Back to School - for the Dogs!

It’s that time of year.

Kids are back in school; establishing the routines of getting out of bed early and heading off to classes - spending their days (hopefully) learning useful, meaningful lessons, and probably having homework and tests.

But what about the dogs?

With the Winter Holiday Season just around the corner, now is a great time to make sure Fifi or Fido’s manners and obedience are up to par - BEFORE the turkey, ham, and other goodies hit the table, and BEFORE the guests arrive, or the travel to family or friends’ houses begins.

So…it’s time for a pop quiz! How is your dog’s Report Card looking in the following areas?

Can't See the Forest for the Trees...

 Trainer Jen here.

In her book, The Science of Natural Healing, Dr. Mimi Guarneri talks about her patients’ health like a tree - with the leaves being various forms of disease (heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.).

The trunk of the tree is comprised of our genes - our genetic makeup - “the book of life we are given.”

Last, she describes the soil (environment) that the tree is in, and that how we nurture the soil - what we put into our soil (micro & macro nutrients, mental, spiritual, and emotional support, exercise, etc.) - will determine a lot about the health of the tree.

This analogy really struck a chord with me, and got me thinking about how it could be applied to dog behavior (because, let’s be honest, that’s how my brain works…I am ALWAYS thinking about dog behavior on some level or another…). Read on to see how your dog's behaviors (leaves) are shaped by it's genetic makeup (trunk) and environment (soil!)