A Guide to a Calm Holiday Season with Your Dog

The holiday season is often described as the most wonderful time of the year, but for dog parents, it can also bring a whirlwind of stress.

Between bustling schedules, a parade of visitors, and the clatter of festive chaos, even the calmest dogs might feel overwhelmed. Thankfully, with a little planning and some creative management, you can navigate the holiday hustle while keeping your dog happy and your household peaceful.
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Let’s dive into the key strategies to reduce stress for your dog—and yourself—this holiday season.

Love languages, a concept popularized by Dr. Gary Chapman in his book "The 5 Love Languages," refer to the different ways individuals express and experience love. According to Chapman, there are five primary love languages: Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, and Physical Touch. Each person has a primary and sometimes secondary love language, which dictates how they prefer to give and receive love from others.
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These love languages provide valuable insights into understanding and strengthening relationships, as they emphasize the importance of expressing affection in ways that resonate most deeply with the other person/being.

While initially applied to human relationships, I believe the concept can also be applied to how we show love and affection in our relationships with our pups! Understanding this not only strengthens the bond between you but also helps maintain a healthy and happy relationship long term, something referred to as building social currency. 

In this post, I want to help you explore the same five Love Languages and how they may be spoken or received by your dog so you can determine which ones your dog values most.

Physical Touch, Quality Time, Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, and Gifts. 

By understanding these, you can ensure a more fulfilling and rewarding relationship with your family pup.

Think about your daily life. How many patterns can you recognize throughout your day? 
Your bedtime routine, the side of the bed you sleep on, your wake-up routine, how you get your kids ready for school or how you get ready for work, your shower routine, how you brush your teeth, how you tie your shoes, the route you take to work... Patterns are powerful and they offer our brain a chance to not have to process what is going to happen next. They offer predictability and therefore a feeling of safety and security.

The same is true for our dogs. 

​Let me explain...

FINDING A TRAINER & COACH FOR YOUR FAMILY AND DOG: A Round-Up of Tips from your fellow dog-loving community

Searching for the perfect trainer and coach for your dog can be a daunting task. But, by looking out for specific red flags and green flags on their website and social media, as well as in your communication with them, you can find a trainer that you and your family can feel good about. This guide about how to find a good trainer aims to provide you with a round-up of tips from professionals and your fellow dog moms and dads.

Sometimes it feels like an all or nothing situation. "Well, if my dog is never going to love the Vet, we should just get it over with".

With a bit of understanding and some home-taught skills, you can make the next Vet visit a little happier. You'll turn this potentially stressful situation into a smoother and more comfortable experience for both you and your pup.

​Here is a overview to help you understand how I recommend navigating down the Vet Prep Path.

I'm going to share my 5 Relationship-Focused Building Blocks to Better Behavior with you to help you figure out where you might be getting stuck and how to re-establish your foundation.

When it comes to training and behavior change in your living, breathing, 4 legged family member, there can be a lot of behavior problems that come into play.

Whether you're dealing with fear of people, leash reactivity, fear of new places, separation anxiety, poor manners, barking, biting, noise phobia, fear of the vet, or are starting with a new puppy or dog... your relationship with your dog and with the behavior process is where it all begins.

​All behavior needs a solid foundation, built in trust, safety, and agency.