If you think loose leash walking starts at the end of your driveway, you are already behind. It starts inside your house.

In this episode, I walk you through the mindset shift that changes everything. Stop trying to control your dog with the leash. Start becoming someone your dog wants to follow. Dogs are wired to resist restraint. The more pressure we use, the more they lean. So when we rely on the leash to manage behaviour, we often create the very opposition we are trying to stop.

What if the leash became information instead of control?

I break down the simple, practical steps you can use inside your home, in two to five minute sessions, to build a dog who chooses to stay close. A thinking dog. A fulfilled dog. A dog who sees you as the most comfortable and interesting option in the room. No perfect weather required. No marathon walks. Just clarity, consistency, and small daily reps that build real followership.

Loose leash walking is not about tightening and correcting. It is about building choice. And that changes everything.

Inclement weather is throwing routines off everywhere. Bitter cold. Relentless rain. Wildfire smoke. Heat waves. And suddenly your dog is “bouncing off the walls” and you are questioning your life choices.

I hear it constantly: “He has no off switch.”
“She just will not settle.”
“I’m losing my mind.”

Here is the truth most people do not expect. The problem is usually not a lack of exercise.
It is a lack of balance.

In this episode of Paws and Profits, I break down why throwing the ball for an hour, adding treadmill miles, or trying to “wear them out” often makes things worse. When you build stamina, you create an endurance athlete. And endurance athletes do not naturally relax on the couch at 7 pm.

We are not dealing with “too much energy.”
We are dealing with an unfulfilled dog who has not learned how to rest.

You will learn:
• Why over tired dogs look hyper, not sleepy
• How weather disruption impacts your dog’s nervous system
• The three core daily elements every dog needs, work, rest, play
• Why predictable, protected rest is non negotiable
• How to stop conditioning a canine marathoner
• A simple daily reset structure you can implement immediately

This episode connects directly to your leadership. When your dog can predict when they will work, when they will play, and when they will rest, they stop trying to squeeze stimulation out of every moment. Predictability builds security.

Security builds calm. If evenings in your house feel chaotic, if the mouthing, jumping, and frantic energy are escalating, this is not a personality problem. It is a training gap. And training gaps are fixable. Listen in, then take a hard look at your dog’s schedule. Not just how much they move, but how and when they recover. Because the off switch is not automatic. It is taught. And once it is built, everything changes.

Download your ebook here: https://stan.store/KarenLaws/p/dont-train-your-dog-ejvnp9xw

How often do you actually look at your dog’s teeth? Not glance. Not assume. Really look.

In this episode, I share a hard lesson from my own dog, Jozee. One year after losing 21 teeth due to advanced dental disease, I can say this with complete clarity, dental health is not cosmetic. It is not optional. And it absolutely belongs in a behaviour conversation.

For years, I’ve taught structure, clarity, leadership, and relationship. But here’s what we often miss.

Pain changes behaviour. A dog living with inflamed gums, infected roots, or chronic oral discomfort cannot access calm easily. They may seem slower, grumpier, less tolerant, less engaged. We label it aging. We call it personality. Sometimes, they are simply hurting. 

In this episode, I break down: • The quiet signs of dental disease most owners overlook
• What I missed with Jozee and what it cost her
• The difference between cosmetic groomer cleanings and true veterinary dental procedures
• Common myths about raw food, bad breath, and anesthesia
• Why dental health directly impacts training, focus, and engagement

Jozee is now 10 years old. She has fewer teeth. And she is more lively, more engaged, and more comfortable than she was before her dental procedure.

She is not younger. She is healthier.

February is Dog Dental Health Month, and many veterinary clinics offer dental promotions during this time. If your vet has ever mentioned a cleaning, this is your nudge to revisit that conversation.

Because sometimes what looks like a training issue is actually a health issue.

And calm is hard to access when something hurts every single day. If this episode makes you think, book a dental exam with your veterinarian. Your dog’s comfort and long term health are worth it.

Your dog jumps.
You push them off.
You tell them “off.”And somehow… nothing changes.

If that sounds familiar, this episode will likely hit home. In this podcast, I break down why pushing your dog off doesn’t stop jumping, and how that very reaction often reinforces the behaviour instead of fixing it. Most dog owners are not doing anything wrong. They are simply responding in ways that make sense to humans, but land very differently for dogs.

Dog jumping is not a respect issue.
It is not defiance.
And it is rarely solved with more force, louder cues, or physical handling.

We talk about:

• Why pushing, grabbing, or holding dogs down often rewards jumping
• What dogs are actually learning during excited greetings
• Why telling a dog “off” does not teach them what to do instead
• How jumping turns into a habit through repetition and attention
• What calm, clear responses actually change the behaviour long term

This episode is not about being permissive.
It is not about overpowering your dog.
It is about changing what gets reinforced in real life moments, especially at the door.

If your dog jumps on you or your guests, this conversation will help you see what is happening differently and give you a clearer starting point for change, without frustration or physical corrections. If you want something practical to follow alongside this episode, you can download the Stop the Jumping Workbook, designed to be used in real life, not skimmed and forgotten.

Download the workbook here:
https://stan.store/KarenLaws/p/stop-the-jumping--without-pushing

Calm is teachable.
Behaviour follows clarity.

If your dog feels busy, unsettled, reactive, or hard to live with, this episode is your reality check.

Most behavior issues do not come from stubbornness, dominance, or a lack of training. They come from a daily life that does not make sense to the dog living it.

In this episode, I break down the Fulfillment Formula and why it matters far more than most people realize. Not as a concept. Not as a trend. As a practical way of structuring a dog’s day so their nervous system can actually settle.

We take an honest look at what many dogs experience instead. Random activity. Inconsistent routines. Lots of stimulation. Very little purpose. And then we act surprised when calm never shows up. 

You will learn:
• What real fulfillment looks like in a dog’s daily life
• Why work, rest, and play must exist in the right order
• How missing pieces show up as behavioral problems
• Why more exercise alone does not fix restlessness or reactivity
• How structure creates calm, reliability, and easier living This is not about doing more training.

It is about building a day your dog can understand and settle into. If you have ever felt like your dog is always “on,” struggles to switch off, or seems unaffected by corrections or cues, this episode will help you see why. Calm is not trained into a dog.
It is created through clarity, rhythm, and routine. Listen in, reflect honestly, and take what helps.

Winter brings more than cold weather. It brings slippery sidewalks, salty pavement, awkward dog boots, and for many dog owners, cramped elevator rides with unfamiliar dogs. In this episode, we tackle two very real winter challenges for dog owners, especially those living in apartments and high-rise buildings.

First, we break down dog boots and winter paw protection. You’ll learn when boots are actually needed, how to choose all-weather dog boots that stay on, and how to introduce them properly so your dog doesn’t freeze, flop over, or act like they’ve lost the use of their legs. We cover winter safety concerns like ice, road salt, and cold exposure, along with practical tips to make boots part of a calm, predictable routine.

Then we shift indoors and talk about elevator training for dogs. If you share an elevator with other dogs and neighbours, this part matters. We dive into leash handling, positioning, entry and exit strategies, and how to reduce tension in tight spaces. Whether your dog gets over-excited, anxious, reactive, or just awkward in elevators, you’ll learn how to manage behaviour safely and respectfully.

This episode is packed with dog training tips for winter, apartment living, and real-world situations dog owners face every day. No fluff. No gimmicks. Just clear guidance to keep both ends of the leash safe, calm, and sane during winter.