On the latest episode of The Family Pupz Podcast, we asked the founder of Paws For Thought Dog Training, Maddie Messina, whether puppies are acting out of spite when they go potty somewhere in the home where they are not supposed to.

On the latest episode of The Family Pupz Podcast, we asked the founder of Paws For Thought Dog Training, Maddie Messina, whether puppies are acting out of spite when they go potty somewhere in the home where they are not supposed to.

On the latest episode of The Family Pupz Podcast, we asked the founder of Paws For Thought Dog Training, Maddie Messina, whether the popular puppy training myth of rubbing a puppy's nose in their pee or poo to teach them not to go potty in the house is an effective way to house train a new puppy.

Whenever a new client purchases a puppy or dog training package from me, they instantly receive an automated email with information about what they can expect from me (and what I will expect from them) during the entirely of the package, tips on how to train effectively, scheduling, and various contracts and pledges, to name a few.

On one of our all-time favorite episodes of The Family Pupz Podcast, the owner and head trainer of From Dusk Till Dog, Erika Gonzalez, explains whether she thinks we need to exhibit dominant behavior towards our dog, in order to show him/her who's the "ALPHA", for fear that they might dominate us first.

When it comes to puppies, biting/mouthing/nipping is usually at the top of the list of the most common complaints I hear about from new paw-rents! I can also personally relate after fostering quite a few puppies myself in the past who were determined to bite (in the cutest way) every inch of my skin! :)

For many people who want to train their dog using positive reinforcement methods, the idea of rewarding your dog for behaviors you want to see persist makes absolute and total sense.

For example, you ask your dog to sit, and if he sits, you reward him with a treat in the hopes that he'll reliably sit when you ask him to do so again in the future. But for many, at least conceptually, it's harder to understand how to reward your dog for behaviors you want to see go away, like jumping, biting, and of course, barking.

Socialization is important because it will provide your puppy with the social skills needed to interact with other people and dogs confidently, while preventing your puppy from becoming fearful, shy or skiddish in the future.

We’ve recently chatted with Dr. Saunders at Sploot Veterinary Care to discuss the best way to ensure that your pup is ready for his/her first vet visit, as behavioral issues related to anxiety at the vet clinic is a pretty common issue that they encounter at the clinic.

Imagine for a moment that you are casually walking down the street with your spouse, and all of a sudden, you catch a glimpse of your favorite celebrity (i.e. Beyoncé or Brad Pitt), and you literally CANNOT believe your eyes.

Almost immediately, you start sweating uncontrollably in your state of discombobulated excitement (“is it hot in here, or is it me?!”).

Meanwhile, your spouse, who is completely oblivious to your mini freakout, casually asks you where you would like to go for lunch.

One Of The Most Common Questions I Get Asked Is, “What Is A Doggy Doula®?”

Many already know that a doula is a trained professional who provides mothers with continuous physical, emotional, and informational support before, during and shortly after childbirth, so it’s common (and unsurprising) for many to think that a doggy doula™ provides support to an expecting dog, or even that a doggy doula® is a dog that provides this support for her expecting human mom!

On another episode from the archives of The Family Pupz Podcast, we asked board-certified veterinary behaviorist, the owner and lead clinician at the Animal Behavior Clinic, and one of our favorite people, in general, Dr. Chris Pachel, to give us his take on whether he thinks dogs would still exhibit anxiety-related behaviors if all humans on Earth suddenly started treating dogs in a humane and loving way.

On the latest episode of The Family Pupz Podcast, we asked the the owner and head trainer of "The Doodle Pro™", the host of the highly-rated and popular, The Doodle Pro™ Podcast, that has most recently ranked #1 on Australia and New Zealand's charts and #3 on the genre's US, Canada, and UK's Apple charts, and generally one of the foremost experts on doodles on the planet, Corinne Gearhart, who just so happens to be allergic to dogs herself, what her opinion is on the popular belief that all doodles are “hypoallergenic”.

Dear Family Pupz,

One of the most frustrating things about being Roxie’s (a French Bulldog) mom is that she always runs away from me the minute I pick up her leash when it’s time to give her a walk.

It’s gotten to the point where my boyfriend and I have to go chase/hunt her down together to even have a chance of getting her harness and leash on her for a walk.

Do you remember when you took your little brother/sister, your son/daughter, or your young cousin to Disneyland for the first time?

Imagine for a moment, the sheer amount of sensory overload that their brains must have been experiencing when they excitedly walked through the park turnstiles for the first time.

“Well of course dogs don’t understand English, I’m not an idiot!”, might be exactly what you’re saying to yourself right now.

And for most of you, this might be completely obvious, but for others, whether they’re aware of it or not, the idea that our dogs don’t come out of their mother’s womb knowing the entire English language (or the language that you regularly use) is a bit foreign to them…

This body signal can be used to signal friendly intentions, stress/avoidance or warning/guarding.

When my dog is crying/whining in his/her crate at night, should I let them “cry it out”, so as not to encourage this behavior? This question is, by far, the most common question that I receive on crate training.

One of the most common dog training requests I get from my clients is to help them with a dog that jumps. This dog might jump up on them, family members, house guests, and/or anyone and everyone that they might encounter while out on walks in the neighborhood or at a nearby park.

Have you ever wondered what your dog is thinking when he looks at you sitting on the couch? Is it possible he may be thinking “Well, are we going to do ANYTHING today?”

Like you, your dog is probably more than ready to get out of the house and enjoy the summer before it quickly passes. His problem, however, is he can't buy plane tickets, drive a car or even just go for a walk by himself.