We all love Halloween (some of us more than others)! It's one of the most fun times of the year, but not for everyone 🤷‍♀️!

Whether you like the spooooky 👻 aspect of it or not, if you're a dog owner, then you might be concerned that Halloween may be stressful for your dog. Which means more stress for YOU!

This is especially true if you have bowls of candy at the ready to hand out to trick or treaters (chocolate and candy with xylitol can be lethal to dogs). And once the big day is over, you still can't let your guard down (be sure to spot that Snickers bar under the leaves before your dog does).

Keeping your dog safe during Halloween is super important 👊, because you never know where danger lurks!

But don't be scared! Sarah and I will be sharing our best Halloween safety tips with you today.

So, if you'd like to know how you can keep your pup safe during the spooky season 🎃 (and avoid a trip to the veterinary ER) you need to tune in now!

Key points discussed

Intro (00:00)

Halloween stress (00:31)

Don't give candy to dogs! (01:02)

Don't leave your dog alone in the yard (02:22)

Door safety is crucial (03:04)

Keep decorations away from your dog (05:37)

Keep your dog's ID on him (10:20)

Keep your eyes open during your walks after Halloween (12:41)

Additional resources

Check out our Puppy Prep Course here.

Need help socializing your puppy? Check out the Puppy Socialization Checklists here.

Learn more about Kathy Santo Dog Training.

Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of Dog Sense 🙌!

First, let me ask you a question: Does your dog absolutely hate going to the vet 🤔?

You're not alone! A lot of dogs get anxious about going to the vet, and that's understandable.

It's kind of like when you have to go to an appointment you don't enjoy (maybe the eye doctor, the dentist, etc.). The difference is that we know WHY we need to go, but we can't explain the need for 'vet visits' to our dogs!

YOU know the vet isn't going to hurt your dog, but he doesn't. Plus, his association with the building, the slippery floor, the smells, and all that body handling creates stress even before he walks through the door!

Also, let's be honest: Sometimes the procedure WILL be a little uncomfortable, but it's ultimately for the greater good. The issue is, your canine best friend has no way of knowing that.

So how can you make his visits to the vet less dread-inducing?

Sarah and I share with you our tips and tricks today, so tune in now to learn how you can prepare your dog for his vet visits 👊!

Key points discussed

Intro (00:00)

Does your dog hate going to the vet? (01:04)

What you need to know first (02:06)

Visits to the office (03:26)

Use food and tricks (04:51)

Getting your dog comfortable on the hydraulic tables (06:30)

What about fearful dogs? (08:07)

Additional resources

Check out our Puppy Prep Course here.

Need help socializing your puppy? Check out the Puppy Socialization Checklists here.

Learn more about Kathy Santo Dog Training.

Hello everyone and welcome back to a new episode of Dog Sense 🙌!

Sarah and I are back, and today, we're discussing something pretty important: How to feed your dog!

No, we don't mean what food to give your dog, or what vitamins they need. We're leaving that kind of advice to your vet 😉.

Instead, today, we're talking about how you can leverage feeding time to train your dog 💪.

Yes, because simply putting your dog's food in his bowl and letting him chow down on it is doing you both a disservice!

Why 🤔?

We explain in this episode, so tune in now to find out!

Key points discussed

Intro (00:00)

How dog bowls ruin training (00:53)

How to use dog food to build your relationship with your dog (01:34)

Bring your dog's food on your walks (03:43)

Feeding options (05:53)

What about dogs with lower frustration-tolerance? (07:03)

Remote rewarding (08:22)

Nose work games (09:21)

Additional resources

Check out our Puppy Prep Course here.

Need help socializing your puppy? Check out the Puppy Socialization Checklists here.

Learn more about Kathy Santo Dog Training.

Hello everyone and welcome back to a brand-new episode of Dog Sense 🙌!

Let me ask you a question: What does your dog's bucket look like 🤔?

And no, we don't mean a literal bucket! We're talking about his emotional one.

Throughout the day, things can fill or drain a dog's emotional bucket, and that can result in your dog doing something out of character 🥴.

Just like people, a dog's emotional wellbeing impacts how they react to things. So, if your dog is suddenly cranky, ask yourself: How full is my dog's bucket ?

Sarah and I discuss this (and more!) in this week's episode, so tune in to learn more about how you can understand - and manage - your dog's emotional bucket 💪!

Key points discussed

Intro (00:00)

Storytime! (00:59)

What's a dog bucket? (03:10)

How you can drain your dog's bucket (06:33)

Reactivity in dogs (09:05)

Practicing draining the bucket (12:02)

Additional resources

Check out our Puppy Prep Course here.

Need help socializing your puppy? Check out the Puppy Socialization Checklists here.

Learn more about Kathy Santo Dog Training.

Hello everyone and welcome back to a brand new episode of Dog Sense 🙌.

Again, we're joined by Lauren (yayy!!) and we'll be discussing something super fun: Agility classes!

And not 'at the dog school' agility classes, but how to do agility at home with your dog 🐶.

Even if you're never going to compete, agility can be a great addition to your dog's training program 💪.

It has so many benefits!! It's a great form of exercise (for you BOTH!), it requires your dog to be focused and take direction from you (so it's a great obedience/brain workout, too), and it's FUN, which means it's a great relationship boost for you and your best friend.

So, how can you quickly and easily implement an agility program at home?

We share our tips and tricks today, so tune in to find out!

