The Hidden Cost of "Look at Me"
We spend years teaching dogs to watch us, and almost never ask what we taught them to feel while they did it.
You and Your Dog Are Not Behind
Your dog is getting better at something every day, the question is what. This is the story of Otter, the squirrels he loves, and the gentle work of practicing the behaviors you actually want instead of rehearsing the ones you don't. You and your dog are not behind.
Ask Less, Offer More: Honoring Odin in His Senior Years
Odin turns eight this June, and these slower years have taught me more than the wild early ones ever could. Here's how we honor a senior dog's body, mind, and peace — from trustworthy floors and pain management to gated calm, garden afternoons, and the quiet art of asking less and offering more.
From Fear to Flourishing: A Letter to the Worried Dog Mom or Dog Dad
Most people find me carrying something heavy — a knot of worry about their dog. I want to tell you about Basil, and what's on the other side of the heavy part. A letter to the worried dog mom or dog dad.
Why Your Dog Struggles With Houseguests (and How to Actually Help)
We had a house guest for five days. Otter struggled. Murphy Roo shined. Same house, same guest, same routines — and two completely different dogs underneath it all. If your dog struggles with houseguests, here's what the week taught me about overwhelm, environment, and how to actually help.
Welcoming a New Dog? Watch Your Dog, Not the Calendar.
The 3-3-3 rule isn't wrong , t's just incomplete. And when it becomes a hard rule instead of a gentle reminder, it can leave you watching the calendar instead of watching your dog. That's where all the real information lives.
So instead of counting days, try settling into this question: is my dog coping okay right now or do they need something from me in this moment?
Because decompression isn't about time passing. It's about something shifting inside your dog, and in the world around them. And that process moves at the pace of experience, not the calendar.
Feeling Lost With Your Dog? This Framework Will Help
There's a little map I come back to again and again — with my own dogs, with my students, with myself on the days I feel like I'm spinning my wheels. It goes like this:
If you are lost, the answer is education. If you are educated, the answer is execution. If you are executing, the answer is consistency.
Three sentences. A whole roadmap for living well with your dog.
Your Dog Called. They Want a Better Summer.
Summer 2026 is on the calendar, and Cool Dog Crew has three months of outdoor classes for every dog, every level, and every human ready to trade the screen for some sunshine. Small classes, big results — and a whole lot of fun along the way.
What I wish I'd known in my earliest days with dogs
I think about this a lot: the devoted dog owner who has tried everything, who loves their dog fiercely, and who still feels like they're failing. They're not. They just needed different information — and they needed it sooner.