How to Fill Your Dog's Stocking Safely.

I believe the Christmas holiday was intended to be a simple, humble, and incredibly joyful celebration of Jesus's birth. However, if you view "Christmas" from the local mall....it tends to scream an overload of food and gifts, sprinkled with anxiety and frustration.  The hustling urgency and bustling anxiety of a crammed and stressful schedule can bring chaos, rather than cheer, to your holidays, and also to your dog.

Creating a calm dog for the holidays is not impossible. Rather than overloading your dog's stocking with treats and toys, try offering your time sharing a structured and dedicated walk through your neighborhood.  Not only will you bring  calm to your dog, but to you as well. Christmas, especially in the evening, is a great time to walk. The decorations are great socialization!

Don't be surprised if your dog is afraid of certain decorations and even the lights. Realize dogs don't like when things are out of place and an inflatable Santa on the front lawn fits exactly into that category.  Tread forward with your own zen-like assurance and your dog will trust your lead.
If your dog is dramatically scared of the decor, then you can still achieve a calming walk in your own driveway or close to home.

Remember the key to a successful walk is not the physical distance, but the form and the duration. In other words, a crazed walk for two miles to a beautiful park is not better than 20 minutes of walk with structure and calm near home.

Although a structured walk can be boring to us humans, it can be enlightening, calming, and beneficial to both of you if you take a deep breath and enjoy the process of being calm together.

You Can Lead a Dog to Water

Just because you lead the dog to the water bowl, does not mean he will drink. Taking him 14 times still does not improve the amount of water he will drink. Your dog has 4 legs. When he is thirsty, he will search relentlessly to find the water.

When people dress me up it does not make me happy, it makes me uncomfortable. When I buy a car on impulse, I have buyers remorse. When I choose to change something for myself....I harvest that desire, and stretch until I reach that goal.

At California Dog University, we answer every call, but we never stalk you. We don't cram your inbox, yet we offer tons of information on this blog and webinars. When someone is ready to train, willing to try, and seeking success...we are here 100%.

We consider ourselves your partner in training; a coach that will guide, motivate, and encourage to each team member that shows up on our field.

My Dog is My Safe Spot

    Over the years, I have found people reserve their dog in a separate space; reserved for unconditional love.

   Our lives are full of expectations, rules, CC&R's, speed limits, contracts, and responsibilities. A dog has zero rules on us, with no judgment of our failures, our looks, or our financial status. Your dog will never fire you or divorce you, and despite their size, will protect you vigilantly from harm. So, our initial human response is to reward this amazingly loving, forgiving, understanding and tolerant behavior with unconditional love in return; meaning extra treats, no rules, and complete free will of all our space. After all, no one else in our life is so accepting as our dog!

    However, although our dogs don't show signs of judgement (in our human psychological terms) they do mirror our lacking postures by displaying imbalance in their behavior. Whining, chewing, barking, growling, pulling on a leash, jumping, licking....not all necessarily normal dog behavior as much as reactions to unbalanced human behavior lacking boundaries and guidelines for your dog.

    You do not need to become the most patient and tolerant person in the world to get dogs to react calmly. In my webinars, I share 5 simple tips that can immediately improve your dogs behavior, and the benefits reflect on you as well.

    In training dogs, I see success in the clients that truly want to have their dogs behave better, or differently, and are ready to realize they may need to reorganize some of their own techniques to reap the benefits of a calm dog.

 Sometimes I have even met the client that enjoys the anxiety or over excitability in their dog because they relate it to affection and love for themselves. Although I explain a calm dog still shares the same amount of love and that anxiety and excitement mixed together will usually lead to the behavior that they do not like...(jumping, growling, barking, etc.) they still opt for nurturing this antic because they can't bare to lose that overly expressed affection from the dog.

It always feel good to have a dog love you. Love always feels good. However, when the love is right, or stable, or balanced...it flows easily, and calmly... even for a dog.

My Dog Ate my Homework.

If a salesperson came to your door, pushed past you and started thrashing your home, you would be appalled, kick him out, and cry explanations of rudeness. As a human being you have learned what is socially acceptable, safe, and expected.

So has your dog.  If the above explanation is too familiar of your dogs front door etiquette, congratulate yourself at being an accomplished dog trainer, because each behavior is learned.

I share 5 Golden Rules in my webinar training.


Rule #1 Every time you talk, touch, or even look at your dog, you are reinforcing not only what your dog is doing in that moment, but also what he is thinking.

Ouch.....no one seems to think our behavior effects the dogs behavior, but a dog will mirror your energy. Try this....jump up and down whining. Now sit calmly and yawn.

To improve your dogs behavior, you must first take care of yourself. If you feel you are perfect, then I will believe that the dog ate your homework too.:)