Key points discussed

Intro (00:00)

How to get started (03:03)

The planks (06:25)

The tunnel exercise (08:44)

Agility for fun (12:31)

Additional resources

Check out our Puppy Prep Course here.

Need help socializing your puppy? Check out the Puppy Socialization Checklists here.

Learn more about Kathy Santo Dog Training.

Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of Dog Sense 🙌!

Today, Sarah, Lauren, and I will be discussing a super important subject: The challenges of puppy class!

Let's say you just got a new puppy, and you need to take him to puppy class ASAP 👊.

After all, you want him to get socialized, become comfortable around other people and dogs, AND learn how to behave.

As you know, a polite dog is a great dog 💪 (and an amazing companion, as you'll come to find out)!

So, you might be asking yourself some questions, especially if this is your first puppy class ever.

What should I expect? What do I need to prep myself (and my pup) for? And how does this even work?

Don't worry, we're here to help 😉!

Today, we will be answering all those questions (and more) for you, so, tune in now to learn everything you need to know about puppy classes!

Key points discussed

Intro (00:00)

Top challenges in puppy classes (01:29)

What does your dog value? (02:03)

Teaching your dog to focus (07:21)

Manage your expectations (11:40)

Let's talk about optimism! (15:39)

Additional resources

Check out our Puppy Prep Course here.

Need help socializing your puppy? Check out the Puppy Socialization Checklists here.

Learn more about Kathy Santo Dog Training.

Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of Dog Sense 🙌.

Today's episode is slightly different, because, DRUMROLL 🥁, we have a guest joining us!!

Yes guys, this is our first Dog Sense guest, and I am soooo excited for you to meet her!

Our guest is none other than the brilliant Lauren Dolan, a head trainer at my New Jersey school.

Just like Sarah and me, Lauren is a canine athlete specialist 💪. And today, we'll be discussing something suuuuper important: Canine fitness.

We'll also be talking about canine gyms (yes, dogs 🐶 CAN go to the gym too) and some beginner exercises you can use to keep your best friend healthy!

So, if this sounds like your cup of tea (like I know it does), tune in now!

Key points discussed

Intro (00:00)

Meet Lauren (00:52)

Canine gym (02:00)

Paws up! (05:04)

Pivots and rotations (14:15)

Pick-up sticks (15:55)

A short recap (18:00)

Additional resources

Check out our Puppy Prep Course here.

Need help socializing your puppy? Check out the Puppy Socialization Checklists here.

Learn more about Kathy Santo Dog Training.

Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of Dog Sense 🙌!

Today, Sarah and I will be discussing something every dog owner should be knowledgeable about: How to handle crate rest.

Sometimes, your dog or puppy is put on crate rest by their vet, usually because of an injury or surgery, etc...

Think of it as bed rest, but for your canine best friend 🐶!

When some dog owners hear that, they panic a bit.

"How am I going to put my super active eight-month old puppy on crate rest?" they ask 😱

Well, this is exactly what Sarah and I discuss in today's episode 💪!

So, if you want to learn the answer to that question, tune in now!

Key points discussed

Intro (00:00)

Crate rest, you said? (01:00)

Use frozen food puzzle toys (03:08)

Target work (06:35)

Training games (13:16)

Additional resources

Check out our Puppy Prep Course here.

Get the best food toy recipes here.

Learn more about Kathy Santo Dog Training.

If you're meeting a new dog, you might be wondering: How can I greet him 🤔?

After all, dogs, just like humans, like having their own personal space, and just like with people, you want to respect that 🙏.

Even if the dog is usually gentle and non-aggressive, it is your responsibility as the person in this equation to make sure you don't scare him, because, as you know, accidents are quick to happen 🤷.

This is why you have to make sure to greet a dog THE right way 👊.

What do we mean by that?

Tune in now to find out!

Key points discussed

Intro (00:00)

Discussing one of my favorite topics today! (01:36)

Ask for permission (04:38)

The 5-second rule (05:50)

My greeting rules (07:42)

Care for a sniff? (09:46)

Don't squeeze or hug a dog you don't know (11:06)

POORS greeting (12:18)

Additional resources

Check out our Puppy Prep Course here.

Need help socializing your puppy? Check out the Puppy Socialization Checklists here.

Learn more about Kathy Santo Dog Training.

Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand-new episode of Dog Sense 🙌!

And, like always, today, we're discussing a suuuper important subject, especially for those of you thinking about getting a new pup: How to have THE best first week home with your puppy 🤩.

Getting a new dog always comes with a lot of (sometimes mixed) feelings. You're super excited because you're adding another member to your family (whoop whoop!!), but you can also feel a bit stressed out about it.

A new dog — and especially a young puppy — is a big responsibility. So, it's totally natural to be worried about every little detail 🤷‍♀️.

And this is exactly why we're here 💪!

In this week's episode, Sarah and I will be discussing what YOU can do to have an amazing first week home with your new canine best friend 🐶.

All right, let's get to it!

Key points discussed

Intro (00:00)

What you REALLY need (02:21)

Get the right walking tools (06:14)

Toys for your pup? (08:58)

Puppy socialization (12:35)

Keep the potty schedule airtight (14:43)

Additional resources

Check out our Puppy Prep Course here.

Need help socializing your puppy? Check out the Puppy Socialization Checklists here.

Take a look at The Perfect Puppy Checklist here.

Learn more about Kathy Santo Dog Training.