your dog in the car with you, some dogs also do well in daycare environments! There are a ton of ways to prevent your dog from hurting themselves and destroying your home, and they don’t need to involve crate training at all!❤️‍🩹
3️⃣ Your dog has Separation Anxiety because of something YOU did 🙅‍♀️
Some dogs simply have a genetic predisposition to feel more anxious. Other dogs have experienced traumas before they came to live in your home. Sometimes the things “you did” are out of your control (moving homes, staying home throughout the pandemic and then being forced to go back to work, etc. All NOT YOUR FAULT!). What does NOT cause Separation Anxiety are the little things like giving your dog affection, letting them sleep in your bed or follow you around the house. This disorder runs so much deeper than that. 🖤

Has anyone been told any of this before? What other myths have you been told? Comment below! Follow for more! Let’s modernize the way the general public thinks about Separation Anxiety! 💜

I am so grateful for my wonderful clients. 💜

I work so hard to educate and lead my clients with compassion and empathy. There is no room for shame in the learning process. 👏

I love helping people understand their dogs on a more intimate level. 💞

I love helping my clients to live more happy and fulfilled lives with their dogs. 🐶

I love helping folks with all kinds of different abilities and finding creative solutions for any accessibility issues we come across. 🦾

Because of the emotional intensity of the behavior work that I do, I prioritize mental health as a major part of the training process. When we work together, you can expect me to make sure YOUR NEEDS are taken care of, not just your dog. I am a human coach first and foremost. 👤

My goal is to help EVERYONE live their best lives. Especially with an issue like Separation Anxiety, so much of the time my clients feel trapped and isolated. I am on a mission to turn that around. Clients like Samantha and Christy are proof that I am meeting those goals. And I couldn’t be more proud. 🥰️

It is such a tragedy that the unregulated dog training industry puts out such harmful ideas like suggesting owners should feel guilty for loving their dogs. 💔

When I was researching hashtags yesterday, I came across a dog trainer suggesting that you will cause separation anxiety if you show your dog too much love or affection. This is simply FALSE! ❌

How do I know?
Research! 📝 Data! 📈 Science! 🧑‍🔬
Separation anxiety is the most studied behavior problem in dogs! There is NO CORRELATION between giving your dog affection and separation anxiety! Anyone who tells you it is your fault that your dog is experiencing this heartbreaking disorder is showing their ignorance and causing real harm. 😢

So what causes separation anxiety in dogs? If only we knew! There is likely a very strong genetic component, but scientists have not been able to isolate a specific concrete cause.

Some may think that “we don’t know what causes it” proves that we don’t know what we’re talking about or proves it’s the owner’s fault. Anyone who understands science will understand that this implies quite the opposite! Saying “we don’t know” only means we are still searching! Claiming to KNOW something when you do not have any evidence for it is the epitome of ignorance. 🙄

In conclusion, LOVE YOUR DOGS. Let them sleep in your bed, cuddle on your lap, follow you around the house, and yes, it is often even okay to share food with them! 😋🍟

And if you or your dog are experiencing behavior problems or anxiety related to being home alone, reach out to a certified expert! I am a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer who understands that shame has no place in the learning process. 💖

Comment below if you’ve ever had a trainer shame you for your dog’s behavior, whether or not you think it was your fault! 💜
(This page and comment section is a safe space. Bullying and harsh words will not be tolerated, be kind please. 🥰️)

Hello Internet!

I am so excited to announce that V Smart Dogs - Behavior and Training is officially open for business! 🥳️

I am V (Victoria Thibodeaux, CSAT, CDBC, CPDT-KA). I am a dog trainer and behavior consultant with nearly a decade of experience in a huge variety of behavior problems. I have two dog-children of my own: Zelda, an 8 year old Pembroke Welsh Corgi, and Freddie Mercury, a 2 year old Duck Toller. 🐶🐶

It is finally time to launch my new Separation Anxiety Recovery Program! In this program, I will be helping dedicated dog parents with custom made training plans to heal their dogs’ separation related anxiety and stop behavior problems in their tracks. 💖

Many still believe that separation anxiety is untreatable and hopeless. I am so excited to show you that is NOT TRUE! Separation anxiety is very treatable!

I am so grateful to have had the privilege of studying under the industry’s experts in this field and call myself a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer (CSAT). 🥰️

If you feel like you’re in over your head with your dog’s alone time behavior, send me a DM! Let's set your dog up for success for the rest of their life! 💞

Check out my website to learn more! (vsmartdogs.com)

If you don’t have a dog with separation anxiety, I've got lots of other cool stuff planned, too! Follow me to stay tuned! 😊

V 💜